Enrollment System for High School Essay Example

Enrollment System for High School Essay Example Enrollment System for High School Essay Enrollment System for High School Essay Essay Topic: High School Middle School ACKNOWLEDGMENT An ambition nurtured through the year has finally been fulfilled, this â€Å"program†. The realization of this ambition is attributed to their family and especially to the almighty God for his countless blessings bestowed on the group. For the unlimited guidance and being always in their side Mr. Romel P. Dagami for with him this priceless endeavor would have never come into fruition. To their classmates in CS 223 who shared their knowledge for the success of this system. Their family for their continued encouragement, financial and moral support and prayers. With this system a dream is now a reality. We share the joy and pride. To everyone who helped us in making this program, thank you. Table of Contents Acknowledgmentii Table of Contentsiii Chapter I Introduction Payroll1 (Advantages)2 Statement of the Problem6 Theoretical Framework8 Conceptual Framework10 Significance of the Study12 Scope and Delimitation14 Definition of Terms15 Chapter II Project Rationale19 Project Objective20 Project Description21 Constraints of the System and Project21 Project Team Organization23 Project Team Description24 Estimated time and Date25 Pert Chart26 Gantt Chart27 Data Flow Diagram28 System Flow Chart29 Program Flow Chart30 Program Output39 Codes45 Visual Table of contents62 Input Process Output Chart63 MDB Structure63 Chapter III Appendices Appendix A (User’s Manual)66 Appendix B (Guidelines in accessing the system)69 Appendix C (Curriculum Vitae)79 Chapter I Introduction Not so long ago, all payrolls used to be calculated manually, without any help from a computer. Professional accountants invested a lot of time and energy into keeping track of all employee data, files and information, calculating monthly salaries, hourly remunerations, bonuses, sick leaves, benefits, taxes, deductions and so on. And they did this all by keeping numerous files filled with track records for each and every person employed. Nowadays, however, thing are far more simple than they used to be. Because technology is always dedicated to make things easier and better, quite a wide variety of computerized payroll systems is available to save us from this tedious task. Now, instead of keeping dozens of files and spending endless hours calculating, all you have to do is get a payroll software system and let it do all the nasty work. So, manual vs. computerized payroll system? It really bares no comparison. A manual payroll system means doing everything by hand, while a computerized one will enable its users to store unlimited data, keeping track of everything. While with a manual payroll system youd have to keep track of all employees time by hand, with payroll software you can automatically transfer all punches or swipes directly into the system, which will store them instantly. It can even separate regular work hours from overtime, and calculate the different remunerations according to set parameters. And if human error sneaks in even with the most organized manual payroll system, computerized payroll software will provide accurate calculations regardless of the amount of data stored. The computerized payroll software systems save time and money, theyre very easy to use and theyre also very practical. There are several different types of payroll software systems, with various features, functions or advantages. And of course, the price will also vary according to the type of software. All programs, however, include essential features for storing employee information, files and track records, and will enable authorized users to enter, view or change information anytime. Basic features include paycheck processing, direct deposit options, payroll reports, tax reports, deductions, quarterly and annual ware reports and many others. Moreover, while with a manual payroll system you have to do everything yourself, a computerized payroll software will calculate automatically all pay frequencies, employee statutory deductions, 401k contributions, bonuses, medical benefits etc. Basically, all you have to do is enter all the data upon which the deductions are based, and the software will handle everything else. In conclusion, compared to computerized software systems, the manual payroll system takes up valuable time, resources and money. So instead of wasting valuable time with the tedious accounting tasks, let the software calculate the paychecks, while you work on developing your business, increasing production and revenue. Statement of the Problem The researchers sought to answer the following: 1. What are the problems encountered of the company when it comes in paying their employees? 2. Does it take time before the employees get their monthly salary? 3. Does the owner/employer of the company need to add an additional employee in order to do the task (computing and releasing of employee’s salary)? 4. Do the employees need to wait before they can have their monthly salary? 5. Does the releasing of the employees’ wages consume a longer period of time because of editing and adding new record? 6. What would be the possible solution out of these problems? Theoretical Framework In this part of the documentation, we will be presenting a theory that will serve as the pattern on how the researchers would make their own plans and conceptualizations in the theories of experts of the computer field and analysis. The researchers are sure that the pattern they would be following is based on standards and proven technique. The first theory is called the â€Å"System and Systematic Theory† (SST) which says that â€Å"A â€Å"system† is a collection of things which have relationships among them. of course all three: things and relationships and the whole system have to be imagined by us, and tested against ‘reality’, to serve our purpose. )† This theory implies that in order for the system to be functional and efficient, it has to be tested against reality. Meaning all things must have be considered when system be implemented already. All errors must have been corrected prior to its delivery. The â€Å"Systems a nd Systematic Theory† (SST) would are a big impact or the development of the system. The researches would have to consider all omponents of their proposed system and make sure that all of them are working properly in achieving their main goal. Conceptual Framework Diagram 1 The diagram shows how the system would involve into an Automated Payroll System. The inputs must be considered properly assess and make sure that all data needed in the development are present and available. After the inputs are gathered, the process comes next. It involves analysis of data gathered and evaluation. After the inputs have been processed the Automated Payroll System is now created. Significance of the Study Based on the employees we’ve met, they we’re having hard time in getting their monthly salary. Sometimes, their payment they expected they will receive will seldom be delayed due to the personnel who are doing the task. Because we believe that every employee needs to be paid for the services they provide. For this to happen, the employer must have a payroll system in place. Without it, chaos occurs, as employees will become upset if their checks are inaccurate (or worse, if they dont get paid) due to a haphazard payroll structure. So obviously, there are benefits to be derived from using a payroll system. The advantage of having this kind of system is that to make the transaction of every employee in getting their monthly salary easily. Secondly, to lessen the possible time it will consume, because when the employer of the company will do it manually, maybe it will take week or more. And lastly, the task of doing the transaction will be higher because it is done with the use of computer. The persons who are being benefited with this study were the owner of the company, the personnel who is doing the job and at the same time the employee of that particular company. Scope and Delimitation The proposed project, an Automated Payroll System of Asia Computer Company is developed specially for the said company’s payroll processes. But aside from that, it also covers a little of their personnel information, basically includes computation of deductions, generating of pay slips, and payroll reports. The system can also generate personnel information from the company with the intention of coming up with a system that will generally make your flow of operation of the company’s payroll processing smoother and faster, experiencing more of an efficient, reliable and accurate system. Definition of Terms * Database- is a system intended to organize, store, and retrieve large amounts of data easily. It consists of an organized collection of data for one or more uses, typically in digital form. One way of classifying databases involves the type of their contents, for example: bibliographic, document-text, statistical. Digital databases are managed using database management systems, which store database contents, allowing data creation and maintenance, and search and other access. * Query design- A database query can be either a select query or an action query. A select query is simply a data retrieval query. An action query can ask for additional operations on the data, such as insertion, updating, or deletion. * Table- is a set of data elements (values) that is organized using a model of vertical columns (which are identified by their name) and horizontal rows. A table has a specified number of columns, but can have any number of rows. * Report- Microsoft Access Database report designs, from customizing the layout of the report to including parameters and images. You will also find rticles relating to generating your Microsoft Access database reports from forms in your Microsoft Access application, and how to modify database reports using VBA programming and Microsoft Access expressions. * Data- is information that has been translated into a form that is more convenient to move or process. * Automated Payroll System- A payroll system is the method used by payroll professionals to pay employees for their services. Regardless of the type of system used, there are basic functions that must be performedcalculation of hours worked, deductions (health, garnishment), and benefits (auto allowance, vacation, personal time). Form- A database form is a window or screen of related fields from a database. It is used to enter data or browse and view data. * Log in- (also called logging in or on and signing in or on) is the process by which individual access to a computer system is controlled by identification of the user using credentials provided by the user. * System- a collection of interrelated components that acts together as a single unit to perform a specific task. * Employee – a person for wages, a salary Project Rationale With the demands of the present competitive world, the pressing needs for the computerization, the problems encountered by the employees in getting their monthly payments, this Automated Payroll System is proposed for these reasons, the implementation of this computerized system will help the said company in achieving their goals with efficiency and effectiveness in compliance the needs of the employees regarding the releasing of their monthly salary. Project Objective Specifically, the project seeks to reach the following objectives: 1. To be able to know on how to make the research study in using an application software by making a program. 