Music and Its Influence Essay

These primitive musicians would not have known many of the modern terms such as octaves and pitch, but they invented quite possibly the most important aspect of music today – just whack it. Music is basically the control of sound. We can control this sound by varying the pitch, tempo, octaves, and dynamics and so on. There are thousands of ways that we can use music and to shape it to how we want to hear it. But how much has music influenced the way we think today? Why is it so popular? Music dates right back to the prehistoric eras where primitive instruments were constructed using items like bone and woodQuite literally, they would have used things like 2 bones and they would have ‘whacked’ them together. This would obviously have made a sound – either loud or quite depending on how hard you hit them together. Take these primitive bones and add on 8 or 9 thousand years of musical evolution and you get the modern day drum kit. In my own opinion; instrumentsHave come a very long way. In my research drums, guitars and pianos has change in the way it looks and sounds. Ask yourself! How far did music come from to now? First close your eyes and picture this, even today if you go to some native parts of Africa or Asia. you can see tribes of people performing primeval forms of music. They do this for both entertainment and their religious belief. This form of music normally consists of basic wind instruments and small, hand-made percussion instruments normally made from animal skin or fur. This has been kept traditional by the tribe as they have not been into contact with the outside world. They have managed to keep their precious tradition for thousands of years, and they will be able to keep it for years to come. Their music is the only real surviving traditional music from the early days, and that genre of music has slowly made its way into western culture. If we see a film about a jungle, normally the soundtrack is composed of instruments like bongos or shakers. This is because we instantly associate this sort of music with jungles and indigenous tribes. So whereas some parts of the world stayed traditionalist, other parts were taking music to the next step. Western cultures have used music for almost every aspect of life. Music was used for entertainment and religion. Some countries have unfortunately lost their culture and heritage thanks to more developed countries trying to expand their empires. Traditional drums and flutes have been replaced with more vibrant shakers and trumpets. It is no doubt that the way other countries have acted has greatly affected the distribution of music worldwide. I’m sure you’ll all agree when I say that music is changing very fast. It’s either that or we keep changing our tastes in music every five minutes – which is far more probable. Today if someone put on a record from just 10-20 years ago we’d probably think of that music as being incredibly old or very simple. I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand to watch some (if not most) of the early Top of the Pops because the music is so old. We think of this as being old, but in fact it is incredibly new. The music industry has become overwhelmingly popular ever since some of the pioneers of modern music. Before the War, there had never been a real music industry, but during the war many radio stations made the majority of their income by playing music because lots of music during that era was lyrically focused on subjects like peace and hope. This was undoubtedly something that people wanted to hear, so the music industry started to really form during this time. WHAT? I’ll just get the album when it comes out, thanks. After this, more and more businesses and corporations started to set up record labels and started to sign more and more artists to their label and then distributing their music in CD/Vinyl release and on the radio. Since then, technology of all sorts has had to shape the way it works so that it can keep up with the music industry. Many devices that once had no connections to music now play music and the radio due to customer demands. For example, a fridge with a built in radio. Record labels have got so big nowadays, that they are starting to charge excessive fees for artist’s music. Many bands/artists have recognized this and have made their own record labels so they can have their own means of music distribution. Some examples of these would be Nothing Records, owned by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, and Morning Records, owned by the Cooper Temple Clause. During my research I’ve learned how music changes the lives of people throughout the world. I can honestly say, I have discovered how has influenced my life and the production of my music. In conclusion, music has evolved substantially from its early days as a form of basic ceremonious compliments to a huge booming industry that plays a major role in our culture and it continues to change every day to suit the needs of the consumers, who enjoy music for what it is, rather than the profit that can be made from record labels.

Tattoos and Piercings

A tattoo is a permanent mark or design made on your skin with pigments inserted through pricks into the skin’s top layer. During the procedure, a needle that’s connected to a small machine with tubes containing dye pierces the skin repeatedly (Mayo Clinic Staff). Tattoos are considered cosmetic and that is why tattoos are not regulated by the Federal Food and Drug Administration but local health departments. Even though tattoos and body piercing parlors are regulated by local health departments, there are risks involved due to unsanitary conditions that can cause disease. These risks are relatively uncommon even though tattoos and body piercing are very popular. Tattooing has been around for years and there are several reasons why people decide to get tattoos. Some people decide to get a tattoo that might reflect a loved ones name. They may want to pay tribute to a lost loved one or just might want to display their children’s names. Other people decide to get tattoos because they are a part of a gang and want to display their gang affiliation. Another reason could be to display religious beliefs, for example displaying Jesus or a Cross. Even though there are reasons people decide to get tattoos there are still risks involved. The next risk would be allergic reactions. Sometimes there are bumps that may appear around the tattooed area called Granulomas. These are especially common if you have used red dye in the tattoo. The Granulomas typically appear around an area of the body that perceives, such as particles of skin pigment. People may even have an allergic reaction years after receiving the tattoo. The last risk associated with tattooing and body piercing is infection. You can get Staphylococcus Aurcus â€Å"Staph† bacteria infection. Tattoos that are received at facilities that are not regulated by the local health department will also prevent you from being a blood or plasma donor for up to twelve months because of the risk of spreading infection. The most common problem associated with tattooing is dissatisfaction. Although tattooing and body piercing are popular now, in a few years they may be out of style. The tattoo or body piercing may have faded or became embarrassing. Even people who have received tattoos for cosmetic reasons have had trouble with the dye fading after a few years. The only way to correct the problem is to have the tattoo redone or to have it removed. Tattoo removal is very expensive and can be very painful. Not only that, but it can be hard to remove the tattoo completely. The idea of getting a tattoo or body piercing is very exciting. The risks and the facility the tattoo is being done needs to be researched. There are so many things that can go wrong although many of them are rare they can happen. Most people that have tattoos have multiple tattoos. The same goes for piercings. However, it is recommended one does research prior to getting them and is very aware of the procedure and about the tattoo parlor one chose. If these things are a concern there are temporary tattoos. These tattoos are not regulated by the Federal Food and Drug Administration or you local Health Department. If you are unsure if a tattoo is what you want then this may be the way to go. They can usually design anything you would want just like a tattoo artist would. These tattoos do wear off after a couple of days so you can test the tattoo to see if it is wanted permanently. These tattoos are performed at same the facilities that permanent tattoos are done. Temporary tattoos can be done almost anywhere even on a street corner because they are not regulated. There has been no research done on the side effects of temporary tattoos so they are done at the consumers own risk. Body piercings may be removed simply by removing the item used in the piercing. If the item is removed the hole will still be there but it is not visible. However, because the tongue is the quickest healing part of our bodies a tongue piercing does grow back quickly if the tongue ring is removed and left out. With body piercing it is very common to get infections at the piercing site. With body piercing the site has to be kept clean at all times especially in the tongue. There are a lot of bacteria in a person’s mouth due to all the things we eat and drink so it is important that this area is kept clean. There are people that really like tattoos and have their whole bodies covered as well as people in prisons that are in gangs. These people have decided that tattoos will be apart of their life forever. Men and Women in prison who are apart of a gang may not be able to make an informed decision but may have to get a tattoos to survive. People in gangs are the most likely to get a tattoo to show their gang affiliation. It is usually a matter of life or death. They get these tattoos for protection from other gangs in prison as well as on the streets. Please make an informed decision before taking part in either tattooing or body piercing because they can have a lasting effect on ones life. Tattooing and body piercing are very popular right now. There a lot of people doing it because it is a fad. This fad will eventually fade just like all of the other fads have. These tattoos are permanent and can effect ones future in the job industry. Works Cited http://mayoclinic.com/health/tattoos-and-piercings/MC00020

