Educational achievement and attainment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Educational achievement and attainment - Essay Example The relationship between gender and educational achievement/attainment is a complex and controversial one, especially at the vital early level of primary education (Richards, 1998). This analysis will consider the definition of gender, how it has changed over time with specific concentration on educational assumptions, the current policy developments which are underway that are attempting to alleviate concerns and an overall view of how gender actually does effect educational achievement. Some questions that will be considered are whether there are indeed innate differences in raw potential between the genders, whether differences are culturally/socially constructed and whether (and if) differences should be alleviated.First, the importance of primary education must be stressed. As Richards (1997) suggests, "the foundations in learning, thinking and feeling which it provides are essential for what comes later not only in schooling but also in life". This undeniable argument will unde rpin much of the discussion of gender. Second, what is gender The Oxford English Dictionary defines gender as "sexual identity, especially in relation to society or culture" and also "the condition of being female or male" (Oxford, 2007). The difference between a person's "sex" and their "gender" is an important one. Whether one is born male or female in a physical sense relates to "sex", whereas "gender" is a much wider - it is a construct of society in which especially when young, people are socialized into various norms for what it means to be 'male' or 'female', a 'boy' or a 'girl'. The distinction between gender and sex is vital, because while the vast majority of people naturally fall into the various biological imperatives of the sex that they are born into (the trans-gendered apart), gender roles are constructed by society and are more fluid/changeable (Sleeter, 2006). The traditional view of gender within British primary education fell into the constructs which were regarded as received truths so obvious that they need hardly be stated. Thus boys were regarded as 'good' at subjects such as Maths/Science, were expected to be the loudest socially, were more likely to get into fights and would be more likely to push themselves forward in class (Archer, 2003). Girls would be better at subjects such as English and languages. They were more likely to work cooperatively and in teams. They were less likely to get into fights (Archer, 2003). Before rejecting these stereotypes out of hand, they should be considered against actual evidence. Male human beings do tend to be more aggressive than females and are more likely to engage in violence at every age, including when primary children (Diamond, 2005). Males also tend to perform better on Maths/Science standardized tests than females (Baron-Cohen, 2003). Conversely, females have long been observed as being more cooperative and less prone to aggression than males within a variety of cultural contexts (Diamond, 2005). They also tend to score better on verbal tests than males (Baron-Cohen, 2003). As Baron-Cohen suggests, "the female brain is predominantly wired for empathy . . . the male brain is predominantly hard-wired for understanding and building systems" (2003). This is of course a highly controversial point of view, but one that seems to be based upon the overwhelming weight of empirical evidence. The words hard-wired are perhaps most important here. If the sex differences are indeed "hard-wired", leading to the various gender differences in both treatment within primary education and attainment/achievement, then little can be done to change them. But if, to stretch the computer metaphor, the differences between male and female are a form of software that can be adapted or even outright changed, then gender differences in educational outcomes may be more malleable. As human beings are mammals, and as all mammals exhibit clear differences in

Organisational models and country managers' role, Organisational Essay

Organisational models and country managers' role, Organisational challenge in multinational management, Case analysis- Organis - Essay Example This international organisation, World Vision International works for the development of children and people living in very poor conditions and are subjected to huge levels of deprivation and supreme injustice. World Vision International’s operation is based on a religious mission inspired by values brought about by the world Christian order. Though the organisation operates based on the Christian philosophy yet it showers equal benevolence to people belonging to diversified classes, sects, religious and ethnic groups around the world who have been struck by the domain of poverty (World Vision International, 2011). This international organisation came into being during 1950 with the work of Reverend Bob Pierce who dedicated his entire effort for the upbringing and care of destitute children dwelling in several corners around the globe. The work of World Vision International earned further impetus with the support from governmental and political bodies around the world in both rendering financial and infrastructural resources to help the concern achieve its end objective (World Vision International-a, 2011). The paper in this regard endeavours to study the effect of changes brought about in the organisation owing to the level of dynamism reflected in the global environment. It aims to reflect the positive and negative aspects of the changes brought about in the existing organisational policies by hinting on both its productivity and operational parameters. Organizational Change of World Vision International The organizational structure of the multinational enterprises can be studied along mainly four aspects. The four aspects show the different types of international companies operating across the globe. Firstly international companies like multinational corporations act based on a number of subsidiaries across several corners of the globe which are centrally managed by a centralised head quarter of the company. In the second case for international corpor ations the subsidiaries operating in several areas are controlled by the centralised units through sharing of knowledge and information. Thirdly in case of global corporations the subsidiaries are rendered a tight control through the monitoring activities of the global headquarters. Finally in the fourth case the transactional corporations exist wherein the subsidiaries do not act as independent bodies but rather as interdependent units. These firms share potential information with each other to help in the effective development of business in such areas (Kirchmer, 2008, p.130). The World Vision International organization working through several subsidiaries spread along different corners of the globe like those belonging to developing nations pertaining to Asia, Africa, Latin America and also of Middle East nations were centrally managed by its headquarter located in United States. The government of developed countries like that of Canada, Australia and New Zealand rendered both fi nancial support and also helped the subsidiary units to take effective decisions for development of the business activities. This situation however changed after the 1970 period when during 1976 the central operating body of World Vision decentralised its operational process by rendering authority to the several operating units acting in different regions. However still up to the 1978 period the members of the different units operating in the several regions though had gained

