Child with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Essay

Child with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder - Essay Example In addition, my duties also involve systematic screening and monitoring the immunization of students, which also provides a system for handling and managing medical situations within the school. In essence, my role as a school nurse is to provide a process for the recognition and resolution of the healthcare needs of students that may affect their academic performance. As earlier mentioned, the nursing and midwifery code of conduct requires utmost confidentiality with regard prognosis and treatment (Goodman and Scott 2005, p. 141). This means that nurses and midwives are required to respect patients’ rights to confidentiality, while at the same time ensuring that patients appreciate the need for sharing pertinent information with those providing their care. However, the code of conduct requires that the nurse or midwife discloses any information that could save the life of a patient in accordance with the UK Healthcare regulations. Essentially, the codes of conduct with regard to confidentiality imply that people have the explicit right to require that the information shared with a nurse or midwife is only used for the objective for which it was issued and it is not disclosed without prior permission. This typically encompasses situations where info is divulged directly to a nurse or midwife, as well as when information that nurses and midwives obtain from other persons. According to Schachar (1991, p. 82), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) refers to a variety of pediatric behavioral disorders that include symptoms such as poor concentration, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Nearly 5% of UK children between the four and twelve years are diagnosed with ADHD. The prevalence of ADHD is thrice more in boys than girls. Treatment of ADHD consists of evaluation and treatment of a child’s craniosacral fascial system and the administration of methylphenidate. This paper will review the CAMHS assessment of a child with an attention deficit hypera ctive disorder (ADHD), examining the formulation and reflections of the nurse involved in the assessment. Basic CAMHS Assessment CAMHS assessment is essentially a confidential service that must adhere to the confidentiality policy of the nursing and midwifery code of conduct. This means that all conversations and disclosures made by patients, especially during the initial CAMHS assessment should not be relayed to other persons other than family members and doctors. However, it is pertinent to note that it is sometimes critical that some information is shared with other CAMHS professionals to ensure a patient receives accurate and sufficient treatment for a disorder. Nonetheless, the patient must give informed consent for the information to be shared. A generic CAMHS assessment entails a series of information that is relevant not only to the identification of the disorder, but also its treatment. A standard CAMHS assessment entails important information with regard to the patientâ₠¬â„¢s past medical history (Barkley 1998, p. 174). A CAMHS assessment typically contains the following elements: a) Developmental history b) Family history c) Attachment history d) Screening for ADHD symptoms e) Comorbidities f) Questionnaires g) Observation of the child (patient).

Affect of oil on our economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Affect of oil on our economy - Essay Example Oil also has consequences that are unintended and have negative impact. In the previous decades, the prices of oil have always been high going for $100 per barrel. Because of increased oil consumptions in nations like China and wars in major oil countries like Iraq. The production of oil in fields that are conventional could not supply the demand efficiently hence the prices increased. The high prices made companies it Canada and USA to begin drilling, hard to get crude. Then all over sudden, the demand for oil started to reduce in places like Asia and Europe and in the USA, due to economies that were weakening and the introduced efficiency measures. Later in 2014, oil supply had risen much more that what is actually demanded. The unused oil was stored away for later use, by September, prices reduced sharply (Cochran, et al.45). The boom before the fall boosted Texas economy for nearly a half a century was finally over. The oil business in West Texas will take at least two years to recover as Houston audience was told by an economist who is familiar with Texas oil producers’ economic indicators. As the boom brought good moments in life, the downturn will lead to economic problems in Texas and other places that were beneficiaries of the boom (Henderson, Rebecca D 37). The cost of oil, permits issued and the numbers of rigs operating in Texas are in the decrease and this means the jobs of many people are in stake. Oil indexes were at the peak in October at it stood at 312.9 but it reduced in December to 309.5, and that was officially the end of a 54 month duration that the Texas energy industry expanded. It is expected that 50,000 upstream jobs will be lost in the Texas as the contraction of oil industry continues, plus additional 250,000 more jobs that are related to the oil and gas industry. GE Oil & Gas is one of the companies that has cut job, it informed the regulators that it is going to lay off 330 of

Prayer Rituals Of Islam Religion Essay

Prayer Rituals Of Islam Religion Essay There are many religions of the world, mostly all consisting of a ritual of prayer of some sort. Islam is the second largest religion of the world after Christianity. Like almost all religions, Islam also has rituals of prayer. These rituals consist of purifying oneself before prayers, the call for prayer, also known as the azaan, the salah or the prayer, and reciting the holy Quran. These prayer rituals are a part of the daily life of a Muslim. The salah starts right after the Azaan or the call for prayer. It is recited by the Muazzin who is the man who recites in Arabic, the call for prayer. This call is recited in Arabic. In English translation it means , I confess there is no God but God, I confess there is no God but God. I confess Muhammad (PBUH) is the apostle of God. The people listening to this reply the same. The Muazzin says, Come to prayer. The listeners reply I have no power or strength but from God most High and Great. The Muazzin says, Come to God. The listeners reply, What God wills will be; what He wills not will not be. Lastly, the first two claims are recited once again to end off the call for prayer to all Muslims. The Azaan is not only a call for prayer to Muslims, it is also a reminder to all the believers that there is no God but Allah and that the Prophet (PBUH) was his messenger. This claim is also the basis of the shahadah or the Islamic creed. The azaan thus serves a double purpose; it is an announ cement of the time of prayer and at the same time an announcement of the principles of Islam and the significance underlying them. It replaces the meaningless ringing of a bell or the blowing of a trumpet by the most effective propaganda of religion that can be thought of. (A Manual of Hadith) The azaan can be signified as the wakeup call for all believers, serving as a reminder of God. Then comes the actual ritual of praying, the salah. This prayer consists of physical movements of the body along with holy words and phrases in Arabic. Firstly, one must be clean and pure and be standing in clean place, facing the Kaaba, the House of God. The prayer starts out as one stands up straight with hands by the sides, making an intention to pray. I have purposed to offer up to God only, with a sincere heart, with my face towards Kaaba. Then, the hands are raised upto the ear lobes, reciting, Allahu Akbar meaning, Allah is the greatest. The hands are brought back down and the right hand is placed above the left hand. Both hands are placed below the navel for men and above the navel for women. The gaze is lowered towards the floor. In this position, recitations are made. I seek refuge near God from cursed Satan. In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Following this, the first chapter of the holy Quran is recited. After that, the person is to recite any part of th e Quran and as much as he/she wants to recite. Once that is said, the worshipper must once again recite Allahu Akbar, meaning, Allah is the greatest. Then, the worshipper is to bend down as to place the palms of the hands on the knees. In this position, the worshipper must recite I praise the holiness of my Lord, the Great three times and stand back up with hands by the sides. Now he/she is to recite, God hears Him who praises Him: O Lord, Thou art praised. After this, the worshipper goes down on the knees and places his forehead on the floor with the palms of the hands placed on the floor next to the head. The feet are to be resting upon the toes. In this position, the person is to recite I praise the holiness of my Lord, the Most High. Then, the person sits up, placing his/her hands above the knees and recites Allahu Akbar. In a few seconds, the person goes back down to the bow and recites the same phrase as the last prostration. This marks the end of the first rakat. (The faith o f Islm) Depending on the time of day and which prayer is being recited, the number of rakats varies. For example, for Fajr, the prayer before sunrise, and the third prayer, there are four rakats, for Dhurr, the afternoon prayer, there are 12 rakats. There are seven rakats for the evening prayer, Maghrib, and for the last prayer of the day, Isha, there are nine rakats. The same procedure follows for every prayer. This form of prayer is mandatory and required by all Muslims as it is one of the pillars of Islam. There is no substitute for this prayer. It is a must-do. This ritual is the most important as it provides the person to connect with God through communication. Muslims believe that through salah, they can get a chance to communicate with God directly. Among ritual worships, Salah occupies the key position for two reasons. Firstly, it is the distinctive mark of a believer. Secondly, it prevents an individual from all sorts of abominations and vices by providing him chances of direct communion with his Creator five times a day, wherein he renews his covenant with God and seeks His guidance again and againSalah is the first practical manifestation of faith and also the foremost of the basic conditions for the success of the believers. (Islam In Concept) Not only does the salah keep the individual on a spiritual path and connected with God, it also keeps the body in motion and physically ac tive, serving as a great health purpose. Being the key of all rituals of Islam, the salah serves to be the most connective and spiritual ritual of Islam. Another type of prayer ritual is reciting the Holy Quran. The Quran is the holy book of Islam as compared to the Bible of the Christians and the Torah of the Jews. Just like the Hindus recite their Bhagavad Gita and the Jews recite their Torah, Muslims also recite the Quran. In Islam, reciting the Quran is a form of prayer. Muslims claim that the Quran is the word of God. Therefore, it is considered a holy and prayer-like task to recite it. Not only does one have to recite the words of the Quran, it is also important to understand the meaning of them as well as it is written in Arabic. This is a form of worship and prayer. When you recite the Quran and contemplate its meanings, you take a positive step toward achieving happiness. Allah described the Quran as being guidance, light, and a cure for what is in the breasts of men. He also described it as being a Mercy. (Dont be sad) Reciting the Quran is a form or prayer because Allah Himself claims in it that it will bring blessings and happiness in life. It is described to be like a handbook for our lives that we must follow, so reciting and understanding the Quran go hand in hand to establish a prayer. It is very common for Muslims to recite the Quran or perform salah when a difficulty arises in life, whatever it may be as Quran and salah have been the source of guidance towards a righteous path. A righteous person once said: I felt a cloud of depression and anxiety was hanging over me. I picked up the Quran and I read it for a period of time. Then, by Allah, the depression and anxiety disappeared and happiness along with tranquility took their place. (dont be sad) Reciting the Quran is a way of remembering God and keeping in mind his rules and regulations of life that are outlined in it. Along with performing salah, daily recitations keep the thought of God active in ones mind. It is also a way of seeking refuge from Satan. The Prophet (PBUH) claims that Allah has ordained that any man who engages himself in the recitation of Quran so oftenly that he finds no time for supplication I shall provide him more without asking than those who ask. (Principles of Islam) From this, we can conclude that reciting the holy Quran is not only a way of seeking Gods guidance, it also a reminder for all believers of Gods mercy and power. Religions of all people provide rituals of prayer. Islam offers several rituals of prayer such as the sacred washing (wudhu), call for prayer or the azaan, performing the salah, and reciting the Quran. Whatever the ritual may be, they all provide ways of connecting with God. Al-Omar, Abdur Rahman. The Religion of Truth. Saudi Arabia: Maktaba Dar-Us-Salam, 51-52. Print.

