antilegalization of Marijuana essays

antilegalization of Marijuana essays Dear Congressman, I am honored to be writing to you on such a significant topic of national concern. Average citizens are annoyed and just plain fatigued with the drugs and crime problems in America. These upright citizens, that contribute to the growth of American society, are being told that legalization is a reasonable alternative to dealing with these problems in their communities. Legalization of any drug is not a positive way to fight crime. In fact, there is no legitimate reason to legalize drugs. The Legalization of marijuana is the starting point of the pro-legalization of drugs movement. The issue of legalizing marijuana is truly a controversial one, and certainly one that requires a plethora of considerations at the top levels of the legislative branch. When considering the possibility of legalizing marijuana as a recreational drug, there are a number of concerns that come to mind. Is marijuana physically harmful to the user? Is marijuana an addictive drug? Does the use of marijuana lead to dependency situations? Does it act as "gateway" to more hazardous drugs? Does the notion of legalizing marijuana send an immoral, wrong message to the youth of America? Mr. Congressman, the answer to all these questions is YES. According to the DEA (1998), the supreme ruler of drug knowledge in America, there are over 10,0...

Online Marketing Challenge

Online Marketing Challenge Executive Summary The analysis of online marketing challenge is aimed at improving the performance of a hotel in the competitive Australian industry. In this case, the Managing director of the hotel needs to understand means of optimizing the internet marketing to improve the performance of the hotel.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Online Marketing Challenge specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The challenge of online marketing necessitates the use of online resources and approaches to increase the number of audience to the hotel’s site. As a result, it would increase the number of sales as well as the company generating revenue through some online activities. Introduction Online marketing refers to the advertising and promotion products and services through the Web or e-mail in order to increase the sales or information about the content. Most organizations conduct online marketing using e-commerce models that a re designed to reach their targeted clients. The common internet approaches adopted include web advertising, email marketing, and social media promotion. Due to competition, organizations attempt to create appealing and captivating sites, which offer the best adverts for their products. This is attributed to the placement of organizations to a common platform in the internet irrespective of the sizes. In addition, the utilization of online marketing enables an organization to market its products to a wider customer base at cheaper rates (Demiray 2011, p.48). Although there are many benefits associated with online marketing, there are critical issues that organizations should consider before exploring the marketing strategy. Internet marketing Primarily, the hotel has to identify its targeted consumers before launching online marketing. Such an understanding is vital based on the products or services that one intends to offer. Various factors such as gender, age, educational level, d isposable income, and occupation of clients influence the nature of marketing to be designed. When such issues have been addressed, it is crucial to identify the appropriate sites and sections where the adverts should be placed. In most cases, the expenditure cost and objectives of the hotel influence the choice.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, the common issues to be considered include volume of traffic, quality of existing ads, page ranking of the sites and presence of rivals (Janal 2011, p.96). Consequently, the hotel would be forced to design its adverts appropriately using the appropriate keywords. Once the hotel has identified the best sites and nature of advertising to conduct, it is critical to determine the type of internet marketing to adopt. The common types of internet marketing include Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Search Engine Optimization (SOE), and Search Engine Results Page (SERP). SEM refers to the means of improving the traffic to the web based on the ads of the products. This method aims at addressing the needs of customers as well as provision of information on how to acquire the products. SEO involves the use of appropriate words that optimize the ranking of web pages in search engines. In this case, it improves the chances of internet users visiting the site due to its ranking. SERP entails the appearance of the web pages when a search engine query is inserted. This implies that when the appropriate keywords are used the site will appear in frequently compared to the other pages (Johnson 2010, p.3). These issues will assist the hotel in developing ads that would suit the needs of the people as well as choice of sites that have high traffic. Core areas of online marketing Online marketing demands the understanding of the core issues such as keyword analysis, content marketing, email marketing, search marketing , and affiliate marketing. Keyword analysis is the use of appropriate keywords that internet users utilize in most cases while using search engines. This implies that the hotel should search for popular words in order to attract traffic and convert it to sales. Content marketing involves the organization of appealing information to captivate the attention of audience. The content is vital in providing useful information to the audience, which attracts them to revisit and assess other available services. E-mail marketing is the use of messages to communicate with customers when they provide their emails to the hotel (Labbà © 2011, p.26). In essence, the hotel should maintain emails of its clients in the database for consistent communication with clients on the new updates and products that it offers. Search marketing involves the marketing of products through opportunities that exist in the search engines. Affiliate marketing is the use of other sites to advertise the products in or der to market the services of the hotel.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Online Marketing Challenge specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Following the understanding of the appropriate method to adopt in online marketing, the hotel should decide on the means of increasing the number of audience visiting the site. In this regard, the hotel ought to utilize the AIDA concepts to enhance the information that users can access from the site. AIDA involves the creation of content that attracts attention, interest, desire, and action. For this reason, the audience would be able to undertake some initiatives of conducting sales or acquiring products from the site. On the other hand, the hotel should be able to analyze the traffic capacity of its site and improve on the performance of the site (Levinson Rubin 2010, p.122). Consequently, the site would be able to attract the users as the hotel utilizes other means of advertising s uch as banner ads, pop ups and links from other sites. Online marketing resources The use of online marketing necessitates the hotel to use vital online resources. The main online resources include aMember, Digg, Feedburner, Flickr, Google Adsense, Google Adwords among others. aMember is a plugin that enables sites to integrate PHP for users to undertake online payments through provision of authorization and privacy of the website. In most cases, users have to subscribe with the site to enjoy the services. Digg is a resource that offers the hotel with a chance to provide their news to the community. In essence, it enables the hotel’s sites to post its articles in the internet with the most recent articles appearing at the top of the list. This enables the users to access further information in the hotel’s site through the links offered. Feedburner offers free statistics for the number of visitors in a site as well as a chance to subscribe for free emails and articles. Flickr is a resource that enables the hotel to upload and share photos, which improves the presentation of information to the audience (Sheehan 2010, p.146). Google AdSense is a resource that enables web publishers to advertise and market their products. Google offers the publishers payments for posting ads in the sites. For this reason, the hotel can earn some revenue through publishing ads in its sites. On the other hand, Google AdWords provided advertisers a chance to offer their products through provision of their ads with distinct keywords.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The advertisers usually pay when their ads are clicked, and for this reason, it creates an opportunity for the hotel to increase its profits by offering such services. These vital resources should be incorporated while the means of payment such as PayPal and Moneybookers are integrated in the sites. As a result, the hotel would make money through the services it offers in its site as well as sales made through acquisition of its services or products (Scott 2007, p.104). Conclusion Online marketing is a vital concept that entails multiple variables to exhaust and achieve the desired needs of the hotel. Based on this situation, the hotel should adequately prepare resources to invest in the program to realize the full potential. Moreover, the hotel should understand the nature of risks attributable to the hotel such as privacy and security of the site. Such issues offer consumers power to interact with services offered in the site. Furthermore, it ensures that the consumers are sensiti zed on the activities that are involved in the enhancement of service delivery within the hotel. Recommendations Blogging forms a crucial component of internet marketing since the hotel can present its information or issues in a casual manner. In this regard, the products of the hotel can be covered in depth with respect to the interests of the consumers. Furthermore, the hotel has the ability to assess the response of the consumers since they can present their comments (Sudhaman 2004, p.2). For this reason, interactivity between the hotel and its consumers is enhanced leading to effective way of understanding customers’ behaviors and preference. This issue leads to the presentation of products or services that suit the needs of the clients. Meanwhile, the hotel should adopt internet services such as auto-respondent, call to action and cannibalization. Auto-respondent services enable the hotel to respond instantly to the needs of clients as a cycle of activity of the site. Th e call-to-action is a technique that would allow consumers to take an appropriate action based on the nature of the site, which increases the level of sales (Loda 2011, p.33). At the same time, cannibalization would allow the hotel to utilize the sites of other companies to source for clients or customers. As a result, the number of customers visiting the site would increase leading to the expansion of client base, which improves the profitability of the hotel. The use of social sites for marketing also plays a crucial role in internet marketing. The growth and expansion of technology has enabled many people to interact and share through social sites. Some of the common sites that have contributed to creation of partnership, friendship, and associates include Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Hi5 among others (Scott 2007, p.85). In this case, the hotel should exploit these avenues to access customers and create a good rapport with them to enhance sales. In most cases, the social sites al low users to create pages that market their products as well as connection with vital human resource for the growth of the hotel. Essentially, the hotel could adopt the social sites to create awareness of their site amongst the social site users, which improves the traffic to their site due to ability to offer their link in the social sites. When internet users visit the website of the hotel, it is possible to offer them a chance to present their views and remarks. Most of the common types of user-generated content that users can offer include product reviews, comments of the websites and forum entries. The User-Generated Content enables the hotel to increase interaction with the audience as well as market effectively their products. At the same time, the hotel has the ability to review the content of the site to create appealing image of the hotel through use of SEO. The use of User-Generated content can be integrated with blogs, photos and video, which improves the quality of info rmation received by the audience. Some of the main hotels that have exploited the User-Generated Content include TripAdvisor, Goodreads, Allrecipes and Craiglist. Following these crucial services of the site, the hotel can improve the nature of its services or products being offered in the market (Grossnickle Raskin 2010, p.145). References Demiray, U. 2011. Marketing online education programs frameworks for promotion and communication. Information Science Reference, Hershey PA. Grossnickle, J., Raskin, O. 2010. Handbook of online marketing research. McGraw-Hill, New York. Janal, D. S. 2011. Online marketing handbook: how to promote, advertise, and sell your products and services on the Internet. J. Wiley, New York. Johnson, T. 2010. Australian Tourism Minister Lawlor Says New Tourism Queensland Online Marketing Guide to Help Queensland Tourism Operators, Washington, D.C., Malaysia, Washington, D.C. Labbà ©, M. 2011, A natural partnership: Tourism Online Marketing, International Trade Forum, , no. 2, pp. 26-27. Levinson, J. C., Rubin, C. 2010. Guerrilla marketing online: the entrepreneurs guide to earning profits on the Internet. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Loda, M.D. 2011, Comparing Web Sites: An Experiment In Online Tourism Marketing, International Journal of Business and Social Science, vol. 2, no. 22, pp. n/a. Scott, D. M. 2007. The new rules of marketing and PR: how to use news releases, blogs, podcasting, viral marketing, online media to reach buyers directly. John Wiley Sons, Hoboken, N.J.. Sheehan, B. 2010. Online marketing. McGraw Hills, New York. Sudhaman, A. 2004, Tourism Australia lifts online marketing plan, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Hong Kong.

