Analysis on Guy de Maupassant’s The Necklace Essay

There is a great deal in keeping and evoking good and rational values. This is the chief lesson of that famous short story titled ‘The Necklace’ written by Guy de Maupassant (1) in the late Eighteenth Century. This short story tells about the proud-turned-tragic life of Madame Mathilde Loisel who dreams of an aristocratic status in life so that she would be able to experience the patrician lifestyle of some of her Parisian female friends. The life of Madame Mathilde Loisel shares a moral story that one has to have the right and proper moral values in order not to be blinded by empty materialism and pompous luxurious lifestyle. This means that there are more valuable intangible things in life that cannot be acquired by money; they can only be obtained by having rational insights and principles in life. These precious things are our human values. Human values cannot be measured by any material or monetary estimation, nor can they be taken away so easily like any commodities in the market. This means that if one possessed the right and rational values, he/she cannot be deceived by any fine and worldly things. But this does not mean that one has to denounce materialism totally. Â  The Necklace (Maupassant 5) centers on the covetous life of Madame Mathilde Loisel who is not satisfied with her middleclass position in life. Her secret sorrow is her not having all the material lavishness she desires around her. She hates the impoverished people who worked their bodies like animal just to eat three times a day. Most of the time, she spends the day thinking herself as a wealthy chatelaine who basks in the praises and admiration of people around her. She wants to be the center of attraction, and the only way to achieve this is to have expensive and luxurious garments and jewelry. Â  Madame Mathilde Loisel’s husband, Monsieur, cannot satisfy her desire in life since the latter’s salary as a clerk in the Ministry of Public Instruction is not enough to even buy her an expensive evening dress for a ballroom party. The night that changed her life forever comes when her husband receives an invitation to an official social gathering at the Ministry. Stricken by her desire to be the center of attraction at the said party, Madame Loisel is troubled because she has no appropriate elegant outfit and ornaments for the party. Luckily, her husband buys her a new dress taken from his own savings, while she borrows a stunning diamond necklace from her friend, Madame Jeanne Forestier. That night, Madame Loisel catches the attention of all the guests and even high-ranking officials because of her beauty. She enjoys the fleeting moment as the center of attraction at the dance party. However, her tragedy begins upon realizing that her diamond necklace is missing. They try to look for the missing necklace but to no avail. Â  Because of her lingering pride, the Loisel couple decides to purchase a matching diamond necklace as replacement for the lost necklace of her friend. The new diamond necklace that worth thirty-four thousand francs costs Madame Loisel her entire inheritance and the couple also incur huge debts. As a result, Monsieur and Madame Loisel have to work extra jobs in order to make both ends meet. After ten years, Madame Loisel is now older, shabbier, and less refined from a decade of physical work. Still proud and appearing tough, Madame Loisel still has the audacity to her old associates that she had once lost a diamond necklace. In the end, she is deeply depressed when she is informed by Madame Forestier that the long lost necklace is just a replication costing not more than five hundred francs. Had it not been for her covetousness and immodest desire for finer things, Madame Loisel would not have suffered her sorry fate. Her story is never new to people during her time, much more to people in this contemporary era. Today most people live beyond their means just to please others, or just to show others that they can afford to buy trendy stuff and hi-tech gadgets like cell phones and gaming gizmos. This only means that one has to have the rational and proper values so as not to be blinded by things of material value. These values may include industry, patience, humility, discipline, contentment, respect for others, and sense of self. People like Madame Loisel lack most of these good, rational qualities. If Madame Loisel only had the right values, she would have been content of what she has. But make no mistake, it is not wrong to desire for material things as long as you have the capacity to obtain them. To a person with proper values, he/she will have to work first before coveting for material objects around him/her. Â  One has to be patient in his/her work. If one wants a particular product displayed in a fashion boutique, he/she has to work hard for it. Having the right values, a person cannot be easily swayed by the tempting material luxuries around him— what he will do is to take it as an inspiration to improve his status in life. Reference: De Maupassant, Guy. The Necklace. Dramatic Publishing,

Politics/Amendment Essay

A written overview of the amendment in question. What does it say specifically?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution provides, â€Å"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence† (Sixth Amendment, U.S. Constitution). The rights enumerated under this amendment refer to the codified rights of the accused in criminal prosecutions. Generally the Bill of Rights was incorporated in the Constitution on account of the belief that it was necessary to limit the investigatory and prosecutorial powers of the federal government (Oxford Companion, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The rights of the accused in criminal prosecution are: â€Å"1) right to a speedy trial; 2) right to a public trial; 3) right to a trial by jury; 4) notice of the accusation; (5) right to confront the opposing witnesses; 6) right to compulsory process for obtaining favorable witnesses; and (7) the assistance of counsel or right to counsel† (Oxford Companion, 2005). The right to a speedy trial prevents oppressive incarceration before trial and ensures defense by the accused of his cause. The right to a public trial acts as a safeguard against abuse of judicial power. Moreover, it also assures the accused that he is informed of the charges against him. This is part of due process (Oxford Companion, 2005). The right to confront opposing witnesses refers to the right of the accused to cross examine said witnesses. He is also entitled to subpoena witnesses in his behalf (Oxford Companion, 2005). Finally, the accused is also entitled to be represented by counsel or a lawyer. This shall be lengthily discussed in another section of this paper. When did it become part of the Constitution?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This amendment was ratified and adopted in the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution in 1791 (Oxford Companion, 2005). It was part of the first ten amendments included in the Constitution. The Bill of Rights was actually proposed by James Madison. The group known as Anti-Federalists threatened that if these rights were not included in the Constitution, their states will not ratify the new Constitution. They needed clear safeguards against the vast powers of government. After a compromise was agreed upon, the Constitution was ratified in 1789 but the Bill of Rights was incorporated later and went into effect after it was ratified on December 15, 1791 (National Archives web site, n.d.). 3. What cases have come before the Supreme Court in which this particular amendment was applied?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before the ratification of the Sixth Amendment, two statutes were enacted which in effect accorded the assistance of counsel to those accused (USGPO web site, 2005). The Judiciary Act of 1789 allowed the defendant to plead his case in a federal court either personally or by counsel. On the other hand, the Act of 1790 allowed the defendant charged with treason or other capital crime to be defended by counsel which the court will assign to him (USGPO web site, 2005). Even with the ratification of the Sixth Amendment, the right to counsel has limited application. It was only in the 1930s that the Supreme Court developed and enlarged the scope of the Sixth Amendment by virtue of jurisprudence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the case of Powell v. Alabama, the Court set aside the convictions of eight youthful offenders since the trial was conducted in a hasty manner and the defendants were not assisted by counsel. The Court further ruled that there was denial of due process considering that the right to be heard is meaningless if it did not entail the right to be heard by counsel [287 U.S. 45 (1932)]. The Court succinctly explained that even if a man is intelligent and learned he may not be skilled in the science of law and may be indicted on an erroneous charge or be convicted based on incompetent evidence. More so, the defendants who are young, indigents, illiterates and are faced with an atmosphere of hostility away from their relatives [287 U.S. 45 (1932)]. Thus, it was stressed that it is imperative to be represented by counsel and it imposes a duty upon the Court, whether requested or not to appoint and assign a counsel otherwise, it becomes tantamount to a denial of due process [287 U.S. 45 (1932)]. In the case of Johnson v. Zerbst, the Court enunciated the absolute rule of appointing counsel for all federal criminal defendants. Moreover, it ruled that a waiver of such right must be clear and cannot be presumed from silence of the defendant [304 U.S. 458 (1938)].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the case of Betts v. Brady and Progeny, the Court ruled that â€Å"the appointment of counsel is not a fundamental right essential to a fair trial† [316 U.S. 455 (1942)]. It laid down the principle that the right to be represented by counsel is not necessary in state cases involving non capital offenses except in special circumstances. This ruling was held later on after criticisms, to apply only to the incompetents such as the illiterates and retardates or to grant relief in cases of judicial abuse of power [316 U.S. 455 (1942)].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Hamilton v. Alabama, the rule was in capital cases, the Court must appoint a counsel for the defendant even without proof that defendant may be prejudiced without such appointment or even if the defendant failed to request that one be appointed as his counsel [368 U.S. 52 (1961)].The â€Å"special circumstances rule† was held to apply only in non capital offenses [368 U.S. 52 (1961)].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the cases, Moore v. Michigan, 355 U.S. 155 (1957) and Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 350 (1963), the Court has laid down the three categories which may be deemed as prejudicial and thus, necessitating the appointment of counsel, namely: â€Å"(1) the personal characteristics of the defendant which made it unlikely he could obtain an adequate defense of his own, (2) the technical complexity of the charges or of possible defenses to the charges, and (3) events occurring at trial that raised problems of prejudice† (USGPO web site, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ruling of the Court in the Betts case was overturned in the landmark case of Gideon v. Wainwright.   The Court in abandoning the Betts reasoning held that the right to assistance of counsel is imperative, basic and fundamental and that the Fourteenth Amendment requires that the same be available and applicable in state courts. In 1972 this ruling was held to apply to misdemeanor and serious misdemeanor cases provided that it carried a penalty of imprisonment [Argersinger v. Hamlin, 407 U.S. 25 (1972)]. Additionally, the Gideon ruling was also held to apply to youthful offenders in juvenile delinquency litigation in the case of   In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1 (1967). What, if any connection is there between this constitutional issue and education?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The constitutional issue of the right to assistance of counsel is related to education. The study of law requires knowledge, skill and experience in trial proceedings. Even an educated and intelligent man who is not properly educated and trained in law is considered incompetent and unable to defend himself. Courts are created to punish and deprive the guilty of their liberties through imprisonment and other imposable penalties. Thus, it is imperative that if a person is charged with an offense in court he must be able to put a defense and be heard by a properly trained counsel. To deprive him of this would be tantamount to depriving him of due process and would render nugatory the basic tenets of the Bill of Rights. A person charged of an offense would need the expertise of a counsel so that he does not risk himself of being convicted even if he be innocent simply because he does not know how to establish his innocence. More so an uneducated man, a feeble minded person or an indigent. Consequently, it becomes the duty of the court to appoint counsel so that such person may not be denied due process.   References    Argersinger v. Hamlin, 407 U.S. 25 (1972) Betts v. Brady and Progeny, 316 U.S. 455 (1942) Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 350 (1963) Hamilton v. Alabama, 368 U.S. 52 (1961) In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1 (1967). Johnson v. Zerbst, 304 U.S. 458 (1938) Moore v. Michigan, 355 U.S. 155 (1957) National Archives and Records Administration web site. ‘Bill of rights.’ Retrieved on November 16, 2007, from http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/bill_of_rights.html Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States. Oxford University Press, 2005. Powell v. Alabama, 287 U.S. 45 (1932) U.S. Government Printing Office web site. ‘Sixth amendment: Rights of the accused in criminal prosecutions† 2002. Retrieved on November 16, 2007, from http://www.gpoaccess.gov/constitution/pdf2002/024.pdf

