Panera Bread Video Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Panera Bread Video Case Study - Essay Example The case is relevant to the analysis of the various concepts of management given that the CEO manages to address various concepts of management. Connecting management functions Effectiveness & Efficiency The video relates to the concept of effectiveness and efficiency in the sense that the CEO noted that the company has managed to maintain quality in its products. The CEO highlights the fact that there is standardization of quality across all the branches of the company in efforts to reduce duplication. In terms of efficiency, the company saves on time by delivering its services on time without much delay. The video highlights employees of the company engaging in various activities in haste. Four functions of management and the order in which managers perform each function Planning Planning involves the manager determining the goals of the business and how the business is going to achieve such goals. This is based on the vision and mission statement of the company. In the case of Pan era Bread, the company established a vision at the start of the business and has managed to follow the vision all through (Lipman 19). Organizing Organizing involves managers allocating resources and assigning employees tasks that are in line with the achievement of the company vision. ... Panera Bread CEO is such a great leader because of his working style. He spends a great deal of his time around the business and this motivates his employees towards delivering quality services. Controlling Controlling involves monitoring of performance to ensure that the goals of the company are being met. The CEO of Panera Bread notes that the business has been critical on the issue of expanding its operations because they want the business to meet its visions. There is the use of customer feedback in an effort to match results with performance. Reflections on insights, ideas and questions The greatest insight from the Panera Bread Video case study is that the survival of a business majorly depends on is vision. Vision outlines the expected achievement of the business within a predetermined time period (Lipman 20). The CEO of Panera Bread noted that the company has managed to pursue its vision that it had determined when the company was being incorporated. This has had the effect o f ensuring that the business puts its focus on its objectives. It is no wonder that Panera Bread has remained relevant and competitive for a long period of time. The other insight is that a successful business should incorporate the mentality of people serving people instead of people serving the business. Panera Bread CEO notes that this ensures that the business exists for the sake of serving customers and getting them satisfied. There is also the idea that entrepreneurs should be passionate about doing business in addition to having the desire to make money out of the business. This ensures that the business owner gives out the best of his or her potential and that there is active involvement in the operations of the business (Lipman 23). Despite being the

Bussiness memo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bussiness memo - Assignment Example In spite of the fact that the essentials of satellite correspondences are reasonably clear, there is a colossal financing needed in building the satellite and propelling it into space (Verma et al ). All things considered numerous correspondences satellites exist in circle around the globe and they are generally utilized for an assortment of requisitions from giving satellite telecommunications connections to guide television and the utilization of satellite telephone and singular satellite correspondence joins. However, satellite correspondences frameworks give huge levels of adaptability and versatility give the open doors to numerous satellite interchanges frameworks (Macy et al ). In spite of the fact that the beginning base expenses are high, frequently new remote stations could be included moderately economically as new lines dont have to be introduced to give correspondence to the new remote station, not at all like wire based telecommunications frameworks or numerous physical remote connections were repeater stations may be required. Here the satellite empowers correspondences to be created over substantial separations - well past the viewable pathway. Correspondences satellites may be utilized for some requisitions including transferring phone calls, giving interchanges to remote territories of the Earth, giving satellite interchanges to ships, flying machine and other portable vehicles, and there are a lot of people more courses in which interchanges satellites could be utilized (Helfers 415). Verma, Ajeet Singh, et al. "Measurement of reliability and availability of satellite communication links: Progress and challenges."Â  Intelligent Systems and Signal Processing (ISSP), 2013 International Conference on. IEEE,

Refurbishment Of The Old Hospital Building Construction Essay

Refurbishment Of The Old Hospital Building Construction Essay Health issues are the primary concern of the government and needs to be dealt with high priority. This project is about ABC hospital trust which is under performing given the available hospital infrastructure. The desired result is to improve the hospital infrastructure and provide relief to the local community. There are two options available: 1) New Build project 2) Refurbishment of the old hospital building. The new build project seems to be a sound financial investment with regards to the public sector procurement. Benefits to be derived from this would be lower operational costs, lower maintenance costs, lower energy consumption, better budget control, high quality, improved functionality, and timely completion of the project. In Public sector procurement great deal of preference should also be given to the full life value of the project rather than short term capital cost. This report is a consideration of different procurement options with respect to addressing the objectives of the client and to achieve best value for money with a focus on the public sector procurement. It also presents a project management plan that includes various tasks which needs to be carried out for successful completion of the project. The Work Breakdown structure (WBS), linear responsibility Chart (LRC) and Action Plan (AP) are used to illustrate the type and scope of work which needs to be done over the entire life of the project. By taking all these factors in to consideration the integrated approach in the form of Design and build- Novation is adjudged as the best form of procurement. The main points which make this system reliable are speed of construction, single point responsibility (usually a contractor who would be responsible for managing the design and construction of the project); savings in cost along with maintain design standards throughout the phases of the project. (Masterman, 2006, pp. 66-90) INTRODUCTION The project is to provide a 6 storey hospital building providing acute care, accident and emergency, maternity and outpatient provision according to NHS Estates own design standards. Majority of the building will be given to inpatient services. The new build project option would comprise not only of the hospital building but also the associated road works, parking, hard and soft landscaping drainage and external works along with office accommodation, restaurant, and warehouse and delivery areas. The