Industrial attachment report Essay

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Students Industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) was established by ITF (Industrial Training Fund) in 1973 to solve the problem of lack of adequate practical skills required for employment in industries by Nigerian graduates of tertiary institutions. SIWES is an exercise created for students of higher education to enable them practice those things they have learnt theoretically in class. It also helps to expose students to the use of certain industrial equipment. The exercise reveals students skills as well as inspiring students’ ambition to become useful citizens in the future. It also helps them to interact with the highly respected and educated personalities. These students are willing and eager to prepare themselves to attain certain higher positions after graduation. This is a report of the SIWES experience I had at the national root crops research institute, Umudike, abia state. CHAPTER 2 COMPANY DESCRIPTION The National root crops research institute (NRCRI), Umudike is one of the 17 Agricultural research institutes in Nigeria. The institute started as a provincial experimental farm under the national department of agriculture with headquarters at Moor plantation. It assumed a federal status to become Federal Agricultural Research and Training Station (FARTS) in April 1, 1972. By April 1, 1976 it became known as national root crops research institute by the Agricultural research institutes decree of 1973. In line with its national and zonal mandate, the institute has the responsibility of conducting research into: Genetic improvement of root & tuber crops of economic importance in Nigeria Agronomy of root and tuber crop production including farming systems development for the southeast agro ecology Design and fabrication of simple agricultural farm tools and equipment Storage, processing, utilization of root & tuber crop production. NRCRI has taken giant strides with commendable results. These have earned the institute one of the best research institutes in Nigeria having contributed immensely to the economic development. The research findings of the institute have made Nigeria to become the world’s leading producer of cassava and yam with annual production of 33.1 and 19 million metric tons. The track record has also placed the institute in the top position for two years consecutively in the annual world food day. ACHIEVEMENTS: Effective control of major pests and diseases in cassava, yam, irish potato & sweet potato Development of sweet potato starch & media for biological uses Development of true potato seed for irish potato production Development of cassava, yam, sweet potato & cocoyam flour for baking, odorless fufu, cocoyam chips as snacks. Development of low cyanide cassava varieties for the savanna agro ecological zones CHAPTER 3 JOBS DONE/EXPERIENCE GAINED INTRODUCTION TO THE WORKSHOP: On arrival to the workshop, the first thing I was introduced to was the safety rules of the workshop which included the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times. After this, I was given a full orientation to the workshop staff and tools. MODIFICATION OF A GINGER CUTTING & WASHING MACHINE: When I arrived at the workshop, the ongoing project was the modification of a ginger cutting machine and a ginger washing machine. A ginger washing machine is a machine used for washing freshly harvested ginger from dirt while a ginger cutting machine is a device used for cutting freshly harvested matured ginger into two equal parts. For this the following jobs were needed. USE OF HAND CUTTING/HAND GRINDING: The hand grinding machine which is also called an angle grinder is one of the very useful tools in the workshop. It is used for cutting, grinding and polishing. They can be powered by an electric motor, petrol engine or compressed air. In the workshop, the angle grinder was powered by an electric motor. The motor drives the geared head at a right angle on which is mounted an abrasive disk (used for grinding) or a thinner cut-off disc (used for cutting). It was used for cutting into metal sheets to a specified measurement, removing excess material and smoothing rough edges off the material. PRECAUTIONS: -In the workshop, we were required to replace worn discs because the continuous use of already worn discs could cause parts or the whole disc to fly out thereby causing serious damage to body or machine. -The cutting disc should never be used in place of the grinding disc and vice versa -Never stay in an enclosed place and always use the right posture when cutting/grinding. A HAND CUTTING/GRINDING MACHINE USE OF THE HAND DRILLING MACHINE: A drill is a tool fitted with a cutting tool attachment or driving tool attachment usually a drill bit or driver bit which is used for drilling holes in various materials. The drill bit is gripped by a chuck at one end and rotated while pressed against the material. A centre punch is usually used to indicate the spot where the drill is about to perforate so as to prevent the drill bit from slipping of the mark. PRECAUTIONS -Apply just the right amount of pressure to the drill during use as too much can end up breaking the drill bit and too little would not do anything. USE OF JOINING PROCESSES: During the work on the ginger cutting and ginger washing machine, metals also needed to be joined together. We used processes such as welding, riveting and also bolts & nuts. PRECAUTIONS -When welding, make sure the eyes are protected by a facemask -When riveting ensure staying on a flat surface. MEASUREMENT & MARKING: Before any work is carried out, it has to be put into measurements so as to avoid waste. Some of the instruments used were the vernier calipers, steel rule, measuring tape. THE USE OF THE RADIAL DRILLING MACHINE: A radial drilling machine is a large gear headed drill press in which the head moves along the arm that radiates from the column of the machine. The arm of the machine can swing in relation to the base of the machine. This swing operation helps the drill head to move out of the way so a large crane can place the heavy work piece on the base of the radial drilling machine. This also helps in drilling holes at different locations of the workpiece without actually moving the workpiece. Common features of the radial drilling machine are the power feed of the spindle and the coolant system. We also discussed problems when looking for solutions and also acquainted ourselves with the relationship between pulleys and the speed of a crankshaft. At the end of all these, the ginger cutting machine and ginger washing machine were tested and modified where necessary with good results. CHAPTER 4 RELATION OF EXPERIENCE TO FIELD OF STUDY The relevance of my experience to my field of study is the fact that most of the problems and tools encountered in the workshop were those which have been solved theoretically in class and hence a better understanding of the course was achieved. The relevance of this industrial training to Mechanical Engineering is the fact that it helps students to be more compatible with what they have been taught. Mechanical Engineering is more understood when combined with practice. The Industrial training helps to achieve this part. It makes the students not only knowledgeable but also quick with their hands and minds. This, at the end of all these, will result in better trained members of the mechanical engineering society. Mechanical Engineering, in fact, is a practical course. Considering the situation of our country with respect to education, I would say that without SIWES, graduates of mechanical engineering would really be lacking when it comes to practicing the course in the real world. CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION All in all, the experience was a very wonderful one. I developed a good working relationship with the staff and my supervisor as I had learned from my 200 level industrial training and I also had a wonderful time putting what is learned in the classrooms into practice. Safety is a very important issue in any environment but it can never be over emphasized in a workshop.

Gift Shop Red Flags Essay

The interest expense on the income statement for the year is $1,560. This one is kind of tricky – you have to pay interest on loans there is really no way around it. You could either pay off the loan with the money that is in savings – this would save you a ton on interest – or you could try to find another bank with a lower interest rate for this. Because this is a non-profit organization paying interest on a loan is really unrealistic – If I were in control of the budget this would be paid off with the money that is in the checking account. Red Flag 4 The balance sheet shows that the checking account has over $20,000 in it, and the account does not pay interest. The gift shop does not have an interest bearing account. This is a problem because the gift shop is a non for profit organization so it really needs to be a little smarter with its finances – this checking account should really be an interest baring account. This needs to be switched over – it might not make a fortune but it would definitely be better served if we were gaining interest on this money that is just sitting here. Red Flag 5 You notice that in the floral cooler there are many flower arrangements which are looking as if they are dying. Not only is this not appealing to the customers that do come into the gift shop but this also means that whomever is doing the ordering for the gift shop is ordering more than they are selling – someone needs to go throw and make sure that there is not a lot of back stock for the gift shop – ordering more than the gift shop is selling is an internal control that can be fixed. Red Flag 6 There are five employees who are paid; one fulltime and the rest are part-time. The fulltime employee purchases the stock, which is to be resold. She places purchase orders, receives the goods, and pays vendors. Her sister is also a part-time employee. I really do not see the need to have that many employees running a gift shop that is not making any profit. If cutting back some hours would help until we can get the gift shop back to a profit or even just where we are coming out even then I think that should be done. We also need to make sure that there is just one person handling the books if we have to many employee’s doing the ordering and such than mistakes may happen. Our fulltime employee needs to take on more responsibility in the gift shop so the part time employee’s can be cut back. Since there is going to be a cut in what is being ordered for the shop this should increase her time to be helpful to customers and clean the gift shop.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 21 VERDICT