Only The Heart Novel Essay

Only The Heart is a very successful novel presented by many â€Å"narrators† in both in the past and present. This novel portrays the hardships and â€Å"suffering† that a Vietnamese family endures through the years of approaching communism. Their desperate flee from the only home they have ever known and the loved ones that they may never see again, all in search of a place where there is freedom and â€Å"hope†. Only The Heat is a story that focuses on the Vo family’s â€Å"suffering†. The novel shows the hardships and struggles that a Vietnamese family endures through the years of approaching communism. It is also about their desperate flea from the only home they have ever known and the loved ones that they may never see again, all in search of a place where freedom and â€Å"hope† were to be found. The novel itself is a simply told yet moving story of the Vo family, who come to Australia as refugees in search of â€Å"hope†, as a result of the â€Å"suffering† in The Vietnam War. Many members of the family in turn become â€Å"narrators† and perhaps because of the unfamiliarity of the names, readers must looking back to the family tree, at the front of the book, while the reading of the first few chapters. This novel portrays the hardships, struggles and â€Å"suffering† that a Vietnamese family endures through the years of approaching communism. Even after arriving in the lucky country Australia there is still â€Å"suffering†, caused by Hai Nguyen’s vicious gang. There are many â€Å"narrators† in the novel but the two main persons through whom the story of is told is Toan, the youngest son and Linh, Toon’s cousin and adopted sister (after her mother Mai sacrificed her life for her). The last person creates a real overview of what has happened and the deepest thoughts and feelings of these two people, as they escape their country as refugees to Malaysia and then Australia. As you can see Only the Heart, is a successful novel composed by Brian Caswell and David Phu An Chiem, about the suffering the Vo family had to endure in the search of â€Å"hope†. With a terrifying side to life which is beyond even the vast imagination of the many Australians. The novel emphases how lucky we are to live in a country where things such as freedom, opinions and safety, (these are things taken for granted) are considered a right.

Environment and Economic Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Environment and Economic Geography - Essay Example In the twenty first-century most of the national and international issues are governed by environmental challenges which require thorough understanding of the economics of environment. This century will be an era of many losses, remarkable changes and cosmologic differences, but it is conceivable that societies will successfully make the transition from goals of economic growth, as already experienced in the twentieth century, to the goals of maintaining and increasing suitable well being. The influence of the environment on economic geography was found neglected and remained untouched until Paul Krugman re-established the field by publishing his short monograph " Geography and Trade" in 1991. He showed how mathematical tools known from modern models of international trade theory can be used to explain the distribution of economic activity in geographical space. Aspects of environment on which we depend (most often soil, water and atmosphere) become damaged, polluted (poisoned) and depleted. Modern intensive agriculture changes the composition and ecology of soil and water systems, as well as affecting nitrogen and carbon cycle in the environment. The changing environmental phenomenon creates new vistas for developmental and constructive mechanisms on one side and restricts the human economic activity on another. Thereby the environmental carrying capacity is being influenced. The changes in the environmental parameters may be either beneficial or detrimental to the present and future ecological world and economic scenario, which can very well be categorized in two distinct forms. The planet earth which is unique for presence of life in our solar system is directly and indirectly getting influenced by the supremacy of the most evolutionary-creature called "Man" i.e. Homo sapiens and the equlibria that had existed since inception, are now getting imbalanced due to exploitative activities of human beings. Unrestricted use of fossil fuels, injudicious application of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, rampant deforestation, rapid industrialization, ever growing global population and radioactive warfare have many reasons for changing the wave length of this living earth from green to red in the visual spectrum. a) Carbon Dioxide Concentration and Global worming: The concentration of carbon dioxide is increasing at geometric progression primarily because of the dependency on the non-renewable form of bio-fuels as more than 80 percent of the global energy demand is met from this source and secondarily due to the exhalation of the animal kingdom. The effect of which is remarkable from the increase in the mean global temperature, which we designated as global worming. The increase in carbon dioxide concentration in one hand will definitely help in better photosynthesis resulting in increased assimilation but in other hand, increased concentration leads to acid rains, which restrict crop growth and severely affect the final yield. Instances of total extinction of established forests have also been observed due to acid rain. The emission of sulphur dioxide has also increased alarmingly in industrialized nations and particularly in North America and Europe. The result of which

Research paper about lululemon Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

About lululemon - Research Paper Example According to this journal, Lulu Lemon has been in a position to sell approximately 95% of its products at a full price. This has been based on the strategy that involves offering fewer products in its outlets to ensure that consumer are instilled with a perception of scarcity (online.wsj.com). The core items are usually not placed on sale in most cases, in this case, when a client finds such products on the shelf, he or she feels that the product is scarce and will take it at the prices offered without considering any form of discount (online.wsj.com). In addition, the company has a strict return policy stating that no goods are supposed to be returned after fourteen days of sale; the policy also states the goods cannot be returned after they are washed worn: Such a policy has ensured its clients of the high quality of the products, thus determining the prices. The company does not rely on large quantities of data to determine their clients’ needs, thus the determination of pricing, but rather focuses on taking direct feedbacks from clients, thus making necessary improvements on their products, which also influences prices. According to Christine Day the new Company’s Chief Executive Officer, the application of large quantities of data retrieved from websites, focus groups as well as client-management relationship software to determine quality and track purchases, may provide invalid information, thus a false sense of security (www.businessinsider.com). The use of direct clientele feedback is crucial in redefining products as well as the determination of associated prices. Taking feedbacks from clients has been achieved through training its employees on eavesdropping as well as taking direct complaints from clients (www.businessinsider.com). The application of a product lifecycle is another strategy that has been applied by the company. The company ensures that when a new product, with a new color is introduced, it is

A Political Speech on Guantanamo Bay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Political Speech on Guantanamo Bay - Essay Example However, the remnants of the war will never settle and will forever terrorize our minds as we try to move on. Why -because we could never come to terms of the fact that someday we will pay for all the pain and suffering we have caused to others. The sword of Damocles hangs high above our heads as we take in the Prisoners of War at our own mercy and disposal. In the guise of national security we seek to inflict pain and torture on the prisoners to extract what "-information to justify their presence in camps like Guantanamo Bay in Cuba" As POW's, these men are the mere forgotten and dispensable "soldiers-made-puppets" of another ambitious man wielding a form of power. These men are ordinary humans just like every American soldier we send to battle. They had homes and families who took care of them before being uprooted to fight for a cause and we are slowly draining them of their capacity to lead normal lives. Like spectators in a barbaric show of strength, we take pride in stripping them of the last vestiges of sanity. Instead of nurturing these men to erase possible traces of hate, we are evoking the primal instinct of man to fight back and defend. We try to insult a person's faith and his right to religion and what do we have to offer in return We are engaged in endless arguments over the prisoners in Guantanamo yet at the moment, we can never prove whi

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Economics - Essay Example The short-run or long-run of one industry is often different from another. (Moffatt, 2011) A given firm’s costs may be reliant upon the time or period under consideration. Most of the decisions are fixed when a short-run time frame is taken into account and thus the long-run and short-run cost curves are different. Short-run costs and costs in the long-run are, however, related. For instance, a long-run average cost curve is more flat in comparison to a ‘U’ shaped short-run average cost curve. Short-run cost curves usually lie upon the long-run cost curves. Figure1. A graphical illustration of a short-run cost and a long-run cost curves Average costs LATC SATC1 SATC2 SATC3 Quantity Note: SATC stands for Short-run Average Total Costs while LATC stands for Long-run Average Total Costs. Short-run Average Total Costs of a firm differ from the Long-run Average Total Costs since the fixed costs in the short-run can be varied over the long-run. (Mankiw, 2008 p256) In the case of an operator of a port, cost efficiency occurs efficiency occurs where the throughput is made available at the lowest cost possible with resource-prices paid by the operator put into consideration. The economic cost of a port is represented by the relationship depicted by minimum costs of handling any given throughput levels. Over the short-run time period, there must be at least one of the port resources that should be fixed with regards to amount. For example, the buildings or the wharf of a port are some of the resources that cannot be varied in the short-run period. Unit costs in relation to a port’s costs are usually compared by dividing them with their throughput amounts. Figure 2: A graphical presentation of Short-run Total Costs, Short-run Variable Costs and Short-run Fixed Costs. That is; STC, SVC and SFC. Cost STC SVC SFC Port throughput Figure 3: Average costs in the short-run Cost per unit SATC SAVC SAFC Port throughput Note that SATC stands for Short-run Average Total Costs, SAVC for Short-run Average Variable Costs and SAFC for Short-run Fixed Costs. Short-run average total cost is gotten by dividing short-run total cost with throughput. On the other hand short-run average fixed cost is the short-run fixed costs divided by the throughput and short-run average variable cost is short-run variable cost divided by throughput. Average fixed cost reduces in a continuous manner as the level of throughput rises; that is, since a fixed cost continues to be divided by bigger and bigger amounts of throughput of the port. As the amount of throughput rises, average variable cost as well as short-run average cost reduce initially, get to a minimum and afterwards rise. In the port’s long-run, the costs in whole are variable. Therefore, long-run total costs that are incurred by the operator of the port of the port for the given throughput amounts are a total of variable costs. Long-run average total costs are equal to long-run total costs d ivided by total port’s throughput. A long-run average total cost curve has a negative slope for a given range of throughput and then it starts to increase. Figure 4: Long-run Total Cost curve and a Long-run Average Total Cost Curve. cost port throughput cost per unit LATC Port throughput (Talley, 2009 pp98-100) A convenience store is usually a type of retail business. Costs of a convenience store that maybe short-run may include costs of

