Left Wing Extremism Essay

Six years back, when on November 4, 2004, the Prime Minister proclaimed Left Wing Extremism as the biggest threat confronting the nation that had to be dealt at ‘war footing’, it had a ring of resolve of a freshly elected government to take the bull by its horns. However, when he repeats the same now, it carries an air of helpless lamentation. The efforts at war footing notwithstanding, during the last six years, the area under Naxal influence has nearly doubled extending to nearly 203 districts in fourteen states. The strength of armed guerrillas has swelled from less than 7,000 then to somewhere around 13,500 now. Left extremists, today, have many more and much sophisticated weapons; (estimated to be nearly 14000 as against 5500 in 2004) and have upgraded their tactics, field craft and skills in handling weapons and explosives manifold. They raise funds nearly to the tune of Rs. 1,200 Crore a year, which in an impoverished area of their dominance is a huge amount to create instability and enables them to pay regular monthly salaries to their armed cadres. Economic conditions of the people have by and large remained unchanged despite sizeable developmental outlays – most of the funds either misused or siphoned off by the corrupt. It would be erroneous to infer that the government took no initiatives both at security and developmental fronts to deal with the situation. However, in terms of results achieved, the efforts made have failed to achieve the expected results. It makes it a case less of error of intention, and more of lack of capability, which in a national security paradigm is a cause of much greater concern. The matter that needs to be pondered over is why a country of India’s Comprehensive National Power is unable to cope with an existentialist threat from an ideology that has been defeated and discredited world over, is unable to counter an offensive by under-resourced and ill trained tribals and despite being world’s biggest democracy is unable to mobilize its civil society in its fight against the extremists, whose agenda is patently anti-national. The first requirement for designing an effective response is to accept the realities as they are and to make a hard assessment of the enemy – his mindset, doctrines, capabilities and goals. One can not win unless one fights and one can not fight till one is able to define the enemy – boldly and bluntly. One major reason why we, as a state, have often gone wrong in our responses and not derived full value out of our efforts and sacrifices is our fear to face the hard realities as they exist, notwithstanding the compelling evidence. What needs to be accepted by all those in power and those who aspire for it is that Left Wing extremism is pure and simple terrorism that fully meets the conventional definition of the term i. e. Use of violence to terrorise people for achieving political objectives’. Their armed struggle is for acquiring and then retaining political power through barrel of the gun and both in theory and practice they have not deviated from this goal. While often advanced causative factors –developmental, social, political etc. – may have ample justifications on their own merit, for Maoists they are only instrumentalities to seize political control. In pursuance of this end, they are prepared to make a common cause with all those who are inclined to give expression to their dissent through violence. They support everything that negates Indian nationhood – may it be the secessionists in J&K, insurgents in North East, radical Islamic groups or armed ethnic groups. In an interview in 2007 Ganapathy, the Secretary General of CPI-Maoists asserted â€Å"We see the Islamic upsurge as a progressive anti-imperialist force in the contemporary world. It is wrong to describe the struggle that is going on in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Kashmir, Chechnya as Islamic fundamentalism. Our Party supports the Islamic upsurge†. Commenting on 26/11 massacre of Mumbai, Bimal, Polit Bureau Member was quoted in Hindustan Times that â€Å"We do not support the way they attacked the Victoria station, where most of the victims were Muslims. At the same time, we feel the Islamic upsurge should not be opposed as it is basically anti-US and anti-imperialist in nature. We therefore want it to grow. † Varavara Rao referring to North East insurgencies stated on May 13, 2007 that â€Å"This is a time for all revolutionary, democratic and nationality movements, like the ones in Kashmir and the Northeast to unite, and something will come out of this unity†. They stand against India’s sovereignty, unity, democratic polity and civilisational values and hence will have to be fought and defeated at all planes – ideological, political, and physical. Any dilution in accepting this basic character of the threat will only compound the problem and prolong the national agony. Having settled the goal, the next stage is working out the strategy to achieve it. It is obvious that the policy of ‘blow hot blow cold’ does not work and only betrays the confusion indecisiveness of those in power. It also demoralizes the security personnel. Indecisiveness is a consequence of fear and needs to be shunned. The security apparatus of the country, given the right resources, empowerments and leadership is quite strong and resilient to take on the Left Extremists. They need to be provided best of weapons, vehicles, communication equipment, armoured personnel carriers, night vision devices, portable gen-sets, direction finders etc. There is also an urgent need to improve their living conditions, making safe their work places and keeping their morale high. Most importantly, tactical plans should be well deliberated upon by senior and experienced officers and wherever possible duly rehearsed. It is particularly necessary where central forces have to work along side the local police forces. Maoists are great political analysts who carefully work-out their long term strategy and tactical plans. Maoists in their political estimates assess, and probably with some justification, that the political class in the country, irrespective of the brand names that they carry, are fast losing their legitimacy and credibility. The elected representatives hold their positions more by virtue of legality of the process that catapultes them to power than the moral authority, trust and respect of the people that they claim to represent. The credibility of the governmental apparatus to provide a sense of security and justice to the people, redress their basic grievances, assure development and assure dignity is at a low ebb. Most of the extremist actions analysed in strategic terms are aimed at exploiting this in firmity and indulging in acts will further erode the legitimacy and credibility of the system. Their attacks on police and para-military forces are aimed at demonstrating that the coercive power of the government is a myth as it is even unable to protect itself. Their holding Jan Adalats, imposing fines and dictating terms for talks are calculated to undermine the government’s ability to enforce its writ and authority and gave credibility to their propaganda that government is only a ‘paper tiger’. On the contrary, the state has been able to do little to demolish the contrived self image of the Left Extremists as saviors of the people. The discordant voices within the government and display of confusion and indecisiveness immensely boost their moral. While the far flung tribal areas are in the news because of incidents of violence what is lesser known is their fast spreading influence in urban suburbs, among the trade unions, unemployed youth etc. much beyond the tribal areas. To meet this grave challenge the political class first needs to do a serious introspection and subordinate their party interests if not for the larger national interests than at least for their own self interest. All political parties need to realize that they face an existentialist threat as the political power, the booty of the war, has to be seized from them. This is a classical model of Fourth Generation Warfare-(4GW) – a warfare where the enemy is invisible and the battle is for the control of civil society – through coercion, controlling the hearts and minds of the people or delivering results by redressing grievances of the people. The modern day guru of Fourth Generation Warfare, William Lind aptly observes that, â€Å"If nation states are going to survive, people in power must earn and keep the trust of the governed. Addressing the American Council of Foreign Relations he said â€Å"The heart of Fourth Generation Warfare is a crisis of legitimacy of the state†. How true to the Indian model when he added that, â€Å"The establishment is no longer made up of ‘policy types’- most of its important functionaries are placemen. Their expertise is in becom ing and then remaining members of the establishment. Their reality is covert politics and not the competence or expertise†. When the 4GW will visit them their response would be to â€Å"close the shutters on the windows of Versailles†. Majority of the people in Maoist affected areas and even their supporters and cadres have little to do with Maoism at ideological level. They are only alienated and angered people with real of perceived sense of injustice, oppression and indignity. Maoists are cleverly exploiting this sentiment to their advantage – caste conflicts in Bihar, resentment against landlords in Andhra, discontent against forest laws in tribal areas, unemployment amongst youth and radicalism among Muslims are all given prescription of capture of power through gun as the ultimate solution of all their problems. While the local grievances need to be effectively addressed through improved governance and ruthless accountability, there is also a need for creating mass awareness of the ultimate designs and consequences of what the extremists stand for. Maoist propaganda must also be effectively countered, particularly at the political level. Democratic political parties have plenty of political arguments and facts in their favour to demolish the subversive propaganda of the Left extremists. They also have reach and access upto village levels with intimate social networking that needs to be arnessed. This task cannot be undertaken by the government agencies or the police. Additionally, through a concerted, credible and sustained psy-war offensive contradiction in their ideologies and practices, tales of their brutalities, collaborations with the rich to collect funds, incidents of moral turpitude etc. should be highlighted. The local and national media, think tanks and NGOs operating in the region could be leveraged for the purpose. Some of their front organizations, masquerading as think tanks and NGOs engaged in subversive propaganda also need to be tackled effectively. At tactical level the most important advantage of 4GW warriors is the advantage of invisibility. Only quality operational intelligence can make them visible for counter tactical operations aimed at pre-empting, preventing and punishing the depredators. It is also the only instrumentality through which they can be tactically surprised and their advantage of speed and surprise neutralized. The tendency to raise additional battalions without corresponding accretion in operational intelligence capability creates little pressure on the extremists and only provides them more targets to hit at. State Police forces, with their intimate knowledge of the terrain, language and local people are best equipped to develop ground intelligence. They need to be resourced and trained for intelligence work. Diversion of at least 30% of central modernization grants to state police for intelligence up-gradation should be made mandatory. Money is one of the most important factors helping extremists to acquire weapons and explosives, raise their cadre strength by recruiting youth on regular salaries and carrying out mass mobilization programmes. They are reportedly collecting Rs. 1,600 crore a year, which is a big money for carrying out armed insurrection in an impoverished area. With a determined effort and much lower risk, the governments can take stern actions against business houses paying protection money, transporters paying levies, contractors giving taxes and corrupt government officials sharing the loot from the developmental funds. Most would be willing to cooperate if provided sense of security and protection which can be achieved at a much lesser cost. There is no doubt that this menace ultimately will be contained and countered. A finely chiseled strategic response is required only to minimize its cost to the nation in terms of valuable lives lost, growth and development stalled and innocent people falling prey to malicious propaganda of the extremists. The civil society and opinion builders have a vital role to play in this. They should create right pressures on the politicians and create broad spectrum awareness among the people to help bring about a convergence in national response.