WE WERE IN A BRIGHTLY LIT, UNREMARKABLE HALLWAY. The walls were off-white, the floor carpeted in industrial gray. Common rectangular fluorescent lights were spaced evenly along the ceiling. It was warmer here, for which I was grateful. This hall seemed very benign after the gloom of the ghoulish stone sewers. Edward didn't seem to agree with my assessment. He glowered darkly down the long hallway, toward the slight, black shrouded figure at the end, standing by an elevator. He pulled me along, and Alice walked on my other side. The heavy door creaked shut behind us, and then there was the thud of a bolt sliding home. Jane waited by the elevator, one hand holding the doors open for us. Her expression was apathetic. Once inside the elevator, the three vampires that belonged to the Volturi relaxed further. They threw back their cloaks, letting the hoods fall back on their shoulders. Felix and Demetri were both of a slightly olive complexionit looked odd combined with their chalky pallor. Felix's black hair was cropped short, but Demetri's waved to his shoulders. Their irises were deep crimson around the edges, darkening until they were black around the pupil. Under the shrouds, their clothes were modern, pale, and nondescript. I cowered in the corner, cringing against Edward. His hand still rubbed against my arm. He never took his eyes off Jane. The elevator ride was short; we stepped out into what looked like a posh office reception area. The walls were paneled in wood, the floors carpeted in thick, deep green. There were no windows, but large, brightly lit paintings of the Tuscan countryside hung everywhere as replacements. Pale leather couches were arranged in cozy groupings, and the glossy tables held crystal vases full of vibrantly colored bouquets. The flowers' smell reminded me of a funeral home. In the middle of the room was a high, polished mahogany counter. I gawked in astonishment at the woman behind it. She was tall, with dark skin and green eyes. She would have been very pretty in any other companybut not here. Because she was every bit as human as I was. I couldn't comprehend what this human woman was doing here, totally at ease, surrounded by vampnes. She smiled politely in welcome. â€Å"Good afternoon, Jane,† she said. There was no surprise in her face as she glanced at Jane's company. Not Edward, his bare chest glinting dimly in the white lights, or even me, disheveled and comparatively hideous. Jane nodded. â€Å"Gianna.† She continued toward a set of double doors in the back of the room, and we followed. As Felix passed the desk, he winked at Gianna, and she giggled. On the other side of the wooden doors was a different kind of reception. The pale boy in the pearl gray suit could have been Jane's twin. His hair was darker, and his lips were not as full, but he was just as lovely. He came forward to meet us. He smiled, reaching for her. â€Å"Jane.† â€Å"Alec,† she responded, embracing the boy. They kissed each other's cheeks on both sides. Then he looked at us. â€Å"They send you out for one and you come back with two and a half,† he noted, looking at me. â€Å"Nice work.† She laughedthe sound sparkled with delight like a baby's cooing. â€Å"Welcome back, Edward,† Alec greeted him. â€Å"You seem in a better mood.† â€Å"Marginally,† Edward agreed in a flat voice. I glanced at Edward's hard face, and wondered how his mood could have been darker before. Alec chuckled, and examined me as I clung to Edward's side. â€Å"And this is the cause of all the trouble?† he asked, skeptical. Edward only smiled, his expression contemptuous. Then he froze. â€Å"Dibs,† Felix called casually from behind. Edward turned, a low snarl building deep in his chest. Felix smiledhis hand was raised, palm up; he curled his fingers twice, inviting Edward forward. Alice touched Edward's arm. â€Å"Patience,† she cautioned him. They exchanged a long glance, and I wished I could hear what she was telling him. I figured that it was something to do with not attacking Felix, because Edward took a deep breath and turned back to Alec. â€Å"Aro will be so pleased to see you again,† Alec said, as if nothing had passed. â€Å"Let's not keep him waiting,† Jane suggested. Edward nodded once. Alec and Jane, holding hands, led the way down yet another wide, ornate hallwould there ever be an end? They ignored the doors at the end of the halldoors entirely sheathed in goldstopping halfway down the hall and sliding aside a piece of the paneling to expose a plain wooden door. It wasn't locked. Alec held it open for Jane. I wanted to groan when Edward pulled me through to the other side of the door. It was the same ancient stone as the square, the alley, and the sewers. And it was dark and cold again. The stone antechamber was not large. It opened quickly into a brighter, cavernous room, perfectly round like a huge castle turret which was probably exactly what it was. Two stories up, long window slits threw thin rectangles of bright sunlight onto the stone floor below. There were no artificial lights. The only furniture in the room were several massive wooden chairs, like thrones, that were spaced unevenly, flush with the curving stone walls. In the very center of the circle, in a slight depression, was another drain. I wondered if they used it as an exit, like the hole in the street. The room was not empty. A handful of people were convened in seemingly relaxed conversation. The murmur of low, smooth voices was a gentle hum in the air. As I watched, a pair of pale women in summer dresses paused in a patch of light, and, like prisms, their skin threw the light in rainbow sparkles against the sienna walls. The exquisite faces all turned toward our party as we entered the room. Most of the immortals were dressed in inconspicuous pants and shirtsthings that wouldn't stick out at all on the streets below. But the man who spoke first wore one of the long robes. It was pitch-black, and brushed against the floor. For a moment, I thought his long, jet-black hair was the hood of his cloak. â€Å"Jane, dear one, you've returned!† he cried in evident delight. His voice was just a soft sighing. He drifted forward, and the movement flowed with such surreal grace that I gawked, my mouth hangmg open. Even Alice, whose every motion looked like dancing, could not compare. I was only more astonished as he floated closer and I could see his face. It was not like the unnaturally attractive faces that surrounded him (for he did not approach us alone; the entire group converged around him, some following, and some walking ahead of him with the alert manner of bodyguards). I couldn't decide if his face was beautiful or not. I suppose the features were perfect. But he was as different from the vampires beside him as they were from me. His skin was translucently white, like onionskin, and it looked just as delicateit stood in shocking contrast to the long black hair that framed his face. I felt a strange, horrifying urge to touch his cheek, to see if it was softer than Edward's or Alice's, or if it was powdery, like chalk. His eyes were red, the same as the others around him, but the color was clouded, milky; I wondered if his vision was affected by the haze. He glided to Jane, took her face in his papery hands, kissed her lightly on her full lips, and then floated back a step. â€Å"Yes, Master.† Jane smiled; the expression made her look like an angelic child. â€Å"I brought him back alive, just as you wished.† â€Å"Ah, Jane.† He smiled, too. â€Å"You are such a comfort to me.† He turned his misty eyes toward us, and the smile brightenedbecame ecstatic. â€Å"And Alice and Bella, too!† he rejoiced, clapping his thin hands together. â€Å"This is a happy surprise! Wonderful!† I stared in shock as he called our names informally, as if we were old friends dropping in for an unexpected visit. He turned to our hulking escort. â€Å"Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this.† â€Å"Yes, Master.† Felix nodded and disappeared back the way we had come. â€Å"You see, Edward?† The strange vampire turned and smiled at Edward like a fond but scolding grandfather. â€Å"What did I tell you? Aren't you glad that I didn't give you what you wanted yesterday?† â€Å"Yes, Aro, I am,† he agreed, tightening his arm around my waist. â€Å"I love a happy ending.† Aro sighed. â€Å"They are so rare. But I want the whole story. How did this happen? Alice?† He turned to gaze at Alice with curious, misty eyes. â€Å"Your brother seemed to think you infallible, but apparently there was some mistake.† â€Å"Oh, I'm far from infallible.† She flashed a dazzling smile. She looked perfectly at ease, except that her hands were balled into tight little fists. â€Å"As you can see today, I cause problems as often as I cure them.† â€Å"You're too modest,† Aro chided. â€Å"I've seen some of your more amazing exploits, and I must admit I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful!† Alice flickered a glance at Edward. Aro did not miss it. â€Å"I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced properly at all, have we? It's just that I feel like I know you already, and I tend get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent, only I am limited in a way that he is not.† Aro shook his head; his tone was envious. â€Å"And also exponentially more powerful,† Edward added dryly. He looked at Alice as he swiftly explained. â€Å"Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more than I do. You know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had.† Alice raised her delicate eyebrows, and Edward inclined his head. Aro didn't miss that either. â€Å"But to be able to hear from a distance† Aro sighed, gesturing toward the two of them, and the exchange that had just taken place. â€Å"That would be so convenient.† Aro looked over our shoulders. All the other heads turned in the same direction, including Jane, Alec, and Demetri, who stood silently beside us. I was the slowest to turn. Felix was back, and behind him floated two more black-robed men. Both looked very much like Aro, one even had the same flowing black hair. The other had a shock of snow-white hairthe same shade as his facethat brushed against his shoulders. Their faces had identical, paper-thin skin. The trio from Carlisle's painting was complete, unchanged by the last three hundred years since it was painted. â€Å"Marcus, Caius, look!† Aro crooned. â€Å"Bella is alive after all, and Alice is here with her! Isn't that wonderful?† Neither of the other two looked as if wonderful would be their first choice of words. The dark-haired man seemed utterly bored, like he'd seen too many millennia of Aro's enthusiasm. The other's hice was sour under the snowy hair. Their lack of interest did not curb Aro's enjoyment. â€Å"Let us have the story,† Aro almost sang in his feathery voice. The white-haired ancient vampire drifted away, gliding toward one of the wooden thrones. The other paused beside Aro, and he reached his hand out, at first I thought to take Aro's hand. But he just touched Aro's palm briefly and then dropped his hand to his side. Aro raised one black brow. I wondered how his papery skin did not crumple in the effort. Edward snorted very quietly, and Alice looked at him, curious. â€Å"Thank you, Marcus,† Aro said. â€Å"That's quite interesting.† I realized, a second late, that Marcus was letting Aro know his thoughts. Marcus didn't look interested. He glided away from Aro to join the one who must be Caius, seated against the wall. Two of the attending vampires followed silently behind himbodyguards, like I'd thought before. I could see that the two women in the sundresses had gone to stand beside Caius in the same manner. The idea of any vampire needing a guard was faintly ridiculous to me, but maybe the ancient ones were as frail as their skin suggested. Aro was shaking his head. â€Å"Amazing,†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ he said. â€Å"Absolutely amazing.† Alice's expression was frustrated. Edward turned to her and explained again in a swift, low voice. â€Å"Marcus sees relationships. He's surprised by the intensity of ours.† Aro smiled. â€Å"So convenient,† he repeated to himself. Then he spoke to us. â€Å"It takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus, I can assure you.† I looked at Marcus's dead face, and I believed that. â€Å"It's just so difficult to understand, even now,† Aro mused, staring at Edward's arm wrapped around me. It was hard for me to follow Aro's chaotic train of thought. I struggled to keep up. â€Å"How can you stand so close to het like that?† â€Å"It's not without effort,† Edward answered calmly. â€Å"Butstillla tua cantante! What a waste!† Edward chuckled once without humor. â€Å"I look at it more as a price.† Aro was skeptical. â€Å"A very high price.† â€Å"Opportunity cost.† Aro laughed. â€Å"If I hadn't smelled her through your memories, I wouldn't have believed the call of anyone's blood could be so strong. I've never felt anything like it myself. Most of us would trade much for such a gift, and yet you† â€Å"Waste it,† Edward finished, his voice sarcastic now. Aro laughed again. â€Å"Ah, how I miss my friend Carlisle! You remind me of himonly he was not so angry.† â€Å"Carlisle outshines me in many other ways as well.† â€Å"I certainly never thought to see Carlisle bested for self-control of all things, but you put him to shame.† â€Å"Hardly.† Edward sounded impatient. As if he were tired of the preliminaries. It made me more afraid; I couldn't help but try to imagine what he expected would follow. â€Å"I am gratified by his success,† Aro mused. â€Å"Your memories of him are quite a gift for me, though they astonish me exceedingly. I am surprised by how it pleases me, his success in this unorthodox path he's chosen. I expected that he would waste, weaken with time. I'd scoffed at his plan to find others who would share his peculiar vision. Yet, somehow, I'm happy to be wrong.† Edward didn't reply. â€Å"But your restraint!† Aro sighed. â€Å"I did not know such strength was possible. To inure yourself against such a siren call, not just once but again and againif I had not felt it myself, I would not have believed.† Edward gazed back at Aro's admiration with no expression. I knew his face well enoughtime had not changed thatto guess at something seething beneath the surface. I fought to keep my breathing even. â€Å"Just remembering how she appeals to you† Aro chuckled. â€Å"It makes me thirsty.† Edward tensed. â€Å"Don't be disturbed,† Aro reassured him. â€Å"I mean her no harm. But I am so curious, about one thing in particular.† He eyed me with bright interest. â€Å"May I?† he asked eagerly, lifting one hand. â€Å"Ask her,† Edward suggested in a flat voice. â€Å"Of course, how rude of me!† Aro exclaimed. â€Å"Bella,† he addressed me directly now. â€Å"I'm fascinated that you are the one exception to Edward's impressive talentso very interesting that such a thing should occur! And I was wondering, since our talents are similar in many ways, if you would be so kind as to allow me to tryto see if you are an exception for me, as well?