Training Plan ( Training & Devolpment) Assignment

Training Plan ( Training & Devolpment) - Assignment Example Workshop and exercises (Day 2). Workshop served as the summative learning wherein participants were asked at the end of the module to identify gaps in their time management and how to improve them through effective time management. In this exercise, participant’s ability to manage their time effectively using the methods taught was gauged. The exercises will help the administrators of the training to identify training gap. This is beneficial for the training session because it will help ensure that the training objectives will be imbued among the participants. These objectives include a grasp of time management and the ability to manage and control their time and activities properly. Flipchart and power point presentation. For the participants have a visual idea of how to effectively manage their time using the various time management techniques such as time matrix, prioritizing, and goal setting, a power point presentation were used during the lecture and discussion to aid and facilitate understanding about SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Bound) goal setting and other methods. This will aid the formative learning process Participant’s grasp of the training were measured in terms of their ability to construct their own Time Matrix, SMART Plans, Order of Priorities and ability to identify the important from non-important activities. The long-term benefit of the training plan may not be immediately felt by the students and administrators of the training. It is expected however that students must be able to have a greater efficacy and efficiency in their activities that will result to higher productivity and better performance in all aspect of lives due to the lessons learned in time management. Ultimately, it is also envisaged that with the ability to control time and manage activities, students will have a more fruitful and successful lives both in

Operation Ripper, Korean War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Operation Ripper, Korean War - Essay Example tion involved the entire divisions of Eighth Army as well as the airborne troops of the 187th Regiment Combat Team and the 2nd and 4th Ranger companies. A number of the historical accounts on Operation Ripper identified it as offensive with an exclusive objective of capturing Seoul. However, there are accounts that Operation Ripper has a deeper goal than merely driving away the enemy from a specific location. Dorr and Thompson (2003) explained that throughout the Korean War, the American soldier did not have the killer mentality that would ensure efficacy in the battlefield: "A study showed that 27 percent balked, deliberately passing up a chance to aim and shoot their MI Garand rifles when an enemy soldier presented a target."2 So, the newly installed General Matthew Ridgway, planned Operation Ripper to remedy this problem and inflict as much casualty as possible. The operation was originally called Operation Killer, describing its ultimate objective. Soldiers were conditioned to kill. They were reminded that the job entailed killing and the destruction of enemy equipment. This is demonstrated in the standard pep talk delivered by sergeants to the UN troops: "Your job is to point that goddamned thing into the other guys face and shoot him deader than a doornail."3 The tactics involved included the coordinated offensives and strictly preserved lateral security that avoided immediate interdiction.4 After the operation, it was reported that the United Nation troops were able to kill 7,000 Chinese soldiers.5 While Operation Ripper did not decimate the enemy completely, it successfully drove them out of Seoul and further up north. In this respect, it was able to attain some degree of success for the United Nations efforts during the Korean War. The success of the operation was able to change the lackluster performance of the troops. There are those who argued that the outcome turned the tides of the war. In the political front, Operation Ripper convinced policymakers

Light and shadow in prayer Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Light and shadow in prayer - Dissertation Example Artists start from developing simple ideas, which in turn improve and become more significant in the world. Association of light and the church is an artistic style that has developed for a long period from 12th and 13th centuries. Since then, the use of light and darkness has developed to a level that is applauded by all church members, priests, believer and artists who engage in development techniques. it is in this view that the paper intents to provide a critical analysis of development of light and darkness in the church, the effect they have brought and the future of the artistic styles in using environment to enhance Godliness in the church. Introduction Architecture is the act of designing and creating buildings. It involves creating a style and a method of how a building is going to be constructed. This paper is going to define what prayer and the understanding what the church is. It will assess the early Christian communities and the origin of church building (Fletcher & Cruickshank, 2004). The paper will examine factors affecting the architectural churches and the origin of architectural church, the reformation and its influence in the church. The paper will look at modernism, a period after reformation and then asses the relationship between Light and shadow. Finally, it will look at the use of light in churches and prayer and light in the architectural churches (Pevsner, 2002). Meaning of Architecture ... The light is of great importance in the interior, also plays an important role in the perception of space. For centuries, religious buildings were created with particular attention to proper lighting the holy place. The natural light should not be forgotten in the architecture, and the words of Le Corbusier "Architecture is a smart, coordinated play of masses in the light," it should be the most important doctrine. Prayer Prayer is defined in so many ways and the various definitions that are given are normally associated with the experiences of those defining them. The first definition that we can talk of is prayer being a communication. Prayer is regarded as a means of communicating with God. Ordinarily, when people are communicating, it takes at least two people to communicate. When people are communicating, there is a message that is being sent to the receiver, the receiver is expected to encode the message and then give a feedback to the sender. When communicating with God, the s ame process is expected to take place. The person communicating with God, sends a message to God where by God is expected to receive the message and give a feedback. The feedback from God is normally regarded as fulfilled expectations of the person who is communicating with Him (Giles, 2004). The diagram below shows a priest and a church member communicating to God together. http://img.tfd.com/wn/30/605C7-prayer.png In connection with communication is the notion that prayer is talking to God. Communication involves talking to someone just like in prayer it is believed that we talk to God and hence a conversation with God. We normally hold a conversation with people who can hear us. In prayer, we therefore recognize the presence of God whom we talk