new build site is derelict and has been demolished to the ground level. It was used by heavy industry and has slabs and foundation remaining. The site is also subjected to subsidence and requires ground stabilization. There is a derelict pedestrian bridge which needs to be demolished. Also there are mineshafts which need to be blocked before the commencement of construction as it would be a major safety hazard. The refurbishment option of the existing building would involve substantial refurbishment and remodeling of the existing building. This would require intricate phasing and planning to allow its healthcare activities to continue. This would hinder the progress of the project which could in turn affect project completion times. The trust cannot afford this as they have limited time in their hands to make the facilities operational. Moreover substantial refurbishment and remodeling would involve costs which will be highly uncertain. The client is familiar with only conventional or the traditional procurement system. Traditional system requires design to be completed well before the actual construction commences. The sequential, fragmented and confrontational nature of the traditional system can result in lengthy design and construction periods, poor communication between clients and the project team and problems of buildability. (Masterman, 2006). The client has only 48 months to get the improved facilities operational. Hence, due to time constraint the client needs recommendation for new types of procurement systems to cope up with project deadlines and budget. STAKEHOLDERS A project stakeholder is a person or a group of people who have a vested interest in the success of the project and the environment within which the project operates. (Olander Landin, 2005, p. 1). The inference is that stakeholder can be an individual or a group of individuals which have the power to be a threat or a benefit for the project. Project managers should try to address the concerns of all stakeholders with effective communication to avoid conflicts and controversies in the project to ensure smooth completion of the project. (Olander Landin, 2005, pp. 1-8). Lack of integral engagement with stakeholders could also lead to failure of the project. They form an integral part of the project and one of the crucial factors in smooth completion of project. On the other hand, Business also has some stake in the individuals or groups for using their resources or their influences for running the business. (Walker Marr, 2001) For this purpose they have to be analysed in the following way : Identification of stakeholders Stakeholder mapping by Power/interest matrix Power/predictability matrix Stakeholder Management IDENTIFICATION OF STAKEHOLDERS Different stakeholders that can be associated with this project will be ABC hospital trust, City council local authority, Project manager, Architects, Contractors, Material Suppliers, Site Engineer, Structural consultants, NHS, Health and safety regulations, Wild life conservation, Insurance company, General Public- end users(patients and visitors),Hospital employees, Fire department. STAKEHOLDER MAPPING Stakeholder mapping can be done by arranging all the stakeholders of this hospital project into Power/Level of interest matrix and Power/Predictability matrix. Power / Level of Interest Matrix for this project Stakeholders with low level of interests and low power are easy to manage and would require minimal effort. (Newcombe, 2003) Stakeholders with high level of interests and low power to influence them needs to be informed about the major decisions of the project. (Newcombe, 2003) Stakeholders with low level of interest but with high power should be dealt with carefully and should be kept satisfied, failing to which their level of interests will rise and they will become stakeholders with high power and high level of interest. (Newcombe, 2003) Stakeholders with high level of interest and high power are key players and should be given top priority. The strategy of the project should have their consent at all times. (Newcombe, 2003) Power / Predictability Matrix for this project According to Power/Predictability matrix following inferences can be obtained: Stakeholders with low power and low predictability are manageable. Stakeholders with low power and high predictability will seldom cause any problems. STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT PROCESS. Project success criteria should be carefully evaluated in terms of time, cost and performance which might be influenced by or affect or concern the stakeholders directly. For effective execution of the project, resources should be available on time. These resources many a times would be at the discretion of the stakeholders. So after carefully analyzing stakeholder groups and interest levels along with predictability, stakeholder analysis with respect to stakeholders attitude should be carried out. (Turner, 2003, pp. 103-107) Stakeholder attitude can be accessed by the current level of support for the project by key stakeholders. With progress of the project, the stakeholders attitude towards the project can change which needs to be carefully monitored by the project manager. The different attitudes of the stakeholders can be summarized as follows: Changing the negative stakeholders attitude will require efforts by the project team. Key stakeholders should be the main focus of the team as they can affect the success of the project. When the stakeholders current commitment towards the project match their required commitment level then they must not be ignored, as ignoring them might change their attitude towards the project which is not desirable for the progress of the project. (Turner, 2003, pp. 109-110) STAKE HOLDER OBJECTIVES The main objective of the stakeholders would be to get high quality of health care operational within precincts of time, budget and quality. Future developments should be sustainable. CLIENT OBJECTIVES To select the best procurement route to achieve better value for money and to ensure the requirements of the stakeholders are met. To ensure the new facilities are in accordance with NHS design panel. To ensure that the project is completed within the time frame of 48 months given to them from the government. PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS Procurement is a strategy to satisfy clients development and/or operational needs with respect to the provision of constructed facilities for a discrete life cycle-By International Commission on Building (CIB W92) during its 1997 meeting. (Masterman, 2006, pp. 26-27) It can also be defined as the process that involves design, specification and acquisition of goods and services. (Carter Kirby, 2006) Procurement not only should encompass the method in design and construction of the project but also the cultural, economic, managerial, political and environmental issues raised by their implementation (McDermott Rowlinson, 1999) CLASSIFICATION OF PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS Procurement systems can be classified as follows: Separated procurement system Integrated procurement system Management oriented procurement system Discretionary system 1)Separated procurement systems: This type of system also known as the conventional system has the responsibilities for design and construction allotted to separate teams such as design team, quantity surveyors, contractors etc. For proper execution of the project the client has to deal with all the members of the project team and is himself responsible for funding and risks involved. Traditional system of procurement comes under this category. (Masterman, 2006, p. 28) 2)Integrated procurement systems: This type of system deals with responsibilities for the design and construction bestowed usually on the contractor. Hence in theory, the client has to deal with only a single organization. Design and build, novated design and build, package deal, turnkey approach are examples of this type of procurement system. (Masterman, 2006, p. 29). 