Learning Notes Essay

|STAGE 1 | |CONTENT STANDARD: The learner understand the different types and forms of drama, the features ,elements and conventions which distinguish | |them from narratives thereby leading him/her to produced a reaction paper. | |PERFORMANCE STANDARD: The learner writes a meaningful reaction paper on a drama presentation. | |ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDING: The learner exhibits understanding and appreciation of drama by making sense of and reacting to the different issues| |presented in it.. | |ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How does one show appreciation of Philippine Drama? | |Learners will know: | |Types of Drama | |Forms of drama | |Drama conventions | |Expressions showing agreement and disagreement | | | |Learners will be able to: | |Explain types of drama | |Distinguish various forms of drama. | |Apply various graphic organizers to illustrate key concepts in a drama. | |Perform an array of reading techniques to concretize and unlock drama concept. | |Respond in various ways to express understanding of drama. | |Relate how drama mirrors real life. | |Deduce authentic experiences that can be incorporated in a drama. | |Analyze descriptions, dialogs and actions to discover, articulate, and justify characters in a drama. | |Draw insights on main and sub issues presented in a drama. | | | |STAGE 2 | |Product Performance Task: A meaningful reaction paper on a drama presentation. | | | |Evidence at the level of understanding: The learners should be able to demonstrate understanding by covering the six (6) facets of | |understanding. | |Explanation-Explain how the playwright justifies the actions, feelings, and attitudes of the character. | |Describe characters, and situation to show how drama reflects culture. | | Interpretation- interpret the series of connected events in a drama plot. Using events line | |Application-Apply role playing strategies in delivering dialogs between the protagonist and antagonist in the play | |Perspective- Develop perspective by evaluating a drama presentation. | |Empathy-assume role in Critiquing a drama presentation. | |Self-knowledge- self-assess one’s strengths and weaknesses in presenting assessment of a drama presentation. | |Evidence at the level of performance: Performance assessment of an original extended dialog for drama presentation based on the following | |criteria: | |1. Focus/Theme | |2. Accuracy | |3. Language | |4. Unity | |5. Coherence | |6. Style | | | |STAGE 3 | |TEACHING LEARNING SEQUENCE | |A. EXPLORE- At this stage, the teacher should be able to do the following: | |Make the learners aware of the desired result that is, for him/her to demonstrate understanding of understanding of the different types and | |forms of Philippine drama as well as the features, elements, and conventions which distinguish them from narratives | |Introduce the Essential Question (EQ), â€Å"How does one show appreciation of Philippine drama? † with the learners. Make them answer the questions| |as exhaustively as possible and cue them into the big ideas by activating their prior knowledge or past experiences. | |Use non-formative assessment procedure to check/evaluate learners’ readiness and competence on the prerequisite skills to the tasks at hand. | |Inform the learners of how they will be assessed. Their major output after the lesson is a meaningful reaction paper on a drama presentation. | |Likewise explain the rubrics. | |Activities |Materials |Date |Remarks | |1. Life is a drama TG. P. 4 |Types of Drama listed on a manila |August 15,2011 | | | |paper. | | | |2. Illustrate it TG. P. 4 |1. Manila paper |August 16,2011 | | | |2. Pentel pen/ pencil | | | | |3. crayons | | | |Note: | |1. Pre-test is given to students. To test their prior knowledge. | |2. Ask the EQ-essential Question | |3. Clarify expectation | |4. Hook and engage interest. | |5. Give the essential understanding. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |STAGE 3 | |TEACHING LEARNING SEQUENCE | |B. FIRM UP- At this stage, the teacher should be able to do the following: | |Make the learners enhance their knowledge of the different types and forms of Philippine drama, as well as the features, elements and | |conventions which distinguishes them from narratives. | |Highlight the grammar item by providing sufficient examples of word/phrase showing agreement or disagreement. | |Provide the learners with activities that are motivating and challenging | |Maximize learners’ participation in various tasks from controlled practice to free association phase of learning | |Provide feedback to check for understanding. | |Activities |Materials |Date |Remarks | |1. Which one are you TG. P. 6 |1. A copy of the words â€Å"JOLOGs and | | | | |â€Å"CONOS† | | | |2. A day for a play TG. P6 | | | | |- Read and write words in the play |2. A photocopy of the Drama- â€Å"Call | | | |that shows AGREEMENT and |Me Flory† by Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero | | | |DISAGREEMENT. | | | | |3. Lexicon TG. P6 | | | | |- Write the meaning of the phrases. |3. Manila Paper with the Phrases | | | | |taken from the play. | | | |4. Simple Recall TG. P7 | | | | |- Comprehension Questions |4. Manila paper with the | | | | |comprehension questions. | | | |5. Agree or Disagree TG. P9 | | | | |- Expressing agreement and |5. Manila Paper with two column A | | | |Disagreement |and B Agreement and Disagreement. | | | | | | | | |6. In my opinion TG. P10. |6. Various topics written on a | | | |- Choose one topic then write an |Manila paper. | | | |opinion paragraph stressing their | | | | |greatest argument for agreeing or | | | | |disagreeing. | | | | | | | | | |Note: Discuss and explain | | | | |expressions on agreement and |Outline of the topic | | | |disagreement. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |STAGE 3 | |TEACHING LEARNING SEQUENCE | |C. DEEPEN- At this stage, the teacher should be able to do the following: | |Provide learners with thought – provoking questions that will make them reflect, revisit, rethink, and revise earlier assumptions about the | |types and forms of Philippine drama, the features, elements, and conventions that distinguish them from narrative. | |Enable learners to apply the grammar items learned by giving them activities within the confines of higher order thinking skills. | |Address the learners’ uniqueness, their strengths and weaknesses by providing them with differentiated instruction as needed. | |Provide them with meaningful and challenging activities that will reinforce what they have learned. | |Engage them in meaningful self-evaluation. | |Give feedback. | |Activities |Materials |Date |Remarks | |1. Curtailed Freedom TG. P. 11 | 1. Topic on specific reality or | | | |- Have them agree or disagree†¦ |game show. | | | | | | | | |2. Mock Election TG. P11 | | | | |-Write and express their ideas | | | | | |2. â€Å"Written issue on a manila | | | | |paper- â€Å"Are you in favor of using | | | |3. Drama Inventory TG. P12 |the Filipino language during | | | |- Complete the table after |English time? † | | | |watching/listening to various drama| | | | |media. |3. Written CHART on a manila paper | | | | |as guide to the activity. | | | |4. Airing Feedback TG. P12. | | | | |- Role play any situation | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |4. Rubrics | | | |Notes: | | | |1. Discuss the Elements of Drama | |2. types of drama | |3. drama conventions | | | | | | | | | | | |D. TRANSFER- At this stage, the teacher should be able to do the following: | |Have the learners make independent application of the various processes (drama review, play reaction paper production, critiquing an original | |extended drama script, ect) they have learned. | |Make them do independent performance or project using varied and complex assessment procedure. | |Harness the learners’ growing proficiency by letting them establish the interface among the activities they have performed. | |Have them see the connections between tasks and the world. | | | |Activities |Materials |Date |Remarks | |1. Drama Review TG. P13 | 1.evaluation Chart | | | |- Complete the evaluation chart | | | | |after watching a scene in a drama | | | | |or play. | | | | | | | | | |2. DRP (Drama Reaction Paper) TG. | | | | |P13 | | | | |- evaluate the strength and |2. List of criteria written on a | | | |weaknesses of a play or drama. |manila paper | | | | | | | | | | | | | |References: | | | | |Laarni- A Dream by Loreto | | | | |Paras-Sulit | | | | | | | | | |Call Me Flory, by Wilfrido Ma. | | | | |Guerrero | | | | |The World is an Apple | | | | | | | | | | |Prepared by | | | |FERDINAND A. SANGAO | |Subject Teacher Noted: | |NORA D. DALAPNAS | |Head Teacher In Charge | | | | | | |

The Implementation Of The Localism Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

The Implementation Of The Localism Act - Essay Example In the United Kingdom, there is a remarkably high demand for social housing. Local authorities have had long waiting lists for individuals who intend to have access to social housing.2 Many individuals considered for social housing are those with a high vulnerability to becoming homeless. Therefore, the local authorities conduct reviews of all applicants and identify the situations of applicants that qualify them for accommodation.3 For many years, social housing has served to prevent homelessness in the United Kingdom. The introduction of the Localism Act allows local authority property owners to define new terms of fixed tenancies. Fixed tenancies offer the flexibility that defines the private rented sector.4 Opponents of the Localism Act have argued that the law will bring about positive changes, motivating individuals to take in for social housing to work hard and become homeowners. On the other hand, there are increasing critics who do not support the Localism Act, highlighting that it may present more cases of homelessness as well as anxieties and uncertainties of expiring fixed tenancies.5 This paper will critically analyse parliaments move to diminish the security of tenure of local authority tenants to the level provided by the privately rented sector. The emergence of social housing in the United Kingdom was a venture towards helping workers to upgrade from poor quality private rented homes to the remarkable housing at cheaper rates. Social housing began in the early 1970s, and it has exhibited remarkable growth to play a critical role in low-income families.6 The shift from providing accommodation to workers to a needs-based approach seeks to reduce homelessness. In 2014, social housing accounted for about 17% and 24% of the residential areas in England and Scotland respectively.

Human Resources Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Resources - Case Study Example It is worth mentioning in this context that an individual is free to do anything as long as he or she does not violate the nation’s constitution. Oiler’s activities, on this basis, can also be argued as the ones that do not violate the nation’s constitution, which lacked any protection for transgender or even did not provide any legal barrier to such activities. Moreover, Peter Oiler has always been punctual, trustworthy, and an exceptionally productive employee. He has always performed his tasks honestly, without giving the management any chance to make any complaints. He has always been working hard for the betterment of the organization and was treated as an asset for the company by his peers. There have been no complaints regarding his discipline or manners at the workplace even before his dismissal. In addition to these facts, even his co-workers did not have any complaints either with his work or with his cross-dressing. It should be noted that Civil rights Acts of 1964, Title VII (Equal Employment Opportunities) prohibits any kind of employee discrimination based on color, sex, race and national origin (National Archives, n.d.). It should be noticed that Peter Oiler was a truck driver in the organization and not the employee of a higher rank; therefore, it can be argued that Winn-Dixie has not only violated the employees’ rights but has also lost one of its loyal and hardworking employees (Texas Woman’s University, 2012). To be precise, the case apparently depicts that the rights of Oiler were violated. Question 2 ‘Employment at-will’ is being followed in many American states by the employers or the organizations to fire their employees and end the employment relationship without any liability, especially in cases which do not involve any defined contract (Texas Woman’s University, 2012). Such practices have often been observed to impose negative impacts on the employees and often de-motivate them fr om giving their best to the organization. It may also result in the decline in their productivity for the organization, distorting its image to a certain extent. In this case, after Peter Oiler’s termination, a fear and a doubt have arose in the minds of the Winn-Dixie’s employees concerning their job security and future – they thought that what had happen with Oiler can also happen to any other employee of the organization. This activity of the organization also raised many questions regarding its trust-worthiness among the employees. It may create tension between the organization and the employees, creating hurdles in the way of the organization to achieve its predetermined missions and objectives. Employees may also stop focusing much on the quality of their performance, which may ruin the overall image of the organization. Even if new ideas are generated among the employees, they may resist communicating them to the management, as they are afraid to lose the ir job. Furthermore, people are likely to resist the interference of any other entity in their personal life without liability. If the organization like Winn-Dixie continues to relate one’s personal life with one’s workplace performances, the employees are likely to consider it as a restriction to their personal space, which can affect the company’

Economic Development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Economic Development - Research Paper Example Economic development is important in regard to urban planning. Vibrant economic development is deeply rooted in optimal resource allocation and coordination of productive activities in an economy. Economic development transfers these attributes to urban planning, thereby enhancing its efficacy and contribution to national goals of economic welfare. Economic development also fosters the interrelationship of different sectors of the economy. Urban planning is undertaken by metropolitan authorities under planning bodies of the larger governance. It therefore outlines an indication of the position of urban planning prior to the desired land use patterns. Policy makers have considerations to make in regard to infrastructure requirements. Diversity and dynamism of both local and international infrastructure requirements require that policy makers assess both local and international infrastructure demands in order to come up with viable plans and projects that account for these requirements in the short run and the long run (Levy 257). Social, economic and political factors should characterize policy makers’ considerations in the context of infrastructure

Workers and the Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Workers and the Economy - Essay Example Therefore, capital is a very critical aspect of socioeconomic resource because it influences the production, transformation of natural resources, consumption and plays a significant role in the creation of the by-products thus an important aspect of pollution. There are two major types of capital variable and constant capital. On the other hand, investment of these capitals creates or reduces the value of production, and this is the basis of the term surplus value. The assignment aims to discuss constant capital, variable capital, and surplus-value with an illustration of how they lead to capital accumulation. Marx defined constant capital as the materials and materials that production of a certain commodity requires (Evans, 2013). In this case, constant capital is the capital proportion that investors channel on the materials as well as the purchased components. On the other hand, the value forms part cost of selling the product thus constant capital remains the same until a product is sold to the market. Constant capital includes the cost of using materials, machinery, and tools since they are all inclusive of the production process. For instance, if the production process involves using a million dollar worth of machinery in producing 10,000 cars then each car will have $100 of the machinery. However, constant capital is measurable when a commodity or a product has now worn out or depreciated. Therefore, constant capital sums up both unit and fixed costs implying that no matter how amount of materials, machines, and components are brought into the production and sold, they do not add a ny new value to the product. The implication is that whether the factors of productions undergo prolonged storage in the warehouse, or used in the production, there is no difference in the amount of capital. Marx concluded that whatever value the materials add when capitalists buy them for production purposes, they assume the same value even