Growth Of The Medical Tourism Industry Tourism Essay

Growth Of The Medical Tourism Industry Tourism Essay CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW In the previous chapter a brief introduction to the meaning of medical tourism and the medical tourism industry has been given to develop a basic understanding of the subject for this dissertation. This chapter deals with the review of the literature for developing a conceptual and theoretical background for further research and identifying the research areas required. Literature review is an essential part of any research as it not only helps the researcher understand the research areas required, but also develops a conceptual background of the study for the reader. In survey and experimental research, the review of literature serves as a variety of background functions, which helps in the preparation of the collection of the actual data (SINGH, 2007, pp-61). The literature review in this dissertation has been designed in a systematic and a conclusive way for the reader to understand the subject clearly. The literature review has been divided into three main parts which are:- (Part A) Introduction:-This part deals with the literature required for understanding the concept of medical tourism as an industry and the medical tourism industry in India. (Part B) Medical Tourism in India: Strategic Implications and Growth:-This part consists of literature required to study the strategic implications and factors influencing growth of the medical tourism industry in India. This part is related to the second and third objective of this dissertation and also helps in developing a research area required for the fourth and fifth objective. (Part C) Conclusion:-After understanding the concept of the strategic implications and growth of the medical tourism industry the main conceptual framework can now be made and the main research areas can now be identified. The reason for this literature review is not just to review the related literature but to identify the concepts that will be used in the research. The importance of a literature review cannot be matched by an understanding as to how a review of literature can be done but how it can be used in the research (HART, 1998, pp-1).This chapter will help in finding the questions that needs to be answered in the research. PART A Medical Tourism: Background (A.1)Defining Medical Tourism Since ancient times, travellers have left their homeland in search of the best health care possible. Historical records show that early civilizations, such as the Romans (about 4 to 400 BC) were drawn toward the healing properties of bath or spring waters (KHAN, 2010).Although Medical tourism seems to be an entirely new concept which is now being acknowledged as an industry itself it has existed from the 18th century. Some of the earliest forms of tourism were directly aimed at increased health and well being for example, the numerous spas that remain in many parts of Europe and elsewhere, which in some cases represented the effective start of local tourism, when taking the waters became common by the 18th century (CONNEL, 2005).By the 19th century spas were found in the most remote colonies such as the French Pacific Territory of New Caledonia while the emergence of hill stations throughout the tropics further emphasized curative properties of tourism (SMYTH,2005 cited in WOODSIDE,2 007).History proves that medical tourism has existed for a long time. According to John Connell (Cited in WOODMAN,2007) recently travellers have travelled in search of yoga and meditation as the search for cure took on more spiritual and holistic perspectives. Today people not only travel long distances for spas and relaxation but for complicated medical procedures in search for affordable and quality medical care. Globalisation, it is said, lifts nations out of their isolated existence and makes them part of one knowledge society. Today, outsourcing of activities like labora ­tory investigations, medical transcriptions, software de ­velopment, and telemedicine to countries like India, China, Korea, Japan, has become easier with business process outsourcing(QUADEER and REDDY,2010) . The globalization of healthcare services has given rise to a new phenomenon called Medical Tourism. It is also called Healthcare Globalization, Health Vacation, Wellness Tourism, Medical Outsourcing, or Generation Next Health Holidays. The term Medical Tourism can be defined as travel outside ones home country in search of healthcare that is either less expensive or more accessible (KHAN, 2010).Carrera and Bridges (Cited in LUNT and CARERRA, 2010) identify health tourism as the organised travel outside ones local environment for the maintenance, enhancement or restoration of an individuals well-being in mind and body. Definitions and the seeking to know meaning of terms and words can put things right elementarily between people and their words (JACKSON, JACKSON and HARMON, 197, pp-235). Although there are many definitions of the term Medical Tourism the definition must serve the general purpose of understanding the meaning of the term Medical tourism. The term Medical tourism can be divided into two words Medical and Tourism as shown in the figure below (JAGYASI, 2008). MEDICAL TOURISM MEDICAL TOURISM The word Medical means treatment of illness, disorder or injuries. The activities of persons travelling to and stay in a place outside their usual environment for leisure, business and other purposes. + Figure 1: Defining Medical Tourism Source: JAGYASI, P.2008.Defining Medical Tourism ~ another approach. Medical Tourism Magazine .July 15 th According to Dr Prem Jagyasi (JAGYASI, 2008) understanding of the words medical and tourism individually will not be sufficient to define the term Medical Tourism. Considering the definitions of the words, medical tourism can be defined as a set of activities in which a person travels often long distance or across the border, to avail medical services with direct or indirect engagement in leisure, business or other purposes. Today medical tourism has become a huge industry itself.According to a report by Mckinsey and company and the confideration of Indian industry(2005) the medical tourism industry is expected to become a hundered million dollar industry by the year 2012.The figure below represents the projected growth in the earning in revenues of the worldwide medical tourism industry. Figure 2 Some of the internationally know hospitals for medical tourism such as Bumrungrad in Thailand and Apollo in India, report revenue growth of about 20 percent to 25 percent annually (ROTH, 2006). McKinsey Company (2005) estimates that Indian medical tourism will grow to $2.3 billion by 2012.In 2005 approximately 250,000 medical tourists sought care in Singapore, and 500,000 travelled to India for medical care(HUTCHINSON,2005).According to these reports the medical tourism industry is expected to grow at a large scale. A commonality in all these reports concludes that the three main destinations where growth of this industry is expected to be the highest are India, Thailand and Singapore which are countries in Asia. Therefore before the medical tourism industry in India can be seen it is important to identify the key factors influencing growth of the medical tourism industry in Asia and the different destinations gaining popularity in this industry who will eventually are the competito rs. (A.2) Medical Tourism in Asia Table 1: Popular medical tourism destinations around the world. Source:-NATAN, M and SEFER, E.2009.Medical Tourism: A New role of Nursing? .OJIN: The online journal of Issues in Nursing. July 22 .Vol 14 There are many countries that are now competing in the medical tourism industry all around the world. The table given below indicates the major destinations for medical tourism in the world. As it can be seen Asia has a lot of countries that have established themselves as medical tourism destinations. According to an update in a report given by Deloitte (2008) the number of medical tourists visiting Asia will grow at a rate of 20% annually and will create an industry worth US$4 billion by the year 2012.India is estimated to account for half of the medical tourism industry, countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are already promoting their medical tourism industries. Asia The Americas Europe Africa Oceania China Argentina Belgium South Africa Australia India Bolivia Germany Israel Jordan Brazil Columbia Hungary Lithuania Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Cost Rica Jamaica Mexico United States Poland Asian Governments are now supporting medical tourism through organizing awards and promotional events such as Asian Spa and Wellness tourism in 2006 and the establishment of dedication promotional boards (HENDERSON,2004 cited in COCHRANE,2008) The four main countries identified as medical tourism destinations in Asia are Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and India. In 2002 Thailand became home to the Asias first JCI-Accredited hospital which was Bumrungrand in Bangkok and presently has six other hospitals which have been given this accreditation (WOODMAN, 2009). In Thailand according to the Kasikorn Research Centre, about 1.28 million foreigners visited hospitals in 2005 generating revenues of about thirty three million Thai baht (DELOITTE, 2008).Another important destination for medical tourism is India a country that has pioneered the outsourcing industry is now quickly gaining popularity as a medical tourism destination. Before the medical tourism industry in India can be looked at it is important to understand the factors that promote Asia itself as a caterer to the medical tourism industry. As seen below a SWOT analysis on the medical tourism industry is given which analysis the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Asia itself. Organizations use the SWOT analysis as the first step in developing their marketing plan as it is relatively an easy process and helps in describing the major considerations to be taken in designing an appropriate strategy(BRIGGS,2001,p-47). This SWOT analysis plays a significant part of this research as it outlines the significant strategic implications of the Medical tourism in Asia. SWOT ANALYSIS OF THE MEDICAL TOURISM INDUSTRY IN ASIA STRENGTHS à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  More mature medical tourism markets, facilities, and practices. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Government sponsored tax breaks and open environment for foreign private investments in healthcare infrastructure. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚   A relative surplus in the labour pool due to large populations and strong emphasis in education in some countries. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  A history of using complementary and alternative e.g., yoga, Ayurveda, herbs, TCM/TKM. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚   In close proximity to Middle Eastern medical tourists. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Asia also has a booming tourism market with many scenic locations and various types of geography (beaches to mountains) to choose from. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Asians are known for their culture of hospitality and service. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Services and procedures such as: wellness/CAM, eye-care, musculoskeletal care, cardiac care, transplants, haemodialysis, and general/plastic surgery. Source:-VEQUIST, VALDEZ and MORRISON, 2009 WEAKNESSES à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  The length of travel for many European and North American tourists. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Some fears of travelling to Asia because of a reputation of social unrest, corruption and violence. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  The lack of European and North American language (e.g., English, German, French, etc.) ability. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  The culture in Asia is arguably very different from occidental cultures. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Difficulty in seeking legal remedy in the event of malpractice. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Large disparity in the healthcare systems for the poor and rich/medical tourists. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Several Asian countries are trying to serve too wide a swath of the market to maintain a sustainable industry. Source:-VEQUIST, VALDEZ and MORRISON, 2009 As it can be seen above the strengths and weaknesses of the medical tourism industry in Asia have been identified. These factors play an important role in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the medical tourism industry in India as the Indian medical tourism industry is a part of the Asian medical tourism industry. These factors also develop a contrast between the positive and negative features of the medical tourism industry in Asia. As it can be seen above Asia also has a booming tourism market and is known for hospitality and service. The health care facilities in Asia are well developed. Asia also has a history of using complementary and alternative medicines which will support in developing wellness tourism .Although there are many positives of this industry in Asia, it also has some negatives such as a weak legal system in the case of malpractice. People also have the fear of the unknown as there is a change in the social climate. These factors relate to the Indian medi cal tourism industry in many ways but some of them may not apply such as the language barrier as India has a large English speaking population and the legal system which is developing rapidly. After a comparative study of the strengths and weaknesses of the Asian medical tourism industry a comparison of the opportunities and threats is discussed in the SWOT analysis. The next two factors of the SWOT analysis are the opportunities and threats which draw a comparative study on the external capabilities of the Asian medical tourism industry. Source:-VEQUIST, VALDEZ and MORRISON, 2009 OPPORTUNITIES à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Large populations in the region offer many advantages (e.g., more regional medical tourism, lower cost of labour, more healthcare professionals, etc.). à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚   Increasing strength and diversity of Asian economies and many fast-growing areas. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚   Many strong governmental initiatives supporting medical tourism. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Shrinking cost of fuel (i.e. gas prices) which makes airfare lower and encourages medical tourism. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  The wealth in the Middle Eastern could lead to more tourists travelling to the Asian region. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  The Asian expertise in off-shoring of various industries to add to their chances to capitalize on this market. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  The emphasis on education and healthcare in many countries in Asia. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚   Strong private investments will build the infrastructure of the region. THREATS à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚   Disease (particularly pandemics), social unrest, terrorism, overcrowding, dirty environments in some areas of Asia are perceived negatively and hurt marketing efforts. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Competition from Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East for North American, European, and Middle Eastern medical tourists. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Due to the economy, many consumers simply do not have large enough cash reserve to pay for services or airfare. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Limited numbers of insurance carriers that have comprehensive relationships with medical providers in Asia. à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚  Fast growth of medical tourism in other regions and countries outside of Asia. Source:-VEQUIST, VALDEZ and MORRISON, 2009 As seen above the opportunities of the Asian medical tourism industry is huge and a major advantage is the increasing strength of the economies which fuels the development of stronger governments and health care infrastructure. Asia also expertises in off-shoring servicing as seen in the case of India which is also considered the off-shoring capital of the world. Although there are many opportunities there are threats to the Asian medical tourism industry as there is an increasing competition from Latin America and certain countries in Europe. Asia is also perceived as a continent of social unrest, terrorism and unhealthy environment which impacts negatively on the marketing strategy. In the above SWOT analysis the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the Asian medical tourism industry can be highlighted. These factors explore the internal and external capabilities of Asia itself in this industry which brings out a contrast between the positive and negative features of this industry in Asia. These factors adversely affect the medical tourism industry in India. (A.3) Medical Tourism in India. The Indian governments commitment to providing compre ­hensive healthcare to the citizens, irrespective of their paying capacity, as part of its welfare policies was given up after 30 years of independence when the Sixth Plan opened up medical care to the voluntary and private sectors (QUADEER and REDDY, 2010).The involvement of the private sectors in the health care industry in India helped in the emergence of a corporate health sector in the 1990s.After opening up to the corporate sector in healthcare policies the government emphasised on healthcare to the poor and their involvement in it which was seen in the eighth and ninth year plans given by the government of India in 1992 and 1997 respectively. The acceptance of the new economic policy, of the health sector reforms by 1992 increased cutbacks in public sector investments in health as well as the commoditisation of health services (RAMA and NUNDY, 2008).The cutback in public sector investments led to the breakdown of the publ ic healthcare institutions with more collaboration from the private healthcare sector. When the healthcare services became dominated by the private sector, a new phenomenon of healthcare services becoming a form of market expansion and financial gains rather that welfare could be observed. This gave rise to the medical tourism industry in India. The government policy of merging medical expenditure and tourism was announced by Finance Minister Jaswant Singh in his 2003 annual budget speech when he described India as a global health desti ­nation. He identified the potential of complex health care services that are offered at relatively cheaper rates and yet earned profits. In this report he also mentioned the possibilities in investing in large chains of medical institutions and creating medi-cities. After this report heavy investment in improving medical institutions continued and today India has become of the fastest growing medical tourism destinations. This country is usually viewed as one of the most important global leader in the medical tourism industry, and it advertises itself as offering everything from alternative ayurvedic therapy to coronary bypasses and cosmetic surgery (CONNELL, 2006).Some hospital executives in India use the phrase value medical travel to promote India as a high-quality, low-cost destination for international health care travellers (TURNER, 2007).The medical tourism industry has grown at a large scale with companies like WellPoint Blue Cross Blue Shield to handle their pilot program of offering medical tourism for Americans travelling to India (KHAN,2010).India has made its mark in the medical tourism industry in the world by providing world class medical care at cheap and affordable prices. In a nutshell it has been predicted that the Indian medical tourism industry will rise rapidly and will continue to grow at a fast pace. There are many growth drivers involved in the evolution of this industry in India; some of them include cost factors, government policies and quality health care. After a brief understanding of the emergence of the medical tourism industry in India it is important to understand the factors involved in the growth process. The next part deals with an in-depth review of literature on the growth drivers and strategic implications of the medical tourism industry in India. PART B Medical Tourism in India: Growth and Strategic implications (B.1)Medical tourism in India: Growth Professor Michael Porter from the Harvard University is one of the well know strategic writers and describes the industry lifecycle model as the grandfather of concepts for predicting the industry evolution (LYNCH, 1997).According to this model an industry goes through four major stages which are introduction ,growth, maturity and decline. The figure shown below is the diagrammatic representation of the industry lifecycle with the four steps. Figure 2: Industry Lifecycle Stages Source:-LYNCH, 1997, p 126 This concept helps in describing any industry as it goes through the stages as a result the strategy of the industry changes as the stage changes. It also can help in formulating the correct strategy required at a particular stage in the industry lifecycle in an entrepreneur perspective. This concept is very well relevant to the medical tourism industry as it helps in identifying the stage that the industry is in. Identifying these key aspects at an early stage will lead to formulating the right strategy for the success of a business entering this industry. It is important for companies to understand the use of the industry lifecycle for businesses to compete in the industry effectively and successfully (BAUM and MCGAHAN, 2004). In 2007, an estimated 750,000 Americans travelled abroad for medical care and an estimated growth to a staggering six million was expected by the end of 2010(BALIGA, 2006).According to a study carried out by Deloitte in 2008 there will be a large amount of significant growth in the medical tourism industry. In this study the numbers of medical tourist from the United States of America going to foreign countries for treatments will increase. This report also indicates that the medical tourism industry may reach the maturity by 2016 where the growth will start decreasing. This report basically proves that this industry is growing and can therefore be place in the growth sector of the industry lifecycle. The growth sector of the industry lifecycle represents that the market is expanding and customers have become more informed about the products. In this stage there will be more competitors that will enter the industry market (CARPENTER and SANDERS, 2009).The figure given below is the es timated growth given in the Deloitte report (2008) of the medical tourists going to foreign countries for medical treatment. Figure 3: Annual growth and patient volume growth in major countries in the medical tourism industry Source: Deloitte report (2008) GROWTH INTRODUCTION TIME Figure 4: Predicted Growth of the medical tourism industry in India The figure represents a huge rise in the patient volume growth in major countries over the next few years which indicated the amount of growth and demand in the medical tourism industry. These statistics affect the medical tourism industry in India in terms of growth planning and understanding that growth potential of this industry in India. After witnessing the immense growth of the medical tourism industry in the world, India felt the need for this industry and entered into this market in late 2002. Indias efforts to promote medical tourism took off in late 2002, when the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) produced a report in collaboration with McKinsey Company which outlined the immense growth potential of this sector in India (KURIACHAN and BASANTH, 2008).In this report they made future predictions of this industry in India considering the economic and political factors. There were many strategic points hig hlighted in this report which concluded that the forecasted growth of the medical tourism industry in India will be from US $ 18.7 billion in 2001 to around US $ 45 billion by 2012 which is equivalent to 8.5% of GDP. The figure below represents the predicted growth according to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and McKinsey Company. Year US $Billion [Type a quote from the document or the summary of an interesting point. You can position the text box anywhere in the document. Use the Text Box Tools tab to change the formatting of the pull quote text box.] Source: Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and McKinsey Company (cited in KURIACHAN and BASANTH, 2008) As it can be seen above the medical tourism industry in India is expected to grow to a 45 billion dollar industry by the year 2012 which is a 26.3% rise from the year 2001. The worldwide market for medical tourism is estimated in 2004 was estimated to be US $ 40 billion with India market share 1%.In 2012 the world medical tourism industry will be US $ 100 billion with India market share being 3% (KURIACHAN and BASANTH, 2008).These figures represent that the Indian medical tourism industry will grow at a fast pace .At a strategic level it is important to understand the factors which will affect the growth of this industry in India. (B.3Factors influencing growth of medical tourism industry in India The previous section showed the predicted growth of the medical tourism industry in India and the SWOT analysis of Asia that affect this industry in India. To analyze the medical tourism industry in India on a strategic level the competitive advantage of India must be analyzed. In reference to this context of global competition was given by Michael Porter in his book The competitive advantage of nations. He conducted a study of ten nations to develop an analytical framework at a strategic level, which tries to explain why a nation succeeds in particular industries but not in others (PORTER.1990).Porter suggests that the national home base of an organisation plays a very important role in creating an advantage on an international scale (JOHNSON, SCHOLES and WHITTINGTON, 2005).The study on this model can clearly help in distinguishing the factors that may influence the growth of the medical tourism industry in India. The model basically describes the four main attributes that individua lly and as a system constitute the diamond of national advantage .These attributes are:- Factor Conditions:-The nations position in factors of production, such as skilled labour or infrastructure necessary to compete in a given industry. Demand Conditions:-The nature of home market demand for the industrys product or service. Related and Supporting Industries:-The presence or absence in the nation of supplier industries and other related industries that are internationally competitive. Firm Strategy, Structure and Rivalry:-The conditions in the nation governing how companies are created organized and managed as well as the nature of domestic rivalry. Source:-PORTER, 2008 Chance and the government are two factors that influence these four determinants, but are not determinants themselves (OZ, 2002). FIRM STRATEGY, STRUCTURE AND RIVALRY RELATED AND SUPPORTING INDUSTRIES DEMAND CONDITIONS FACTOR CONDITIONS CHANCE GOVERNMENT Figure 4: Michael Porters Diamond Framework: Competitive Advantage of Nations Source: PORTER (1998, p. 127) (B.4)Strategic implications Figure 4: Strategic implications of the Medical tourism Industry As described by LYNCH (1997) there are many strategic implications for the industry lifecycle .These can be modified in terms of the medical tourism industry as shown in the following figure. These Strategic implications will also help in the clear understanding of the drivers responsible for the growth of this industry. MEDICAL TOURISM INDUSTRY Customer strategy Research and Development strategy Company Strategy Competitor strategy Source:-Modified from LYNCH (1997, p 127) The first strategic implication is customer strategy which is one of most important implications as it tends to understand the customer strategy for selecting the product and the factors which are involved in it. This is also a significant factor that a business in this industry should try and evaluate on a continuous basis to complete efficiently and effectively with the growth of the medical tourism industry in the industry life cycle. By understanding customer strategy a clear view on the factors affecting the growth of the medical tourism industry can be identified. Joseph Woodman (2008) in this book Patient beyond Borders: Everybodys Guide to Affordable, World-class Medical Travel gives a guide to consumers interested in going abroad for medical treatments. In this book a step by step guide is also given and the factors influencing consumers to choose medical tourism have also been identified. According to this book there may be many reasons why medical tourists travel to attain medical care but there are seven main reasons as shown in the figure below. It is important to explore the customer strategy as it tends to understand why medical tourists choose certain particular locations as their medical tourism destination. The figure given below represents the customer strategy and the main factors influencing it. Figure 5: Customer strategy for the Medical Tourism Industry Cost saving Better quality care Customer Strategy Shorter waiting periods Other Treatments Inpatient friendly Excluded treatments Speciality treatments Source:-WOODMAN (2008, pp 51-63) Cost Saving As health care costs in developed countries like the United States of America and United Kingdom escalate individuals, small businesses, and state governments are all attempting to control health-related expenditures. Outsourcing health care to countries where surgical procedures and other forms of treatment are available at substantially lower prices is attracting interest from individuals and businesses (TURNER, 2007). With the continuing health care cost increases in developed countries, it is likely that patients, insurers and employers, particularly in countries where employers share the costs of private health insurance, will continue seeking low cost treatment abroad (FORGIONE and SMITH, 2007). There many ways in which service costs are kept low for example most provider countries, malpractice litigation costs are much lower than in most highly developed countries, which has helped to reduce the cost of medical care(HADI,2009,p.11). Table 1: Major Medical Tourism Destinations: Cost Comparison Medical procedures USA India Thailand Singapore Costa Rica Mexico Korea Heart Bypass $80,000 To $130,000 $6,651 to $9,300 $11,000 $16,500 $24,000 $22,000 $34,150 Heart Valve Replacement $160,000 $9,000 to $9,000 $10,000 $12,500 $15,000 $18,000 $29,500 Angioplasty $57,000 $4,998 to 7,500 $13,000 $11,200 $9,000 $18,000 $19,600 Hip Replacement $43,000 $5,800 to 7,100 $12,000 $9,200 $12,000 $14,000 $11,400 Hysterectomy $20,000

