Questions-Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Questions-Communication - Essay Example Diversity within an organization can take a number of different forms such as diverse cultures, religions, nationalities and job groupings (Shockley-Zalabak, 2002; Mor-Barak, 2011). In my organization, the implementation and maintenance of programs that value diversity is generally undertaken using a number of approaches, key among them is review and re-writing of policies so as to create a division within the organization tasked with prompting inclusion and workforce development (Mor-Barak, 2011). This division is mandated to undertake a special recruitment policy that is designed to seek to promote diversity within the organization. To this end, training programs are conducted to promote the adoption of diversity among the employees. The division also implements a variety of internal mentorship and internship programs that are designed to prepare some of the internal candidates both for competition with outside job applicants and upward mobility to prevent their being marginalized by the special recruitment program (Mor-Barak, 2011). The diversity valuing programs practiced by my organization are seen to be quite effective at increasing both the awareness and valuing of diversity in the workplace. They are designed to increase the organization’s diversity via the special recruitment policy while simultaneously promoting the competitiveness of the existing employees through the internal mentorship and internship programs (Mor-Barak, 2011). However, there are a number of changes that can be made to increase the overall effectiveness of these programs. While increasing the awareness and integration of diversity within the organization is seen to be primarily dependent on employees at every level of the organization working at fulfilling their roles, it is also critically important for the organization’s leadership to increase both the amount of resources and the level of guidance and support it lends to these programs (Mor-Barak, 2011). Reference: Mor-Barak, E. M. (2011). Managing diversity: toward a globally inclusive workplace. Los Angeles: SAGE. M4A1: The communication style used by a past leader in my organization, its relation to his leadership style and its suitability to our workplace and culture When I joined my organization, my direct supervisor primarily used to employ the use of an assertive communication style. His role of directing the new recruits on how to perform their duties necessitated that he used the style to ensure that he was able to portray himself to be in authority when working with the recruits (Shockley-Zalabak, 2002). The assertive communication style is seen to have been quite appropriate to the supervisor a suitable to our workplace as it perfectly complemented his transactional leadership style. In line with his leadership style, the manager used to provide us with a number of pre-agreed tasks to perform and would then punish or reward us depending on how these tasks were performed (Shockley-Za labak, 2002). In the event that one of us would continually fail to adequately perform the assigned task, the supervisor would then undertake to provide more intensive and closely supervised training to the employee and would then encourage the employee by providing the employee with bonuses if they managed to register performance improvements. However, the communication style used by the supervisor could have been drastically improved if the supervisor undertook to try and listen more to the input provided

How music can shift social structure Dissertation - 1

How music can shift social structure - Dissertation Example A prominent example in this case is that of the Bluegrass music from the USA which is an amalgamation of Irish, African American, Scottish and German instruments and singing (Anon., 2005). Music and society both affect each other and at times it becomes difficult to find out which influences most on the other (Annon, 2005). Music not only reflects culture but it also shapes the culture. It has a tremendous amount of power in it. It can lift the spirits of the people and make them realize their connection with the Absolute power of God (Hammond, 2003). The aim of this paper is to examine how music can shape up a war torn or turbulent society in a positive manner. For the purpose of convenience I shall divide the paper into several parts. Part one will be based on the introduction of the topic. Part 2 will discuss the power of music to make peace; part three will discuss the theoretical aspect of the healing power of music. Part four will discuss the passage of music into the body and how it can be beneficial for the healer and the person being healed. Part five will discuss the practical implementation of the theory and its results on the society. For this research paper journal articles, books and authentic websites have been explored. Towards the end the conclusion will discuss the need of music in the current world affairs to maintain peace and harmony in the world. Music can be used as a tool to change the state of a person’s mind by manipulating their emotions. Music is considered to be a universal language that can transmit emotions and ideas across boundaries. A politician or a scientist making a speech will probably not make an impression on the masses as compared to a simple road side musician. People can long remember the words of a song than that of a speech of a politician.