College Education vs. Technical Training Essay -- Argumentative Persua

College Education vs. Technical Training A few years ago, the DeVry technical institute released a commercial that compared two brothers in their educational pursuits. The younger brother started school at DeVry and graduated in two years. The older brother had chosen college and was still stuck in his dorm room studying history while his younger brother worked on the future. The question this commercial presented was obvious, why waste all that time in a university learning trivial facts which don’t apply to the real world when you can bypass it and still learn an important skill. That is an interesting question to consider, especially in such a hi-tech world. But is job training all one needs to know to be successful? What are the advantages of a college degree versus a technical degree? I would like to consider some advantages a college graduate might have in the areas of employment, family and community. For this paper, I would like to define a university education as that which enables students to expand their communication skills, evaluate problems using critical thinking, a general broadening of cultural awareness and a knowledge of history in relation to how their surrounding world came to be. A university education also provides students with a chance to appreciate and understand the arts, ponder philosophical questions and discuss the significance of works of literature. Students learn the relationship of science to the body, the Earth, the universe and role mathematics plays in all of this. Every student that obtains a university degree should be able to lay claim to a little knowledge in all of these areas. The definition of a technical education as given by DeVry reads, â€Å"To provide high-quality career-oriente... ...he United States, including the fundamental relationships of the federal system. Courses in economics study contemporary economic problems such as inflation, unemployment, poverty, and pollution. These courses help students better understand their place in the community and how to change their situation. They are less likely to feel helpless about their problems they facing Americans. College gives students the means to teach themselves long after their formal education is complete. At best a college education teaches us to think outside of the box. It gives us an appreciation of others differences, instead of a fear of it. College graduates should be able to digest the information around them and formulate their own opinion. Students should come away from their education with the ability to instigate change in themselves, their family, and their community.

Raging Achilles: Achiles’ Tragic Flaw

In the Iliad, Homer’s character Achilles embodies many of the characteristics of a hero including strength, quickness, leadership, and particularly, courage. During the Trojan War, Achilles battles courageously, destroying and killing every man in his path without any sign of fear or retreat. No Achaean questions his abilities nor do they doubt his bravery; they cite him as one of their greatest warriors without whom they would have lost the war. However, according to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Achilles does not exemplify a man with true courage at all due to one simple character flaw. Ironically, this acute flaw is mentioned in the first line of the Iliad: his spirited temper. According to Aristotle, a spirited temper prevents heroic men, like Achilles, from attaining a true courage because it alters the intentions behind their actions. Closer analysis of Achilles’ spirited temper and its consequences illustrates that by Aristotle’s definition, Achilles does not possess true courage, but merely a resemblance of it. Aristotle begins his argument by classifying a spirited temper as a quality similar to courage, claiming that anger propels a man to confront his fears. Aristotle states â€Å"nothing makes a man as ready to encounter dangers as a spirited temper† (3. 8. 1116b. 27), implying that a courageous man must be spirited. However, despite these claims, Aristotle counters, stating that possessing a spirited temper does not necessarily mean one automatically acquires true courage. He asserts that while a spirited temper can provide a truly courageous man (one with noble intentions) with support, a spirited temper can also deter a man from being truly courageous by altering his motives and incentives. Since a spirited temper lends to anger and passion, these often replace reason and knowledge as the incentive behind the actions of courageous men, such as in the case of Achilles. These emotions then result in a variety of consequences for the owner, including blindness due to anger, a likeness to beasts, and an obsession with revenge. A close examination of Achilles and his actions reveals how his spirited temper changes his motivation, and consequently inhibits him from being truly courageous in an Aristotelian sense. The basis of a spirited temper is anger, which Aristotle both praises and criticizes. On one hand, anger overcomes fear and gives man the courage to face his fears. However, anger can also influence man’s ability to think and dominate his motivations and desires. Thus, anger can catapult man to commit actions not out of courage, but out of passion. For example, in the Iliad, Achilles’ anger transcends his ability to reason and consequently impels him to engage in battle with the river god Scamander after being insulted. Even after almost being killed by the river, Achilles anger prevents him from leaving the river and so, he â€Å"[surges] on†¦with high hurdling strides, charging against the river† (21. 42-343). Aristotle states that anger must be experienced under the â€Å"right circumstances and with the right people, and also in the right manner, at the right time, and for the right length of time† (4. 5. 1125b. 32-34). In Achilles’ case, he exhibits none of these. Achilles directs his anger for Hector towards the wrong targ et, the river. In addition, he holds onto his anger longer than he should and simultaneously risks his life. According to Aristotle, Achilles is therefore short-tempered and does not possess a true courage. His anger overtakes his reasoning abilities, driving him to commit undesirable acts and leaving him without noble intentions. Achilles’ anger also affects his perceived physical state of being and further alters his motives by fueling his desires for revenge. In Aristotle’s argument, he explains that men provoked by spirited tempers are comparable to beasts and therefore not courageous. In the Illiad, Homer often describes Achilles analogous to an animal. During the battle, Achilles is depicted as â€Å"rearing like some lion† (20. 94) and â€Å"thundering on, on like oxen broad in the brow† (20. 560). These descriptions illustrate a lack of restraint and semblance to a wild beast, thus further supporting the argument that Achilles is not in fact courageous. Aristotle states that â€Å"wild beasts are motivated by pain†¦thus they are not courageous, because they are spurred by†¦a roused temper to rush into danger†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (3. 8. 1116b. 33-3 6). Achilles epitomizes this Aristotelian idea by acting in response to a base emotion: anger. Rather than being motivated by reason or knowledge, Achilles allows his anger to stimulate him. Consequently, this anger causes Achilles to lose parts of his humanity and bringing him closer to his animalistic base, which is further reflected in descriptions of his actions. Homer describes how â€Å"Achilles charged, wild, hurtling toward [Aeneas], loosing a savage cry† (20. 327). Not only does this portray a baser, less human side of Achilles, but it also supports Aristotle’s idea that those who rush into danger blinded by their anger do not foresee the perils in store. In this case, despite Aeneas’ inferiority in ability, he is able to take this opportunity of momentary blindness to attack Achilles. This example illustrates Aristotle’s argument that Achilles’ spirited temper makes him similar to nothing more than a wild beast lacking true courage. Aristotle’s definition of courage also states that revenge as motivation corrupts true courage and leaves only a resemblance of courage. Achilles exemplifies a man who allows anger to fuel his desire for vengeance to distort his natural courage and purpose, leaving only a likeness of courage. Homer describes explicitly that Achilles’ motivation to enter the battle lies in his desire for revenge. Upon learning of Patroclus’ death, Achilles immediately declares that he will enter the battle. Achilles proclaims, â€Å"Despite my anguish I will beat it down, the fury mounting inside me, down by force. But now I’ll go and meet that murderer head-on, that Hector who destroyed the dearest life I know† (Homer 18. 134-138). After having obstinately refused to enter the battle despite the promises of riches and glory, Achilles allows his desire for revenge to propel him into battle almost instantaneously. In fact, as the battle progresses, Achilles’ desire for revenge begins to resemble an obsession. He refuses to release his anger towards Hector, stating his desire for revenge even halfway through the battle. Achilles says, â€Å"But now, Patroclus†¦I shall not bury you, no, not till I drag back here the gear and head of Hector, who slaughtered you† (Homer 17. 387-390). This quote illustrates Achilles’ complete fixation with revenge. Thus, according to Aristotle, he no longer acts through courage, but through obsession. While it is arguable that Achilles’ lack of fear of death makes him courageous, his basic motivations, revenge and anger, again prevent him from being truly courageous in the Aristotelian sense. Throughout the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle states man’s incentive as the defining aspect in which to characterize man. In Achilles’ case, his anger-fueled obsession with revenge motivates and supports his ability to fight; therefore, according to Aristotle, Achilles is â€Å"not guided by reason, but by emotion† (3. 8. 1117a. 8). Aristotle further explains that while revenge gives men support and pleasure, it does not imply courage. Aristotle states, â€Å"Although those who fight for this motive are good fighters, they are not courageous, for it is not the incentive of what is noble that makes them fight† (Aristotle 3. 7. 117a. 5). Aristotle concludes his argument by stating that when choice and true purpose guide a spirited temper, a man becomes truly courageous. Achilles, however, motivated by anger and revenge, does not resemble this truly courageous man. While Achilles does not fit this definition, he does nevertheless seem to have some form of cour age arisen from his spirited temper. Aristotle defines this type of courage as a â€Å"natural courage. † Thus, Achilles does not possess true courage, but rather a natural courage governed by his base emotions.