Monoclonal Antibody Production using Animal Cell Culture

Monoclonal Antibody Production using Animal Cell Culture Introduction Monoclonal antibodies, in biomedical research, are used as reagents in diagnosis and treatment of diseases like cancer and infections [1]. It has been almost century their introduction, mAbs are still produced from splenocytes fused to myeloma cells [2]. The antibodies are produced by obtaining cell lines from animals immunized with substance to be studied. To produce the cell lines, B cells obtained from immunized mice are fused with myeloma (immortalized) cells [1][3]. For production of desired monoclonal antibodies, the cells should grow in one of the two ways: injecting the peritoneal cavity of mouse (known as in vivo method or mice ascites method) or by in vitro method (Tissue culture method). Further mouse ascites fluid or supernatant of tissue culture is processed and monoclonal antibody of desired concentration and purity is obtained (figure1) [1]. Mice ascites method is preferred as it is familiar, properly understood and extensively used in laboratories in comparison to tis sue culture method which is time consuming, expensive and laborious and ails to give required amount of antibodies[1][3]. Presently, twenty two monoclonal antibodies for transplantation, oncology, infectious, cardiovascular and chronic inflammatory disease have been approved by FDA [3]. Strict guidelines has been setup by IACUC for use of animal for mAb production which includes (i) use of animal is scientifically justified (ii) methods to be used which gives minimum pain to the animal[1]. Monoclonal antibody production (Past to Present) Mouse mAbs This technology was introduced in 1975, which works on generation of mouse hybridomas by fusion of B cells, obtained from immunized mice, and myeloma cells. But mAbs produced by this method have many limitations and is not preferred due to high immunogenicity in humans and due to production of human anti-mouse antibody which leads to their rapid clearance from patient’s body [3]. Chimeric mAbs These are produced by gene manipulation method in which constant regions of mouse Abs are replaced by human Abs. Like mouse mAbs, chimeric mAbs also leads to formation of human anti-mouse antibodies and leads to various immunogenicity in patients thus to make it potent in therapeutics further better understanding is required in their structure and function [3]. Humanized mAbs In this method, complementary determining regions (CDRs) are transferred to human IgG from mouse mAb. There is only 5-10% non-human content in humanized mAbs in comparison to 30% in chimeric mAbs [3]. Generation of mAbs Immunization of mice Screening of sera Spleen cell isolation Myeloma cells prep. Cell fusion (Tissue culture) Hybridoma screening Selecting cultures for cloning Mouse Feeder cells Cloning (limiting dilution) Clone isolation and expansion Cell freezing and recovery Supernatant production (from tissue culture media) mAbs purification and testing Figure1. Flowchart showing steps for production of monoclonal antibodies by tissue culture method [1]. Monoclonal Antibody Production Against various Diseases 5C3 mAb against Tumor Growth and Angiogenesis In this method, S100A4 was used for immunizing female Balb/cAnNHscl mice and mAbs were obtained from fused myeloma and spleen cells using PEG-1500. Hybridomas were selected on HAT medium and further screened for it reaction with S100A4 by ELISA. Clones were selected which were corresponding to 5C3 mAb. Cell culture was scaled up in humid conditions (air 94% and 6% CO2) at 37 °C temperature [4]. Supernatant (serum free) from hybidomas was obtained and purified on column containing protein A with the help of AKTA purifier FPLC system and elutions containing 5C3 mAbs were concentrated and filtered in PBS centrifuge Amicon Ultra-15 which has low binding Ultracel membrane and then quantifying mAbs at 280nm [5][6]. 2-4F mAb against Oxytetracycline in shrimps Oxytetracycline is used as medication feed in aquaculture [7], its overuse can lead to its accumulation in aquaculture food and its consumption then leads to serious health problems in sea food lovers. To prevent consumers from its harmful effects mAb 2-4F, highly sensitive and specific, were produced for detection of OTC in aquaculture food animals by ELISA. Hybridomas were obtained by standard protocol, by immunizing the female BABL/c mice with OTC-BSA, hybridomas were cultured and supernatants from culture were screened for antibodies using iELISA and antibodies were cloned by limiting dilution method to obtain monoclones then in serum free media these moloclones were cultured in 500 ml spinner flask [6][7]. Further mAbs were purified from this culture using protein G by affinity chromatography. The elute fractions were collected and its protein concentration was determined at 280nm spectometrically and mAb was filtered using cellulose acetate membrane (0.2  µm) and kept at -20à ‚ °C until used [8]. Human anti-human IL-21 monoclonal antibody. Interleukin-21 is a type I cytokine with four helical bundles that exerts effect on hematopoietic cells like NK cells, T and B lymphocytes. CD4+ T and NK T cells produce interleukin-2 cytokine, over expression of IL-2 lead to variety of autoimmune disorders. Genetically modified Kirin-Medarex mice were immunized with rhIL-21, immunogens were emulsified with P-adjuvant and CpG and recombinant mouse GM-CSF. Hybridomas obtained were cultured in IMDM containing 1x GlutMax, 1x Penicillin, 10% fetal clone serum and 10% Hybridoma Cloning Factor. Hybridomas were selected with IMDM in conjugation with HAT medium and cloning was carried out with 1x HT and distributed in 96 well Elisa plate and wells were examined microscopically for monoclonality and screened with phosphorylated-STAT3. Wells with positive results were distributed in 24 well cultures to obtained density 6105 cells/ml and then supernatant was collected and cells cryopreserved. Further media with human IgG was obtained and filter ed through 0.2 µm membrane and from this filtered media antibody protein was purified by combing Protein G Sepharose Affinity Chromatography Size Exclusion Chromatography and absorbance was taken at 280nm and further its quality was accessed by size exclusion HPLC [9]. mAbs L317, L363, L386 ÃŽ ±-galactosylceramide:CD1d complex The ÃŽ ±-galactosylceramide also known as KRN7000 is best studied ligand that binds to protein CD1d. KRN7000:mCD1d complex is easily recognized by iNKT cells and leads to number of proinflammatory and immunoregulatory functions. To understand the mechanism of antigen presentation to CD1d by iNKT cell three monoclonal antibodies L317, L3363, and L386 were produced. Primary immunogen was prepared with protein obtained from strain H37Ra of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (PPD) and it was conjugated with the complex KRN7000:CD1d. The complex KRN7000:mCD1d:PPD was studied by SDS-PAGE. Mice were first vaccinated with Mycobacterium bovis (BCG) then after 23 days mice were immunized with 5 µg KRN7000:CD1d:PPD complex in 1:1 PBS and Imject alum. At day 61 booster dose was given to mice, of the complex, with 7106 cells. Mice were then sacrificed and spleens dispersed PBS, cells were obtained and further washed with PBS and erythrocytes were lysed and cells were suspended in FBS/HEPES free DMEM [10][11]. The preparation was then mixed with myeloma cells and centrifuged and tubes with pellet were placed in water bath set at 40 °C and into this heated PEG was added followed by FBS/HEPES- free DMEM and then cells again centrifuged and re-suspended in DMEM. Hybridomas along with MRC-5 fibroblast feeder blast cells were plated in 96 well tissue culture plates. Supernatant from culture was screened and cloning of hybridomas carried out by limit dilution. Then 108 cells were inoculated in 2 liters roller bottles containing 500ml medium and OptiMAb supplement was added. MAbs were obtained by filtering of supernatant through protein G column chromatography [12]. Stx2f-1, Stx2f-3, Stx2f-4 mAb against Shiga toxin, a gastrointestinal disease Shiga Toxin 2 also designated as Stx2 is virulence causes gastrointestinal disease in humans’ world by food poisoning. It subtype Stx2f cannot be easily detected by immunological methods and thus three monoclonal antibodies specific to it were produced. Complete hybridoma media contains Iscove’s modified DMM with NaHCO3 and 1 Glutamax, containing fetal calf serum (heat inactivated) [13]. Female Balb/cJ mice were immunized with His-tagged Stx2f and hybridomas were obtained and screened for antibodies against Stx2f by ELISA and were further transferred to MPCM/HT/cHM media and diluted 500cells/ml and then the cells were grown in cHM media. Media containing antibody (400ml) was filtered through protein G column and elution were obtained in 0.1M glycine giving 5mg of purified antibody Stx2f [14][15]. Monoclonal antibody from EB66 Cell lines with enhanced ADCC activity EB66 cell lines are derived from embryonic stem cells of duck which can be genetically engineered and production of mAbs can be increased above 1g/L when grown in serum free media. EB66 have various other characteristic features like short doubling time, high cell density and unique metabolic profile with low accumulation of ammonium and lactate and low consumption of glutamine [16]. Further, EB66 cell lines used for production of mAbs has reduced fucose content with enhanced ADCC activity. EB66 cell lines produce chimeric IgG1 anti-cancer mAb against antigen anti-X by nucleofection. EB66 clones when grown in Erlenmeyer flask with standard fed batch culture produces 1.28g/L of IgG1 of cell density with 36 millions cells/ml. Further by accumulation of monoclonal antibodies in supernatant culture no degradation was observed in antibody production assessed by HPLC, SDS-PAGE and western blot. When the supernatant was purified with Protein-A HPLC showed 98% mAbs as monomers. Glycosylation profile of monoclonal antibodies was analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS, enhanced activation of the monoclonal antibodies obtained from EB66 cell lines was analyzed by flow cytometry[16][17]. FDA Approved mAbs in market [18][19] Infliximab Remicade ® TNF Rituximab Rituxan ®, MabThera ® CD20 Trastazumab Herceptin ® HER2 Bevacizumab Avastin ® VEGF Adalimumab Humira ® TNF Cetuximab Erbitux ® EGFR Ranibizumab Lucentis ® VEGF Palivizumab Synagis ® RSV Tositumomab Bexxar ® CD20 Alemtuzumab Campath ® CD52 Certolizumab pegol Cimiza ® TNF Gemtuzumab ozogamicin Mylotarg ® CD33 Muromonab-CD3 Orthoclone Okt3 ® CD3 Efalizumab Raptciva ® CD11a Abciximab ReoPro ® GP IIb/IIIa Basiliximab Simulect ® CD25 Eculizumab Soliris ® C5 Natalizumab Tysabri ® a-4 integrin Panitumumab Vectibix ® EGFR Omalizumab Xolair ® IgE Daclizumab Zenapax ® CD25 Ibritumomab tiuxetan Zevalin ® CD20 Recent advances in mAbs production Engineered Monoclonal antibodies Advancement in mAb engenrreing has lead to transformation in this field which has lead to production of new drugs which as many useful characteristics like decreased immunogenicity, improved specifity along with stability and potency [18]. The replacements of murine as well as chimeric mAbs with full human mAbs are boon of this novel technology for example adalimumab, ranibizumab and cetrolizumab pegol. Adalimumab, the human mAb, is created by using phage display technology and now it is the top selling drug in the market. Cetrolizumab pegol has been engineered to increase its half-life by making changes in its Fab fragments [19]. Ranibizumab which is derived from bevacizumab wet AMD (age-related macular degeneration) and is considered as care indication standard. These new engineered mAbs have potential to compete with the drugs already in market and have bright future ahead [19][20]. Biosimalar Monoclonal antibodies Biosimilars are the copies of drugs whose patient has expired and now these drugs can be produ- -ced and manufactured by any company. But due to complex molecule used and then its approval from U.S makes it a complex process therefore most of the biotechnology companies are not in favor of production of biosimilars. Dr. Reddy in India has launched Reditux ® which is anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody and it is claimed, as the first biosimilar monoclonal antibody, by the company. In spite of approval of Reditux ® in India, it is thought that it would not have sufficient data that can fulfill the set standards of developed countries in terms of strict safety, efficacy and manufacturing standards[18][19][20]. Conclusion Monoclonal antibodies are expanding rapidly in pharmaceutical industries with already hundreds of candidates are under development and trials. Both cytotoxic and radiology methods are emerging to increase efficacy of the present therapeutic molecules. Moreover, advances have also been made to use mAbs in treatment of bacterial and viral infection. Biosimilars and bio-superiors are the next generation drugs which can be produced as most of the blockbuster monoclonal antibody are at verge to their patent expiry. The future of the monoclonal antibodies in therapeutics is bright and continued discovery, research and development in this field can take it to the heights that have not been achieved before. Abstract Monoclonal antibodies today have gained a breakthrough and are used in treatment of numbers of disease. Over 30% of the Engineered Monoclonal antibodies are under clinical trials. Moreover, different methods to generate human monoclonal antibodies are present today like generation of humanized and chimeric antibodies from genetic engineering of mouse antibodies, phage display method and transgenic mice development. Monoclonal antibodies are in great demand today and FDA has approved almost 22 mAbs till date and all these are commercially available in market. Biosilimars are also taking up the pace as most of the blockbuster mAbs are at verge of their patient expiry and Reditux ® developed by Dr. Reddy claimed as first biosimilar in India and is half the cost of Rituximab ®.

