Eating Challenge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Eating Challenge - Essay Example And also with bread, I have also unconsciously picked up bread placed on the table. I also found out that in these instances, people are likely to feel the urge to just give in – cheat on the challenge, in other words. I also learned that for individuals who are not accustomed to eating fruits and vegetables are likely to find the challenge difficult. However, for people who are adept at preparing and cooking vegetables or preparing salads, the challenge can be easier to manage. My first forays into cooking these meals were made with the help of the internet and I was surprised that many delicious meals could also be prepared using fruits and vegetables. It took a while for me to master these preparations and I went through many ruined meals before I finally picked up some useful techniques in cooking these meals. All in all however, I was enlightened by the experience. I found out that I actually had the discipline to engage in a vegetable and fruit diet, and to resist pork and minimize my bread intake. I also enjoyed the experience especially whenever I would weigh myself and see that I really was losing weight and that my ‘sacrifice’ was actually paying off. Losing weight can build confidence in one’s looks and eventually an overall confidence in oneself. It felt good to lose the extra weight and I was proud that my efforts paid off. Finally, I have learned from the experience that with sacrifice and discipline, many things are

German Expressionism Essay Example for Free

German Expressionism Essay German expressionism is one of the most fundamental movements of early cinema. With its basic foundation stemming from the creation of the Universum Film AG in 1917 by the German government, expressionism found a happy home in Germany until, arguably the late 1920s (Wolf). Expressionism changed the canvas of cinema with its technical innovations as well as its impact on Hollywood, not only with its borrowing of ideas, but with the emigration of German actors, writers, and directors to Hollywood, such as Murnau and his creation of Sunrise (Welsh, 98). American films at the same time as this movement in Germany were based in realism, with very distinct ideas of good and bad, comedy, and aesthetics. German film was seen as highly compound, with thick, perplexing stories that were more solicitous instead of being superficial. The notable works from this movement have been time tested references to the rise of cinema, and have been looked upon for reference in film genres in later years not only because of the innovation and place in history, but also for the overt artistic styling that has been difficult to match since. It seems as though German cinema, almost all together must be discussed in its own category. Just as French cinema, historically speaking, Germany has seemed to keep at least a somewhat independent cinema culture from that of Hollywood and its beginnings are either independent from Hollywood or influencing for the most part. Although its beginnings were earlier, â€Å"†¦the period roughly between 1897 and 1908, motion pictures in Germany had graduated from a side-show novelty to a fast developing form, if not of art, then certainly of popular entertainment† (Figge, 308). By 1909, however, hundreds of new cinemas were offering longer and more cohesive programs†, which laid the groundwork for the progressive technical explosion that was the Expressionist movement (Figgins, 308). Germany reached a height in silent cinema in the 1920s, the time after World War I (Wexman 38). This was a national time of crisis with most of the culpability of the Great War being put on Germany not only politically, but more enduringly and impactfully, economically; this created discord in the sociopolitical environment. Due to such social upheaval, film as seen as an expression of â€Å"counter activity† to the state of affairs in Germany (Wexman, 38). German expressionism is one of the more major film movements which helped mold the face of early cinema, and has had enduring impacts on the horror genre, film noir and is even seen trickling into modern day cinema. The innovations that came along with this movement are astounding, especially given the modicum of improvement in physical film itself, which one could argue, were brought about by the mass creative and artistic movement expressionism fundamentally is. Some of these technical aspects include a highly subjective and dynamic camera, design innovations including staging and set designs, and being the first movement to actually implement scripting of films (Dilman). Telltale signs of expressionism are the use of backlighting to create a sense of dimensionality and montage, and splicing the film together to make the story be more seamless and continuous, which was also a style used by the Soviet film movement (Figge, 313). Some of the indications of expressionism seem to be the anti-heroism, the complex philosophical and psychological plots and primarily urban settings. The scenes are intentionally shot to look staged, creating an alternate reality on screen with its highly geometric scapes, tilted stages, clashing vertical and horizontal lines and overshadowing. Indeed as Warm said, Expressionist film is art come to life (Wexman). Historical and mythological themes are very telling of this movement, as are abstract story lines that seem philosophically or psychologically provoking, fantastic ideas, and â€Å"careful visual patterns† (Wexman 40). Mythology obviously had an influence on Metropolis, as the machine in the film turns from robot into a pagan god, demanding the sacrifice of the workers. This constructs the notion that the machine is more important than the lives of the machinists, the way urban culture existed in the moment, machine is more important than man; progress is the most important idea in society, replacing a sense of community and order of nature. This idea of a crisis of modernity influenced many films in Germany throughout the 1920s. The idea of urban life being pitted against rural life is the subject of Sunrise, giving the audience the choice between the naive and desirable maternal figure in opposition to the fast, dark, evil â€Å"Vamp† woman from the city, embodying urban culture and its certain destruction of current livelihood. This again reiterates the theme of the unavoidable but unwanted nature of modern, urban life in opposition to the much-desired rural, complacently comfortable setting that was more trusting. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is seen as the height of expressionism (Welsh, 98). Without exaggerating, it is impossible to discuss expressionism without discussing Caligari, not just for the film advancements, but because it seems to be one of the most artistically set films of the time as well as being one of the truly first expressionist films to be made (although it is not the first), Caligari was, in an important sense, a blind alley for German films of this period, because it sought its identity outside the inherent possibilities of the film medium. In spite of the use of irises, medium shots, and crosscutting, it remains essentially theatrical†¦The point is significant, because at this time the question was being asked, ‘What can the movies do that the theatre can not do? ’ Caligari provided no clear answer to this challenge. (Figgins, 310-311) All of the characters are highly psychological, some being downright neurotic. This can be evidenced by the blurring of the lines of good and evil, the questioning of sanity and the feeling of helplessness of the main characters in the film, most notably, the Somnambulist who has absolutely no control over his doing. By being out of control, he can be seen as evading all of his worldly responsibilities, one can excuse his behavior (read: murdering of innocent townspeople) because it is not he who has the intention, but rather is being compelled into this anti-social behavior. With this in mind, it is easy to see expressionism being a symptomatic artistic release, emerging out of a post-war world turned upside down, where one must question their morals due to justification of war (especially because Germany was involved with unrestricted submarine warfare during World War I), and coming to terms with shouldering the majority of the responsibility for the casualties. Themes of expressionism carried over into Hollywood’s birth of the American horror genre of the 1930s, with it’s expressionist camera angles, movements, overly dramatic makeup and lighting, fantastic subjects and the feeling of chaos, a sense that the world in spinning out of control. Many of these themes have seemed to have lasting impacts, and were characteristic of many Alfred Hitchcock films. While Hitchcock favored tight scenes, he still preferred to give the audience a sense of unease with his camera movements, creatures, and most definitely, chaos. However, it is certain that Hitchcock is more characteristically modernist, with his angles and restoration of the disharmony of his films. Film Noir is another genre that seemingly stemmed out of expressionism. The use of stark contrasts of shadows and the obscurity of faces and landscapes is showing of expressionist qualities. The disorientation brought on by the camera direction style also echoes the disorientation, which was popular in the movement. The protagonists seem to be flawed, which is also a mirrored quality, exemplified by the main character in Sunrise, who has no issue initially with his infidelity or thoughts of murdering his wife to be able to be with the Vamp from the city. The urban settings of Noir films also seem to be reminiscent of German film themes of the 1920s (Naremore 12, 26). In fact, one might argue that Film Noir is basically expressionism revisited, keeping in line with most of the expressionist qualities, save the more stark landscapes and police themed-ness of the melodramas. Modern day directors still use themes and techniques associated with the Expressionist movement. Most notably and obviously would be the ever famous Tim Burton, where commonalities and homage exist heavily. For instance, it can be argued that Gotham City in Burton’s creation of Batman was modeled after the city in Metropolis, and his theme of the corrupt city is reminiscent of Sunrise. It is hard not to see the similarities of the character Edward from Edward Scissorhands and the somnambulist from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari from the inception of the character on the screen, in the major aspects. Most likely, expressionism will seep into cinema either subtly or overtly for many years to come. German expressionism can be seen as being the influencer of genres, groundbreaking creator of overly artistic production, and arguably the art of horror film. This movement itself has helped spawn the rise of other genres and movements, and has been looked upon for stylistic and creative (admittedly sometimes hyper-creative) reference in film genres in later years due to the innovation and canvas that was created in service of the period. Indeed, German expressionism is a major film movement which helped mold the face of early cinema, but one cannot contain the ideas and art that came from this movement into the years of the 1920s and 1930s as the impact it left is seen in many later genres and generations, the horror genre, film noir and modern day cinema.

Essay --

Although Eichendorff’s story displays religious elements, the pious facets take on a different form than in Psyche. In â€Å"The Marble Statue†, Sunday remains a holy day where evil subsides. God and Satan manifest into the metaphysical through characters, settings, and motifs. Fortunato is a pure character directing Florio towards the path of the righteous man while Donati is a sinister man leading the boy into temptation. The seductress is the embodiment of evil while Bianca is the good. The aspect of religion is demonstrated in a more direct manner in Psyche. The artist abandons a life of art to become a brethren of the covenant where it is proclaimed the Goddess of Art is â€Å"a witch who carries towards vanity, towards earthly pleasure†. The good and evil is left to interpretation in â€Å"The Marble Statue† while religion in Andersen's tales contains a straightforward portrayal of faith and sin. Florio and the artist are guilty of violating the same deadly sin: Socordia, or sloth. While sloth has been characterized as physical laziness, an emphasis is placed on spiritual apathy. It is related to melancholy and considered as â€Å"willful refusal to enjoy goodness of God†. Fortunato tells Florio â€Å"There are too many nice, gentle young people, particularly ones in love, who are determined to be unhappy. . .get out into God’s fresh morning air† and if the problem is not solved then it must be the â€Å"devils work†(Eichendorff 145). By the 17th century, the Christian cardinal sin of sloth was defined as the failure to apply one's talents and failing to do what one should. By this definition, the evil is within the young artist as he abstains from utilizing his ability. His old friend Angelo reveals this by exclaiming, â€Å"Why you have sinned against god ... ...has seen her before. The relationships the two protagonist have with those around them can somewhat be mirrored. Their closest companions are the voice of reason. As the young artist is about to smash his marble statue into a thousand pieces his friend Angelo holds him back calling him crazy. His friend sees the talent God has blessed the artist with and is frustrated as his lack of ambition to let the world see his creation. Even after the monotonous years passed of the young artists life, Angelo scorns him for throwing away his gift. Florio’s guiding light is his friend Fortunato. He introduces him to Bianca and bids he go out to pray. When Florio is spending his last moments with the seductress, he runs out of the castle and is saved by Fortunato’s music playing in the distance. The two companions in each story try to help the men recognize their true potentional.