Apostolic Worship (African Amercian) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Apostolic Worship (African Amercian) - Essay Example The traditional worship involves significant holiness and extensive reference on the Lord Jesus Christ’s name. These rituals are reflected in dress code during baptism, use of wine in communion, strong interpretation of the scriptures within the New Testament, and ordination. During worship, we use the authorized version of the Bible, which is King James. The commonly used version is the English Version to serve the congregations. Usually, the New Testament is highly adhered to as; it reflects on the life and suffering that Jesus underwent. Unlike other churches, we conduct worship on Sundays. The worships allow us to welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit. We usually sing various songs to cleanse our presence before the Lord. The church concentrates on worship, as it welcomes the Holy Spirit, which leads us during the service. Mostly, the congregation silently prays together to ask for the Holy Spirit to lead in the service (Alexander 58). The leadership of our Church is concentrated on the male members. The tradition is governed by the New Testament, which influences the male dominated leadership within the church. Prior to 1961, the Church leadership concentrated on one prelate leader. However, after the death of Lawson, Bonner proposed different governance within the church. Bonner’s proposal meant that; the church will involve the governance of different archbishops, and apostles who will form a board (Clark 146). Additionally, Bonner found it suitable to establish two more boards to account to the Apostle’s board. These boards involve the Boards of Presbyters and Bishops. When dealing with women and leadership within the church; our congregation remains adamant. The church holds that the scriptures never provide room for women to preach. The argument presented against women preaching is that; she seizes the authority given to a man. Women who preach are discouraged in First Corinthians 2:12. However,

Physical capitals and financial capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Physical capitals and financial capital - Essay Example nited States Decrease Increase - Exchange rate changes Increase Increase Note: In the red above, an increase in wealth makes AD increase; a decrease in wealth makes AD decrease. This is how you should format each table. SECTION TWO a) Physical capital differs from financial capital in a number of ways. By definition, physical capital is an already-manufactured tangible asset that is used in production. On the other hand, financial capital refers to equity that is used by business owners to purchase resources that are required in producing goods and services. Different from financial capital, physical capital can be acquired by building it, purchasing it or renting it. Financial capital can be acquired through borrowing and selling of ownership stake within an organization. Examples of financial capital include bank loan and corporate bonds, while that of physical capital include motor vehicle and machinery. b) The distinction between gross investment and net investment is based on ca pital depreciation. Gross investment refers to total amount of investment that does not incorporate any depreciation while net investment refers to investment that incorporates depreciation. Therefore net investment can simply be defined as gross investment less capital depreciation. The difference between gross investment and capital investment can be illustrated mathematically as follows. Net Investment = Gross Investment – Depreciation Gross investment = Net investment + Depreciation c) The three main types of markets for financial capital include Loan markets Stock market Bond market d) The price of a financial asset and interest rate has an inverse relationship. The prices of financial asset do always increase with decrease in interest rate. This can be explained well by considering the relationship of a financial asset such as bond with its interest rate. For example, let’s assume company X issues a new bond that has a face value of $1000 with an interest rate of 7%. If in the same year the general interest rates increases to about 8%, buyers will not be willing to pay the $1000 face value with an interest rate of 7%. Therefore, in order to sell the bond, company X will have to issue its bond at a lower price, that is, at a discount that will enable the new bond holder to generate an 8% interest. In this scenario, the price of the bond will fall to approximately $ 875. Similarly, if the interest rate falls to 6%, the price of the bond will be much higher than $1000. The bond will be valued at $1166. This is illustrated in the diagram below. e) When firms are involving in decisions to make investment, they normally consider a number of

Lan-Base Attendance Monitoring and Payroll System Essay Example for Free

Lan-Base Attendance Monitoring and Payroll System Essay 1.1 Introduction Modernization changed our lifestyle. Technology improves us to spend time and spaces in remarkable ways. Due to rapid technological changes new things to produce better way of doing things through the help of technology. In our present life style people find way to improve their living day by day .This improvement was obviously seen in our modern technology, such modern machine, improvised gadgets, robotics and the most popular and widely influential is the modern computer. Modern computer helps people to lessen their work in such particular field of industry, particularly for those activities that requires computation storage of information presentation security and many uses of system software by the company, organization and in some aspect of educational areas. One of these changes is through the use of LAN-Based Attendance Monitoring and Payroll System of Caltex Gasoline Station which is programmed automatically set the time and date employees log; so that the office assistant monitors the record and liable easily access the payments of the employees. In the field of Information technology the knowledge in creating a LAN-Based Attendance Monitoring and Payroll System of the employees are one of the most important parts to keep a certain business stable also includes the monitoring of the employees and the payroll. The Owner can’t assure that his employee is arriving on time in Gasoline Station and he can’t also assure if the computation of the payroll is correct and accurate. 1.2.1 Background of the Study The Caltex Techron Balite Merchandise started as a Federal Gasoline station in 2007. After three years Federal Gasoline Station experienced bankrupt because of the competition in other gasoline station. The owner of Federal Gasoline Station decided to sell the property of Federal Gasoline Station to Mr. Danny Reobeca to recover his investment. In the year 2010 September 19, the Caltex Techron merchandising established in Barangay Balite. They started with sixteen (16) employees including (1) one manager, (1) one secretary, (2) two cashiers, and (12) twelve gasoline boys. Nowadays, the Caltex Techron Merchandising has (4) four Gasoline Machines, (3) three Gasoline Tanker, (1) one storage room and (1) one office room. Caltex Techron Merchandising have now (33) thirty three employees including (1) one manager as the owner, (3) three office assistant, (3) three cashier, (2) two guards and (24) twenty four gasoline boys. The operation is 24 hours and has three shifting for gasoline boy and cashiers. First shift (6:00am-3:00pm), second shift (12:00pm-9:00pm), third shift(9:00pm-6:00am), (2) two shifting for the security guard, First shift (6:00am-6:00pm) and second shift (6:00pm-6:00am) while the manager and office assistant work 8 hours start 8:00am to 4:00pm. The facilities of the Caltex Techron Merchandising are complete but proponents found out (2) problem. First, the attendance monitoring of the employee is manual like the traditional. Second, the exact computation of payroll of the employee is manual computation. They have an office assistant in the office room to manage the attendance monitoring and payroll of the employees. 1.2 Statement of the problem 1.2.1 General Problem The Manual attendance and payroll of the employees in Caltex Techron resulting lack of accuracy and security in terms of records. The main problem of manual system is very hard to retrieve information of the employees. 1.2.2 Specific Problem The Caltex Techron Merchandising has also some specific problem as they follow: * Manual recording of the time-in and time-out of the employees. * Using the manual computation of payroll. * Inaccurate employee’s attendance due to manual operation of time keeping. * Unorganized records because of many records that must be filed. 1.3 Objective 1.3.1 General Objective The Proponents aims to develop a LAN-Based Attendance Monitoring and Payroll System that will improve their service in terms of attendance monitoring and payroll of the employee. 1.3.2 Specific objectives * To develop a system that enable to search records easier and faster. * To avoid changing of time that they log. * To develop a system that will monitor the daily time record of employee. * To upgrade and standard the process of computing salaries of employees accurately. * To establish a system that will register the time-in and time-out of employees. * To prevent loosen and break down of the records and files. * To make automated the computation of the salaries of the employees. 1.4 Scope and Limitation The Proponents aims to develop a LAN-Based Attendance Monitoring and Payroll System of the employee for the improvement of Caltex Techron Merchandising. The File maintenance can easily add, search, delete, and update records, with the use of this system. 1.4.1 Scope * Computerize the Attendance of the employee. * Automated computation of salaries. * It gives accurate time and date of the employee’s log. * LAN-based System. * The administrator only has the authority to access the records of the employees. 1.4.2 Limitation * Records only the time and date of log-in and log-out of the employee but it can’t identify who are the real employees. * The LAN-Based Attendance Monitoring and Payroll System embedded only to Caltex Techron. 1.5 Significance of Study This study not only to develop a software system, It also aims to do specific task in a short period of time. Administrator/Manager: * It will help them in terms of less spending space and time. It will help them. Office Assistant: * It will be easy for them to monitor the attendance of the employee and to lessen their work. Employee: * It will be easier to get their salary because of the automatic computation. 1.6 Definition of Terms 1. Automated To operate by automation. 2. Merchandising Sales promotion has a comprehensive function including market research, development of new products. 3. Monitoring A device for observing a biological condition or function. 4. Payroll The sum necessary for distribution to those on a payroll also the money to be distributed. 5. Salary Fixed comprehension paid regularly for devices 6. Technology A capability given by the practical application knowledge. 7. Embedded Fix to the business company. 8. LAN-Based the system is running by group of personal computer and associated equipment that are linked by cable, office building and that share a communications line. 9. Manual work by hand, involving the skills and hard word of hand. 10. Traditional – from generation to generation,† Old style†.