Mahatma Gandhi Research Paper

Aroused by the massacre of Amritsar in 1919, Gandhi devoted his life to gaining India’s independence from Great Britain. As the dominant figure used his persuasive philosophy of non-violent confrontation, he inspired political activists with many persuasions throughout the world (Andrews 23). Not only was Mahatma Gandhi a great peacemaker, but also his work to achieve freedom and equality for all people was greatly acknowledged. Gandhi’s unconventional style of leadership gained him the love of a country and eventually enabled him to lead the independence movement in India. Mohandas Gandhi, later called Mahatma Gandhi, was born on October 2,1869 in Porbandar, which is the present day state of Gujarat, India (Andrews 17). He grew up in a very controlled family that had an alliance with the family ruling Kathiawad. He was engaged to two other women who both died, then he eventually married Kasturba at the age of 13. Gandhi sailed to England to attend University College in London to study law (Kamat’s Potpourri). In 1891, he was able to practice in the British bar. Gandhi went back to India and tried to authorize a law practice in Bombay, with very little achievement. Two years later, an Indian firm with curiosity in South Africa had an office in Durban where Gandhi was commissioned as legal advisor. This is where he lived for twenty years once he began his job doing labor on the sugar estates in South Africa (Moreorless). As soon as he arrived in Durban, he found himself being treated as if he was not human. The Africans forbade fundamental individual rights and political rights from the Indian immigrants. This conduct resulted in Gandhi’s outburst in fury towards the African’s reactions to Indian immigrants to South Africa. He then began a civil right’s campaign, which resulted in the development of his passive resistance policy, which eventually inspired thousands. The Union of South Africa government adjusted Gandhi’s demands, which included recognition of Indian marriages and abolition of the poll tax (Kamat’s Potpourri). When this man saw how terrible people were being treated because of diversity he said, â€Å"†There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever,† (Gold 231). By saying that, he meant that no one should worry about where hey stand in society or how they are judged because in God’s eyes everyone is perfect and everyone is equal therefore, no one who has any faith in God should be worrying about their so called â€Å"imperfections. † This great man struggled to gain the important rights for all Indians, and this is where it all began. Once Gandhi’ s mission in South Africa was complete, he returned to India and became involved in the home ruling movement. He was concerned with excessive land tax and discrimination, so he organized protests by peasants, farmers, and urban laborers to help them stand tall and fight for what they deserved (Gold 57). During World War I, Gandhi had an active part in recruiting campaigns by launching his new movement of non-violent resistance to Great Britain (Byers 202). When Parliament passed the Rowlatt Acts in 1919, Satyagraha, which means insistence on truth, spread throughout India, recruiting millions of followers. British soldiers massacred Indians at Amritsar as a demonstration against the Rowlatt Acts. In 1920 the British government failed to make peace, which resulted in Gandhi organizing a campaign of non-cooperation (Andrews 103). There was chaos in India as the public office resigned, courts were boycotted, and children were taken out of schools. Sitting Indians, who ignored police officers when told to move, even if they got beaten, blocked the streets. Gandhi was arrested, but the British soon were forced to free him. India’s economic independence was made of Gandhi’s Swaraj (self governing) movement. Because of this, India boycotted all British goods and British industrialists were left in extreme poverty across India. To save the country, Gandhi brought back cottage industries. He started to symbolize the return of simple village life by using a spinning wheel. â€Å"Gandhi became the international symbol of a free India. He lived a spiritual and ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and meditation,† (Andrews 126). He refused material possessions, and wore the lowest-class clothing and supported himself on only vegetables, fruits, and goat’s milk. Fellow Indians looked at him as a God-like force, often referring to him as Mahatma (which means great-souled). Gandhi's ahimsa (idea of nonviolence), was essentially the way of life in the Hindu religion. Since India followed Gandhi’s ahimsa with such support, Britain would soon understand that violence is useless in this country and leave. In 1921, Gandhi received complete leadership from the Indian National Congress, the group that started the movement for nationhood. But, the Indian population could not understand why the whole world wasn’t practicing and showing the ahimsa (Kamat’s Potpurri). Because of this, many armed revolts broke out against the British. Gandhi eventually admitted that his campaign was a failure, and quickly tried to end it. Gandhi was then seized and imprisoned by the British government in 1922. He was released in 1924, and distanced himself from being involved in any politics and instead focused on getting the Indian community closer (Gold 149). Unavoidably, he was brought back into the political forces. In 1930, a new campaign of civil disobedience was called to the Indian population saying they should refuse to pay taxes, especially on salt (Moreorless). The campaign was the famous march to the sea, where thousands of Indians followed Gandhi from Ahmedabad to the Arabian Sea, and made salt by evaporating sea-water. Gandhi was again arrested, but released in 1931 as he stopped the campaign. In 1932, Gandhi started new civil-disobedience campaigns against the British. Since he was arrested twice, the Mahatma fasted for long periods many times. These fasts were very useful against the British because revolts would have broken out if Gandhi had died. In September 1932, while in jail, Gandhi performed a â€Å"fast unto death† in order to help the Hindu Untouchables. (Byers 202). The British considered the Untouchables as a separate part of the Indian government and tolerated their injustice. Although Gandhi was a member of the upper caste, he strongly believed in removing this unjust caste system. In 1934 Gandhi resigned from politics, being replaced by Jawaharlal Nehru. Gandhi continued teaching ahimsa and traveled across India. He was known for his dedication and political power. Since he was viewed with such great esteem, the British had to wait for Gandhi’s approval to limit the home rule in 1935. In 1939 he returned to politics and designed his first act manipulate the ruler of the state of Rajkot to change his autocratic rule (Moreorless). The colonial government had to intervene because the fast caused commotion across the country. When World War II broke out, the Congress party and Gandhi refused to support Britain in the war unless they were given complete independence. The British refused their proposal. When Japan entered the war, Gandhi still refused to allow India to fight in the war. He was imprisoned in 1942 but was freed after two years due to his bad health (Kamat’s Potpourri). By 1944 the British agreed to allow Indian independence only if the two nationalist groups, the Muslim League and the Congress party, resolved their issues (Andrews 178). Gandhi was strongly against the dividing of India but in the end had to agree, hoping that peace would be accomplished after the demand for Muslim separation was achieved. India and Pakistan split to two separate states when India gained its independence in 1947. Gandhi begged Hindus and Muslims to live together peacefully during the riots. Mahatma fasted until the riots stopped (Moreorless). He also fasted successfully on January 13, 1948, to bring about peace, but twelve days after that fast ended he was assassinated by a Hindu on his way to an evening prayer (Byers 203). Gandhi's death was a worldwide devastation that left the population in shock. In the United Nations there was a day set aside to mourn for Gandhi and remember his acts of nonviolence for eternity. All countries sent their apologies and reassured that he would never be forgotten. The teachings of nonviolent movements were inspired in other countries, as well as the U. S. A. â€Å"under the civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and in South Africa under Nelson Mandela,† (Moreorless). Gandhi was the most inspirational leader in the twentieth century because of his unique tactics of protesting and making peace worldwide. The most persuasive ways of accomplishing change in social issues came from his idea of civil disobedience and nonviolence, which advised freedom movements around the globe (Moreorless). This political leader and peacemaker will always be remembered as a successful man who impacted many to be non-violent. This accomplishment is a great achievement because without this concept India may still have been fighting for independence. Gandhi said, â€Å"The† (Moreorless) and that is what Gandhi chose to do. By doing favors for other people he was able to find out who he was, he found out he was the Mahatma because he truly did have a great soul.

Code Of Ethics For Teacher Essay

Board for Professional Teachers Resolution No. 435 Series of 1997 Pursuant to the provision of Paragraph(e), Article II,of RA No. 7836, otherwise known as the â€Å"Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994† and Paragraph(a), Section 6, P.D. No. 223, as amended, the Board of Professional Teachers hereby adopts and promulgates the â€Å"Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers.† What does code of ethics means? Ethics is hard to define but it is made up of two things.   First ethics refers to well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues. Secondly, ethics refers to the study and development of one’s ethical standards†¦ it is necessary to constantly examine one’s standard to ensure that they are reasonable and well-founded. Ethics also means, then, the continuous effort of studying our own moral beliefs and our moral conduct, and striving to ensure that we, and the institutions we help to shape, live up to standards that are reasonable and solidly based. PREAMBLE Teachers are duly licensed professionals who possess dignity and reputation with high moral values as well as technical and professional competence. In the practice of their noble profession, they strictly adhere to, observe and practice this set of ethical and moral principles, standards, and values. Article I Scope and Limitations Section 1. The Philippine Constitution provides that all educational institutions shall offer quality education for all Filipino citizens, a vision that requires professionally competent teachers committed to its full realization. The provision of this code shall apply, therefore, to all teachers in all schools in the Philippines. Section 2. This Code covers all public and private school teachers in all educational institutions at the preschool, primary, elementary, and secondary levels

Diamonds Industry of South Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Diamonds Industry of South Africa - Essay Example It discusses the cartel's behavior during the apartheid era, specifically its observance of human rights and corporate responsibility under a fascist and racist regime. Chapter V discusses the agreement reached between the ANC government and the De Beers cartel on the status of diamond mines and mining industry in South Africa, and how the cartel can help in the country's development program. It also contains recommendations on how the agreement can help in promoting black economic empowerment, and economic and political democratisation throughout South Africa. De Beers is a monopoly and the cartel of the diamond world. Monopoly is a term that translates literally into "single seller,"1 which means a corporation that dominates the production and distribution of a particular service or product (such as diamonds). There are various forms of monopolies and a cartel is just one of them. A cartel (such as De Beers) is a formal or informal group of corporations that have agreed to avoid and minimise non-productive or destructive competition among them in order to dominate the market and maximise profits. that maximum strictly, to avoid flooding the market with products which usually results in a decrease of their prices. To guarantee their profits, members of the cartel can either agree on a common product price for their entire area of operation or set up local Diamonds of South Africa 4 monopolies where they may or may not apply a common price structure.2 The price is of course higher than what it would be if production was not regulated by the cartel, and if prices were determined, not by the cartel, but by genuine competition and the interests of the consumer. De Beers for instance set an artificially high price for its diamonds despite the fact that there was already a large supply of diamonds in the mines of South Africa (which were discovered as early as 1867) and other African countries. The supply increased astronomically following the discovery of mines in Russia, Canada and Australia. De Beers kept prices high by cultivating the myth that diamonds are valuable and scarce and should be priced accordingly. The cartel has not lowered the prices of its diamonds in its entire existence. Many countries have legislated against price fixing cartels to encourage competition, which theoretically should lower prices and improve product quality. The European Diamonds of South Africa 5 Commission, in its 2005 Report on Competition Policy, proclaimed that "(c)ompetition is crucial for the whole partnership for growth and jobs."3 In fact, "the fight against international price-fixing and market-sharing cartels has become a top political priority in Europe."4 B. The Birth of De Beers De Beers can be viewed as an exceptionally innovative and long-lived cartel. On the other hand, it has been criticised and even condemned as "the most

The Politics of Global Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Politics of Global Communications - Essay Example Globalization of communication dates back to the 1920s where initially it was spurred by international trade, expansion of media companies as well as colonialism. Politics in this era were characterized by the official opening of the US global communication policy. As noted by Kamalipour', ), information and communication technologies such as internet, mobile phones, satellite radio and television are used by political power houses to meet their propaganda all over the world. Global communication has changed the way politics are done by encouraging revolutionalization, for instance in global economy and ecology .Globalization allows politics to take a vast growth worldwide through non-governmental organizations, other integrated schemes and also through global movements. Of the most important technology in politics is telecommunication which is a process through which information is transferred. Telecommunication gives people options, especially to chose the ideologies to buy and the ones to discard (Kamalipour, 2002).Global communication has a great positive impact on politics because it helps in spreading politics across boarders through its' instruments such as radios, televisions, telegraphs among others. These can generally be termed as political instruments. Kamalipour (2002), highlights the political aspects of communication as vital in the global politics. Politics of global communication have contributed to the deterioration of diplomacy and often are responsible for many wars fought. Taking the example of the First World War; communication in form of wide coverage of radio, as well as heightened and increased public awareness something which resulted into public pressure on governments, coalitions. With the media reaching more people than ever before, and the general public turning into media for news on progress of wars, the way they perceive the outcome of war usually has a meaningful bearing in the destiny of whole societies. All the above results in the political interest of by the political elites in controlling flow of news. With ICT now virtually under control of political leaders the issue of security in regard to telecommunications, results into the design of communications strategy, communications intelligence, and cryptography which are important and decisive tools in times of war. This was evident as early as during the first and second World Wars. Since technological advancements have increased the speed of communications between nations of the world, this has had an effect of increased importance to governments. The fact that knowledge is power means that, always, governments seek to capitalize on the improved speed and availability of communications, basically to advance their control of power as well as to influence of their political adversaries. Therefore emergence of new trends which influence the political aspects of the not so new concept of global communications network in the period preceding the twentieth century is to blame for many wars fought in the 19th century. When critically examined, the evolution of technology resulted into fast and reliable communication over long distances in the form of electric telegraph in the late 19th century and internet in the 21st century. Although having internal networks is viable and less risky, network communications