Waging Nonviolent Struggle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Waging Nonviolent Struggle - Essay Example initial protest rally of more than a thousand people before the building of which housed the communist party’s core committee(Sharp, Gene, &Paulson 103). Then this Latvians presented a solid resistance on the conscription by pretending to not speak Russian and by removing or even replacing avenue signs, signposts, house numbers, as well as place name tablets to be able to confuse the army. This generated a move by the Latvian Supreme court on June 20, 1991 to create nonviolent safeguard center to arrange nonviolent resistance so that you can protect Latvia next to a rumored attack from Moscow, the nonviolent mobility encouraged people to set up small centers of amount of resistance in each of their cities (Sharp, Gene, &Paulson 103). With everyone happy to resist employing nonviolence, the pressure on the Baltic Says and in Moscow. In a planned nonviolent strategy, laying the actual groundwork is fundamentally important. Working upon laying groundwork for nonviolent movements is determined by defining ambitions and aims, choosing tactic and practices, making mishap plans in addition to training. The withdrawal of consent, cooperation in addition to submission can challenge the system as this affects the actual opponent’s options for power. How critically the flashbacks does so will vary with the products the types of the action, the amounts of the activists, and their persistent in the face of repression (Sharp, Gene, &Paulson 103). To balance out repression entails using different degrees of pressure for example, control of communication and information, internal pressure, and confiscation in addition to exceptional

Larval therapy for venous leg ulcers Literature review

Larval therapy for venous leg ulcers - Literature review Example The maggots then proceed to consume the infections present in the wound and eventually ‘clean’ up the ulceration. This study shall provide a critical appraisal of larval therapy for venous leg ulcers. Initially, the background and aetiology of the disease shall be provided, followed by a critical appraisal of eight studies pertinent to this topic. This study is being carried out in order to establish a scholarly and comprehensive assessment of available literature on larval therapy on venous leg ulcers; it also seeks to assess the future general applicability of this therapy in the clinical practice. Venous leg ulcers are chronic and non-healing wounds or ulcerations on the leg or foot (NHS Choices, 2010). It is usually accompanied with symptoms of pain, itching, and inflammation in the affected area. Venous leg ulcers are seen when there is a persistent high pressure of blood in the veins of the legs which can later cause damage to the skin. Venous leg ulcers affect 1 i n 500 individuals in the UK with rates increasing sharply with age (NHS Choices, 2010). About one person in every 50 over the age of 80 has a high risk for venous leg ulcers. Risk factors for this disease include immobility, obesity, advancing age, and varicosities (NHS Choices, 2010). The prognosis for venous leg ulcers is more or less good, however, with diabetic and elderly patients, the management may take longer. Nevertheless, with appropriate treatment, the healing can be ensured. Venous leg ulcers are caused by damage to the veins located in the legs (NHS Choices, 2010). Venous problems can be seen with the valves in the veins improperly functioning. As a result, blood flows backwards into the previous valves causing pooling in the lower trunks of the veins. With increased pressure in the veins, damage to the veins, and later the skin can become apparent (NHS Choices, 2010). Constant high blood pressure in the legs can cause leaks which then cause swelling and damage to the s kin, thereby leading to the ulcerations. Critical appraisal In the study by Dumville, et.al., (2009), the authors clearly presented the goals of their research which was basically to compare the clinical effectiveness of larval therapy with standard debridement techniques for necrotic leg ulcers. The relevance and importance of the research was indicated by the authors, mostly in relation to cost effectiveness of various therapies for venous leg ulcers (Dumville, et.al., 2009). This goal is relevant because of the fact that the cost of medical interventions has increased and the need to decrease and manage medical costs for patients and for health care in general has become a more imperative requirement in the current age of health and economic crisis. The introduction and the literature review were able to establish the concept and the idea behind the research, including its possible benefits to the clinical practice. The hypothesis has not however been clearly stated, but can be i mplied from the initial chapters of the study. The author implies the higher benefits which can be gained from the use of larval therapy for venous leg ulcers. The main terms of the study are defined and can easily be deduced from the authors’ presentation. The research also presented a well focused question, including a clearly defined population specifically defined through the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The interventions to be used by the authors were also specified with specific expected outcomes defined. In assessing the design chosen, the

Reflection on global & dversity learning project Essay

Reflection on global & dversity learning project - Essay Example Although the power plant is necessary and useful to the locals, it has a number of adverse effects that are detrimental to the population. The plant has some health effects to both humans and aquatic life around Hudson River. Power plants and other energy generation projects are often prone to numerous deadly accidents that range from the explosion of transformers to electrocution of humans and animals. IPEC is no exception since it has also had an incident of a transformer explosion. This type of accident is highly detrimental to both human and aquatic life around the source of power generation. Transformer explosion at this plant resulted in a number of environmental damages. This explosion resulted in spillage of several gallons of oil into the nearby Hudson River. Spillage of oil is dangerous to the aquatic life as it results in blockage of air spaces limiting the amount of oxygen consumed by plants and animals in the water. Consequently, most of them die or wither due to limited oxygen that is essential for life. In addition, this is also dangerous to humans that consume water from this river. Over the course of the semester, I have learnt several theories and concepts regarding diversity, sustainability, equity, and health, which have shaped my understanding of social issues in the society. For instance, I have learnt about tolerance and its applicability in interacting with people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. If not for tolerance, there would be no globalization where individuals from different nations and cultures interact and exchange ideologies among other things. Tolerance is also applicable online to appeal to different audiences as demonstrated by the reading How to Be Liked By Everyone. Another essential concept that I have learnt is multiculturalism, which applies in an environment of diversity. Multiculturalism provides for the development of cultural to necessitate unity in an environment of many