Overview of Hyperlipidemia

Overview of Hyperlipidemia Introduction Hyperlipidemia, involves higher lipids or lipoproteins in blood,is one of the most observed conditions related to cardiovascular system (Hassan, 2013). This small paper focuses on outlining the pathophysiology, signs and symptoms and organs involved in the Hyperlipidemia. Further, this paper also proposes diagnosis and alternative treatment protocols and their success rate for Hyperlipidemia. The pathophysiology of the Hyperlipidemia The pathophysiology of the Hyperlipidemia can be classified into primary hyperlipidemia and secondary hyperlipidemia. Whilst genetic factors cause the primary hyperlipidemia, the metabolic disorders cause the secondary hyperlipidemia. The secondary hyperlipidemia can be caused due to diabetes mellitus, high usage of drugs such as beta blockers and estrogens, renal failure, high alcohol consumption etc. (Brown, 2003). Genetic hyperlipidemia can be categorized into disorders such as familial hypercholesterolemia, familial hypertriglyceridemia, familial dysbetalipoproteinemia and familial combined hyperlipidemia etc. The familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic disorder caused due to high-levels of low-density lipoprotein in blood (Stang Story, 2005). On the other hand, familial hypertriglyceridemia is a highly dominant condition caused due to excess production of vey low-density lipoprotein. Familial dysbetalipoproteinemia is a condition characterized by increased low-density lipoprotein and decreased high-density lipoprotein. Finally, familial combined hyperlipidemia is a condition characterized by decreased low-density lipoprotein and increased Apolipoprotein B (Brown, 2003). The signs and symptoms of Hyperlipidemia Normally, hyperlipidemia does not show any symptoms in early ears. As days pass on, the symptoms such as manifestation of high cholesterol beneath of elbows, knees and eyes can be seen (Ankur et al, 2012). One can also observe the symptoms such as whitish rings around the eye’s iris in a person suffering from hyperlipidemia. Since the elevated cholesterol blocks the blood vessels, it can lead coronary heart disease or strokes. The frequent heart strokes can also be considered as major symptoms for hyperlipidemia. The organs and/or system involved in Hyperlipidemia Hyperlipidemia impacts cardiovascular system and leads to cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular system, also known as circulatory system, is an organ system that facilitates blood to transport oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients to organs and tissues of the body (Stang Story, 2005). The cardiovascular system helps in fighting the diseases and stabilizing the body temperature. The system is vulnerable to diseases when cholesterol accumulates the inflamed areas of blood vessels leading to reduced flow or blockage. Since cardiovascular blockage causes reduced blood flow, heart can be considered as most vulnerable organ to hyperlipidemia. Left untreated, hyperlipidemia can lead coronary artery disease and ultimately result to heart attack (Stang Story, 2005). The organ, artery, is involved in hyperlipidemia because, in most of the cases, cholesterol accumulates in artery that transports blood away from heart. Brain is another organ involved in hyperlipidemia. Since high cholesterol blocks the blood vessel that supplies blood to brain, the possibility of occurring ischemic strokes would be increased (Ankur et al, 2012). How Hyperlipidemia is diagnosed? Cholesterol test should be done to diagnose the lipid disorder or hyperlipidemia. The cholesterol test can be conducted with a lab diagnosis test called Lipid Panel. Patients should past for at least 12 hours before undergoing Lipid Panel test because it is important to clear the chylomicron from the blood; the clearance of chylomicron might take 10 to 12 hour. The laboratory testing is conducted to measure the total plasma cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides within the blood (Brown, 2003). In order to measure the very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, the triglyceride should be divided by 5. In the same way, in order to calculate the low-density lipoprotein, it is important to subtract the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and very low density lipoprotein from total cholesterol. For total cholesterol: If the results show that the cholesterol levels are 200 milligrams per decilitre or less, it is considered as a normal condition. The cholesterol levels that fall in between 201 and 240 milligrams per decilitre indicate borderline cholesterol. Similarly, greater than 240 milligram per decilitre indicates higher cholesterol levels. For high-density lipoprotein: If the high-density lipoprotein is 60 milligrams per decilitre, it can be considered as good cholesterol (Ankur et al, 2012). Since the higher levels of high-density lipoprotein are good to the body, it is recommended for people to maintain at least 60 milligrams per decilitre. If the high-density lipoprotein falls in between 40 milligram per decilitre and 59 milligram per decilitre, it is considered as acceptable cholesterol level. On the other hand, less than 40 milligram per decilitre increases the risk of heart disease (Ankur et al, 2012). For low-density lipoprotein: The optimal low-density lipoprotein for human body is 100 milligrams per decilitre or lesser. If the low-density lipoprotein level falls in between 100 milligram per decilitre and 129 milligram per decilitre, it is considered as near-optimal and does not cause any harm to individual. The low-density lipoprotein level is in between 130 milligram per decilitre and 159 milligram per decilitre, it is considered as a borderline high. Anything higher than 160 milligram per decilitre is considered as bad cholesterol (Hassan, 2013). Alternative treatment protocols and their success rate A wide-range of alternative treatment protocols is available to treat hyperlipidemia. A couple of them are mentioned below. Traditional Chinese Medicine: Three important approaches such as excretory function enhancement, tonic effect reinforcement and cardiovascular system improvement are used to treat hyperlipidemia. Though there is no scientific evidence of the efficacy of these approaches, they are highly successful in controlling blood lipid levels and adjusting bodily functions (Hassan, 2013). Acupuncture: Acupuncture helps in reducing the cellular accumulations of fatty materials and makes the individual less vulnerable to heart disease. By needling the acupuncture point located on the lower leg, it is possible to reduce and prevent the formation of foam cells in the body. With 80% success rate, acupuncture has become one of the best alternative treatment protocols for hyperlipidemia. Conclusion Cardiovascular system is highly vulnerable to hyperlipidemia when cholesterol accumulates the inflamed areas of blood vessels. Hyperlipidemia can be caused due to genetic disorders or metabolic disorders. Some of the major symptoms of hyperlipidemia are cholesterol accumulation beneath of elbows, knees and eyes can be seen, whitish rings around the eye’s iris and chest pain. In addition to cardiovascular system, the organs such as artery, heart and brain are also involved in hyperlipidemia. By carrying out Lipid Panel test, it is possible to check the lipid levels in blood. The alternative treatment protocols such as acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can be used to treat hyperlipidemia. References Brown, W.V. (2003). Cholesterol absorption inhibitors: defining new options in lipid management.Clinical Cardiology, 26(6), 259–264. Hassan, B.A.R. (2013). Overview on Hyperlipidemia. Journal of Chromatography Separation Techniques, 4 (3), 113. Stang, J., Story, M. (Eds.). (2005). Guidelines for Adolescent Nutrition Services. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota. Retrieved on 9th November, 2014 from http://www.epi.umn.edu/let/pubs/img/adol_ch10.pdf> Ankur, R., Nidhi, D., Seema, R., Amarjeet, D., Ashok, K. (2012). Hyperlipidemia- A Deadly Pathological Condition. International Journal of Current Pharmaceutical Research, 4(3), 15-18.