Managing and Developing People: Team Working and Management Styles

Unit 9: MANAGING AND DEVELOPING PEOPLE Task 2: TEAM WORKING AND MANAGEMENT STYLES Introduction As part of my unit 9, managing and developing people, I will be discussing and assessing the management styles and team work of a recent event I have been involved in. The event that I have chosen to base my assessment on is the Christmas disco. I have selected the Christmas disco as it was a recent event I have been involved in, where as a team we planned, organised and ran the event. By using this event, I am able to gather in depth data and draw on my own personal experiences. Team’s task The team’s task was to plan and organise and event that would be feasible within the school. The event held must make a profit, which would then be donated to a chosen charity. The event must be suitable for a school and its pupils. For this task, each member of the team was assigned and allocated a job role with each member having individual responsibilities. Team work in this assignment was vital in the organisation of the event as we not only needed to ensure that the event was successful, and that we provided and enjoyable experience for the pupils, but also we needed to make sure that we communicated well within the organisation. In order to ensure the event was a success, we also needed to work well with each other, which would create an enjoyable atmosphere for those attending the event. Brainstorm It was important for us to decide on the choice of event at an early stage, which would allow us to have plenty of time to research and organise before the event was staged. As a team we thought of a number of suggestions for an event that was feasible. After we had thought of the basic ideas we discussed each idea. This was important as we had to be sure there were good enough reasons for holding the event and that there wouldn’t be too many constraints during organisation process. Disco This type of event can cater for the whole school, which in theory could probably raise the most money. A disco can be held in the school hall as it is big enough, meaning that we don’t have to hire a venue which would be quite expensive. This event can be carried out any time of year and will not be dependent on the weather as the event will be held indoors. As well as selling tickets to the pupils to raise money, we can also sell snacks and drinks to increase the profits. We can also hold competitions for the pupils, and include the teachers in the entertainment. However for this type of event we will need extra staff to monitor the behaviour of the pupils at the disco. There will also be various health & safety procedures that will need to be followed, which is crucial to get right. Another issue is that it may be quite chaotic when the pupils are arriving at the hall and trying to take pupils tickets. This will have to be controlled and may need to stagger classes to avoid crowding at the doors. Also it may be quite expensive to hire a DJ and we may find it hard to cater for everyone’s music tastes. For this type of event there will need to be contingency plan put in place, encase we run out of snacks or drinks. Prom Prom is a very popular and enjoyable event that all involved look forward to. As this is an enjoyable event there will staff who want to attend and able to monitor the pupils. Also for this type of event we would be able to charge more for the tickets as it would be an exclusive event for the pupils. However, this event will only be available for year 11 pupils which would mean that we will not make as much money as the other events. We will also have a problem with the venue for the event. Prom is usually held at a different location, which could prove expensive or the usual venue may not want the pupils there. As it is only year 11 at this event, there is a chance that they may bring alcohol, or manage to get hold of alcohol at the venue as there is a bar. Teachers will have to attend the event to ensure that pupils do not misbehaviour at the prom. This type of event needs a lot of organising and will prove to be quite stressful and confusing. Fete For this type of event, we have the facilities available to us to hold the event, as we have a large school yard. As the event will be held on school ground there will be staff available to monitor the event and the pupil’s behaviour. We can easily make profit from selling confectionary. Also health & safety procedures can be monitored as all facilities needed are easily available through the schools caretaker. However, as this type of event will be held outside it will depend on the weather. There is a risk that we may not make money. We cannot ticket the event as it will be held on the school yard, which cannot be cordoned off and is too large an area. Also if nothing is sold at the fete we will not make any profit. Conclusion After we had looked at the reasons for and against organising each type of event, we decided that the most feasible event for us to hold would be the school disco due to the fact that business studies in previous years held one every year, and it was a successful event, with the majority of pupils attending. From this it showed us that it was an event that the majority of pupils at St. Albans enjoyed. Another reason for holding the school disco, is because we already had the facilities available and we would not have to spend money on initial equipment. We decided to organise the event around Christmas time, so we would be able to set up the Christmas disco for the years 7-11. We then created a name and logo for our chosen event. During a meeting, as a team we came up with a few suggestions and suitable logo ideas. The name and logo needed to symbolise and reflect the type of event we were going to organise. As a group we discussed all ideas and voted on a final logo design and name. We decided on the name ‘iDisco’ as it reflects what type of event we were organising and we feel plays on the idea of the well known mp3 product, iPod, as this is a musical product and music is the main feature of our event. As a team we believed that the name was different, simple and unique. Our logo is a combination of ideas. We wanted a logo that was simple but reflected our business. We agreed that our logo was eye catching and symbolised our business well. Teamwork Team working is relevant to all industries, from manufacturing to the service sector, and it is very useful in small businesses. Team working involves working cooperatively and making use of individual strengths within a group to achieve a common goal. Teams can be based around a particular product or be part of a process or service. They often cut across organisations' structural and functional divides and it is to an employer's advantage to try to recruit staff who works well in a team. Working in a team has many benefits and can give employees: * Exposure to a variety of tasks using several skills Autonomy in deciding the order or pace of work * Identity, as the task forms a whole job or a large part of the whole job * Responsibility, so team members are accountable to each other for what is produced * Valuable feedback on their work * Social contact and an opportunity to interact with colleagues * Balanced workload, as team members can help each other to even out peaks and trough s in their work * Clarity on their roles so the team can deal quickly with any problem of ‘who does what' * Achievement and satisfaction with a job well done Development opportunities, such as improving interpersonal or leadership skills There is no strict rule on the size of a team, but most successful teams have six to 15 members. If it is any larger, the team tends to split into sub-groups. Advantages of Teamwork Team working can increase product quality, encourage product innovation and make team members more autonomous and accountable. The varying skills of team members can better support the introduction of new technology and teams are often able to adapt to differing customer expectations. It can also boost employee morale, motivation, commitment and encourage employees to work collaboratively and share their skills and knowledge. As well as improving productivity, team working can maximise team members' strengths, improve delegation and reduce some levels of management. Teamwork is often introduced when costs are being cut and the workforce is being reduced, for example because of redundancies in a recession. For more information see our guides on reorganisations, restructurings and other major changes and making an employee redundant. Features of the team From the start of any enterprise, it is important that all the participants are allocated clear responsibilities for various aspects of the operation. These roles do not have to be set in stone for the whole life of the project, but can be changed around so that everyone gets experience of more than one area of responsibility. There needs to be someone who is clearly in charge, someone who chairs meetings, has the final say on decisions and to whom all the other members involved in the event. Someone must also be allocated responsibility for the role of secretary – the really important role of keeping a record of all meetings, setting agendas and communicating between all members of the enterprise. Finance is also an important area of responsibility that must be clearly allocated and managed meticulously from the outset. Other areas of responsibility might include market research, sales, publicity, logistics (booking the venue, checking electricity supplies, checking the availability of equipment and organising the post-event clear-up), catering and any other areas that are key to the event’s success. If a role is particularly large or an area of high risk such as finance then more than one person may wish to take on the role so that the area is always covered even if one member is unable to make a key team meeting or take care of an activity. Within each role, there ought to be a clear set of responsibilities. The team member carrying out that role should be set objectives and targets. There should also be regular opportunities for team members to reflect on how well they are meeting their individual targets and how they can improve their performance. Individual roles Managing Director – Aron Roden A Managing Director is the person responsible for planning and directing the work of a group of individuals, monitoring their work, and taking corrective action when necessary. For many people, this is their first step into a management career. Managers may direct workers directly or they may direct several supervisors who direct the workers. The manager must be familiar with the work of all the groups he/she supervises, but does not need to be the best in any or all of the areas. It is more important for the manager to know how to manage the workers than to know how to do their work well. Sales Manager – Christie Watkins Irrespective of the kind of business being carried out, an effective and efficient sales manager is required for higher sales values and ultimately higher profits. Be it the food industry, control panel accessories, cosmetic, automobile or even insurance industry, they all depend on the efficiency of their sales managers as they form the face of the company and are the ones dealing with the final consumer. This is why this position holds a very important place and is a crucial one for the future of the company. However, what exactly does the job description for sales manager entail. * Setting Objectives * Planning and Organizing * Overseeing Sales Team * Inventory Control Production Manager – Dominic Rowles The term â€Å"production†, is mostly linked to engineering industries and factories, and production managers are related to the management, co-ordination, planning and successful execution of the production plan, so that productivity of the firm increases and production targets are met in time. No doubt that production manager’s are key people who have the responsibility of overseeing the production process, managing the budget, ensuring the supply of raw materials and monitoring the quality of the products. Production managers can decide about the purchase of the equipments and the instruments for a firm, if they're need replacement. A production manager is involved in all the stages of production. Be it the pre-planning stage or the stage of production control and evaluation of the plans. Legal Officer – Jason Roynon Legal officers fulfil an important duty of viewing, interpreting and deciphering legal documents. Legal officer’s work within government legal departments, as counsels for corporations, and within profit and non-profit organisations. Legal officers are tasked with reading legal jargon and providing advice to the company they work for on a course of action in legal cases. In some instances, they handle court cases on behalf of their employer. They oversee real estate purchases, compliance with tax laws and state regulations, draw up contracts, and in some cases oversee company budgets and projects. Finance Manager – Wing Hong Lau A financial manager is responsible for providing financial advice and support to clients and colleagues to enable them to make sound business decisions. Financial considerations are at the root of all major business decisions. Clear budgetary planning is essential for future planning, both short and long term, and companies need to know the financial implications of any decision before proceeding. In addition, care must be taken to ensure that financial practices are in line with all statutory legislation and regulations. Secretary – Sophie Price A secretary or administrator provides both clerical and administrative support to professionals, either as part of a team or individually. The role plays a vital part in the administration and smooth-running of businesses throughout industry. Secretaries/administrators are involved with the co-ordination and implementation of office procedures and frequently have responsibility for specific projects and tasks and, in some cases, oversee and supervise the work of junior staff. Human Resources Manager – Jordan Meaney Human resource management is concerned