Mediterranean Woodlands Ecosystem Essay Example for Free

Mediterranean Woodlands Ecosystem Essay An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment interacting as a system. These biotic and abiotic components are regarded as linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. As ecosystems are defined by the network of interactions among organisms, and between organisms and their environment, they can come in any size but usually encompass specific, limited spaces. Climate: The Mediterranean experiences hot, dry summers, with temperatures usually between 20 and 25Â °C, but they can reach well in excess of 30Â °C. Winters are mild, with temperatures falling to around 10Â °C. There is moderate rainfall, of around 800mm, which falls mainly in the winter Vegetation: The Mediterranean hillsides were once covered in dense deciduous and coniferous forests. In Europe this meant that trees such as the oak flourished, whilst in California giant redwood trees grew up. Most of these have been cleared, especially in Europe, however some Where the forests have been removed a dense scrubland has replaced them. The shrub vegetation has adapted to cope with the dry, hot summers by having waxy leaves that prevent water loss through transpiration. They also have long roots to reach water deep below the surface. Many of the trees are resistant to fire, as these are a common feature of the Mediterranean area. Clearance: Humans have ahd a huge impact on Mediterranean woodland throughout the world, but particularly in Europe. The Romans and Greeks cleared much of it for fuel wood and building materials, as well as clearing areas for farming. Agriculture: the massive clearance of the Mediterranean woodlands exposed huge areas for farming, as they presumed the ground would be fertile. Unfortunately in many cases the dry summers and winter rains proceeded to wash away the nutritious topsoil fairly quickly. This leaves relatively infertile land on which to farm. A very good example where this occurred was in Southern Italy. Grazing animals also caused great damage to the woodlands, and continue to also affect the newer scrubland that has developed. Fires: Forest fires are very common in the Mediterranean area, and this has helped to destroy much of the original woodland. The shrubs and small trees that have replaced them often are resistant to fire. Reference Chapin et al. (2002), p. 380; Schulze et al. (2005); p. 400 Hatcher, Bruce Gordon (1990). Coral reef primary productivity. A hierarchy of pattern and process. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 5 (5): 149–155. doi:10.1016/0169-5347(90)90221-X. Odum, EP (1971) Fundamentals of ecology, third edition, Saunders New York Schulze et al. (2005), p.400 Tansley (1934); Molles (1999), p. 482; Chapin et al. (2002), p. 380; Schulze et al. (2005); p. 400; Gurevitch et al. (2006), p. 522; Smith Smith 2012, p. G-5 Willis (1997), p.269; Chapin et al. (2002), p. 5; Krebs (2009). p. 572