Essay --

itle: The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles By: Padriac Colum Pages: 316 Sang Chung 7th period 1 Eng. RM.15 1/15/14 This book maybe retelling the story that has been told many times. No matter how many times you have heard or read the enchanting story of Jason and his quest to find the Golden Fleece, you will never discover a version more riveting than this one by Padriac Colum. If you have not yet to discover this rip-roaring adventure along with Jason and friends on his quest on the Argo to retrieve the legendary golden fleece. Will he succeed along with his allies? or will he fail and perish along with his allies? Read the book to find out! The obvious setting to this story would be Greek. To be more specific around the kingdom of Lolcus around a couple thousand years ago maybe even more. The setting to this story would be very important to itself because this story is a Greek myth. Where would a Greek myth take place? Hmm... I’d say Greek. If this story had not taken place in greek then obviously it wouldn’t be a Greek myth. The period of this story is also important to itself because this story was taken place in around the A.Ds.If it hadn’t it wouldn’t exactly be a myth. The main man, the most important character, the main character, and the protagonist whatever you want to call him is Jason. Jason, like Achilles and Heracles, was trained by Chiron the king and the best of all centaurs. Jason was brought to Chiron as a baby for him to train and foster until he was of age to fight and take back the throne of locus. Madea the daughter of the king Aeetes of Colchis went along with Jason after have been promised by Jason to be married to her and take her to Greece. Heracles the son of Zeus and Alcmene and gr... ...nce they reached Colchis, they met the king Aetes. Acting friendly at first but not wanting to give up the golden fleece, he tasked Jason and the Argonauts with an impossible task to plow the field with fire-breathing bulls and then to sow the field with the teeth of a dragon. Jason and the Argonauts managed to complete these tasks but the king quickly goes back on his word and has his army attack the argo at night. Madea knowing about the plan shows jason where the golden fleece is and sings the dragons to sleep. While Jason quickly seizes the fleece. Jason went back to lolcus with the fleece and won the respect of many men. Jason then got back his kingdom and marries madea. I think the artist wrote this story to teach kids about the story of the golden fleece and to pass it down. I would recommend it to people who like reading about greek myths and stuff like this.

Managing Human Resources in Health and Social Care

1. Introduction Human Resource Management (HRM) is the function within an organisation that focuses on the recruitment of, management and providing direction for the people who work in the organisation.Managing human resources is an important part of an organisation to understand the process for recruiting and designing strategies for building an effective team. The report will explain the systems for monitoring and promoting the development of individuals, and to understand the approaches for managing people working in the health and social care (Armstrong, 2006). The introduced policies and practices will be explained with respect to the organisation related to employment that will aim to maintain the well being of the employee and good relationship between the staff and the management. This plays a major role in an employment setting as the staff will be realise that they have responsibility and needed that the company would benefit from. In considering the factors when planning a recruitment of individual who works in the health care setting,the HR Director has to increase staff retention in order to reduce future training, and whether the organisations need an improvement in the future and also identify if staff needs training in health and social care setting (Reward,2014).The director has to focus on recruitment cost such as external and internal recruitment, time, experiences, numbers of employees, location, organisational structure, flexibility, quality and quantity of the job, the legislation, policies of the home, retention, roles and responsibilities. The two main factors are cost and time.The HR should plan the budget, in to how much money they have to spend in terms of managing the needs of the home and how to cut down on spending.The use of strategies by manager requires time planning for recruiting staff, as it takes time to arrange interviews and training, therefore planning time is important for the org anisation as different aspects can be covered in a short period of time if planned correctly. Job Analysis includes collecting information necessary for the development of an organisation. â€Å"A job analysis is the process used to collect information about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job. It includes collecting as much data as possible to put together a quality job description, which is the frequent outcome of the job analysis. Additional outcomes include recruitment plans, position postings, advertisements, and performance development planning within an organisation’s performance management system (management concepts, 2014).Job Description entails roles, responsibilities, duties, reporting and structuring and Job Specification are skills, experience, qualification, salary, full time or part time. There are number of factors to consider before and during the recruitment selection, pre-selection, post selection and advertising.Advertising is the best way to reach the target mark for applicant for an organisation; some of the ways to advert are by newspaper, radio television, magazine and online.The purpose of selection is to identify the most suitable applicant for the job; this can be done by interview, presentations, short listing and aptitude testing, these are the most common methods that can be used to select the right candidate.In the interview, an employer would make a decision if the candidate has given more information in a standard way, and the most suitable applicant can be chosen from the short listing, interview, application form and references.Short listing allows managers to chose candidates from the pile of applicants that has been shortlisted for an interview, and should be the ones that the manager has gone through their application form and reading their CVs and covering letter to pick the best out of the rest to know if they have the qualification, skills and experience for the job that they applied for (Torrington at el, 2009).Interviews can be face to face where the manager will cross check with the individuals and decide if they have sufficient skills that will persuade the employer to make a decision of employing the individual (ibid).The references can be obtained from the individual’s previous job that the employer will use as an evidence to support the application. Also,aptitude testing can be done by assessing skills of the applicant such as numeracy skill and cognitive skills and other skills that job demands. Understanding the legislative framework which is relevant to the recruitment process will allow individuals in the St Patrick’s nursing home to empower and select leadership and co-workers that can develop effective teams that influence understanding to these policy which relate to the health and social care settings Armstrong (2006).The purpose of home country laws is to protect human rights of individuals especially in the care settings. Employers and supervisors have to understand the responsibility and must ensure that the workforce provides equal opportunity for different races, genders and religion.The Equal Act 2010 is suitable for the health and social care settings which cover Equal Pay Act 1970, Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Race Relation Act 1976, Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Employment Equality (religion or belief) regulation 2003, Employment Equality (age) regulation 2006, Equality Act 2006, Equality Act (sexual orientation) regulation 2007.In the case where St Patrick’s nursing home have a low pay facility, equal pay act 1970 can be considered; this act is an effective legal framework for preventing discrimination against low pay. In the area where the nursing home fails to provide a good atmosphere, poor working conditions and working long hours; this comes under the law of health and safety act 1974; this act is provision for securing the safety and welfare of the person at work and to protect individual against risk to health. The area of favouritism will come under race relation act 1976, it is unlawful to treat individual less favourably than another on racial ground and also it also covers colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins. The different approaches to be used when selecting the most suitable applicant for the job are interviews, application forms, presentations, references, CV and aptitude testing.Interview can be face to face which can be cross checking with the individual and this is how manager will decide if they have sufficient information that persuades them to make a decision of employing the individual (ibid).The references can be obtained from the individual’s previous job, which the employer will use as a form of evidence to support the application.During interviews, the candidates would be observed, aptitude test would be given, and candidates would have the 6 C’s, which is the Quality Care Commission Standard for Health and Social Care Setting: Care, Compassion, Commitment, Courage, Communication, and Competency.To select the best candidate after interview, it must be one or two candidate that clearly stand out, and to select one of the them, the manager should involve the depu ty manager to discuss the outcome in the interview of the candidate and also share the results of any comments from references, and other background checks, and this process can be repeated for each candidate; after all has been discussed, then the best can be listed, also vote can be carried out between the managers to select the right candidate (Hunt, 2007), According to Tuchman’s (1965) theories, team communication is a method of development In a good team player, a good personality, self awareness, self development and motivation to carry out their responsibilities and roles perfectly and which is progressing are measure into 4 stage which are: In Forming, a leader will prepare to take their responsibilities, roles and read to build relationships and process with other member of teams and also be tolerant as the team will be meeting for the first time and they will be highly dependent on their leader for guidance and direction. The next stage will be Storming, this is where decisions do not come easily within a group as team member would want to use position to establish themselves which can bring challenging behaviour, conflict, uncertainties, disagreement from other team members and can ultimately result in some loss of focus on the goals or task. The other stage is Norming, this is where goals are clarified and accepted by the leader and teams, here decision are made and group members are strong and show commitment and unity. In the last stage which is the performing, this is where the team in St Patrick’s home could put in place as they will need to use strategic awareness, because at this stage they know clearly what to do as to improve in the area of working performance. In addition, group members’ disagreements should have resolved and achieved their goals. To met the performances and satisfaction of the organisation depends on collaborative team-working, it is a process of working together in a group in order to achieve a goal, put together their knowledge, skills and give accurate feedback and also able to manage their conflicts without affecting the job It is important to manage effective teams work in St Patrick’s Nursing home as staff members were often blamed for not communicating important messages to one another whilst on shift and also not handing over effectively at the end of their shift, and coming to work â€Å"just to do their shift and go home†.Building a team requires effort, knowledge, skills and it is an ongoing cyclical process. It is important as a group to lookout for things that could stop the members not to achieve their goals, for example, lack of clear goals can effect the team performance in the case where staff members fail to pass an important message to one another, this could cause problem in the case if an individual medication was changed during the shift and the staff was told to pass it on to the next person in charge, the ignorance to pass an important message can put an individual health at risk.The interpersonal conflict and distrust can cause lack of trust, oppressiveness and communi cation and it can also slowdown day-to-day activities. It can stand in the way of resolving conflict that might arise as the group makes decisions. This can be overcome if the team focuses on the work and improve interpersonal skills in order to complete their task effectively; the team needs to appoint a team player that can be in charge to the supervisor and be accountable for the group performance, and this team player should be able to listen to members and be open to constructive criticism. In the area of handover, with good communication and cooperation, full details of all that happens in the shift must be discussed to the next person in charge to avoid risk to health. For example, giving proper handovers on each shift. In the handover, nurse in charge should give clear information and all members of staff should be present, and mandatory training for updating new skills on a yearly bases should be practices at at all times. (Armstrong, 2009). performance that can be monitored individual in the health and social care, can be managing team rate and performance of employees by meeting and improved target or goal that can meet in the area of team management, staff performance and individual care. Effective communication is seen when team progress can be established through well decision making. The team that makes the right decision at the appropriate times will able to make the best decisions that can be of help. They must emphasise on advantages and disadvantages that will help them meet their goals.Supervision can be seen when individuals assess their own personal effectiveness and line managers are closely involved in decision-making enabling them to have a clear target.Reflective is seen when a staff is able to reflect on its own thought; it the best way to develop the area that was not met. With this practice, staff is able to gain new skill and knowledge that they can be applied in their day-to-day work.An observation is where note will be taken into what has happened to the tasks that were given, whether it is going on the right direction or according to plan, in the case where the plan has not achieved the goals, there should be a feedback to strengthen the standar d practice in place in order to enable self reflection and open dialogue between employee and management. .. Assessing individual training and development is an event that provides a learning and practice in order to prepare the workforce to motivate to jobs that will benefit the employees and employers. Training will help individuals understand their role, their responsibility in order to maintain skills and experiences in using the system, equipments and handling serviced users in the area of caring.Training and past experience can also help develop talent, capabilities and ability.To identify training and development needs, it can be information through colleagues or attitude on the responsibility on jobs role lack of ability to complete taskin the positive way the organisation can encourage employees by empowering them in the area of development to become independent, self motivating and self development. In order to promote continued development, it is the responsibility of the work place and it is an empolyee’s hard work in the organisation that can lead to increased performance and satisfaction and the ideal is to commit and creates a willingness that can build up exert effort for the organisation. An employer should create a way to encourage employee by providing learning aid and training to promote development (Armstrong and Baron, 1998). Leadership is a process of influencing the activities of an organised group in its effort towards goal setting and goal achievement† (Stogdill, 1950). Formanaging work relationship, it is important to have a good relationship with your boss and also colleagues. Staffs need to communicate effectively and socialise with one another in the workplace. Communication is defined as the passing along of information and understanding from one person to another person or group, and this requires good listening which can sometimes be difficult as people intend to do the talking and to be a good listener, there is a need to look at the person face and body language. (Sussman, 1984). Making better relationship in St Patrick’s Nursing Home, the HR manager has to organise events such as christmas parties, staff meetings where they can discuss about work issues and socialise at the end of the meeting.In most organisations, staff relationship affect the work as it is part of their life which makes them earn a living. (Lectures in Class). In health and social care setting, staff care about their clients and they still have to work home searching about illness or new information which they have come across or they phone their colleagues doing the same job communicating with them whether they knew this new information or they have heard about it. If they find anything relating to this topic it would be passed on during handovers, or study days or staff meetings (Lectures in Class). Travers. W., A. (1998), states that group meetings benefit employees as they would have better understanding of organisation and have greater influence on the decisions.A form of job enrichment and enlargement would improve morale and errors can be prevented My own development at my workplace has been influenced by management by actively participating in areas that will boost my confidence and skills at work: Effective communication is management-arranged training for all the staff based on improving communication skills among staff and clients under our care. Also, documentation was made effective as a means to remind staff of their responsibilities and to create awareness of the need to communicate effectively. Reflective account empowered me to reflect on how effective my job role means and how to meet up with the work expectations. It allowed to reflect on my strengths and areas of weaknesses that needs support from the management. Medication competency: This is the gained knowledge during my studies and improved greatly working with others and management supports through training on medication competency. It includes how to minimise errors and undertake quarterly medication audit to make sure staff is working according to NMC and company guidelines. Supervision, this has been a great area for me to help and keep me on track with the company policies and procedures, awareness of my strength and weaknesses, to express my concerns regarding the job and most especially to discuss my personal development plans. These sessions had really helped me to improve my skills, Knowledge and awareness of changes for future development. In mydevelopment Plan, my goal is to excel from being a staff nurse to achieve a higher qualification in the future. With the aid of the management during supervision, I raised my concern and the management encouraged me to progress ahead. I also had the opportunity to work flexible hours and source some information from the work place. Also he has to plan for recruiting and what are the reason for the expansion of St Patrick’s Nursing home and also to put in place plans for retirement, death, sickness holiday, termination, dismissal, materity. References Armstrong M and Baron A 1998, Armstrong’s Handbook of Reward Management practice improving performance through reward forth edition CIPDWelcome to smallbusiness.chron.com (online) Assessed 15/03/2014]. Welcome to leaders recruitment.co.uk (online) http://www.leadersinrecruitment.co.uk/ (Assessed, 14/03/2014). Oxford University Press 2014; Overview: behavioural observation scale Torrington .D. Hall .L. Taylor .S. Atkinson .c. (2009) welcome to hse.gov.uk (online) Available from http://www.hse.gov.uk/legislation/hswa.htm {Assessed, 26/5/2014} Lewis, C., 1985. Employee Selection. London: Hutchison, pp157 Beard, J., and Clayton, J., 2007. Human Resources Management 5th Edition. A Contemporary Approach. Published in Great Britain 1994. Blundel, R., and Ippolito. , 2008. Effective organisation Communication. Third Edition. Perspective, Principles and Practice. Published by Prentice Hall in 1996 in Great Britain. Cummins, T, G., and Worley, C, G., 2003. Organisation Development and Change. South Western Mason, Ohio. Sussman, L., and Deep, D., S COMEX: The communication Experience in Human Relations, Southwestern Publishing Co., Cincinnati, 1984 pp.3-4. Travers, A. W., 1998. Supervision Techniques and New Dimensions 2nd Edition. Printed in the United States of America. Kolb, D, A., 1984. Experiential Learning. Experience as the source of learning and Development. Englewood Cliff N.J: Prentice Hall. Welcome manager menthelp.org (online) Available http:/www.managermenthelp.org/staffing/hiring.htm#hire [Access,29/5/2014]