† My eyes flashed up to Edward's face in terror. Despite Aro's overt politeness, I didn't believe I really had a choice. I was horrified at the thought of allowing him to touch me, and yet also perversely intrigued by the chance to feel his strange skin. Edward nodded in encouragementwhether because he was sure Aro would not hurt me, or because there was no choice, I couldn't tell. I turned back to Aro and raised my hand slowly in front of me. It was trembling. He glided closer, and I believe he meant his expression to be reassuring. But his papery features were too strange, too alien and frightening, to reassure. The look on his face was more confident than his words had been. Aro reached out, as if to shake my hand, and pressed his insubstantial-looking skin against mine. It was hard, but felt brittleshale rather than graniteand even colder than I expected. His filmy eyes smiled down at mine, and it was impossible to look away. They were mesmerizing in an odd, unpleasant way. Aro's face altered as I watched. The confidence wavered and became first doubt, then incredulity before he calmed it into a friendly mask. â€Å"So very interesting,† he said as he released my hand and drifted back. My eyes flickered to Edward, and, though his face was composed, I thought he seemed a little smug. Aro continued to drift wnh a thoughtful expression. He was quiet for a moment, his eyes flickering between the three of us. Then, abruptly, he shook his head. â€Å"A first,† he said to himself â€Å"I wonder if she is immune to our other talents Jane, dear?† â€Å"No!† Edward snarled the word. Alice grabbed his arm with a restraining hand. He shook her off. Little Jane smiled up happily at Aro. â€Å"Yes, Master?† Edward was truly snarling now, the sound ripping and tearing from him, glaring at Aro with baleful eyes. The room had gone still, everyone watching him with amazed disbelief, as if he were committing some embarrassing social faux pas. I saw Felix grin hopefully and move a step forward. Aro glanced at him once, and he froze in place, his grin turning to a sulky expression. Then he spoke to Jane. â€Å"I was wondering, my dear one, if Bella is immune to you.† I could barely hear Aro over Edward's furious growls. He let go of me, moving to hide me from their view. Caius ghosted in our direction, with his entourage, to watch. Jane turned toward us with a beatific smile. â€Å"Don't!† Alice cried as Edward launched himself at the little girl. Before I could react, before anyone could jump between them, before Aro's bodyguards could tense, Edward was on the ground. No one had touched him, but he was on the stone floor writhing in obvious agony, while I stared in horror. Jane was smiling only at him now, and it all clicked together. What Alice had said about formidable gifts , why everyone treated Jane with such deference, and why Edward had thrown himself in her path before she could do that to me. â€Å"Stop!† I shrieked, my voice echoing in the silence, jumping forward to put myself between them. But Alice threw her arms around me in an unbreakable grasp and ignored my struggles. No sound escaped Edward's lips as he cringed against the stones. It felt like my head would explode from the pain of watching this. â€Å"Jane,† Aro recalled her in a tranquil voice. She looked up quickly, still smiling with pleasure, her eyes questioning. As soon as Jane looked away, Edward was still. Aro inclined his head toward me. Jane turned her smile in my direction. I didn't even meet her gaze. I watched Edward from the prison of Alice's arms, still struggling pointlessly. â€Å"He's fine,† Alice whispered in a tight voice. As she spoke, he sat up, and then sprang lightly to his feet. His eyes met mine, and they were horror-struck. At first I thought the horror was for what he had just suffered. But then he looked quickly at Jane, and back to meand his face relaxed into relief. I looked at Jane, too, and she no longer smiled. She glared at me, her jaw clenched with the intensity of her focus. I shrank back, waiting for the pain. Nothing happened. Edward was by my side again. He touched Alice's arm, and she surrendered me to him. Aro started to laugh. â€Å"Ha, ha. ha,† he chuckled. â€Å"This is wonderful!† Jane hissed in frustration, leaning forward like she was preparing to spring. â€Å"Don't be put out, dear one,† Aro said in a comforting tone, placing a powder-light hand on her shoulder. â€Å"She confounds us all.† Jane's upper lip curled back ever her teeth as she continued to glare at me. â€Å"Ha, ha, ha,† Aro chortled again. â€Å"You're very brave, Edward, to endure in silence. I asked Jane to do that to me oncejust out of curiosity.† He shook his head in admiration. Edward glared, disgusted. â€Å"So what do we do with you now?† Aro sighed. Edward and Alice stiffened. This was the part they'd been waiting for. I began to tremble. â€Å"I don't suppose there's any chance that you've changed your mind?† Aro asked Edward hopefully. â€Å"Your talent would be an excellent addition to our little company.† Edward hesitated. From the corner of my eye, I saw both Felix and Jane grimace. Edward seemed to weigh each word before he spoke it. â€Å"I'd rather not.† â€Å"Alice?† Aro asked, still hopeful. â€Å"Would you perhaps be interested in joining with us?† â€Å"No, thank you,† Alice said. â€Å"And you, Bella?† Aro raised his eyebrows. Edward hissed, low in my ears. I stared at Aro blankly. Was he joking? Or was he really asking me if I wanted to stay for dinner? It was the white-haired Caius who broke the silence. â€Å"What?† he demanded of Aro; his voice, though no more than a whisper, was flat. â€Å"Caius, surely you see the potential,† Aro chided him affectionately. â€Å"I haven't seen a prospective talent so promising since we found Jane and Alec. Can you imagine the possibilities when she is one of us?† Caius looked away with a caustic expression. Jane's eyes sparked with indignation at the comparison. Edward fumed beside me. I could hear a rumble in his chest, building toward a growl. I couldn't let his temper get him hurt. â€Å"No, thank you,† I spoke up in barely more than a whisper, my voice breaking in fright. Aro sighed. â€Å"That's unfortunate. Such a waste.† Edward hissed. â€Å"Join or die, is that it? I suspected as much when we were brought to this room. So much for your laws.† The tone of his voice surprised me. He sounded irate, but there was something deliberate about his deliveryas if he'd chosen his words with great care. â€Å"Of course not.† Aro blinked, astonished. â€Å"We were already convened here, Edward, awaiting Heidi's return. Not for you.† â€Å"Aro,† Caius hissed. â€Å"The law claims them.† Edward glared at Caius. â€Å"How so?† he demanded. He must have known what Caius was thinking, but he seemed determined to make him speak it aloud. Caius pointed a skeletal finger at me. â€Å"She knows too much. You have exposed our secrets.† His voice was papery thin, just like his skin. â€Å"There are a few humans in on your charade here, as well,† Edward reminded him, and I thought of the pretty receptionist below. Caius's face twisted into a new expression. Was it supposed to be a smiled. â€Å"Yes,† he agreed. â€Å"But when they are no longer useful to us, they will serve to sustain us. That is not your plan for this one. If she betrays our secrets, are you prepared to destroy her? I think not,† he scoffed. â€Å"I wouldn't,† I began, still whispering. Caius silenced me with an icy look. â€Å"Nor do you intend to make her one of us,† Caius continued. â€Å"Therefore, she is a vulnerability. Though it is true, for this, only her life is forfeit. You may leave if you wish.† Edward bared his teeth. â€Å"That's what I thought,† Caius said, with something akin to pleasure. Felix leaned forward, eager. â€Å"Unless† Aro interrupted. He looked unhappy with the way the conversation had gone. â€Å"Unless you do intend to give her immortality?† Edward pursed his lips, hesitating for a moment before he answered. â€Å"And if I do?† Aro smiled, happy again. â€Å"Why, then you would be free to go home and give my regards to my friend Carlisle.† His expression turned more hesitant. â€Å"But I'm afraid you would have to mean it.† Aro raised his hand in front of him. Caius, who had begun to scowl furiously, relaxed. Edward's lips tightened into a fierce line. He stared into my eyes, and I stared back. â€Å"Mean it,† I whispered. â€Å"Please.† Was it really such a loathsome idea? Would he rather die than change me? I felt like I'd been kicked in the stomach. Edward stared down at me with a tortured expression. And then Alice stepped away from us, forward toward Aro. We turned to watch her. Her hand was raised like his. She didn't say anything, and Aro waved off his anxious guard as they moved to block her approach. Aro met her halfway, and took her hand with an eager, acquisitive glint in his eyes. He bent his head over their touching hands, his eyes closing as he concentrated. Alice was motionless, her face blank. I heard Edward's teeth snap together. No one moved. Aro seemed frozen over Alice's hand. The seconds passed and I grew more and more stressed, wondering how much time would pass before it was too much time. Before it meant something was wrongmore wrong than it already was. Another agonizing moment passed, and then Aro's voice broke the silence. â€Å"Ha, ha, ha,† he laughed, his head still bent forward. He looked up slowly, his eyes bright with excitement. â€Å"That was fascinating!† Alice smiled dryly. â€Å"I'm glad you enjoyed it.† â€Å"To see the things you've seenespecially the ones that haven't happened yet!† He shook his head in wonder. â€Å"But that will,† she reminded him, voice calm. â€Å"Yes, yes, it's quite determined. Certainly there's no problem.† Caius looked bitterly disappointeda feeling he seemed to share with Felix and Jane. â€Å"Aro,† Caius complained. â€Å"Dear Caius,† Aro smiled. â€Å"Do not fret. Think of the possibilities! They do not join us today, but we can always hope for the future. Imagine the joy young Alice alone would bring to our little household Besides, I'm so terribly curious to see how Bella turns out!† Aro seemed convinced. Did he not realize how subjective Alice's visions were.' That she could make up her mind to transform me today, and then change it tomorrow? A million tiny decisions, her decisions and so many others', tooEdward'scould alter her path, and with that, the future. And would it really matter that Alice was willing, would it make any difference if I did become a vampire, when the idea was so repulsive to Edward? If death was, to him, a better alternative than having me around forever, an immortal annoyance? Terrified as I was, I felt myself sinking down into depression, drowning in it â€Å"Then we are free to go now?† Edward asked in an even voice. â€Å"Yes, yes,† Aro said pleasantly. â€Å"But please visit again. It's been absolutely enthralling!† â€Å"And we will visit you as well,† Caius promised, his eyes suddenly half-closed like the heavy-lidded gaze of a lizard. â€Å"To be sure that you follow through on your side. Were I you, I would not delay too long. We do not offer second chances.† Edward's jaw clenched tight, but he nodded once. Caius smirked and drifted back to where Marcus still sat, unmoving and uninterested. Felix groaned. â€Å"Ah, Felix.† Aro smiled, amused. â€Å"Heidi will be here at any moment. Patience.† â€Å"Hmm.† Edward's voice had a new edge to it. â€Å"In that case, perhaps we'd better leave sooner rather than later.† â€Å"Yes,† Aro agreed. â€Å"That's a good idea. Accidents do happen. Please wait below until after dark, though, if you don't mind.† â€Å"Of course,† Edward agreed, while I cringed at the thought of waiting out the day before we could escape. â€Å"And here,† Aro added, motioning to Felix with one finger. Felix came forward at once, and Aro unfastened the gray cloak the huge vampire wore, pulling from his shoulders. He tossed it to Edward. â€Å"Take this. You're a little conspicuous.† Edward put the long cloak on, leaving the hood down. Aro sighed. â€Å"It suits you.† Edward chuckled, but broke off suddenly, glancing over his shoulder. â€Å"Thank you, Aro. We'll wait below.† â€Å"Goodbye, young friends,† Aro said, his eyes bright as he stared in the same direction. â€Å"Let's go,† Edward said, urgent now. Demetri gestured that we should follow, and then set off the way we'd come in, the only exit by the look of things. Edward pulled me swiftly along beside him. Alice was close by my other side, her face hard. â€Å"Not fast enough,† she muttered. I stared up at her, frightened, but she only seemed chagrined. It was then that I first heard the babble of voicesloud, rough voicescoming from the antechamber. â€Å"Well this is unusual,† a man's coarse voice boomed. â€Å"So medieval,† an unpleasantly shrill, female voice gushed back. A large crowd was coming through the little door, filling the smaller stone chamber. Demetri motioned for us to make room. We pressed back against the cold wall to let them pass. The couple in front, Americans from the sound of them, glanced around themselves with appraising eyes. â€Å"Welcome, guests! Welcome to Volterra!† I could hear Aro sing from the big turret room. The rest of them, maybe forty or more, filed in after the couple. Some studied the setting like tourists. A few even snapped pictures. Others looked confused, as if the story that had led them to this room was not making sense anymore. I noticed one small, dark woman in particular. Around her neck was a rosary, and she gripped the cross tightly in one hand. She walked more slowly than the others, touching someone now and then and asking a question in an unfamiliar language. No one seemed to understand her, and her voice grew more panicked. Edward pulled my face against his chest, but it was too late. I already understood. As soon as the smallest break appeared, Edward pushed me quickly toward the door. I could feel the horrified expression on my face, and the tears beginning to pool in my eyes. The ornate golden hallway was quiet, empty except for one gorgeous, statuesque woman. She stared at us curiously, me in particular. â€Å"Welcome home, Heidi,† Demetri greeted her from behind us. Heidi smiled absently. She reminded me of Rosalie, though they looked nothing alikeit was just that her beauty, too, was exceptional, unforgettable. I couldn't seem to look away. She was dressed to emphasize that beauty. Her amazingly long legs, darkened with tights, were exposed by the shortest of miniskirts. Her top was long-sleeved and high-necked, but extremely close-fitting, and constructed of red vinyl. Her long mahogany hair was lustrous, and her eyes were the strangest shade of violeta color that might result from blue-tinted contacts over red irises. â€Å"Demetri,† she responded in a silky voice, her eyes flickering between my face and Edward's gray cloak. â€Å"Nice fishing,† Demetri complimented her, and I suddenly understood the attention-grabbing outfit she wore she was not only the fisherman, but also the bait. â€Å"Thanks.† She flashed a stunning smile. â€Å"Aren't you coming?† â€Å"In a minute. Save a few for me.† Heidi nodded and ducked through the door with one last curious look at me. Edward set a pace that had me running to keep up. But we still couldn't get through the ornate door at the end of the hallway before the screaming started.