Current Ethical Issues

To create my Ethical Organization Profile I have decided to write about an organization and the ethical and moral issues that this organization is currently facing. Baderman Island is an all-inclusive resort located on the Kelsey River. The island resort has been open to the public since 2004 and continues to grow and gain new vacationers. Baderman Island offers many activities for couples and families or even a group of friends. This resort has four hotels to accommodate its customers and a hand-full of restaurants for the visitors to enjoy. The island is equipped with many amenities that include shopping, golf, an art gallery, a spa, plenty of scenery and a recreation area. The Baderman Island Resort is managed by the Boardman Management Group (BMG). BMG has many responsibilities that include handling the regulatory, finance, legal and marketing departments as well as IT services. There is a CEO that reports to the Chairman of the Board of Resort Management and works consistently with the Resort Board of Directors. Each of the departments mentioned above have a general manager that has a designated area location. Each manager is to report to the Vice President and is responsible for his or her own area’s profit and budget. There is also a human resource department that is handled by the Boardman Management Group. The departments run by general managers include Lodging, the Convention Center, Food Services, Merchandising, Recreation and Activities, and Engineering and Transportation. These departments are all profit center with the exception of the Engineering and Transportation department. The goal of this staff is to provide visitors with a relaxing and exciting experience. After reading the Baderman Island Resort website and reading the blogs on the employee website I have noticed that there are a few ethical and moral issues facing this organization. The major issues that the organization is facing seem to result from the weather and hard rains that the island experiences. In February there was devastating storm that caused severe damage to the resort and many of the buildings on the island. There were a few injuries to visitors that were reported but zero serious injuries. This is an issue because the resort should do everything in its power to prevent any injuries to guests. Injuries to guests are a law suit waiting to happen and not to mention, ensuring the safety of visitors is ethically a priority and a responsibility of the staff of Baderman Island Resort. Another issue that resulted from the serious storm was the resort having to close the Kelsey River ferry for one day and night. This caused many customers to have to spend another night at the resort even though they had not planned to. These customers were forced to pay for another night stay at the resort and as you can imagine, were not happy about it. These customers should have not had to pay the expense for an additional night stay. This was an uncontrollable issue due to the storm but the moral thing to do in this situation is to make the extra night stay a free one for these guests. The last issue that has resulted from the rain and bed weather conditions is the paths that exist in the Botanical Gardens. When it has rained the paths are often slippery and dangerous to anyone walking on them. The visitors may or may not receive warning about these treacherous paths. Baderman Resort has tried closing these paths down but found that customers complained that parts of the Botanical Garden were closed. The bottom line with this issue is that these paths should be closed and the visitors should be warned of the danger of walking on these paths after rainfall. There should be signs all around these paths that warn visitors and workers of the danger that exists on the paths. Baderman Island Resort has a moral obligation to let its customers know of any possible danger that exist on the island. The problem could become worsened if a visitor slips and falls and is injured. This could be devastating to the resort. All these issues have stemmed from the harsh weather that this island has endured and the consistent rainfall that it receives. Baderman Island Resort has been open to the public for nearly seven years and continues to grow. This resort is well run and has a capable front office and an enthusiastic staff. Like many businesses this resort does have its issues. These issues have been addressed and they are working towards fixing them. References 2011. Baderman Island Resort. Retrieved from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/BadermanIsland/BadermanIsland/BIinternet/library/index. html

Ergonomic Tools Assessing Musculoskeletal Injury Health And Social Care Essay

Musculoskeletal hurt ( MSI ) as define by Part 4, subdivision 4.46 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation of as an hurt or upset of the musculuss, sinews, ligaments, articulations, nervousnesss, blood vass or related soft tissue including a strain, sprain and redness, that may be caused or aggravated by work. Musculoskeletal hurt ( MSI ) has become, a common type of hurt in the workplace ensuing in lost in productiveness in many industries. There are a figure of ergonomic tools available for measuring the hazard of musculoskeletal hurt. Of these tools, I have decided to concentrate and discourse three ( 3 ) , they are: – Rapid full organic structure appraisal ( REBA ) was developed by Sue Hignett and Lynn McAtamney as a postural analysis system sensitive to musculoskeletal hazards in a assortment of undertakings. It divides the organic structure into sections to be coded separately with mention to motion planes. It provides a marking system for musculus activity caused by inactive, rapid changing, dynamic or unstable positions. REBA plants by detecting places of single organic structure sections. The more divergences from the impersonal position, the higher the mark of each organic structure portion. There are two ( 2 ) groups that are combined, group A includes bole, cervix and legs and group B upper and lower weaponries and legs. The 144 position combinations are transformed to a general postural mark. Additionally, burden handed, matching with the local handled and physical activity are observed and scored. These tonss are entire up to hold one mark for each observation and so compared to tabular arraies saying hazard on five degrees ( negligible – really high ) and actions needed ( none – necessary now ) . Quick Exposure Check ( QEC ) is scored by delegating values to a figure of ‘Observer ‘ and ‘Worker ‘ factors. For each of four organic structure parts ( back, shoulder, carpus and cervix ) , several braces of variables are fed into a search tabular array to bring forth a series of sub-scores that are so totaled to bring forth a mark for that organic structure portion. You can measure both manual handling and non-manual handling undertakings which do non affect back motion. QEC follows five ( 5 ) stairss: Measure 1 – Self Training – first clip users must read the User Guide to understand the nomenclature and assessment classs that are used in the check-list. Measure 2 – Perceiver ‘s Assessment Check-list – the individual detecting a peculiar undertaking uses the perceiver ‘s assessment check-list to carry on a hazard appraisal. One complete work rhythm is observed before doing an appraisal. If a undertaking can non easy be broken down into undertakings, the ‘worst ‘ event within that occupation when a peculiar organic structure portion in inquiry is most to a great extent loaded should be observed. The appraisal can be carried out by direct observation or by utilizing video footage. Measure 3 – Worker ‘s Assessment Check-list – the worker being observed must finish the ‘workers assessment ‘ check-list. Measure 4 – Calculation of Exposure Scores – utilizing the ‘table of exposure tonss ‘ to cipher the exposure scores for each undertaking. Circle all the letters matching to the replies from the ‘observer ‘s appraisal ‘ and the ‘worker ‘s appraisal ‘ . Mark the Numberss at the traversing point of every brace of circled letters. Calculate a entire mark for each organic structure portion. Measure 5 – Consideration of Actions – QEC rapidly identifies the exposure degrees for the dorsum, shoulder, arm, carpus, manus and cervix and it evaluates an ergonomic intercessions can efficaciously cut down these exposure. 