with the development of both individuals and the organization in which they operate. HRM, then, is engaged not only in securing and developing the talents of individual workers, but also in implementing programs that enhance communication and cooperation between those individual workers in order to nurture organizational development. HRM consists, often with the help of other company areas, the nature and responsibilities of various employment positions. This can encompass determination of the skills and experiences necessary to adequately perform in a position, identification of job and industry trends, and anticipation of future employment levels and skill requirements. Staffing is the actual process of managing the flow of personnel into, within (through transfers and promotions), and out of an organization. Once the recruiting part of the staffing process has been completed, selection is accomplished through job postings, interviews, reference checks, testing, and other tools. Marketing Manager – Joe Norris Marketing executives are involved in developing marketing campaigns that promote a product, service or idea. The role includes planning, advertising, public relations, organising events, product development, distribution, sponsorship and research. The work is often challenging, varied and exciting. The responsibilities of a marketing executive will vary, depending on the size of the organisation and sector, and whether the focus is on selling a product or service or raising awareness of an issue that affects the public. Why the needs of individuals and teams conflict Sometimes the individual needs and motivating factors of employees may conflict with the needs and aims of the business. For example, in a small business there maybe few opportunities for promotion. There will be therefore be little incentive for people whose main motivation is career development. However, if the business can provide valuable experience and skill development, perhaps through job rotation, then working for that business might be seen as an important step in a career. Conflict may also arise when employees look for higher salaries and wages. Labour is often one of the largest costs of a business. If a business is trying to reduce expenditure, it may keep increases in salaries and wages to a minimum, which can have an adverse effect on employees’ motivation. Management Theorists In practise, management styles do not always fit neatly into the tree categories of autocratic, democratic or laissez-faire. There have been many other attempts to characterise different management styles and to offer advice to managers on how they can adapt their approach to get the best from their staff. Rensis Likert (1903 – 1981) Dr Rensis Likert has studied human behaviour within many organisations. After extensive research, Dr. Rensis Likert concluded that there are four systems of management. According to Likert, the efficiency of an organisation or its departments is influenced by their system of management. Likert categorised his four management systems as follows; Exploitive authoritative – system 1 In this type of management system the job of employees/subordinates is to abide by the decisions made by managers and those with a higher status than them in the organisation. The subordinates do not participate in the decision making. The organisation is concerned simply about completing the work. The organisation will use fear and threats to make sure employees complete the work set. There is no teamwork involved. Benevolent authoritative – system 2 Just as in an exploitive authoritative system, decisions are made by those at the top of the organisation and management. However employees are motivated through rewards (for their contribution) rather than fear and threats. Information may flow from subordinates to managers but it is restricted to â€Å"what management want to hear†. Consultative – system 3 In this type of management system, subordinates are motivated by rewards and a degree of involvement in the decision making process. Management will constructively use their subordinates ideas and opinions. However involvement is incomplete and major decisions are still made by senior management. There is a greater flow of information (than in a benevolent authoritative system) from subordinates to management. Although the information from subordinate to manager is incomplete and euphemistic. Participative – system 4 Management have complete confidence in their subordinates/employees. There is lots of communication and subordinates are fully involved in the decision making process. Subordinates comfortably express opinions and there is lots of teamwork. Teams are linked together by people, who are members of more than one team. Likert calls people in more than one group â€Å"linking pins†. Employees throughout the organisation feel responsible for achieving the organisation’s objectives. This responsibility is motivational especially as subordinates are offered economic rewards for achieving organisational goals which they have participated in setting. Likert’s Ideal System Likert believes that if an organisation is to achieve optimum effectiveness then the â€Å"ideal† system to adopt is Participative. Meredith Belbin (1926 -) In the 1970s, Dr Meredith Belbin and his research team at Henley Management College set about observing teams, with a view to finding out where and how these differences come about. They wanted to control the dynamics of teams to discover if – and how – problems could be pre-empted and avoided. As the research progressed, the research revealed that the difference between success and failure for a team was not dependent on factors such as intellect, but more on behaviour. The research team began to identify separate clusters of behaviour, each of which formed distinct team contributions or â€Å"Team Roles†. The co-ordinator. Any group needs a leader, an overall chairperson who can co-ordinate the efforts of all members in the team. This role calls for someone who is an effective and well disciplined organiser. The co-ordinator must be able to communictae well with others, to focus their minds and efforts on the objectives of the group as well as the job in hand. They must be able to work with and through other group members. In formal project and work teams, the co-ordinator is often appointed before a team is formed, although in informal groups a leader or co-ordinator is likely to quickly emerge. The shaper. In many ways, the shaper acts as the co-ordinator’s second-in-command, and will often take charge in their absence. The shaper can be the catalyst who turns plans or ideas into action. The role of shaper suits someone with an outgoing and dominant personality, ideally a person who is committed to the successful performance of the group and enthusiastic about the task. The plant. The innovator of the group, the plant tends to be intelligent and imaginative. It is the plant who comes up with original ideas, suggestions and proposals. Often the role of plant suits a more introverted personality who needs to be encouraged in order to contribute fully. The monitor-evaluator. Someone who analyses the ideas and plans of the group to point out inconsistencies, difficulties and flaws. The monitor-evaluator may remain on the periphery of the group, stepping into make a contribution before final decisions are made. The resource investigator. Someone who identifies and locates the resources needed to complete a task, often from sources and contacts outside the group. The role of resource investigator suits an extrovert personality keen to take on the ideas of the group. The implementer. An implementer is usually a good organiser and administrator. The implementer sees to the practical planning and scheduling of the task. The teamworker. By themselves, teamworkers do not take a leading role in a group, but rather support and encourage other group members in their roles by listening and helping. A teamworker will often help to smooth things over if there is a disagreement within the group. The completer. The group member who consolidates the effort of the group as a whole. It is the completer who ensures the group meets its targets, both in terms of time and quality. The completer is usually finicky about details, checking that the task has been completed fully and on time. The specialist. People with the specialist knowledge and skills required for the task or parts of the task. Belbin stresses the importance of each role being fulfilled in a group. If too few of the roles are fulfilled, there will be a risk that tasks may not be completed satisfactory. In small groups with a few members each member may have to fulfill more than one role. Fred Fiedler (1922 -) Fred Fiedler, an American management consultant, suggested that the ability of a manger or leader to manage or efficiently depends upon the situation facing the team. According to Fiedler, there are three critical â€Å"dimensions† or factors which have to be taken into consideration: * Position power – the power and authority given the leader by the organisation. * Task structure – the extent to which tasks and outcomes can be clearly defined to * those responsible for carrying them out, as opposed to tasks that are unclear or ambiguous. * Relations between the leader and the other team members – the extent to which the members of a team like and trust their leader, and are willing to follow his/her lead. Fielder also identifies three conditions (or sets of conditions) which can affect the effectiveness of management styles. Condition 1 where position power of the manager is high, the task highly structured and relationships with team members are good. Fiedler suggested that in this condition an authoritarian, task-centred management style is most appropriate, as relationships are already good and the manager is able to maintain control. Condition 2 in which the position power of the manager is relatively low, the task is poorly structured or ambiguous, but relationships between the manager and the team members are moderately good. In this condition, Fiedler suggested that a democratic, employee-centred management style is more appropriate in order to maintain relationships and to enable the manager to exert some influence. Condition 3 where again the position power of the manager is low and the task poorly structured, but relationships between the manager and team members are also poor. In this condition, Fiedler suggested that an authoritarian, task-centred management style is more appropriate, giving rise to more positive action and better performance than a more conciliatory democratic, employee-centred style. Victor Vroom (1932 -) An alternative contingency theory has been proposed by the US psychologist Victor Vroom. In his model, Vroom identified these five stages of management from which mangers can choose the most appropriate to their situation. 1) The manager makes all decisions and solves problems without reference to team members. 2) The manager obtains relevant information from team members, and them makes the decision or solves the problem. 3) The manager consults team members individually for opinions and suggestions, and then makes the decision or solves the problem. ) The manager consults with a group as a whole, and then makes the decision or solves the problem. 5) The manager consults with the team, and a decision is taken or the problem solved by the team as a whole. Team’s Management There are many management strategies that a business can choose to run its organisation by. However many of these strategies focus on the authoritative figure, (managing director), of t he organisation. Within the team, communication is key to ensure the success of the business, allowing information to reach all members of the team, in particular with management. Rensis Likert’s theory asserts that the most successful leaders are those who are able to establish work teams that are fully co-operative and have a high level of job satisfaction. Relating to his theory, the teams management strategy could be seen as consultative. All major decisions were first of all made and discussed by the team, but ultimately made by the managing director. This showed the confidence and trust the managing director had in the team. Using meetings to make constructive use of team members ideas and opinions, allowing participation in decision-making from the team. In this instance communication is two-way between the managing director and the rest of the team. However the strategy I agree that represents the team’s management the most, is Likert’s system 4, participative. This team management strategies states that the manager demonstrates complete trust and confidence with the team. Also through meetings, full use was made of team participation in decision-making and setting targets, as we regularly used our gantt chart to set deadlines, and discussed the issues we faced to resolve them effectively. I felt there was a supportive atmosphere as the managing director helped and advised rather than dictating and commanding. As communication flowed freely in all directions, responsibilities for decisions and performance were shared throughout the team. Meredith Belbin’s theory identifies nine basic roles which must be fulfilled for a group to be fully effective. Team roles are rarely allocated through a conscious decision process. Some roles are adopted because a member wants that particular role, either because they feel most comfortable in it, or because it fits in with their personal agenda. Other roles are adopted by members subconsciously, because their personality or temperament best suits them for the role. During our first team meeting job roles were allocated, and with many of these job roles can be instantly related to Belbin’s team management theory. The co-ordinator was instantaneously adopted by the managing director as he was an effective and well disciplined organiser. As the co-ordinator, the managing director communicated well with the team, to focus on the objective of the group as well as the job in hand. The monitor-evaluator, I feel was adopted by the sales manager as she analysed ideas and plans of the group and pointed out