Mahatma Ghandi

Year 11 Community and Family Studies Individuals and Groups – Leadership Term 2 Assessment MAHATMA GHANDI . Mohandas Karamchand Ghandi, known as Mahatma , or ‘Great Soul’ was a successful leader who managed to cause major political change in countries that experienced an abundance of racial discrimination and cultural inferiority . The two most signi? cantly effected countries that experienced direct positive empowerment because of Mahatma Ghandi were South Africa and India. Reason for Ghandi’s immense success with each goal he set was his strong self belief, resilience, persistence and determination.Apart from these characteristics allowing Ghandi to achieve his goals, they made him an exceptional example of an effective leader. In South Africa Mahatma Ghandi fought for Indian civil rights, his success resulted in the reformation of the anti- Indian Legislation, by South African Of? cials. Throughout the history of South Africa racial discrimination was al ways prevalent among society. Native Africans, Indians and Asians were constantly subject to racial injustices, particularly from the 1800’s to 1959.Examples of this are evident throughout the legislations and laws that were directed at Indians; Indians; -Could only freely migrate to South Africa as indentured Labourers (labourers on contract) – They had none of the rights of full citizenship – Were not allowed to own property or land – Were only granted temporary residence -Forced to pay of sum of ? 3 if they were ex-indentured Indians that failed to reindenture or chose to return to India after their labour contracts were completed . Had to live in government allocated areas for ‘sanitation’ purposes – Were the only race that had to complete a educational, health, age and means test in order to gain admission into the country with the exclusion of Indian indentured labourers. (this purpose of this test was to stop further immigration of ‘free Indians’ (Indians that came to South Africa not indentured) ). -Were prohibited from marrying the ‘Whites’ (People of European descent e. g. Dutch, German, French ) These government policies were discriminatory against the Indian race and resulted n them (Indians) being assumed as an inferior race in society which further resulted in the excessive mistreatment of Indians. Being exposed to these racial inequalities, and having been of Indian race Mahatma Ghandi was well aware of these racial inequalities as he stated â€Å"I discovered that as a man and as an Indian I had no rights†. He recognised that change needed to occur in order for the Indian race in South Africa to be equalised within society. This recognition then lead Ghandi proposing an action plan of ‘passive resistance’ which he was leader of.The result of his passive resistance which was taken up by hundreds of other supporting Indians in South Africa was the . refo rmation of the anti- Indian Legislation ( mentioned previously). This meant that the Indian Relief Act was passed, consequently improving Indian civil rights. The act; – Abolished the ? 3 poll tax -Recognised marriages contracted in terms of traditional Hindu and Muslim rites – Indian children of parents living in South Africa are allowed to immigrate Although these modi? ed policies of legislation did improve Indian Civil Rights, there were still major parts which remained law that were racially unjust.For example; Indians were still prohibited from owning property in Transvall and Orange Free State. -Indians were not allowed to reside in Orange Free State. – Restrictions still existed on Indian trades. In 1869 India was part of the British Empire, which meant that Britain ran the government, made laws and took advantage of India’s natural riches in particularly salt, in order to make pro? t. The fact that the British Empire ruled India, basically meant that the Indian’s own country had to a degree been taken from them; they were living in a country that was not theirs. After ? hting in the British Army in Europe during First World War (1914-18) Indians, felt that in return they deserved to be granted Independence. Believing this Ghandi resolved to ? ght for Indian Independence or what he referred to as ‘Swaraj’ . Ghandi’s method of ‘? ghting’ was inspired by his belief of Satyagraha, meaning truth force. He stated â€Å" Satyagraha has been designed as an effective substitute for violence† . In order to achieve this vision Ghandi employed his method of civil disobedience. ?He urged Indians to resist British rule by going on strike. ?He went on hunger strikes ?He made protest speeches ? Encouraged Indians not to wear clothes or pay British taxes – this was the beginning of Ghandi’s Cloth Campaign; he ordered the public to burn their British clothing and instead spin their own thread and make their own clothes. ?Encouraged Indians not to buy British goods, go on strike from their jobs and attend rallies to hear him speak. ?The most signi? cant event that Ghandi lead to achieve Indian Independence in India was the ‘Salt March’ ; during this event Ghandi lead hundreds of his followers to Dandi Beach were he picked up the ? st handful of salt. This symbolised that Indians would no longer bow to British laws. This occurrence was so important because it showed rebellion to British law. During this time (1930’s) it was made law that Indians could not collect their own salt, they had to purchase heavily taxed salt from the British. However after Ghandi’s action, Indians started collecting their own salt. . Mahatma’s main goal was to achieve Indian independence, however he fought for better working conditions for poor weavers and went on a fast until he won them a wage increase.He also set up a ashram which was communal farm , on this farm Ghandi accepted a group of social outcasts, labelled the ‘untouchables’ . The untouchables were seen as the lowest rank in society’s hierarchal structure and therefore they were outcasted and not associated with. By Ghandi’s encouragement and acceptance of the untouchables into the communal farm despite the protests of his followers he showed his belief that all people were equal. Mahatma Ghandi’s approach to protest became popular within society and rapidly he accumulated hundreds of followers, ? hting united with the same intention which was further reason why Ghandi achieved Indian Independence. â€Å"Mass civil disobedience is like an earthquake†, said Ghandi. This same principal which Ghandi proposed and then employed into every protest project he was involved in, is reason why he was such a successful leader. Despite Mahatma Ghandi’s direct action to empower individuals to stand up for what they believe in in South African and India , Ghandi inspired the whole world to do the same. The actions and principles that he utilized resulted in the global empowerment of individuals.His ethics and protesting strategies are still seen in present political rebellion. Mahatma Ghandi was a highly successful leader because he was able see injustices within society, which others experienced and encourage and enforce society to passively yet affectively ? ght in solidarity for positive change. The New Oxford American Dictionary de? nes leadership as ; the ability to lead skillfully. Mahatma Ghandi’s most prominent quality was his leadership, his superior leadership style was the main reason for his successes.There are many diverse leadership styles, such as ; Task-orientated, People-orientated, Autocratic, Collaborative/Democratic, Laissez-faire, Transformational and Cultural. Each of these leadership styles present a leader with varying leadership skills which effect the dynamics and productivity of group members. A transformational leader, such as Ghandi maintains a focus on teamwork and initiative. They provide direction and a goal for the group to achieve and encourage and empower the group members in achieving the goal.As leaders they utilise lateral thinking, promote individual growth and development and group decision making and keep the group focused and productive in reaching their goals by giving regular feedback. Transformational leaders are deeply involved in the group and are constantly enthusiastic and energetic about the input of individuals. This generates a trusting environment where group members feel comfortable to cooperate with group members. Mahatma Ghandi’s transformational leadership style was evident throughout his lifetime, despite the varying group and situation.When analysing his successes, in . particularly his ? ght for equality in South Africa between Indians and the ‘Whites’ . He was extremely involved with the Indian Society a nd produced a clear vision for Indian integration within South African Society. He was deeply involved in his group and worked enthusiastically with each member, encouraging them to strive to achieve a common goal. The reason why he was so successful is because he was able to maintain and initiate intimate relationships with the hundreds of his followers, he empowered each of them to ? ht for ‘satyagraha’ by acknowledging each of their inputs. Individuals that were part of Ghandi’s group felt involved, valued and liberated. Being part of Ghandi’s group promoted individual development. People associated with Ghandi’s group were instilled with Ghandi’s teaching of self belief, discipline and most importantly determination to attain their goals, by non-violence, non-cooperation and self sustenance. There are varying factors which in? uenced Ghandi’s transformational leadership style. The two most dominant in? uences were his culture and n ature of the group.Mahatma Ghandi was of Indian culture, this fact was reason why he was so motivated to gain Indian independence, and the segregation of Indians into South African Society. As an Indian in society, Ghandi’s environment exposed him to racial discrimination and verbal abuse and this consequently effected his growth and development. Ghandi’s resilience and egalitarian nature stemmed from the injustices he