2.3 Ovako Working Posture Analysis System – OWAS Ovako Working Posture Analysis System ( OWAS ) is a method of coding the position of a worker that allows the injuriousness of the position to be categorized into four ( 4 ) action classs of increasing urgency. It is based upon adept opinions of the injuriousness of peculiar positions. A clip based trying attack can be used with it so that the classification can take history of the length of clip spent in any peculiar position ( Karhu et al. , 1977, 1981, Kivi and Mattila, 1991, Vedder, 1998 ) . Puting the codifications for the four ( 4 ) sections in the sequence of back, legs, tonss and weaponries form the overall position codification. A evaluation system categorizes seventy two ( 72 ) different positions in footings of uncomfortableness caused, and the attempt on wellness. Back positions are defined as either consecutive set, directly and distorted, or set and distorted. OWAS identifies the most common work positions for the dorsum, which includes four positions ; weaponries three positions, legs seven positions and the weight of the burden handled three classs. The four ( 4 ) action classs listed below shows the wellness jeopardies of each work position or position combination in the OWAS method on the musculoskeletal system: – Work positions are considered normally with no peculiar harmful consequence on the musculoskeletal system. No actions are needed to alter work positions. Work positions have some harmful consequence on the musculoskeletal system. Light emphasis, no immediate action is necessary, but alterations should be considered in future planning. Work positions have a clearly harmful consequence on the musculoskeletal system. The working methods involved should be changed every bit shortly as possible. Positions during work have a high harmful consequence on the musculoskeletal system. Solutions should be found instantly to cut down these positions. 2.4 Advantages and Disadvantages of Tools Tool Advantage Disadvantage QEC Provides wellness and safety practicians with a user friendly assessment tool with good cogency. Helps carry organisations to do ergonomic alterations. Involves both the practician and the worker in the appraisal, thereby supplying a Fuller apprehension of working patterns. It is straightforward, speedy and easy to utilize. Is compatible with HSE hazard appraisal. Conjectural exposure scores with the suggested ‘action degrees ‘ demand validating. Extra preparation and pattern may be needed for novitiate users to better appraisal dependability. Method focuses on physical workplace factors merely. REBA Low cost and an effectual method. User friendly. If valid or accurate can supply valuable penetration into working conditions. Validity and dependability may be low in relation to specific demands for ergonomic appraisal. Can be biased. Time consuming ( both right and left manus hold to be assessed individually ) . OWAS Enables comparings with old research in similar scenes. Easy to utilize and use with high dependability in field probes. It is suited to measure dynamic, risky working positions of workers while traveling about their workstations. Time consuming. Does non divide right and left upper appendages. Requires thorough preparation. Appraisals of cervix, cubituss and carpuss are losing. Does non see repeat or continuance of the consecutive position. 2.5 Critical Analysis of Tools REBA, QEC and OWAS are all check-list type tools. The lone tools needed to execute this type of appraisal are a pencil and paper. All three ( 3 ) REBA, QEC and OWAS besides exist as computing machine plans, so you can input informations collected directly into the package to cipher the overall mark. REBA can measure position, burden, force and motion frequence whereas, QEC assesses position, burden, force, motion frequence, continuance, recovery, quiver, etc. and OWAS merely assesses position, burden and force. REBA, QEC and OWAS use ordinal marking systems and so unite the tonss for different hazard factors. REBA and OWAS were design to bring forth an appraisal of the urgency of remedial action for the undertaking being assessed utilizing action classs. QEC has an exact mathematical theoretical account implicit in its construction with fluctuations in burdening between factors. REBA and OWAS are performed by one individual who understands how the assessment tool is used, whereas QEC is carried out both by the affected employee and the individual making the appraisal. When executing anyone of these three ( 3 ) tools, the user must understand to the full the map and nomenclature used, or the appraisal will non be accurate. OWAS has a broad scope of utilizations but the consequences can be low in item. REBA was developed specifically with sensitiveness to unpredictable on the job positions. REBA does non cover in item with lower limb place. REBA distinguishes between greater or less than 20 grades of flexure of the caput and cervix but non farther. Both REBA and QEC create overall tonss from a mixture of hazard factors specific to the upper limb and to the lower dorsum. These three ( 3 ) techniques ( REBA, QEC and OWAS ) are easy and speedy to utilize, comprehensive and dependable to measure exposures and can be flexible adequate to be applied to a scope of occupations. Observational or subjective opinion techniques such as REBA, QEC and OWAS are non more dependable than direct measuring techniques. Decision There are a figure of tools used in the appraisal of musculoskeletal hurt in the workplace. It is of import to measure these state of affairss in order to forestall hurt to workers. The three tools discussed before are a good illustration of common check-list type tools that can measure the hazard of musculoskeletal hurts in the workplace in a quantitative manner. It is of import when taking an ergonomic tool, that it is right for the occupation. There is no, best tool for any one occupation but, one must make up one's mind on the best attack to what needs to be done. Rapid Entire Body Assessment ( REBA ) , Quick Exposure Check ( QEC ) and Ovako Working Posture Analysis System ( OWAS ) use ordinal marking systems and so unite the tonss for different hazard factors. Rapid Entire Body Assessment ( REBA ) and Ovako Working Posture Analysis System ( OWAS ) uses action classs based on four ( 4 ) and five ( 5 ) point ordinal graduated tables to give an appraisal of the urgency of remedial action for the undertaking. While the Quick Exposure Check ( QEC ) has an exact mathematical theoretical account implicit in its construction with fluctuations in burdening between factors. Even though Quick Exposure Check ( QEC ) has non yet been validated it has been wildly and often used along with Rapid Entire Body Assessment ( REBA ) and Ovako Working Posture Analysis System ( OWAS ) .

Ken Kesey-The Alienated Hero essays

Ken Kesey-The Alienated Hero essays Ken Kesey creates one of Americas most famous alienated heroes in his work One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. Keseys alienated hero, Randle Patrick McMurphy, is a wild red-haired American of Irish heritage. McMurphy is a lazy, rowdy fighter. He also gambles constantly and has been prosecuted on the charges of the statutory rape of a 9 year old. A character with many flaws, McMurphy is not the likely character for heroics, but it is his rebellious lack of authority that makes him the perfect hero for Keseys story. Transferred from a work camp to a psychiatric ward, McMurphy is the only patient sane enough to fight the tyrannical, oppressive Nurse Ratched and her staff. To understand McMurphys role as an alienated or anti-hero, the term must be clearly defined. The Living Webster Encyclopedia Dictionary defines a hero as a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength. A hero is a character that the reader is intended to fully embrace due to the characters selflessness and moral values. The Wikipedia Encyclopedia defines an anti-hero as a character that has some of the personality flaws and ultimate fortune traditionally assigned to villains but nonetheless also have the heroic qualities or intentions to gain the sympathy of the readers. In other words, the anti-hero or alienated hero is the unlikely hero. These flawed heroes are similar to the heroes seen in comic books. Comic book heroes often have troubled pasts or justify their means by the end. McMurphy certainly has a checkered past, after being discharged from the military, and spending time in prison. His distrust of societys values helps carve out his status as an outsider. An alienated hero often moves from one failure to the next and usually in the end reach the fate of a villain, failure. Jay Gatsby is comparable to McMurphy. Both come from checkered pasts, and fight for som...