2. To be able to identify the problems of the existing system. 3. To be able to calculate the employee’s salary easily. Project Description The project is entitled â€Å"Automated Payroll System. † The system involves the use of computer software such as Visual Basic and Microsoft Access. In this Project the developers of this system have also incorporated training plan, test plan, security plan and maintenance plan which will serve as the framework in implementing this project. Constraints of the System and the Project System: 1. Storage media such as hard disk and the floppy disk are very sensitive to magnetic interferences, that is, they should isolate from electronic devices. 2. Data and information could be possibly infected with computer virus that may destroy data and information significant to the system. Project: 1. The size of the project is big; hence several trivial communication lines exist, which turn, make it hard for the project team members to arrived at decision timely and accurately, as here may unexpected ppositions from other members. 2. Time allotted to finish the project is very minimal. Project Team Organization [pic] Project Team Description System Analyst – a person who is responsible for planning and at the same time the one who designs the system. Programmer – the one who is responsible in making the program as well as developing the system designs. Designer – the one who is responsible gathering data and rese arching information and the encoder of the documents. Encoder – a person who responsible in encoding all data and all documents. Researcher – The one who is responsible in researching the information needed for the system. The team used egoless structure because all members are equal and responsible for all activities in developing the system. Table of Activities |ID |Activity | | |5 |10 | |Password |Text |8 | |Period |Text |50 | tblPayroll Employee Number |AutoNumber | | |Last Name |Text |30 | |First Name |Text |20 | |Middle initial |Text |50 | |Address |Text |60 | |Status |Text |50 | |Position |Text |50 | |Rate |Number | | |dependent |Number | | |Account number |text |12 | |total |Number | | |PLoan_Pay |Number | | |PRSNL_LOAN |Number | | |SSS_LOAN |Number | | |SLOAN_PAY |Number | | |SSS |Number | | |PHP_HEALTH |Number | | |PAG_IBIG |Number | | |DEDUCTION |Number | | |Net |Number | | |Monthly |Number | | Chapter III Appendices Appendix A User’s Manual Automated Payroll System Introduction To facilitate the procedures of the systems programs, a user’s manual like this was included. This p ortion indicates the standard procedures in adding, searching, saving, deleting, computing and reckoning records in a record window. To enhance the reliability of functions, graphical images are supplemented for further understanding on the routines included in the system. Hardware and Software Requirements Hardware The computer system must have the following: Intel Version 1 or higher version of processor. At least 32 MB or RAM for faster processing. 16B or higher memory Hard Disk Printer (Matrix, desk, jet or Laser) Colored Monitor Keyboard Mouse Printer Software Operating System Windows 7 Programming Language Microsoft Visual Basic 6. 0 Microsoft Access 2003 Operating System ? Window 7 Programming Language ? Microsoft Visual Basic 6. 0 General Operating Procedures One Significant part of computer, which plays a vital role, is the keyboard. It is composed of the alphabet ranging from a to z. The numeric keypad which can be used as means for entering special keys which ar e use up and down. The function keys from F1 to F12, which has different usage. The enter key is used to move the cursor 1 line and or entering the command. Tab key is used to move the cursor some space to the right. The shift key which is used to change the character into its upper or lower case. The caps lock is used to capitalize all the letters. And lastly is the backspace, which is used to move one character space to the left of each word. Appendix B Guidelines in accessing the system: 1. Double click the payroll icon on the desktop. 2. Enter Username and Password ? Empty username and password is invalid. ? Three consecutive wrong inputs of username and password will automatically end the system. 3. Click the OK button after typing the username and password. ? Ok button – log-in serves name and password serves as a security of the system to avoid or to protect the system from unauthorized person. This button will search username and password from the database if available. If the record is not found, the system will ask from the user to input again the correct one. If the username and password are correct the main menu will display Main Form – the user can add entry, view or edit records, report generation, create pay slip, loan entry, pay period entry, help and find. Add Entry Button – this button will let you add additional employees information. View or Edit Record – will let you view and edit your employees information. Report Generation ? Bank Report – where you can see all your employees name, account number and net income for bank purpose report. ? Management Report – where you can see all your employees name, account number and annual net income for management purpose. Create Pay Slip – this button will clear all the inputs in the textbox allowing the user to input new records in order to create employees pay slip. Loan Entry – the user can view the loans he/she applied either personal or SSS loan. Pay Period Entry – indications when the employees will be paid for their wages. Help – this button will help you on how to use the system. Find – this button will help you to search the employee record as specified by the user. Exit – end of the system. Add New Employee Entry View or Edit Record Report Generation Create Pay Slip Loan entry Pay Period Entry Find In the maintenance File, it consist of login form for changing the password in case that there were unexpected thing that happened on the system. Exit File terminates the execution of the program. Error Messages Error message that display when using the program reveals that exception or fault was encountered by the system. Its either the user provides the wrong data inputs or the record required by the user is not available. Error messages that will be encountered when accessing the system are as follows. This error occurs when the user entered an employee’s name that is not in the record. This error message takes place when the user inputted a wrong password. Appendix C Curriculum Vitae Personal Information Data Type Field Name 1. 4 Help 1. 3. 1 Create Payslip 1. 3 Payslip 1. 2. 1 Management Reports 1. 2. 1 Bank Reports 1. 2 Reports 1. 1. 2. 1 Add 1. 1. 1. 2 Add 1. 1. 2. 2 Add 1. 1. 1. 1 Add 1. 0 Employee 1. 0 Log-in 1. 1 Record 1. 1. 1 Faculty Computerized Payroll System Display â€Å"Add Entry† â€Å"View or Edit Records† â€Å"Create Pay slip† â€Å"Loan entry† â€Å"Pay Period entry† â€Å"help† â€Å"Find† â€Å"exit† Read Username and password Begin Cashiers 23 Feedback 2 Database 0 Generate Computerized Payroll System Payroll Reports System Analyst Programmer Researcher Designer Encoder 18 Record and Management System Users 1 Employees ET=20 TE=49 TL=49 ET=10 TE=28 TL=29 ET=20 TE=29 TL=29 E1 ET=1 TE=9 TL=9 ET=4 TE=8 TL=8 ET=10 TE=18 TL=19 D2 D1 C2 B2 C1 B1 A2 ET=3 TE=52 TL=52 ET=2 TE=4 TL=4 Admin. Department Payroll Reports Employees data 6 Pay slip 14 17 Process Automated Payroll system ii Automated Payroll System Process the inquires / operation 24 Mission and Vision Downloaded References Hardware and software Development Books Research Analysis evaluation Programming 8 Document 6 5 Input Field Width A A Is Click=cmd add? Display Form empoyee Read Info. B Is Click=view or edit records? Display Form empoyee Display â€Å"Edit†,†close†,†delete†,†process† C Is Click=report generation? Display Form report Display â€Å"Bank report† â€Å"Management report† D E B display â€Å"save† â€Å"cancel† Is Click=save? Save Info. Is Click=cancel? exit Display â€Å"new† â€Å"process† †close† Is Click=new? F G C Is Click=edit? Edit employees information Display â€Å"Save† â€Å"cancel† H Is Click=delete? Display â€Å"are you sure? † Is Click=yes I Is Click=process? Display â€Å" Last Record† J J Is Click=close? J K K H Is Click=Bank Report? Display Report Monthly M Display Report Annual L Is Click=Bank Report? Is Click=Cancel? K N N E Is Click=CreatePayslip? Display Form Payslip K Is Click=Loan Entry? Display Form Loan Display â€Å"Personal† â€Å"SSS† â€Å"EXit† P Is Click=Pay Period Entry? Display Form Pay Period Q R R If Click=Find? Display Form Find S If Click=Exit? End K P Field Name Data Type Width Close User name OK button Password Add Entry View or Edit records Pay Period Entry Help Loan Entry Create Pay Slip Report Generation Find Exit Cancel button Close Close Close Close Close Close Is click= Personal? Display Form Find K Is click= SSS? 1 1 Is click= Exit? K T T Q Read Pay Period K S Display â€Å"Find† and â€Å"cancel† Is Click=Find? Display Employee information K K Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N N N N N N N N N N Y Y Y Y Y Yy y 2 2 N N N N N N N N K K N Y N N Y Y N Y Input Password Username Input Password Username Process Verify the username password in the password Output Display the main form menu Input Employee Info Process Verify if data inputed are all correct *Add the record to the faculty table *update data Output New employee record added *Datebase Updated. iii 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 12 15 16 15 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 27 iv 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 43 48 47 50 49 53 52 51 55 57 58 60 59 56 58 63 60 3 62 4 64 70 69 2 69 73 71 75 76 74 77 26 28 v v Output 14 45 46 54 56 61 64 65 66 67 68 71 72 74 78 62