Research skills and techniques education essay

Research skills and techniques education essay This report highlights and evaluates my personal, academic and professional reflections throughout this course and applies the learning to consideration of my professional practice and ongoing future development. It explores opportunities for career paths within and outside of the prison service and how my range of skills can advance my aspirations as well as enhance the environment in which I work. To this end, I have critically evaluated my transferable skills and their development through this learning journey together with opportunities to enhance these further. In looking to the future, a revised Professional Development Plan (PDP) for ongoing future development has been compiled and included in Appendix I. Many of the learning outcomes have been already been covered in some depth within my PPD5 assignment and I have sought to elaborate on key areas of these within this paper. Background When first offered the opportunity to undertake further education through a Foundation Degree, I was initially excited at the prospect. However, this soon gave way to dismissive thoughts of successful completion as unattainable and self doubt about my ability to pursue such a venture which resulted in me not collecting the application form. It was only when a colleague, who had done so but decided not to take this forward, passed it to me, that I took the plunge. A lot of self talk was required to consider how valuable this opportunity was for me. I considered that several of my peers would have similar experiences and feelings which would make a natural and powerful support network meaning that I would not be learning in isolation. Later, I was able to reflect and realise that procrastination is a particular trait and pattern of behaviour for me, deep rooted in negative schema (Beck 1967:233) which I have been able to reflect on and write about at some length throughout my further e ducation. Even coming towards the end of the Honours Degree (which I undertook with greater enthusiasm), it is still evident and something to guard against. This has been particularly important in considering what has held me back from pursuing advanced career development until recently. Reflective Practice: Applying a range of reflective models throughout my further education studies, I now appreciate how analysis of my skills can help towards the goal of professional advancement and, importantly that of job satisfaction. I apply Gibbs (1998) Reflective Cycle readily to areas of my personal and professional life developing skills of evaluation and analysis, both of self and situations which has led to effective problem solving and informed conclusions as will be illustrated below. Doing this effectively, I have found, can widen the scope for a more in-depth and wider encompassing plan for ongoing development which hitherto, has been somewhat narrow in its view. In other words, from being resigned to thinking this is my lot, Ill just get on with it, to an active desire to apply new learning, seek more and become motivated for career progression. Straker (2008:172) whose work builds on the research of Gardner (1983 and 2006) summed up the importance of purposeful reflection for me Knowing yourself includes knowing that there are parts of yourself that you do not know and being ready to listen and explore these. It also means considering what parts of yourself you should expose or hide, based on how it will help your purpose rather than simply based on personal preference. The danger of reflection is that, for a procrastinator such as myself, one can get stuck in self analysis without doing anything about it or use the results of ones analysis to stay within a comfort zone. Kolb (1984) helped to evaluate my experiences and test hypotheses about myself, values and work ethics but it did not spur me on to action whereas Gibbs sets out the plan for ongoing development which is crucial for me so as not to remain procrastinating. In PPD5, I considered how Moon (2004) has been a useful resource on reflective practice, in particular reminding me that reflection is important but it must always lead to action and the making of positive changes. She stresses the importance of experiential learning which includes reflection but qualifies this to incorporate active learning, ensuring intent to learn and mechanisms of feedback to ensure the whole process is effective and meaningful for development (p.122). SchÃÆ'-n (1983) explains how, as one becomes more experienced, it becomes increasingly possible to reflect in action rather than simply after action. This is something I am becoming more accomplished at and is particularly evident in critical incident situations in my role as a hostage negotiator where this has immediate and practical as well as personal value. Interestingly the Cycle of Change by Prochatska and Diclemente (1982), illustrated in Appendix II, highlights the phases which I can identify with through my learning, professional and personal journey. I can often remain in contemplation and need to find the drivers and motivators to avoid lapses but, I am encouraged that these now exist more in abundance which are sourced from many areas and the Honours Degree has been one of these. I am mindful that the grades and feedback I have received throughout my further education have been of a consistently good standard and this has served as a source of encouragement and measurement of progress and achievement. I must maintain measurements and goals for my future development and there are means in place such as the Staff Personal Development Record (SPDR), in Appendix III and Professional Development Plan (PDP) which I can use as signposts and yardsticks. It is important that, as the current period of study draws to an end, this motivation to achieve continues and I now feel best placed to ensure this happens. . As mentioned in my PPD5 essay, in the past I have questioned the decision making processes of management though this is being reshaped into a desire to gain a holistic overview of the work environment. Overcoming objections to understanding others, for fear that this might disprove our own theories about ourselves and the world, are key hurdles for which I must continually be mindful. (Elliott, 2011) This has also enabled me to evaluate what I can offer to roles to enhance the establishments performance. In my first Reflective Essay from January 2007 (Appendix IV) I described schema theory and the work of Beck (1967). From this I have developed an interest, not only in interpretation of situations which influence our beliefs but, particularly, how to develop the stimuli and positive emotional and cognitive drivers for professional and personal well-being. In observing what gets in the way, rather than being stuck in analysis, to move beyond and set goals for positive development has been essential learning for me and reading this first essay shows how far I have come. The focus of this paper is skills evaluation but moreover, the action phase of my development, identifying opportunities and the practical steps required for ongoing development. Employability Skills and Development Needs A range of self analysis tools have proved helpful in ascertaining and evidencing personal skills which pave the way for ongoing professional satisfaction. This has involved being critical as to what is and may realistically be attainable as well as widening the scope for a range of career advancement opportunities. Using a range of self analysis tools I have been able to evaluate my employability skills and an example is in Appendix V. Examining these proved personally gratifying and formed the basis for an in-depth critique in a personal SWOT analysis (Appendix VI) which I had only ever previously applied to businesses within the scope of the Honours Degree. On completion of this, it seemed logical to me that the values which businesses ascribe to should find their roots in the personnel employed by the organisation as, ideally, they should embody the same corporate beliefs, ethics and work practices. As I will highlight later, this has brought me into conflict with my own work establishment where, using newly honed skills of assertiveness and corporate awareness, I am more readily able to challenge what I may perceive to be unsafe practices. This has been possible through balancing my potential weakness of being mission-focussed and developing this alongside effective and robust empathy towards management decisions At the time of writing my Performance and Development record for this year has not been recorded but as my SPDR for last year (Appendix III) illustrates, I can remain pleased that I continue to meet targets set and work collaboratively with others to ensure that the benefits of development are felt personally and by the organisation. I have expanded this further with creation of a new Development Plan (Appendix I) in order to maintain continuity and ongoing development. In order to consider the range of skills necessary to achieve my goals and aspirations, I completed a Career Values Tool and the report can be found in Appendix VII. To help with this I referred back to a Personality Type Questionnaire competed for the PPD5 assignment. This was an important analysis as it accurately highlighted the potential careers which fitted my profile. The role of Counsellor featured prominently which is something I have long been interested in (incidentally, Musician and Actor which are personal interests and also featured high in the analysis). My roles in offending behaviour treatment over the years have been the source of immense personal satisfaction as they met the values and skills which I have enjoyed developing the most. Using the Career Values Tool, I input Counsellor as an alternative career choice and it was interesting to note how this featured against the profile which had me as balanced between intuitive and logical in my approach to work. Feature d highly were communication skills and my ability to work alongside people and knowing that my work benefits others. When seen alongside my white knight mission schema of wanting to help others, which can potentially be unhelpful, the balance of taking a logical, measured approach to problem solving is something I now know I possess and is to be worked on continually. The development of analytical skills in my reflections and projects throughout this last year have helped to redress this balance whereas before, if I had taken the Career Values Tool, I might have been much further along the intuition side of the continuum which, is not healthy or helpful for one seeking to develop a managerial role. As well as reflective and study skills, it is important to develop the practical skills required for current and potential roles. At my SPDR review later this month I can explore the options for this with my line manager. The need to develop business awareness, in order to understand corporate strategy in the workplace and enable promotion prospects, is ongoing and the last few months have proved to be a testing time in that regard. This has largely been due to having to take a grievance procedure against the Programmes and Psychology management for what I perceive to be discriminatory and unethical behaviour against myself. Having weighed up the options over the last 12 months or so, this action was the only possible course and has required a measure of focus, assertiveness and an analytical overview of the situation to make this decision and take this forward. Without this, I would have reverted back to how I was prior to undertaking further education and left the situation unresolved and dwell in unhelpful rumination which would have affected my work and well being. The grievance is proceeding at the time of writing this report and, whatever the outcome, I can be satisfied that I have taken appropr iate steps to ensure best ethical practice and well being for the workforce and organisation as a whole. This has not been without an emotional response (acknowledging this is a strength identified in Gibbs Reflective Cycle, 1998) as I dont like conflict or rocking the boat but then, appropriate levels of assertive management and effective analysis are crucial management skills which I have developed over recent years and is ongoing. This is particularly important as I consider options for my future and it is gratifying that I can take the positive skills development learning from even the most testing of circumstances. The best measure of how appropriate ones actions are in the workplace, I have found, is ones own values of decency, ethics and responsibility and, in the above situation, to have these confirmed and used as my yardstick for decision making and professional integrity, has proved rewarding and strangely comforting. No one should ever consider themselves to be the finished article and being confident in pursuing continued development is a positive trait. In my case, this helps to overcome the schema driven low self-esteem and has certainly enhanced a more positive belief for the future. Among the key learning experiences for me, alongside the above, are a recognition of the roles of others, networking and effective communication. My career path has involved working closely with and taking an interest in people, both clients and colleagues alike. In Appendix X I have conducted my own skills self appraisal which covers a range of academic and professional areas. This was motivated by a definition of entrepreneurship by Rothstein and Burke (2010) as one who is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦skilled in recognizing opportunities, exploiting those opportunities and creating value (p.217). Whilst I will never be an Alan Sugar or Duncan Bannatyne, I can be just as entrepreneurial in my skills base so as to add value to the organisation. The fact that funding was made available to allow this period of study serves as a reminder that, to some degree, this has already been recognised and how I choose to utilise this for mutual benefit is now being considered. Career Appraisal and Development During the Foundation Degree I was able to undertake and pass the selection examination for Senior Officer though I was unsuccessful in role play assessment. I was, however, able to take that experience and, rather than berate or chastise myself and dwell in self-doubt as I previously would have, I have decided to take the step of applying for and undertaking the assessment again later this year. For this, I will seek to use my Line Manager as mentor together with the training department as immediate point of reference and begin to research prison policy, security and management skills. I am now feeling positive and motivated to succeed in this not only from a practical, self-development perspective, but also the pride and sense of achievement this will bring. Following the disappointment of having to step down from Sex Offender Treatment work last year, I have reappraised my personal development and, using reflective skills developed on the degree studies, particularly Kolb (1984) to help evaluate the experiences and Beck (1967) to understand how I was interpreting them. Having specialised in Drug offender rehabilitation for the last twelve months I can take the benefits of new learning and role experience forward as I return to Sex Offender therapy later this year. Drawing together the range of experience and interests I have enjoyed over successive years keeps me, first and foremost, actively engaged in working for and alongside others. This is encouraging and, in this period of change, I have come to realise the importance of job satisfaction as a key motivator for me. Pursuing a Counselling qualification would serve as a path to an alternative career should personal circumstances change for me in the future. This could be due to cutbacks in the public sector or an establishment transition to the private sector. This could also potentially be utilised in my current role should a counselling or mediation function become available which I can argue would value to the establishment. A significant area of personal development has been in key skills of assertiveness and negotiation. These were identified early on in my reflective practice as things I needed to work on. I was able to negotiate a role within drugs support having originally offered an office based assessment position which I would have found unfulfilling. Alongside this, within my current grievance procedure, I have assertively requested a clear professional development path from senior management which also ensures that all officer grades in the Programmes team are offered the same which has, hitherto, been lacking. Learning and Continuing Professional Development The Honours Degree has been immensely challenging and rewarding and, despite early fears, has worked in with my social and work life and has encouraged me to ongoing learning and consideration of developing career prospects. There has been useful overlap of the various modules of this course in which the learning and reflections from each have been transferable. An example is in studying Effective Management Decisions has been important for my dissertation which evaluates Crew Resource Management. Learning to examine the former, in an objective way, has enabled a critical approach for the dissertation ensuring the focus remains on the advantages to business performance and not just to areas of personnel safety which I might otherwise have concentrated. It has been gratifying that I have been able to use the modules of this course to look at areas which I find personally interesting and challenging which included designing projects to create best practice in offender management. Also, I have long been interested in the commercial aviation industry and to explore competitive advantage of an airline was good fun, whilst also rewarding in the study skills that were required. Similarly, the dissertation which looks at human factors in critical incidents arising from aviation accidents takes that same personal interest but analyses the learning points from that sector and explores what the prison service can benefit from this within its own operations. This seamless learning extends to the previous Foundation Degree which I frequently refer to including the module on ethics, cultural awareness and diversity where the strong principles I ascribe and have documented, are continually evaluated and applied to my work practice. It forms the basis of my mission statement for development as recommended by Covey (2004) where focussing who you want to be and what you want to do should be on the values you ascribe to each (p.106). I am currently exploring options for Higher Education such as a Masters Degree as well as qualifications in counselling. At this stage, I am unsure as to whether I should these at the earliest opportunity and continue the momentum of learning or have a year break in order to spend time focussing on my personal life which does need some attention. Whether I choose immediate and specific training at this time or not, I can develop and enhance the skills required for possible future roles in my current position utilising the training department, mentors and line management. All of these are part of my ongoing Professional Development Plan so I can maintain the motivation to keep personal and professional aspirations at the forefront of my future work. I am now certain that my further education will continue as will the depth and breadth of my career development. With the ongoing role in Drugs Support, a move back to Sex Offender Treatment later this year, together with the Senior Officer assessment in October and exploring accelerated promotion prospects in the prison service, I have much to keep me motivated and stimulated. These are key drivers for me as I have learnt in my four year journey and I can now realistically consider a managerial position and explore such options. The Honours Degree is regarded as a valuable qualification both for its relevant content to the Criminal Justice System and Business and Management but also symbolises the desire and commitment I have and have shown for continued self development. For me, this highlights how seamless the transition has been through the learning journey and that it will continue to be so. This awareness has made further education and career progression options less of a mountain to climb but a gentle path to enlightenment as some learned and revered man of faith probably once said. A helpful resource has proved to be www.CIPD.co.uk which I have accessed throughout my studies. This organisations definition of learning is a self-directed, work-based process leading to increased adaptive capacity. http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/learning-talent-development-overview.aspx [Accessed 18 February 2011]. This highlights the importance of personal responsibility in using employer resources to develop an ever-widening scope for career development. Appendix VIII shows an extract which proved helpful in critically evaluating my development plan and ensured it was appropriate to my needs and abilities as well as offering value to the workplace. Conclusion: I regard my new Curriculum Vitae (Appendix IX) as a valid working document whereas I had considered my old one, prior to commencing Further Education, to be somewhat archaic, irrelevant and out of date. The core skills I have developed over the years and significant achievements are included which serve as a reminder that, just as I have now added the Honours Degree (final result permitting), more is to come. As I look over it now, the transition and learning process which has brought me to this point in my life now is clearly evident. I can see the journey of learning and experience I have been on and, with a renewed and positive view of myself and professional development potential, I will enjoy and apply myself to the opportunities that lie ahead. Appendices: I. Personal and Professional Development Plan II. Cycle of Change (Prochaska and Diclemente, 1982) III. Staff Performance and Development Record (SPDR) IV. Reflective Essay (Jan 2007) V. Study Skills Self Assessment VI. SWOT Analysis VII. Career Values Tool VIII. Extract from CIPD website IX. Curriculum Vitae X. Research and Employability Skills Appendix I Personal and Professional Development Plan Appendix II Cycle of Change (Prochaska and Diclemente, 1982) Appendix II The Cycle of Change: Prochatska and Diclamente (1982) This example is taken from the internet and the source is in the bibliography. The cycle of change has 6 phases and, for me, this diagram highlights well the areas at which I can lapse, particularly contemplation and, therefore am encouraged to maintain motivation. In pre-contemplation, the person does not see any problem in their current behaviours and has not considered there might be some better alternatives. In contemplation the person is ambivalent they are in two minds about what they want to do should they stay with their existing behaviours and attitudes or should they try changing to something new? It is this area which I need to be particularly on my guard to as not to lapse. In preparation, the person is taking steps to change usually in the next month or so. In action, they have made the change and living the new set of behaviours is an all-consuming activity. In maintenance, the change has been integrated into the persons life they are now more enterprising. Relapse is a full return to the old behaviour. This is not inevitable but is likely and should not be seen as failure. Often people will Relapse several times before they finally succeed in making a (more or less) permanent to a new set of behaviours. Appendix III. Staff Performance and Development Record (SPDR) Appendix IV. Extract From My First Reflective Essay (Jan 2007) Extract From My First Reflective Essay (Jan 2007) My earliest employment from leaving school was within the travel industry. From the outset, I sought to improve my practical skills base and enjoyed the challenge of meeting the needs of customers, budgetary targets, training of staff, problem solving, through to the opening and management of a travel agency branch several years later. Apart from the GCSE qualifications gained at school, any further academic or professional learning has been gained whilst in employment. Copies of certificates attained, both school and work based can be found in the appendix. The skills and achievements I have attained in my personal life are equally transferrable to my work life. For example, as Chairman of a genealogical society for several years and public speaking engagements both serve as reminders that I have organisational, research and presentation abilities which I can and should be utilising and developing along my career path. I have had no formal management training, yet gained significant supervisory experience through showing aptitude and dedication to task, client base and personnel. It is important for me to demonstrate, through the Foundation Degree and subsequent training that I can learn management and personal development skills, but also show I am able to apply this learning in my work and personal life. At the same time, I need to focus on a specific career path which includes, in the first instance, promotion to Senior Officer. The next logical progression will, therefore, be to apply for and undertake the senior Promotion Examination later this year. For this, I need to obtain details of the main job requirements for this role and, using my Line Manager as mentor and the training department as immediate point of reference, begin to research prison policy, security, management skills and training opportunities. Whilst I have considered undertaking this before, I am now feeling positive and motivated to succeed in this not only from a practical, self-development perspective but also the pride and sense of achievement this will bring. On successful completion of this examination, I can seek to specialise in either offender rehabilitation or staff training which I would relish. This draws together the range of experience and interests I have enjoyed over successive years and keeps me, first and foremost, actively engaged in working for and alongside others. It is important for me to develop assertiveness skills and, whilst these have been improved upon over recent years, I am aware there is a continued need for development in this area. I need to be pro-active in my own learning, seeking opportunities and not over-relying on others to simply recognise my needs or opportunities and make recommendations. Part of this includes my need to develop and seek out management training and practice/demonstrate the skills I have. It is equally important for me to enlist the help of others in my development. My personal statement highlights how I can become too self-reliant when I perceive no one understands my needs or are genuinely interested in my development. Seeking a more collaborative approach to my learning will not only engender positive belief in myself and others, it will make the next stage of my career more rewarding, satisfying, creative and productive as well as opening up a wider range of opportunities in all areas of my life. The Study Skills Self-Assessment which I completed on 23 October 2007 (Appendix) highlighted three main employability skills I need to develop as: Improving own learning and performance Application of number (data collection and interpretation) Information and technology proficiency Alongside these, to develop, are my personal attributes of Self confidence Flexibility and adaptability Judgement In this self assessment I also reflected on my own specific weaknesses which include being too self-critical and not praising my own achievements enough which can affect my ability to be objective about my performance. I have a strong underpinning need to defend others and leap to their rescue which I have come to see as a hindrance to my own development and of those I seek to help. This is a particularly important area for me to address as future management roles will require me to allow others to take their own personal responsibility and only offer guidance as appropriate. This rescuer style I have is schema-related and I will write a piece for my portfolio on schema theory and how this applies to me. Beck, 1967 described a schema as ..a cognitive structure for screening, coding, and evaluating the stimuli that impinge  on the organism. In short, schemas are the filters or core beliefs we have about ourselves or the world around us and, thereby, how we interpret different situat ions in our lives. The nature of the work I do in offender rehabilitation requires me to undertake regular de-briefing, supervision, yearly health reviews and bi-monthly counselling. This, together with schema theory and other therapy models I use with prisoners, which I have also applied to myself, means I spend a lot of time being introspective and sharing this with colleagues. Add to this, the personal development elements of the Foundation Degree, means I need to be mindful of balancing this wealth of introspection with practical steps for a successful future. One of the handouts for self-appraisal from this course has helped me consider what can get in the way of things I want to do. These include poor time management and a lack of structure and balance in and between my work, study and private life. This is important as I can become frustrated by unnecessary last minute attempts to meet deadlines. By having a clear coherent plan I can plan my work and life more effectively and, this alone gives me a sense of excitement and motivation. Appendix V. Study Skills Self Assessment Dowson, Paul., (2004) Study Skills Self Assessment, Leeds Metropolitan University Appendix VI. SWOT Analysis Appendix VII Career Values Tool Report Appendix VIII. Extract from www.CIPD.co.uk {Accessed 18 February 2011) Possible benefits of development planning Relevant learning and development is more likely to happen in practice when you are goal directed. Learning that is planned is more efficient. Unanticipated learning opportunities are more likely to come to your attention when you are prepared for them. The choices of learning methods are more likely to be appropriate following completion of a development plan and their use can be designed and managed to provide a tailored fit with your needs and interests. Motivation and confidence in taking responsibility for ones own learning can be enhanced. Possible limitations of development planning The quality of a completed development plan can suffer without timely and relevant diagnostic information from others. The creation of a valid and useable plan is particularly difficult to achieve without the active support and agreement of others who are relevant to you in your current role. The successful implementation of even a well-crafted plan is not guaranteed without continuing support and challenge from others. Operating hints Ensure that there is ready access to relevant and valid diagnostic data in the identification of learning needs. Ensure t