Barriers to Communication Essays

Barriers to Communication Essays Barriers to Communication Essay Barriers to Communication Essay Barriers to Communication and Causes of Communication Failure in Businesses Barriers to communication can occur if the recipient has failed to convey the meaning or / and the importance of the message.  ·Sender breakdown – too much information is being sent, so the recipient misses key points. Also, language can be difficult to understand, as it can be too complex.  ·Method breakdown – when information is very detailed or complicated, then written instructions are better than messages which can be misinterpreted. Recipient breakdown – the recipient deliberately makes a choice to misinterpret the message because of their attitude to either the sender to the message at hand. Other problems with communication could be:  ·Long chain of command.  ·Language complex, and hard to understand.  ·Vague purpose – not detailed enough, more explanation required  ·Inappropriate medium (method used, e. g. written, electronically etc).  ·Red tape – message gets passed on to many different people before finally reaching the recipient making the process too long and the message changing. Also, actions can be delayed as a result of a late arrival of the message.  ·Status of two parties – can be intimidated by the other person’s status because of their gender, age etc.  ·Location – distance of recipient or where message has to reach.  ·Distraction – Communication channels breaking up. BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION No matter how good the communication system in an organisation is, unfortunately barriers can and do often occur. This may be caused by a number of factors which can usually be summarised as being due to physical barriers, system design faults or additional barriers. Physical barriers are often due to the nature of the environment. Thus, for example, the natural barrier which exists, if staff are located in different buildings or on different sites. Likewise, poor or outdated equipment, particularly the failure of management to introduce new technology, may also cause problems. Staff shortages are another factor which frequently causes communication difficulties for an organisation. Whilst distractions like background noise, poor lighting or an environment which is too hot or cold can all affect eoples morale and concentration, which in turn interfere with effective communication. System design faults refer to problems with the structures or systems in place in an organisation. Examples might include an organisational structure which is unclear and therefore makes it confusing to know who to communicate with. Other examples could be inefficient or inappropriate information systems, a lack of supervision or training, and a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities which can lead to staff being uncertain about what is expected of them. Attitudinal barriers come about as a result of problems with staff in an organisation. These may be brought about, for example, by such factors as poor management, lack of consultation with employees, personality conflicts which can result in people delaying or refusing to communicate, the personal attitudes of individual employees which may be due to lack of motivation or dissatisfaction at work, brought about by insufficient training to enable them to carry out particular tasks, or just resistance to change due to entrenched attitudes and ideas. OTHER COMMON BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION INCLUDE: Psychological factors such as peoples state of mind. We all tend to feel happier and more receptive to information when the sun shines. Equally, if someone has personal problems like worries about their health or marriage, then this will probably affect them. Different languages and cultures represent a national barrier which is particularly important for organisations involved in overseas business. Individual linguistic ability is also important. The use of difficult or inappropriate words in communication can prevent people from understanding the message. Poorly explained or misunderstood messages can also result in confusion. We can all think of situations where we have listened to something explained which we just could not grasp. Physiological barriers may result from individuals personal discomfort, caused, for example, by ill health, poor eye sight or hearing difficulties. Presentation of information Here are the 7 top barriers. 1.Physical barriers Physical barriers in the workplace include:  ·marked out territories, empires and fiefdoms into which strangers are not llowed  ·closed office doors, barrier screens, separate areas for people of different status  ·large working areas or working in one unit that is physically separate from others. Research shows that one of the most important factors in building cohesive teams is proximity. As long as people still have a personal space that they can call their own, nearness to others aids communication because it helps us get to know one another. 2. Perceptual barriers The problem with communicating with others is that we all see the world differently. If we didnt, we would have no need to communicate: something like extrasensory perception would take its place. The following anecdote is a reminder of how our thoughts, assumptions and perceptions shape our own realities: A traveller was walking down a road when he met a man from the next town. Excuse me, he said. I am hoping to stay in the next town tonight. Can you tell me what the townspeople are like? Well, said the townsman, how did you find the people in the last town you visited? Oh, they were an irascible bunch. Kept to themselves. Took me for a fool. Over-charged me for what I got. Gave me very poor service. Well, then, said the townsman, youll find them pretty much the same here. 3. Emotional barriers One of the chief barriers to open and free communications is the emotional barrier. It is comprised mainly of fear, mistrust and suspicion. The roots of our emotional mistrust of others lie in our childhood and infancy when we were taught to be careful what we said to others. Mind your Ps and Qs; Dont speak until youre spoken to; Children should be seen and not heard. As a result many people hold back from communicating their thoughts and feelings to others. They feel vulnerable. While some caution may be wise in certain relationships, excessive fear of what others might think of us can stunt our development as effective communicators and our ability to form meaningful relationships. 4. Cultural barriers When we join a group and wish to remain in it, sooner or later we need to adopt the behaviour patterns of the group. These are the behaviours that the group accept as signs of belonging. The group rewards such behaviour through acts of recognition, approval and inclusion. In groups which are happy to accept you, and where you are happy to conform, there is a mutuality of interest and a high level of win-win contact. Where, however, there are barriers to your membership of a group, a high level of game-playing replaces good communication. 5. Language barriers Language that describes what we want to say in our terms may present barriers to others who are not familiar with our expressions, buzz-words and jargon. When we couch our communication in such language, it is a way of excluding others. In a global market place the greatest compliment we can pay another person is to talk in their language. One of the more chilling memories of the Cold War was the threat by the Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev saying to the Americans at the United Nations: We will bury you! This was taken to mean a threat of nuclear annihilation. However, a more accurate reading of Khruschevs words would have been: We will overtake you! meaning economic superiority. It was not just the language, but the fear and suspicion that the West had of the Soviet Union that led to the more alarmist and sinister interpretation. . 