All Quiet on the Western Front - Film Version Compare and Contrast

All Quiet on the Western Front - Film Version Compare and Contrast There are two film adaptations of All Quiet on the Western Front  Erich Maria Remarques  novel (1928).  Conscripted to serve in the German army during World War I, the novel reflects many of his personal experiences. Remarque left Germany after the novels publication when the Nazis banned his writings and publically burned his books. His German citizenship was revoked, and four years later  (1943) his sister was executed for stating that she believed Germany had already lost the war. At her sentencing, the court judge is reported to have said: Your brother is unfortunately beyond our reach- you, however, will not escape us. Screenplays Both versions are  English language films (made in America) and both take a hard look at the tragedy of war using  World War I  as its backdrop. Following Remarques story, a group of German schoolboys is encouraged to enlist at the beginning of World War I by their war-glorifying teacher. Their experiences are told entirely through the point-of-view of one particular recruit, Paul Baumer. What happens to them in and off the battlefields, on the no-mans-land of trench warfare,  collectively highlights the tragedy of war,  death,  and  mutilation all around them.  Preconceptions about the enemy and the rights and wrongs of the are challenged leaving them angry and bewildered. Film reviewer  Ã‚  Michele Wilkinson, University of Cambridge Language Centre  noted. The film is not about heroism but about drudgery and futility and the gulf between the concept of war and the actuality. That sentiment is true of both film versions. 1930 Film The first black and white version was released in  1930.  The director was  Lewis Milestone, and the cast starred: Louis Wolheim (Katczinsky), Lew Ayres (Paul Baumer), John Wray (Himmelstoss), Slim Summerville (Tjaden), Russell Gleason (Muller), William Bakewell (Albert), Ben Alexander (Kemmerich). The version ran 133 minutes and was critically acclaimed as the first film to win the Oscars combined prize (Best Picture Best Production) as Best Picture.   Frank Miller, a writer for the Turner Movie Classics website recorded that the battle scenes for the film were shot on Laguna Beach ranch land. He noted that: To fill the trenches, Universal hired more than 2,000 extras, most of them World War I veterans. In a rare move for Hollywood, the battle scenes were shot in sequence. After a 1930 release by Universal Studios, the film was banned in Poland on the grounds that it was pro-German. At the same time, members of the Nazi Party in Germany labeled the film anti-German. According to Turner Movie Classics website, the Nazis were deliberate in their attempts to stop the showing of the film: Joseph Goebbels, later their propaganda minister, led pickets in front of theatres showing the film and sent party members to lead riots inside the theatres. Their tactics included releasing rats in the crowded theatres and setting off stink bombs. Those actions say a great deal about the power of this film as an anti-war film. 1979 Made-for-TV Movie The  Ã‚  1979 version  was a made-for-TV movie  directed by  Ã‚  Delbert Mann  on a  $6 million budget. Richard Thomas starred as Paul Baumer, with Ernest Borgnine as Katczinsky, Donald Pleasence as Kantorek and Patricia Neal as Mrs. Baumer. The film was awarded the  Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Made for TV.   All Movie Guide.com reviewed the remake as: Also contributing to the greatness of the film are the exceptional cinematography and special effects that, while realistically gruesome, truly emphasize the horrors of war.​​ Although both of the films are classified as war movies, each version shows the futility of war. Questions for All Quiet on the Western Front As you watch the movie, please answer the following questions.   Fill in the critical information including: Title of this film?When was it made?Director?Screenplay by? These questions follow the sequence of action for EITHER version: Why did the students join the Army?What role did the mailman (Himmelstoss) have? Was he particularly mean to these recruits? Give an example.How were conditions at the Western Front different from their expectations in training camp?(note: visual, audio, special effects used to create mood)What was the impact of the shelling on the new recruits?What happened after the bombardment?In the attack, what did the machine gun do to the glory of war and individual heroism?How many of the company died in this first battle? How do you know? Why were they able to eat so well finally?Who did they blame for this war? Who did they omit in their list of potential villains?What happened to Kemmerichs boots? How did the doctors react to Kemmerichs plight?How was SGT  Himmelstoss received when he arrived at the front?What was the pattern of a battle? What preceded the attack? What followed it?(note: visual, audio, special effects used to create mood)What happened to Paul Baumer when he found himself in a shell hole in No Mans Land with the French soldier? Why did the French girls - ostensibly the enemy - accept the German soldiers?After four years of war, how has the German home front been affected? Were there still the parades, crowded streets, and joyous sounds of going off to war?(note: visual, audio, special effects used to create mood)What were the attitudes of the men in the beer hall? Were they willing to listen to what Paul had to say?How does Paul Baumer confront his former teacher? How do the young students react to his vision of the war?How has the company changed during Pauls absence?What is ironic about Kats and Pauls deaths? [Note: WWI ended on November 11, 1918.]Select one scene in order to describe the attitude of this film (Director/screenplay) towards World War I and all wars.