Improvement of Coca Cola Market Decision Making Research Paper

Improvement of Coca Cola Market Decision Making - Research Paper Example The company has a variety of products, and it licenses or possesses more than 500 brands. With is vast empire worldwide the company has grown to become a market leader that is considered one the influential organization in the world. The company has grown from operating within the city of Atlanta in 1886 to operating in more than two hundred nations currently. It has further grown from selling 8 glasses of soft drinks to 1.8 billion bottles a day. Furthermore, the company has over 300 hundred bottling branches and organizations worldwide, which are the link between the company and its customers. The company manufactures syrup that is sent to these organizations to produce the soft drinks that are distributed to the consumers. The company values its customers who sell and consumes its products worldwide and it considers them a significant part of its sustainability process. INTRODUCTION The company focuses on producing light and diet beverages, waters, juice drinks, and coffees, as we ll as tea. It also provides energy and sports beverages, operating in over 200 nations. It has its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia with around 140 000 employees. The company has been successful in its businesses registering revenues of $35, 119 million in the financial year of 2010. This was an increment from of 13.3% from the previous financial year. The beverage was initially being sold in glasses, but it was later sold in the bottles, first in 1894, to make it portable, and enhanced its distribution to other states.   The tools applied include Affinity Diagrams, Control Charts, and SWOT analysis that have enabled the company to remain relevant in the market and become a leading organization in the production of the non-alcoholic beverages worldwide. ANALYSIS Affinity tool diagram The Coca-Cola Company has managed to dominate the non-alcoholic beverages world because it applies the right decision-making tools concerning its products worldwide. Since the company operates in more than 200 nations, it faces the problem of utilizing a lot of information and ideas, which affect their targeted audience. The affinity tool diagram, comes in handy, in ensuring that large sums of data and information are gathered from ideas of groups, through the process of brainstorming, to ensure that the information is prompted, based on the natural affiliations of the groups 8 Parnell, 2011). The company ensures that it melds the perceptions, ideas, and opinions as well as insights of a faction that is conversant or well acquainted with the modern market changing trends (Hoerl and Snee, 2012). This includes the marketing and advertising segments, who gather the relevant information, which the managerial body of the company, uses to make decisions that affect the investments and marketing strategies of the organization. These decisions are aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the company in the market as well as attaining the maximum possible returns.  Ã‚  

Business law - chinese trade and investment law Essay

Business law - chinese trade and investment law - Essay Example Significantly, in accordance with the principle of the balance between rights and duties, once China joins the WTO, China is said to be able to enjoy a "most favoured nation status" (Chen 2000). China's interest in WTO according to Chen (2000) is thus - ".the multilateral, stable and unconditional most favoured nation status provided by the WTO members and the achievements gained by other countries and regions from trade liberalization, [the participation] in the formulation of international trading rules, and [utilization of] the WTO's multilateral dispute solution mechanisms to safeguard China's rights and interests" According to the Fact File of the World Trade Organization (2005), the WTO is the only global international organisation dealing with the rules of trade between nations. Its goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business through agreements, negotiated and signed by the world's trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. Established on 1January1995, and created by the Uruguay Round negotiations (1986-1994), the organization is based in Geneva, Switzerland where 148countries (on 13October2004) are members. It has a budget of 169million Swiss francs for2005 and is now headed by Pascal Lamy as Director-General. The Fact File (2005) furt... Will joining the World Trade Organisation assist or hinder China's Development From the perspective of Rao (2001), a Chinese biotechnologist and food scientist, yes, China's joining the WTO in the long run will assist its development. Speaking before the WTO, he said China is aware that in so doing, some of its domestic food manufacturers will be hurt or damaged, just as others will not be. The Chinese government are also aware there could be initial shocks in agriculture and food industry, but in the long run "will be converted into a powerful driving force for its development." There are two views over the past years regarding China's accession to WTO: the optimistic view and the pessimistic view. The optimistic view reasons that the availability of cheaper supply food ingredients with higher quality after China's joining the WTO will give competitive edge to Chinese food industry in the international market (Rao 2001). In addition, the optimists say, China's membership will promote the rule of law in the country, undercut state power in controlling the lives of people, and accelerate China's transition from a command economy to a market economy. China's entry will also help modernize accounting, banking, legal, telecommunications, and transportation systems of the country, at the same time reduce corruption, favouritism, and local protectionism (Yu 2001). On the other hand, the pessimistic view says freer international trade and investment will strengthen the competitiveness of foreign food business in China, shrinking the domestic market for manufactured foods on account of the unavoidable decrease in Chinese farmers' income from low productivity. They say this will

Thoughts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Thoughts - Essay Example The search that can be acceptable among all the people should define clearly what is involved and what is not. This will save the members of society from the intentional interference by the police. The current use of domestic drones has risked the people’s privacy a great deal (Lyle, 2012). Since they are very small and invisible, they can be anywhere anytime. This makes people insecure as their most private details can be easily accessed. The police have been trespassing people’s private places without and searched all places without permission from the owner (Supreme Court of the United States, 2012). They have as well seized private properties in the name of being abandoned. This is not lawful as it is against the rights of citizens. It tortures the minds of law abiding citizens as it does not differentiate between criminals and the obedient citizens. Through this form of search in place, many innocent people have been held responsible for the crimes they never commi tted (Orin, 2011). This is because if anything forbidden by the law is found in a curb, the immediate residents are held responsible. As the law even maintains that accused person is innocent until proved guilty, the police should wait for the permission from the property owners. ... This will definitely lead to a better meaning of search and hence a new definition. Response to question 2 I agree with this paragraph. The search which has no boundaries is likely to retrieve people’s privacy. This is because it does no abide with the directives of the fourth amendment which states that people should be secure in their persons, effects, papers and houses (Orin, 2011). Any search which does not guarantee people these forms of privacy is classified as intrusion. The boundaries that should be put in place are those which will improve the security of the nation while protecting the privacy rights of the people. The boundaries to be observed in searches should ensure that the unreasonable searches and seizures are not allowed. This will ensure that people’s privacy is effectively respected. These are the boundaries that should be observed in the modern definition of search. As the governments cannot stop collecting information for security reasons, this sho uld be done in a way that respects people’s privacy (Orin, 2011). The use of domestic drones though should be restricted; it should not be eliminated completely because they are crucial in maintaining security (Lyle, 2012). Other technological applications that collect information should not be fixed in private areas so as to avoid collection of information that violates people’s privacy. This way the current definition of search will be the most accurate and beneficial to protect the privacy of all law abiding citizens. This calls for the maintenance of the definition and its application so as to enable the security personnel to respect the privacy of all individuals by making sure that unreasonable