3)Management-oriented procurement systems: This type of systems has the management aspect of the project carried out by an organization in co-ordination with designers, consultants to execute various activities of the project. The client will have a greater involvement in the project as compared to other procurement systems. Management contracting, construction management and design and manage come under the category of management oriented procurement systems. (Masterman, 2006, p. 29) 4)Discretionary systems: This system many a times can be argued that in reality this is not a procurement system, instead it can be means of controlling the project. The definition by Construction Industry Board (CIB) W92 states that It is a strategy to satisfy clients development and / or operational needs. The selection of the procurement system depends on the client and he lays down a framework for the overall administration of the project. Partnering and British Property Federation system are examples of this type. (Masterman, 2006, pp. 28-29,131-136) SELECTION OF PROCUREMENT ROUTE FOR HOSPITAL BUILDING Selection of a procurement route involves many factors to be considered such as Project cost, completion time, quality standards required, size of the project, risks involved, complexity of the project. Based on all the above factors Design and build novated system seems to be a suitable option for the hospital project. The main factors to be considered in this project keeping in mind the requirements of ABC hospital trust are: Project completion time Project management efficiency Project costs Provide relief to the community. Best value for money Project completion time is a major factor to be considered as any delay in this project completion would result in closure of the hospital which would have a major impact on quality of health care in the city. Delay in completion time would also result in delayed commissioning of medical equipments. Design and build Novated system enables design and construction stages to be overlapped in the project enabling speedy completion of the project. Commissioning of medical equipments and making quality healthcare operational within 48 months can be achieved by using this procurement system. Walker (1997) agrees to Smith and Wilkins (1996) that non-traditional procurement systems are more likely to enhance construction performance. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006) As design and construction stages are overlapped it helps in improving communications between the client (ABC hospital trust) and the contractor. Hence overall project management efficiency is improved along with shorter project completion time. Certainty of project costs in this kind of procurement system can be achieved as there is no ambiguity in the clients requirements. Evidence also exists to support the widely held belief that when using this system the initial and final costs are lower than when using other methods of procurement basically as a result of diminished design costs, the integration of design and construction elements and the in-buildability of detailed design. This evidence was given further support by the University of Readings report when it was established that projects procured using this system were a minimum 13 percent cheaper than those using more conventional approaches. (Masterman, 2006, p. 79) Existing hospital can continue to provide some relief to the community till the new hospital building is constructed. Best value for money can be achieved by assessing on the whole life cost of the hospital rather than the initial capital costs. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006). Whole life costs will not only include construction costs but also operational and maintenance cost over the life cycle of the project. WHY NEW BUILD PROJECT Benefits of choosing a new build project with design and build- novated type of procurement (New build) as compared to refurbishment are as follows: Refurbishment Existing Hospital. Design Build Novated Approach Requirements of the client 1) Uncertainty of Project costs as refurbishment can bring out many unknown costs involved in it. Certainty of Project costs. Project costs should be certain and should not exceed the estimated costs. 2) Uncertainty in completion time required for the project as the hospital would be in operation during refurbishment. Project completion time is certain. High speed of completion as it overlaps design and construction phase. Construction is 12% faster as compared to conventional systems. (Masterman, 2006, p. 78) Project should meet the 48 month deadline and should be fully operational. 3) Being an old building, it will be difficult to incorporate energy efficient methods or new technology leading to higher operational costs. New buildings can accommodate for energy efficiency which would lower the operational costs of the building. Low operational cost of the building. 4) Though the report show that refurbishment costs are lower as compared to new building, uncertainty in time and costs will lead to choosing new build. Construction costs are higher but certain. Low construction costs. 5) Whole life cycle costs would be more because of high operational costs throughout the life time of the project. Whole life cycle costs will be less and good value for money can be achieved. Best value for money. 6) Less energy efficient building. High costs would be involved to employ energy efficient methods Sustainability can be achieved with lower costs of accommodating energy efficient methods. Sustainable Construction. 7) Difficult to accommodate changes in design of building. Can be built as per the latest design required to incorporate changes in technology. Flexibility in design to accommodate changes in technology. 8) Existing health care facilities would be partially available to the public as refurbishing activities would be going on simultaneously. Existing health care facilities will be available to the public in the old hospital. Maintaining the existing healthcare facilities and upgrading them for future. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Supply chain management can be defined as the network of organizations that are involved, through upstream and downstream linkages, in the different processes and activities that produce value in the form of products and services in the hands of the ultimate customer. (Vrijhoef Koskela, 2000) Supply chain management involves selection from different sellers and buyers inorder to get greater benefit from them rather than just focusing on an individual. Well managed supply chains often save upto 20% of the total supply chain costs whereas a poorly managed supply chain can ruin the economy of the company. (Gattorna, 2003). Present advances made by commercial companies in understanding the ways in which the supply chain works leads to significantly enhanced expectations for people who are responsible for procuring, commissioning and managing the construction activities. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006, pp. 41-42). EFFECT OF PROCUREMENT ON SUPPLY CHAIN The most problematic area in the procurement process lies in the different stages of the construction supply chain between the interfaces of organizations. (McDermott Rowlinson, 1999, p. 58) In design and build Novated approach, the contractor is responsible for design and construction of the project. Being the sole person or agency it reduces the interfaces between organizations leading to efficient supply chain management. Also, the contractor might be having business relations with suppliers which would enable faster and effective communication between them regarding the requirements of the project. EFFECT OF PROCUREMENT ON QUALITY The designers have a task to integrate all the requirements in the project like fit for purpose, sustainable considerations, durability, strength, the aesthetics of the building, construction methods, selection of materials etc. This system has the same design team throughout the progress of the project providing better co ordination and clear objective for achieving high quality sustainability in the project. RISK MONITORING Construction projects require decisions to be made. Risk management is the technique used for decision making process. It is critical to have sufficient knowledge regarding the impact of the decision. Delay in making decision for gathering more information would result in delays in the project which would be highly detrimental and decisions made without sufficient information could have huge impact on the project. Hence, Risk identification and analysis form the basic steps to be performed in any project. (Smith, Merna, Jobling, 2006) Risk identification should be done for the entire project life cycle rather than only construction phase. Selection of suitable procurement route will ensure that risks are dealt in the best possible way. Risks not identified at the inception stage would require negotiations with the contractor which may or may not be successful. If successful then it would involve increased financial implications on the part of the client leading to cost over-runs. Risk identification can be done by three different methodologies: Brainstorming sessions. Analysis of historical data. Use of Industrial checklists. Assumption analysis. Delphi technique. The primary motive of risk identification is the recognition of potential sources of risk rather than perfect predictions of the future. Be any kind of procurement, risks are bound to be involved. We can just minimize the risks involved by selecting procurement system based on the requirements of the client and objectives of the project. Cheung (1997) suggests that risks should be allocated using the following priorities : person or organization best able to control risk effectively, who can absorb it financially, who has most information to control it, who benefits most from scheming it or for whom risk is normal in it business role. This can be used to allocate risk properly to the right agency which will benefit project progress. (Morledge, Smith, Kashiwagi, 2006, pp. 18-19) EFFECT OF SELECTION OF PROCUREMENT ROUTE ON RISK ALLOCATION. In design and build novated approach, it is the responsibility of the contractor to deal with design, construct and commissioning. Sometimes, operation and maintenance are also included in contractors scope of work for ensuring that it is upto the clients specification. All the risks associated are borne by the contractor rather than the client. The inference is that the clients involvement in the project would be minimal. This approach increases the risks for the contractor when compared to conventional approach. Once the specifications are finalized it is difficult for client to alter them. Altering the specifications would result in increased premiums. So it is essential to prepare the specifications carefully to avoid cost associated risks involved in the project. (Smith, Merna, Jobling, Risk allocation in Contracting Cycle, 2006). BEST VALUE FOR MONEY ABC hospital trust can achieve best value for money by choosing the new build project as it would lead to reduced whole life cycle cost, lower operational and maintenance cost. Being a new building, it would be easy to accommodate for energy efficient new technologies. It would lead to sustainable construction practices which wont be possible or will be difficult to implement in refurbishing the hospital building. Design and build-novated procurement system gives high speed of construction(early completion of the project) along with certainty of cost making it the ideal procurement system for this project with respect to value for time and money. BENCHMARKING PERFORMANCE Performance can be measured during construction by: Milestone Completion: Experienced Project Managers know that it is important to check the planned and actual completion dates of project milestones and physical evidence that the work is actually completed. (Schwalbe, 2006) Performance Review meetings Periodic project performance review meetings with the management help in tracking the project and control project schedules. A tracking Gantt chart that compares planned and actual project schedule information can be used for reporting the information to the stakeholders of the project. (Schwalbe, 2006) Worker morale The morale of workers and their work behavior will give a clear indication of the schedule performance. For example: If the project team members are working for extra hours every day then it will be a clear indication that the schedules are not realistic and the project manager would have to add more resources or reschedule it. Performance can be measured after construction by UK Best Practice Program (BPP) by evaluating the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Client Satisfaction Product, Client Satisfaction-Service, Defects, Predictability-Cost, Predictability-Time, Profitability, Productivity, Construction Cost and Construction Time. (Kagioglou, Cooper, Aouad, 2001) Performance of the hospital project can also be measured in terms of productivity. Productivity of this project can be defined as the ratio of the output of a production process to that of the input production process. In relation to the construction industry it can be calculated by ratio of work units completed during a period to its associated costs in terms of man hours or dollars. According to Thomas Kramer work hours, quantities and productivity are evaluated with baseline values used in project estimates. Effectiveness of the current performance can be measured by comparing current performance to the historical data or planned productivity. (Cox, Issa, Ahrens, 2003) RECOMMENDATION CONCLUSION The recommendation for ABC hospital trust is to construct a new hospital building using design and build Novated procurement system. This approach would reduce project completion time and increase cost effectiveness for the project. Quality at site, sustainability in construction activities can also be achieved with great success. Selection of this kind of approach would deliver good value for money for public sector procurement. This report also recommends periodical assessment of risk and stakeholders simultaneously with the progress of the project for avoiding conflicts. With careful monitoring of interests of the stakeholders in the project and appropriate risk management, the hospital project can be completed in an effective manner. Finally the end result to be achieved by this project would be win-win solution for all.