Compare and Contrast how these short novels deal with maturation theme Essay

Compare and Contrast how these short novels deal with maturation theme so common in fairy tales - Essay Example Darling recalls her childhood, the situation is reflected thus: â€Å"but after thinking back into her childhood she just remembered a Peter Pan who was said to live with fairies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.but now that she was married and full of sense she quite doubted whether there was any such person† (Chapter 1). â€Å"Peter Pan† is the short novel which gathers many themes. The three children, Wendy, John and Michael play the central role with â€Å"Peter Pan† who comes from the â€Å"Neverland†. They want to fly in the air â€Å"Let's wake John and Michael," Wendy said. "You can teach us all to fly and then we will leave for Neverland!† (Chapter 1) Peter Pan is the personified shape of their dream. â€Å"Wendy† wants to be mature as is revealed in the Chapter 1: â€Å"but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up†. A child’s dream is but to live in the wonderlands of fairies. They always reside inside the shells of dreams. They want to fly up in the air which tells of their hidden ambitions to attain glory and fame. Similarly Pinocchio is the dream which comes true of its carpenter when he dreams of him in the words: â€Å"With it I intend to go around the world, to earn my crust of bread and cup of wine† (p4). The carpenter is the personification of an elder’s desire for his child. ... You hurt!" cried the same far-away little voice† (p7). The continuous ill treatment makes the child ill tempered as the carpenter weeps over his troubles: â€Å"I deserve it! he said to himself. I should have thought of this before I made him. Now it's too late!† (p8) Consequently, the child in the shape of Pinocchio flew away and the father is left with all sorrows: â€Å"Poor Geppetto ran after him but was unable to catch him, for Pinocchio ran in leaps and bounds† (p9). The novels seem here similar in tone. Pinocchio and the three children have the same feelings here. All are ambitious in heart. All want to attain heights but with different styles of expressions i.e. children in â€Å"Peter Pan† fly in the air while Pinocchio dances in celebration of his birth. The story of â€Å"Peter Pan† reflects the softer feelings of a child for a mother. Similarly the girl’s fantasy for motherhood is revealed when Wendy accepts the demand of the †Å"lost boys† to become their mother. Though she informs them that she is just a little girl, she becomes persuaded and tells them the tales of Cinderella the whole night. She proved so affectionate that Tootles saw a mother in her being: â€Å"They talked of Cinderella and Tootles was confident that his mother must have been very like her† (Ch, 5). Pinocchio’s short story has a theme of the destructive faction of the society. It tells the children that though a child may be able and disciplined enough in school, there are always chances of his leading astray. Pinocchio remains a competent student during his studies but he boasts of his wisdom when he is tipped off by a fellow: â€Å"there is no such danger, answered the Marionette, shrugging his shoulders and pointing to his forehead as if to say, ‘I am too wise’† (p109).

Job Stress Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Job Stress - Research Paper Example The research recommends that the management of DSI clinic restructures operations and job distribution. It recommends that managers should be trained so that they get to understand how job stress impacts on employees at various times. It also recommends that a the DSI clinic establishes a guidance and counseling unit that will help employees going through stressful times. DSI is a conglomeration of clinics that provide dialysis around the United States for people suffering from chronic kidney failure. DSI provides quality care for patients in areas like nephrology and other specialized aspects of dialysis. It is made up of highly qualified nephrologists, nurses, doctors, administrators and support staff members who work hard to maintain the image of DSI as a leading dialysis center in the United States. However, due to the current financial crises, the management of the clinic have had the unpleasant duty of laying off a number of workers. This has led to many workers doing extra hours and others expanding the scope of their work. This has led to a strain on the staff of the company. There have been numerous cases of mistakes, low productivity and a high turnover because of the new arrangements. This has clearly created a situation of low morale amongst staff and workers of DSI. There is clear evidence that the low morale is caused by stress and the increased workload of the company staff. This has led to poor performance. The group that is mostly affected by this spate of stress is the female employees who constitute 88% of the total employees in the clinic. The purpose of this research is to use scientific tools to empirically study the relationship between job stress and low morale and low productivity at DSI Clinic. It will identify the possible solutions to the problem and recommend actions that must be taken to reduce the effects of low morale at DSI clinic. There have been a lot of complaints against the way and manner in which the clinic operates.

Impact of Christianity on Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Impact of Christianity on Philosophy Essay Introduction Christianity’s doctrines and tenets draw from a rich heritage of long historical development. And since it is a religion shaped by history, it follows only that its teachings are influenced by the prevailing philosophies within it. But there are also good reasons to think that, conversely, Christianity is a religion that did not only draw from existing philosophies in history but also generated a significant impact on them. Three reasons may be cited to support this contention. First, philosophy was made popular by the rise of Christianity; second, key Christian thinkers have endeavored to incorporate philosophy within their belief-systems; and third, many of their teachings are actually philosophical issues Christianized in the process. Christianity and Philosophy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First, the rise of Christianity seems to be a factor responsible for the great interest many people have shown towards philosophy during the ancient times. It must be noted that even before Christianity as a religious movement was to be commenced (following the death of Jesus, and the rapid conversion to a belief in him), prevailing philosophies such as Epicureanism, Neo-Platonism, Stoicism, and Skepticism were already in place (Moore Bruder, 2005, p. 77). But since the Romans – the political power of that time – showed little or no interest to these philosophies, they remained largely an undercurrent phenomenon. In many ways, the rise of Christianity paved the way for such philosophies to become widespread, as they are (specifically, Neo-Platonism and Aristotleanism) employed in many â€Å"religious ideas and practices† (p. 78).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Second, key thinkers such as Augustine and Thomas Aquinas also contributed a lot in employing philosophy as a way to explicate Christian beliefs. With Augustine, â€Å"Christianity became so permanently interwoven with elements of Platonic thought† (Moore Bruder, 2005, 79). Augustine’s theology was chiefly concerned with arguing truths about the eternality of Christian God and the capacity of the mind to grasp the eternal truths; and these teachings are importations of the Platonic metaphysics and cosmology. Aquinas meanwhile was responsible conceiving the â€Å"underlying accord between Christian principles and Aristotle’s philosophy† from the ashes of the dark ages (p. 88). As with Plato, Aquinas’ teachings about God, nature and existence, knowledge and the world conveniently employed the methods used by philosophy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Third, many teachings forwarded by key Christian thinkers are actually philosophies which underwent a process of Christian adaptation. In other words, the manner by which these thinkers employed philosophy in explicating their theologies â€Å"in effect† may be regarded as a process of â€Å"grafting the principles and distinction† of Greek philosophy to â€Å"Christian revealed truth† (p. 88) The doctrine of the human soul and the Trinity are glaring examples to this. If only to argue, the Christian teaching that human persons have both body and souls is very reminiscent of the Platonic dualistic cosmology, i.e., that reality is composed of matter and form. The doctrine of the Trinity meanwhile is heavily employing the concepts of universals – a teaching that enables one to infer the conceptual similarities defining of two otherwise distinct entities. The result of this adaptation process is very significant to philosophy. What this process achieved was to ultimately create a â€Å"complete Christian philosophy† (p. 89). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This paper concludes that indeed, Christianity is a religious movement that had a significant impact in the development of philosophy. While there are many reasons that could be cited to substantiate such a claim, three factors were deemed to be of paramount importance: namely, the rapid rise of Christianity during the ancient era, the use of prevailing philosophies to explain Christian tenets by key Christian thinkers, and the creation of a complete Christian philosophy which capitalized on adapting philosophical issues within the context of Christianity. Work Cited Moore, B. Bruder, K. (2005). Philosophy: The Power of Ideas with PowerWeb. Sixth Edition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   New York, Mc-Graw Hill

Drinking Status, Labeling, and Social Rejection Essay -- essays resear

Drinking Status, Labeling, and Social Rejection   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Drinking has been, for a long time, a very debatable topic. In the 1920s, drinking was seen as something so bad that it needed to be prohibited completely. Alcohol consumption is still often seen as distasteful, especially in large quantities. In this study by Keith M. Kilty and Thomas M. Meenaghan, researchers looked at the drinking status of fictional people along with other factors such as age and sex and asked participants to rate these people based on such attributes. The article mentions several reasons that this study is less limited than other studies referring to labeling. Other studies have included only social distance and since this study included friendship acceptance and respect along with other characteristics of the personality such as religion and age, it explores a variety of different aspects of labeling and social rejection.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In class, we talked about labeling in terms of IQ. We looked at the effects of labeling children as intelligent or slow and how these labels changed the way children approached their education. This study looks at labeling from a different perspective. Rather than looking at the effects on the person who has been labeled, this study looks at how a label can affect someone’s perception of another person. Using the social characteristics provided, the subjects draw conclusions about the fictional person according to respect, friendship acceptance, and social distance. We also talked briefly about substance abuse and how there is a difference between addiction and dependency. This might tie into the discrepancy between â€Å"problem drinker† and â€Å"alcoholic† in the study. Different groups gave these two categories different ratings which could be seen as a relationship between addiction and dependency and how the two different labels are perc eived.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Three sample groups were recruited for the study. The first was a group of 101 males and 104 females with an average age of 44.5 years; this group was called the community group (C). The second was the practitioner group (P) with 73 males and 46 females with an average age of 27.1; they were all graduate students in the Graduate School of Social Work at Marywood College. The third and final group consisted of inmates, all male, with an avera... ... need to be in groups that have more racial and gender diversity. This would deal with a lot of the possible biases that are inherent in the study. It also might be interesting to include race or ethnicity as a description factor of the stimuli to see if that has an effect on the responses. The religions may need to be broadened in order to account for the religious diversity in our country. Although I think that the study is relevant to the topic of labeling, it might be better served in a broader context. However, too much variables would make it too difficult to decide what is causing the responses. There is a thin line between too much and not enough in this situation. I think that this study gives interesting insight into what it might be like to be labeled as an alcoholic in our society and with an updated version, I think it could be very relevant to the study of alcoholism. Reference: All the information in this paper was drawn from the article by Kilty, Keith M. and Meenaghan, Thomas M. out of the Journal of Social Psychology, 1973. The article is entitled Drinking Status, Labeling, and Social Rejection. I also pulled some of the information used from in class lectures.