experienced, and played a signi? cant role in motivating Ghandi to achieve racial justice. Ghandi’s followers and members of the group were also Indian.Due to the fact that he and his followers shared the same culture ,they experienced the same mistreatment , discrimination and general way of life. Each of these individuals could relate to one another and this was the unifying force. Ghandi was therefore able to lead Indians based on the passion they both shared for racial equality. The nature of the group, refers to quality of relationship that t he leader obtains with the individuals part of the the group. Depending on the level of quality that the relationships hold e. g. High-quality or poor quality, leaders can be respected and have more in? ence over the members. Leaders are more likely to have high quality relationships in groups that are informal because members are able to interact positively and more openly; this was Ghandi’s case. Ghandi was able to maintain high quality relationships with the members in his groups and because of this he gained higher respect and had more in? uence over his followers. Mahatma Ghandi was a highly effective leader because he was able to lead his thousands of followers in achieving a common goal. Ghandi’s effectiveness as a leader can be measured by the successfulness of his visions.Ghandi set out to achieve Indian Independence and Racial equality in South africa and he was successful. In the process of achieving his goals, he empowered nations around the world to challe nge their governments if they had a problem and ? ght to ? x it. This shows that Ghandi was an overachiever, because he did more than he set out to and therefore was a highly effective leader. Ghandi’s strengths were his; ? De? nite purpose – Ghandi maintained a vision and a set way he was going to achieve this. His goals had purpose and so did his actions towards achieving his goals. Self Discipline – He believed that exercising his self discipline strengthened his commitment to achieve his goals. ?Integrity – He was honest about the way he lived and his beliefs , he believed that believing something and not living it was lying. He would rather have been prosecuted for his beliefs then denying them and this was sometimes the case. He stated â€Å" To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest†. ?Related to people – he made an effort to truly understand people, thus instilling motivation in him to achieve his goals, not only for what is right but for what the people wanted.He had an extensive understanding of the human psychology and used it along with his public relation skills. ?Self Belief and faith – He believed in himself and had faith that he could attain success. ?Flexibility – he changed his strategies and methods of challenging his oppositions to suit the situation and in turn increased the effectiveness. ?Resilience – despite setbacks he wasn’t deterred from achieving his goals, in fact he was more motivated; he learnt from his mistakes. ?Spirituality – He promoted love and peace in times when another leader would have made a call to arms. Determination ? Persistence ? Focus ? Will to ? ght for his beliefs ? Unconcern of what others thought of his actions, or how he dressed. ?The fact that he was prosecuted by authorities and publicly shamed in some circumstances did not deter him from achieving his goals. Evidently Mahatma Ghandi presented an exemplary leader b ecause of his effectiveness which came from his individual characteristics. However like every leader there are weaknesses, although Mahatma Ghandi’s weaknesses were insigni? cant, and didn’t majorly impact upon his effectiveness, they still existed.An example of this was Mahatma Ghandi’s experiments in ‘Brahamacharya’ . Gandhi became a brahamachari (celibate) when he was thirty-six. He conducted experiments in Brahamacharya which he used to develop his ability to conquer sexual feelings. Although this act was innocent through Ghandi’s eyes, he was highly criticised for it and it became a very controversial issue. He apparently slept with numerous women in order to test Brahamacharya and see if he had mastered celibacy. This event showed weakness in Ghandi as leader, because he made a commitment to elibacy, however afterwards he had sex with women in order to see if he had mastered celibacy. This act caused some of Ghandi’s followers to lack respect in him because he was no a longer a man that refrained himself of intercourse , even through he made a commitment to do so. As a leader, Ghandi created a unique style of ? ghting for what he believed in, which he referred to as ‘Satyagraha’ . As stated previously in the essay this theory that Ghandi proposed ,meant ‘truth force’ and becoming a ‘Satyagrahi’ meant a ? hter for the truth. His way of resolving and managing con? ict was in? uenced by his belief in ‘Satyagraha’. This meant that individuals were encouraged to ? ght for the truth but in doing so it had to be in a civilised manner. Ghandi is well known globally for his method of opposing the government by civil disobedience and passive resistance. This method was carried out passively, and people that employed this method were encouraged to do so in way that did not harm, violate or create violence with others, even their enemies.Ghandi’s theory enfor ced communicating your message in a peaceful and civilised manner, which is why he is so highly respected. When con? ict arose within his group or between his followers, he encouraged that they settle the dispute in a civilised manner but also effectively communicating their feelings. He encouraged that his followers didn’t simply give up but rather made sure that their opponents knew how they felt in order to understand where they were coming from. He stated â€Å" Never give in. Never. Never. Never. Never†. This mentality of Ghandi’s was re? cted in his methods of government opposition. He used passive methods such as sit-ins, boycotts, blockades and occupations of buildings, tax refusal, and alternative publications and media. More active forms of passive resistance include strikes, walkouts, protest marches, theatrical protests, and hunger strikes. Ghandi was also an advocate of forgiveness, so if there were disputes or disagreements of any kind within his g roup he encouraged his followers to forgive the other which further re? ected Ghandi’s philosophy of love, peace and forgiveness between people of religions, races and beliefs.In order for Mahatma Ghandi to have achieved leadership he followed a path which lead him to becoming a leader. Initially Ghandi started ? ghting for the improvements of Indian rights by himself, and through this process he started to gain members which shared Ghandi’s goal. As Ghandi fought for racial equality he caught the attention of others, the media and the authorities. He became well known and during this process, as people began to become familiar with Ghandi and his vision they too joined him, and his members grew and grew.He was not appointed leader by his followers, he was assumed leader. This was the same case in the instance of Ghandi ? ghting for Indian independence in India. He was able to see, by himself that it was wrong for the British to rule India and afterward with the in? ue nce of others acknowledging the same fact he gained members that shared his beliefs and also wanted independence. This then lead . Bibliography: New Oxford american dictionary – accessed from May 18 – 19. http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/leadership Accessed May 19 , 7:10 pm. ttp://www. mensxp. com/work-life/corporate-skills/3140-leadership-style-ofmahatma-gandhi-. html Accessed May 20 , 9 :30 am. . http://www. guide-to-employee-motivation. com/gandhi. html Accessed May 20, 9 :40 am. http://www. scribd. com/Kunwar23/d/6977301-Leadership-Style-of-MahatmaGandhi Accessed May 20, 10:02 am http://www. kamat. com/mmgandhi/day_with_gandhi. htm Accessed May 20, 11:21 am. . http://www. encyclopedia. com/topic/passive_resistance. aspx Accessed May 20 , 11: 42 am. http://civilresistance. info/ostergaard Accessed May 20 , 12 pm ttp://www. sikhtimes. com/books_020278a. html Accessed May 20 , 1:18 pm. . http://www. mightystudents. com/essay/Compare. strengths. weaknesses. 899 58 Accessed May 20, 1:26 pm. http://www. nndb. com/people/653/000065458/ Accessed May 20, 2:00pm http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Dalit Accessed 2:13 pm. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/ . Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi Accessed May 20, 2:14 pm. http://www. sahistory. org. za/politics-and-society/anti-indianlegislation-1800s-1959 Accessed May 20 , 2:20pm http://www. skwirk. com. u/p-c_s-14_u-309_t-761_c-2862/historical-inquirypeople-motive-and-consequences/ nsw/historical-inquiry-peoplemotive-and-consequences/ investigating-history/historicalinquiry Accessed May 20 , 2: 55 pm . http://www. brainyquote. com/quotes/keywords/power. html Accessed May 20, 3:21 pm Ghandi The peaceful revolutionary Anna Claybourne 2002 White Thomson Publishing Ltd. The wisdom Of Ghandi Trudy S. Settel 1995. . to Ghandi once again being assumed leader however never of? cially being appointed leader. In a differing case however, in 1919 Ghandi became an active member of the National Indian Congress and was of? cial ly appointed a leader.He was asked to join the National Indian Congress because his struggle for Indian Civil rights was successful, his ‘satyagraha’ campaign aroused interest and his general ability to effect great social change without employing violence. To conclude it is clear that Mahatma Ghandi was an exemplary leader. What made him such a good leader were his personal characteristics, his style of leadership and how he chose to utilise them in order to achieve his goals. It is evident that Ghandi was a successful leader because he was able to work collaboratively with his group in achieving a common goal being Indian civil rights and Independence. .