Critical Thinking envi 423 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical Thinking envi 423 - Essay Example The US economy and particularly the value of dollar is very much dependent on the oil of the Middle East and this is the reason; she gives priority to Saudi Arabia and Israel in her foreign policy. All the readings provided during this course were marvelous and has the greatest intellect value. Moreover, the course contributed to enhance my world view and helped me to develop the analytical skill to understand the events in details. However, the following three issues contributed significantly to my learning in this course: The present age is called the ‘era of information’. Media that includes television channels, radio, newspapers, magazines, journals and World Wide Web is busy in generating knowledge for viewers, audiences and readers. The media has its own shortcomings and hence it moulds the information as it suits itself or its country. Every piece of reading or broadcast has some sort of information but this cannot be declared authentic or we can call it ‘disinformation’. Resultantly, the world view based on this ‘disinformation’ would definitely lead astray. Junline Assange coined the term ‘scientific journalism’ to deal with this menace but still this is a utopia. prolific speeches by professional orators, logical argumentations and misuse of even true information have become the hall mark of the present day media. Moreover, entertainment industry has become the largest industry of the world and even education is also being imparted through t he modern techniques of entertainment which led to the creation of new term of ‘infotainment’. All this entertainment stuff and dazzling media satisfies the sensory needs of human being and does not invoke contemplation. This fuss will end up with the emergence of psychological problems, and ideological width among human beings. There is a dire need to rein the media as it is taking undue benefit of its liberty under the tag of media freedom. Another issue that contributed

Getting university degree through online courses Essay

Getting university degree through online courses - Essay Example They can access learning materials from anywhere and anytime they log on to their university portals. That means parents, professionals, and sick students can attend their classes no matter their day schedules. The method also offers student enrichment. Students can interact as the online class is short of intimidation. Every student has a voice and the diverse ideas contribute to student growth. The students are also offered sufficient time to think before they can comment. The online learning method, however, has raised various concerns. Students lack face-to-face interaction with fellow classmates and instructor. They experience disconnect from the classroom environment, but universities are keen on addressing the issue. Group chats and video-conferencing are some of the initiatives the universities are using to alleviate the issue. The online degrees also offer fewer instructions and have no standards that regulate the program. Accrediting bodies have, however, been put in place to accredit and review online institutions and curriculum. Online learning has come a long way and more developments are still to come. Various advocates and bodies are finding ways to deal with the perceived shortcomings. Technological advancements continue to add value and advantages that distance learning can offer to students. U.S. Department of Education, 2010, Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning," U.S. Department of Education

Attitude Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Attitude - Research Paper Example This is in line with the changing beliefs that are shaping up the organizational climate of present times, and echoes well with the manager’s work performance tenets which remain quintessential with each passing day. This paper discusses attitude and its effect on a manager’s work performance. How attitude is remarked here is something that holds a lot of value and significance for the manager. The manager’s repertoire shall be bolstered if he knows that the employees working under his aegis are positive within their attitudes and that they are ready to give in their best time and again. It is a definitive plus if the manager is adamant that his employees will give in their best no matter how tough it is or how trying the circumstances will turn out to be at the end (Bryan, 2009). There is a dire need to understand that the manager’s work performance is boosted if his employees are having positive attitude and know how to give in their best on a proactivel y consistent basis. The manager’s work performance is immensely helped when attitude is positive. If however, this attitude is not positive, then there would be a lot of problems for this manager, as he would have to undergo stress and tensions at the workplace realms. He would have to properly understand why people are being nagging and then resolve the disputes that are coming up within his realms. There is a dire need to comprehend the fact that attitude shapes up many actions and undertakings within the employees’ and managers’ aegis, and this will be the success pointers for the organizational regimes. A manager needs to address quite a few issues that come to his understanding levels. Now if he sees that the work is not carried out in a positive way, he will feel the pinch and there would be significant issues which will cone to the reckoning of all and sundry within the organizational folds (Author Unknown, 2011). If the attitude hinders his work domains, it would mean that there is something wrong somewhere, and much needs to be done, and that too in a proper and quick way. This is the need of the hour as organizations require managers who are ready and willing to accept change within their realms and thus be full of positive attitude and demeanor. This will resolve quite a few aspects that come under the heading of behavioral issues. The attitude aspect is given significance by the top management as well because it knows that the managers have to be up and willing to remain positive with regards to their respective attitudes and it is about time that they needed to set their house in order before taking care of the employees that are under them in entirety. What remains to be seen is the fact that their personal problems do not hinder their attitudes towards work and allows them to freely move ahead with the passage of time, because this is indeed required at the end of the day. The manager’s work performance is usually ali gned with the ways and means through which he understands the dictum of work. If this manager believes that his work could be carried out with minimal positive attitude then this would mean that his attitude is not set at the most optimal level that there should be. However, if he believes that he could stay negative within his attitude and still complete work at his end, then this would mean that there are a lot of problems within his work performance regimes, and that he needs to sort out these issues –

Electronic Medical Records Essay Example for Free

Electronic Medical Records Essay Electronic Medical Records (EMR) are becoming more widely used across the healthcare spectrum. One of the reasons for their popularity is the potential that is presented for increasing the quality of care delivered to patients by decreasing handwriting interpretation errors, reducing medication administration errors and eliminating lost charts. Time management is a crucial skill to have as a nurse. It allows for a smooth workflow which translates into quality patient care. Much time can be wasted not only by the nurse signing off illegible handwritten orders, but also by the other nurses that have to help interpret the handwriting. The EMR requires the physician to enter orders electronically, thereby eliminating handwritten orders. Electronic orders are more precise and more accurately followed (Sokol, 2006). Fewer errors make it to the patient, reducing unnecessary tests and increasing the quality of care that patients are receiving. Electronic medication administration records (MAR) are useful in displaying medications due at specific times. Not only is it possible to sort the medications due at one time, the MAR will also alert the nurse to potential drug interactions. Late medications will be displayed in red to be easily seen. If bar coding is implemented, medication errors can be reduced by a range of 60%-97% (Hunter, 2011). A lost chart can be very frustrating while trying to deliver seamless care to a patient. Paper charts are easily misplaced. Since there is only one, if a single provider is using it, no one else of the medical team can view the chart. The EMR can be viewed from any computer with secure internet access or on a handheld device. When the internet is down, a downtime view only access is available. Nursing Involvement Nurses are known as patient advocates. In advocating for their patients, nurses strive for what is best in their patient’s care. Since nurses will be using the EMR most frequently, it is imperative that they are part of the selection and implementation on an EMR. A nurse, on the EMR team, will represent all nursing. Nurses will be accessing the EMR through their shift several times and will become familiar with the layout and workflow and will be able to provide insight into what would work best to ensure quality of care. There is a saying that you don’t know what you don’t know. A nurse knows what she will need and is the best to supply this information. While researching which EMR would be the best for a facility, a nurse can provide information on time saving workflows between systems. Nurses must also be trained as super users to provide a seamless change from paper charting to electronic charting and provide support to fellow nursing staff. A nurse on the EMR team will be able to deliver new information in a way that other nurses are more receptive to. Handheld Devices If nurses were to use handheld devices in delivery of patient care, there would be a noticeable savings of time as well as more accurate charting. Nursing personnel carrying a handheld device would have immediate access to their patients chart to notice new orders, lab results, or medication admission records. The need to review the paper chart repeatedly throughout the day would be eliminated along with the long search that commences every time you have to look for the paper chart. This could add several minutes to a nurse’s time at the bedside, improving patient satisfaction. When vital signs are taken, written on a slip of paper and then transcribed into the paper chart, there are many opportunities for error and delay. Numbers can be transposed, written incorrectly or the wrong patient’s information could go into a chart. With the immediate availability of a handheld device, the information from the vital signs monitor would have the ability to interface into the patient’s chart virtually eliminating late charting and errors. Security Standards The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was initiated in 1996 as a standard for protecting individually identifiable health information (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services). HIPAA requires that all information, either written or electronically, that falls under the criteria is protected from unauthorized viewers. An EMR carries more stringent HIPAA guidelines than a paper chart due to the risks associated with computer based files and there are a few key steps that must be taken to ensure compliance with this act. Access control: each user will have a unique user name and password that must not be shared. Firewall protection must be used on the internet server the hospital utilizes to prevent hackers from obtaining access to protected information. If users are authorized to access patient information from home, there must be a secure server used (Arevalo, 2007). Storage: Data must be encrypted to enhance the security while information is being stored and while it is transferred. Encryption entails protection of files and data that is only viewable to authorized users. Compliance of these regulations should be audited on a regular basis with any violation being swiftly remedied (Medical Records, 2013). Healthcare Costs Purchasing an EMR can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. In order to justify such a large purchase, one must examine the potential ways that money can be saved while using an EMR. After spending hours training users and with a little practice, nurse’s workflows will improve and less time will be wasted. A chart will not have to be searched for, double or triple charting is eliminated by using handheld devices for immediate charting. The quality assurance team will be able to run reports on compliance of core measures and be able to recommend changes to nursing personnel to implement. Fewer medication errors will be made by using the electronic MAR. Most importantly, these time and money saving factors will enhance patient safety. With fewer paper charts to store, valuable space can be remodeled into patient care areas that offer services not previously offered due to space issues (Power, 2013). This will increase revenue for the facility. Comparison Epic offers a computerized management system that is utilized by everyone in the healthcare setting including, nurses, nurse aids, physicians, dietary, radiology, emergency department and the business office. Each department will have a unique look and functionality to their program. There is no need to use multiple systems to gather information on a patient. It can be used in medium size ambulatory settings such as a clinic as well as in a hospital setting for either inpatients or outpatients. With all departments having access to the same information on a patient, errors will be reduced in delivery of patient care. The chance for entering erroneous lab results or miss- documentation will also be reduced with department specific workflows. Not only will this result in better patient care, but also in a nurse’s ability to delivery effective, efficient, quality care without delay. In addition, all physician order entry is electronic, every time. Order sets can be customized for each prescriber, saving time and hassle while maintaining meaningful use and following core measures. For added security, the system can be set to automatically sign a user out after a specified length of time of non-use. And while all of the patient’s information is available to each user, audit trails are left enhancing patient security. Epic has pre-loaded patient teaching materials available as well as the option to custom make information. After visit summaries are easily printed upon discharge and an electronic copy is permanently attached to the chart. Patient would benefit from a facility the uses the Epic system by having access to MyChart. MyChart is a portal of access between a patient and their provider for communication as well as a portable computerized health record. IF a patient were to access care from a facility that does not utilize the Epic system, that patient would have access to MyChart and would then be able to provide critical information that would enhance their care. Another computerized management system available is one from Cerner. This system can be used in all settings in a hospital including nursing. For medication administration, Cerner has available barcode identification of medication to help nursing staff complete their five rights verification prior to administration. It also allows charting at the bedside to enhance accuracy either through a handheld device or a stationary computer. All order entry by physicians is done on the computer allowing the providers to follow built in prompts for allergy information and adverse drug interactions as well as prompts that will aid in the order of care protocols to enhance patient care. Cerner also has a portal designed for patient to have access to their records no matter where they are as well as tracking information for health goals a patient and their provider have established. The portal allows progress tracking and provides information on steps that can be used to help the patient reach their goals. This gives patients more responsibility for their health while providing the incentive needed. Nursing care will be escalated similarly to the way it would be in Epic. Patient information is easily accessible through intuitive workflows allowing nursing staff to make responsible decisions regarding patient care. My recommendation for a computerized management system would be the one available from Cerner. It is the most user friendly for staff including nursing and offers intensive training and yearly upgrades. The different departments systems appear to work together seamlessly resulting in increased savings of time and money (Cerner, 2013).