College Costs Essay

Introduction It’s no secret that financing a college education is getting tougher. College costs have skyrocketed over the past decade or so, and there’s no relief in sight. Average tuition at four-year colleges will increase 7 percent this school year, double the rate of inflation. Student aid is not increasing fast enough to plug the growing gap between tuition and family finances. In addition, there is a growing number of older students entering college today. These students have families that they need to support. I know, because I am a family man who has returned to school. I wish to finish my degree at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The only problems I face are financial in nature. It is with this in mind that I set about this research. The not so simple question: Is financial aid available to older students, and if so, how do they go about obtaining it? The Cost Of Education The cost of higher education varies by type of institution. Tuition is highest at private 4-year institutions, and lowest at public 2-year institutions. The private 4-year colleges nearly quadrupled their average tuition rates between 1975 and 1996. For private 4-year colleges, tuition and fees for the 1995-96 academic year averaged about $15,400, compared with about $5006 at public 4-year colleges. The cost of attending an institution of higher education includes not only tuition and fees, however, but also books and supplies, transportation, personal expenses and, sometimes, room and board. Although tuition and fees generally are substantially lower at public institutions than at private ones, the other student costs are about the same. According to MS-Encarta94,†the average cost for tuition, fees, and room and board for the 1995-96 academic year at private 4-year colleges was about $20,165. At public 4-year colleges the average combined cost was about $9290†³ (Encarta94). The cost of attending RIT is approximately $15700 per year. This does not include room and board, or books, and supplies . This cost falls in line with the national average. However , according to Rachel Shuman of the RIT Financial Aid Department,†the increase in cost at RIT was 4. 8 percent for the 1996-97 academic year over the 1995-96 academic year. † This falls 2. 2 percent below the national average for 4 year private institutions. Still, $15700 is a lot of dollars for an unemployed family man or woman with little or no income. The Cost Of Living Factor Though the Cost Of Living is not directly related to tuition it is still a major player in the decision making process. Is it possible to maintain a family financial structure while paying for an education? The cost of a mortgage, or rent, and other bills that are associated with living adds up to many thousands of dollars per year. These costs in addition to what the tuition, books, and supplies total are expected, and have to be dealt with. The financial burden alone can seem over-whelming to some. But let us consider what the total cost of living and attending a four year private institution are. The Bureau of Census statistics for the County of Monroe indicate â€Å"that the approximate average income for a family of four is $50964. The poverty level for a family of four is approximately $15455†. These are statistics calculated for the 1995 calendar year. No newer statistics were available. With these statistics in mind we can then determine the financial model we must follow. This model will determine what the total yearly outlay a family of four must shoulder in order to send a person to RIT. The Financial Burden First and foremost a family has to live. The Census data indicates that the minimum a family must earn is â€Å"a poverty level income. † So, let’s assume a family needs $16000 per year for living expenses. The cost of attending RIT is $15651 per year. Books and supplies are approximately $1200 per year. Finally, travel expenses will be approximately $500 per year. I am assuming that one spouse will be working to cover the living expenses. So, I am excluding medical and dental costs. These costs are partially or fully covered by an employer. In the event they are not let us include them in the poverty scenario, which basically means the family must pay the costs. The total amount of funds needed are $17700 the first year. If you increase that number by 4. 8% each year thereafter you can come up with the projected amount for each school year. The $17700 figure remains the obstacle to overcome. This cost has to be covered by Financial Aid. If this cost cannot be covered by the available system, the student will not be able to pursue a standard four year degree at RIT. Family’s Will Strain It’s going to be tougher to pay for college in 1996, and that’s going to widen the gap in enrollment between rich and poor students that the nation has struggled three decades to close. Average tuition at four-year colleges will increase 6 percent this school year, double the rate of inflation. But family income isn’t keeping pace; â€Å"after adjusting for inflation, the average family has gained hardly any ground in the 1990s,† says the Department of Labor. As a result, says the Department of Education,†sending a student to a private college in 1996 without any grants or loans will require more than a third of a typical family’s income and nearly two thirds of the income of a working-poor family. † The Government Student aid is not increasing fast enough to plug the growing gap between tuition and family finances. The federal government supplies 75 percent of student aid. But the value of federal grants has eroded sharply, covering only 10 percent of tuition today, compared with 20 percent a decade ago. The Financial Aid Page explains that: Congress’s budget-cutting Republicans want to spend $450 million less in 1996 on student grants, a move that education officials say would take nearly 200,000 student off the grant rolls. Also at risk: a new federal program that helps less affluent students by permitting them to repay federal loans over a longer period if their incomes’ after graduation are modest (Kantrowitz). Not surprisingly, the American Council on Education an  organization of colleges and universities, recently reported that fewer colleges than in the early 1990’s report enrollment increases among black and Hispanic students, who are generally less able to pay for college. Once in school, more and more students must work to pay their tuition bills. At least 40 percent of full-time undergraduate students are earning while they learn, says the ACE. The prognosis isn’t encouraging. â€Å"The tuition spiral is not likely to end, nor is student aid likely to catch up anytime soon,† write college cost experts Lawrence Gladieux and Arthur Hauptman in a new report, â€Å"The College Aid Quandary. † To a nation that likes to think of itself as a meritocracy, not merely a bastion of privilege, that’s a disturbing message (Kantrowitz). Well, that’s a lot of important statistical information. Enough I think that most people would like to throw this paper out and forget the whole idea of returning to school. But not so fast, there is a light at the end of this tunnel! Where Should I Begin My Search? The financial aid office at the school you plan to attend is the best place to begin your search for free information. The financial aid administrator can tell you about student aid available from the federal government, your state government, the school itself, and other sources. You can also find free information about student aid in the reference section of your local library (usually listed under â€Å"student aid† or â€Å"financial aid†). These materials usually include information about federal, state, institutional, and private aid. The major source of student financial aid is the U. S. Department of Education. Nearly 70 percent of the student aid that is awarded each year comes from the U. S. Department of Education programs (approximately $23. 4 billion in 1992-93). Student aid is also available from other federal agencies, such as the U. S. Public Health Service and the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The free student financial aid materials available in the financial aid office at your school include The Student Guide, a free booklet about financial aid from the U. S. Department of Education, and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). (Education) Financial Aid for Older Students Many scholarship and fellowship programs do not have age restrictions. If there are restrictions, they are expressed in terms of the student’s year in school (e.g. , high school senior) and not as an age limit. Thus there are many awards for which older students are eligible, simply because the awards do not disqualify students based on age. Older students should conduct a search for aid just like younger students. There are no,†age restrictions on eligibility for federal student financial aid. Although many schools restrict eligibility for the school’s own financial aid programs to the first Bachelor’s degree, some schools will waive the restrictions when the student is an adult returning to school to earn a second degree in preparation for a career change† (Kantrowitz). The Financial Aid Office Following the advice of the sources I have used for compiling this research paper I contacted the Financial Aid Office at RIT and set up an interview. While waiting for the date of my appointment I compiled a list of questions I would ask the Financial Aid Officer(FAO). When the day of the interview was at hand I was prepared. The FAO’s at RIT are assigned to students alphabetically. My FAO is Rachel Schuman and she was genuinely surprised that I had a prepared list of questions. Here is a synopsis of that interview. I asked her what the total cost of attending RIT would be for the coming school year? What expenses are incurred? What are the chances of being turned down? She was fairly straightforward about answering most of the questions that I posed. However on some sticky issues she was reserved. At one point she had to check with her boss for an answer. I wondered if she was merely asking her boss if it was against policy to answer certain questions. There were a number times that she simply pointed across the hall to admissions. Indicating that they could answer my questions better. The basic answers were that Yes RIT gives Merit Scholarships, and that probably some type of loans and/or work study program would be required. Mrs. Schuman then told me that if you are eligible for aid you will receive it. I was not particularly encouraged by her explanations and as I found out later I as right. The first thing you have to do is get accepted by the College Admissions Department. This in itself is another bureaucratic nightmare. I talked to Al Biles the Assistant Dean of Computer Information Technology and said, â€Å"Just go over to admissions and sign up. † Well when I got to admissions I paid my fee and waited for three weeks for a letter that never came. Instead I got a postcard telling me I need to get my GED. I went back to see Mrs. Schuman. Rachel then explained to me that there is a process for obtaining financial aid. You must first fill out all necessary forms and applications. Then according to the information you supply you will be assigned a Student Aid Report(SAR). The SAR will show your Expected Family Contribution(EFC). Then your EFC is subtracted from the schools Cost of  Attendance which gives your FAO the students Financial need. Based on my interview with Rachel Schuman it became apparent that I needed to arrange an interview with admissions. In order to clear up the two unanswered questions. But, before I left, Mrs. Schuman gave me three applications to fill out. The FAFSA, the New York State Tuition Assistance(TAP) application, and the RIT Application For 1997-98 Financial Aid For Continuing Undergraduate Students. At this point it was becoming very clear to me that there is money available, but the process is slow and filled with bureaucratic red tape. I guess if you want to play though, you might as well play with the big kids. Admissions Shortly after my talk with Rachel Schuman I telephoned Renee Minnich. Renee Minnich is the Assistant Director of the Office of Admissions for RIT. I asked her,†What portion of the most recently admitted class is paying full tuition? † Her reply, â€Å"Practically nil. Most of our students receive aid. Those that do are working full time and attend class at night. But they are usually subsidized by their employers. † â€Å"Do you package preferentially? † â€Å"Yes we have merit based scholarships for outstanding students. But we attempt to meet the needs of each student individually. † Conclusion Well there we have it. The system at RIT is set up as a meritocracy for the most part. Those students which have proven themselves in High School or are transfer students have a far better chance of receiving grants and scholarships. The rest of the students will receive some sort of loan relief. Still others will receive aid based on their financial situation. The system is complicated and you the student are at its mercy. Remember also, you must get admitted first before you need apply for financial aid.