Abortion - Is it Safe? Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Abortion - Is it Safe?      Ã‚   If you have been told that abortion is a "safe and legal" procedure, please keep reading. Many problems can occur either during or after a legal abortion. Most people are unaware of the many dangers associated with abortion.    Ten percent of women undergoing elective abortion will suffer immediate complications, of which one-fifth are considered life-threatening. The most common complications that can occur at the time of an abortion are: ripping or perforation of the uterus, excessive bleeding, infection, embolism, convulsions, hemorrhage, cervical injury, endotoxic shock, fever, second degree burns, vomiting, and chronic abdominal pain. You can learn more by reading "Physical Health Risks of Abortion: Scientific Studies Reveal Significant Risk," from the Elliot Institute.    Over 750 papers have been published regarding the risks to abortive women. Women fall into one of two categories: normal risk or high risk. Several types of women are at significantly higher risk for post-abortion problems. They should be particularly aware of the greater potential for complications.    Women under 20 experience a 2 times greater risk of medical complications than for women aged 25-29 (CJPH 73 (1982): 396-400). One woman in 24 (4.1%) have experienced immediate medical complications. (These have included severe bleeding, infection, perforation of the uterus, and part of the baby being retained.)(CJPH 73 (1982):396-400). 150% greater risk of cervical injury than for women over 30 years of age(NEJM 309 (1983):621-4). Women who've had a previous abortion have a 200% increased risk of miscarriage after two or more abortions (JAMA 243 (1980): 2495-9). 160% increased risk o... ...6 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 166 (1992):100-103 American Journal of Public Health 72 (1982):253-6 Bernadell Technical Bulletin 1 (1989):1-2 British Journal of Cancer 43 (1981):72-6 British Medical Journal 290 (1985):907-9 Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 24 (1979):610-20 Canadian Journal of Publid Health 73 (1982): 396-400. Human Medicine 7 (1991):3:203-9. Journal of the American Medical Association 243 (1980):2495-9 McGovern, Celeste. "Hag-Ridden by Post-Abortion Guilt." British Columbia Report, 10/18/93; British Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 87 (1980):1115-22 New England Journal of Medicine 309 (1983):621-4 Somerville, Scott, Esq. "Before You Choose." AIM publications 10/1/93. Willke, J.C., M.D. The Deadly After-Effect of Abortion: Breast Cancer. Cincinnati, OH: Hayes Publishing, 1993.

Adult learning Essay

Every person has a reason for what motivates him/her to learn. These four reasons are called contexts that motivate learning. They are based on the research of Malcolm Knowles (1984) and they are called Practical Context, Personal Context, Experiential Context, and Idealistic Context. Practical Context is when a person wants to learn in order to obtain a new skill set or ability. Without this tangible end result, a person will not have the motivation to learn. Personal Context refers to a person who is motivated to learn because they want to reach a personal goal. That goal may be work related (like a promotion), or a personal goal (learning to play the piano), but it will be a goal that only he/she can say they accomplished. When a person is apt to Experimental Context learning, he/she relies on their â€Å"inner self† to learn. It is when a person can take new ideas and compare them with their past, that this person will thrive in a learning environment. They are motivated by being able to take examples from the past to shape the present and the future. On the other hand, an Idealistic Context learner is motivated by the  opportunity to gain knowledge. Not motivated to learn by the past nor the future, they are instead driven to learn by the pursuit of knowledge itself. What motivates a person to learn is unique to that person. However, thanks to the four learning contexts, we can guide our learning to ensure we get the most of our education. My motivation to learn is to reach my future goals and it falls under the Personal Context category. The reason why I have decided to obtain my BA in Human Resource Management is  simply to start a new career once I retire from the US Postal Service. I have had the opportunity to lead many talented men and women. However, my experience does not translate well into a resume. Though I now I have extensive management experience, I am missing the final peace, the education. By reaching my goal of obtaining my degree, I will be able to demonstrate that I have the education and experience needed in today’s job market. Every business needs organized management. A great manager sets goals, motivates people, and exceeds expectations. I have the people skills to lead men and women from the â€Å"deck plate level†, that is to say lead by example. But I understand that I must study the subject of management. I must become intimate with the theories and history behind it. Doing so will make me a better manager and person. And that is why I am a Personal Context Learner. I have a clear goal and path that I shall take to obtain my degree and earn a wonderful career after the government. References: Alexander, M. , Clugston, W, & Tice, E. (2009). Learning online and achieving lifelong goals. San Diego, Bridgepoint, Inc. Adult Learning Essay DISCUSSION BOARD Do you believe they have any benefit for teaching adults? Why or Why not? Share a personal example of each that supports your view. Based on your own experiences, do you believe that children and adults learn differently? Give examples to support your thoughts. Metaphors, rehearsal, imagery and mnemonics are concepts used for teaching children. These tools benefit teaching creating venues that will effectively and efficiently nurture learning. For teachers, the more tools and bag of tricks the teacher has, the deeper and wider student learning styles he can reach, whether his students are adults or children. Studies show that children are fast learners as seen in their growth rates compared to adults. However, due to the innate nature children in as much as it could benefit teaching adults. Teaching adults as a general practice involves introduction of new concepts, facilitating learning processes and of human beings to learn using their mind, heart and hands, it is safely assumed that man’s learning is continuous and does not end with being adults. From experience, adult learning takes into consideration integrative tools to get the concepts across. In a way, if the teacher is able to create an atmosphere where adults can become children again, learning can become faster and insightful. Metaphors and the ability to use them denote higher literacy levels due to the cultural shades the metaphors require. For adults, the use of metaphors for learning is effective in evocative process of teaching. The adult learner by its manipulation of thought, experience and words, can further deepen their insights on the subject being learned. For example, in teaching a second language to adults involves using learning tools that can help the learners claim a new vocabulary. It usually takes six kinds of experiences or activities before non-native speaker acquires new vocabulary. Using metaphors will help the adult learner visualize, analogize and understand the new concept via exploration of likeness. The word blue can be analogized as â€Å"cool†, â€Å"sky†, or â€Å"water†. Another reason why metaphors are effective is that in adult learning, high level of inhibitions needs to be broken up before the learners start to let go and trust the teacher and their co-learners. Metaphors are good tools to slowly break the barriers of communication especially when the topic that is being discussed is sensitive. For teachers, when adult students use their own metaphors, the teacher can get a new perspective on how the student was able to digest the concepts being imparted. Rehearsals are exercises that instill mastery skills. Adult learning includes mastery of skills especially when the concepts