Know-How and Knowledge Intensive Organizations Essay

Know-How and Knowledge Intensive Organizations - Essay Example These are the ones who the organization relies the most for problem solving. Sveiby suggests that there comes a point in the organization’s life cycle when the professional transfer their knowledge to other system for the sake of the organization’s growth. The author suggest that at this point, the organization is not reliant so much on the professionals as their knowledge has been transferred into other systems where those who are less skilled can still be trusted to do the jobs as the system guides them. An example is an accounting firm where the professionals pool their knowledge in an information system where the less skilled personnel will just do the heavy lifting involving inputting data and the program does the rest. Whereas this may be true for an accounting firm, the same cannot be applied in the production of a book where the professional must be on hand because what the apprentices print is not always the same. In the book ‘Human Capital and the Balanc e Sheet,’ the author defines the value of human capital as one that should not be underestimated. In many ways, the author recognizes that the value of the human capital could wane meaning that the person will not be worth as much as he was but the circumstances differ with some having remedies. Sveiby notes that the pooling of knowledge in the information systems can make some experts redundant. In the same breathe, Washer and Nippani note that it is only possible in four scenarios: the death of the professional, disability, compulsory retirement and voluntary retirement (Washer & Nippani 2004, p. 16). Death and disability can be either fully or partially hedged by taking out a life insurance policy while retirement could either be accompanied by the full value of the human capital in case it is voluntary or a partial value of the capital if it is compulsory. The authors concede that organizations do not usually recognize the full value of the human capital. While it is poss ible for a conventional balance sheet to reflect a decline in profits; for example from $200,000 to $100,000, the difference can be very minimal considering that the value of the human capital will inevitably have increased in this period from the experience garnered. Welcome to the Knowledge Organization versus On the Nature of Knowledge-Intensive Organizations: Strategy and Organization in the New Economy The book ‘Welcome to the Knowledge Organization’ is focused on the management of knowledge throughout the organization. It refers to the knowledge based organizations as being learning organizations. Here, the author states that knowledge has to be shared for the organization to grow. This book clearly focuses on the need for there to be a pool of knowledge in the organization that can assist it to grow. It refers to the leaders in the knowledge intensive organizations as being in charge of learning as they ensure that the experts push themselves in the generation of better ideas while ensuring that this knowledge gained is shared with the other employees. Most organizations hire employees and then train them in the specific line of work that they expect them to be in. the knowledge int

Melamine poisoning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Melamine poisoning - Research Paper Example They are not much bother about the safety of the consumers. â€Å"China milk poisoning incidents make everyone afraid to look at the daily news report. Every day, the reports are changing. No one can clearly tell us what to eat and not to eat† (Smsasad). Even in baby food items product manufacturers are using some harmful chemicals in order to keep the baby foods secure for a longer period and also to make it tastier. China is one country which keeps no ethics or morality in business practices. They are producing in bulk without bothering much about the quality of their products in order to compete effectively in the market. Even in baby milk, manufactured by the Chinese business people, many of the harmful chemical ingredients were found recently. Melamine is a basic organic chemical intermediate, with chemical formula C3H6N6. It is commonly produced from urea, and contains 66 percent nitrogen by mass. Nitrogen is a very important building stone of all living beings. The element is an essential ingredient of proteins, which make up most of the human body that isn’t bone or water. As such, making nitrogen measurement is a common practice for protein content estimation. The Kjeldahl and Dumas testing methods are the standard tests used in the food industry for measuring total nitrogen in crude protein content while they can be misguided by adding nitrogen-rich compounds such as melamine (Milk Poison Could Come From Melamine Scrap) Even though, melamine has much other industrial use, it is never adviced to use with food items. The detection of melamine in Chinese infant milk products has created many concerns about the safety of using Chinese food items. This paper briefly analyses the Melamine poisoning in Chinese milk production. Melamine contains 66% nitrogen by mass. It is formed in the body of some mammals through some natural or biological process. It is used widely to produce thermosetting plastics.

Teenage Pregnancy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Teenage Pregnancy - Assignment Example ned the differences of youths who are school going in the urban minority and faced with the possibility of teen pregnancy, how teen pregnancies affect academics and the approaches that the schools can use in addressing the problem (Basch, 2011). The author emphasizes that there is a lot of pressure that comes from teen pregnancy in influencing the outcomes of education among teens. There are reported high cases of teen pregnancy especially among the urban minority youth. According to the research carried out school, based programs can be of help in equipping the teens with skills and knowledge the need to be able to postpone sex to later time in life, to practice safe sex, to avoid unwanted pregnancies, and incase one becomes pregnant to go on and pursue education. There is an added advantage of the sex education in schools since the youth are protected from HIV and other infections, which can be spread amongst the youth as they engage in sex (Basch, 2011). The author carried out a research to have an overview on teenage pregnancy and realized that almost a third of teen females in the U.S get pregnant and once pregnant they face the risk of getting pregnant again. Compared to other western countries the author argues that in the U.S teenage pregnancies are high. When teens give birth especially when it is not intended they are highly affected and it can be extended to the children they get. The minority youth have higher teen pregnancy cases than the white youths. Teen pregnancies affect education, health, and social aspects of children (Basch, 2011). Teens that get pregnant are likely not to continue with their education. Those who continue with their education face several obstacles such that their performance is highly affected. From research, it is clear that children who are born to teen mothers are likely to become teen parents too. The research shows that children born to teen mothers are likely to become teen mothers since they probably live in

Smallpox Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Smallpox - Article Example There was some opposition regarding terms posted for getting vaccination. Certain difficulties were encountered during the process of eradication. WHO faced serious financial difficulties and it lacked constant support from its various offices within its framework. The above bottle necks were overcome in 1970's with the help of various governments and development agencies. U.S joined hands with countries like Russia and the WHO framework to make eradication a success. The decade of 1970 played a major role in helping the eradication of small pox by conducting expanded Programme on Immunization. The smallpox eradication was then certified based on intense verification performed in the countries by a group of scientists who confirmed it in December 1979 and was acknowledged by WHO's Health Assembly in 1980. 1980 witnessed the fulfillment of the goal which was considered impossible. This was the greatest achievement of global public health in the 20th century. After the 1980's, people were free from the deadly virus. But it did not last for a longer time. WHO announced multiple deadlines in 1993, 1995 and 1999 to eradicate the remaining virus stocks. But they failed to accomplish the task in the expected deadline. In 2002 U.S saw a sudden outbreak of small pox.

Describe the Benefits of a University Education Essay Example for Free

Describe the Benefits of a University Education Essay Describe the benefits of a university education With the society developing faster, more professional people are needed, the university education begins to play a role which has never been such important before. A variety of facts have already proved that, not only an individual person, but also the whole society benefit from the university education. The support of this essay is to discuss how university education affects the world. For the individual, firstly, university is one of the very places where he gains the most practical knowledge and cultivates the academic skills due to which he can feed himself as well as his family. Many investigations demonstrate that people who have the experience of studying in university as well as people with a Master degree or Doctoral degree live a higher quality of life than those who does not receive a university education. Secondly, university is also the very place where young adults firstly acquire their social skills. Researchers have found that the graduate from university always have better ability of carrying out different kinds of problems. As the modern universities are becoming more synthetic, what students can learn from university is beyond academic lore, it is a combination of different types of capability. The graduates are generally adept in the art of being a social animal, mastering the important ability such as to judge and to pardon. Furthermore, university education does the country great favor. Firstly, university education helps the society solve many thorny problems in a certain extent. To run a university needs not only professors and students but also many other staff to be responsible for the daily affairs. This requires a great numbers of people to attend work, providing more positions of job. Owning to this, the hard situation of employing can be eased. The less people without income to feed himself, the stronger psychological balance they will have, and the society will be more stable. Secondly, university education increases the averaged accomplishment of the society. Citizens may be more civilized after having further education, which will make them obey the law and regulation consciously. The more people accept further education, the deeper the spiritual civilization will immerse into the social atmosphere. This helps the society progress at a higher speed faster because more vigor can be made full use of to construct instead of to supervise and to manage. With qualified personnel outputted by university, the society can grow in a healthy way. In conclusion, university education is not only for university student, but also for different stratum of the country. University education supply knowledge to the learners as well as opportunities of surviving to the livelihood, since it benefits both the individual person and the whole society a lot, it is widely believed that the importance of university will continue increasing as the world grows.