Interpersonal Communication and Movies Research Paper

Interpersonal Communication and Movies - Research Paper Example In some interpersonal dealings, communication may develop complications due to a host of factors such as in the movie â€Å"A Few Good Men†. This paper shall attempt to dissect the elements of verbal communication especially in taking orders from a superior, the value of truth and honesty and gender differences in military work depicted in the movie. Lefebvre (2008) advises that when speaking, one must also be aware of body language and tone and inflection of voice. She notes that different ideas may be conveyed by simply emphasizing different parts of the statement. Being an active listener helps one understand the message being relayed to him. As the listener, one should hold his response until the speaker is done, and keenly observe nonverbal cues expressed. It must always be remembered that communication is a give and take process. One must learn to wait his turn to be the speaker and the listener (Lefebvre, 2008). This is especially important in courtrooms where cases are tried in order to find the truth, and if ever there is a crime proven, that the perpetrator should be punished and the victim be served the justice they deserve. This has been manifested in the movie â€Å"A Few Good Men† which showed several courtroom scenes in analyzing an alleged misdemeanor by two marines that eventually killed another marine within the confines of the marine base. The court scenes were played very well, giving each party a chance to express him or herself while on trial. However, there are times when both speaker and listener talk at the same time, trying to prove their point and talk over each other. Richmond & McCroskey (2005) contend that interpersonal communication in organizations can either go horizontally, or across co-workers who are considered equals in terms of position in the organization, and vertically, indicating a hierarchy in position that either goes upward towards higher management or downward, towards rank and file. Downward communica tion from management to the employees usually involves job instruction, rationale, ideology, information and feedback. This is most common in the military, where messages are often given as orders from someone from a higher position and is expected to be followed. In the movie, the two marines who allegedly killed a colleague were presumed to be doing so under orders from their superiors. Job instruction includes directions mandated by management such as direct orders, written memos, workshops on how to do the job, and so on. An example is how a marine should behave when there is an officer approaching. Rationale is the rationalization or explanation of a duty or assignment and how it is compatible with what the personnel are already doing. An example of this is explaining why one is posted in an area during his shift. Ideology is the philosophy of the organization that managers expect their employees to share. If they do believe in the same views, then communication would flow much easier within the organization. An example is that in the military, obeying orders from superiors is a must. Information is concerned with acquainting people with general knowledge that they need to know, such as regulations, changes in benefits, and general policies. Feedback is the superior's way of giving his subordinates information about how they are doing. This is usually expressed as praise, recognition,

Strategic human resource management and human resource management Essay

Strategic human resource management and human resource management - Essay Example In essence, structure of the workforce in any organisation should be well-thought of because it virtually determines the duration for goal achievement. The major objective of most organizations is to achieve the laid goals within the shortest period possible. Therefore, it is important for human resource department in an organisation to ensure that it applies the best strategies that will facilitate high-quality performance and promote employee motivation. Essentially, globalization trends and the continued technological changes have escalated the need to manage human resources. Research has showed that there are promising financial outcomes for organizations whose human resource management structures have attained operational excellence and in compliance with organisational goals. Human resource is a set of people who form the workforce of an organisation and is sometimes referred to as human capital. For human resource to work in line with the organization’s goals and objectives, it has to be managed. The supervision of workforce in an organisation is termed as human resource management. Human resource management is concerned with maximizing employee performance in pursuit for the organization’s goals (Deb, 2006). Strategic human resource management is a proactive mechanism to the management of an organization’s workforce tailored to lay tactical framework in support of long-term goals. Human resource management entails a number functions which include training and development, recruitment and retention of workforce, performance appraisal and employee remuneration. There are various strategic human resource aspects which can be used to judge an organization and they include; acquisition of skilled employees, satisfaction, managing risk, managing change and corporate culture, innovation, developing leaders and many others (Nankervis, Compton &

What systems are used to effectively manage service quality in the Essay

What systems are used to effectively manage service quality in the hospitality industry Discuss and evaluate the benefits and issues that arise from a strategi - Essay Example The strategic systems available for measuring quality of service delivery involve revenue enhancement strategies, routine and in-depth staff performance evaluations and tools which are directed specifically at the firm’s clientelle. This project discusses the aforementioned strategic tools whilst also highlighting the potential positive and negative outcomes of these approaches to measuring service quality. One dimension of service quality pertaining to customer perceptions of the appropriateness of service delivery involves the functional elements of service delivery, such as the tangible methodology of practice regarding how the service was delivered (Miguel, Silva, Chiosini & Schiitzer, 2004). These delivery elements include basic concepts such as the friendliness of staff members, availability of staff, quality of food preparation, ease of check-out in the hotel environment or any other aspect which involves the facility and the service aptitudes of the industry’s internal staff (Grossman, 1999). From a different researcher perspective, these elements of service delivery are categorised as interaction quality which directly involves the customer-staff interventions and associations during the process of patronising the hospitality firm (Alexandris, Kouthouris & Meligdis, 2006). The strategic approach to measuring the quality of the aforementioned aspects of service delivery can be accomplished, in theory, in a distinct process: Assessment of customer-based revenue streams utilised comparatively to changes in service methodology to determine a correlation between frequency of customer re-visit to the facility and changes to the service delivery practices in the firm between strategic groups. As a step toward strategic revenues management, the process of obtaining the firm’s highest conceivable revenues based on the sale of the firm’s total capacity (Ng, 2006),

Morality in Humanities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Morality in Humanities - Essay Example An obvious question that would crop up in the restless mind of man would be, â€Å"Why are we born; and what is our purpose in life?† Religion ideally answers this question and hence has been a pivotal factor for determining the transitions in the standards of morality. A striking example of this is the authority of the clergy till some centuries ago in all parts of the world. All major decisions on judging or defining morality, whether social or personal had some or the other influence of the priesthood. However, religions as practised by the masses have also undergone various changes. It is no more as rigid and sacrosanct today as it was earlier. People now tend towards applying critical and rational thinking. For instance, a comparatively larger percentage of today’s population is more concerned and observant about animal rights, than about personal salvation. (The rise and activities of various animal rights groups can attest this fact.)Hence, animal sacrifices for religious reasons are close to hitting nadir in the American society. Thus it can be argued that relaxation of religious dogmas have led towards new moral standards, those of eco-sensitivity and freedom from religious restrictions, the degrees varying according to the demographics. Today’s man is far-more free-thinking and tolerant and considers it below his moral standards to deny the rights of living to others for personal gains. Therefore, at least in the west religion is gradually losing its hold over morality since most of those nations are secular and statistics suggest that more and more people are turning towards atheism and agnosticism there. For example in the U.S. the figure is 15% in 2008 compared to about 8.2 in 1990. (Kosmin, Keyser, Highlight) Another prominent factor governing the transitions in morality is family. Man spends most of his life with his family adhering to its needs, demands and laws since it is the same family

Short Response to DeCartes Meditation Essay Example for Free

Short Response to DeCartes Meditation Essay Cogito comes from the Latin phrase Cogito ergo sum which means l think, therefore I am. I came up with this formula from Decartes statement on Meditation II, Doubting=Existence, Doubting=Thinking, Thinking=Existing, Doubt=Existence. Doubting serves as double purpose: to eliminate false beliefs and a mechanism to discover the truth. Although some some philosopher thinks that Cognito is flawed since what will happen if we stop thinking, I think he was misunderstood because existence in human form is, at least in my opinion, means you thought for even for just a moment. I can say that when I do not think about who am l, who I want to ecome, what I like, what I dislike, etc, I can personally state that I dont know what am I made of nor the reality of myself. Say I am being self-critical, yet I do feel I am valuable when I know myself, I think, I give opinions, and I care about stuff. I think Decartes in a way is perfectionist that he does not want to come always sum up to conclusion but rather he formulated the Cartesian method where: first is to start with an empty mind, second is to divide the problem, third is to reflect upon the problem (combine the divided the problem and also proceed from simple to omplex), fourth is to repeat the procedure again and again to make sure no errors are made. When you think, analyze, formulate, create hypothesis, create a solution Often times great results, perhaps great truth, is revealed. Of course, not all the time there is one final answer to everything. Its inevitable for a lot of people to seek for divine intervention and Decartes, after all his doubts and meditation, still ended up believing in God as the master planner. Also, in Meditation V, he stated that science and religion are not necessarily contradictory but rather maybe complimentary entities.