6.Gender barriers There are distinct differences between the speech patterns in a man and those in a woman. A woman speaks between 22,000 and 25,000 words a day whereas a man speaks between 7,000 and 10,000. In childhood, girls speak earlier than boys and at the age of three, have a vocabulary twice that of boys. The reason for this lies in the wiring of a mans and womans brains. When a man talks, his speech is located in the left side of the brain but in no specific area. When a woman talks, the speech is located in both hemispheres and in two specific locations. This means that a man talks in a linear, logical and compartmentalised way, features of left-brain thinking; whereas a woman talks more freely mixing logic and emotion, features of both sides of the brain. It also explains why women talk for much longer than men each day. 7 Interpersonal barriers There are six levels at which people can distance themselves from one another: 1. Withdrawal is an absence of interpersonal contact. It is both refusal to be in touch and time alone. 2. Rituals are meaningless, repetitive routines devoid of real contact. 3. Pastimes fill up time with others in social but superficial activities. 4. Working activities are those tasks which follow the rules and procedures of contact but no more. 5. Games are subtle, manipulative interactions which are about winning and losing. They include rackets and stamps. 6. Closeness is the aim of interpersonal contact where there is a high level of honesty and acceptance of yourself and others. Working on improving your communications is a broad-brush activity. You have to change your thoughts, your feelings, and your physical connections. That way, you can break down the barriers that get in your way and start building relationships that really work. The following questions can used to self-debrief your behavior in settings where personal communications are used to build relationships at work, at home, in a church, with a spouse and about any place where two or more gather. These are the common barriers and you may think of others or variations. It is often helpful to do this evaluation in a group and exchange your views to enhance learning about yourself. The value of this is to discover what you may be doing to shut off communications and find ways to improve your behavior. A second way to use these barriers is to just copy the heading and discuss each within a group. The number one barrier to communications is not listening. Different forms of this are at the end of the list. (jump to listening barriers) EXPECTATIONS: Are your expectations of others or organizations a barrier? Do others know your expectations or do you just think they know them? Can you change your expectations or let go of them to be part of a group or a relationship? How would that feel? Did this in any way feel like giving up your self to be what the group wants you to be? This is probably the number one barrier to communications. Expectations are often not expressed to others and it is as if the other is expected to have a crystal ball and know what you expect. RISKING: What is a risk for you? How much do you risk in a communications setting? What keeps you from risking? Is it fear? If so, fear of what? Is it control? Control of what? Yourself or others or the group? Do you wish to risk more? What will it take to risk more? This is probably the top barriers in communicating authentically. Risk in communication often has this silent question: If I risk myself and this is all Ive got, what will happen if I am rejected? Building communications with others authentically takes a degree of risk. AVOIDANCE: What did you do to avoid looking at yourself? Think about this. What was behind the avoidance? Fear of rejection? Fear of loss of control? Were you part of an avoidance project? What did the group do to avoid doing what it needed to do? Did group norms facilitate avoidance? Avoidance frequently is present when a person feels unsafe or is unsure if its safe. Many business meetings start with considerable avoidance and only in the last minutes does the group get to the real subject, and then often try a quick fix. Avoidance can become a habit. FIXING: Did anyone try to fix you? The group? How did that feel? Did you try to fix, heal or convert anyone or the group? Can you fix anyone other than yourself? How aware are you that this is often done, with good intentions and well-meaning but usually not wanted and unaccepted 90+% of the time? What is your level of acceptance of people just as they are? Fixing is often trying to get the other to believe as you do or to do as you have done in a similar situation or to be more like you so you will feel more comfortable. PROJECTS: Most groups are creative in making projects that have something to do with avoidance. Can you name a project in your group? What do pseudo-projects represent in a group? Sometimes projects are things, sometimes people and often its something completely outside the group and the room. Projects can be a way of fooling ourselves and have many of the characteristics of organizing a group and represent avoidance. They can be barriers to communications. Projects are sometimes necessary to help build safety and trust in groups. They can take the form of challenging the norms of a group or the written rules. SCAPEGOATING: Did you feel scapegoated? What did it feel like? Were you part of a scapegoating effort on another person? Scapegoating is often another form of avoidance or blaming or excluding. It may be an attempt to keep focus off of the person doing the scapegoating! It is seen in most family situations and in the workplace and is usually destructive to the personality. PROBING: Did anyone probe you for information? How did that feel? Did it create a barrier for you? If you were probed and did not like it, what kept you from confronting the prober? If you were the prober, why did you probe? Did it have anything to do with keeping the focus off of you? Probing can be avoidance of task or scapegoating if carried too far. SPEAKING IN CODE: If you were part of a subgroup of two or more people, did/do you speak with language that only those in the subgroup can understand? Can you understand how this is a form of exclusivity? This is often done without realizing it in all kinds of groups. It is not polite and keeps understanding low. CONTROL: Did anyone try to control you or what you said? How did it feel? Were you aware at any time that you were trying to control an outcome? If you tried to control, what was the reason? Was it to control what might happen to you? Did you notice others trying control? Most of us believe we have far more control than we actually do. Letting go of control and risking more may result in more love coming into your life. BLAMING: Did anyone blame you for what was or was not happening? How did that feel? Did you blame anyone? What was your motive for the blaming? Did it have to do with trying to make some other person responsible for your behavior? Did you experience blaming in your family of origin? Blaming can become an almost unconscious habit. PLACATING: Did you feel placated by anyone? Did you placate anyone? How does it feel to be placated? CHAOS AVOIDANCE: Do you run from conflict or avoid it in some way instead of trying to go through it? Do you leave a conversation when it gets too hot for you? (either actual or emotionally) How do you react to change? Another word for Chaos is change. People find many ways to avoid talking about change as it usually feels uncomfortable because of the unknown. Chaos can also mean conflict and many will do anything to avoid it. Chaos is one of the most certain things in life and it is well to learn how to embrace it. SILENCE: How comfortable are you with silence? Can you listen to yourself? To your source of spirit? Do you recognize respectful silence? Do