Herder, Gadamer, and 21st Century Humanities Essay -- Philosophy Relig

One of the anticipations of this Congress, namely, that of all the world's philosophical traditions address the 'problems of human life, civilization, and residence on earth,' cannot be accomplished by insisting upon the means and prescriptions of any one tradition. In this paper I address the theme of the Congress by considering the views of Johann Gottfried Herder and Hans-Georg Gadamer on education and history. In spite of attacks on his religious loyalties, Herder supported what may today be called pluralism. Having studied history and having watched history in the making of one of its darkest moments, Gadamer also saw the future of the humanities in the global conversation. To educate humanity, I conclude, philosophy should first attempt to understand the existential conditions of human life. Ideen is a curious and in some ways contradictory work. Johann Gottfried Herder (1744-1803) respects the humanistic ideals of freedom and social improvement and recognizes the teleological and progressive notions of historical development. But he does not confine himself to European history and sources like most others in his time and even after did. He rejected the then prevailing view that there exist some invariant laws or standards of consciousness and behavior that are applicable to all humans at all periods and in terms of which even the past should be judged. On the contrary, he argued that every historical age and culture has its own character and its own value. In Book 14, chapter 6 of Ideen zur Philosophie der Geschichte der Menschheit (Ideas for the Philosophy of the History of Mankind, 1784-91), he likens societies to organisms as they develop in distinctive manner and in response to the combination of environmental condi... ...Gadamer on Education, Poetry, and History. Albany: SUNY Press, 1992, p. xvii (7) Gadamer. Reason in the Age of Science. Cambridge, MA: M.I.T. Press, 198. p. 92 (8) "Aber fà ¼r die Geisteswissenschaften dà ¼rfte es anders aussehen"—Das Erbe Europas. Frankfurt: Suhrkamp Verlag, 1989, P.35 (9) Das Erbe Europas, p. 52: '. . . einer standardisierten weltzivilisation herauffà ¼hren, in der sich die Geschichte des Planeten gleichsam in Idealstatus einer rationalen Weltverwaltung stillstellt -' (10) See: Claude Sumner. The Source of African Philosophy: The Ethiopian Philosophy of Man. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner, 1986. (11) See: Kwame Gyekye. An Essay on African Philosophical Thought: The Akan Conceptual Scheme. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987 (12) See: Paulin Hountondji. African Philosophy: Myth and Reality. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1983.