Factors That Affect the UK Pension Crisis

Factors That Affect the UK Pension Crisis Investigating the factors that affect the UK pension crisis Introduction This review examines the background literature regarding the causes of the UK pension crisis[1], and the various measures taken to combat the crisis. In order to understand the nature of the problem, it is first necessary to consider a bit of background on the UK pension system, and UK demographics. There is some debate over which types of pensions – pay as you go (PAYG) or funded schemes – are best. Barr (2006, 2) explains that ‘[i]n a PAYG scheme pensions are paid out of current income. In a fully funded scheme, pensions are paid from a fund built over a period of years from members’ contributions. Virtually all state pension schemes are mainly PAYG; private schemes are generally funded (though not necessarily adequately).’ The UK state system ‘is a complex mix of several components, paid for on a pay-as-you-go basis though a mixture of national insurance contributions and general taxation’ (Hills, 2006, 116). Non-state, voluntary schemes include occupational pensions which may be either defined contribution (DC) or defined benefit (DB) schemes, and private pensions which are usually DC. In recent years the majority of occupational DB schemes in the UK have closed. The demographics of the population have changed significantly over recent years. Barr (2006, 4) argues that ‘[a]verage age at death in the UK (and similarly in other countries) has been rising steadily at least since 1860 Clearly, as more and more people live to pensionable age and, having achieved that, live longer and longer beyond that, the costs of pensions rise and, as a proposition in pure logic, rise disproportionately.’ However, the UK also faces some country-specific pension issues, and these will be the focus of this dissertation. At the root of the problem with PAYG schemes is the ageing population, but there are other factors which affect the supply and demand of funded schemes, and against which policy may be more easily directed. Three of these are drawn out in this dissertation. As such, and for clarity, this literature review is structured around the three themes: public knowledge and understanding of pensions in the UK; the level of private savings in the UK; and the recent decline of DB schemes in the UK. However, it should be noted that these three factors are interrelated, as will be demonstrated in the analysis that follows. Public pension knowledge Pensions are always subject to a problem of imperfect information – when one considers how and how much to save for retirement, the decision is made on an estimate (not a certainty) of life expectancy. However, there are further problems in terms of knowledge and understanding of pensions, particularly in the UK. ‘On the microeconomic side, the advantages of consumer sovereignty are predicated on well-informed consumers, a very strong assumption in the case of pensions. Individuals are imperfectly informed, first, because of uncertainty about the future—individuals are not well-informed because nobody is well-informed. Second, they are imperfectly informed in the face of risk (Barr Diamond, 2006, 20). This second problem is particularly acute in the case of the UK. As the DWP (2006, 12) outlines, ‘[a] long-standing feature of the UK pensions system has been its complexity, which can confuse both employers and individuals trying to make the best financial decisions for the long term.’ Hills (2006, 123) confirms this point, and elaborates on it: ‘The UK pension system is—perhaps understandably—poorly understood, and that understanding has if anything declined in recent years: in 2000, only 53 per cent of the population reported at least a ‘reasonable, basic’ knowledge of pensions, but by 2005 this has fallen to 47 per cent. At the same time, levels of trust in pension providers and financial products are low. Even if people do realize that their pension will be inadequate, this combination makes it very hard for them to make a plan to do something about it.’ In addition to high levels of confusion about the pension system in the U K, there is relatively high freedom for the individual to decide how and how much to save for retirement. Banks et al (2002, 16) explain that ‘[t]he UK pension system allows individuals a great deal of choice over how much they save for their retirement and in which form they save.’ The DWP (2006, 6) claims that it is ‘helping people to make better informed choices about their retirement, introducing a range of pension forecasts to give individuals an understanding of the income they are likely to receive in retirement. Since their introduction, the Government has issued just over 20 million of these forecasts and we are developing web-based retirement planning services.’ These measures may not, however, be sufficient to guide individuals through what remains a complicated system. Considering the government also seeks to place the responsibility for pension decisions firmly with the individual[2], it is likely that more needs to be done to increase public knowledge and understanding of saving for retirement. Blake (2000, 233), for example, does not view such measures as sufficient. ‘The fact that membership of pension schemes at the second pillar remains voluntary is highly worrying for reasons of myopia and moral hazard. Compulsory contributi ons are seen as one way of dealing with individual myopia and the problem of moral hazard. Myopia arises because individuals do not recognise the need to make adequate provision for retirement when they are young, but regret this when they are old, by which time it is too late to do anything about it. Moral hazard arises when individuals deliberately avoid saving for retirement when they are young because they know the state will feel obliged not to let them live in dire poverty in retirement.’ In the next section, the problem of the lack of private savings will be considered in more detail. Lack of private savings Relative to many other countries, there is a lack of private saving in the UK. As the DWP (2006, 11) explains, ‘[r]etirement undersaving has arisen for a variety of reasons: because individuals have not trusted private pensions, because suitable savings vehicles have not been available to them, and because, in the face of a historically complex pensions system, financial short-sightedness and inertia have left inaction as the default option.’ This demonstrates the interrelationship between public knowledge of pensions and retirement income and levels of saving (eithrer through pensions or otherwise). This point is reiterated by Davis (2004, 22) who claims that ‘[s]urveys suggest there is a major underestimation of saving needs for retirement – and most individuals focus on pensions only 10 years ahead of retirement†¦ The saving problem may partly be linked to poor information.’ Clearly a lack of easily accessible and comprehensible information ha s contributed to the low levels of private savings in the UK. However, there are also other reasons. In addition to understanding how the system works, it is necessary that individuals are presented with the right incentives to encourage private saving. Davis (2004, 4)explains that ‘essential background for evaluating private pensions is provided by the structure of social security pensions. As in all countries, the scope for developing funded private pensions in the UK is conditional on the nature of compulsory, pay-as-you-go social security pension provisions. Broadly speaking, the development of social security in the UK has been favourable to private schemes, particularly as a consequence of the rather limited scope of social security on offer and the ability of employees to opt out of earnings-related social security pensions.’ However, in practice, low levels of private saving suggest that such incentives have not been sufficient. In addition, there are various disincentives to save for retirement and, indeed, there are disincentives for financial advisors to provide advice on retirement savings to those with low incomes. This is due to the risk that by the time they retire, their savings will disqualify them from certain means tested benefits to which they would otherwise have been entitled. Davis (2004, 10) argues that in the UK ‘[a] systemic incentive problem is that income support has a non-pension income test, such that benefits are withdrawn when incomes accrue, which discourages saving by low-income workers, and may also discourage membership of pension schemes.’ In a similar vein, the Economist (2005) argues that ‘[m]uch of the blame lies with the pension credit, one of Labours pet policies, which is damaging the incentive to save. By 2025, almost two-thirds of pensioners will be eligible for this means-tested payment, which tops up the meagre basic state pension. Since it is withdrawn at a rate of 40%, they will thus in effect be liable to the top rate of income tax on their savings income.’ In order to combat the low levels of saving in the UK, the government has developed various initiatives to promote and encourage saving. According to the DWP (2006, 15), they are going to ‘[i]ntroduce low-cost personal accounts to give those without access to occupational pension schemes the opportunity to save. People will be automatically enrolled into either their employer’s scheme or a new personal account, with the freedom to opt out. Employers will make minimum matching contributions.’ By creating a scheme into which people are automatically enrolled unless they opt out, this is likely to impact on private savings since, as Hills (2006, 123) explains, ‘[s]avings behaviour does not follow the optimizing pattern predicted by some economic models. Instead people procrastinate about difficult financial decisions and display considerable inertia. Interestingly, it appears that membership of otherwise identical pension schemes in terms of incentives such as employer contributions is much higher when people are automatically enrolled into them, with the right to opt out, than when they have to make a conscious decision to opt in.’ The closure of defined benefit schemes Traditionally, the UK has had a high level of private pensions as the state pension was meager and most employers offered DB occupational pensions. In recent years, however, most DB schemes (at least for private sector employees) have been closed to new entrants. This can be seen as a result of two key factors: increasing longevity and, more recently, the poor performance of the stock market. According to the DWP (2006, 10), ‘[s]ince the 1970s, employers have been retreating from occupational pensions as rapid increases in life expectancy and then the end of the high equity market in the late 1990s pushed costs higher than had been anticipated when occupational pension schemes were designed. This trend has continued, with 2 million fewer members of open private sector occupational pension schemes in 2004 than in 2000.’ The relatively poor performance of the equity market has certainly had a major impact on the nature of occupational pensions since funded pension schemes in the UK have traditional relied very heavily on investment in the stock market. The Economist (2002), for example, claims that ‘Britains pension funds have punted heavily on equities for many years. That strategy has paid off handsomely, but it does expose them to greater risk in the short term than more cautious strategies which put more money into less volatile bonds. The bear stockmarket of the past two years has hit pension funds hard and brought home to companies the investment risk that they are shouldering. At the same time they have become more aware of the risk of rising life expectancy at older ages, which increases the cost of a defined-benefit promise.’ These two issues combined have led to the closure of many schemes, and by the end of 2002, many schemes were running with large deficits (Davis, 2004, 12). The closure of so many DB schemes is deemed to be a contributing factor to the pensions crisis for two main reasons. The first is that the alternative – usually an occupational DC schemes – is considered more risky for individuals. The second is that there is generally a lower take up of DC pensions as compared with DB schemes. Thus, in effect, the switch to DC schemes is discouraging saving. Each of these two reasons will now be examined in turn. As Barr (2006, 2) explains, ‘[i]n a DB scheme, often run at the firm or industry level, the pension a person receives depends on his or her wage history and on length of service. One feature of this arrangement is that the risk of differential pension portfolio performance falls on the employer, and hence is shared more broadly than with DC arrangements. Second, the pension a worker gets is not fully actuarially related to his or her previous contributions.’ However, it can be deomnstrated that DC schemes actually tend to be more beneficial for employees who change employers several times over the course of their career (since such employees are effectively punished for each switch of employer in the DB system). Since most individuals these days do change employer at least a few times, this provides a strong argument for the case that a DC pension can be at least as good as a DB pension. Turning to the second reason, there is indeed evidence to suggest that individuals take up DC pensions at a lower rate than DB pensions. According to the Economist (2005), ‘[w]hen companies close their DB schemes, they typically offer a defined-contribution plan, in which employees build up their own pot of pension money. However, contribution rates into these DC plans tend to be much lower. According to the GAD [Government Actuary’s Department] survey, the total contribution rate from employers and employees into DC schemes is 8.9% of earnings compared with 18.8% into the private DB schemes.â⠂¬â„¢ This problem again relates back to the problem of lack of public knowledge and understanding of pensions. If DC pensions can be shown to be at least as good as DB pensions for the majority of employees, and yet the take up rate is lower, there must be a problem of information or incentives. In order to combat the so-called ‘problem’ of the closure of DB schemes, therefore, it may be more important to improve information about, and incentives to take out, DC pensions, rather than to try to resurrect the system of DB pensions. In the words of the Economist (2002), ‘[t]he way forward is not to lament the demise of final-salary schemes but to make DC plans work.’ Conclusion At the heart of the UK pensions crisis are two issues which work together to cause a crisis. With an ageing population, the dependency ratio increases to the extent that it is not possible to rely on PAYG schemes. At the same time, the level of savings within the UK is too low for the retired population to be able to rely on funded pensions. The low level of savings can be seen as caused by a number of factors, including a lack of clarity and information on pension requirements and choices, a lack of trust in the financial services sector and the information it provides, as well as certain disincentives which discourage individuals, particularly in the low income sector, from saving. The closure of DB schemes has interacted with the poor information and lack of trust to discourage certain people (who would previously have enrolled in a DB scheme) from enrolling in the DC alternative. All of these problems are interrelated and it is the combination of them that can be seen as causing the UK pension crisis. In the words of Davis (2004, 22), ‘the savings gap is aggravated by †¦ the deficits and closure of defined benefit funds, loss of confidence in personal pensions and also in life insurance generally following mis-selling of personal pensions.’ As such, it is a combination of policies that is required to tackle these problems. Bibliography Banks, J., Blundell, R., Disney, R., Emmerson, C. (2002). Retirement, Pensions and the Adequacy of Saving: A Guide to the Debate. London: Institute for Fiscal Studies. Barr, M., Diamond, P. (2006). The Economics of Pensions. Oxford Review of Economic Policy , 22 (1), 15-39. Barr, N. (2006). Pensionse: Overview of the Issues. Oxfor Review of Economic Policy , 22 (1), 1-14. Blake, D. (2000). Two decades of pension reform in the UK: What are the implications for occupational pension schemes? Employee Relations , 22 (3), 223-245. Davis, E. P. (2004). Is there a Pension Crisis in the UK? London: The Pensions Institute, Cass Business School. DWP. (2006). Security in retirement: towards a new pensions system Executive Summary. London: Department for Work and Pensions. Economist. (2002, February 22). End of the party: How bad for employees is the decline in final-salary pensions? The Economist . Economist. (2005, June 23). Pension reform: The shape of things to come. The Economist . Hills, J. (2006). A New Pension Settlement for the Twenty-First Century? The UK Pensions Commissions Analysis and Proposals. Oxford Review of Economic Policy , 22 (1), 114-133. Mullan, P. (2002). The Imaginary Time Bomb: Why an Ageing Population is not a Social Problem. London: I B Tauris. Footnotes [1] While discussion of the UK ‘pension crisis’ is very common, it is worth bearing in mind that the current situation is not unanimously viewed as a crisis. Barr (2006), for example, argues that a problem exists but not a crisis. Mullan (2002) does not even consider it to be a problem. [2] â€Å"We need to be clear that individuals must be responsible for their own plans for retirement. The reforms will ensure the provision of high-quality savings vehicles, and a solid state foundation to private savings. But the choice of how much to save, the level of risk to take with investments, and how long to work must be available to the individual. That provides the right balance of choice and support for individual responsibility.† (DWP, 2006, 22)