you experience a silent time at home? What would it be like if you asked for some silence in your workplace during a meeting? Silence is an unused tool that is very effective in all kinds of ways. Scott Peck says in the Different Drum, Silence is the primary key to emptiness. Also, More than half of Beethovens music is silence. Without the silence there is no music; there is only noise. Most people have little true silence in their lives, yet it provides considerable peacefulness. EXCLUSION: Did you feel excluded at any time? Did you exclude yourself? Did some person say anything that made you feel excluded? Was your feeling of exclusion accurate? Is this something that often happens to you? Did you exclude any person either by avoiding them, or emotionally tuning them out, or by making a judgmental statement? Did you later change the exclusion to inclusion? Think of how people are often excluded and why. It is often done as an unconscious act that may have been learned in the family or work place. BOUNDARY OR BARRIER: A boundary is often created for protection and should only be changed with considerable thought. A boundary rule is one you have originated that defines what is good or bad for you. A boundry may be a barrier to communication depending on what it is. Are you aware of any boundary you have that is a barrier to meaningful communications? Are you aware of any boundary that you want to change? How will you do that and how will you know if it is safe to change? Boundaries are accumulated during life for protection and become a learned method of existing. Boundaries need to be changed slowly and may be replaced with another boundary that offers more freedom until it becomes safe to take the next step. Some people have few or almost no boundries and this often gets them into trouble. An example of this is a person that regulary offers far more information that is asked for by people they talk to. This becomes a turnoff to others and may result in other avoiding you. LISTENING: How well do you listen to what people say? Do you hear what is not said with words, but with emotions or body language? How about listening to what is not said? How can you listen with your whole being, body, mind, spirit and heart? There are many sub-barriers that come under Listening. Below are some. Automatic Talking: Listening just long enough to find a word that you know something about. Then shut off the rest of what is being said, particularly the emotional content. Then start talking about the word you know something about. This blocks real communications by not hearing the total content. This is the most used form of blocking true communication. For more on this, see Automatic Talking Exercise. SELECTIVE LISTENING: This is when a person hears another but selects to not hear what is being said by choice or desire to hear some other message. This can take several forms and result in acting out in destructive ways. An example is to become passive agressive by prentending to hear and agree to what was said when actually your intent is to NOT act on the message, but make the other person think you will. Another form is to act on what you wanted to hear instead of what was said. Continued selective listening is one of the best ways to destroy a relationship. BEING A FIXER: A fixer is a person that tries to fix another persons faults, problems or personality by offering what worked for them or a friend in a similar situatuon. Fixers often cut off others in the middle of a conversation without hearing the whole story to offer their fix. People overall do not like to be fixed and most suggestions for a fix will be disregarded and may result in anger toward the fixer. Using You or We statements instead of I statements. I statements show ownership of what is being said. You statements are often a form of criticism. We statements often implies everyone within listening distance agrees with the statement which is not true. Its like you speaking for another person without their permission. Absolute Statements. These use such words as Never, always, forever, etc. and are often make a statement untrue. Use a less absolute word. Daydreaming. Letting your attention drift away. There are many causes of this and you can stop it by getting into the conversation and saying you are having a hard time staying with what is being said, without blaming. You may find out others are having the same difficulty and will do the same. Being right. This can take several forms. The most common is polite criticism of how a person speak or what they say or to insinuate that the person said it wrong. This can stop communication particularly with sensitive people. Many people have to learn how to communicate and can only do it by trying the way they know how. Derailing. (a form of avoidance) Changing the subject, or tell a joke, or point a finger at another person or try and turn a question around and back to the speaker. Name calling or belittling. This is hurtful and may make another feel foolish or stupid and they may exclude themselves from further conversation. Being the Reactor. On occasion, a person will attempt to get you to speak by trying to hook you to react. Swearing is a way of hooking some people. A good listener will continue to just listen and not react. This will often cause the person to stop trying to hook you if you keep it up long enough. How do people end up sending muddled messages? Often people tend to focus on problems like lack of listening, or inattention when discussing causes of poor communication, neglecting the fact that if a message is muddled or confused in the first place, no amount of attention or listening is going to unmuddle the initial message. People often send muddled messages information that is structured in such a way that the other person will have almost no chance of understanding it the way it was intended. For example, throwing too much at the other person so that he or she cant figure out the point is one way messages are muddled. Being unclear about one wants to say, and not taking the time to clarify to oneself before speaking, is another cause of muddledness. If you often find that people seem to misunderstand your intent or messages, particularly in face-to-face discussions, often look perplexed and often have to ask questions of you because they dont understand, start looking to the quality of the messages you send, and start slowing down and paying attention to what you say. The payoff can be enormous if you can unmuddle yourself. What is assumption of common meaning and why is it a problem? Some people believe that words mean the same thing for different people. After all, dont we have dictionaries so that people can have the same understanding of a word? This is a major problem in communication not realizing that language, any specific word, can have a different meaning for one person compared to another. Heres an example. You are talking to someone who is considering buying a pet. For you the word dog has very positive meaning, since you had dogs all through childhood. So, you suggest to the person that he might buy a dog for companionship. But does the word dog mean the same thing for the other person? That person may have been bitten by a large dog, when he was a child, and has developed a terror reaction to most dogs. For him, the meaning of the word dog (its connotative meaning) is completely different from yours. If you are oblivious to the idea that words carry different emotional meanings, you and the other person can never learn to understand each other. Even with seemingly straightforward word definitions, things arent simple and we cant assume that when one person uses the word liberal, for example, that they mean the same things as you might mean. For him, a liberal might mean a cowardly, crime coddling and socialistic thinking person, while for you, it might mean someone who believes that we should help those less fortunate. The