Building a High Performance Project Team Essay

In order to deliver a high-quality project [one that successfully balances scope, time, and cost] in which the needs and expectations of the users are met, the project team must not only be effective and work well together, but also the project manager must have the ability to lead and manage the team while focusing on people issues. This is often a difficult task since many project mangers are usually expected to lead teams without formal authority. Controlling a project blends the art and science of project management – building a strong, committed team at the same time you are making progress against the plan (Verzuh, 2012). This means that project leaders should seek to discover and solve problems while they are still small and at the same time monitor progress while putting in place measures to ensure the team’s continued focus on the goals and expectations of the project. Thus, it is critical for project managers to understand that project success does not hinge only on the science of project management, but also on the ability to build a committed, cooperative, and cohesive team. A project manger who exhibits practical understanding of how to evaluate and sustain an effective team performance, along with the ability to identify and quickly resolve key resource issues throughout the project life cycle, is more likely to reach a synergistic potential of the team. Consequently, drawing from contemporary projects, this brief study focuses on distinct human attributes the effects on leadership as the key to the aforementioned controlling activities that ensure that a project evolves in an orderly m anner, rather than turning out of control. 2Recruiting Project Team Members Every project manager plays a pivotal role in building a high performance team. While the leader must consciously invest in building a strong, cohesive team capable of working together, the process of selecting and recruiting project team members vary across organizations. Two important factors affecting recruitment are the importance of the project and the management structure being used to complete the project (Larson & Gray, 2011). However, it is the project manager’s responsibility to optimize the team’s performance regardless of whether he/she gets to choose the team members or not. Hence project managers must develop strategies that help build a high performance team right from the selection stage. 2.1Project Team Dynamics Negative interpersonal team dynamics is not only unproductive, but can make a project manager’s job a daily grind of frustration and resentment (Verzuh, 2012). When selecting and recruiting team members, project managers naturally look for individuals with the necessary experience and knowledge/technical skills critical for project completion (Larson & Gray, 2011). However, when identifying project resources project managers more often than not find themselves thinking about who they need rather than what they need. Thus, more emphasis is placed on pervious working relationships. Aside from selecting team members who hold the â€Å"right† level of skill and expertise needed to support the project requirements, it is just as important to identify team members who are able to work well with others and exhibit consistent levels of cooperation. These social intelligence skills include the ability to persuade, negotiate, compromise, and make others feel important (DiTullio, 2010) Consequently, the key to creating a high performance project team lies in understanding and embodying the language-action relationship. This is critically important to building relationships, trust, gaining alignment and commitment to produce breakthrough results (Strategic Momentum, 2006). 3Defining Criteria For Project Team Members To fully discuss this topic, we must start with a simple definition of a team. Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith define a team in their best-selling book The Wisdom of Teams (Harper Business Essentials 1994), as â€Å" a small number of people with complimentary skills who are committed to a common purpose, a set of performance goals and an approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable† (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993). In other words, as Sarah Cook (2009) suggests, the characteristics of a high performance team therefore are: * A clearly defined and a common shared purpose * Mutual trust and respect * Clarity around individual roles and responsibilities * High levels of communication * Willingness to work towards the greater good of the team * A leader who both supports and challenges the team * A climate of cooperation * An ability to voice differences and appreciate conflict However, project teams have another characteristic: They will be temporary, formed specifically for the purpose of achieving the goal, after which they will disband (Verzuh, 2012). Thus, to get the people on the team to be mutually accountable to a common goal, trust each other, and be treated with respect while putting in the effort to accomplish a task, the project manager must be able to put the pieces together by establishing strong ground rules and team identity that is built on commitment to a shared goal. In this respect, the criteria is for the project manager to engage his team in simple exercises and hold multiple discussions with the team about the obvious benefits of teamwork by encouraging best practices and innovation for the benefit of stakeholders. 4Developing Trust Among Project Team Members As noted earlier, projects are temporary endeavors that begin and end, and so do project teams. Managing project teams is even more complicated given the trend towards cross-functional, organizational, and sometimes national boundaries. This unique characteristic only increases the likelihood that the composition of a new project team will comprise of more individuals with little or no previous working relationships. With this in mind, as (Verzuh, 2012) rightly suggests, â€Å"developing trust, respect, effective communication patterns, and the ability to maintain a positive relationships despite disagreements takes time. Most importantly, it takes a conscious effort by the project team leader†. Once the project leader understands that high performance teams rarely occur naturally, a strategy must be put in place to help transform the way team members think and act in order to create and maintain the highest level of commitment to the plan. According to (Strategic Momentum, 2006) conversational dynamics is critical in building relationships and trust. By conversational dynamics they mean the conversational mode used when the project team works together. Project leaders must encourage collaborative conversations among team members since they help build trusting relationships, and are able to effectively deal with real issues, thus accelerated results. Collaborative conversations are open and authentic and they breed mutual respect and commitment. Project leaders can rely on authentic conversations to deal with interpersonal relationships and trust issues. In the event of breakdowns, the focus is on restoring relationships and trust to insure on going alignment and commitment. It is apparent therefore that high performance teams have a culture that embraces trust, continuous review and clarification of goals, robust communication and holding each other accountable (Wagner, 2006). 4.1Communicating Effectively with Project Team Members Once an atmosphere of trust has been established, the project manager’s biggest challenge is communication and clarity. Communication has long been ranked very high among factors attributing to project success. In this respect, Tom Wagner suggests that the project team leader must ensure the group stays firmly rooted in reality, sets clear goals and priorities, and follows through on all tasks (Wagner, 2006). This means that the entire project team shares the responsibility of all the project goals, and receives relevant and concise information at the right time. This also ensure that team member do not engage in conflicting agendas that arise when team members pursue incompatible objectives. Consequently, when communicating within the project team (Verzuh, 2012), outlines four major communication needs: * * Responsibility: each team member needs to know exactly what part of the project he/she is responsibly for. * Coordination: as team members carry out their work, they rely on each other. Coordination information enables them to work together efficiently. * Status: meeting the goal requires tracking progress along the way to identify problems and take corrective action. The team members must be kept up to speed on the status of the project. * Authorization: Team members need to know about all the decisions made by customers, sponsors, and management that relate to the project and it’s business environment. Team members need to know these decisions to keep all project decisions synchronized. 