Performance Management And Learning And Development Essay

Introduction In the 19th   century university was meant to be a theoretical theatre, while the factory was the place for formal training and learning. Education is broader in scope than training and it has a less specific application than training, as it is delivered in educational institutions. As a result, there has always been a tension between the needs of industry and the educational requirements of the individual, as society needs people who can contribute in a comprehensive way (Wilson, 2005). A century later, West moved beyond the factory and manufacturing as the basis for economic wealth have been achieved. Compared to earlier centuries now this century is able to demolish the   trading, political and economic   barriers, which hampered the progress in the old days. The arrival of mass media and technology is re-shaping our lives at a breathtaking speed; the concept of learning is now not a stagnant process, but in a flux and evolving every day (Beckett, 2000). The nature of work is changing with the knowledge economy in boom, giving rise to unparalleled demands for learning in work settings through consistent training. Enterprises need integrated approach to possess knowledge workers, which is the right prescription for businesses today. It is hard to create effective employment and training based policies which give high priority to education and training-both at a time. Countries like Korea and Singapore are seriously investing in their human resources, while the poor countries do not have sufficient funds to meet their growing needs. The overall goal of the global economy is provide opportunities to people and obtain productive work with dignity, which requires a framework to address worker and producer needs. To meet such requirements, the new millennium needs a shift from traditional approach and demands new human resources development and training policies. Learning and Training Learning can take place either in formal settings, such as school/university or in less formal organizational settings. Possessing knowledge is different from learning, as learning has limited value and is not a guarantee of being skillful, until   put to practice in real world. Wilson (2005) has defined learning as â€Å"a permanent change of knowledge, attitude or behaviour occurring as a result of formal education or training, or as a result of informal experiences. Learning, education and development are often muddled together, however   they carry specific meanings as explained below: Training = learning related to present job; Education = learning to prepare the individual but not related to a specific present or future job; Development = learning for growth of the individual but not related to a specific present or future job. It has been recognised by the enterprises that passive learning cannot not ensure an accurate developmental process necessary in the business world. The managers find it hard to believe, that, seminars and workshops can teach management. It is argued, that case methodology, lectures, discussions and theories are useful, but they never find its way into the corridors of business world. As a result, managers and educational theorists suggest experiential learning, which trains workers in work place more effectively. According to the Glossary of Training Terms (2005), training is â€Å"a planned process to modify attitude, knowledge or skill behaviour through learning experience to achieve effective performance in an activity or range of activities. Its purpose, in the work situation, is to develop the abilities of the individual and to satisfy the current and future needs of the organisation†. Rothwell (2003) mentioned that, training equips individuals and groups in an organisation to improve their work performance. However, training alone cannot alleviate a poor work, which may be due to the lack of rewards and incentives. Training is put into practice for a variety of reasons, such as orientation training for new workers or sending employees for special assignments and preparing employees to support critical activities (Wilkinson, 2005). The HRD equips people with necessary skills in three ways (McGoldrickand, 2001). .Individual Development   addresses broad areas and addresses, such as skill development, interpersonal skills, career development, etc.   Occupational /Group Development occurs among the groups through a team building programs. It also applies to specific occupational groups, such as implementation of new legislation. Organizational Development covers the whole organization. It can be defined as a â€Å"collection of planned change interventions, built on humanistic-democratic values, that seek to improve organizational effectiveness and employee well-being†(Wilson and John, 2005). The well-known examples are; the introduction of a customer care programs across the organization; and the introduction of total quality management, which requires all individuals and groups to become involved. Mumfords (1995) mentions that, an organization where people continually expand their capacity to create the results- truly invent patterns of thinking for collective learning. This process can be defined as following:   Personal mastery, ensuring individual motivation to learn; mental models, creating an openness to misconceptions;   shared vision, building long-term commitment in people; team learning, developing group skills like cooperation, communication and so forth;   systems thinking, which constitutes   integration with other disciplines the other four. All these disciplines are to be practiced together to create an impact and must be practiced by all the members of organization to work together. Each problem and dilemma is crisis and workers learn from crisis and difficulties together and try to development process, where all workers profit from each other’s experiences. Shift of Training in Knowledge Economy Drucker (1993) has mentioned that, â€Å"Every few hundred years in western history there occurs a sharp transformation. Within a few short decades, society rearranges itself – its world view; its basic values; its social and political structure; its arts; its key institutions.† The shift   from industrial-based economies to enterprises   started 20 years ago, moving to market share and hierarchical management focusing on a knowledge   based economy. If the industrial economy was driven by cheap energy; today’s knowledge economy is driven by inexpensive microchips and knowledge management enabling businesses to take benefit of the new knowledge (Trask, 1996). The modern corporation is over and the postmodern corporation is different. Today companies may look the same from outside—but behind the faà §ade, everything is different. They are no longer connected to the boiler or routine machines, but now in the business of knowledge creation. The activity of knowledge-based organization is not producing machine or power toys, but producing and managing knowledge. The knowledge economy differs from the old one, as the new economy is ever-increasing in information intensity and packed with more knowledge, data, and ideas. Now knowledge resides in the magnetic strip, not the plastic. The knowledge-based economy has new rules and standards, which require new ways of living and working, business, which do not acquire knowledge workers, are destined to die.   Wolfensohn (1999) has mentioned that, the knowledge-based economy relies on ideas and applications of technology rather than physical strength, which was done on the exploitation of cheap labor. In this new economy knowledge is created, acquired, transmitted, and sold by individuals, enterprises, organizations, and communities for the promotion of economic development. In the industrial world, knowledge-based industries are growing fast, while labour market demands are also changing. The new technologies insist on highly skilled workers, diminishing demand for the low skilled workers.   One of the key factors that distinguish intelligent business enterprise of the 21st century is emphasis on knowledge and information. Knowledge management is an important means by which organizations can better manage information and knowledge. Knowledge management encompasses a range of concepts, ranging from management tasks to technological practices, all come under the umbrella of the management of knowledge (Gupta, 2003). The successful organizations are aggressive, fast paced and have the ability to create  Ã‚   knowledge to maximize organizational strategic success. In today’s world, knowledge is a resource, which is critical to an organization’s survival and success in the global economy.   As the nature of work is changing, knowledge is regarded as a primary resource-giving rise to the unprecedented demand for learning in the working environment. Enterprises need to offer this new learning at work and create knowledge workers, which have become inevitable part of the corporate world. The workplace has become a site of learning associated with development of the enterprise through contributing to production and innovation. Thus the development of the individuals by providing training to create new knowledge is the most wanted asset of the enterprises today. The knowledge economy has four basic features as described below (Trask, 1996). Knowledge developed and applied in new ways, especially through information revolution, which has provided not only new opportunities to access information, but it is also creating new opportunities for swift transfer of the knowledge speeding up the process of worldwide change. Today product cycles have become shorter due to growing demand for innovation. In 1990s, it would take six years from concept to production in the automobile industry; now it takes only two years. Worldwide trade is increasing with increased competitive demands on producers. The countries, which are able to assimilate into the world economy, will achieve higher economic growth. Small and medium-size enterprises in the service sector have become significant players, in terms of both economic growth and employment. In the industrialized countries the employment has risen, but the patterns of employment are changing. The employers have re-organized workers into fixed and variable categories, while the fixed workers are career-oriented, the variable have little career progression and low access to education and training. These trends show that labour markets are becoming ruthless in their treatment of un-skilled workers and these low skilled workers stand at an edge. As a result working poor have grown in number and those working are underpaid and forced to work in miserable working conditions. The speed of change in the knowledge economy depreciates much more quickly compared to the past. In order to compete effectively in this changing environment, organisation need to   upgrade their workers skills continuously. This rapid change in the knowledge economy is so swift that firms can no longer rely longer rely on fresh graduates. In order to meet such need, lifelong learning and training is crucial to enable workers to compete in the global economy. Formal education and training includes programs which are recognized by the    Universities and institutes and lead to approved certificates and degrees.   Non-formal education and training includes programs, which are not formally recognized by the national system, such as apprenticeship training programs and structured on-the-job training.   Informal education and training includes unstructured learning, which can take place almost anywhere, home, community   or workplace.   It includes unstructured on-the-job training, the most common form of workplace learning. This improvement in people’s ability will allow them to be not only useful for their organisation, but it will also enable them to function as a useful members of their communities.   