Patients With Musculoskeletal Disorders Health And Social Care Essay

Patients With Musculoskeletal Disorders Health And Social Care Essay Jane Doe, a 22-year-old patient with no previous medical history, presents to the emergency department with complaint of low back pain after slipping on a wet floor at work and falling. The patient states that the pain is constant aching and radiates down both legs (sciatica). The MRI shows pulled muscles and ligaments surrounding the L4- L5 area. The emergency physician provides the following discharge orders: Bed rest with bathroom privileges for two days. Apply ice pack to lower back for 20 minutes several times a day for the first 48 hours, and then starting day three and on, apply a heating pad for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off several times per day for the next several days as needed to relieve pain. Take 400 mg of ibuprofen every six hours and 5 mg cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) t.i.d. After two days of bed rest, sit in chair three times per day for no more than 20 minutes. Ambulate around home and yard as tolerated, gradually increasing activity. Avoid twisting, bending, or re aching for objects. Avoid lifting anything more than 5 pounds of weight for one week. See physician in one week for further evaluation. Explain the rationale for the administration of ice for 48 hours followed by the application of heat. Explain the rationale for the administration of the ibuprofen and muscle relaxer. What are the expected patient outcomes for the patient in this case study? Case Study 2 John Tuliro, a 32-year-old patient, is admitted to the medical-surgical unit after a gunshot wound of the right lower leg infected with staphylococcus was debrided. The patient is diagnosed with osteomyelitis. The patients right lower leg is warm to touch and edematous, and the patient states that the extremity has a constant pulsating pain that increases with any movement of the leg. The patients sed rate and leukocyte rates are elevated. The physician orders the following for the patient: Admit to medical unit with vital signs every four hours Bed rest Elevate affected leg on pillows above the level of the heart Warm sterile saline soaks for 20 minutes t.i.d. with wet-to-dry dressing change Levofloxacin (Levaquin) 750 mg IVPB every day Renal profile, CBC with differential in A.M. Regular diet with high-protein supplement shakes Vitamin C 250 mg po b.i.d. Meperidine (Demerol) 100 mg po every four hours Docusate sodium (Colace) 100 mg b.i.d. The patient asks the nurse why he has to stay in bed. The nurse should provide what rationale for this measure? What nursing interventions should the nurse provide the patient? (Individual) DISCUSS INDIVIDUAL AND LIFESTYLE RISK FACTORS FOR OSTEOPOROSIS The following are the risk factors of Osteoporosis: Genetics Caucasian or Asian, Female, Family History, Small Frame Predisposes to low bone mass Age Postmenopause, Advanced Age, Low testosterone in men, decreased calcitonin Hormones (estrogen, calcitonin, and testosterone) inhibit bone loss Nutrition Low Calcium Intake, Low Vitamin D Intake, High Phosphate Intake, Inadequate Calories Reduces nutrients needed for bone remodeling Physical Exercise Sedentary, Lack of Weight Bearing Exercises, Low Weight and Body Mass Index Bones needs stress for bone maintenance Lifestyle Choices Caffeine, Alcohol, Smoking, Lack of exposure to Sunlight Reduces osteogenesis in bone remodeling Medications Cortocosteroids, antiseizure medications, heparin, thyroid hormone affects calcium absorption and metabolism Comorbidity Anorexia Nervosa, Hyperthyroidism, Malabsorption Syndrome. Renal Failure Affects calcium absorption and metablosim Hormonal variations are one of the reasons for gender differences when it comes to the development of osteoporosis. In women, estrogen has a role in relation to osteoporosis, while testosterone, estrogen and other hormones in men also relate to this. Also, menopausal period in women accounts for osteoporosis, low endogenous estrogen levels increases the risk. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol and sedentary activities, also increases the risk for osteoporosis. Nutritional factors that increase the risk, includes the following: daily intake that is less than 1000 1500 mg of calcium and 400 600 International units of Vit. D. Eating high protein diet, drinking caffeine, sodium and phosphorus has negative effect on calcium balance in the body, therefore, increasing risk for osteoporosis. There are certain medications that can affect bone remodeling, and increase risk for secondary osteoporosis. DISCUSS THE DIFFERENCES IN MEDICAL MANAGEMENT FOR PRIMARY BONE TUMORS VERSUS METASTATIC BONE DISEASE. Primary bone tumors goal of treatment is to destroy or remove the tumor. It is accomplished by surgical exersion, radiation therapy if the tumor is radiosensitive, and chemotherapy. Limb-sparing procedures are used to remove the tumor and adjacent tissue. Replacement of the affected tissue is very important. This can be done through the following: customized prosthesis, total joint arthroplasty or bone tissue from the patient (autograft) or from cadaver donor (allograft). Surgical removal of the affected part may require amputation. To prevent metastasis of malignant bone tumor, chemotherapy is started before and continued after surgery, to eradicate micromestatic lesions. Palliative management is the treatment for metastatic bone cancer. Its goal is to relieve pain and discomfort while promoting quality of life. Structural support and stabilization is needed to prevent fracture, as the bone weakens. Prophylactic internal fixation helps strengthen large bones with metastatic lesions. DISCUSS CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF PAGETS DISEASE, AND ITS PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT FOR EACH. Pagets disease are initially asymptomatic. The bones that are commonly involved include the vertebrae, pelvis, cranium, sternum and proximal ends of the long bones. Diagnosis of this disease is made by reports of bone pain or deformity, through X-ray or by detection of elevated serum alkaline phosphate levels found though biochemical testing. The following are the most common complaints of patients who are suffering from Pagets disease such as pain. Skeletal deformity, and change in skin temperature. Joint dysfunction may result from damage to cartilage and osteoarthritis. Bone pain often occurs at night, which is a result of increased pressure on the periosteum or associated hyperemia. Other manifestations that can occur include diminished mobility and unsteady gait. Neurologic complications can also occur which is caused by nerve root compression or nerve entrapment. These structures are adjacent to pagetic bone near a nerve foramen or canal. Common clinical manifestation of Pagets disease is mixed sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. Low back pain can also occur because of vertebral body and facet enlargements, loss of lumbar lordosis, dorsal kyphosis, spinal impingement and altered gait dynamics. The short term objective in treating Pagets disease is to alleviate the associated bone pain, while the long term objective, is to alleviate the progression of the disease. The pharmacologic therapy includes calcitonin, plimamycin, and gallium nitrate, and the biphosphonates. The main goal of this therapy is to control the disease activity, normalize biochemical parameters and to improve the symptoms. LIST REHABILITATION AND HEALTH EDUCATION STRATEGIES USED FOR PATIENT WITH LOW BACK PAIN. A comprehensive rehabilitation should include a careful evaluation for a specific goal and treatments based on best evidence are exercise, cognitive behavioral treatment, health education and others. We should instruct the patient to avoid recurrence of the following: Standing, sitting, lying and lifting properly are necessary for a healthy back. Alternate periods of activity with periods of rest. Avoid prolonged sitting, standing and driving. Change positions and rest at frequent intervals. Avoid assuming tense, cramped positions. Sit in a straight-back chair with the knees slightly higher than the hips. Use footstool if necessary. Flatten the hollow back by sitting with the buttocks tucked under. Pelvic tilt decreases lordosis. Avoid knee and hip extension. When driving a car, have the seat pushed forward as necessary for comfort. Place a cushion in the small of the back for support. When standing for any length of time, rest one foot on a small stool or platform to relieve lumbar lurdosis. Avoid fatigue, which contributes to spasm of back muscles. Use good body mechanics when lifting and moving about. Daily exercise is important in the prevention of back problems. Do prescribed back exercises twice daily strengthens back, leg, and abdominal muscles. Walking outdoors is recommended. Reduce weight if necessary decreases strain on back muscles. IDENTIFY COMMON FOOT DISORDERS. IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC STRUCTURE INVOLVED. Common Foot Disorders: Plantar Fascitis it is a plantar heel pain, which evolves from the bone (heel spur) or plantar fascia. Mortons Neuroma It is the irritation and degeneration of the digital nerves in the toes that produces a painful mass near the area of metatarsals. Hallux Disorders: Valgus, Rigidus, and Sprains Acute injury to the ligaments and capsule of the MTP joint. Lateral deviation of the first toe greater than the the normal angle of 15 degrees between the tarsus and metatarsus This may lead to a painful prominence of the medical aspect of the MTP joint. Degenerative condition of the first MTP joint leading to pain and stiffness. DISCUSS THE INVOLVEMENT OF VITAMIN D IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OSTEOMALACIA. IDENTIFY TREATMENT RELATED TO CAUSE. Vitamin D deficiency is the most common cause of osteomalacia. Essential for calcium and phosphorus metabolism is Vitamin D, it is the critical elements in mineralization of the bone. The major source of Vitamin D is synthesis in the skin exposed to sunlight. Dietary modification is needed by eating food rich in Vitamin D, such as fatty fish oils, liver and egg yolks. Vitamin D supplement is also suggested. DEVELOP A PLAN OF CARE FOR AN ASSIGNED PATIENT WITH LOW BACK PAIN. Nursing Intervention for Low Back Pain: Relieving Pain Advise patient to stay active and avoid bed rest, in most cases. Keep pillow between flexed knees while in side-lying position minimizes strain on back muscles Apply heat or ice as prescribed. Administer or teach self-administration of pain medications and muscle relaxant. Promoting Mobility Encourage ROM of all uninvolved muscle groups. Suggest gradual increase in activities and alternating activities with rest in semi-fowlers position. Avoid prolonged periods of sitting, standing, or lying down. Encourage patient to discuss problems that may be contributing to backache. Encourage patient to do prescribed back exercises. Exercise keeps postural muscles strong, helps recondition the back and abdominal musculature, a and serves as an outlet for emotional tension. GIVEN A TEMPLATE, COMPLETE A DISEASE MAP ON A PATIENT WITH CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME. Picture1.png COMPLETE A THEORETICAL CASE STUDY ON AN ACTUAL CLINICAL PATIENT WITH OSTEOMYELITIS. http://www.scribd.com/doc/44830270/Osteomyelitis-Case-Study (Web Assignments) USING THE INTERNET, RESEARCH LITERATURE ADDRESSING MANAGEMENT OF OSTEOPOROSIS. IDENTIFY NEW MEDICATIONS ON THE MARKET TO TREAT THIS DISEASE. Links: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC493281/ http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/news/20100602/fda-approves-prolia-for-high-risk-osteoporosis As the basic objective of preventing the progress of osteoporosis to a patient is to minimize bone fracture, management of osteoporosis is discussed in this article through many ways varying on the patients level of fracture risk. Prevention in a non medical therapy was described as having good nutrition, healthy lifestyle and fall prevention. Exercise and the aid of vitamin D supplements can actually help in preventing or lessening the risk of osteoporosis. Medical treatment on the other hand comes in many forms; as it is to be administered based on the guidelines for commencing pharmacologic therapy. Medications for osteoporosis management are classified in to two, the antiresorptive agents and anabolic agents, both of which acting as agents to reduce fracture risk. In the next article, a newly approved treatment was released and approved for the management of osteoporosis. Prolia is a biological, lab-induced treatment that is said to have the ability to inactivate the body bones breakdown mechanism. It was approved under specified types of treatments though. It can only be administered to patients of post menopausal stage and has a high risk of bone fracture caused by osteoporosis. Or to patients who already had osteoporosis treatments but had failed. Or lastly, to patients who cant endure other osteoporosis treatments. What this treatment does is to slow down the process of bone breakdown, making the patient less susceptible to bone fracture. In spite of the advantages of the said treatment though, side effects to this treatment also has its downsides. Most common of which is the patients feeling back, muscle, and bone pains. It is through this reason that patients with low levels of calcium were also prevented to use this kind of treatment FIND A REASEARCH ARTICLE COMPARING PRIMARY BONE TUMORS TO METASTATIC BONE TUMORS. SUMMARIZE IN TERMS OF MANAGEMENT. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec04/ch044/ch044d.html Primary metastatic bone tumors basically differ from its origin. As primary tumor are defined as tumors which have started from the bone itself, metastatic tumors, also known as secondary tumors are defined as tumors which have originated from another parts of the body that had resulted to or affected the bone as well. As primary bone tumors are treated the same as with other tumors found in the other parts of the body. Patients also undergo radiation and chemotherapy as well as surgery. For painful vertebral fracture, Kyphoplasty or vertebraplasty are also considered as options to alleviate pain. Metastatic bone tumors on the other are treated the same as with primary bone tumors though since it has its origin from a different area, treatment are to be considered depending on how it will affect the entire body of the patient or all of which that is with tumor (breast, lung, prostate, etc.)