Leadership Essay -- essays research papers

A leader can be a manager, but a manager is not necessarily a leader. The leader of the work group may emerge informally as the choice of the group. If a manager is able to influence people to achieve the goals of the organization, without using his or her formal authority to do so, then the manager is demonstrating leadership (Allen, 1998). Great organizations are managed by people who have the necessary skills and attributes which allow them to connect with the organization and the people involved in the company. Managers must meet the many demands of performing their functions; managers assume multiple roles which include being a figurehead, leader, liaison, monitor, disseminator, spokesperson, entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, and negotiator. Managers set and achieve the organizations goals by planning, organizing, controlling and leading. A manger can assume or delegate portions of authority to lead employees and achieve goals. Being a leader is not the same as managing an organization. Leader’s posses the interpersonal skills needed to influence others to achieve a goal willingly. Leading is a major part of a manager’s job. Leaders do not need to be a manager to lead people, but managers must know how to lead as well as manage. Leaders also have the ability to inspire, motivate, change attitudes and influence others to achieve goals. Managers have the ability to fire employees if they do not accomplish what needs to be done. The authority given t...

Abortions Shold be Limited :: abortion argumentative persuasive argument

Abortions Shold be Limited      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe the both pro-life and pro-choice viewpoints have valid arguments.   I believe that women should be able to have abortions, but abortions should be limited.   I think abortions should not be permitted after ten to twelve weeks of pregnancy, because at that time the fetus represents a potential life.   I believe women should be dissuaded from abortion, and more public measures should be taken to prevent unwanted pregnancies.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe my viewpoint is the best viewpoint is the best viewpoint because it combines both pro-life and pro-choice viewpoints unlike your viewpoint of pro-life.   You believe that women should not be able to have abortions because a life is at state.   You believe that a life is at state but you do not think about the consequences of having a child that is not wanted.   You say that women should not have the right to have an abortion and that you do not believe in abortion but by saying that you are taking away a woman's freedom of choice.   A woman should have the right to choose if she wants to have an abortion.   Your viewpoint does not acknowledge a woman's right to freedom of choice.   I agree with your opinion, that the fetus is a human and that it has a right to life and that is why I believe in early abortions.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I feel that your viewpoint would cause many problems.   One problem is that your viewpoint allows no abortions, that allows no consideration for the mother of the family that would be effected by that child.   Also, pro-lifers do not agree with sex-education in schools this would lead to more teen pregnancies which would lead to children giving birth to children.   A huge problem that would occur if there was no abortion would be illegal abortions.   Illegal abortions would cause women to become law breakers, and may even cause many women to die.   My viewpoint does not lead to all of those problem. Since we believe that there should be a way to deal with unwanted pregnancies, which is abortion it would not lead to women breaking the law to have illegal abortions.   Since my viewpoint believes in early abortion which will help mothers who cannot afford to