In a modern economy, the production of goods and services still relies on workers despite machine revolution. The need is to develop learning and training strategies, which allow these workers to learn new skills for new working conditions. It is crucial for the organisation to prepare workers for this new environment, which requires a new mode of education and training ­. This lifelong learning framework encompasses learning throughout the life cycle, from early childhood to retirement. It includes formal, non-formal, and informal education and training. In traditional industries most jobs require employees to learn how to perform routine functions, which, for the most part, remain constant over time and most learning used to take place when a worker started a new job. In the knowledge economy, change is so rapid that workers constantly need to acquire new skills. Firms need workers who are willing and able to update their skills throughout their lifetimes. Enterprises and organisation need to respond to these needs by creating education and training systems that equip people with the appropriate skills. The new millennium main challenge is to be employable and contribute to the economic growth in the global economy. This novel approach has set new rules for education, training and strategies in the organisations. The reason is that training not only advances interests of the individuals and enterprises, but it also augments the economic development of the nations. These new skills formation leads to equity in employment and society at large and allow the enterprise to reap the fruit of this human resources development. Performance Management According to Bacal (2004) â€Å"performance management is about creating relationships and ensuring effective communication and focusing on what organizations, managers, and employees need to succeed.† It is a   strategic approach to manage the business and improve organisational effectiveness with existing capabilities. Performance management provides development specialists with an opportunity to be   innovative in influencing corporate strategy and contribute to the results. The goal of performance management is to ensure that the organization departments, teams, and employees are working in an optimum fashion to achieve the organization objective. At the end of twentieth century new performance management systems were born and cannibalizing the old systems, due to the presence of the technological expansions. Management in the twenty-first century faces the challenge of creating and re-creating effective performance systems and requires a unique understanding of this process. Performance management process is about professionalism and continuous learning and development. The overall goal of performance management is to ensure that the organization and all its subsystems departments, teams, employees are working together in an optimum fashion to achieve the results desired by the organization. According to Bacal (2004), performance management is based on the following beliefs. Optimism: Performance management is based on the belief that improvement is possible, and that the human and organizational conditions can be improved. Performance management is the view of the possibility that performance improvement is always there and change is possible as long as people are willing. A Pragmatic View: Performance management is keeping the optimistic view, but it does have realistic view of improvement, understanding the possibilities for improvement and recognizing the  Ã‚   barriers to success. Performance management addresses various threats in the system and try to solve it, rather than kill it A Balanced Approach: It is natural to resist change in any organisation as change means changing habits. Performance management design strategies, which are part of organizational decision-making processes to build greater support for the change. It capitalizes on the opportunity for further improvement and success. Leadership. Performance management is built on the ethical knowledge. The true leaders determine promote best practices in their organisation to further the success. Such practices require courage to bring change, yet adhering to professional ethics ensuring that the change is consistent with legal requirements. Performance management is meant to establish a shared understanding about what is to be achieved and how it is to be achieved for an organization. To improve performance, individuals need to have a common understanding about what performance (and success) in their jobs looks like. It can be a list of tasks, objectives, or results or it can also be a set of behaviors or both. These goals need to be defined clearly with the jobholder so that people know what they are working toward? And what is expected from them to increase the probability of success (Lance, 1999).   A continuous management process delivers clarity, support, feedback, and recognition to all staff. Performance Management Process Performance management process is a communication process between an employee and his or her immediate supervisor with established expectation and understanding. This process is not meant to threaten or intimidate employees into neither being more productive nor does it mean to attack the personality of the employees, but it is a broad set of tools used to optimize the success of each employee for the larger interest of the organisation. The smooth functioning of performance management depends on the developmental activity and management control. A developmental push is essential to motivate workers and let them concentrate on work and commitment towards their respective organisation. Performance Management process is meant to measure the employee performance. It involves the following steps (Handbook for the Core Performance Management, 2005). Performance planning The workers performance is recognized through employee performance plans. They are clearly told, what are the expectations? And what are the set standards. Thus it is essential to develop such standards, which are realistic and attainable. Individual at the level of induction stage clearly need understand their role in the organisation. Employee/Team Performance In many organizations, employees work together to achieve the organizational objectives. The difference between group performance and an individual’s contribution is that, the group performance is measured aggregately, while an employee’s performance is measured individually. Monitoring performance After the assignment of job the progress of the workers are monitored by the manager/supervisor, to check how much they are really working. Employee development Mentoring is essential process of employee development, the example can be set either by showing a high performer or by leader/manager, which helps the employee to overcome the difficulties. A frank discussion is essential to focus on employee areas of excellence, identifying the barriers to performance. Multiple Source of Feed back It is a process, which provides employees with performance information to enhance managerial feedback. It includes comments from various sources, such as collogues, supervisor report and direct reports as well. Figure: 1.1 Performance Management Process Source: Handbook for the core performance management, 2005 Evaluating Evaluation is a two-way discussion in the form of written documentation to concentrate on employee areas of excellence, and identify the areas for improvement and further development needs. Stupak and Leitner (2001) warns that performance management measurement should not be punitive, but should be positive and should help the organisation, what the work do and what they should not and continue for organisation improvement. It should not be as a tool to punish the guilty, but emphasis should be on finding the right direction for the organisation. Linkage of Learning and Development and Performance Management The learning and development and performance management have been discussed separately earlier. Recent studies have shown, these processes are interrelated and are linked (Harrison, 2005). For example, in small firms, resources are stretched and workers have to switch roles, it becomes crucial to train and develop these workers, as they often have switch tasks. Following are the essential points in case of training in the small firm scenario: A well-focused induction program. Basic training in firm unique systems. A probation period to evaluate the performance. Post confirmation development for further development. Badger (2001) has mentioned that in a situation where products and processes can be easily imitated, the only source of competitive advantage is to stimulate employee to learn.   Organizations always seek to reduce cost increase efficiency and productivity. Today’s enterprises have started to evaluate learning and training programs to achieve higher performance from their workers, as they understand that learning and performance management are interrelated and inevitable to achieve competitive advantage. This competitive advantage can be achieved through the development of human resources by deploying a strategy to support its workers and enhance the organizational performance. The performance management process can positively develop the workforce self-esteem and keep them motivated, thereby giving them job satisfaction, to let them focus on the job. However its not mere training which can bring result, employee participation in decision making is essential as noticed by Peon and Ordas (2005), that organizations need to provide individuals with enough incentives and allow them to participate in the decision-making process to achieve higher performance. The ability of nations and organizations to enhance the standard of living of the growing population depends on sustained increase in the productivity of the systems. In the inter-dependent global economy, productivity is essential to maintain economic advantage for individuals and societies. People and institutions are inter-connected, and today countries have mutual interests in the game of higher productivity of other nations. A nation may gain short-term advantage from a lesser productive contributor, but in the long term lower productivity is a bad omen for all the nations. Conclusion According to Business Intelligence Board (2005), enterprises need to formally link learning and performance management process to measure the employee performance, as this can explain, weather learning has really resulted in higher performance. This link between learning and performance management is clear and the ultimate objective of learning management is to have an educated workforce, which can sustain the competitive advantage in the cutthroat corporate world. Learning and development are essentially related to performance management process, same as performance management process is not complete unless it embrace learning and development  Ã‚   to fill the skill gaps identified in the workers. Various amounts of efforts have been done to linkage learning with performance, Thomson and Mabey  (2001) mentions, many organisations failed to have higher performance from their workers, despite enormous amount of training. It has not yet yielded enough clear evidence of a direct link between learning and performance management. However, learning and development activity does consistently emerge as a crucial intervening factor. L&D alone is not enough-it has to be an integral part of a cluster of appropriate HR strategies. Reference Thomson.A and Mabey.C, Changing Patterns of Management Development, Blackwell Publishing. Marchington, M. and A. Wilkinson (2005), Human Resource Management at Work, London, CIPD   Stupak.J and   Leitner.P (2001), Handbook of Public Quality Management, Marcel Dekker Publications Harrison R (2005), Learning and Development, 4th edition, London. Workplace Learning, Culture and Performance, London, IFTDO. Badger,B (2001),Organizational Learning: An Empirical Assessment of Process in Small U.K. Manufacturing Firms, Journal of Small Business Management, Vol. 39. Drucker.P (1993), The Practice of Management Quorum Books Business Intelligence Board, www.businessintelligence.com (2005) . Wilson, John.P (2005), Human Resource Development: Learning and Training for Individuals and Organizations, Kogan Page Limited. Rothwell.J (2003), What CEOs Expect from Corporate Training: Building Workplace Learning and Performance Initiatives That Advance Organizational Goals, Saranac Lake, NY, USA. Mumford.M (1995), Intercultural Sourcebook: Cross-cultural Training Methods, Intercultural Press Inc. Beckett.D (2001) Life, Work, and Learning: Practice and Postmodernity. Florence, KY, USA.   Trask.L (1996), Building New Skills for the Knowledge Economy,   Business Communications Review, Vol. 26.   Lance.Berger (1999), Compensation Handbook, McGraw-Hill Professional Book Group, USA. Glossary of Training Terms (2005) http://forum.bodybuilding.com/ Bacal.R (2004), How to Manage Performance. McGraw-Hill Companies, USA. McGoldrickand.J (2001),Understanding Human Resource Development: Philosophy Processes & Practice, Routledge Publisher. Peon.J and Ordas (2005), The Learning Organization,   International Journal World Bank Staff (2003), Lifelong Learning in the Global Knowledge Economy: Challenges for Developing Countries, World Bank Publications.    James D. Wolfensohn (1999), World Bank Publications Gupta, Jatinder (2003), Creating Knowledge Based Organizations. Idea Group Publishing,USA. Handbook for the core performance management (2005) Ohio State University, USA.   