Managing the individual performance within organisations

Managing the individual performance within organisations Managing individual performance in organisations has focused on estimating performance and distributing reward, with effective performance which is seen as a result of interaction between individual ability and motivation. By and large, it is recognised that planning and enabling performance have a critical effect on individual performance. Managers use several techniques to find out performance and effort of employees. Performance appraisal is process which is taken by managers to review performance and formalize it. Performance management has critical effect on individual performance and in this case also on company goals. In this part of assignment performance appraisal and performance related pay will be described in depth. Pay Strategy Provide market competitive compensation that incorporates both salary and non-salary benefits, such as healthcare, retirement, life insurance, disability insurance, annual and sick leave, and other optional benefits. To assist in the administration of compensation plans, most organizations utilize some type of formal pay structure.   A formal pay structure provides the framework and formal structure for assessing jobs and grouping similar jobs together.  Ã‚  Factors used in grouping jobs within a pay structure often include: Complexity Responsibility Level of Suspension Accountability Organisational impact Market Value The two most common forms of pay structures are Grades and Bands.  Ã‚  The distance between the minimum and maximum of a pay range is called the range spread.   Grades typically have very narrow range spreads, while  Bands have very broad range spreads.   This has led to the commonly used term of broadband to describe the range of pay rates within a structure using a band approach. (http://www.hr.vt.edu/compensation/HYPERLINK http://www.hr.vt.edu/compensation/compmgt/comp_philosophy/index.html compmgt/comp_philosophy/index.html) For those employees who were with Virginia Tech around 1999 2000, you may remember when the state switched from pay grades to pay bands.   Unlike the old pay grade system where an increase in responsibilities often meant a promotion to the next pay grade, pay bands represent a much broader range of different types of jobs and levels of responsibility.   As you can see in the illustration below, in a grade system Job A and Job B are in different pay grades.  Ã‚  However, in pay band system such as we currently have at Virginia Tech, Job  A and Job B are in the same pay band.   Please notice however that even though the pay band is the same, there is still a significant difference in the target salary level due to the differences in the level of responsibility and job content of the two jobs. ( http://www.hr.vt.edu/compensation/ compmgt/comp_philosophy/index.html) The key points here are: Its not necessary to be moved from one band to another in order to receive a significant salary increase and Just because two positions have different levels of responsibility/complexity/etc, does not necessarily mean that they should be different pay brands. Figure 2. Pay Structure Grades and Bands www.hr.vt.edu/compensation/compmgt/images/L_grades_bands_med.jpgimgrefurl Performance appraisal Robert Bacal, Performance Management A Briefcase Book, (1999, p.12) tells Performance appraisal is usually considered to be the process and time when manager and employee sit down to review the employees performance over the last year, or month, or even shorter time spans. Most of the time people think of it as a once a year event, which is a recipe for disaster. Traditionally performance appraisal systems have provided a formalised process to review employee performance. This normally requires the manager and employee to take part in a performance review meeting. Why Should You Appraise Performance According to Dessler and Walker (1999, p.452) there are several reasons to appraise performance. First, appraisals provide information upon which promotion and salary decisions can be made. Second, they provide an opportunity for you and your subordinate to review the subordinates work-related behaviour. This in turn lets both of you develop a plan for correcting any deficiencies the appraisal might unearth, and reinforce the things the subordinate does right. Finally, the appraisal should be central to your companys career plan because it provides a good opportunity to review employees` career plans in light of their exhibited strengths and weaknesses. Performance Appraisal System flow In performance appraisal meetings, several of methods are used to document, or record, or summarize performance discussions, rating scales, critical incident summaries, etc. All these methods are gathered and processed by similar system flow. P.A Handbook (1995, p.8) describes performance appraisal system flow: Planning Developing Employee Performance Appraisal Plans (EPAP) Elements Standards (Benchmark Performance Standards) Employee Participation Documenting Elements and Standards Monitoring Feedback during the Performance Year Progress Reviews Developing Employees Formal Development Informal Development Rating Eligibility Interim Appraisals Rating Critical Elements Rating of Record Discussion with Employee Reconsideration Process Action Based on Performance Rewarding Performance Links to Other Personnel Actions Dealing with Poor Performance Figure 1. The Performance Appraisal Cycle (John Shields, 2007, p: 23, Managing employee performance and reward) As seem above performance appraisals are essential for the effective management and evaluation of staff. Appraisals help develop individuals, improve organizational performance and feed into business planning. Performance appraisals also typically feed into organizational annual pay and grading reviews, which commonly also happen at the same time the business planning for the next trading year. Performance appraisals are also essential for career and succession planning, staff motivation, attitude and behavior development, communicating and aligning individual and organizational aims and encouraging positive relationships between management and staff. Goals of the Performance Appraisal System According to Beer, Russell and Ralph (1995, 23) the process of performance management is one of the most important leadership responsibilities. The performance appraisal system has three primary goals: Provide a helpful structure, open and honest communication between the employee and his/her supervisor Improve employee development through performance feedback and through the identification of future professional development activities Measure and document job performance as a basis for making promotion, compensation and other personnel management decisions Dessler (2006, p.336) Managing employee performance is an integral part of the work that all managers and rating officials perform throughout the year. It is as important as managing financial resources and program outcomes because employee performance has an extreme effect on both the financial and program components of any organization. Beer, Russell and Ralph (1994, p.24) the effectiveness of appraisal systems hinges on a range of different factors. Three most common reasons for failure of an appraisal system are: Unclear performance criteria Poor information sharing and connection with the boss Appraiser missing information on the managers real performance Other problems are a lack of ongoing performance feedback, a lack of focus on management development, the review process lacking structure, etc. According to Claydon and Beardwell (2007, p.511) The purpose of performance planning, review and appraisal need to be made clear if employees at all levels in the organization are to play an active part in the process. It is possible that some employees and line managers may meet performance appraisal schemes with distrust, suspicion and fear, but an integrated effective process can lead to increased organizational performance and employee motivation. It is important for employees to be genuinely involved in the design of an appraisal scheme, the evaluation of performance, and the objective-setting process. An appraisal scheme should be set up in an atmosphere of openness, with agreement between management, employees and employee representatives on the design of the scheme. Employees need to have a clear understanding of the purpose of the process. However applying performance appraisal its own is not really worthy. Other performance management systems and performance appraisal systems should put in practice as a whole. Robert Bacal , Performance Management A Briefcase Book,(1999, p. 34) Pay for Performance Coy (2009, p.S7) in challenging economies it is believed that keeping employees happy is essential for organizations performance. To do this, tying employees` pay to their performance is widely popular. Indeed, with the emphasis on competitiveness, productivity, and the trend for virtually all employers is to tie at least some portion of their employees` pay to employees` and companys performance. In most theoretical models of HRM, pay is essential on the regulation of the employment relationship. Academician, policy makers, and corporate leaders recognize the difficulty of appraising the use of reward systems as a key element in the pursuit of substantive HRM goals of obligation, flexibility and quality. Pay for performance is a tool which HR professionals can wield in an effort to retain their best. When it is carefully applied, pay for performance systems can systematically link with employee goal achievement, providing very specific incentives for employee behavior that are in line with broader organizational objectives.(Bratton and Gold, 2007, p:238) Figure 3. A Model of Reward Management (Bratton and Gold, 2001, p:246) Advantages of PFP It is not difficult to see why PFP has attracted the interest of managers, consultants and government ministers. Bratton and Gold (2007, p.455) describes its theoretical attractions are considerable and include the following reasons: Attracting good performance Hewlett-Packard (Case study 1) In the early 90s, Hewlett-Packard seemed a perfect setting for innovations in pay. A so-called built-to-last company, it was highly decentralized and enjoyed a sense of mutual trust, high commitment, and wide use of management by objectives. The workforce was salaried and the merit system was based on peer comparisons at the salaried level. There were no executive bonuses. Stock options were awarded as recognition. But there was also a lot of pressure in the company, said Beer. Managers of thirteen units took the initiative of appealing to headquarters to try something new to spur on their employees. According to Beer, managers in many companies look to pay-for-performance for good reasons. They expect that it will attract and motivate people. They expect performance standards will outweigh the costs of whatever incentives they put in place. They also want protection against business exigencies: should the market go south, they dont want to be permanent ly stuck with new costs. (Lagace, 2003) Increasing in quality individual performance McDonalds (Case study 2) Base pay, rewards pay, and rewards program follows as Pay For Performance its the best results and great opportunities pay. Employees base pay is the most portion of their compensation. McDonalds sustain the competitiveness of their base pay through an annual review from both external market data and internal peer data. Moreover, they have a broadbanding compensation system that allows for flexibility in term of pay, movement and growth. In addition, incentive pay provides to their employees with the opportunity to earn compensation when their performance meet and exceed goals. The long term of incentives are granted to eligible employees to both reward and retain key employees who have shown sustained performance and can impact long term value creation at McDonalds. (http://www.scribd.com/doc/13396918/Performance-Appraisal) Enhancing communication BMW (Case study 3) In 2001, the new bonus payment arrangement applied for production employees in the Germany and UK operations. The bonus system applied to all 36,000 production employees who operated with defined performance targets. On top of the basic salary a fixed 25% additional bonus was paid to all employees for meeting prearranged quotas. This quota involved producing a set number of units to the companys quality standards by a workforce of an agreed size. Employees in each group were consulted and invited to comment on whether the quotas that were realistic and achievable. In addition, employees could also earn extra pay through a personal supplement, that was payable if an individual contributed to the group results. Expectations and specific goals were discussed and agreed in talks between the employee and the supervisor. Thus, an individuals contribution to the group was discussed every year and this assessment determined the personal supplement received. (Boddy. 1998 P. 283) Improving motivation The Christmas bonus at Gourmet Foods (Case study 4) for many years that Gourmet Foods never have Christmas bonus when Andrew Straw appointed as a managing director, he decided to give  £70 extra for Christmas bonus to all 120 staffs. When they heard the news everyone is very excited and looking forward to it without knowing of the amount of the bonus. After they got the pay slips they very disappointed because they feel it is too small. When their managing director found out about this he wish he did not give it to them and turn it into new packaging equipment instead.  . (Leopold, Harris and Watson, 2005, Page 218) Strengthening management control Entre Computer Services (Case study 5) Entre Computer Services founded by Ed Souders in 1980s. Souders is a former worker of IBM so he adopted many methods from it including appraisal, pay-for-performance, and sales incentives. Unfortunately, in the 1990s, his business was falling down and almost faced bankruptcy. He decided to make some changes. Using the Deming philosophy along with new strategies can improve sale performances and profits. He created trusting and working relationship. Encouraged more teamwork and less self driven so that his workers gain more passion and happiness toward their job. There are 4 main goals of this method: Ensure maximum productivity of the Support Team. Ensure the Personal Development of the Support Team. Ensure that Support Team members understand what their job responsibilities are. Ensure employees are as happy as they could possibly be while at work. (Mary Jenkins, 2002, p.176-178) Identifying developmental objects Strengthening the individual employment relationship at the expense of collective Gainsharing at Southern California Edison (SCE) (Case study 6) In 1994, electricity industry was removed from government control. That made the market more competitive. Therefore, SCE needed to change its compensation for competition. The change was the introduction of a Gainsharing arrangement. Employees were invited to sacrifice 5% of their basic salaries in return for up to 10% gainshare if the organization reaches profits targets. 