Parkinsons Disease Essay -- Disorders Illnesses Papers

Parkinson's Disease In 1817, James Parkinson published his famous treatise: "An Essay on the Shaking Palsy," describing the symptoms which now collectively bear his name. Although many scientists before his time had described various aspects of motor dysfunction (ataxia, paralysis, tremor) Parkinson was the first to collect them into a common syndrome; one which he believed formed a distinctive condition. His sixty-six page essay contained five chapters describing symptoms, differential diagnoses, causality, possible treatments, and prospects for future study. What is most intriguing concerning Parkinson’s analysis (besides its consistent accuracy) is the fact that his clinical observations and inferences were made by watching the movements of six elderly males at a distance along the streets of London. The symptoms seen in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) are of two distinct types: (1) a degeneration of normal actions and movements coupled with; (2) the appearance of abnormal-type behaviors. Positive symptoms are those behaviors not usually seen in normal people; since they occur often in patients with PD, they are thought to be mechanistically inhibited by normal physiological systems. However, when these systems degenerate or become damaged, they are released and abnormal behavior is the result. The main abnormalities seen in Parkinsonian patients are resting tremor, muscular rigidity, and anesthesia. Resting tremors occur while the patient is motionless; the symptoms disappear during activity or when the patient is asleep. They most often encompass alternating movements of the limbs, hands and head; for instance, one diagnostic tremor known as "pill-rolling," consists of repetitive rolling motions of the forefinger past the... ... neurotoxin, 1-methyl--1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-pyridine. Life Science, 1985, 36:2503-2508. Neurochemistry. 1986, 46: 1501-1507. 8. Schapira, A. H. V. et. al. Mitochondrial complex I deficiency in Parkinson’s disease. J. of Neurochemistry. 1990, 54: 823-827. 9. Wachtel, H. Antiparkinsonian dopamine agonists: a review of the pharmacokinetics and neuropharmacology in animals and humans. J. of Neural Transmission. 1991, 3: 151-201. 10. Mercuri, N. B. et. al. Physiology and pharmacology of dopamine D2-receptors: their implications in dopamine--substitute therapy for Parkinson’s disease. Neurology. 1989, 39:1106-1108. 11. Riederer, P. Konradi, C. Youdim, M. B. H. The role of MAO in dopaminergic transmission. pp. 149-153. In: M. B. Streifler, ed. Advances in Neurology, Vol. 53: Parkinson’s Disease: Anatomy, Pathology, and Therapy. New York, Raven Press, 1990. Parkinson's Disease Essay -- Disorders Illnesses Papers Parkinson's Disease In 1817, James Parkinson published his famous treatise: "An Essay on the Shaking Palsy," describing the symptoms which now collectively bear his name. Although many scientists before his time had described various aspects of motor dysfunction (ataxia, paralysis, tremor) Parkinson was the first to collect them into a common syndrome; one which he believed formed a distinctive condition. His sixty-six page essay contained five chapters describing symptoms, differential diagnoses, causality, possible treatments, and prospects for future study. What is most intriguing concerning Parkinson’s analysis (besides its consistent accuracy) is the fact that his clinical observations and inferences were made by watching the movements of six elderly males at a distance along the streets of London. The symptoms seen in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) are of two distinct types: (1) a degeneration of normal actions and movements coupled with; (2) the appearance of abnormal-type behaviors. Positive symptoms are those behaviors not usually seen in normal people; since they occur often in patients with PD, they are thought to be mechanistically inhibited by normal physiological systems. However, when these systems degenerate or become damaged, they are released and abnormal behavior is the result. The main abnormalities seen in Parkinsonian patients are resting tremor, muscular rigidity, and anesthesia. Resting tremors occur while the patient is motionless; the symptoms disappear during activity or when the patient is asleep. They most often encompass alternating movements of the limbs, hands and head; for instance, one diagnostic tremor known as "pill-rolling," consists of repetitive rolling motions of the forefinger past the... ... neurotoxin, 1-methyl--1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-pyridine. Life Science, 1985, 36:2503-2508. Neurochemistry. 1986, 46: 1501-1507. 8. Schapira, A. H. V. et. al. Mitochondrial complex I deficiency in Parkinson’s disease. J. of Neurochemistry. 1990, 54: 823-827. 9. Wachtel, H. Antiparkinsonian dopamine agonists: a review of the pharmacokinetics and neuropharmacology in animals and humans. J. of Neural Transmission. 1991, 3: 151-201. 10. Mercuri, N. B. et. al. Physiology and pharmacology of dopamine D2-receptors: their implications in dopamine--substitute therapy for Parkinson’s disease. Neurology. 1989, 39:1106-1108. 11. Riederer, P. Konradi, C. Youdim, M. B. H. The role of MAO in dopaminergic transmission. pp. 149-153. In: M. B. Streifler, ed. Advances in Neurology, Vol. 53: Parkinson’s Disease: Anatomy, Pathology, and Therapy. New York, Raven Press, 1990.

Respecting Teenagers Will Deter Conflict Essay -- Argumentative Persua

Respecting Teenagers Will Deter Conflict TEENAGERS ARE KNOWN FOR their bizarre mood swings, questioning minds and incessant energy. These traits mixed in with a parent's habit of denying a teen's request without a justification are common causes for many of the conflict between parents and teenagers. This occurs because in childhood "no" is accepted without question--a child is not mature enough, in many cases to question, but that is not in a teen's nature. They are no longer children and should not be treated as such. It is wrong for parents to say "no" without any reason. In doing this they are inciting a teen's anger and encouraging rebellion, therefore causing conflicts that disrupt the peace in a house hold. For example, a classic fight between parents and their teens can be...

How Sainsburys Has Used Performance Management to Increase their Qualit

How Sainsburys Has Used Performance Management to Increase their Quality of Service   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This report will show how Sainsburys have used performance management to increase their ability to provide a quality service and gain a competitive advantage, it will also show how systems have been implemented to achieve this and what Sainsburys have changed in recent years to achieve the competitive advantage it was looking for, The main area Sainsburys have changed is there Supply chain which had a cost gap of around  £60 million. It will also look at how the operations functions carried out by Sainsburys can be linked in with other areas of the business like Finance, Human Resource Management and Marketing. The main contents of this report will be based on the theory about performance management; it will start with a section explaining what the theory is and how it is generally applied in business. It will also contain my own experiences and insight into how operations have had an effect from my own viewpoint. It will have a conclusion on how I believe my ex periences of operations management has helped me and or hindered Sainsburys. There will also be a report conclusion showing how I think Sainsburys operations strategies have evolved over time. Theory   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This section will be looking at the theory which will be applied to Sainsburys and how it can be applied in this way. The main theories I will be looking at will be Capacity management, Open Systems, Quality Management, Performance Management and how Socio-technical Systems can be implemented into Sainsburys business. Capacity Management The meaning of capacity itself is being the ability to produce work in a given time, must be measured in the unit of work. There are three main types of Capacity management when looked at through operations. These are †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Potential Capacity The capacity that can be made available to influence the planning of senior management (e.g. in helping them to make decisions about overall business growth, investment etc). This is essentially a long-term decision that does not influence day-to-day production management †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Immediate Capacity The amount of production capacity that can be made available in the short-term. This is the maximum potential capacity - assuming that it is used productively †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Effective Capacity An important concept. Not all produc... ...y chain transformation, â€Å"the biggest project of its kind in Europe and one of the largest in the world†, was still out. A newspaper commentary summarized the concerns: â€Å"The UK’s number two is meeting turnaround targets set by Sir Peter Davis, CEO, two years ago. But the complexity of Sainsbury’s regimen means its healthy overall financial appearance could disguise selective bingeing. Growth has still lagged behind that of market leader Tesco, and Tesco has a lower investment as a percentage of sales. Sainsbury is recovering from a disastrous patch in the late 1990s. It is on target to achieve the  £700 million of cost savings promised by 2004, and margins seem to be creeping slowly towards its targeted 5.5%. But it can hide behind its cost savings while it buys time to demonstrate that improvements in the brand and supply chain will have a sustainable impact on its competitive position. They might. But investors need stronger sales momentum to give them comfort, especially as the market becomes more difficult and competitors such as ASDA continue to outperform. Until Sainsbury’s shows it is building up muscle - not just shedding fat - fitter rival Tesco deserves its 15% premium.† How Sainsburys Has Used Performance Management to Increase their Qualit How Sainsburys Has Used Performance Management to Increase their Quality of Service   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This report will show how Sainsburys have used performance management to increase their ability to provide a quality service and gain a competitive advantage, it will also show how systems have been implemented to achieve this and what Sainsburys have changed in recent years to achieve the competitive advantage it was looking for, The main area Sainsburys have changed is there Supply chain which had a cost gap of around  £60 million. It will also look at how the operations functions carried out by Sainsburys can be linked in with other areas of the business like Finance, Human Resource Management and Marketing. The main contents of this report will be based on the theory about performance management; it will start with a section explaining what the theory is and how it is generally applied in business. It will also contain my own experiences and insight into how operations have had an effect from my own viewpoint. It will have a conclusion on how I believe my ex periences of operations management has helped me and or hindered Sainsburys. There will also be a report conclusion showing how I think Sainsburys operations strategies have evolved over time. Theory   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This section will be looking at the theory which will be applied to Sainsburys and how it can be applied in this way. The main theories I will be looking at will be Capacity management, Open Systems, Quality Management, Performance Management and how Socio-technical Systems can be implemented into Sainsburys business. Capacity Management The meaning of capacity itself is being the ability to produce work in a given time, must be measured in the unit of work. There are three main types of Capacity management when looked at through operations. These are †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Potential Capacity The capacity that can be made available to influence the planning of senior management (e.g. in helping them to make decisions about overall business growth, investment etc). This is essentially a long-term decision that does not influence day-to-day production management †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Immediate Capacity The amount of production capacity that can be made available in the short-term. This is the maximum potential capacity - assuming that it is used productively †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Effective Capacity An important concept. Not all produc... ...y chain transformation, â€Å"the biggest project of its kind in Europe and one of the largest in the world†, was still out. A newspaper commentary summarized the concerns: â€Å"The UK’s number two is meeting turnaround targets set by Sir Peter Davis, CEO, two years ago. But the complexity of Sainsbury’s regimen means its healthy overall financial appearance could disguise selective bingeing. Growth has still lagged behind that of market leader Tesco, and Tesco has a lower investment as a percentage of sales. Sainsbury is recovering from a disastrous patch in the late 1990s. It is on target to achieve the  £700 million of cost savings promised by 2004, and margins seem to be creeping slowly towards its targeted 5.5%. But it can hide behind its cost savings while it buys time to demonstrate that improvements in the brand and supply chain will have a sustainable impact on its competitive position. They might. But investors need stronger sales momentum to give them comfort, especially as the market becomes more difficult and competitors such as ASDA continue to outperform. Until Sainsbury’s shows it is building up muscle - not just shedding fat - fitter rival Tesco deserves its 15% premium.†