inconsistencies. Also the sales manager adopted the role of the plant, as she is an intelligent and imaginative individual who came up with original ideas and suggestions. Logically I think the role of the implementer was taken on as the secretary, myself. I feel as the implementer I had good organisation and administrative skills, and I planned and scheduled team tasks. The role of the shaper was taken by the production manager as he stepped in if the managing director was absent. I feel that the shaper was committed to the successful performance of the group and enthusiastic about the task. I would regard the finance director as the specialist within the group as he used his specialist knowledge and skills required for the task. The teamworker was a role that was adopted by the human resources manager. Although he did not take a leading role within the group, he supported and encouraged others in their roles. Furthermore the teamworker often helped to defuse any difficult situations or disagreements. The legal officer, I believe, took on the role of the resource investigator as part of his job was to locate resources from outside contacts, such as contracts and insurance policies. Finally, I would consider the role of the completer was adopted by the marketing manager. One of the marketing managers tasks was to create the logo for the team. Using the teams ideas, he consolidated their work to produce the logo. He ensured that the group met deadlines and checked quality of the teams work. However I feel that Belbin’s roles could have applied to each individual member of the team. Many aspects of his theory could have applied to individual tasks as well. On the other hand, I see the significance of these roles, as it allows team members to be identifiable and recognise their roles. Teams and Management Styles Ultimately, the performance if the team is the responsibility of the leader. However, any team is only as effective as the combined efforts of its members, and all members must play their part. A leader must therefore be aware of and sensitive to the varying needs of the organisation, the team and individual members. So a team leader must draw out contributions from all members by co-ordinating their activities and by making sure that they work positively towards the team’s objectives. A good leader will listen to the opinions, ideas and concerns of members. If conflict exists, the leader must decide on a course of action that is in the interests of the team and organisation. The style of leadership or management adopted by managers has an impact on employees. It can affect employee motivation and morale, and therefore affect their work, with consequences for the performance of the organisation. Obviously, any business organisation wants to get the best performance out of its workforce. A considerable amount of research has therefore been undertaken into the effectiveness of different management styles and approaches to business leadership. The underlying goal of this research is to find the style – or styles – of leadership which is more likely to encourage subordinates to work better. Theories of management have usually contrasted three styles: Autocratic In an autocratic management style, power and authority are exercised by the manger without reference to others within his or her department or team. The autocratic manger plans and controls the activities of the team, dictating what is to be done and spelling out how it should be done. Autocratic management tends to be task-centred, and more focused on the satisfactory completion of the task than on the welfare or motivation of employees. Democratic In a democratic management style, on the other hand, while power and authority still lie with the manager, plans and decisions on future activities are made by the team as a whole. A democratic manager may even delegate some power and authority for making decisions to others in the team and may encourage staff to take some independent action. Democratic management is employee-centred, being based on the theory that employees will be more motivated and work better when they are involved in decision-making. Laissez-faire A manager who adopts a laissez-faire management style allows members of the team to carry out their functions and tasks without interference. This type of manager will remain in the background, co-ordinating and supporting the work of the team members, and representing them at management settings. Leadership style analysis Initial, my first analysis of the leadership style for the team would be that our Managing Director adopted a very laissez-faire style. As this was the first team we had worked in a team with each other, but we all knew each other from the previous year, the leadership style was quite laid back and everyone was left to carry out their roles and responsibilities. Yet through regular meetings, as a team we were able to come together, review our work and our managing director was then able to co-ordinate our work. However I would now say that there was more of a democratic leadership style by the managing director. Although the managing director was the authoritative figure within the team, everyone is given a seat at the table, and discussion is relatively free-flowing. The ideas and decisions were discussed openly and final decisions were made as team. This style meant facilitating the conversation, encouraging the team to share ideas, and then synthesizing all the available information into the best possible decision. I believe that this type of leadership allowed the managing director to trust the team to make their own decisions. Through our meetings we knew what our tasks were, and our deadlines as they were organised by the managing director, yet I felt that we were encouraged to make our own decisions with our work and we were not required take their ideas. Also I felt that as a team we all involved in making the decisions and it was our company, not just the managing directors. Because of this, I believe that our business was more of a success as we were all motivated to achieve more than was expected. Meetings A meeting are called together to discuss or investigate problems, give information, consult the views of others, take decisions or plan courses of action, when more than one person is involved. As methods of communication, involving employees in the management of the business, and spreading information, meetings have an important part to play in motivation. They are, therefore, an important management tool, and any manager needs to have the skills and experience to use meetings. Meetings are an important part in the management of any business and are called on several levels. * At director level, meetings are called to discuss and take decisions on the future strategy of the business and to set aims and objectives. * At senior management level, meetings are called to decide on plans of action to implement strategy and achieve objectives. * At department or team level, meetings are called to disseminate or given information, investigate problems or ways of doing things, consult the views of team members, and plan the work of the team to achieve its targets. As with any team activity, the effectiveness of a meeting is also affected by the style of leadership and decree of control exercised by the person chairing the meeting. ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- Below is a copy of the minutes from a team meeting. 1st October 2010 Meeting started at 2:30 – ended 2:40 Agenda 1. Decide food 2. Questionnaires 3. Welsh Bac group. Present at meeting -All. Food discussed. Discussed what food and drink we want to supply at the disco. With each ticket purchased, pupils will be provided with a free drink and packet of crisps. Prices of products have been researched, as a group have decided to purchase the cheapest product. Have decided that we will not be giving fizzy drinks as the free drink, but will be selling them throughout the disco. Also we have decided to offer other crisps, chocolate and sweets, although products will need to be checked for nut allergies. Questionnaire discussed. Production manager to produce a questionnaire to find out what pupils want at the disco. We have decided to issue two questionnaires, one for lower school and one for upper school. By doing this we can cater the for both disco’s effectively. Welsh Bac group discussed. Along with the disco we need to include a Welsh Bac group for their business enterprise. We have decided on a group who will be selling glow sticks at the disco. All profits made from sales of their products will be added to total donated to our chosen charity. Date of next meeting: 12th October 2010 ————————————————- Detailed discussion of meeting Throughout our task, we regularly held meetings on a fortnightly bases. This enabled the team to review the task and deadlines. During meetings the team were able to communicate ideas and discuss problems. In the meeting included above, the reasons for holding the meeting were to discuss the agenda: * Decide food * Questionnaires * Welsh Bac group. During this meeting we were able to decide that we would give pupils a free drink and packet of crisps with their ticket purchase. We all agreed that this would be an incentive for the pupils to attend the disco, and thought that it was fair to provide one free drink and one free packet of crisps as the disco would only last an hour and a half. After looking through research from the production manager, we decided that the free products would be the cheaper of our stock. From the research we concluded that we would be purchasing small squash cartons and space raider crisps, as the free products. As these were the products that all pupils would be given, we decided that they shouldn’t be full of additives, like a fizzy drink or sweets. As well as the free products, at the disco we sold additional snacks and drinks. We decided that these products should be named brands and widely recognised by the pupils, which we felt would persuade the pupils to purchase them. At this meeting we decided that extra research was needed to guarantee all products sold would not contain nuts, ensure we would not cause any allergic reactions to any of the pupils. The second topic on the agenda was the questionnaires. We needed to gather data and primary research for our event. We concluded that the best possible way to do so was through a questionnaire, getting answers directly from the target market it was aimed at. During this meeting we discussed what types of questions needed to be included in our questionnaire. To begin with we discussed what needed to be included in the questionnaire. We wanted to find out what products the pupils would want to purchase at the disco and if the products we were researching would be suitable. Also we wanted to ask the pupils what types of music they wanted to listen to at the disco, and if they would like to hear Christmas songs at the disco, as this would enable us to cater for all their music tastes. We had previously discussed inviting a band to our event, but we needed to know if the pupils wanted this along with any items they would like available at the event. As we were having two discos’ we needed to cater for both. We decided that we would need to produce two questionnaires, for both upper and lower school. This would allow us to design the discos around the pupils. After discussing the questions, the managing director delegated the task of producing the questionnaire to the marketing manager. We all felt that he was the right person for the task. We have been approached by a Welsh bac group, who as part of their course need to include business enterprise. This group would like to be a part of our disco, and wish to sell glow sticks during the event. As a team we decided that glow sticks would be an ideal product to sell at a disco, and agree that the pupils would enjoy them. We agreed as a team and with the welsh bac group that the profit they make will be contributed to our total, and donated to our chosen charity. Analysis of the meeting It was important to have regular meetings through our task, as it allowed us to come together as a team, to evaluation our work and organise tasks. I would consider these meetings beneficial to the team, as it motivated us to work together and focused us on the job at hand. The advantages of the above meeting: * Analyse individuals work. * Make decisions as a team. * Able to keep track of progress. Resolve problems as a team. * Discuss future tasks. * Easy way to communicate within the team. * Problems resolved quickly and efficiently. * Agenda was met. The disadvantages of the above meeting: * Meetings quite short. * No future deadlines set. * New ideas were not discussed. * No alternative agenda’s were discussed. * Welsh bac group was discussed without their presence. * Meetings were not set on regular bases. Even though I regard our team meetings as an effective means of communicating within the team, I feel that there are areas that need to be reviewed and improved. Initially the length of the teams meetings is an area I believe could be improved. The majority of our meetings would last 10-15 minutes. I personally believe that this was not enough time to discuss all topics on the agenda, and allow team members to raise additional topics. Also by having meetings at 2. 30, didn’t leave us much time in a normal school day to get tasks done that have been discussed. If we held all our meetings first thing in the morning, it would leave us the rest of our lesson (and free lessons) to address issues raised in our meetings. On many occasions deadlines were set during meetings, however this did not happen at all meetings. I believe that by not setting team deadlines during meetings, team members did not know what their tasks were or how to address them. Also this meant that progress was slowed, which lead to work being rushed as we came closer to the event. If we had set deadlines and tasks during every meeting, I feel that progress could have been made earlier, allowing us to concentrate on the more important issues. Furthermore it would have enabled team members to identify their progress what they need to do next.