100% of employees agreed to the plan. Most of them tried to create ideas to save money. For instance, employees agreed to wash their own overalls. The outcome was that the scheme generated an estimate $96 million and $40 million was paid out to employees. More important, the scheme played its part in getting employees focused on what was important in working cost-effectively and being involved in designing effective working methods. (Stredwick, 2005 P.355-356) Rewarding employees without needing to promote them. The Jennings Ford Accident Repair Centre (Case study 7) In the early 1890s Jennings main hobby was repairing and trading bicycles, moving into premises opposite the old Bridge Street showroom for sale of motorcars employing 6 people in 1911. The company, by meeting Ford Motor Companys exacting standards, was appointed an authorized dealer for Ford Motor Cars in 1917. The Jennings Ford Accident Repair Centre in Gateshead has received a reward from Ford Motor Company. Continuing to achieve and improve sales within the centre at the Eslington Park dealership has resulted in a reward for Jennings loyal and dedicated centre manger. The manager said They constantly strive to provide the best possible service to their customer and they are always looking at the ways how to future improve internal systems and procedures. (http://www.jennings-ford.co.uk/ ) Drawbacks of PFP Most of us are happy to see individuals rewarded for exceptional performance or effort and would like payment decisions to be based on such criteria. The problem arises when attempts are made to put the principles in practice. Wiscombe (2001) says that a system which is fair and objective in theory can easily fail to achieve when implemented. Arguing that PFP can have a role to play in organizations, but its positive effects are limited. Moreover, while not fundamentally flawed. PFP is difficult to implement effectively in practice. As a result, system fails as often as they succeed. The major reasons of failures are: Employees concentrate on their salary and bonuses instead of their jobs. Most of the staff is demotivated when they are told their ratings. Gallery Furniture Company (Case study 8) Jim Mclngvale, the owner-President of Gallery Furniture Company applied Dr. Demings advice to his business. In 1991, he took commissions, bonuses, and incentives of his sale persons but put it in to their salaries instead. These amazingly increase sales, profits and customer satisfactions; however, some sales people left the company because of disappointments but it still benefit the business in the long run. He also took the appraisal system off because he believes that his employees are not students. He treats his workers with respects and they do the same toward him.  (Mary Jenkins, 2002, p.170-171) People focus on their own objectives instead of cooperation with colleagues. Some managers change ratings for political reasons. When the results have an impact on pay levels, employees tend to downplay their weakness. As a result development needs are not discussed or addressed. Managers avoid demotivating their staff. As a result poor performers are reward as well as good performers. Homeserve Ltd: The new performance bonus (Case study 9) Jean Frear got a new job at Homeserve Ltd as the HR director. She tried to use new bonus payment method which she think it worked very well at her previous job, the Moddens Food. Normally, the engineers work on Mon to Fri and will get better overtime rate if they work on Sat and Sun. To make it more competitive, she cut the premium overtime rates for Sat and Sun also the evening delivery then based on working hours only. After one year of this experiment, she got the result. The number of the calls from customers is increase about missing parts of the hardware. Overall salary bill is higher than ever but the performance is going the opposite way. She found that the engineers tend to work only for their shifts and hardly willing substitute for the others on holidays or sick leave. (Leopold, Harris and Watson, 2005, page 222-223) PFP systems tend to discourage creative thinking, challenging of established ways of doing things and questioning attitude among employees. Low income often leads managers to reduce ratings, creating a situation in which perfect employee performance is not rewarded. Pay strategy at Eastern Power plc (Case study 10) At Eastern Power plc, they use the Pay for Performance method to calculate employees salary. To make it convenient, it will be decided by senior managements. After 2 years, this method has been complained as an unfair system by most of the employees. According to the line managements, they reported that they had no idea how to improve their performance because the method is unclear. (Leopold, Harris and Watson, 2005, Page 215) A general tendency is the increasing number of organizations where total compensation contains a part depending on performance. According to the consultation firm Hewitt Associates, 50% of the firms used pay-for-performance in 1990, and in 2000 already 80% (Wiscombe 2001). An analogous tendency is also witnessed in Estonia. According to the salary survey conducted by the consultation firm Fontes in 2005, compensation policies of 91% of the firms in the survey include some kind of pay-for-performance. Opinions about the effectiveness of pay-for-performance are different. The survey conducted by the Hewitt Associates in 2000 suggested that even these enterprises which have used the pay-for-performance system do not completely believe in its effectiveness: 21% of the firms said they do not believe its effect on improving work performance; 57% believed the effect was limited. A study conducted by the same firm in 1995 indicated that the pay-for-performance system had failed in 48% of the organizations (Wiscombe 2001, www.HYPERLINK http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/23/06/78/index.phpworkHYPERLINK http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/23/06/78/index.phpforce.com/archive/feature/23/06/78/index.php.) Results of other surveys confirm the success of using pay-for-performance. An analysis of pay-for-performance programmes conducted in the USA in the second half of 1990s suggests that performance improves in approximately two out of three programs (Heneman, Ledford, and Gresham 2000). There are various reasons for the contradictory opinions and results. One may be definitely different methods which are used, differences in business sector, lack of clarity of concepts used by researches. On the other hand, it can be assumed that application of pay-for-performance and its results can only be opposing because the creating, implementation of the respective system and assessment of the results must often link conflicting interests of different stakeholders. Other Case Studies Tele-working at the Mid Western Bank For The Mid Western Bank the Individual Performance is believed to be the best way to rate their staffs bonus payments. To make sure of this conclusion they set 4 aspects which are correctness, attendance levels, cooperation (which includes teamwork) and communication skills to confirm it. By making everyone concentrate on only their job, for the top performance employee can have 25 percents of their pay. Unfortunately, this result can be applied effectively with call centre staffs a competitive labour market. The other concern is that this method encourage employee to be more selfish and lost interest in helping the others and the absenteeism is also rising even though it will be effect the rating. (Leopold, Harris and Watson, 2005, Page 234) Nucor Corporation, United States Nucor Corporation, the largest steel producer in the United States. The secret to success is to give huge bonuses of 100% or even 150% to 160%, thus, every employee can see how the incentive arrangement affects their wages each week. Even in the down times, the company doesnt lay people off. Such as, the plant shuts down its production lines for a day or two a week but salaried executives still work. About 80% of Nucors employees are on this production-incentive plan. Other employees also have performance-based compensation. When the whole organization is involved: To make it work, the most important thing is the involvement of the whole company, even if there is only a 1 percent profit, it should be divided among everyone, including the administration. Everyone is part of the team building. For instance, gives non-production employees other awards -from a free dinners for outstanding work to one share of stock for every year of employment. (www.findarticles.com) Health Net of California Health Net of California announced that was paying $18 million to 70 physician groups statewide in recognition of their efficiency and quality in 2004. Of the total, $5 million was tied for the Pay for Performance program, which rewards physician groups for providing high-quality clinical care and customer service. In addition, Health Net is working with through the Integrated Healthcare Association to make wider the potential of Pay for Performance quality measures and increase the proportion of compensation for physician groups that present a commitment to quality and efficiency. PFP bonuses were paid to Health Nets commercial physician groups. The other quality disbursements, which are paid to commercial and Medicare physician groups, include shared-risk funds, financial investments in technology and a generic drug incentive program. (www.findarticles.com) Abbey National Alan Eagles role as Assistant Manager of the Abbey National Community Partnership is to identify opportunities for staff who want to volunteer. He run a matched time scheme where staff can claim up to 35 hours of paid work time per year to match their own volunteering time commitment. Why would a banker necessarily want to be a treasurer in their spare time? Employee volunteers are like any other volunteers they need to feel that their contribution is worth it. To ensure this, organizations need to offer volunteer roles that are properly thought out. They believe that an employee who volunteers can specify personal objectives for community activities, as well as work related goals, in their annual appraisal. If they achieve those goals they are financially rewarded. (http://www.voluntarymatters3.org/motivation/case_studies/case_study3.html) The Royal Bank of Scotland In 1998, the company launched RBSelect that is a total reward benefits package giving employees. The package is divided into six groups: private health cover; insurance, including life assurances for spouses and partners; saving such as voluntary contribution to pension schemes; lifestyle features, which include the managers company car, childcare vouchers and retail voucher; basic salary; and holiday. Even the Christmas bonus can be traded in for a different benefit. Employees can change their benefits package once a year. The new total reward system has been positively received and is expected to have a positive impact on recruitment and retention. (Boddy, 1998 P.282-283) The National Security Personnel System Nearly all of the employees in the Defense Departments new personnel system were rewarded for their job performance in their first paychecks in 2009, with the average pay raise and bonus totaling 8.35%. 98% of the more than 170,000 employees rated under the National Security Personnel System received performance-based payout, meaning their supervisors graded their work as a 3 or better out of 5 possible points. The majority of those employees 55.4% earned a rating of 3, defining them as valued performers. Worker in the Washington area received the highest overall increase of the General Schedule employees, at 4.78%. General Schedule employees have earnings potential beyond their annual raise, while under NSPS, within-grade pay boosts, quality step increase and bonuses are factored into the overall performance-based pay increase. (http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0209/021809b1.htm) Lloyds TSB STAFF at Lloyds Banking Group is set to get about pounds 80min bonuses despite amulti-billion pound bailout from the taxpayer. The payments were apparently authorized by the Government as part of the deal for it to take a controlling interest of at least 65% in the firm. The figure is lower than the pounds 120m Lloyds bosses were thought to be seeking, but will still provoke controversy over rewards for failure. Newspaper reports suggested that some 4,000 junior staff will each get about pounds 1,000 this year, making up half the pay-out. Unions have argued that staff from the former Lloyds TSB deserve to receive bonuses, because their side of the business remained in profit while its merger partner HBOS lost billions of pounds. A spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Lloyds had agreed that there would be no discretionary bonuses paid in 2009 except to the most junior staff, earning an average of pounds 20,000. (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6784/is_2009_March_10/ai_n31418985/) General Motors-Powertrain Division In the mid 1980s, GMs sale was going down dramatically and looks to be continued for some times. On contrary, new Japanese company was booming. Behind their success GM found that they used Dr. W. Edwards Demings rules. After trying this method for one year GM Powertrains H.R. staffs agree that appraisal system has some flaws. (Mary Jenkins, 2002, p.148) Strategic approach to rewarding performance at Unilever At Unilever, to improve its employees performance and cut off unnecessary pay the manager created the model proved to be effective as global called Work Levels. With six levels of qualitatively different work in the company use to encourage people to work as a team instead of oneself. Predictably, many workers complained at the beginning but years after years it became clear that the method benefits both employees and the company. (Duncan Brown, Michael Armstrong, 1999, p.92-95) Conclusion The organizations having job evaluation in practice, are determined the causes of pay inequity through the carefully implementation of pay design that is based on base pay structure. A tentative effort to introduce this discrete and coherent function is required to carry out the comprehensive review. There must be a system of inequity recognition through the organization achieves its smart objectives and vital to prioritize the analysis which are very likely to enlighten on any potential inequities. It is a management tool that asserts the jobs of comparable value are treated and paid equally and emphasizes to estimate the size of inequity. Nevertheless, change in the pay system in any organization can be resistive. It can be suspected among the employee in term of pay changes, apparently. The purpose of pay system design should not be decrease or cut the employees pay rather than fixing the inequity within the organization and taking all the relative perspective into account before the implementation of the required method. To make it constructive, expert facilitation of job design team can be useful to ensure that safe and sound primary principles are going to be followed while the organization gets its cherished goals. In addition, where it eliminates many flaws in term of analysing the jobs worth but also effectively productive with the employers perspective. This method can be typically undertaken by the employers to prevent them from prejudice or discrimination and to establish a platform where everyone has got equal opportunity to build up their career. No doubt, it enhances and defines an appropriate and decisive track for any organization practicing this feasible method that can be comp