Network Hardening Essay

Network Hardening Network Layout 4 : VPN (Remote Access Domain) – Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) with VPN software and Secure Socket Layer/VPN (SSL/VPN) tunnels A Virtual Private Network or VPN enables a computer or network-enabled device to send and receive data through shared or public networks as if it were directly connected to the private network, while it’s benefiting from the functionality, security and management policies of the private network. It was created to establish a virtual pint-to-point connection through the using of dedicated connections, virtual tunneling protocols or traffic encryptions. Three Strategies for hardening the network environment 1 Firewall Friendly VPN The increase demands of e-business come with a compelling requirement for data security. Virtual Private Network with IP Security Architecture (IPsec VPN) meets this requirement by providing end-to end encryption and authentication at the IPlayer and protecting confidential data that flows over possibly untrustworthy networks. IPsec has the advantage of a wide scope of coverage and agile granularity of protection; however, incompatibilities exist between IPsec VPN and the Network Address Translation (NAT) that firewalls use. 2 Security policy enforcement: Means of enforcement of security policy should be a primary consideration throughout the research, test and implementation phases of any security technology. Careful research, review of manufacturer’s documentation, questions presented to vendors and manufacturers, and testing of the technology can serve to meet this criteria. Without a method of enforcement, effectiveness of security policy is questionable at best. While audit trails, hardware analysis and security logs should be reviewed regularly; it is a time-intensive process and this alone alerts the administrator to violations and security threats after they have occurred. Without a means of  enforcement, the administrator is risking the security of the VPN by relying upon the remote VPN users to voluntarily comply with policy. As the secure network perimeter is being extended to encompass the VPN client, security policy must be enforced in ‘real-time’ to protect the integrity of both the VPN client and t he network. Having addressed security policy issues that require the VPN client to have antivirus software installed and using the latest update; policy also requires a properly configured personal firewall to be running on the client PC or Laptop, and requires a time limit on inactive VPN sessions. How is this to be made obligatory, and remove the responsibility from the VPN user to voluntarily comply with policy? The answer is as stated above – by defining the need and carefully researching solutions available to fulfill this need. The VPN Concentrator, a managed antivirus package, will fulfill the dictated requirements. 3 Web content filtering: Filtering incoming and outgoing traffic, using signatures, reputation ratings and other heuristics. Whitelist allowed types of web content, preferably blocking all executable content by default and use a process to enable individual selected access if a business justification exists. †¢ Preferably disallow ActiveX, Java, Flash Player, HTML inline frames and JavaScript except for whitelisted web sites. †¢ Preferably use a solution that can similarly inspect SSL traffic for malicious content, especially SSL communications with unfamiliar web sites. †¢ Preferably use technology that automatically opens downloaded files in a sandbox to detect anomalous behavior such as network traffic or changes to the file system or registry. †¢ Preferably, since this approach is more proactive and thorough than blacklisting a tiny percentage of malicious domains. †¢ An example implementation is available at http://whitetrash.sourceforge.net Reference www.computer.howstuffworks.com/vpn.htm www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network www.iprodeveloper.com www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs www.cisco.com/web/about/security/intelligence/firewall-best-practices.html