Definitions, Examples, and Discussions of English Grammar

Definitions, Examples, and Discussions of English Grammar The word grammar  comes from Greek, meaning craft of letters, which is an apt description. In any language, grammar is: the systematic study and description of a language. (Compare with usage.)a set of rules and examples dealing with the syntax and word structures (morphology) of a language.   Without grammar, a language wouldnt work, because people couldnt communicate effectively. The speakers and the listeners of any exchange need to both function in the same system in order to understand each other. The grammar of a language includes basic axioms such as the existence of tenses of verbs, articles and adjectives and their proper order, how questions are phrased, and more. We Learn Grammar From Birth Author  David Crystal tells us in The Fight for English that  grammar  is the study of all the contrasts of meaning that it is possible to make within sentences. The rules of grammar tell us how. By one count, there are some 3,500 such rules in English (Oxford University Press, 2006). Intimidating, to be sure, but native speakers dont have to worry about studying them all. Grammar, in fact, its actually something thats begun being learned by every person in their first days and weeks of life, through interaction with others.  All native speakers when theyre born and start learning it as they hear it spoken around them, such as how sentences are put together (syntax), and the pieces that make them up (morphology). A preschoolers tacit knowledge of  grammar  is more sophisticated than the thickest style manual, writes  Steven Pinker in Words and Rules. [Grammar should not] be confused with the guidelines for how one ought to speak (Harper, 1999). Uses of Grammar Understanding the basics of grammar is needed to make us proficient speakers and writers, of course. As Sidney Greenbaum and Gerald Nelson write in An Introduction to English Grammar: There are several applications of grammatical study: (1) A recognition of grammatical structures is often essential for punctuation; (2) A study of ones native grammar is helpful when one studies the grammar of a foreign language; (3) A knowledge of grammar is a help in the interpretation of literary as well as nonliterary texts, since the interpretation of a passage sometimes depends crucially on grammatical analysis; (4) A study of the grammatical resources of English is useful in composition: in particular, it can help you to evaluate the choices available to you when you come to revise an earlier written draft. (2nd ed. Pearson, 2002) Study  beyond the basics increases our skills, and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively is necessary in any profession where theres interaction with other human beings, whether youre giving or receiving directions with other employees, discussing goals of your company on a particular project, or creating marketing materials for a nonprofit- the ability to properly communicate matters. Even if you dont know all the lexicographical terms and pedantic nit-picks involved in the study of grammar, take it from Joan Didion: What I know about  grammar  is its infinite power. To shift the structure of a sentence alters the meaning of that sentence. Types of Grammar Whereas students of English mainly have to deal with just the nuts-and-bolts prescriptive,  traditional  type of grammar, such as making sure verbs and subjects agree and where to put commas, linguists have many more types to examine different aspects of the language, from how different languages compare to each other (comparative grammar) or use grammatical parts (descriptive  grammar) to how the words and their usage interact to create meaning (lexicogrammar). They study how people acquire language and debate whether every child is born with a concept of universal grammar. Teachers instructing English language learners follow a method of  pedagogical grammar  for their students. Other areas of study for linguists include:   Case grammarCognitive grammarConstruction grammarGenerative grammarLexical-functional grammar (LFG)Mental grammarTheoretical grammarTransformational grammar

Free Essays on Software Industry

The software industry has created ways for unsuccessful companies to be protected against willlingly misleading the public. In the case of Hopper Specialty Co., â€Å"who purchased a software product called Warehouse Manager from NCR†, theh company that cereated the software lied about the success of their product. This lie lead to tremendous losses for Hopper Specialty Co. However, â€Å" NCR claimed that the product had been effectively deployed in 200 other installations, with no complaints. The product had numerous problems: response times of minutes for simple tasks, only one person could use the software at a time (although claimed to be multi-user), lost and corrupted data.† NCR states they are not responsible for the incurred losses because they are protected by standard Universal Agreement. The real question is weather software sold after notification of the problems should be protected by this agreement. Business is simply business where ever it is conducted. The software industry should not be allowed to continue selling corrupt applications under the protection of the standard Universal Agreement. Business’s need to be forthcoming in regards to problems with their software. The Government should not pad this industry in order to gain a competitive advantage in the world-wide marketplace by encouraging unethical practices. All businesses have a responsibility to their shareholders. Limits on the damages caused should be the same in the software industry as in any other industry. Unfortunately for Hopper Specialty Co. the standard Universal Agreement "limits payments to the original cost of the products and services acquired". In addition, the license requires that all disputes be arbitrated instead of litigated. The courts decision not to hear this case further facilitates an industry that has become a source of embarrassment and fraudulent activity which thrives on the general ignorance regarding technolo... Free Essays on Software Industry Free Essays on Software Industry The software industry has created ways for unsuccessful companies to be protected against willlingly misleading the public. In the case of Hopper Specialty Co., â€Å"who purchased a software product called Warehouse Manager from NCR†, theh company that cereated the software lied about the success of their product. This lie lead to tremendous losses for Hopper Specialty Co. However, â€Å" NCR claimed that the product had been effectively deployed in 200 other installations, with no complaints. The product had numerous problems: response times of minutes for simple tasks, only one person could use the software at a time (although claimed to be multi-user), lost and corrupted data.† NCR states they are not responsible for the incurred losses because they are protected by standard Universal Agreement. The real question is weather software sold after notification of the problems should be protected by this agreement. Business is simply business where ever it is conducted. The software industry should not be allowed to continue selling corrupt applications under the protection of the standard Universal Agreement. Business’s need to be forthcoming in regards to problems with their software. The Government should not pad this industry in order to gain a competitive advantage in the world-wide marketplace by encouraging unethical practices. All businesses have a responsibility to their shareholders. Limits on the damages caused should be the same in the software industry as in any other industry. Unfortunately for Hopper Specialty Co. the standard Universal Agreement "limits payments to the original cost of the products and services acquired". In addition, the license requires that all disputes be arbitrated instead of litigated. The courts decision not to hear this case further facilitates an industry that has become a source of embarrassment and fraudulent activity which thrives on the general ignorance regarding technolo...