Biomes of the World Essay -- The Worlds Biomes

A biome, also known as life zones, consists of all plants, animals, and other organisms, as well the physical environment in a particular area. A biome is characterized by its’ plant life, climate, and location. The climate and physical features determine the boundaries of a biome. A biome is made up of many different ecosystems. The ecosystems tend to have the same pants and animals as neighboring biomes around the boundaries. The major biomes are the tundra, taiga, tropical rain forest, temperate forests, desert, grassland, savanna, chaparral, and marine. Each biome has it’s own characteristics such as the tundra. The tundra is a biome that is located in the Northern Hemisphere of the world. It circles the North Pole and reaches down to the taiga. The tundra has a very cold and harsh climate, especially in the winters. The average winter temperatures is about -30Â °F and average summer temperatures is roughly 37-54Â °F. The yearly amount of precipitation, which includes melting snow, averages to about 6 to 10 inches. With these conditions it makes for a short growing season of about 50-60 days. In some parts it can be up to 180 days. This is only found in the more southern part of the tundra. Another aspect of the tundra includes the vegetation that is found there and the adaptations that have been made. The tundra is known for its’ cold temperatures, but also its’ limited plant species. The growth of the vegetation is primarily low to the ground and the biomass of plants is concentrated in the roots. Here the plants reproduce more likely by division and building than by flower pollination. Some of that growthforms that you will find in the tundra include tussock, mats or cushion plants, rosettes, and dwarf shru... ...enthic, coral reef, and estuaries. Some freshwater habitats include marches, lakes, rivers, ponds, wetlands, and bogs. All the biomes of the world have climates, plants, and animals all their own. Traveling through each zone you can pick out the similar adaptations of each plant and animal. Biomes are unique to their location, each one of great importance to the world. Bibliography 1. Biomes, http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes 2. Aquatic Biomes, http://redbaron.bishops.ntc.nf.ca/wells/biomes/html/aquatic.htm 3. Biomes, SLW, October 1996, http://runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes 4. Chaparral, http://www.csun.edu/csc24235/hairach.html 5. Northern Coniferous Forest, http://www.uwsp.edu/acaddept/geog/faculty/ritter/geog101/biomes_northern_forest.html 6. The World of Biology, 4th ed., Davis, Solomon, Berg; Saunders College Publishing, Ó1994.