Hospitality Management

Level 1 Foundation Diploma in Hospitality Unit 2 Why the hospitality industry is important Guided Learning Hours: 30 (25 for teaching and learning activities, 5 for assessment activities) Unit aims The wider hospitality industry and the seven industries within it, provide a stimulating and challenging world for you to study and work in. Through this unit, you will learn how the everyday lives of people are affected by the important contribution the hospitality industry makes to the UK economy and the local community you live in.You will discover how the world of tourism can affect the hospitality industry, as well as the impact that factors such as major events or natural disasters can have. This unit will include plenty of opportunities for you to visit real hospitality establishments and businesses to build your knowledge and understanding of the industry. During these visits and other learning opportunities, you will also have an opportunity to talk to industry specialists about t he hospitality industry and the jobs they do within it. Assessment Method This unit is internally assessed.The assessment for this unit involves planning and reviewing activities to demonstrate the learner’s knowledge and skills. Learners will be expected to take responsibility for their own role and adapt behaviour accordingly. For further information about the requirements for this unit, including controls teachers must refer to the ‘Internal Assessment Specification’. EDI have produced sample assessment material to further specify the requirements for centres. 1 Learning Outcome Learners will: 1 Understand the importance of the hospitality industry Assessment CriteriaTaught Content Learners can: 1. 1 Describe the levels of hospitality revenue and employment locally and nationally. 1. 2 Compare the importance of different hospitality establishments to the local community. 1. 3 Describe job roles in the local area which are based in the hospitality industry Lear ners need to develop understanding of the levels of revenue and employment generated by the hospitality industry on a local and national basis. This will include recognition that the level of employment opportunities reflects the growth of the hospitality industry.Furthermore, they develop their knowledge of how income from these jobs contributes to the economy by feeding back into businesses, for example: by providing jobs (front of house, such as; waiters, bar staff, event managers, receptionists and cruise line pursers and back of house, such as; chefs, maintenance, finance, marketing, human resources) by bringing visitors to the area (eg a local hotel targeting the business and conference market or a major sporting event bringing supporters from other areas) This should build on learners’ knowledge of the wider hospitality industry developed in unit 1, including the range of hospitality industries and the businesses within them. As well as contributing to the local econom y, the hospitality industry is important to communities in various ways.Learners need to be able to compare the importance of different hospitality establishments to the local community considering, for example, the importance of: providing venues for local people and visitors in the area to meet sourcing food and beverages through local providers supporting issues of local importance, such as developing tourism packages to support a local wildlife or hiking centre, sponsoring local clubs and societies supporting local schools by giving talks about hospitality and how it contributes to the local economy and community Learners need to explore and develop their understanding of real job roles that are undertaken in the local community across the range of hospitality industries. Additionally they should develop understanding of the earnings and rewards that the industry can offer including career progression and the chance to travel, both nationally and internationally. 2 Learning outc ome Learners will: 2 Know about the factors which impact on the hospitality industry. Assessment Criteria Taught Content Learners can: 2. 1 Describe the effect of tourism on hospitality in the local area. 2. 2 Identify the factors impacting on the local and UK hospitality industry.Learners need to develop understanding of how the local hospitality industry can be affected by the tourism industry and its component parts including: visitor attractions – eg cultural and heritage sites, museums and galleries, theme parks, national parks, sporting venues, gardens, wildlife parks and zoos entertainment – eg sporting events, concerts, theatres, outdoor festivals facilities – eg transport (air/coach/train/taxi operators and associated terminals), Tourist Information Centres, travel agents and tour operators Learners should develop knowledge of how other factors affect both the local and national hospitality industry, for example: natural disasters – foreign touri sts are reluctant to visit those areas affected transport links interrupted – flights delayed by poor weather causes guests to arrive late increase in demand for hotel rooms when major events are held locally the threat of terrorism in different countries and locations A range of examples are included in this unit, however, this is not an exhaustive list and centres can use additional examples where appropriate. 3 Learning Outcome Learners will: 3 Be able to find out about hospitality in the local area Assessment Criteria Taught Content Learners can: 3. 1 Use sources of information to answer questions. Learners need to develop their skills in finding out about hospitality in the local area.Much of this can be investigative, including surveys of the area, visits to establishments and using the internet to explore websites. Other sources of information can include newspapers and magazines, local tourist information, libraries, trade and national press and publications, or profe ssional associations such as People 1st – the Sector Skills Council for Hospitality. The information collected should build a picture of the local hospitality industry, including the range of industries that make it up, the services and products it offers and the range of job opportunities it can offer. 4 Foundation Diploma in Hospitality Unit 2 Why the hospitality industry is importantAt each level, the three bands indicate the differences in learner achievement. Assessors should use the information in the table to decide which mark band best describes a learner’s work, then, refer to the guidance to determine whether to place the mark at the top or bottom of the mark band. A compensatory system operates, where an item missing from one band can be compensated by work fulfilling the criteria for a higher band. Band 3 The learner Band 2 The learner Band 1 The learner Total Learning Outcome 1 Understand the importance of the hospitality industry. Describes points to show some levels of revenue and employment locally and nationally.Compares some points showing the importance of some hospitality establishments to the local community. Describes points about some general job roles in the local area which are based in the hospitality industry. Describes accurately the levels of revenue and employment locally and nationally. Compares the importance of some hospitality establishments to some specific members of the local community. Describes some specific job roles in the local area which are based in the hospitality industry. Describes in accurate detail the levels of revenue and employment locally and nationally. Compares the importance of a range of hospitality establishments to a range of specific members of the local community.Describes in detail a range of specific job roles in the local area which are based in the hospitality industry. 10 0-4 marks 5-7 marks 8-10 marks 5 Learning Outcome 2 Know about the factors which impact on the hospitality indu stry. Describes points to show how tourism affects hospitality in the local area. Describes some significant ways that tourism affects the hospitality industry in the local area. Describes a range of significant ways that tourism affects the hospitality industry in the local area. Identifies a range of significant factors that impact on the local and UK hospitality industry. 8-10 marks Uses a range of sources of information appropriately to answer some questions independently. 10 10Identifies some general factors which impact on the local and UK hospitality industry. 0-4 marks Identifies some significant factors that impact on the local and UK hospitality industry. 5-7 marks Uses some sources of information appropriately to answer some questions with limited support. Learning Outcome 3 Be able to find out about hospitality in the local area Uses some sources of information to answer some questions with support. 0-4 marks Totals 12 9 5-7 marks 9 8-10 marks 30 6 Guidance for Centres D evelopment Opportunities Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills EDI has embedded Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) in specific assessment criteria within this unit.This is to ensure learners have the opportunity to develop these generic skills and competences within the context of learning experiences specifically related to the importance of the wider hospitality industry and the seven hospitality industries (hotels; restaurants; pubs, bars and nightclubs; contract food service providers; hospitality services; membership clubs and events) that it comprises. The identification and application of specific PLTS within individual learning outcomes and assessment criteria also allow learners to plan and review their personal achievement and development. There are further opportunities for a range of PLTS to be developed through the teaching and delivery of this unit. The following sections highlight some of these additional opportunities for PLTS development and provide guid ance for how these development opportunities can be implemented.Further information about PLTS and their application within the principal learning for the Diploma in Hospitality can be found in the guidance document. Assessed PLTS The following PLTS are assessed as part of the requirements of individual learning outcomes and assessment criteria and it is therefore necessary that they are delivered as part of the taught content. Independent enquirers (IE2) The outcome statement for this particular PLTS, as identified within AC3. 1, requires young people to â€Å"plan and carry out research, appreciating the consequences of decisions†. In learning outcome 3, this is in relation to learners’ ability to use sources of information about hospitality.This particular assessment criterion assesses learners’ ability to research hospitality in the local area. Centres need to provide opportunities for learners to use an appropriate range of research methods and sources, for example to investigate the range of industries represented in the wider hospitality industry, or the range of job roles, including those that the learners themselves might wish to pursue. Developed PLTS There are a range of PLTS which can be developed through the teaching and delivery of this unit. Learners will have opportunities to develop their understanding of the importance of the wider hospitality industry during visits to local establishments and opportunities to talk to people who work in the industry.Therefore there are likely to be a wide range of opportunities to develop Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills. Some opportunities for PLTS development are highlighted below, although the examples listed do not form an exhaustive list. 7 Independent enquirers (IE1, 4, 6) This unit builds on Unit 1 and will frequently use a similar method of delivery (eg visits to industry). Centres can use these to help learners to develop their ability to identify questions to answer and pr oblems to solve (IE1), for example asking questions of industry professionals as they research the levels of hospitality revenue and employment locally and nationally (LO1, AC1. 1).Centres can use this same assessment criterion to provide learners with opportunities to analyse and evaluate the information on revenue and employment they have found, judging its relevance and value (IE4). Learners will need to present their evidence and centres can help them to understand the importance of and build their ability to support their conclusions, using reasoned arguments and evidence (IE6). Creative thinkers (CT1, 4, 6) Centres need to provide learners with opportunities to generate ideas and develop creative layouts (CT1) for presentations about their work, for example by preparing a display of their findings about job roles in the local area which are based in the hospitality industry (LO1 AC1. ), or how tourism affects the wider hospitality industry in the local area (LO2 AC2. 1). Centr es can also encourage learners to ask questions to develop their thinking, particularly during visits to local establishments and presentations by local employers, for example on the importance of different establishments to the local community (LO1 AC1. 2). Discussion groups following such visits or presentations are ideal vehicles for learners to develop the skills of questioning their own and others’ assumptions (CT4), particularly when working in new areas of knowledge and understanding such as comparing the importance of different hospitality establishments to the local community (LO1, AC1. 2).Learners will benefit from teachers’ feedback and may need to adapt their ideas about the industry (CT6) as their broader knowledge develops. Reflective learners (RL2, 3, 5, 6) Centres need to provide learners with opportunities to set goals (RL2) with success criteria for their development and work. This can be achieved, for example, by setting a goal in relation to develop ment of their knowledge of the effect of local tourism (LO2 AC2. 1), such as a time frame for finding information or a format for presenting their findings. Using this same assessment criterion as an example, learners can benefit from reviewing their progress (RL3) through interim feedback from the teacher and acting on this to improve their knowledge and understanding of specific issues.This same approach (interim feedback) can also be used to develop the ability to evaluate their experiences and learning about the effect of local tourism in a way that informs their ongoing work (RL5). Presenting their findings to a group would use similar communications skills to those used during the feedback sessions, but learners can develop the ability to recognise their peers as a different audience and communicate their learning in a relevant way (RL6). Team workers (TW1) As with other units and areas of work, working in small groups can develop useful teamworking skills. Dividing learners i nto small groups each with a focus on a different 8 rea of work – for example identifying the factors impacting on the local and UK hospitality industry, where different groups can focus on the range of hospitality industries – will help learners develop skills to collaborate with others and work towards common group goals (TW1). Self managers (SM2, 3, 6) Centres need to provide learners with opportunities to work towards goals, showing initiative, commitment and perseverance (SM2), for example when comparing the importance of different hospitality establishments to the local community (LO1, AC1. 1), which for some learners could be a challenging task. Learners can take this forward, focusing on their ability to plan and manage their own activities (SM3), for example developing a plan that organises their time to help them research the importance of different hospitality establishments to the local community and presenting their findings to a group of other learners.Op portunities to develop their skills on responding positively to change, seeking advice and support when needed (SM6) can be geared to change in the industry itself, for example when considering factors that impact on the local and UK hospitality industry (LO2, AC2. 2). Effective participators (EP1, 5) Centres can use this unit as an opportunity for learners to discuss issues of concern, seeking resolution where needed (EP1). This can be applied, for example, when identifying the factors impacting on the local and UK hospitality industry (LO2, AC2. 2), where learners may need clarification and support on their findings. Centres can use the same opportunity to develop learners’ ability to influence others, negotiating and balancing diverse views to reach workable solutions (EP5).For example, they can consider the implications of a particular factor and how this may affect different stakeholders, as well as the hospitality industry. 9 Functional Skills Learners at this level mus t achieve ‘mastery’ in the functional skills of English, ICT and Maths at Level 1. ‘Mastery’ means that the learners are able to apply their skills in English, ICT and Maths at that level, in any situation related to living and working. Each functional skill has a separate, externally set and marked summative assessment. However, if learners are to acquire ‘mastery’ of the functional skills, it is preferable for them to be provided with integrated learning opportunities in which to emonstrate application of all 3 functional skills. In providing such opportunities, teachers will find it relatively easy to integrate English and some sections of ICT into projects, but integrating the functional skill of Maths will require more thought. However, prior to embarking on full projects, learners will need to practise demonstrating competence in applying functional skills during simple classroom exercises. Teachers should focus on the right hand column o f the standards for the functional skills of Maths and English to ensure that learners achieve full coverage of the standards, ie ‘mastery’, and to ensure that they are prepared for the external summative assessment.With regard to ICT, however, the middle and right hand columns need to be covered. Suggested activity The activity below is an example of an activity which shows how functional skills can be developed through the delivery of this unit. There is no requirement for learners to complete the activity highlighted below and teachers may prefer to deliver the learning outcomes within this unit through other delivery strategies. However, teachers should refer to the following example as a specification for how functional skills can be addressed through delivery activities. Further information about how the unit may be delivered can be found in the delivery strategies section of this unit specification.Using the idea of mock interviews, learners should be invited to apply for a job in one of the seven hospitality industries (hotels; restaurants; pubs, bars and nightclubs; contract food service providers; hospitality services; membership clubs; events), which they should agree with their teacher as part of the preparation for this activity. (The job role should be one that interests them and reflects their skills and attributes. ) Activity Learners are required to: Look at their personal outgoings and identify the level of salary they require. They should then research the type of organisation in which they would like a job. Functional skills addressed ICTU1. 1, 1. 2, 1. 3, 1. 4, 1. 5; 2. 1, 3. 1, 3. 2, 4. 2, ICTFS1. , 2. 1, 2. 2, 2. 3 ER1. 1, 1. 2, 1. 3 M1. 1, 1. 2, 1. 4, 1. 8, 1. 9, 1. 12, 1. 13, 1. 15. 1. 16 10 Complete an application form for the job Prepare a CV A personal profile giving their reasons for wanting to join that organisation and listing their strengths/weaknesses etc Take part in mock interview ICTD1. 1, 1. 2, 1. 3, 2. 1. 3. 1 , 3. 2, 4. 2 ER1. 1, 1. 2, 1. 3 EW1. 1, 1. 2, 1. 3, 1. 4, 1. 5 ESL1. 1, 1. 2, 1. 3, 1. 4 Legend ICTU1. 1= ICTFS1. 1= ICTD1. 1= M1. 1= ESL1. 1= ER1. 1= EW 1. 1= ICT 1. 1 Use ICT systems ICT1. 1 Find and select information ICT1. 1 Develop, present and communicate information Maths 1. 1 English speaking and listening 1. English reading 1. 1 English writing 1. 1 Please refer to the EDI Guidance for Centres, which gives tables showing the full list of learning outcomes for functional skills. The functional skills identified as being addressed are dependent upon the scope of the project as presented by the learner. 11 Further Marking Advice Glossary of Terms Accurate The learner uses a description of revenue and employment which is factual and reflects a precise and exact picture or reflection of the situation. Appropriate The learner uses sources which will provide the information needed . Compares The learner examines and notes similarities or differences. Describes in detailThe learner gives an account or representation of the levels of revenue and employment in words covering most key or significant points or issues in a coherent and organised way. General The learner makes correct points that relate to the factors impacting on the hospitality industry; however there will be little application to the actual situation presented. Significant Important in effect or meaning. Specific The learner refers to points that are in real existence, for example the job role will be a real one in a local establishment. 