Researching And Managing A Variety Of Resources Essay

Introduction Throughout this task I will be researching and managing a variety of resources. The three main types are human, physical and financial resources. In this section of my coursework I will explain where I will find these resources and how they will be managed to create a profitable and successful business. Human resources include my staff and their needs. Physical resources include location, fixtures and fittings, raw materials and equipment. Financial resources include profit, sources of money and liquidity. Human Resources Businesses employ people, these are known as human resources. In a small business, the owner may be the only human resource. In larger businesses where many people work, everyone has a specific job relating to their qualifications such as manual workers or administration staff. If a business wants to succeed it is vital for them to have an organised human resource manager. Human resource is vital in forecasting how many employees they need and what qualifications they should have. A big business which is growing will need to find out how many new employees they need and how they will recruit them over the following year. The human resources are a part of the human resources management and is mostly the responsibility for the personnel or human resources department. Legislation has laid down laws to protect people in the workplace. These include: * Health and safety * Employment protection for example, dismissal, leave of absence and redundancy. * Training * Wage Protection * Recruitment These laws that have been put in place are to ensure that a business makes the right decisions and protects its employees correctly. If employees are happy within the workplace they are more likely to achieve goals. Health and Safety For 100 years now health and safety laws have been around which are updated every now and then as work conditions change. The Health and Safety Act 1974 is aimed to raise the standard for all the employees and to protect those whose safety could be at risk outside the business. Businesses need to make sure they have a safe and healthy environment. This can include: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Providing and maintain safety equipment and clothing. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Maintaining workplace temperatures. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Ensuring adequate work space. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Ensuring adequate washing and toilet facilities. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Guaranteeing hygienic and safe conditions à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Providing breaks in the work time table. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Providing protection for the use of hazardous substances. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Providing protection from violence, threats or bullying. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Providing a relatively stress free environment. Employers of a business are required to write a written statement of the policy on health and safety in the workplace. Management is responsible for carrying out the policy. This policy puts a duty on the employees so they take care of their safety and others whilst at work as they are legally obliged to comply with the rules drawn. If the employees of the business do not follow these rules they can be fined or even worst, taken to court. Not only do employees have to follow these rules but they are required to have training to ensure the health and safety of employees at work. At any time The Health and Safety Inspectors (HSE) have the right to carry out investigations in the workplace to make sure the health and safety is correct and up to their standard. The HSE have power to issue codes and protect people in various situations. For example: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ The control of pollution at the workplace. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Control of substances that are hazardous to health à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ The protection of individuals against radiation. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Time off for safety representations and training. For my business I will have to make sure I follow the Health and Safety Act 1974. I will not be employing anyone so I will not have to worry about training them but I will have to make sure that my partner and I have the training required. The premises will have to be kept clean to make sure it meets the requirements also to make sure it is kept at the right temperature. UK Regulation When new work situations arose, regulations were introduced to deal with them. The most important regulation is the Working Time Directive 1998. It was introduced as there was concern with long working hours and employee rights. Such as: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 20 minutes break after 6 hours work. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 4 weeks annual paid leave a year. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 11 consecutive hours rest in any 14 hour working period. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ A maximum working week 48 hours a week. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ An average 6 hours work in any 24 hours for nightshift workers. These regulations were amended in 2003 so that it could exclude people that worked in road, sea or rail transport. Also an employee is allowed to work longer than 48 hours a week if they agree with their employer. Because I will own the business with my partner I will not need to abide by these regulations as I am not employing anyone else. But in case my business expanded and I did need to recruit I would have to take these regulations into perspective to make sure I do not break the law. Training A new way to settle employees into their new job is to use induction training. They will not only be learning how to do their job but they will learn how the business works. For example: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Personnel policies. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Employee benefits and services. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ The organisation and management activity. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ History development. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Terms of employment. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ General information that has to be done. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Physical facilities. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ The role of a supervisor. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Safety measures and department rules. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Detailed description of the employee’s job. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ The values that a business feels are important such as good attendance. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Follow up after several weeks. The aims of training What training tries to achieve is training employees to learn new skills or improve old ones. It has been proven that a well trained workforce has benefits for a business: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Well trained workers are more than likely to be more protective. This helps a business fulfil its overall objectives like increasing profits. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ It will help create a more flexible workforce. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ It helps the introduction of new technology. This means that new machinery or productions processes could be introduced. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ It could lead to increased job satisfaction. If the workers are well motivated employees will be more productive. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Accidents should be reduced if employees are trained in health and safety. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ The image of the business may be improved. Customers will trust the employees more if they are confident and have knowledge on products or processes. Good applicants will be attracted to the job if there is a training programme. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ There could be more of a chance of employees being promoted. The business should qualify people in important posts. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Training may give the business an advantage over rivals as it is important in competitive markets. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Training is important if a business wants to be able to operate in international markets. The need for training Many businesses say that if it was up to them then they wouldn’t pay for training as it is too expensive and it won’t give them many benefits. If this was the case then there would be a market failure. When this happens the government tries to fix the problem either by: If this is the case there is a labour market failure. When market failure happens the government usually attempts to solve the problem by either: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Providing incentives for individuals or to encourage businesses to encourage employees to train. Or à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Providing government training courses. The government sets training, education or learning targets in the UK. There is a major problem in the UK with supply of labour skills shortages among workers. This is when there are a great number of vacancies because people do not have the skills, abilities, qualifications or experience needed to do the jobs which the employers are requiring. Methods of training There is a variety of different methods used when it comes to training an employee. Some types are on the job, others are away from the workplace. Sometimes it is a combination of both. On-the-job training is the traditional way of doing it as an experienced worker can show the new employee what to do so they do it the right way and also this way they will not need to hire a specialist from outside the business to train the new employee, this will save the business money. -Coaching: A coach will guide the trainee through a process or use of equipment in the same way a footballer is trained. -Mentoring: In this case the trainee is paired with the most experienced worker. The trainee will carry out the job but will discuss problems with tutor to help solve them. -Job rotation: This is when an employee works in different departments for short periods in order to pick up skills from each. This is so whenever the employee is promoted and reaches the top of the business they have a range of experiences. -In-house courses: A business may put on courses for their employees. Personnel departments may run courses for marketing and finance managers within the business. This could be to help them improve staff motivation. Some businesses even have their own training facility. -Self-awareness training: This is when the trainee completes self-assessment questionnaires, the questions may be about personal values and individual styles of learning, personality and how the individual interacts with others. The trainee will then receive feedback from the person who is carrying out the questionnaire. -Traditional and modern apprenticeships: Businesses in the past have took on trainee workers. They would have done an apprenticeship over a period of time. When they qualified they would have become employees of the business. Some of these schemes do not operate today. -Graduate Training: Business may run graduate training. These are for graduates with a degree and qualifications and are mostly used to train employees to become senior or management positions. -Vocational courses: There are a number of organizations that provide vocational training. This is when trainees work towards a vocational qualification. This is also known as hands on job. -E-learning: This is when trainees make use of multimedia to learn. It takes a number of forms. A business may use software to teach all its employees how to use Microsoft word for an example. Trainees can also learn by using materials. If ever my partner and I have to recruit we will use on-the-job training as it is cheap and easy. They will be provided with the knowledge to operate all the machines efficiently. I will ensure that all my employees know how to: * Operate all machines. * Take temperature readings and record on a time sheet. * Clear simple faults. * Ensure that all machines are configured appropriately. * Cash up correctly * Ensure the machine are clean and hygienic * Make the milkshakes efficiently * Monitor waste, litter and use by dates. Payment Methods All employees must be rewarded for what they do as no employee is going to work for free. There is many ways in which this can be done. -Time rates: These are used when workers are rewarded because of the amount of time they spend at work. Employees can be paid wages weekly or monthly. Employees who work longer than normal should be paid overtime or even a higher pay rate. In the UK, holidays with pay are included for most British industries. -Piece rate: This is the easiest method to use. This is when employees are paid an agreed rate for every product that they produce. This is why it is also known as Payment by Result system. This is mostly used in the textile industry. The more the workers produce the more they earn. But this system can cause problems. If machinery fails or if the quality is poor employees have no basic pay to fall back on. Because of this most organizations are made up of two elements. They have a basic pay on the amount of time worked and when a target has been reached. -Commission: This makes up the total earnings of the employees. Commission is like piece rate, it is a reward for the value of work. Employees are paid a percentage of the value of each service or good that is sold. It indicates the level of business that is won rather than just the output achieved. -Fees: These are the payments for people one-off tasks. Tasks tend to be geared towards the needs of the customer instead of the standard of service or product. The amount paid will depend on the time taken to finish the task. -Fringe benefits: These are payments instead of wages or salaries. They include things like profit related bonus schemes. Fringe benefits have become more important. Some employers think providing benefits is cheaper than pay as they do not have to pay National Insurance contributions. Ongoing Management I will undertake ongoing management so that I am sure every task is undertaken efficiently. My partner and I consist of all marketing and financial skills. These skills are vital for increasing the knowledge and are the key to opening new doors to the future of my business. I also need these skills so that I can get a good understanding of the running and expanding of our business, my skills will also help me to make better decisions for my business for instance, making better use of financing and reinvesting in my business. Although once the business has expanded the business will need a book keeper as they provide financial support to small to medium sized businesses. The book keeper will keep track of all the revenue and all the costs of the business, the book keeper will also have to keep records of the entire payroll and do the accounting for all stock. The book keeper will at least have to attain NVQ Levels 2, 3 and 4 and produce performance criteria to show previous experience as a high quality book keeper will only be employed as we do not want an inexperienced book keeper as they may not keep track efficiently of all the costs. Recruitment of Employees The four most popular ways of recruiting externally are: Job centres – These are paid for by the government and are responsible for helping the unemployed find jobs or get training. They also provide a service for businesses needing to advertise a vacancy and are generally free to use. Job advertisements – Advertisements are the most common form of external recruitment. They can be found in many places (local and national newspapers, notice boards, recruitment fairs) and should include some important information relating to the job (job title, pay package, location, job description, how to apply-either by CV or application form). Where a business chooses to advertise will depend on the cost of advertising and the coverage needed (i.e. how far away people will consider applying for the job Recruitment agency – Provides employers with details of suitable candidates for a vacancy and can sometimes be referred to as ‘head-hunters’. They work for a fee and often specialize in particular employment areas e.g. nursing, financial services, teacher recruitment Personal recommendation – Often referred to as ‘word of mouth’ and can be a recommendation from a colleague at work. A full assessment of the candidate is still needed however but potentially it saves on advertising cost. Any recruitment will be undertaken by the business owners as they will be responsible for any employees within the business. As both the owners have a professional manner and excellent communication skills with the ability to spot appropriate employees that are confident with a positive attitude. Business owners will also be responsible of all the legal aspects and will have to know all the age categories for employment and pay at least the minimum wage to any employees. Every employee will have to be issued with the terms and conditions of the business that will have to be signed and returned to the business owners, which will then confirm the employee agrees with the conditions of employment. In order for quality control and quality assurance to be maintained I will ensure to provide a good standard of equipment such as blending machines, and employees are of a high standard. If we did ever need to recruit we would use job advertisements as it is cheap and effective as many people look in the newspaper and in shop windows for jobs. Minimum wage The