Explore Antarcticas Hidden Lake Vostok

Explore Antarcticas Hidden Lake Vostok One of the largest lakes on planet Earth is an extreme environment hidden beneath a thick glacier near the South Pole. Its called Lake Vostok, buried beneath nearly four kilometers of ice on Antarctica. This frigid environment has been hidden from sunlight and Earths atmosphere for millions of years. From that description, it sounds like the lake would be an icy trap devoid of life. Yet, despite its hidden location and terribly inhospitable environment, Lake Vostok teems with thousands of unique organisms. They range from tiny microbes to fungi and bacteria, making Lake Vostok a fascinating case study in how life survives in hostile temperatures and high pressure. Finding Lake Vostok The existence of this sub-glacial lake took the world by surprise. It was first found by an aerial photographer from Russia who noticed a large smooth impression near the South Pole in East Antarctica. Followup radar scans in the 1990s confirmed that something was buried under the ice. The newly discovered lake turned out to be quite large: 230 kilometers (143 miles long) and 50 km (31 miles) wide. From its surface to the bottom, it is 800 meters (2,600) feet deep, buried under miles of ice. Lake Vostok and Its Water There are no subterranean or sub-glacial rivers feeding Lake Vostok. Scientists have determined that its sole source of water is melted ice from the ice sheet that hides the lake. Theres also no way for its water to escape, making Vostok a breeding ground for underwater life. Advanced mapping of the lake, using remote sensing instruments, radar, and other geologic research tools, show that the lake sits on a ridge, which may be harboring heat in a hydrothermal vent system. That geothermal heat (generated by molten rock beneath the surface) and the pressure of the ice on top of the lake keep the water at a constant temperature. The Zoology of Lake Vostok When Russian scientists drilled cores of ice out from above the lake to study the gases and ices laid down during different periods of Earths climate, they brought samples of frozen lake water up for study. Thats when the life forms of Lake Vostok were first discovered. The fact that these organisms exist in the lake water, which, at -3 ° C, is somehow not frozen solid, raises questions about the environment in, around, and under the lake. How do these organisms survive in these temperatures? Why hasnt the lake frozen over? Scientists have now studied the lakes water for decades. In the 1990s, they began to find microbes there, along with other types of miniature life, including fungi (mushroom-type life), eukaryotes (the first organisms with true nuclei), and assorted multicellular life. Now, it appears that more than 3,500 species live in the lakes water, in its slushy surface, and in its frozen muddy bottom. Without sunlight, Lake Vostoks living community of organisms (called extremophiles, because they thrive in extreme conditions), rely on chemicals in rocks and heat from the geothermal systems to survive. This isnt terribly different from other such life forms found elsewhere on Earth. In fact, planetary scientists suspect that such organisms could thrive very easily in extreme conditions on icy worlds in the solar system. The DNA of Lake Vostoks Life Advanced DNA studies of the Vostokians indicate that these extremophiles are typical of both freshwater and saltwater environments and they somehow find a way to live in the cold waters. Interestingly, while the Vostok life forms are thriving on chemical food, they themselves are identical to bacteria that live inside of fish, lobsters, crabs, and some types of worms. So, while the Lake Vostok life forms may be isolated now, they are clearly connected to other forms of life on Earth. They also make a good population of organisms to study, as scientists ponder whether or not similar life exists elsewhere in the solar system, particularly in the oceans beneath the icy surface of Jupiters moon, Europa. Lake Vostok is named for Vostok Station, commemorating a Russian sloop used by Admiral Fabian von Bellingshausen, who sailed on voyages to discover Antartica. The word means east in Russian. Since its discovery, scientists have been surveying the under-ice landscape of the lake and the surrounding region. Two more lakes have been found, and that now raises the question about connections between these otherwise-hidden bodies of water. In addition, scientists are still debating the history of the lake, which appears to have formed at least 15 million years ago and was covered over by thick blankets of ice. The surface of Antarctica above the lake routinely experiences very cold weather, with temperatures dipping down to -89 ° C. The biology of the lake continues to be a major source of research, with scientists in the U.S., Russia, and Europe, studying the water and its organisms closely to understand their evolutionary and biological processes. Continued drilling poses a risk to the ecosystem of the lake since contaminants such as antifreeze will harm the organisms of the lake. Several alternatives are being examined, including hot-water drilling, which may be somewhat safer, but it  still poses a danger to lake life.

The Economic Aspects of Required Textbooks

The Economic Aspects of Required Textbooks Hashtag: #BudgetBooks The process of determining which books are to be used in a school classroom is historically controversial. The study shows that textbooks in elementary and high school are often acquired based on economic and political reasons rather than educational considerations. Moreover, major textbook publishers often influence school decision about required or supplementary text. If the school adopted the new book as required text then students have to buy it. This, in reality, is helping publisher make money out of school adoption. However, not all students can buy required books and many actually result to borrowing books from libraries, friends, photocopying text, or buying used second-hand books. In some developing countries, for instance, the teacher has the only textbook in the class. In particular, most public school systems  are underfunded and cannot provide new books. The lack of reading materials is further complicated by the fact that these students are relying on outdated materials. For instance, findings of study conducted in developing Asian countries suggests that lack of textbooks and adequate teaching and learning materials result in low student achievement. In contrast, students’ achievement was higher in schools with more textbooks. Teachers are â€Å"gatekeepers† of academic books or the people who have the knowledge and power to recommend the most appropriate textbook for their class. Teachers are powerful actors shaping the content that students are likely to use in their studies. They influence students’ decisions on the kind of books to read and prevent them from wasting time and money on buying books that are not essential to specific classroom tasks. Benefits of Second Hand and Used Books Books required in higher education are often expensive but bookstores nowadays are selling new and used books. Some student government operated bookstores are also selling used books at a much cheaper price than those offered in regular bookstores. Most of these books were collected from â€Å"book drives†, a campaign where discarded books are deposited in a donation bin at school. College students’ organizations are also selling and buying used books. Book exchange provides opportunities for people to sell back their used books at a reasonable price. Students can also buy from online bookstores and wait for shipping. Books, regardless of age are reliable and accurate sources of information. Most teachers depend on books for factual, scholarly, and in-depth inquiry. Old but gently used books are a good source of reading materials and facilitate extensive reading at home. Inequities in students’ access to books outside the classroom can be resolved by soliciting used books. In fact, many persevering and diligent teachers built their classroom libraries from used books purchased by parent-teacher organizations from garage sales. This library of used books contains easily accessible multicultural literature that can help students see themselves, appreciate their own and others culture and language. Book Fairs are not only great way to collect, sell, and raise funds but influential in motivating people to read. Book Swap, on the other hand, enhances social networks of literary enthusiast. Similarly, book hunting through garage sales encouraged students to read some or all the books they find during school break.