Safety Measures In Pakistan Construction Industry Construction Essay

Safety Measures In Pakistan Construction Industry Construction Essay Safety in the construction industry has always been a major issue. Wherever reliable records are available, construction is found to be one of the most dangerous on safety and health criteria, particularly in developing countries. Though much improvement in construction safety has been achieved, the industry still continues to lag behind most other industries with regard to safety. Pakistan is a developing country and currently enjoys a relatively strong growth in construction work. Unfortunately, Pakistans construction industry suffers from poor safety and health conditions. The framework of the existing occupational and health conditions is fragmented and inadequately enforced, making construction sites more hazardous. It may even be argued that relevant regulations are outdated and irrelevant in day-to-day construction operations. Like many developing countries of the world, Pakistan at present does not have comprehensive occupational health and safety laws. The number of injuries and illnesses is probably very high in Pakistan because thousands of workers are routinely exposed to hazardous work in construction industry. However, there is no reliable data on occupational safety and health injuries and illnesses because a majority of accidents are not reported to the regulatory agencies. The regulatory agencies neither have an effective enforcement policy nor strict requirements for reporting injuries and illness at work places. Another reason of such indents is the careless behaviour of workers towards safety measures and rules. This study focus on national culture and safety climate in the construction industry in Pakistan. More specifically, it investigates the safety perceptions, attitudes, and behaviour of Pakistani construction workers and management safety practices. It will present the practical results of a number of questionnaire surveys administrate in Pakistan targeting construction workers, and managers with safety management responsibilities. Due to a relatively new awareness of construction safety in Pakistan, the construction industry lacks infrastructure for proper construction safety standards and plans. This study provide the way to improve management system to reduce injuries at construction site and some useful insights into the main players of the Pakistani construction industry for a greater understanding of: (1) risk perceptions, attitudes and safe/unsafe work behaviour of construction workers; (2) managers safety practices and their preferences; and (3) the extent to which workers attitudes and perceptions and their behaviour are associated with their national culture. This data not only adds to the understanding of the implications of Pakistani cultural values on the construction organization, but also provides new knowledge for construction managers who will be better able to understand the culture within which they operate and improve outcomes. The results of this research will be of use to a cross-sectional range of workers and managers Why are you interested in the project? Safety of a workforce employed in the construction industry has always been a matter of concern for employers and labour organizations in developing countries. Previous research has shown that improving the accuracy in the recording of incidents (or accidents) is one way in which the safety management system could be improved. Without a robust safety management system it is impossible to provide a safe working environment for employees. In order to improve health and safety systems, developing countries should look at systems in place in developed countries. In these countries the situation is quite the opposite, and therefore they can be used as a guide as to what can be achieved in the health and safety area of the construction industry in developing countries. Though a lot of preventive measures have been implemented and enforced to ensure the safety of labourers in the developing countries, there is still much more that needs to be done in this area to reduce the chances of any unfortunate situations arising. Astonishingly, in certain parts of developing countries like Pakistan, safety rules within construction companies usually do not exist; and if they do in a rough form. Most companies do not even follow rules considered basic in developed countries, for example appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), and adequate signage. For this research, appropriate methods for data collection would surely be: questionnaire surveys and interviews. The questionnaire will have both qualitative and quantitative items for this research and it includes open-ended and close-ended questions. The open-ended questions will be providing with a view to obtain as much as information possible about site safety conditions and plans. This questionnaire also has several quantitative measures (Keys) built into it. These quantitative measures (Keys) will provide to facilitate the intention to translate the qualitative impressions gathered after each interview into some measurable rating scales. In addition, each management staff was asked for their personal and professional information background (i.e. age, job title, experience in construction and safety training received). Finally management was asked to provide personal suggestions for improvements to the safety systems at the site. And finally the data which will collect from the questionnaire surveys and interviews will analyse and the analytical analysis will undertake. For secondary data there has been increasing interest in trying to understand how management practices and organizational factors impact on workplace, workers and their safety. Some research papers have focused on workplace managers as role models for instilling safety awareness and supporting safe behaviour also I will use internet search for this research. The construction industry plays a vital role in the social and economic development of all countries. The importance and role of the construction industry in the economy of any country has been confirmed by several studies, including Coble and Haupt (1999). However, when compared with other (labour intensive) industries, the construction industry has historically experienced a disproportionately high rate of disabling injuries and fatalities for its size (Hinze, 1997). Kartam and Bouz (1998) identified the advancement in social sciences as having promoted a greater awareness of the purity of life and the unacceptability of premature death due to work-related accidents. Past researches has shown that the high number of construction site accidents is a universal problem of much concern. Though notable improvements in construction worker safety at sites have been achieved, the industry continues to lag behind most other industries with regard to safety (National Safety Council, 1999). According to Davies and Tomasin (1996), there are a number of reasons why accident records within the construction industry compare poorly with those of the manufacturing industry. In factories, there is normally a controlled working environment, with little change in the working procedures and equipment over long periods; additionally, the labour force usually remains fairly constant. Thus once identified, hazards