Learn More About Inventer Thomas Elkins

Learn More About Inventer Thomas Elkins Dr. Thomas Elkins, an African-American inventor, was a pharmacist and respected member of the Albany community. An abolitionist, Elkins was the secretary of the Vigilance Committee. As the 1830s drew to a close and the decade of the 1840s began, committees of citizens were formed all across the north with the intention of protecting fugitive slaves from re-enslavement. As slave catchers sought fugitives vigilance committees provided legal assistance, food, clothing, money, sometimes employment, temporary shelter and assisted fugitives in making their way toward freedom. Albany had a vigilance committee in the early 1840s and into the 1850s. Thomas Elkins - Patents and Inventions An improved  refrigerator  design was patented by Elkins on November 4, 1879. He designed the device to help people have a way of preserving perishable foods. At that time, the common way of keeping food cold was to place items in a large container and surround them with large blocks of ice. Unfortunately, the ice generally melted very quickly and the food soon perished. One unusual fact about Elkins refrigerator was that it was also designed to chill human corpses. An improved chamber commode (toilet) was patented by Elkins on January 9, 1872. Elkins commode was a combination bureau, mirror, book-rack, washstand, table, easy chair, and chamber stool. It was a very unusual piece of furniture. On February 22, 1870, Elkins invented a combined dining, ironing table, and quilting frame. The Refrigerator Elkins patent was for an insulated cabinet into which ice is placed to cool the interior. As such, it was a refrigerator only in the old sense of the term, which included non-mechanical coolers. Elkins acknowledged in his patent that, I am aware that chilling substances enclosed within a porous box or jar  by wetting its outer surface is an old and well-known process.   Unique Folding Table A patent was also issued to Elkins on February 22, 1870, for a Dining, Ironing Table and Quilting Frame Combined (No. 100,020). The table seems to be little more than a folding table. The Commode The Minoans of Crete are said to have invented a flush toilet thousands of years ago; however, there is probably no direct ancestral relationship between it and the modern one that evolved primarily in England starting in the late 16th century, when Sir John Harrington devised a flushing device for his godmother Queen Elizabeth. In 1775, Alexander Cummings patented a toilet in which some water remained after each flush, thereby suppressing odors from below. The water closet continued to evolve, and in 1885, Thomas Twyford provided us with a single-piece ceramic toilet similar to the one we know today. In 1872, a U.S. patent was issued to Elkins for a new article of chamber furniture which he designated a Chamber Commode (Patent No. 122,518). It provided a combination of a bureau, mirror, book-rack, washstand, table, easy chair, and earth-closet or chamber-stool, which might otherwise be constructed as several separate articles.

Georgia Dome Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Georgia Dome - Research Paper Example Moreover, in the year 2000, the Super Bowl XXXIV was held at the Dome and each year, the Chick Fil-A Bowl, the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic and the SEC Football Championships and similar events are hosted. Furthermore, it is the site where NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four was held in the years 2002 and 2007. In addition, through out the year several sports events such as tennis matches, basket ball games, track and field events and Supercross events are held at the Georgia Dome. The Dome is considered as the home of the famous Atlanta Falcons. The Dome is specially designed to be capable of hosting non sports events as well, such as annual trade shows and religious events. For tourists and sports lovers, ranges of behind the scene tours are available at nominal prices. Such tours are available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The stadium is oval shaped and this ensures a good view from each of its71, 500 seats. Parking is quite expensive and limited so it is a g ood idea to prefer walking to the Dome instead. The Dome is easily accessible through rail and road. (Gramercy Books, 2006). The responsibility of operating the Georgia Dome, the 21 acre Centennial Olympic Park and Georgia World Congress Centre is undertaken by the Georgia World Congress Centre Authority. Georgia Dome is one of the World’s largest State owned, sports, entertainment and convention center facilities. Atlanta’s Hypar-Tensgrity Georgia Dome is a domed stadium that is supported by cables and was opened to the world in the year 1992. The construction of the combined sports facility was funded by the Georgia General Assembly, and is considered as Atlanta’s largest state funded construction project. During the construction of the Dome, 8,300 tons of reinforced steel was used and approximately 110,000 cubic yards of concrete was used. The Dome occupies a total area of 8.9 acres and has seven levels each of which is of 1.6 million square feet. The height of the Georgia

Analyzing and Discussing Primary and Secondary Source Documents Essay - 1

Analyzing and Discussing Primary and Secondary Source Documents - Essay Example er in the north is able to achieve the very same by choice of employment, and has more intellectual, moral, and physical benefit by being able to have a say in their field of work and in where they live. They also are able to pursue education to a much higher standard than most southern slaves would ever be allowed, and have a set of morals that is embraced by them rather than imposed on them. Despite any benefits that Calhoun may claim, I would argue that they an inherently harmful if they are imposed within the relationship of owner and slave rather than teacher and student or employer and employee. Southerners who were not part of the â€Å"Plantation Aristocracy† still supported slavery because it was a cornerstone of their overall economic system. Without slavery, the southern economy would have to undergo massive hardship and reform, and a new system would require a much larger portion of the white population to work. These people felt that slavery was a basic part of their culture, as well, and defended slavery as a right. Furthermore, the institution of slavery gave southerners greater political power per capita, and thus their votes in Congress were represented more strongly without the input—but with the population strength—of their slaves. Slavery had an effect on every piece of the economic system of the south, as slaveholders had more money to spend because they were able to run their plantations using unpaid labor. This money went into the economy that supported all southerners in their own businesses and endeavors, and a lack of such wealth wou ld lead to a lower amount of disposable income in the entire region. Furthermore, these southerners did not have the moral opposition to slavery that many northerners felt. The lack of abolitionist thought in their religious and moral views led to them being more passively supportive of slavery. Finally, many saw abolition as a northern movement to control the south more directly. This was an expansion of

Securities Act of 1934 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Securities Act of 1934 - Essay Example SEC offers a one-time registration of all the securities that wish to trade on the national stock exchange. The registration incorporates companies with 2000 shareholders or 500 unaccredited investors. Moreover, the company’s assets should amount to $10 million. Through regulating voting information calls for full exposure as an objective of the proxy solicitation. Here, representing the interests of shareholders and earlier filling is priority. The proxy statement should be detailed with the soliciting information. The 1934 Act antifraud provision entails regulating the propriety of sales within the marketplace. The specific sections of the antifraud act are Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5. Here, it is stated that withholding of information interferes with the free market, and it is committing fraud through violating Section 10(b). Lastly, SEC objective calls for periodic filing under the 1934 Act. Companies have to file a quarter and annual financial reports known as 10-Q and 1 0-K respectively.

Evaluation for the English 1100 Reading Materials Essay

Evaluation for the English 1100 Reading Materials - Essay Example e sentence would make anybody who has studied world history remember Adolf Hitler, the man behind the holocaust, and the horror his regime had brought to the world. People would also be curious about â€Å"Rooftop fish farms†, the title of the other article because everyone knows farms are created on the ground and not elevated. Curiously, the articles are only similar because of their interesting titles and the fact that they are both essays. Their organization, development and reliability are different. Clearly, one of the articles can be considered reliable and accurate. The article about security in Germany and neo-Nazis was written by Katya Adler and appeared on the website of BBC News. Since news companies are supposed to carry pertinent information around the world to readers, it can be said that the story came from a credible source. BBC News is well-known in the field of journalism and has established itself as a trustworthy source of information. Meanwhile, Katya Adler is a British journalist who has been with BBC from 1996. (Katya) On the other hand, the other article about rooftop fish farms does not include any writer or source. There is only a date above the title. In organization, the two articles are also dissimilar. The BBC news item starts off by saying that police in Germany are looking to arrest far-right fugitives and the state is moving to stop the far-right National Democratic Party (NDP). Supposedly, three people had made a video recording where they â€Å"boasted of the killings... describing themselves as the National Socialist Underground- echoing the national socialism (Nazism) of Hitler’s Germany.† (Adler) These people were not discovered until late November of 2012 but the killings had happened from 2000 to 2007. The news article was only a page long and was simply written. An essay usually has one main idea, found in the first paragraph, which controls all the ideas in the essay. In explaining this idea, the different supporting

Intervention process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Intervention process - Essay Example Therapist and psychologist dealing with intervention must be careful about the practice to prevent any legal problems that may occur from the act of organizing an intervention. There are laws regarding psychotherapist/patient privilege which govern their actions when it comes to the situation regarding a client dangerousness to self, others, and property of others (Sonkin & Liebert). The therapist has to take every possible precaution to ensure the intervention session does get out of control. He must prepare the team well and may have to enforce some type of security measures such as a guard if the client profile justifies such a preventive measure. Ethics are a part of psychology and their different ethical aspects that must be considered during interventions. Three ethical considerations during this affair are veracity, beneficence, and fidelity. Veracity refers to telling the truth (McGuinness). During an intervention, the persons involved might have to tell the patient harsh wor ds and relive very emotional and personal events that occurred due to the addiction of the patient. The harshness of the message of the group is an ethical dilemma to consider. Beneficence involves making decisions for are incompetent and do not have the faculties to decide for themselves (McGuinness). Intervention with drug addicts has beneficence dilemmas associated with them. The addict, in reality, is not competent to make his own decision since the drugs have full control over his reasoning and judgment.