The Tragic Love Story of Cybele and Attis

The Tragic Love Story of Cybele and Attis Cybele and Attis is the story of the Phrygian great mother goddess Cybeles tragic love for the mortal Attis. It is also a story of self-mutilation and regeneration. When Cybele- one of Zeus would-be lovers- rejected him, Zeus wouldnt take no for an answer. While his victim slept, the great philanderer spilled his seed on her. ( In due course, Cybele gave birth to Agdistis, a hermaphroditic demon so strong and wild that the other gods feared him. In their terror, they cut off his male sexual organ. From its blood sprang an almond tree. This castration/birth connection is also seen in one version of the story of the birth of Aphrodite. Attis Is Born to Nana The river Sangarius had a daughter named Nana who ate the fruit of this almond tree. When, as a result of her snack, Nana delivered a boy child 9 months later, Nana exposed the child. This was an ancient method of dealing with unwanted children that usually led to death, but did not in the case of such important figures as Romulus and Remus, Paris, and Oedipus. Infant death was not to be his fate, however. Instead, reared by the proverbial area shepherds, the boy soon became healthy and handsome- so handsome his grandmother Cybele fell in love with him. The First Violets The boy, whose name was Attis, was unaware of the love Cybele bore him. In time, Attis saw the king of Pessinus beautiful daughter, fell in love, and wished to marry her. The goddess Cybele became insanely jealous and drove Attis mad as revenge. Running crazy through the mountains, Attis stopped at the foot of a pine tree. There Attis castrated and killed himself. From Attis blood sprang the first violets. The tree took care of Attis spirit. Attis flesh would have decayed had not Zeus stepped in to assist Cybele in his resurrection. The Ritual of Attis Since then, a yearly ritual has been performed to purify the body of the dead Attis. The priests- referred to as Galli or Galilee- are emasculated in emulation of Attis. A pine tree is chopped down, covered with violets and carried to the shrine of Cybele on Mt. Dindymus. There Attis is mourned for 3 days. Then, when Cybele brings him back to life, there is a wild and joyful celebration.

Professional Orientation and Practice Coursework

Professional Orientation and Practice - Coursework Example The bid to privatise the sector was triggered by the 2003 Railway Act, allowing for private management of the services (Cassady, Maillart, Bowden & Smith 1998). The UK railway tracks are public owned and maintained by Network Rail; however, privately owned rail tracks also exist in tourist areas. To help manage the train services, the government appoints train-operating companies (TOCs). TOCs are awarded franchise to offer train commuter services depending on the validity of the license given. This means that a given TOC can only operate within certain time limit as dictated by the licenses awarded. Now, TOC that provide that are licensed to offer these services are many in number (Tobin 2012). Nevertheless, the increasing cost of trail fares has been a major concern within the sector, within many opting to use other alternatives (â€Å"Britain Has Worlds Highest Rail Prices – Survey 1997†). Competition brought about by the many TOCs has brought the need by individual b usinesses involved to put in place measures to ensure stability and profitability. On this matter, many TOCs franchised to offer their services are seeking ways of reducing costs in order to appeal and attract more customers. In order to maintain sustainability, TOCs operating within the United Kingdom believe that the best way is to maintain the existing fleet. Major part of the revenue is used in maintaining the fleets and carrying out inspection of infrastructures like rail tracks. Therefore, much train operating companies hold on to the fact that maintain ace is a priority in the sector. Presently, rail infrastructure has greatly been improved as is evident by the increase in speed train (Tobin 2012). Just as mentioned above, the major challenge lies with the need for each company to come up with measures to improve service delivery. For this reason, each of the companies is in a process of finding the best decisions that would offer competitive edge over the rest (Chaudhuri & S uresh 1995). TOC- London Midland Background London Midland is one of UK’s train operating companies, having an 867.4 kilometers of rail to cover. The main train operations of the company are carried out within the West Coast Mainline. It is also important to note that its franchise expires in June 2017 after it was extended from the initial date of September 2015. According to the information available in the company’s website, London Midlands Express and London Midland City are the main brands that are used in operations. London Midland makes its money from the sales of tickets to passengers. Now, customers are charged ?25 for every 100 miles of travel. According to the plans by the company, 60,000,000 passenger miles should be served per year, something that translates to 600,000 passengers per year. However, achieving this is guaranteed, as many potential customers prefer other means of transport because of uncertain economic times brought about by the recession. Th e company needs to make a decision whether to raise or lower the tickets by ?5. In order to bring the issue into perspective, it would important to note that London Midland company has numerous competitors like Cross Country, Euro star, East Coast, First Hull Trains, and Scot Rail, among others, and must thus make decisions that stand to boost its chances to survive in the market. Lowering the price by ?2

Barriers to Care Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Barriers to Care - Assignment Example Suicide refers to intentional termination of one’s life due to various reasons. There are serious concerns that the United States’ military records the highest number of suicide cases despite the many efforts made to alleviate this situation (Gibbs and Martins 2012). Currently, suicide accounts for a significant number of noncombatant deaths and continues to rise due to various reasons. First, there is too much pressure in the military service and this subjects workers to stress and depression. This condition is worsened by high expectations by top commanders that push junior personnel to work under extreme pressure. In addition, these officers have less time to engage in other relaxation activities leading to accumulation of mental stress. Secondly, these officers are exposed to frightening sights that make them forget that they are human beings (BC News 2003). The sight of killing fellow beings and trampling over dead bodies are some of the horrible scenes these offic ers have to deal with in their daily activities. Therefore, they experience many nightmares and dreadful dreams that interfere with their mental and psychological processes. Moreover, the counseling and guidance services offered to counter these challenges are available under the mental health department. Most people usually think that this department treats mad people. Therefore, they are never interested in things associated with madness (Gibbs and Martins 2012). In addition, the services and treatment offered for mental illness takes a very long time and before it is fully administered patients get exposed to other horrifying situations. Occasionally, patients fail to turn up for treatment and thus expose their health to more serious dangers. Lastly, military personnel are human beings just like teachers, businessmen and farmers (BC News 2003). They too need company and companionship from their family members and friends. However, they are usually

Humanitarian Interventionism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Humanitarian Interventionism - Essay Example Military interventions have a long history both prior to and during the Cold War, and even at the turn of the decade it was not apparent that they might no longer be undertaken in the future. These interventions were justified on moral grounds, or on the grounds of international law, or as selfless acts. On October 7, 2001, the U.S. launched a massive military assault on Afghanistan that effaced its political structure and created an enormous refugee situation. From the middle of 2002, the U.S. threatened to do the same thing to Iraq, running through a spectrum of reasons that changed as each previous argument collapsed. After giving up on efforts of U.N. inspectors to find weapons of mass destruction in that country, the Bush administration's inability to do so dissolved that pretext as well. The assault on Afghanistan, mounted in response to the events of September 11, 2001, was part of a two-decade-long series that included Grenada (1982), Panama (1989), Iraq (1991), and Yugoslavia (1999). Each assault had its own peculiarity, and violated certain principles of democracy and international law; yet, each received overwhelming support in the U.S., at institutional and popular levels. Though its moments differ, they reveal a common structure and the series as a whole poses an envelo ping question concerning its general acceptability. After the 9/11 After the 9/11 attacks, though no one took credit for this coordinated act of destruction, the U.S. government immediately claimed, without evidence, that a Saudi expatriate allegedly living in Afghanistan was responsible, and that 19 men of Middle Eastern origin, whose names the FBI published two days later, had committed this act of collective suicide and mass murder. International law provides the right to defend against terrorist attacks, but not to retaliate without going through certain international channels and procedures, which the U.S. ignored. Though in violation of international law (the Geneva Accords and U.N. Charter), the military assault on Afghanistan constituted the first act in what was declared to be an "endless war." The massive bombing of Afghanistan created a civilian death count considerably beyond that of the World Trade Center; whole villages were obliterated, and an already critical refugee and starvation situation was exacerbated, stretching well into Paki stan. In place of the Taliban organization, an interim government was invented. Though objection to this assault in the U.S. was small, it was repressed: public figures who spoke against the attack were vilified, people were fired, students suspended from school, social programs closed, university professors sanctioned, etc. to arrest one man. The assault on Afghanistan, according to military experts, would have required at least three months of logistical preparation; indeed, plans for the assault had begun the previous July. (Stan Goff) If so, the arrest of bin Laden was merely a legalistic pretext for a prior political project, the change of regime in Afghanistan. This raises two issues. The first is the use of international legalism to symbolize rather than explain or authorize an intervention, the pursuit of which violates international and U.S. law. The second is the structure of popular acceptance that likewise ignores illegality (the violation of a treaty, of international codes, and the principle of national sovereignty). The U.S. invaded Panama

Environmental agency Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Environmental agency - Case Study Example Economic competition on a global scale brought about by the movement towards globalization has also contributed immense pressures on the environment. This is also argued in the context that sustainable development among poor nations had been a difficult task, given the tendency of these countries to undertake exploitive economic activities (mostly through extractive industries such as mining, forestry and agriculture). The depletion of their natural resources have only given these underdeveloped countries temporary economic activities which would disappear as soon as their resources have been depleted. It is often perceived that free trade and globalization only benefits those whio have the financial leverage, and at the expense of those who do not. Among the Third World countries facing such problems in terms of environmental degradation and growing economic pressures in the face of an ever-increasing population is the Philippines. A prime example of the high price the country has to face in its struggle for economic survival is the plight of the Pasig river. The Pasig River is the main river system in Metro Manila. Technically an estuary channel, its 25-kilometer stretch connects the large lake known as Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Laguna Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world had for centuries been a source of food, raw materials and the site of various economic activities. ... In the wet season when water elevation in the lake is higher than that of Manila Bay, the natural channel flow is from the lake emptying into the sea. The river is an invaluable ecosystem linking the lake and the sea. It is among the Philippines' numerous irreplaceable natural resources. Fish have spawned and their fries and fingerlings have been nurtured by the mineral-rich contents of this estuarine channel. Settlements have long occupied portions of the Pasig River even before the Spaniards colonized the Philippines. It served as the main highway among settlements located along its banks and functioned as the umbilical cord to other settlements within the interior locations both near and distant from Laguna de Bay. Like many rivers all over the world, the Pasig River has suffered from abuse and neglect. The Pasig River and its tributaries have long been pressed into service and these have taken their toll on the river. The once pristine and sparkling waters which provided clean drinking water to the elegant Spanish villas lining its banks has now been transformed into a virtual waste basin for an economically struggling industrial center that serves as the heart of a nation. More than 300 factories and 10,000 households have replaced the dainty native huts and romantic Spanish villas of old. The sweet and quenching waters have become a reeking soup of industrial and domestic wastes. The once abundant fish and plant life have been replace by only the toughest of scavengers, both animal and human alike. It is estimated that 330 tons of domestic and industrial wastes are discharged into the river every day. This