Worship Of Hindu Gods Now And Then Religion Essay

Worship Of Hindu Gods Now And Then Religion Essay Hinduism: Hinduism or Sanatan (meaning a universal religion) is considered to be the worlds oldest religion that originated on the Indian sub-continent. According to its Vedic records, its history of origin is dated between to 6,000 to 10,000 years and that is why it is considered as one of the ancient religions of the world. It is the native religion of India and it has neither a specific human founder nor a single book of reverence but rather laid its foundations on ancient sacred scriptures that were passed down the generations by a word of mouth and later written down into scripts and texts forms (Zavos, 2001). Hinduism has a massive number of followers reaching up to one billion worldwide with majority of them (95%) being from Indian and the rest in United States ,Europe and other parts of the world. Demographically, it is the world third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. Hinduism constitutes a complex mode of worship ranging from the grand festivals like Kumbhela, which is a religious big gathering of up to 45 million people to the very simple Darshan, the devotional seeing in home shrines. Hindus worship in the numerous ancient and contemporary mandirs and shrines. Hindus regard Vedas (ancient texts) as the most ancient and the most authoritative texts of the religion and hence they form the foundation of all branches of Hinduism. Hindu has three trinity which include Shiva, Brahman and Vishnu unlike Christian who have only one trinity. These gods represent the cycle of rebirth and reincarnation where Vishnu is responsible of preserving the universe, Shiva destroys the re-creator of the universe and Brahman create the Universe. The three goddess are the second trinity of Hindu as well as the gods wives of the first trinity. However, all the goddesses and gods have their forms of incarnations. Hinduism involve the worship of God and its numerous deities with the major ones being Brahma (creator) Vishnu (the preserver) and Siva (the destroyer), so depending on ones opinion Hinduism can be said to be polytheistic, monotheistic or henotheistic (which involves devotion to a single God while accepting the existence of other gods) (Zavos, 120). Modern Hinduism is categorized into two major groups: Vaishnavism (those who worship Vishnu and all other living things subservient to him) and Shaivism (stream of Hinduism who worship Shiva and believes that Shiva is the destroyer and the creator of the universe). Hinduism is based on the principle of Brahman that states that the universe is one and all realities are a unity, Devine entity that is simultaneously at one with the universe who transcends it as well. In Hinduism human beings are preserved to be trapped a Samsara which is a meaningless cycle of birth death and rebirth with karma ;ones accumulated sum of good and bad deeds and these determines on which level in the caste system will one be born in the nest cycle life. Ancient Hindus worshiped and interacted with their gods in a slightly different way as compared to contemporary mode of Hinduism. According to ancient Hindu scripts ancient In the Vedic religion, there were no temples of worship as compared to contemporary Hinduism where there are millions of temples and mandirs build for worship. Hindus worshiped in the open and temples were first constructed in India in 200 years and it marked the transition of Hinduism from the Vedic religion of ritual sacrifices to the religion of Bhakri or love and a devotion to a personal deity. Ancient temples were constructed of wood and brick but in later times, use of stone became a preferred building material. Temples constructed in the medieval era varied in architectural styles and often symbolized the ruler at the time and his richness and devotion. In ancient Hinduism, the followers worshiped nature and had gods that represented each element of nature for instance the god of wind, god of fire, god of the sea and god of light. More over, Hindus worshiped animalistic deities (Sacred animals that represented various gods).they believed that animals just like human shad spirit and soul. Sacred animals in Hinduism are cows, monkeys, tortoises and elephants. According to ancient Hindu texts, Hindus worshiped mother goddess with great reverence than it is in modern Hindu religion. Contemporary Hindu followers put a great regards in worshiping of personal deities who represent their God who is the overall deity. According to ancient Hindu texts, there is evidence that suggests that ancient gods intermarried with humans and that gods had human characters and would come to humans in several avatars. These gods had spirits not different with that of humans and interacted freely as they both worshiped the Brahma who is their overall deity. There is no such kind of relationship between Hindu gods and its worshipers. The type of human interactions with gods depended on individual position in the caste system and those in higher caster were regarded to be more close to gods than those in the lower caste levels. There was no priestly class in ancient Hinduism but today priest are the ones responsible for leading the worshipers in temples. In ancient Hinduism, social mobility in the caste system was allowed though it was very difficulty. The social caste system was involved of two dynamic social systems one based on age (Varna) and the other Asrama that clearly defined individuals roles and responsibilities sin the society. From time to time people could move from one caste to another or establish a new one. In the contemporary Hinduism, the evolving caste became unfair to those in the lowest order and was gradually disregarded as it was seen to be discriminatory (Ghanshyam, 45). Caste system though still plays an important factor in modern in arranging for of Hindu marriages. The government in 1947 abolished caste system and hence caste discrimination is now illegal in India. In modern Hinduism, the social system has been degraded and no longer a main major religious characteristic of Hinduism. Ancient Hinduism was not oppressive to women and most scholars believe that women had somewhat important roles they played in the rituals of the early Vedic period, but with time the Vedic ritual became more complex and the importance of roles women played diminished gradually. Also during this period, there were other ritual traditions that women were allowed to participate in. In ancient Hindu religion, some sacred rituals and ceremonies for instance the ritual of scared dance and music offering were practiced. Some of these traditional sacred rituals (upacharas), changed with time. A classic example of a change in Hinduism ancient traditions and rituals in the past few hundred years, is the replacement of the music offering and dances which are sacred which were prescribed by Agama Shastra, with the modern offerings of rice and sweets. In ancient Hinduism the Vedic rites of fire-oblation (yajna) were often practiced but are just now only occasional practice in the modern Hindu religion, these practices are however are highly revered in theory. According to Vedic scripts, in ancient Hinduism, slaughter of animals was permitted but this ritual has virtually disappeared in modern Hinduism. It is in the 19th and 20th centuries that, prominent figures of Indian spirituality like Swami Vivekananda, Swami Sivananda and Ramana Maharshi emphasized the importance of ahimsa. In ancient Hinduism, the Brahmins never allowed members of the lower caste to enjoy equal status privileges. There is little tolerance mostly for lower section of the Hindu community which in any fact their own people. This has been the norm over the years that it is until recently such lower sections of the community were allowed to read Vedas which was another important religious scriptures. In addition to that, these individuals were not in any way they were also not allowed to enter the temples, where Brahmins were worshiped, and worship god. These class of people did not as well allowed to draw water in the same well with others and neither would share their foods with higher castes. This rules were applicable either in social or religious gathering. In ancient Hinduism, sacrifices were offered to God through its subordinate gods but in modern Hinduism, food is instead offered to personal gods or individuals before eating. By offering of food to god and deities, internalization of sacrifices were achieved by eating what is being sacrificed, which is being believed as making the persons body being a sacrifice to god. It is also widely believed by Hindu community that offering gods with food is a sign of devotion or self surrender. It is also believed that those who eat food being scarified to gods would not be harmed by any tamasic or rajasic which would be in the food. (Houben Et al, 45) In ancient Hinduism, there were a less number of Hindu sects and gods as compared to modern Hindu religion where many sects have emerged with increased freedom on an individual worshiping any god he or she wishes. Many of these are as a result of varying believes in the interpretation of the Hindu texts. Modern Hinduism involve occasional especially during religious festivals going to temples for worship but many prefer worshiping at home where one often creates a shrine with icons dedicated to their chosen form or forms of god. In most cases, temples are dedicated to a deity that is primary while associated deities to most multiple deities Hindus perform their worship through icons (murtis) which each icon serves as a tangible link between the worshiper and his or her supreme God. The image or the designated is often considered a manifestation of God, as God is immanent. According to the Hindu texts the Padma Purana makes clear that the mÃ…Â «rti is not to be thought of just as mere stone or wood but as a manifest form of the Divinity. In ancient Hinduism image worship and veneration of multiple deities was a common religious practice but in the recent times, there have evolved sects of Hinduism that prohibit such religious practices. It more of fire sacrifices of the Vedic fire and Vedas, which Gandhi thought that (ahimsa). The precludes which were used were not only meant to inflict physical injury but also hatred, having evil thoughts, being dishonest or speak harsh words which do not conform with ahimsa (Farquhar, 62). Generally, in ancient Hinduism, people worshiped their dead parents honored dead by going to their gravesites and live behind flowers, candles or lighted lamps or food (Kenneth, 35). This was a practice carried out mainly by the Indo-Europeans who in the months of May and November they mostly worship their parents. At the sometime those who were dead were being honored as well but such religious practices are not practiced in contemporary Hindu religion. Ancient Indians did not tolerate religion which was opposing the religion or even comment badly about it. However, present day Hindus exhibit a greater degree of religious tolerance. This secular attitude of the present day Hindus is because of their  recent past characterized by their modern education,  an increased sense of responsibility from increased awareness of ancient religion and heritage. However, political and social change over the years have compromised the ancient Hindu which the Hindu has never embraced it and they have been trying to stop it but they have not been able to address all incoming changes