National Minimum Wage (NMW) is a minimum amount per hour that most workers in the UK are entitled to be paid. The national minimum wage has risen around two percent in each age category. The government has extended the adult minimum wage rate to 21 year olds from October 2010. Previously the qualifying age for the National minimum wage was 22. The National Minimum Wage threshold applies to the following: * à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5.93 an hour for workers aged 21 and over * à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.92 an hour for workers aged 18 to 20 * à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3.64 an hour for workers aged 16 to 17 Once my business has expanded and I feel that I can start employing new staff, it is vitally important that I acknowledge and apply the national minimum wage rates to all my employees so that I am not breaking the law. To ensure staff are kept happy we will always pay them an amount over the national minimum wage to each age category, this is because I want to gain respect and trust from my staff. I will make sure my staff receive a Christmas bonus and in times where my business is making a lot of profit I may offer them bonuses. National Insurance Business owners will also be responsible for ensuring that all of the employees hold a national insurance number otherwise we could be breaking the law. If I did end up employing staff they would have to pay into the National Insurance contribution to HMRC. NICs are calculated and deducted within an employer’s payroll system. Due to my business being small this would have to be paid on a regular basis. Physical Resources Physical resources are the resources that are available to a business. This could be the things that are needed to run the business each day for example machinery. Physical resources include machinery, equipment, premises and materials. If a business does not have premises they may not be able to establish and customers will not know about them, this is why it is important for a business to have premises. Premises are important as businesses need to sell products or run a service. If this isn’t the case then people may decide to run their business from home as it is cheaper and you don’t need to buy or rent new premises. There are drawbacks to this though as the customer may find it hard to find the house as it may be in an area that is not so familiar to them or it may cause problems within the family. I chose to locate my premises in Almancil. The rent per month is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½600 and the premises are in good condition. There is a customer car park, a kitchen, a bar area and toilets for both customers and staff. The reason for choosing these premises was because it is relatively cheap and in the middle of the town which is very busy. Customers will not have to park their cars on the road as there is a car park and also I could advertise my business in the town. I live close to the premises so I will have easy access to it and it is nearby the motorway. I will have to abide by some rules to keep the business safe and secure: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ To be on the safe side I am going to have CCTV to do this I need to tell the information commissioner. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ As my business grows I may need to hire more people. I will have cleaning materials that are highly flammable so because of these I will need a fire certificate. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Because my business is a milkshake bar and I am putting food into the milkshakes I will need a food premises registration. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ I will also need a performing right society. This is a license that allows me to play music in the background I can’t play music in the background because it is copy right I can’t play someone else’s music without a license. If I don’t get a license I can always just play the radio. I also have to abide by the rules of the food industry this is also required by law: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ The General Food Regulation. This is the legalisation in the UK in line of requirements of the EC regulation and to keep human health. It also helps attract customers. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Food safety. I am required to keep certain foods at a certain temperature. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Food colouring regulation. It helps control and limits the/use of colouring in the food I sell. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Genetically modified novel foods. A novel food is defined as a food or food ingredient that does not have a significant history of consumption within the EU before 15 May 1997. Machinery With my loan I will purchase three blending machines at the start up of my business. The machines are a vital necessity to my business and it is my job to make sure that they are of a high quality and in full working order. My blending machines will need to be eye catching and appealing to the customers as they will be surrounded by chocolate bars, otherwise I may not make as many sales as expected and this could lead to debt because if I am not making enough money I will not be able to pay back the bank loan which will then lead to a bad credit history. I will have a fridge and freezer to keep the milk and ice cream cold. Stock It is not good to have too much stock as it can go off but in my case the chocolate bars normally last for a while so that shouldn’t be a problem but milk and ice cream can go off easily so I need to make sure it is kept in the fridge or freezer and does not go out of date. On the other hand I don’t want to have too little stock as a customer might ask for something and we may not have it and this can mean a loss in profit as the customer may go somewhere else. Throughout my research into stock I found it extremely hard to find a supplier that provides milkshake ingredients. When I found a suitable supplier I found that it was a little high in price. So I decided that I would continually research the milkshake market place to source new stock to find the most extensive range of high quality products and provide a comprehensive choice of chocolate. I am aware that a healthy balanced diet is important to help maintain a healthy body weight and reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. A healthy diet should include bread, potatoes, cereals, fruits and vegetables, together with moderate amounts of milk, dairy products, meat, fish and small amounts of foods containing fat and sugar. Food from the largest groups should be eaten most often and foods from the smallest group should be eaten least often. My milkshakes will mostly contain milk which is a vital ingredient that the body needs; Vitamin A. I will visit lots of different wholesalers such as Costco, Makro, Break brothers etc., to find the highest quality ingredients and also to get the best value for money. However quality is the key. Finding the best products is as important to me as it is to the customers, which is why I will always look for food whose origin is recognized worldwide for its excellence. Financial resources A business requires finance to survive. All new businesses start up differently, some find that they need help from outside such as bank loans, others start up without borrowing a penny. If a business does decide they want to borrow money they should know how much they need, what it will be used for and how they will repay it. Cash flow forecast is what the business predicts to spend and it’s not likely that it will be an exact reflection of the way the businesses financial year works out to be. It will however serve as a plan to work for the future. Breaking down the first year into a monthly financial period will help the business work out their income and outgoings will compare in each period. This lets the business know when their borrowing requirement will be at its best. The business needs to be confident that it will generate enough money to repay the lender. The forecast will also help with this. It is a tough economic climate at the minute with the credit crunch. So lenders are more reluctant to lend new businesses money. In order to get them to give businesses money they need to be sure that they will get their money back. So if a business is not clear about how much they want to borrow, how you it’s going to be paid back and if there is no security on the offer they will not hand out any money. This is why it is vital that the business has an idea of they need. A good way to do this is to have a business plan. When we first start up our business we need to know how much start up capital is needed. Start up capital is the money that my partner and I invest into the business to start it off. A loan can be taken up to pay off the start off capital or me and my partner can pay, or if the owner can only afford a certain amount then the bank will contribute and pay the rest of the money needed. The legal form of the business will determine how much capital can be invested. A public limited company can raise capital from a stock market issue of share, when it ‘floats’ as a new company, the public can buy shares. A limited company can also raise capital through a specialist ‘Venture Company’ which can purchase shares, but conditions are attached. /limited companies can also raise capital from Business Angels. This is a picturesque term used for wealthy individual who invest in the start-up and growth of businesses in return for a share and sometimes an active part in the company. Business Angels will often have already made a fortune through other business ventures and will possible run a business of their own. A loan may also be taken out for the start up costs of the business and the bank will match whatever the sole trader has put into the business. When decided which source of finance I am going to use for my business I will need to take into consideration that there are many different things I can choose from. So to choose the right Loan for my business I need to do a lot of research into what each source does. Term loans are the most common general purpose loan. They are used for working capital, expansion, refinancing, and acquisitions. You can repay them monthly over a term based on the expected lifespan of the assets you’re purchasing. This straightforward loan is most common for larger amounts. Short term loans are almost always set up for terms of one year or less, and are repaid in a lump sum at the end of the term, instead of monthly. They’re usually for smaller amounts – less than à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100,000 – and are best for seasonal inventory build up or small investments with quick returns. Equipment financing is generally easier to obtain than general lines of credit, simply because the equipment you buy serves as direct collateral for the loan. It is also less risky, in that if you are unable to make your payments, you don’t have a lien against your entire business or your personal real estate: all you lose is the equipment you bought. Depending on the size of your business, equipment financing can cover huge expenses into the millions of dollars. Bank Business Loan A Business loan is a fixed medium-term loan, typically for between 3 & 10 years, it only covers the purchase of the capital items such as machinery and initial start up stock, as well as any vehicles needed to run and provide the business. Interest is charged on any bank loan and the rate depends on UK base rate. Private Loans A member of family may provide a loan towards the capital, however this only normally occurs when a small business is owned by a sole trader, except if a sole trader has an extremely wealthy member of their family. I may need some assistance when investing my half of the capital and may borrow from a relative; this then means I will not be paying any interest and I will be able to pay back any money I can afford to when I like. Long terms of finance Share capital: This is the most important source of finance. Share sales can raise large amounts of money known as issue shared capital. The maximum amount of money stakeholders want to raise is known as authorized share capital. This is because it is not repaid by the business. When the share has been sold the buyer is entitled to dividend. Sometimes a business may need to retain profit to help with future activities. Share holders can make a capital gain by selling their share for a higher price. Shares are usually sold back to the business. Public limited shares are sold in a market called the stock exchange. Loan capital: This can come from a number of resources: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Debentures- This is a creditor of the company meaning that holders are entitled to an agreed rate but have no rights to vote. The amount that was borrowed must be repaid on a certain date. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Mortgage- Limited companies can raise money from share and debentures. Small enterprises need long term funding, in order to buy premises. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Industrial loan specialist- Many organizations provide funds for business and commercial purposes. These specialists cater for businesses with difficulties in raising funds from conventional sources. Over the years there has been a growth on venture capitalists. The give funds to small and medium sized businesses that have potential but are too risky for investors. Government assistance Another form of financing for business start-ups is promoted by the UK Government, through the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) which provides assistance to new and expanding businesses in the form of grants and loans. This assistance is known as SFI (Selective Finance for Investments in England) it is designed for business operating or planning to operate in the designated assisted areas. However there is another newer scheme called the Enterprise Capital Funds which provides share capital finance for small growth orientated businesses. Short terms of finance Bank Loan Loans require an agreement between the borrower and the bank. The borrowed amount must be repaid over a certain period of time. Usually bank loans are short or medium term. Banks aren’t keen on long term lending because of their need for security. Banks will sometimes change overdrafts into loans so that businesses are forced to repay at regular intervals. Hire Purchase This is mostly used by small businesses to purchase machinery and plants. A higher purchase agreement needs a down payment by the borrower. They agree to repay the remainder in instalment over a certain payment. If the buyer falls behind on payments the finance house can repossess the item. Finance houses are less selective than banks. Trade Credit Businesses often buy raw materials and pay for them later. They usually pay within in 30-90 days. Paying using trade credit appears to be an interest free way of raising finance. It is profitable during periods of inflation. Many companies encourage early payment by offering discounts. Leasing- This is a contract for a business that requires the use of resources such as property machinery or equipment but in return they must get regular payments. The ownership never passes to the business in this type of finance. With a finance lease the agreement is usually for three years or more and at the end the business is given the choice of buying the resource. An operating lease is a short agreement and the payments are treated as revenue expenditure. Capital is the money invested in a business made by the owners. The legal form of my business will determine how much capital can be invested. Since my business is a partnership we will have to make up our capital with a personal contribution as well as a loan from the bank. It is vital for me to show the bank that I am also making a contribution to the start up of my business otherwise the bank will not provide me with the loan that I need. I will be taking out a bank loan of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12,000 to cover some the start up costs of my business. This is due to the fact that I need machines: to make my product, initial stock: to start up with, EPOS and money to advertise. What is a Bank Business Loan? A Business loan is a fixed medium-term loan, typically for between 3 & 10 years, it only covers the purchase of the capital items such as machinery and initial start-up stock, as well as any vehicles needed to run and provide the business. Interest is charged on any bank loan and the rate depends on UK base rate. For my business I will be taking out a Bank Business Loan of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12,000. The loan has 4 year term paying à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½250 a month. I decided on a four year loan as I did not want my business to go into a negative cash flow. As I would then not have enough money to restock and could lead to my business failing also making a less amount of repayments each month allows me to keep on track of my finances. I believe that taking out a business bank loan is the best option for me because I can pay the money back monthly instalments and to keep track of my financial resources I have created a cash flow forecast along with a table to show the money coming in and going out each month. To ensure that I am managing my resources properly at the end of each month I would analysis the table and make a summary of the situation I am in at that time (whether or not I am ‘financially healthy’). I will also be able to determine what I can do with the business in order to improve and progress it. I can do this using my cash flow forecast which has an estimated recording of my income and expenditure and can be changed at any time for instance if I realised my stock was costing me less than I thought I am able to justify it with the correct amount. It is vital for me to monitor my finance due it enabling me to make more sensible choices when investing my money back into the business.