1984 Essay --

Are you sitting comfortably? I find myself constantly drawn back to the subject of George Orwell’s 1984 it follows a dystopian community, which is set in a world that has been in continuous war, and has no privacy by means of surveillance and has complete mind control and is known by the name of Oceania. It keeps an eye on a man named Winston whose features are described as him having â€Å"a smallish, frail figure†¦his hair very fair, his face natural sanguine, [and] his skin roughened† (Orwell 2). This book illustrates to readers what the world would be like if we were under complete control of the Government, as a result, this book poses a couple motifs’ for instance Part One tackles â€Å"Collectivism† which means the government controls you, while Part Two fights with â€Å"Romance† because Winston and Julia’s love, and Part Three struggles with â€Å"Fear† and how it controls you physically and mentally. Likewise, George Orwell’s 1984 Part One Motif is â€Å"Collectivism† which means an economic or political system in which the government controls everything like land, business, and in Oceania’s case even to extent of mind control. This theme proves itself as you first turn the page in part one when it states â€Å"Big Brother is Watching You† (Orwell 2). Those five words that could be read under that poster seem to act as all he needs in this community to prove his control and authority. The motif played a main part here because it was all about someone not having their own control; it was about them having everything accepted by Big Brother whether what they inscribe in their journal, what their thoughts were, or even what they were doing because Big Brother is watching at all times. Part two of George Orwell’s 1984 motif is â€Å"Romance† because Winsto... ...f it no matter what even if it means betraying the people we care. In order to understand ourselves, we must first understand George Orwell’s 1984. This book expresses multiple motifs like Part one on Collectivism by the people of Oceania putting their community in the hands of Big Brother, or Part Two was about Romance between Julia and Winston and about how the party wanted to alter love for complete devotion to Big Brother, and later in Part Three it was about fear and how it can control you. We must ultimately comprehend how this book could prove more of a timeline of events taking place now if we don’t put steps inline to stop the Government from complete control, really we are the proles Orwell was mentioning we are the hope and we must utilize it. â€Æ' Works Cited Orwell, George. 1984: a novel. New York, N.Y.: Published by Signet Classic:, 1977. Print.

Physician-Assisted Suicide Essays -- Medicine Medical Death Papers

Physician-Assisted Suicide In today's society, a very controversial issue is physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. Many people feel that it is wrong for people, regardless of their health situation, to ask their doctor or attendant to end their life. Others feel it is their right to be able to choose how and when they die. When a doctor is asked to help a patient to their death, they have certain responsibilities that come along with it. Among these duties, they must prove valid information as to the terminal illness the patient is suffering. They also must educate the patient as to what their final options may be. When they make the decision of whether or not to help the patient into death, and should they accept responsibility, they must provide the lethal dose of medicines that will end the life of the patient. For those, myself included, who believe physician-assisted suicide should be their choice, we feel it should be legalized because: they don't want to go through the suffering caused by the illness they have. They fear the loss of their independence because they feel they become a burden to their family or friends. On the other hand those opposed to the issue of assisted suicide feel it goes against religious beliefs and common medical ethics. They also believe that there is always the possibility that a miracle will occur and the patient will overcome the illness and also that the doctor could have provided the wrong diagnosis to the patient initially. The strongest reason against physician-assisted suicide has been the idea that if assisted suicide becomes legal, it will get out of hand and target certain people in society, such as those with disabilities. In 1990, physician-assi... ...you, unless you become a patient. With the freedoms offered to us, we should not even have to ask a doctor for permission about suicide. People should be allowed to decide their fate, just as they can decide whether to drive or walk to the grocery store. This should be the case, especially for terminally ill patients who are greatly affected by a disease. The writer feels that life is something that is valuable, even when people can't move around themselves, or can't do all things for themselves. Life isn't just something that everyone inherits. People were given life for a reason, and whether that reason is to work through a terminal illness or to make it through life without any health problems, nobody should be able to choose their time of death. Someone who fights through a terminal illness dies with more dignity than someone who takes the easy way out does. Physician-Assisted Suicide Essays -- Medicine Medical Death Papers Physician-Assisted Suicide In today's society, a very controversial issue is physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. Many people feel that it is wrong for people, regardless of their health situation, to ask their doctor or attendant to end their life. Others feel it is their right to be able to choose how and when they die. When a doctor is asked to help a patient to their death, they have certain responsibilities that come along with it. Among these duties, they must prove valid information as to the terminal illness the patient is suffering. They also must educate the patient as to what their final options may be. When they make the decision of whether or not to help the patient into death, and should they accept responsibility, they must provide the lethal dose of medicines that will end the life of the patient. For those, myself included, who believe physician-assisted suicide should be their choice, we feel it should be legalized because: they don't want to go through the suffering caused by the illness they have. They fear the loss of their independence because they feel they become a burden to their family or friends. On the other hand those opposed to the issue of assisted suicide feel it goes against religious beliefs and common medical ethics. They also believe that there is always the possibility that a miracle will occur and the patient will overcome the illness and also that the doctor could have provided the wrong diagnosis to the patient initially. The strongest reason against physician-assisted suicide has been the idea that if assisted suicide becomes legal, it will get out of hand and target certain people in society, such as those with disabilities. In 1990, physician-assi... ...you, unless you become a patient. With the freedoms offered to us, we should not even have to ask a doctor for permission about suicide. People should be allowed to decide their fate, just as they can decide whether to drive or walk to the grocery store. This should be the case, especially for terminally ill patients who are greatly affected by a disease. The writer feels that life is something that is valuable, even when people can't move around themselves, or can't do all things for themselves. Life isn't just something that everyone inherits. People were given life for a reason, and whether that reason is to work through a terminal illness or to make it through life without any health problems, nobody should be able to choose their time of death. Someone who fights through a terminal illness dies with more dignity than someone who takes the easy way out does.

Interpretation and discussion of results Essay

A. The Correlation Matrices: A. 1. The Pearson Correlation Matrix for the Combined Sample Data: Leadership, as defined and measured in the Baldrige Criteria (Peacock, 2006) is related to the other items which could be interpreted as priorities or concerns of the respondents surveyed. In other words, the sub-items defining Leadership such as Organizational Leadership and Social Responsibility were significantly correlated with the sub-categories (Peacock, 2006) under the other items including Strategic Planning (questions 11 to 16), Customer and Market Focus (questions 17 to 21), Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management (questions 22 to 28), Human Resource Focus (questions 29 to 39), Process Management (questions 40 to 50), and Business Results (questions 51 to 63). Those questions are contained in Appendix A. Under the Baldrige Criteria (Peacock, 2006), there are 10 indicators defining Leadership including visible involvement in managerial activities such as goal setting, directing and performance audit; communicating values and customer focus; behavior modeling and motivating and empowering personnel; which fall under the sub-item Organizational Leadership. Governance concerns such as accountability, transparency, disclosure and stakeholders’ interests; appropriateness and effectiveness of leadership system; addressing adverse social impacts of products, services and operations; monitoring ethical behavior throughout the organization and community involvement; meanwhile fall under the sub-item social responsibility. These indicators serve as basis for measuring the leadership scores in the Baldrige Criteria (Peacock, 2006). Despite the significant correlation of Leadership with the other major items in the Baldrige Criteria (Peacock, 2006); however, the data set evaluated was combined for both the Others Group and the Leaders Group. There were thirty-seven (37) samples from the Others Group and seven (7) samples from the Leaders Group. The correlation tests conducted tended to support the hypothesis that individuals who scored high in Leadership, Item 1, also score high in the other items, from Item 2 to Item 7. The results suggested that Leadership, as defined and measured in the Baldrige Criteria (Peacock, 2006) is related to the other items which could be interpreted as priorities or concerns of the respondents surveyed as shown by Table 1. Table 1. The Pearson Correlation Matrix for the Combined Data Leader-ship Strategic Planning Customer And Market Focus Measure-ment, Analysis, and Know- ledge Manage-ment Human Resource Focus Process Manage- ment Item 1 Item 2 Item 3 Item 4 Item 5 Item 6. Strategic Planning, Item 2 0. 510 0. 000 Customer And Market Focus, Item 3 0. 341 0. 023 0. 237 0. 121 Measure-ment, Analysis, and Knowledge Manage-ment, Item 4 0. 656 0. 000 0. 575 0. 000 0. 291 0. 056 Human Resource Focus, Item 5 0. 718 0. 000 0. 449 0. 002 0. 259 0. 090 0. 590 0. 000 Process Manage-ment, Item 6 0. 518 0. 000 0. 730 0. 000 0. 334 0. 027 0. 738 0. 000 0. 536 0. 000 Business Results, Item 7 0. 387 0. 009 0. 409 0. 006 0. 413 0. 005 0. 196 0. 202 0. 271 0. 075 0. 353 0. 019 Cell Contents: Pearson correlation p-value Although the Pearson correlation test conducted tends to support the hypothesis of correlation of Leadership with the other items for the combined data set of the Others Group and the Leaders Group; however this does not tell us if there is any difference between the Others Group and the Leaders Group. Hence, Pearson correlation test was then conducted separately; one, for the Others Group and another, for the Leaders Group. A. 2. The Pearson Correlation Matrix for the Others Group: For the Others Group, the statistical test showed that Leadership, Item 1, had significant correlations with all the items from Strategic Planning, Item 2 to Business Results, Item 7 except for Customer and Market Focus, Item 3. Leadership, Item 1, had the highest correlations with Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management, Item 4 (r = 0. 705) and Human Resource Focus, Item 5, (r = 0. 725), Table 2. Table 2. Excerpt from the Pearson Correlation Matrix for the Others Group Leadership Item 1 Item Strategic Planning, Item 2 0. 508 0. 001 Customer And Market Focus, Item 3 0. 316 0. 057 Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management, Item 4 0. 705 0. 000 Human Resource Focus, Item 5 0. 725 0. 000 Process Management, Item 6 0. 562 0. 000 Business Results, Item 7 0. 333 0. 044 Cell Contents: Pearson correlation p-Value.