Approaches And Methods Of Training Management Essay

Approaches And Methods Of Training Management Essay Training is a systematic process to develop knowledge, skill and attitude from learning experience to achieve maximum performance in an activity (Buckley and Caple 2007). Learning and education both are different but important for organisations. Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge, skills and attitudes by experience, reflection, study and instruction. While education is a series of activities which enables to develop knowledge, skills, values and understanding that allow a broad range of problem solving and analysis (Buckley and Caple, 2007). Training plays an effective role in different kinds of learning and development. The rapid change in global environment pressurized all organisations to enhance their focus on customers. That time of producing, conceiving and marketing products dropped as organisations adopted new ways to compete in the market (Capelli et al, 1997 cited in Rod and Collin, 2000). The successful organisations should have highly skilled and committed employees who can survive in this era of competition. Workers learn to enhance their performance and want to be more competent in their roles. Work place learning is very important after education to develop a long career (Legge, 2005). Organisations can get competitive advantage upon rivals through hiring skilled staff and through better training programs. According to Brookes (1995) organisations have to support training department and the least step is to appoint a dedicated staff in personnel for this task. It is important to make a training policy for the company and allocate specific budget for training. This all points to the fact that training and development is a prime business activity which has serious objectives and requires serious management (Nilson, 2003). There are a number of benefits for individuals as a consequence of training procedures; relative to the present positions, individuals may see job satisfaction increase as a result of undergoing training (Clements and Jones, 2002). Intrinsic satisfaction may result from being able to perform a task to a higher standard, where as extrinsic satisfaction may come as a result of increased job skills, which may lead to greater earnings, career prospects and promotion possibilities (Buckley and Caple, 2007). An obvious benefit to individuals is the change from their regular work pattern, which can have recreational benefits as well, for example, less boredom and greater variety during work (Buckley and Caple, 2007). Some of the benefits of training, from an organisations perspective included higher employee performance, productivity and possibly acting as a source of competitive advantage. There a number of other potential benefits to organisations of successful training procedures; decrease in wastage and increased productivity; lower labour turnover, saving costs (Rae, 2000); higher customer satisfaction, possibly leading to greater sales; shorter learning cycles for employees, reducing expenditure (Washington, 1995); lower absenteeism and fewer accidents (Buckley and Caple, 2007). The innovations in technology brought speedy change in business environment. Training plays a critical role for individuals at work to manage careers development and organisational change. Training and learning is a pivotal business function that maximise profit and the companys long term health (Nilson, 2003, P.2). The implementation of training plan depends on a lot of factors including the proper identification of training need and individuals recognition for training need (Reid et al, 2004). Proper learning and best utilization of resources equally effect on effective outcomes (Bramley, 1986). 2.1 Approaches to Training There are a number of approaches to train employees; the systematic approach is widely adopted in the organisations. However, the reactive and proactive approaches to training are still in use by some organisations. 2.1.1 Reactive Approach The reactive approach to training tends to be an approach adopted predominantly by less developed and/or smaller organisations; this does not tend to involve pre-planning, but can be seen as spontaneous to a certain degree (Legge, 2005). This approach to training turn into action when business performance and productivity falls or seems to drop beyond a suitable level; the organisation then attempts to configure training to counteract this downturn. In comparison, to the other approaches to training, the financial layout is therefore relatively small, since training expenditure is effectively being used when it is needed (Lundy and Cowling, 1996). This approach suits smaller organisations whose finances cannot afford comprehensive training programmes which are systematically planned and administered (Lundy and Cowling, 1996). 2.1.2 Proactive Approach The proactive approach to training is effective where Organisations are actively seeking ways for training to improve their business performance; when Organisations are looking not only to improve their current training methods, but also opportunities to extend training to wider segments of their organisation. Such an approach tends to be adopted by organisations that see training as important part of their business model and essential to gaining a competitive advantage (Schuler and Jackson, 2007). 2.1.3 Systematic Approach The Systematic Approach to training is by far the approach which has been given the most attention to in literature and research (Raffe, 2004- Bratton and Gold, 2003). It is also the theoretical approach which most organisations adopt thus it is often argued it is the most logical and most successfully effective in a practical sense (Raffe, 2004). The systematic approach to training effectively revolves around dividing the training process and procedures into stages and sub-stages. McNamara (2008) identifies the stages of basic systematic approach to training which are analysis, design, develop, implement and evaluate. Analysis: This stage involves the organisations needs and identification of training goals, and the strategies to equip trainees with knowledge and skills to meet the organisations objectives. Usually this stage also includes the identification of training timings and participants. Design: This stage involves making training procedures and systems that can allow objectives to be met and a system that learners and trainers can implement to meet the learning goals. This stage involves identifying learning objectives, required facilities, funding, etc. Thus planning skills are utilised heavily here in this stage (McNamara, 2008). Develop: This stage involves obtaining the necessary resources which will be required to put together the training package designed (McNamara 2008); for example, identifying premises, materials and resources which will be required and progressing to obtain and organise them. Implement: Implementation stage tends to involve putting the training package designed into practice. It includes a variety of tasks ranging from delivering the training, clarifying training materials, administrative processes and conducting a final evaluation. This phase can include administrative activities, such as copying, scheduling facilities etc. Evaluate: This stage involves assessing training prior to, during and after its duration. It can also involve a wide variety of tasks from testing attendees on what was taught during the training, to asking their opinions on the training (McNamara, 2008). 2.2 Methods of Training The training delivery methods can be divided into cognitive and behavioural approaches. Cognitive methods provide information orally or in written form, demonstrate relationships among concepts, or provide the rules for how to do something. They stimulate learning through their impact on cognitive processes and are associated most closely with changes in knowledge and attitudes. The lecture, discussion, e-learning and case studies are cognitive methods. The cognitive methods of training can influence skill development (referenceforbusiness.com). The behavioural methods allow the trainee to practice behaviour in a real or simulated fashion. They stimulate learning through experience and are best at skill development and attitude change. The equipment simulators, business games, role plays, the in-basket technique, behaviour modelling and, to some extent, case studies are behavioural methods. Both behavioural and cognitive methods can be used to change attitudes. On-the-job training is a combination of many methods and is effective at developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Source: www.referenceforbusiness.com 2.3 Types of training Training broadly categorized into two types i.e. pre-service training and in-service training. Pre-service training is more academic in nature and is offered by formal institutions following syllabuses for certain period to offer a formal degree or diploma. In-service training, on the other hand, is offered by the organisation from time to time for the development of employees skills and knowledge. 2.3.1 Pre-service Training Pre-service training is a process through which individuals are made ready to enter a certain kind of professional job. They have to attend regular classes in a formal institution and need to complete a definite curriculum and courses successfully to receive a formal degree or diploma. They are not entitled to get a professional job unless they receive a certificate, diploma, or degree from the appropriate institution. 2.3.2 In-service Training In-service training is a process of staff development for the purpose of improving the performance of an incumbent holding a position with assigned job responsibilities. It promotes the professional growth of individuals. It is a program designed to strengthen the competencies of extension workers while they are on the job (Malone, 1984). In-service training is a problem-centred, learner-oriented, and time-bound series of activities which provide the opportunity to develop a sense of purpose and increase capacity to gain knowledge and mastery of techniques. In-service training may be categorized into five different types: induction or orientation training, foundation training, on-the-job training, refresher or maintenance training, and career development training. Induction or Orientation Training: Induction training is given immediately after employment to introduce the new staff members with their positions. It begins on the first day the new employee is on the job (Rogers Olmsted, 1957). Induction training for all employees should develop an attitude of personal dedication to the service of people and the organisation. This kind of training supplements whatever pre-service training the new personnel might have had (Halim and Ali, 1988) concerning the characteristics of a new employee. According to Van Dersal (1962) when people start to work in an organisation, they are eager to know what sort of outfit they are getting into, what they are supposed to do, and whom they will work with. They are likely to be more attentive and open-minded than experienced employees. In fact, the most favourable time for gaining employees attention and for moulding good habits among them is when they are new to the job. Foundation Training: Foundation training is in-service training which is also appropriate for newly recruited employees. Besides technical competence and routine instruction about the organisation, every staff member needs some professional knowledge about various rules and regulations of the government, financial transactions, administrative capability, communication skills, leadership ability, coordination and cooperation among different institutions, report writing etc. Foundation training is made available to employees to strengthen the foundation of their service career. This training is usually provided at an early stage of service life. Maintenance or Refresher Training: Refresher training is offered to update and maintain the specialized subject-matter knowledge of the employees. Refresher training keeps the specialists, administrators, subject-matter officers, extension supervisors, and frontline workers updated and enables them to add to the knowledge and skills they already have. Maintenance or refresher training usually deals with new information and new methods, as well as review of older ones. This type of training is needed both to keep employees at the peak of their possible production and to prevent them from getting into a rut (Van Dersal, 1962). On-the-Job Training: The On-the Job training is ad hoc or regularly scheduled training, such as fortnightly training under the training and visit system .It is provided by the superior officer or the subject specialists to the field staff. This training is generally problem or technology oriented and includes formal presentations, informal discussion, and opportunities to try out new skills and knowledge in the specific field. The administrator or subject specialist of each department must play a role in providing on-the-job training to the staff while conducting day-to-day normal activities. Career or Development Training: This type of in-service training is designed to upgrade the knowledge, skills, and ability of employees to help them to perform greater responsibilities at higher positions. The career development training is arranged departmentally for successful employees at all levels, for their continuing education and professional development. According to Malone (1984) the extension services that provide the opportunity for all staff to prepare a plan for career training will receive the benefits of having longer tenured and more satisfied employees, which increase both the effectiveness and efficiency of an extension service. Malone (1984) also stated that career development is the act of acquiring information and resources that enables one to plan a program of lifelong learning related to his or her work life. The career or development training plays a key role when a junior staff member is promoted at a higher level. 2.4 Effectiveness of Training It can be difficult to assess how effectively an organisations training processes are (Price, 2007); people often see this will be represented by organisation profitability and its efficiency (Lundy and Cowling, 1996); however, such increases are difficult, since they can attributed to a variety of factors including increases in product demand, economic/political factors and demographic changes. Despite this, it is important that firms measure training effectiveness for a number of reasons. The most recognisable and frequently used model for measuring the effectiveness of training programs was developed by Donald Kirkpatrick in 1950(Bratton and Gold 2003; Kirkpatrick, 1959; Price, 2007). It has been adapted and changed by different academics, although the basic structure has well stood the test of time (Kirkpatrick, 1998). The basic structure of Kirkpatricks four-level model is illustrated below. Source: (ftknowledge.com) Fig 2: Kirkpatrick Model for Evaluating Effectiveness of Training Programs Evaluating each level of the model can highlight the strengths and weaknesses of any particular training program or procedure; despite the progressive level composition of the model, Kirkpatrick (1998) indicates that it is still possible for a training program to be effective at the higher levels while being ineffective at the lower levels; e.g. organisational performance (level 4) may be improving as a result of the training yet employees may not have an optimal attitude or reaction to it (level 1). This view is supported by previous studies (Stokking, 1996). It is necessary to explain and discuss each component of the model in detail. 