safe sex essays

safe sex essays The act of sex is a shared union between two people through passionate feelings, which is intended for procreation and enjoyment. Safe sex is something that should be practiced if the two people are not married and/or cannot handle the consequences of their actions. The consequences include the creation of a child and sexually transmitted diseases. The only prevention methods of prevention of these two consequences include the wearing of condoms, female contraceptives, celibacy and surgery to make either partner sterile. There has been a lot of publication and media attention given to the subject of teen pregnancy because this rate has been dramatically been increasing over the past twenty years. This is because of experimentation and the increase of provocative dress and more acceptances of higher sexual limits in public. There is also the issue of those who do so as a rebellion against their parents rules but this is a more rare occurrence. Teens are more vulnerable to pregnancy because of a lack of education in school and at home and a lack of thought given toward the consequences of their actions. Teens also account for the largest portion of abortions in this country as well, which causes distress over their rate of sexual activities. Sex is a powerful tool for human beings to possess the ability to act on. It has changed the way businesses are run and operated because of sexual harassment, and also have changed what students can and cant wear to high schools and elementary schools. The increase in sexual activity has also led to a major increase in the number of abortions that are performed. This has led to an increase in court disputes over abortion and riots over abortion. Safe sex is important because the physical dangers can be incredibly damaging and even life threatening. New sexually transmitted diseases come out everyday. Aids herpes, ghoneria, syphilis, crabs and many more affect millions of peop...

Paradox essays

Paradox essays Scientists and the rest of the human race is finally beginning to realize that it has a tendency to try to destroy itself. Scientists are discovering that many of it's creations can and have caused the deaths of many individuals. Studies have shown that many mechanisms and improved materials, which make human chores easier, are now known to cause or could possibly cause mortality rates to increase. People should know about these potential dangers. The microwave, computers, tanning beds, and cellular phones are thought to be the cause of some of these untimely deaths. Also there are chemicals such as lead and asbestos that have and can lead to such casualties. But most of all, it is the use of nuclear reactors to generate power that has caused the destruction of lives. First, although a microwave is a very useful machine, and it helps in speeding up the cooking of food, a microwave can have harmful effects on babies. Mother's milk is sometimes stored in the refrigerator in order to feed a baby more easily. Since the milk is cold it must be heated so that the child will drink it. In laboratory tests bottles with breast milk that were microwaved had a 79% decrease in immunoglobulin-A antibodies, which fight against infection, and a 19% decrease in lysozymes, which help destroy bacteria. Destruction of these antibodies leaves the child at a greater risk of developing a deadly infection (Fraser 17). A smart decision should be made, people should not heat bottled milk in the microwave, and take time to warm the milk in hot water, a baby's life could depend on it. Computer monitors might be the cause of birth defects, miscarriages, and cancer. Computer monitors emit very-low-frequency (VLF) and electromagnetic fields (ELF). The emissions form a sphere around the terminal. A 1988 study indicated that there were twice as many women who worked around computers that miscarried than those who did not. Luckily some companies are now allowing ...

WK7 Research Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

WK7 Research Design - Essay Example This research extensively purposes at obtaining new knowledge of the drastic depreciation in performance of university students through significant utilization of relevant concepts. The attained results will assist in the description of the problem, development of countering alternatives and provision of knowledge and skill useful in decision-making for the university managements. Furthermore, the results will make it possible to make future performance predictions hence contributing to the possibility of controlling university performances. A research design simply includes a strategy applicable for a specific study and the plan of actively exercising the strategy. The research methodologies in use will include quantitative designs as well as qualitative designs individually thus resulting to a combination of both. Qualitative research design mainly involves techniques and measures, which do not eventually produce discrete numerical data (Creswell, 1997). Qualitative data collection incorporates such methods as direct observation by the researcher, active participation or interviews. Qualitative research illustrates relevance in this research as it aims at achieving an in depth understanding of the factors contributing to the depreciation in university students’ performance. Inclusion of arrays of interpretative techniques to describe and translate the data collected will further improve the quality of the data (Maxwell, 2007). Subsequently, after collection of data through the qualitative research design, the d ata analysis will involve; content analysis of written or recorded data as well as data drawn from the participants’ expressions and behavioral observations. On the other hand, quantitative research design utilizes techniques and measures that in turn produce discrete numerical thus quantifiable data. Hence, this design will integrate computer analysis

The DREAM Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The DREAM Act - Essay Example Background: According to the website Dream Act of 2009, the proposal legislation â€Å"is a long anticipated Immigration Bill which was just introduced in the US Congress (both Senate and House) on March 26, 2009. This original legislation was proposed to provide millions of immigrant children who graduate from U.S. High Schools the opportunity to receive U.S. Residency (a "Green Card") after so many years of being left in the shadows by State and Federal laws.† This innovative legislation would render immigration benefits to several young individuals who are presently considered as illegal migrants in the country. And this is the very reason that why several law makers and analysts oppose this bill. For example, reputed immigration policy analyst Krikorian has asserted that â€Å"all amnesties have at least three harmful consequences, and the DREAM Act ignores all three. The first of these is massive fraud. Perhaps one-fourth of those legalized under the 1986 Immigration Ref orm and Control Act received amnesty fraudulently, including Mahmud Abouhalima, a leader of the first World Trade Center attack.† Hence, review of immigration enforcement is a precondition to the enactment of the proposed DREAM Act. Thesis Statement: The DREAM Act can benefit both the US economy and the young immigrants in the country provided that immigration enforcement within the provisions of the proposed Act is properly implemented and fraudulent practices are prevented. Analysis Benefits: The DREAM Act seeks to legalize the undocumented youth and young adults in the country if they fulfill certain educational criteria and effort to obtain college graduation. From an economic viewpoint, legalization of unauthorized students can be an important incentive for them to work hard and graduate from a high school. This will improve their chances of obtaining higher education. Ultimately, the overall number of college graduates in the country will increase. College graduates obta in higher salaries and hence they will yield higher tax revenues as well. The increased financial contribution of the legalized educated immigrants will repay the necessary educational investments within a few years. Thereafter, the system would provide a profit to the tax payers for several decades. â€Å"The impact of legalization would not be limited to increased earnings, tax revenues, and social services savings. In a stable economy, such legalization would enable thousands of young immigrants to join the legal workforce, helping businesses and the economy fill crucial needs.† (Perez, xxix) Apart from benefiting the economy in a holistic way, DREAM Act will stop the exploitation of the unauthorized students in a cash economy. Forced, illegal labor will be prevented and better life standards will be ensured. Immigration Enforcement: According to the DREAM Act of 2009 Sec. 5 (c) and (d), if the youths and young adults (who arrived in the United States before 16 years of ag e) have graduated from the country’s high school, achieved a GED, and are pursuing a college degree (or rendering military service), they can be given permanent residency (there are several other residential, moral, and gender specific conditions too). Moreover, these potential citizens should be aged between 12 to 35 years at the time of the bill enactment. In this way, the educational requirements enforced by the DREAM Act already make the citizenship criteria even under amnesty rather strict. The way the American institutions work, only the best of the young aliens will be able to pass the education benchmarking provided by the proposed Act. Thus â€Å"