that need to be learned involve tactile efforts. Rehearsals can range from mental rehearsal of knowledge as well as physical rehearsal of skills. An example of rehearsal in adult learning is the teaching of artistic craftsmanship, selling and management techniques, or any hands on skill. Computing is mastered through repeatability of the ability. Repeating something like cooking is a kind of rehearsal. The use of imagery is effective in adult learner where collaboration is imperative. With adult learning, the teacher’s imposition as all knowledgeable is less. The teacher’s role lies more on bringing tools such as images that can stimulate knowledge, skills and attitudes. Just like in children where the visuals can stimulate sensory skills, adults can develop the power of their own senses to stimulate their mind, relax their bodies and imbibe more learning in a healthier way. Malcolm Knowles takes this collaboration in adult learning into the organizational level. â€Å"When applied to the organization of adult education, a democratic philosophy means that the learning activities will be based on the real needs and interests of the participants; that the policies will be determined by a group that is representative of all participants; and that there will be a maximum of participation by all members of the organization in sharing responsibility for making and carrying out decisions.† (Knowles, 1980) An example of using imagery in adult education is using film as take off point for classroom discussions. Visual stimulus can be a painting just like in children’s education but in adult discourse, the insights are more mature and evoked from varied experience. Mnemonics helps teachers increase confidence of adult students in recalling vocabulary and concepts. Teaching through mnemonics is as much fun and rewarding to adults as it is on children. The memory enhancing strategy is usually used to teach information that’s already known but need to be easily recalled. The use of this technique accommodates students from a wide age range. In adults, it is easier because with rich and diverse experience, the class can create more associations to a word, making it easier and more fun. â€Å"Most people believe that their memory gets worse as they get older. This is true only for people who do not use their memory properly: memory is like a muscle – the more it is used, the better it gets. The more it is neglected, the worse it gets. While in education most people have to use their memory intensively – simply to remember facts and pass exams. When people leave full time education, they tend to cease to use their memory as actively, and so it starts to get flaccid.† (Chennai Interactive, 2002) Adult education that uses mnemonics will be able to help adults that have ceased to use their memory after leaving formal learning venues. The memory muscle just like any adult muscle will be able to recall its ability to remember vocabularies, theories and concepts with the mnemonic type of learning. People who learn how to bike, never forgets to how to bike. Even the concepts of mathematics will easily be recalled if mnemonics is used to recall mathematical jargons or concepts of other subjects. Adult learning is very much parallel children’s way of learning. There is no better challenge for adult educators to prime their students into the level of child like learning where the student is more open to new ideas, prepared to embrace new experience and able to digest their new knowledge into the levels of reflection and insight. REFERENCES Chennai Interactive Business Services (P) Ltd., 2002. Memory Techniques. Retrieved October 27, 2006, from www.chennaionline.com/education/2002/mete.asp Knowles, Malcolm S., 1980. The Modern Practice of Adult Education: From Pedagogy to Andragogy, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall/Cambridge. Adult Learning Essay Adult learning is a complex subject that in recent years has become more of a necessity than a personal pursuit. There are three factors present in the American society today that necessitate the need for adult learning. These factors are: Dramatic changes in demographics, the global economy, and technology. (5) Demographics are concerned with growth and development of adult learners and emerging groups of learners with special needs. There are more adults in our society than ever before and the population will continue to age and increase in the number of older adults. This fact along with the growing cultural and ethnic diversity existing in America today, although, provides many benefits for the society by mixing talents from many lands, but it also, requires a certain amount of familiarization and education to minimize the risks involved by diversification. The second factor influencing the need for adult learning is the global economy. The birth of global interdependent economy has led to changing work practices, which require different kinds of preparation and training. The emphasis has been shifted to improved product and service quality, having more educated workers with more responsibility and stronger team work. This has resulted in control of education shifting more to business. More and more companies opt to provide work place literacy programs, training and development packages, and encouraging their employees to learn how to learn, to keep up with a constantly changing global service based economy. Ethnic make up and increased number of women in the work force are also contributing factors for adult learning. (5) The third factor that should be considered is the explosion in the information technology sector. With the development and advancement of computers within the last decade or two, an environment has been created in which the settings for a formal training session, has been outdated. The society is experiencing an increase in mental ability which is growing drastically with the availability of horizontal networks and the advancement of telecommunications. Information is rapidly distributed and easily available and accessible. This causes for efficient use of information. This allows the learner to have better access with those who teach information access skills, it helps the development of higher levels of thinking skills while at the same time, it creates a comfortable environment for the educators. Although consideration must be given to the ethical implication of the information access creates. (1) The three factors above have become intertwined forces. Demographics, the global economy, and technology have come together in adult education in the blurring of the field’s content and delivery mechanisms, dividing up the setting for adult education into formal, non-formal and informal activities. Blurring is also occurring in higher education sector where older students are now making up for about 50 percent of the college attendees, and finally, a blurring of content and delivery is found in such popular slogans as â€Å"workplace literacy† and â€Å"critical thinking. † which focuses on development of skills needed to be productive and informed members of a highly technical society. There are three types of opportunities in which learning occurs for adult: Formal institutional setting, non-formal setting and informal setting. For most adult, learning in adulthood brings to mind a classroom setting. Yet when we ask these same adult about what they have learned informally over the last year, they typically respond with descriptions of learning activities outside these formal settings. However, the use of technology has increase the delivery of learning programs, expanding our picture of learning in an informal setting. Informal learning occurs most often in ones natural setting in which we learn things from our daily experiences. On the other hand, non-formal settings have been used most often to describe learning opportunities outside the formal educational setting that complement the needs of underserved adults such as churches. Knowing why some adults participate in adult education does not tell us why many don’t . The two often cited reasons for non participation are lack of time and money. There is no single theory or