U.S companies that move factories to undeveloped nations barely pay Research Paper

U.S companies that move factories to undeveloped nations barely pay employees enough to live on. Is it unethical to pay cheap wages or are companies doing those workers a favor - Research Paper Example Furthermore, production plants in those countries work on a contractual basis with American corporations (Rock 26). On the other hand, most Americans are not aware that their desire for shopping drives an extremely controversial business. The availability of cheap unskilled labor within these countries prompts most American corporations to establish their production facilities within their boundaries. However, the controversies surrounding these corporations drive the ethical and moral questions posed in relation to their operations within these countries. American clothing and electronic companies have continuously built production lines abroad from time immemorial. Harsh working conditions, poor pay and unfair commanding managers have characterized these production lines located in under-developed countries. These corporations have additionally employed the services of young, unauthorized minors in their factories. Recently, many multinational corporations from the United States have resulted to construction of these factories in undeveloped countries as a strategic move to expand their businesses (Gupta n.d). Most sweatshops operational in the world currently are in the Asian continent. Looking at the issue of Sweatshops from a purely commercial point of view, it is a very profitable industry because they benefit from low-wage labor in third world nations and considerably decrease manufacturing costs. Numerous footwear and textile companies from the United States have been heavily associated with offshore operations in underdeveloped countries. Big brand names such as GAP, Levis and Nike have all been heavily associated with countless contraventions of basic requirements for the recommended reasonable working conditions in their manufacturing plants (Dickson 48). All the three named companies’ client bases and main offices are situated in the United States while the sections involved in the production of their goods are situated in Asia.

How do you contribute to the effective governance of an organisation Essay

How do you contribute to the effective governance of an organisation in your role of a management accountant - Essay Example (Colley et al., 2005) Aside from discussing the universally accepted roles and responsibilities of shareholders, board of directors, and the CEO; corporate governance is often used as a policy for business organization in relation with the actual structure of the board, the activism of the shareholders, and overall business performance (Aguilera et al., 2008). As part of our organizational policies and procedures, the board of directors behind the business organization plays a crucial role in the success of corporate governance aside from the increase in the company’s profitability and overall business performance by continuously hiring and firing the company’s top management (Nordberg, 2007; Kim & Nofsinger, 2006: p. 41). In line with strengthening the corporate governance, the company’s executive and non-executive directors are responsible in making important objective business decisions for the best interests of the company (Mallin, 2007: p. 125). The only way for executive and non-executive directors to perform their duty effectively is to have an access to the company’s business information. (Waldo, 1985: p. 5) Therefore, the board of directors are required not only to carefully analyze the corporate financial report but also to meet regularly to discuss the proposed strategic plans and issues that will significantly affect the success of the business (Solomon, 2007: p. 103). Since business’ shareholders are also the owners of the company, these individuals have the authoritative power to manipulate any forms of legal or illegal transactions that will occur in the business (Romano, 1996). For this reason, executive directors are encouraged to take advantage of their rights to look through the company’s official documents. In the process of going through the company’s financial statement, executive shareholders should take note of any signs of unusual business

U.S companies that move factories to undeveloped nations barely pay Research Paper

U.S companies that move factories to undeveloped nations barely pay employees enough to live on. Is it unethical to pay cheap wages or are companies doing those workers a favor - Research Paper Example Furthermore, production plants in those countries work on a contractual basis with American corporations (Rock 26). On the other hand, most Americans are not aware that their desire for shopping drives an extremely controversial business. The availability of cheap unskilled labor within these countries prompts most American corporations to establish their production facilities within their boundaries. However, the controversies surrounding these corporations drive the ethical and moral questions posed in relation to their operations within these countries. American clothing and electronic companies have continuously built production lines abroad from time immemorial. Harsh working conditions, poor pay and unfair commanding managers have characterized these production lines located in under-developed countries. These corporations have additionally employed the services of young, unauthorized minors in their factories. Recently, many multinational corporations from the United States have resulted to construction of these factories in undeveloped countries as a strategic move to expand their businesses (Gupta n.d). Most sweatshops operational in the world currently are in the Asian continent. Looking at the issue of Sweatshops from a purely commercial point of view, it is a very profitable industry because they benefit from low-wage labor in third world nations and considerably decrease manufacturing costs. Numerous footwear and textile companies from the United States have been heavily associated with offshore operations in underdeveloped countries. Big brand names such as GAP, Levis and Nike have all been heavily associated with countless contraventions of basic requirements for the recommended reasonable working conditions in their manufacturing plants (Dickson 48). All the three named companies’ client bases and main offices are situated in the United States while the sections involved in the production of their goods are situated in Asia.

The rhetoric and reality of employee involvement Essay Example for Free

The rhetoric and reality of employee involvement Essay Introduction – The acceptable business paradigm changed over time. There was a time when the accepted concept of effective management relied largely on what the top management thinks best for the company, leaving the rest of the company especially blue collar workers with little or no participation at all in how a company grows and changes over time. As what Gupta and Sharma (2004) wrote, â€Å"The old fashioned view of employee involvement employee following the employers instruction in return for wage encourages employees to be passive, take a little initiative and often view themselves as adversaries of the enterprise and its management (Gupta and Sharma, 2004, p. 203).† But today, many business analysts believe in the concept of employee involvement and participation. This is a broad concept which includes many things (i.e. employee empowerment, proactive approach towards policy assessment, etc), but the basic precept of employee involvement is the conscious effort of the management to design a workplace that allows employees to actively participate in the manner by which the company moves towards its direction. The concept of employee involvement and participation is an important aspect in successful management of a company. Gennard and Judge (2005) wrote, â€Å"There is this important assumption behind employee involvement theory namely, the employees are an untapped resource with knowledge and experience which can be used by employers if they provide opportunities and structures for worker involvement (Gennard and Judge, 2005, p. 182).† But the main problem today is this: despite the fact that many worker’s rights advocates and business analysts points to the significance of employee involvement in a company, it seems that the concept of employee involvement remains to be a myth; that present organization and structure still renders employee involvement and participation as something that has no bearing at all. Thesis – With the growing surge in the development of professional service consultancy firms, people are also wondering about the exact role and impact that human analyst and employees make during the key stages of analysis. In the age of smart computers and complex software that aids people to think and opt for the best possible option and assists in company management, the question now is (externally) how significant really is the role of the human analysts in the designing of the options for decision making for the company’s client, and (internally), how significant is employee participation in the direction and growth of the company like Analysys Mason Ltd. As a company, Analysys Mason Ltd greatly depends on the skill of its employees so that it can deliver solutions that pushes away existing or prospective problems that a company might face. This act is a clear example of the role of human intervention and role in problem solving. But is this particular solution, the employing of the human role and intervention – is the same formula at work when Analysys Mason Ltd is faced with the task of solving its own internal problems, or does the company exercise a policy that greatly marginalizes the role and participation of the employee in how internal corporate concerns are being addressed in the company? T o be able to ascertain the role and participation of employees in the external and internal efforts of the company and to know whether the company is either suffocating the avenues wherein employee involvement would thrive or ignoring the possible contribution of employee involvement towards company growth, it is important to make an in-depth study of the company as well as review news and other materials that may contain information that can prove the real situation of employee involvement inside Analysys Mason Ltd. To be able to further understand the concept of employee involvement and participation and connect it with the current situation present in the selected company, it is important to also review the available literature that tackles the issue of employment involvement, like the work of Bratton and Gold (2001), who wrote about how â€Å"the aim of employee involvement is to promote workers’ interest in the success of the organization (Bratton and Gold, 200, p. 300).† Conclusion – The analysis of the level of employment involvement using a target company is an ideal approach to creating a company based-assessment from which future studies can be referenced from.   Through studies like this, other important information like the pooling of the needed resources to allow the success of employment involvement strategies can be identified. Bibliography Bratton, John and Jeffrey Gold. (February 2001). Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Byron, James S. and Vitalo, Raphael L. (April 2004). Using Working With Others Training Sessions to Drive Employee Involvement [Internet], Vital Enterprises.Available from: http://www.vitalentusa.com/learn/drive_ei.php [Accessed 4 June 2008]. EmploymentInvolvement.com (2005). [Internet]. http://www.employeeinvolvement.com/ [Accessed 4 June 2008]. Employment Involvement Advisor. (April 23, 2008). Engaging Employees [Internet]. Available from: http://employeeinvolvementadvisor.blogspot.com/ [Accessed 4 June 2008]. Employee Involvement Association (2006). The Employee Involvement Association [Internet]. Available from http://www.eianet.org/ [Accessed 4 June 2008]. Gennard, John and Judge, Graham. (2005). Employee Relations. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. CIPD Publishing. Gifford J, Neathey F, Loukas G. (December 2005). Employee Involvement Information, Consultation and Discretion [Internet]. Report 427, Institute for Employment Studies. Available from http://www.employment-studies.co.uk/pubs/summary.php?id=427 [Accessed 4 June 2008]. Gupta, Jatinder N. D.   and Sharma. (2004). Intelligent Enterprises of the 21st Century. Idea Group Incorporated. Insightlink Communications (April 2005). Employers and Employees Making the Marriage Work: The Importance of Employee Commitment [Internet] Available from: http://www.insightlink.com/employee_commitment.html [Accessed 4 June 2008]. The Official Website of Analysys Mason Ltd. Available from: http://www.analysysmason.com/ [Accessed 4 June 2008].