12 Mark Scheme Exemplification Mark Band Mark Band 3 – Learners up to Pass level, meeting assessment criteria at lowest level. Exemplification At the top end of mark band 3 it is likely that learners will have produced all the evidence required for this mark band.However, the mark grid is a compensatory model and therefore a learner might have a mark at the top of mark band 3 with some evidence missing, but compensated by some present in higher mark bands . At the bottom of mark band 3 it is likely that learners will have only partly completed the evidence required or their work falls short of the required standard for the level. Learners need to describe levels of both revenue and employment, both locally and nationally. For mark band 3, the learner needs only to describe points (this must be more than just a list), which may not be cohesive. The points are unlikely to be well organised, but should have some relevance to the importance of the hospitality industry. Some points are likely to be weak.Learners need to make some points about the importance of some establishments to the local community. Again, points may not be well organised, may be weak or have limited relevance. The establishments considered may be limited in number or type and will probably be limited to those the learner has visited or studied in case study materials. Learners must make some attempt at comparison, for example by commenting on the value to the communi ty. Learners will have described a small number of job roles, but this will be in general terms, rather than referring to the work of real people in the industry. Learners need evidence that reflects their knowledge of the factors (including tourism) affecting local and UK hospitality.They should be able to describe some simple points about how tourism affects the industry, such as the proximity of a local airport or a nearby Tourist Information Centre, but these may lack relevance. They need to identify factors affecting the local and UK industry in similar ways, for example agricultural problems such as foot and mouth. These again may lack relevance (eg little direct effect on a citycentre hotel). Learners will use some sources of information but they may interpret the information incorrectly or at a very superficial level when answering related questions. They will need direction from a teacher to complete the task. 13 Mark Band Mark Band 2 – Learners displaying understand ing/skills beyond minimum required by assessment criteria. ExemplificationAt the top end of mark band 2 it is likely that learners will have produced all the evidence required for this mark band. However, the mark grid is a compensatory model and therefore a learner might have a mark at the top of mark band 2 with some missing evidence compensated by evidence in a higher mark band. At the bottom of mark band 2 it is likely that learners will have all the evidence required for mark band 3 but with one element of evidence for mark band 2. Learners need to describe levels of both revenue and employment, both locally and nationally. For mark band 2, descriptions need to be accurate, for example reflecting a clear picture of the proportion of hospitality revenue against GDP, or the numbers employed in a particular job role.The comparison should reflect the similarities and differences of two or three hospitality establishments and why or how they are important to specific the local commu nity. These may be one or two examples, such as providing discounted menus for a local pensioners group or sponsoring a local football team’s kit. Learners will have described a range of job roles and some of the roles described will demonstrate the work of real people in the industry. However, this standard will not be consistent and some of the job roles will only be described in general terms. Learners need evidence that reflects their understanding of the factors (including tourism) affecting local and UK hospitality.They should be able to describe some significant ways in which tourism affects the industry, such as the provision of accommodation, food and beverage services for tourists visiting a local attraction. They need to identify some factors affecting the local and UK industry that are significant, having a clear importance or relevance to the local area, such as a new factory opening that would need catering services. Learners will use a range of sources of infor mation to answer questions, at times the information will be used appropriately but this standard will not be consistent. Learners will seek support from a teacher to carry out routine elements of the work. 14 Mark BandMark Band 1 – Learners displaying understanding/skills at the highest level specified by the assessment criteria. Exemplification At the top of mark band 1, learners will have produced evidence to fulfil all of the requirements for the mark bands. At the bottom of mark band 1 it is likely that the learner will have produced all the evidence required for mark band 2 but with one element of evidence into mark band 1. Missing work in mark band 2 could be compensated by two elements in mark band 1. Learners need to provide a well-organised and detailed description of levels of employment and revenue at local and national level that is accurate and factually correct (guidance on structuring their evidence should ensure they are clear about this).The level of detail can be achieved by presenting evidence at industry level supported by evidence from their research (for example charts showing national employment distributions in different hospitality industries), then drawing information together into an overview. The comparison reflecting similarities and differences should cover a range of establishments from different hospitality industries, showing clearly why or how they are important to a range of specific members of the local community. This will be best achieved where the range of community members shows contrast. Large numbers of similar examples will not reflect range or gain extra marks. Learners will describe a range of job roles in terms of the work of real people in the industry in their local area.This standard will, unlike mark band 2 be fairly consistent and the description will include accurate detail. Learners need to describe significant ways in which tourism affects the industry, which should show clearly the relationship bet ween the two industries, for example the provision of accommodation and parking packages to support tourists using a nearby airport. Similarly, they need to identify a range of factors affecting the local and UK industry, such as the growth of farmhouse accommodation provision as a result of declining agriculture. In both instances, large numbers of similar examples will not reflect range or gain extra marks. Learners will use a range of different sources effectively to answer questions.Support of a teacher will be sought to deal with challenging but not routine situations. 15 Control This unit is subject to MEDIUM level control. Specified tasks should be completed under the supervision and control of the teacher. Further guidance about controls for the assessment of this unit can be found in the Internal Assessment Specification. EDI have also produced Sample Assessment Material to further specify the requirements for centres. Guided Learning Hours Within this unit GLH refers both to time for teaching and learning and time for assessment activities. For this unit 25 hours must be dedicated to teaching and learning activities and 5 must be used for assessment activities.Assessment is likely to be through a project or assignment requiring straightforward delivery of knowledge and understanding. Employer Engagement Experiencing the world of work is critically important for learners. It provides opportunities for learners to demonstrate that they are familiar with the hospitality industry and for this to be duly recognised through either practical performance or learning in a work-based hospitality environment as part of a work placement. Centres and individual teachers need to develop good relationships with the employers who have shown their willingness to contribute to delivery by supporting the Diploma Gateway process.Industry mentors can also add valuable input and support individual learners. Building solid relationships with the local hospitality industry is extremely important for this unit and an employer could be used to introduce learners to both the industry and the unit (this could be done in conjunction with Unit 1: Introducing how the hospitality industry works). Other opportunities for work-related learning can be maximised by arranging day or half-day trips to a range of establishments in different hospitality industries. This could involve a tour of the establishment with a manager, or by experiencing the establishment’s services as a customer. Such visits will add greatly to realism and vocational relevance.Learners can be provided with targeted websites from a wide range of organisations and establishments (large and small, privately and publicly owned) to investigate, either in general or focused on a specific issue. There are excellent opportunities to explore learners’ potential career development. Employers can also support teachers and the development of materials by providing real or simulated data re lating to revenue, information about staff employment opportunities and turnover, information about any links they already have with the local community, copies of job descriptions or recent advertisements, examples of where they engage with the local tourism industry, and case study materials on factors that have impacted on their operation (either locally or nationally, if the establishment is part of a larger national chain).Employers can also contribute to classroom input where this is appropriate, such as by giving an introduction to the unit, or leading a discussion on learners’ findings. Employers are crucial to the assessment process. They can help to build assessment materials, commenting on their realism and relevance to the hospitality industry. Employers can also contribute to formative and summative assessment, for example by reviewing the evidence that learners have produced on the importance of the hospitality industry to the local economy or community, or by a ttending presentations by learners on the factors which impact on the hospitality industry and asking pertinent questions. 16 Delivery StrategiesThis unit should relate to and complement the delivery of Unit 1: Introducing how the hospitality industry works, as well as contributing to development in other units. Its aim is to develop learners’ understanding of the importance of the hospitality industry, including levels of hospitality revenue and employment locally and nationally, the importance of different hospitality establishments to the local community and job roles in the local area which are based in the hospitality industry. Learners will also develop their knowledge of the factors which impact on the hospitality industry, including the effect of tourism on hospitality in the local area and the factors impacting on the local and UK hospitality industry. Other local xamples might be the development of new housing provision, requiring additional hospitality support thro ugh pubs, restaurants, cafes and hotels, school meals and industrial canteens. Such a development would draw new people to the area, providing a wider group of potential customers. Similarly, the development or expansion of a local airport may increase the demand for hotel accommodation from travellers transiting in the local area. Learners should be encouraged to research the local area themselves and consider a range of local and national factors that will affect the industry they are studying. Visits to relevant hospitality establishments, setting practical and investigative tasks, and inviting visiting speakers to the centre can focus jointly on this unit and Unit 1: Introducing how the hospitality industry works.Such activities will underpin learners’ understanding of how hospitality contributes to the economy (1 in 5 of the new jobs created in the UK is in hospitality), how it can offer job opportunities and how it relates to the tourism industry. A short presentation t o hospitality employers to show understanding of the industry would be an appropriate piece of formative and/or summative assessment. Witness statements would further testify to learners’ knowledge and understanding of the industry. This unit could be delivered as part of or as the complete extended project. The learner's work experience could also be used as a vehicle for delivering the unit. Guidance materials need to be made available for learners so that they can continue to make appropriate career choices.Examples of how the unit could be delivered include: Visits to a selection of different hospitality businesses on a local basis to support learners’ understanding of the importance of hospitality establishments to the local community, for example: A local farm offering bed and breakfast accommodation (this could be combined with a talk on sourcing local produce) A small cafe or coffee shop operation (often dependent on visitors to the area for passing trade) A lo cal stately home or other tourist attraction (providing opportunities to consider the hospitality industry’s relationship with tourism) A local sports club venue Discussions with invited speakers from local hospitality businesses to add vocational realism to issues such as levels of revenue and employment 17Presentations from representatives of local organisations such as the Federation of Small Businesses or the Chamber of Commerce to underpin the importance of the hospitality industry to the local community Presentations by visiting tourism speakers to help hospitality learners relate to the tourism industry Group discussions of what experience learners have of the hospitality and tourism industries and how they relate to each other (this may be limited) Case studies that illustrate specific issues relating to the importance of the hospitality industry and the factors that can affect it Simple tests to underpin learning Active learning techniques that will promote understan ding for various learning styles include: A chart showing the range of hospitality establishments in an area to illustrate how the industry contributes to local and national revenue and employment A log or diary of visits to hospitality establishments indicating how knowledge can contribute to evidence Research activities, for example to explore how the hospitality industry contributes to local and national revenue Using up-to-date resources to find out about the hospitality industry, such as trade journals, industry-focused websites and, in relation to the local industry, local newspapers/reports and People 1st (the Sector Skills Council for hospitality) Investigating local job opportunities in the hospitality industry and presenting them in a chart format to illustrate the range of job roles and hospitality establishments represented A personal statement of their experience of hospitality and/or tourism (either through visits or personal experience) Role-plays to explore different hospitality scenarios – The level of support required by a learner or the independence they can demonstrate will vary, differentiating learners from the least and most able. Integrating units For this unit to integrate with others, centre teams need to consider the structure of their programme and how integration of units can be most effective. This unit builds on Unit 1: Introducing how the hospitality industry works and will help learners to understand the importance of the hospitality industry, how it relates to the tourism industry and the range of factors that affect it.It will also integrate in limited ways with most other units in the Foundation Hospitality Diploma. Learners can develop skills and understanding and/or generate assessment evidence toward the following units: Unit 1: Introducing how the hospitality industry works This unit is externally assessed, which will impact on how learners develop their knowledge and understanding of the hospitality industry. Uni t 2: Why the hospitality industry is important will broaden this knowledge and understanding and improve learners’ confidence when tackling the external assessment. 18 This unit will also support development of evidence for Unit 2: Why the hospitality industry is important, particularly for learning outcome 1.Learners will be able to use their knowledge of the hospitality services provided by different job roles to identify those roles in the local area which are based in the hospitality industry. Learners will also be able to use their knowledge of hospitality services and the categories of establishments, providing them when they are developing their evidence for local issues and how these determine the importance of hospitality establishments to a local community. Learners can use their knowledge from this unit to build their knowledge of the factors affecting the UK hospitality industry and how it can be affected by tourism. Unit 3: Introducing customer service in hospita lityWhilst not directly related to Unit 2: Why the hospitality industry is important, this unit will help to provide a platform of knowledge that will help learners develop their evidence relating to the importance of the hospitality industry. Unit 4: Developing skills for the hospitality industry Learners will be able to use evidence from this unit focusing on teamworking and their understanding of different roles in the hospitality industry to help them identify job roles in the local area which are based in the hospitality industry. In reverse, learners’ knowledge of the importance of the hospitality industry gained through Unit 2: Why the hospitality industry is important can underpin the development of learners’ abilities as effective team members.Unit 5: Introducing responsible food preparation Links with this unit are more tenuous. It is possible for learners to make connections between the local economy and local issues (such as sourcing local foods and the ove rall impact on the environment) but this may stretch the capacity of Level 1 learners. Unit 6: Introducing skills for preparing and serving food and beverages Again, there is no direct link with this unit. However, learners may be able to appreciate how providing good food and beverage services can contribute to the local economy, providing a relationship with learning outcome 1 of Unit 2: Why the hospitality industry is important. 19 Resources TextbooksJones P: An Introduction to Hospitality, 2nd Edition (Thompson Learning 2002) ISBN: 0826460771 Holloway J: The Business of Tourism, 7th Edition (Financial Times/Prentice Hall 2006) ISBN: 0273701614 Gardiner J, Housley J: GCSE Hospitality and Catering: The Essentials (Hodder Arnold 2007) ISBN: 0340948396 Journals Learners may also benefit from articles in the Caterer and Hotelkeeper – available from high street newsagents. Hospitality magazine is the professional publication for industry managers’ established or aspiring . Published by the newly-branded Institute of Hospitality, with a passionate take on all things influencing and driving change in hospitality, each quarter Hospitality reports on key issues affecting hotels and restaurants, contract caterers and SMEs. Websites www. bha. org. k British Hospitality Association – the national trade association for hotels, restaurants and caterers British Institute of Innkeeping – the professional body for the licensed retail industry The industry’s leading hospitality job site, with a wide range of jobs advertised Caterer and Hotelkeeper industry journal Institute of Hospitality – the professional body for managers and aspiring managers working in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industries; aims to promote the highest professional standards of management and education in the international hospitality, leisure and tourism industries People 1st – The Sector Skills Council for the Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and To urism industries; site contains research into key facts and figures and industry issues Schools Hospitality Project – introduces 11-18 year-olds to the UK's hospitality industry and helps them learn about career paths within the industry; also introduces young people to the skills and attitudes employers look for. www. bii. org www. caterer. com www. caterersearch. com www. instituteofhospitality. org/ www. people1st. co. uk www. schoolsproject. co. uk 0 www. springboarduk. org. uk Springboard UK – industry-supported organisation which promotes careers in the industry and supports learning through the provision of learning materials for teachers British Tourist Authority – site contains considerable volume of information regarding industry data Visit Britain – the national tourism agency, promotes Britain internationally; aims to build the value of tourism to Britain and in England, generating wealth and jobs across Britain; site contains information rega rding tourism destinations, travel and accommodation targeted at overseas visitors www. tourismtrade. org. uk www. visitbritain. co. uk 21