5Leading the Project Team Members In spite of advances in the project management profession, research studies have shown that many projects fail, underlining the importance of the project manager’s role as manager. Specifically, the manager’s leadership role is of great importance in motivating people and creating an effective working environment in order for the project team to meet greater challenges in today’s global economy (Anantatmula, 2010). In other words, there are four specific elements that help create an effective team-working environment. The leader must establish ground rules that explicitly define expected personal behavior in reference to team values; he/she must build a team identity based on shared commitment and objectives – the key here is goal and project scope clarity and a solid understanding of team members strength and diversity; a good leader must be able to teach his team to apply the proper problem solving techniques which involves exchange of ideas and thus the ability to listen to different perspectives; and last but not the least, the leader must be able to manage meetings effectively. By conducting team meetings that are actively steered toward the project goals, the team can share pertinent information, coordinate activities, uncover new problems and make informed decisions that produce synergistic outcomes. Ultimately, adding value to the team’s effort should be the goal and role of the project team leader. Defining a clear vision can do this and goal, facilitate a working environment, set clear expectations and responsibilities, and provide the team enough autonomy where they can work and do their jobs with full commitment and confidence (Wikibooks, 2010) 6Managing Challenging and Dyna mic Issues and Conflict It is not an easy task to get a team to jell but the productivity and joy that come with high performance teams are so significant for a project team leader to assume it can occur naturally. According to (Verzuh, 2012), every project team faces two central challenges, two obstacles to becoming a high performance team. * Project teams are formed to solve complex problems, and they must solve those problems together. * Project teams are temporary and so the must learn to work together. Thus, it is the responsibility of the project leader to understand these two challenges and harness the problem solving power of a rather diverse team. In other words, it will take a conscious effort on the part of the project manager to transform the team from a loose collection of talent and expertise to a cohesive unit. For the team to produce superior decisions needed to solve complex problems creativity is required. This means that disagreements are bound to occur and hence conflict-resolution skills become essential to make the best decisions possible without jeopardizing interpersonal relationships. Deborah Kezsbom, in her article entitled: (Managing the Chaos: Conflict among project teams (American Association of Coast Engineers 1989), perfectly concluded, â€Å"conflict is an inevitable and necessary part of the project environment. Given the proper atmosphere, attitudes, and training, conflict can broaden perspectives and stimulate innovative and cohesive interactions.† Project managers who realize that preventing conflict is as important as solving them, are likely to be effective. The author went on to recommend the following for improving project leader effectiveness and minimizing conflict: * Communicating key decisions in a timely fashion to project related personnel. * Adapting leadership style to the status of the project and the needs of the project team. * Recognizing the primary determinants of conflict, when they are likely to occur over the project life cycle, and the effectiveness of handling approaches. * Experimenting with alternative conflict handling modes. * * Proving work challenge to motivate team members. * Developing and maintaining technical expertise. * Planning early and effectively in the project life cycle. * Demonstrating concern for project team members. 7The London 2012 Olympics Construction Project The construction of the London 2012 Olympic park was widely praised for its successful delivery. With  £9.3 billion budget, the Olympic project was one of the most high profile projects one could ever imagine. The project finished on time and under budget much to the delight of its sponsors who according to Sir John Armitt, the man in charge of the team that built the park, knew what it valued, balancing cost and quality, and made that clear to its suppliers. But it was the ability of the project leaders to blend the art and science of project management that prompted some soul-searching about lessons that can be applied to future developments. The value placed on relationships between individuals and organizations working the project was a crucial ingredient in the projects successful delivery. According to a study conducted during the project which focused on the underpinning role of 13 distinct human characteristics – including respect, trust, clarity, motivation, collaboration, openness and fairness – and how these concepts have a practic al influence on effective leadership, worker involvement, safety culture, communication, risk management, monitoring and assurance. The lead researcher Helen Bolt said: â€Å"The most important thing we discovered in this research was the value of the relationships between individuals and organizations. Of all the characteristics of the relationships in evidence during the project, the most critical were respect and clarity -they underpin everything, are not costly or difficult to achieve, and can have a significant impact on safety culture and standards.† 8Conclusion As outlined throughout this paper, project team members are faced with the challenge to work interdependently to achieve defined goals. These goals can be simple or complex depending on the nature and scope of the project. Nonetheless, every project presents peculiar challenges for the team and its leader who essentially make a series of decisions in accomplishing these goals. As the magnitude of interdependencies increases so does the need for the team members to trust one another and rely on refined skills to work collaboratively. Since project teams are temporary, they must learn to work together to reach its synergistic potential. A high performance team does not evolve overnight, it take time and effort by the leader who facilitates the team, establishes a positive working environment and leads the team in learning problem solving as well as conflict resolution skills. It is no secrete that leadership is the foundation of a high performance team. Whilethere are many constant traits a leader must possess to be effective, there are however, many important components of leading a high performance team that lack a true definition. One of the components of great importance is the ability to be adaptable in your leadership style, and let your leadership adapt and evolve as the team progresses through its developmental stages. Project team leaders must also exhibit the same accountability they demand from the team members and display the energy, attitude and commitment to propel the team forward. Ultimately, communication is the key to all the aforementioned activities. Project leaders spend a great deal of their time communicating. In fact, every project management technique is a form of communication and hence it is crucial to communicate in a timely and effective fashoin among all stakeholders. References: Anantatmula, V. (2010). Project Manager leadership role in improving project performance. Engineering Management Journal , 22 (1), 13-22. DiTullio, L. (2010). Project Team Dynamics: enhancing Performance, Improving Results. Management concepts. Katzenbach, J., & Smith, D. (1993). The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization. Boston, MA: Havard Business School Press. Kezsbom, D. (1989). Managing the Chaos: Conflict among project teams. American Association of Coast Engineers. Transactions of the American Association of Coast Engineers , 9. Kortekaas, V. (2012, August 19). Retrieved on August 09, 2013, from http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/57d92e9c-d7df-11e1-9980-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2d6NUQRbS Project Management: Lessons can be learnedfrom sucessful delivery. Financial Times . Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2011). Project Management: the managerial process (5th ed.). New York, NY, USA: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Strategic Momentum. (2006). Retrieved August 06, 201 3, from Strategic Momentum.com: www.strategic-momentum.com/_downloads/the_critical_steps_to_building_a_high_performance_team Verzuh, E. (2012). The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management (Vol. 4). Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Wagner, T. (2006). Building high performance project teams. Loiusiana Contractor , 55 (3), 41. Wikibooks. (2010). Managing Groups and Teams.