Employment Law Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Employment Law Master - Case Study Example In fact, gross misconduct which may merit instant dismissal requires acts such as failure to comply with reasonable and lawful instructions, theft, sale or consumption of alcohol, physical assault, breach of duty of confidentiality, sexual or racial harassment, fighting, willful damage to an employers property, or attending work under the influence of prohibited drugs. The mentioned acts may not be exclusive but it has always been lawful that a proper investigation must be conducted of which the employees may also appeal. Parveen and Joshua may take into consideration previous similar instances when an accident occurred due to failure of employees to follow procedure as that of another employee Jake in November 2003 where Jakes failure caused explosion and injury of other employees. Jake was warned twice prior to dismissal. Other cases were also noted by Praveen, and she may state these in her appeal. As provided for by the United Kingdom Employment Act of 2002, a worker is dismissed or had an employment end with or without notice. This may be applicable when a fixed-term contract was not renewed or when an employer forced the worker to retire. In the case of Parveen and Joshua, appears to have been victims of unfair dismissal as both employees still want to return to their jobs and that dismissal was not due to expiration or non-renewal of their contract. Parveen and Joshua may both push for unfair dismissal due to the consequences brought forth by the accident of which they were involved. In this matter, the employer has to prove that due process has been undertaken prior to dismissal of both employees. There are two ways to show that a dismissal was not unfair, of which the employer must have a valid reason for dismissing an employee or that they have acted reasonably in the circumstances in that an adequate investigation must have been conducted prior to dismissal. The employer was required to have taken the statutory minimum disciplinary procedure required by law in order to dismiss the employees legally. The employer could have sent a written notice to both employees stating the ground or conduct that led them to disciplinary action. It also may contain the reason why the employer has the ground to discipline Praveen and Joshua. In matters where the reason may be of weight, the employer could have suspended both Parveen and Joshua prior to dismissal

Intervention process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Intervention process - Essay Example Therapist and psychologist dealing with intervention must be careful about the practice to prevent any legal problems that may occur from the act of organizing an intervention. There are laws regarding psychotherapist/patient privilege which govern their actions when it comes to the situation regarding a client dangerousness to self, others, and property of others (Sonkin & Liebert). The therapist has to take every possible precaution to ensure the intervention session does get out of control. He must prepare the team well and may have to enforce some type of security measures such as a guard if the client profile justifies such a preventive measure. Ethics are a part of psychology and their different ethical aspects that must be considered during interventions. Three ethical considerations during this affair are veracity, beneficence, and fidelity. Veracity refers to telling the truth (McGuinness). During an intervention, the persons involved might have to tell the patient harsh wor ds and relive very emotional and personal events that occurred due to the addiction of the patient. The harshness of the message of the group is an ethical dilemma to consider. Beneficence involves making decisions for are incompetent and do not have the faculties to decide for themselves (McGuinness). Intervention with drug addicts has beneficence dilemmas associated with them. The addict, in reality, is not competent to make his own decision since the drugs have full control over his reasoning and judgment.

Police Corruption Essay Example for Free

Police Corruption Essay Every police agency throughout the United States has its own patrol division. The patrol division is often over looked and underrated. In almost every agency, this division is the face of the Police Department. Despite the important role that patrol officer’s play, the role often may be viewed as a low-status area of policing. It is usually the largest section of an agency; however, it receives the most agency funds. The patrol division responds to calls, provides services to the community, and helps to prevent crime. It is a physically and mentally demanding job, in which involves all facets of the policing role (Grant and Terry, 2011). Due to its demanding attention, Patrol Officers respond to a numerous of variety calls. These calls include homicides, rapes, and domestic disputes. An officer may at times be plagued with quick judgment calls, which may affect him in the long run. Community patrolling addresses the community concerns at the grassroots patrol level. As departments grow, they set realistic goals and continue to develop community partnerships. Unfortunately, one will often see patrol officers make bad judgment calls, in which can lead to misconduct issues. Criminal acts under color of law include acts within the bounds or limits of lawful authority. This includes acts beyond the bounds of lawful authority. There has been an increase in police corruption issues, misconduct, and brutality incidents within the last year. Everything from the range of using technology for bad selection in newly hired officers has led to this problem. Off-duty conduct may also be covered under color of law only if the perpetrator asserted official status in some manner. Due to these types of issues, one will sometimes hear the Police Department needs to be policed. A number of researchers have examined the use of force. For example, there are debates for the usefulness of force continuums among law enforcement agencies. As a police officer, I have encountered calls, in which witnesses have question my actions and even accused me of police brutality. I once responded to a call of a possible burglary in progress. Upon my arrival, I located a Hispanic male, in his late twenties, attempting to remove a window screen. When he observed my uniform and noticed who I was, he ran away from me while holding a sharp flat headed screw driver in his right hand. As he climbed over a brick wall, separating the building, I observed he tossed the screw driver and he appeared to reach for a second unknown object. As I climbed over the wall myself, I reached for my taser gun and deployed it. I struck him along the side of his torso and he went down like rain drops on cement. As I subdued him and placed handcuffs on him, I could hear people gathering around saying, â€Å"that Officer did not need to taser him, and this is police brutality. † I knew that because of the wall blocking the civilians view, most of the witnesses had not seen what had occurred on the other side of the wall. Using quick judgment and proper use of force will always be questioned by the community. Unfortunately, not all patrol officers practice good judgment as you may have heard about the Fullerton Police Department relating to the incident with Kelly Thomas. Kelly Thomas, born on April 5, 1974 and died on July 10, 2011, was a homeless man diagnosed with schizophrenia. He lived on the streets of Fullerton, California where Thomas died five days after an altercation with members of the Fullerton Police Department on July 5, 2011. After paramedics treated the officers first for their minor injuries, Thomas was taken to St. Jude Medical Center before being transferred to the UC Irvine Medical Center, where he was comatose on arrival and not expected to recover. Medical records show that bones in his face were broken and he had choked on his own blood (Sewell and Winton, 2011). A judge declined to dismiss the charges against the officers in January 2013, finding that â€Å"a reasonable person could infer that the use of force was excessive and unreasonable. An appeals court judge also denied a request to overturn the lower courts decision. Manuel Ramos, one of the Fullerton Police Officers, was charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of involuntary manslaughter. Corporal Jay Cicinelli and Officer Joseph Wolfe were also each charged with one count of felony involuntary manslaughter and one count of excessive force. I was not at the incident; therefore, I cannot judge my colleagues in the act ions that were taken on their behalf. However, it is difficult for me to think that any human being deserved this type of force used against him. When dealing with a combative subject I use the only the amount of force needed to make the subject comply. I do not feel that when dealing with a mentally ill transient, the use of strikes to the head and face are needed. As much as I hate to see my colleagues in this position, I feel that this is the closest we will get to justice. Thomas will not return from the dead and someone needs to be punished for the mistakes made that day. Another case I would like to discuss is the Huntington Beach Police Detective, who was accused of corruption. A veteran Huntington Beach police officer was once assigned to a federal anti-drug task force. He was arrested on charges that he conspired with others to distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana. Sergeant Alvaro Murillo, who was also known as The Godfather by his cohorts, was accused of using his job as a police officer to recruit informants in the drug world. After this, he would then use them to help him steal narcotics from dealers (Glover, 2008). Unfortunately, we are going to have officers who abuse their authority. It kind of makes me embarrassed to be associated with this type of behavior. As a rookie officer, I was employed by the City of Huntington Beach. I patrolled the streets of Huntington Beach with my Field Training Officer (FTO) where I remembered one incident when he drove me to a house, which had been raided on a drug related warrant search. I observed evidence, which included United States currency, guns, cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, and other drug relating to paraphernalia lying on the living room floor. It is disgusting to see a man fall to temptation, even worse, to see a fellow officer taint our profession by performing such a disgusting act. However, this profession, just like all other professions, is conducted by human beings and human beings make mistakes. A key factor in being a good police officer is using good discretion and having integrity. Sergeant Murillo was sentenced to prison to do time for his action. I agree with this punishment, no matter how bad temptation is. As Police Officers, we are held to a higher expectation. If one is tempted by the minor temptations in life and needs to corrupt one’s police department to reach financial gain, then the individual has no business in this profession. As a rookie officer, I remember an old Sergeant briefing the patrol division at 0500 hours. The last words of his briefing were, â€Å"be safe and do the lords work. † By being associated with police corruption, misconduct, and excessive force, one is working with the evil forces of nature in which where one swore to protect against the negative influences. By staying away from those immature acts, it has made me a better officer and an overall better human being.