2.4.1 Reaction Reaction evaluates how employees felt about the training (Kirkpatrick, 1998). It is necessary for training programme to be effective, that employees have a positive reaction to training. This may be in the form of enjoying or finding training interesting. If employees do not react or have positive attitudes towards the training, it is likely to affect its efficiency (Armstrong, 2006). It is important to evaluate how employees feel about training whether they like or dislike it and what they feel can be add to improve their reactions. Further aspects of this component which may need to investigated, involve assessing whether delegates felt the training was an effective use of their time, whether they felt the training was relevant and were they comfortable with and its different aspects (Kirkpatrick, 1998). This is sometimes done through feedback sheets, where the delegates are given the opportunity to convey their views (Kirkpatrick, 1998). 2.4.2 Learning The learning is the evaluation of the increase in knowledge prior to and after the training procedure (Kirkpatrick, 1959). The effectiveness of this component is dependent on whether employees learned what they were intended to be taught and to what degree did their knowledge increased. This can be measured through assessments prior to and after a training session taken place, although again a questionnaire can also be given to attendants monitoring whether they personally feel their knowledge has increased (Brookes, 1995). 2.4.3 Behavioural Change The behavioural change is the extent of applied learning when back on the job (Kirkpatrick, 1998), the implementation of any learning which may have taken place. This is necessary for the organisation to realize the practical benefit of the training undertaken by their employees. Measuring strongly revolves around questioning employees on whether they felt different and more prepared for their job, as a result of their training (Mckenna and Beech, 2002). Furthermore, delegates should also be questioned on the fact whether the change when working is noticeable and whether they have been utilizing the relevant skills learned, as a result of the training undertaken (Lundy and Cowling, 1996). 2.4.4 Organisational Performance The organisational Performance is the effect on the business environment, made by their trainee upon completion of their training (Kirkpatrick, 1998). It is typical measure in terms of key performance indicators such as volumes, values and percentages and other quantifiable aspects such as turnover, attrition, quality and profits. The measuring of organisational performance resulting directly from training can be a tedious and complex process. Kirkpatrick (1998) says this cannot be measured accurately without substantial investigation since external factors, away from the training, will have a huge impact on the aspects discussed. Investigating this is limited to questioning senior managerial personnel on the organisations performance in terms such aspects and how much of the improvements/falls can be given to the actual training (Lundy and Cowling, 1996). The weakness with this approach lies in the reliance on honesty of the managerial personnel questioned, as well as their judgment . The ideal would be to involve the wide variety of relevant quantitative figures (Kirkpatrick, 1998). 2.5 Criticism on Kirkpatrick Model Kirkpatricks model for evaluation of training is well-established and in widespread use. Many organisations find it useful and since its publication no better alternative has been suggested. It is however, some criticisms relating to the model itself and the assumptions upon which it is applied. There are some criticisms of Kirkpatricks model for evaluating effectiveness of training that have implications for the ability of training evaluation to deliver benefits in the interests of organisations. These include the incompleteness of the model, the assumption of causality, and the assumption of increasing importance of information. The model is incomplete: The Kirkpatricks model for evaluating effectiveness of training gives an oversimplified view of training effectiveness that does not consider individual or contextual influences in the evaluation of training. A broad stream of research over past two decades (Ford Kraiger, 1995; Salas Cannon-Bowers, 2001; Tannenbaum Yukl, 1992) has documented the presence of a wide range of organisational, individual, and training design and delivery factors that can influence training effectiveness before, during, or after training. This research has led to a new understanding of training effectiveness that considers characteristics of the organisation and work environment and characteristics of the individual trainee as crucial input factors (Cannon-Bowers, Salas, Tannenbaum, 1995). The contextual factors such as the learning culture of the organisation (Tracy, Tannenbaum, Kavanaugh, 1995), organisational or work unit goals and values (Ford, Quinones, Sego, Sorra, 1992), the nature of interpersonal support in the workplace for skill acquisition and behaviour change (Bates, Holton, Seyler, Carvalho,2000) the climate for learning transfer (Rouiller Goldstein,1993), and the adequacy of material resources have been shown to influence the effectiveness of training process. The Kirkpatricks model assumes that examination of these factors is not essential for effective evaluation of training. The assumption of causal linkages: Kirkpatricks model for evaluating effectiveness of training assumes that the levels of criteria represent a causal chain such that positive reactions lead to greater learning, which produces greater transfer and subsequently more positive results. Although Kirkpatrick is vague about the precise nature of the causal linkages between training outcomes, his writings do imply that a simple causal relationship exists between the levels of evaluation (Holton, 1996). In one of Kirkpatricks more recent publications he stated that if training is going to be effective, it is important that trainees react favourably and that without learning, no change in behaviour will occur (Kirkpatrick, 1994), research, however, largely failed to confirm such causal linkages. Incremental importance of information: Kirkpatricks model for evaluating effectiveness of training assumes that each level of evaluation provides data that is more informative than the last (Alliger Janak, 1989). This assumption has produced the perception among training evaluators that establishing level four results will provide the most useful information about training process effectiveness. Although there are some criticisms upon Kirkpatrick model for evaluating training effectiveness but this model is well suited in addressing the objectives of this research, which significantly focus on assessing if training problems exist, as well as training effectiveness and identifying potential improvements within bank. 2.6 Problems of Training Evaluation There are many problems which exist and can occur that can hinder the training process; these can vary strongly dependent on factors such as organisation type, training type, etc (Schuler and Jackson, 2007). To point out some of the common problems of the training process, the researcher has opted to use the components of Kirkpatricks model. Reaction: The common problem is that training may be boring, uninteresting and negatively seen by the employees; a positive reaction perception of training in the view of employees is important to the effectiveness of training. As with development aspects in general it is usually necessary for people to enjoy them or at the very least not dislike them, to be impressionable (Noe, 1998). Learning: The learning styles of employees can strongly affect the how much they can learn during training sessions. Honey and Mumford (1989) identify four styles of learning which outline ways to which an individual may be favoured to learning; these are activists, reflectors, theorists and pragmatists. Behavioural Change: Behavioural Change can be affected in numerous ways; this is the aspect which determines the extent to which the practical benefit of training is realized. The common problem which can prevent behavioural change being realized is that of a lack of relevance (Kirkpatrick, 1959). If the training undertaken by employees is not relevant to the skills required in their job then they are unlikely to change to a more effective way of working. The other main problems of effective behavioural change lie in the ability of the individuals to transfer any new skills they have learnt during training (Gibb, 2007). Organisational Performance: Training however successful at variety of levels may not necessarily translate into improved organisational performance; the variety of external factors affecting an organisations performance as well as individuals performance, can mean that even if the training is perfectly designed it may not lead to greater performance on a business level (Rod and Colin, 2000). There is fact that many training programs are focused on informing trainees as opposed to directly intending to improve their job performance (Gibb, 2007). 3.0 Research Methodology To obtain maximum output researcher has to devise an appropriate research strategy which will be beneficial for accurate results while analysing the data. Author elaborates the research methods and approaches which will be used in this investigation. An effective research can only conducted by using relevant strategies out of many and each of them can be used for exploratory, descriptive and explanatory research (Saunders, 2007). According to Deetz (1996) different modes of research allow us to understand different phenomena and for different reasons. The methodology chosen depends on what researcher is trying to do rather than a commitment to a particular paradigm (Cavaye, 1996). The methodology used must match the particular objectives of research. Different phenomena may require the use of different or a set of methodologies. By focusing on the phenomenon under examination, rather than the methodology, researchers can select appropriate methodologies for their enquiries (Falconer Mackay, 1999). 3.1 Research Paradigms The term paradigm is introduced by the Thomas Kuhn, he characterizes a paradigm as: An integrated cluster of substantive concepts, variables and problems attached with corresponding methodological approaches and tools (Kuhn, 1962).In the past century, different paradigms have introduced due to the remarkable growth in the research. There are two main paradigms to verify the theoretical propositions, i.e. positivism and anti-positivism. Positivism comprises on usage of natural science approach. Researcher prefers to work along with an observable social reality which results in making law similar to natural scientists (Remenyi et al, 1998,). This is useful for quantitative research with logics. An important factor of positivism approach is that research can go as far as possible and in a value free manner (Saunders, 2007). Although positivistic paradigm continued to influence educational research for a long time in the latter half of the twentieth century, it was criticized due to its lack of regard for the subjective states of individuals. It regards human behaviour as passive, controlled and determined by external environment. Hence human beings are dehumanized without their intention, individualism and freedom taken into account in viewing and interpreting social reality. According to the critics of this paradigm, objectivity needs to be replaced by subjectivity in the process of scientific inquiry. This gave rise to anti-positivism or naturalistic inquiry. Anti-positivism emphasizes that social reality is viewed and interpreted by the individual according to the ideological positions they posses. The anti-positivists believe that reality is multi-layered and complex (Cohen et al, 2000) and a single phenomenon are having multiple interpretations. Positivism emphasizes objectivist approach to studying social phenomena and gives importance to research methods focusing on quantitative analysis, surveys, experiments etc. Similarly, anti-positivism stresses on subjectivist approach to studying social phenomena attaches importance to a range of research techniques focusing on qualitative analysis like personal interviews, participant observations, account of individuals, personal constructs etc. Other research paradigms further exist in the form of Interpretivism and Realism. Interpretivism is based on beliefs of people and interprets the meaning which they perceive. This emphasises creating research among people than objects. The interpretivist approach is significant if research is conducted in the fields of marketing, organisational behaviour and human resource management (Saunders, 2007). Realism comprises on the fact that reality is independent of the mind. It is totally based on reality rather than idealism. The underlying assumption of realism is that senses show us reality and that is truth. In other words, objects have their existence and thats the reality (Saunders, 2007). Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are utilized when adopting a realism stance (Maylor and Blackmon, 2005). The researcher sees combination of both Interpretivist and Realism stances the most appropriate way to approach this study. The interpretive stance is essential to establish the effectiveness of training activities within the bank while the realism philosophy is important to allowing the other research objectives to be met. According to Easterby Smith it is rare for research to be conducted from a single philosophical perspective, a combination of stances is mostly needed to allow research objectives to be met (Easterby Smith et al, 2002). 3.2 Qualitative and Quantitative Methods Both qualitative and quantitative methods are to be used in this research, thus it is important that both of these to be discussed. Qualitative Methods: Qualitative research methods look more at human perceptions of issues. They tend to offer an insight and deeper, broader understanding of matters, rather than more clinical, concise quantitative approach (Collis and Hussey, 2003).Such methods uncover meanings and the variety of human response. Because they view issues with a social context methods tends to be unstructured and possesses an element of authenticity (Jankowicz, 2005). The qualitative methods which researcher intends to use primarily are semi-structured interviews. Quantitative Methods: Quantitative methods look at facts and figures that can be measured in some way to achieve a quantified, or generalized in terms of their relationship with each other (Collis and Hussey, 2003).The techniques in this type of research include experiments (in which a hypothesis may be tested out under controlled conditions), surveys and questionnaires. The questions are closed ended and structured interviews. 3.3 Primary Research Primary data is collected data, which has specifically being done to answer questions passed by the current research objectives. There are many means of obtaining primary data such as observation, surveys, interviews and questionnaire. The researcher intends to use questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and observation for primary data collection in this research. One of the main advantages of primary data is the availability of up to date data so the credibility of the data usually cannot be questioned (Collis and Hussey, 2003) while the major disadvantages of primary data collection is that it can be a difficult process, especially in terms of time consumption as finding participant, setting up the actual research process and then analyzing the results usually takes up a lot of time (Collis and Hussey, 2003