immigrants essays

immigrants essays Why the immigrant group chose to leave their homeland Many Europeans decided to immigrate to the United States. Most Europeans left their home countries because of crop failure, land and job shortages, rising taxes, or famine. They came because they believed the United States was the land of economic opportunity. While other Europeans came seeking personal freedom or relief from political and religious persecution. The immigrants journey was terrible; they had to endure weeks of being on the deck of a ship even when it rained. They had to bring their own food and make it last because sometimes the trip took longer than expected. And if they did run out of food the ship would have food for sale but it would be real expensive. And some people couldnt afford it because they spent their last penny on the boat ride. When they first seen the statue of liberty they were filled with joy because for them that statue stood for freedom and opportunity. Experiences when they first arrived Most Europeans came in trough the east coast in Ellis Island and had to pass a physical to be allowed into the United States, those that didnt pass were deported back to their home countries. Many states, especially those with small populations, attracted immigrants by offering jobs or land for farming. But a lot of immigrants wanted to settle where there were other settlers from their homeland. They wanted to do so because many didnt know the language and others wanted to feel like they were at home. Once settled immigrants needed to find a job, but there were never enough jobs and employers often took advantage of them. The men immigrants were paid less then the other workers and the women immigrants were paid less then the men immigrants. Social tensions were also a part of the immigrant experience. The immigrants were stereotyped and discriminated, and many immigrants su ...

The Creation of a Homeschool Transcript

The Creation of a Homeschool Transcript As homeschool programs continue to grow in popularity, more and more questions arise about how to ensure that the educational experience of the child is valid respected by future educational institutions, such as colleges or secondary schools. This often means that the validity of the homeschool transcript, in particular, can come into question, and parents who are creating the programs need to make sure that their transcripts contain the necessary information to accurately reflect their child’s mastery of the material. While homeschool transcripts are, according to state law, considered to be equal to transcripts from public and private institutions, that doesn’t mean that any old transcript will do. Homeschool programs also need to properly address the state requirements for education. If you’re not completing the appropriate course of study, then your transcript isn’t going to help you. It’s important to be able to accurately reflect the course of study taken by your student, as well as how the student performed in her studies. While this all may seem confusing, it doesn’t have to be. Check out these helpful tips for creating a solid course of study and how to create a formal homeschool transcript. State Requirements for High School Graduation Whether you are considering a traditional classroom experience for middle school, high school, or college, it’s important that you know what your state’s requirements are for graduation. Your program of study should work towards meeting those goals and may even provide the opportunity for a student to progress within their studies more quickly than a traditional classroom.  The transcript is how you will document the fulfillment of these requirements. Start by making a list of the courses your child needs to take and create a plan for when and how these courses will be taught. This list can be used to start building your transcript. By addressing these core courses early, you have more flexibility when it comes to designing your program. If your child is excelling in math, for example, this could be an opportunity to provide high school level math courses earlier on, starting in middle school. This can be very helpful if you’re looking to transfer into a public or private high school in the future, or even just in preparation for college. It’s important to regularly check your state’s requirements, as there can be changes year to year, and you don’t want any surprises. If you move, you may find that your new home state doesnt have the same requirements as your previous one. Things you need to determine to include: Years of English (typically 4)Years of math (typically 3 to 4)Years of science (typically 2 to 3)Years of history/social studies (typically 3 to 4)Years of a second language (typically 3 to 4)Years of art (varies)Years of physical education and/or health (varies) You also need to determine if there are core courses that your child is expected take, such as U.S. History, World History, Algebra, and Geometry. Literature and composition courses are often required as well. Determining Grades With Assessments Your transcript needs to include grades, and how you determine those grades is important. As you teach, the program must address the core course requirements, and you should keep accurate records of student performance. By regularly giving quizzes, tests, and graded assignments, you have a way to assess your child’s performance quantitatively, and use those scores to create an average grade that will be used on your transcript. This helps you ensure that you’re adequately assessing skills and mastery, and gives you a way to benchmark progress against performance on standardized tests. If your child takes the SSAT or ISEE or the PSAT, you can compare her grades to the scores. If your student is achieving only average scores on the standardized test but is receiving all As, educational institutions might see this as a discrepancy or a red flag.   Middle School vs High School Transcripts When creating a middle school transcript for the purpose of applying to a traditional secondary school, you likely have a little more flexibility than you might with a high school transcript. In some instances, comments can be used, and can even replace having the standard grades, though some schools may be resistant to comment-only transcripts. For private schools, a comment transcript without grades may be accepted, provided that the student excels on the standardized tests for admission, such as the SSAT or ISEE. Showing grades and/or comments for the past 2 to 3 years may be appropriate, but check with the secondary or middle school you’re applying to, just to be sure, as some may require more than four years of results. But, when it comes to high school, your format needs to be a bit more official. Be sure to include all the courses the student has taken, credits earned from each and the grades received. Stick to the high school studies; many parents believe that adding in high-achieving results from all courses taken in middle school can be a bonus, but the truth is, colleges only want to see high school level courses. If there are high school level courses taken in the middle school years, you should include them to show that the course was fulfilled appropriately, but only include high school level courses. Include the Relevant Facts In general, your transcript should include the following information: Student’s nameDate of birthHome addressPhone numberDate of graduationThe name of your homeschoolCourses taken and credits earned for each along with the grades receivedTotal credits and GPAA grading scaleA place for you to sign and date the transcript It’s important to note that you should not use the transcript as a place to add details or explanations about grade changes or to explain difficulties in a former school. There is often a place within the school’s application for the parent and/or the student to reflect on past challenges, obstacles they have overcome, and why there may be significant jumps in performance within the transcript. As for your transcript, try to focus on data.   Creating an official transcript can be a lot of work, but if you are organized when it comes to your program offerings and diligently track and record your students progress year to year, creating an effective transcript for your child is easy.

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 8

English - Essay Example Its arguments were sound and that, in a way, a semblance of connection could be found still when the writer assumed a combative mood towards a perceived error in reporting. Given the same circumstance – wherein a report is published in a subject that I am well versed of – and that I find it offensive or erroneous, I would probably do the same. Here, one can see that the author is passionate and not a passive and somehow I identify with that kind of attitude. Rockwood writes from a personal perspective, using his own voice. He was unapologetic as he dispenses his judgment without any reservations. He criticized the editorial â€Å"Get Bullish on Wind Power† according to his own terms. He outlined his ideas connecting them with the subject of his critique. In the process, the persuasion in the tone of the entire piece does not seem to prioritize the objective to persuade. The style employed followed those statements of facts and that arguments against it would constitute either fallacy or the lack of credibility. Indeed, Rockwood cited several arguments that are supported by evidence and his own technical knowledge on the subject. In how the piece was written, there was no hope to sway the mind of the reader so that the reader comes to believe what the writer believes. The objective was to enlighten. He was merely stating what the truth was and reality and that those arguments that digress are most probably fallacious. Rockwood’s essay was meant to refute the claims, positions and suggestions put forward by an earlier article. It is a critical essay and argumentative in the sense that it advances its own perspectives. However, I found the style lacking in this context. It is supposed to address the points made by the earlier editorial but it did not do that. Instead, it cited new arguments that someone could have claimed that the essay was written as original - without any previous connections to early work - and the reader