model that can explain or predict participation in adults education . The main reasons most commonly used are cite job-related motives, achieving some other personal goal, sake of the activity itself, social relationship (making a new friend), external expectation (complying with the wishes) and cognitive interest engaged for sake of learning itself. Nonparticipation has been from the perspective of the individual’s motivation, attitudes, beliefs, and so on .However they may be social factors that influence the decision . This can also be family-related. (2) Whatever the stated or actual purposes of a learning activity, adult education is usually a form of social intervention that often begins with a problem that needs to be solved . What is seen as problematic depends on one’s values, social position, and perspective. The purpose of adult education today for which there is public support, clusters around the ability of the United States to sustain a competitive edge in the global economy. Purpose of adult education is to improve the self and to improve society. In America all individuals have access and the opportunity to benefit through education. (4) In total the answer to the question of who benefits is clear: It is those who have benefited in the past, and those who have the â€Å"cultural capital†. Those most likely to be the recipients of the dominant cultures are those who, as a result of birth and upbringing, have already acquired the cultural capital to receive it and to take advantage of opportunities. Everyone can improve his/her life situation through learning, every adult can choose to participate in any adult learning activity . There are other reason that certain adults have more access to learning opportunities than other adult . Where one happens to live, what color, age, or sex one happens to be, what one does for a living, all contribute to the participation pattern in adult education (framework) by way of illustrating how these framework conditions can determine who is more likely to benefit from adult learning opportunities. Where and how one lives makes a difference. (3) Individual educators and individual learners are likely to be fairly explicit about why they are engaged in a particular learning activity. Such easily identified objectives are usually aligned with the content of the activity. Underlying many of the state purposes of adult education in America is the assumption that the idea of a society must be maintained, and that education is one way to do this. Individualism, Independence, and a protestant-capitalist work ethic frame the actual provision of adult education in America. (1) Several things are known about self-directed learning: (a) Individual learners can become empowered to take increasingly more responsibility for various decisions associated with the learning endeavor; (b) Self-direction is best viewed as a continuum or characteristic that  exists to some degree in every person and learning situation; (c) Self-direction does not necessarily mean all learning will take place in isolation from others; (d) Self-directed learners appear able to transfer learning, in terms of both knowledge and study skill, from one situation to another; (e) self-directed study can involve various activities and resources, such as self-guided reading, participation in study groups, internships, electronic dialogues, and reflective writing activities; (f) Effective roles for teachers in self-directed learning are possible, such as dialogue with learners, securing resources, evaluating outcomes, and promoting critical thinking. (g) Some educational institutions are finding ways to support self-directed study through open-learning programs, individualized study options, non-traditional course offerings, and other innovative programs. ( 1) self –directed learning as a process of learning , in which people take the primary initiative for planning, carrying out, and evaluating their own learning experiences, has received a great deal of attention in the literature. This form of learning can take place in both inside and outside institutionally based learning programs. (2) Staff development that improves the learning of all students applies knowledge about human learning and change. No matter the age at which it occurs, human learning is based on a common set of principles. While adults have more life experience to draw on than younger learners and are often clearer about what they want to learn and why it is important, the means by which the learning occurs is remarkably similar. Consequently, it is important that the learning methods used in professional development mirror as closely as possible the methods teachers are expected to use with their students. It is essential that staff development assist educators in moving beyond comprehension of the surface features of a new idea or innovation to a fuller and more complete understanding of its purposes, critical attributes, meaning, and connection to other approaches. To improve student achievement, adult learning under most circumstances must promote deep understanding of a topic and provide many opportunities for teachers and administrators to practice new skills with feedback on their performance until those skills become automatic and habitual. Such deeper understanding typically requires a number of opportunities to interact with the idea or procedure through active learning processes that promote reflection such as discussion and dialogue, writing, demonstrations, practice with feedback, and group problem solving. Because people have different learning styles and strengths, professional development must include opportunities to see, hear, and do various actions in relation to the content. It is also important those educators are able to learn alone and with others and, whenever possible, have choices among learning activities. Another important dimension of adult engagement in change processes is the feelings that such change often evokes in individuals. Even under the best of circumstances, pressure for change, no matter what its source, may produce feelings of anxiety, fear, and anger. Such feelings are most effectively addressed through skillful listening and problem solving within a respectful and trusting school culture. It is helpful for educational leaders to appreciate that, to some degree, such feelings are natural and an inevitable part of the change process. Such appreciation is aided when leaders have a deep understanding of the change literature, particularly the Concerns- Based Adoption Model, and are able to apply its insights when planning and implementing new practices in schools. A third dimension of change is the life stage of individuals engaged in the change process. While recognition of life stage differences would not alter expectations for performance, it may affect an individual’s availability and interest in additional work responsibilities during different phases of his or her life. Recognition of life stage differences may also help staff development leaders in tapping educators’ strengths and talents, such as asking skillful veteran teachers to serve as mentors or coaches for their peers. Electronic forms of learning may prove particularly helpful in providing alternatives that respond to differences in learning styles and availability due to life stage issues. Staff development content may be accessed via the Internet or other forms of distance technology that will enable learning throughout the day in various settings using media that appeals to different learning preferences. (6) References: 1-What is self directed learning? Http://home. twcny. rr. com/hiemstra/sdlhdbk. html 2-Read write plus, DFES, Quality and Training Http://www. dfes. gov. uk/readwriteplus/quality 3-Finding from a national survey of States Directors of Adult Http://www. ncsall. net/fileadmin/resources/reasearch/rep9. pdf 4-Acve-Race and Gender in Adult Education Http://www. calpro-online. org/ERIC/docgen. asp? tbl=tia&ID=92 5-How adults learn: Ageless learner Http://www. agelesslearner. com/intros/adultlearning. html 6-NSDC-Standards: About the Standards-Learning Http://www. nsdc. org/standards/learning. cfm.