can be remedied with relative ease, and the danger mitigated. However the case is quite different in the construction industry as the working environment is constantly changing. The construction industry is a mixture of different organisations, which directly and indirectly influence the construction process. These organisations include property developers, architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, accountants, lawyers, civil engineering contractors, engineering contractors, management contractors, labourers, subcontractors and specialist trades. The same complexity can be found with construction workplaces. Within the workplace Construction processes involve hazardous activities, such as working at height, manual handling, exposure to hazardous materials, demolition, frame erection, lifting operations, scaffolding and ground works, bulk materials and heavy equipment handling, as well as the varying jobsite personnel and the regularly changing worksites. A further characteristic of the industry, that makes management of this sector more troublesome, is the unfavourably high supervisor-worker ratio. Supervisors who have more a personal and positive relations hip with workers have more favourable safety performance records (Hinze, 1997; Levitt Samelson, 1993). This relationship is harder to develop if the ratio is too high, which is generally the case within the construction industry (Smallwood, 2000). Rowlinson and Lingard (1996) have attributed the prototype nature of construction projects, the transient nature of work, low education levels of the workforce and high levels of subcontracting, as major contributing factors to poor safety records within the construction industry worldwide. There is a wide variation in economic structures, occupational structures, working conditions, work environment, and the health status of workers in different regions of the world, in different countries and in different sectors of the economy. Therefore the mechanisation of the construction industry is not uniform throughout the world. However, as stated earlier, the construction industry plays a vital role in boosting the economy of any country, especially a developing country. It provides the infrastructure required for other sectors of the economy to flourish. Many studies, such as Coble and Haupt (1999) have shown that construction industry reflects the level of economic development within the country. The construction sector everywhere faces problems and challenges. However, in developing countries, these difficulties and challenges are present alongside a general level of socio-economic stress and a lower productivity rate when compared to developed countries (Ofori, 2000). Ne vertheless it is generally believed that the industry is a good source of employment at various levels of skills, from a general labour to semi-skilled, skilled and specialist workforce. Other major areas that impacts on this sector are lack of research and development, lack of trade and safety training, client dissatisfaction, and the continuously increasing construction costs (all of which result in less profitability). A lot of analyst found that, in most developing countries, for example like India, there are: no training programs for staff and workers therefore, no orientation for new staff or workers is conducted, hazards are not pointed out and no safety meetings are held. Employees are expected to learn from their own mistakes and experience. It is widely accepted that unsafe behaviour is intrinsically linked to workplace accidents. A positive correlation exists between workers safe behaviour and the safety climate within construction site environments. Construction workers attitudes towards safety are influenced by their perceptions of risk, management, safety rules and procedures. A variety of studies, including Niskanen (1994), Glendon and Litherland (2001) and Mohamed (2002) have investigated the construction safety climate within developed countries. In the majority of these studies, researchers have either developed a new model or replicated an already tested model with a view to improving its adequacy. However, there is a lack of research in this area in the context of developing countries. Pakistan is a developing country that is currently enjoying relatively strong growth in construction activities. Unfortunately, the enforcement of safety regulations is not widespread within Pakistan. Some may even argue that the framework of existing occupational and health conditions of Pakistans construction industry is fragmented and inadequately enforced. Likewise in any industry, good health and safety conditions form good and safe business practice. Therefore, it is believed the integration of safety and health measures into a total management system, within the construction sector in Pakistan, could contribute significantly to the cost efficiency, quality assurance and environmental protection of the company and its employees. Cultural differences have a significant impact upon industrial safety culture and help in understanding the different approaches to accident prevention and safety management. Knowledge of cultural differences cannot be acquired without first understanding what culture is. Although culture is used widely to describe variations among people from different nations or of different ethnicities, there is no single, accepted definition. There is, however, a commonly-used set of characteristics that helps to identify culture: 1) culture includes systems of values 2) Culture is learned, not innate 3) culture distinguishes one group from another and 4) culture influences beliefs, attitudes, perceptions and behaviour in a somewhat uniform and predictable way (Bird, 2003). As safety climate is often portrayed as a temporal measure of culture (Cheyne et al., 1998) this last characteristic of culture is most important, as it relates the national culture to the safety climate. Safety climate also refers to the shared perceptions, beliefs, attitudes and behaviour of the worker, regarding safety in their workplace. Ngowi and Mothibi (1996), in a study of 30 construction sites in Botswana, found cultural differences were a major reason for viewing safety procedures differently. Site managers in that study stated that the safety gear provided to employees from impoverished backgrounds were often sold. The managers also referred to the cultural habits of drinking alcohol or taking herbal drugs. They identified a tendency for workers to travel to work in smart clothes and to leave the construction site to spend their money as soon as they received their wages. Experience with traditional construction techniques, such as the use of mud mixed by hand, proved to be obstacles in getting workers to appreciate the need to wear gloves when working with concrete. Further, some local cultures were considered more emotional or more dominant, thus causing certain difficulties with effective safety management. The literature review revealed a lack of research work undertaken on the influence (direct or indirect) of national culture on local safety conditions in the construction industry. This deficiency is a major contributor to the development of this current research rationale which focuses on workers and management characteristics, and how these characteristics in turn, can influence the safety climate of the workplace.