The Church as Forgiving Community: an Initial Model

The Church as Forgiving Community: An Initial Model Liberty University Summary To forgive is not to condone, excuse, forget, or even to reconcile. To forgive is to offer mercy to someone who has acted unjustly (Magnuson; and Enright, 2008). The study of forgiveness in this research article leads us down a path of insightful hopefulness for reconciliation, peace, trust, self-esteem and greater self-actualization. Along with humanistic values this article gives the reader a deeper comfort in the mercies that is given from a greater high power when forgiveness is asserted.The overall premise of â€Å"The Forgiving Community,† as an initial model was a great starting point for greater research. Within the article we see why a basic theory could be important and should be implemented, especially in the case of reaching our children before a culture of unforgiveness and grudges engulf them. The main idea of this article was how to train the church community to instill the forgiving model. One of those ideas of how to instill the forgiving model was for forgivers to learn from their forgiveness and understand one must forgive because they have been forgiven for something themselves.As forgiveness is given and received both recipients, especially the forgiver now see that we all live in a world full of brokenness yet we still yearn to be restored into full fellowship with one another. While the authors were building their case for the forgiving community model they really focused on trying to teach the forgiving model. Looking at forgiveness as a model in the church within the numerous levels of its hierarchy was greatly insightful. Because, this lead to a purpose driven environment that was built on the back of repetition.This shows an effort not to exclude anyone out of the conversation as one is trying to make a lifestyle of living in the atmosphere of forgiveness. Interaction At first glance this article seemed interesting to me simply because of its title. It was one of those things that you look at and say, should not it be that way anyway. As a pastor I have been teaching on forgiveness and confession for a number of weeks in my bible study class. Everything that has been read and the scriptures that have been used in my study time have validated my conclusions of the past few weeks.Not only has my conclusions been validated it has now allowed me to deepen my studies with some empirical materials to allow my class to partake into some knowledge outside of scripture interpretation. This journal piece has challenged me as a pastor to become more psychological in my studies and further deliberate in my method of teaching. There should be a continuum of information that is given out not just from the pastor but from every auxiliary leader so that the message is not just heard but is embedded to all that are receiving the message.This will lead to the sustainability of a message and a life of character change, which will lead one to a li fe of self-gratification, healing, love and respect for self and others. Robert D. Enright is not just noted as an author in this article but a lot of his work is also cited in this article. Because of the dynamic references in this article his books are now on my reading list for future sermons and bible study topics especially on the topic of forgiveness.Along with reading his other works, there is a piece of me that wants to see how he interprets the scriptures of forgiveness through the lens of academics. Is there a more spiritual rational for his belief of forgiveness or is it mere empirical data received through research. Application The counseling session topics that will be used in this scenario are rape and forgiveness. Based on the article we would have to establish a level of comfortability and trust for this conversation even to blossom.Because rape is such a private encounter and the lack of trust that is in the mind of the victim; encouraging one to release their fears and pains is a delicate task. Initially, I would create a series of messages dealing with forgiveness, confidence, love, misconduct, rejection and/or acceptance. This would be done in a group setting and the conventional church service setting. There would then be a time of self-evaluation and reflection so that individuals have time to process the actions of their past lives.Afterward, there will be a time of one-on-one discussion to feed the beast of past pains and allow the clients to see since one is still here God has a continued plan past their hurtful ordeal. The subsequent steps of further sessions will be how to forgive others and how to forgive oneself for the past actions after the rape occurred. Using the church as a forgiveness community we will allow others to discuss their past and how they made it through as in the life of Joseph with his brothers in Genesis the 50th chapter.A beginning and ending of any session would begin like this, â€Å"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done† (Genesis 50:20, New Living Translation). You can accept the past. No one sin, no one exploits, no one choice on your part is too big for God to handle or for God to work out. Just look at Joseph! The same brothers that plotted, sold, and lied about him had to rely on him for their survival. You can embrace the present. There is no place in your life to ride the, what if thrill ride.The past is forgiven and gone, and the future is in God’s hands; so you are free to focus on your present: because you’re present is where God’s love, grace and mercy will stream from. You can look expectantly toward the future. Even if you make mistakes today, God still controls your future. Even when things appear to be terrible, you can trust that God is still working out his divine plan for your life. Reference Magnuson, C. M. , & Enright, R. D. (2008). The church as forgiving community: An initial model. Jo urnal of Psychology and Theology, 36, 114-123.

Affirmative Action Should be Eliminated essays

Affirmative Action Should be Eliminated essays Proponents of affirmative action argue that affirmative action is necessary to create a "level playing field" for all Americans because it is a way of redressing discrimination that persists in spite of civil rights laws and constitutional guarantees. Minorities and females still don't make as much money as men do and we live in a society that often has difficulty accepting individuals with different race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. "Operational needs" often present cases when affirmative action is required for effective job performance. One example of "operational needs" is a police force which has to interact with the community. Officers who belong to the same ethic group as neighborhood residents can function more effectively because of the hostilities and suspicions that often exist between members of different ethic groups. However, affirmative action really is all about quotas rather than eliminating race as a factor in the decision making process. And, quotas are unconstitutional because they violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, equal protection under the law. The benefactors of affirmative action are predominately middle and upper class individuals that don't need any special treatment. "The most under-represented group of Americans at the nation's top colleges and colleges isn't blacks or Hispanics, but students from lower-income families." Even the Center for Equal Opportunity is opposed to affirmative action because it has been such an unfair windfall for wealthy minorities that are finding ways to take advantage of the system as summarized below: "According to the Code of Federal Regulations: "Individuals who certify that they are members of named groups (Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian-Pacific, Sub-continental-Asian) are to be considered socially and economically disadvantaged." Unde...