more heated and emotionallly loaded the words we are using, the more important it is to first try to understand what the other person means from the words he or she uses. Many arguments and conflicts can be prevented by trying to understand first, then argue. What happens if I choose the wrong channel to communicate? If you choose the wrong channels that is if the channels are not effective for the type of message and meaning you want to create you are likely to create misunderstanding, and even end up worse off then if you had kept the message to yourself. Not only does using the wrong channels impede communication, but doing so can cause mistrust in others, particularly about your sincerity and commitment to them. Example: Lets say a departmental manager of 15 employees decides he wants to convey the message that he values their work and well-being. He has a number of ways and channels he can use to do this. He can walk around and talk face to face with his employees on a regular basis, wishing them good morning, and inquiring as to their welfare (thats one channel). He could send a memo out each morning wishing them good morning (thatd be another channel). Or he could send an email. The question is Which channel would be best for this message? Walking around and talking face to face is the most costly in terms of time and managerial commitment, while the other two are not costly. But consider the reaction of employees. How many employees will get the meaning the manager is trying to send, if the channel is an automated email? Worse, how many employees will question the managers commitment if he chooses an email channel to transmit a message that is clearly not suited to the channel? Thats just one example. The more emotionally loaded the message, the more thought has to The message is good, but the timing is oh so bad Why is timing so important? Timing is just one aspect of communicating with, influencing and being heard by your boss. Get heard by your boss by using the techniques outlined in Influencing Your Boss Getting Heard Helpcard. Free Preview. When you talk to someone, assuming youre like most people, you tend to focus on what you want to say. Theres some sense in this since you want to be clear and understandable. It is possible to phrase your message and meaning perfectly, yet have it rejected, ignored or otherwise demeaned. In many ways, timing IS everything in communication. For example, if you have a great idea you want to pitch to the boss, you may get a terrible reception one day, but if you chose another day, you might get a great reception. Clearly, people are more receptive at some times compared to other times. We tend to forget this. And then get upset when we dont get the reactions we want. Luckily improving timing in communication isnt difficult. It involves some conscious thought and curbing impulsiveness or even curbing your enthusiasm. Consider the other person state of mind, emotions, time schedule to assess whether its a good time to talk about a particular subject. Do this beforehand. During conversations, if you get unexpected negative reactions, think about whether its that the other person is simply not ready to hear what you have to say. Maybe its best to continue at another time. Timing is particularly important with emotional or tough conversations. Its always good to ask Id like to talk to you about [topic]. Is it a good time now? go into HOW to communicate it, and which channels to use. What is a leading question? A leading question is a specific kind of question that attempts to lead or manipulate the other person into answering the question the way the asker wants. Its intent is not to understand, but to manipulate. Many of us use leading questions without being conscious of either our intent, or how such use appears to the other person. For example, You dont really believe that is a leading question that clearly is designed to make a statement of opinion, rather than to engage in true inquiry. Leading questions are probably never advisable, since they are certain to create defensive, anger, and a feeling that you are trying to manipulate the other person. If you want to know, ask. If you want to make a statement, or put forth an opinion, dont use a question to try to disguise what you are doing. What is the Im Special Syndrome and How Does It Affect Communication? You think thats bad? When I was young I had to walk twelve miles uphill to school in the dead of winter, and then twelve miles uphill back home again. No doubt youve had the misfortune to have to talk to someone whos desire to present him or herself as special results in a contest to show whos the most disadvantaged or hard done by. At one end of the spectrum a person who believes and or is trying to portray himself as special tends to exaggerate his situations past and present, to show how difficult his life is or has been. At the other end of the spectrum the Im special person goes on and on about who he knows, what hes accomplished, and how good he his. Both approaches are driven by the same thing a sense of wanting to be special in ones own eyes, or the eyes of others. Ego. Its very difficult to have real conversations with such a person, because everything gets turned back to their situation, or their accomplishments, or their health maladies. If you have to deal with such a person, theres really no reasonable way to prevent them from hijacking every conversation for the purpose of appearing special. However, you can ensure that YOU dont get caught up in the Im special syndrome. Life isnt a competition, and communication isnt a war to find out whos best. When you behave this way, you will damage the relationships you are trying to build, and inevitably, when you try to appear special, all you end up doing is to appear to be selfish, self-centered and, in effect a bore. What is placating and how does it create barriers to communication? Placating involves giving in to the other persons postion or demands, even though you still are not comfortable, or happy with them. In essence it involves giving in. In addition placating language is language of giving in Ok, ok, whatever youd like, or I didnt mean it, really. People behave in placating ways and use placating language for a number of reasons. One is a desire to smooth over conflict with others, and the intent may, in fact be good, but the methods may not be. Often when you try to placate someone, you send a mixed meaning or message. You say It really does matter, and you also say, It doesnt matter. This is an incongruence that confuses the other person. So placating tends to obscure communication and understanding. If you are truly OK with giving in, then thats different since you probably wont create communication confusion, provided you explain why its OK. There are of course, other reasons why people go into placating mode, and you should reflect on your own motivations. Are you afraid of conflict? Are you afraid of the other person?

How to Develop Your CV and Find a Job with Career Expert Mildred Talabi

How to Develop Your CV and Find a Job with Career Expert Mildred Talabi Mildred Talabi knows the Resume inside and out. As a Career Expert, she’s analyzed every step of the job hunting process, which she breaks down in detail on her blog, and she took a moment to speak with us about how to make your job hunting that much easier. What makes a great CV?I believe there are seven fundamental keys to creating not just a great CV, but what I call a â€Å"winning† CV – a CV that gets you results. These seven keys are a lot to go into in detail here, but as a summary they’re related to knowing your target industry, structuring your CV correctly, engaging with your personal profile, sharing your skills effectively, taking care of the visuals, eliminating spelling and grammar mistakes, and keeping to a good overall length.What common CV mistakes do you see online?The most common serious ones are spelling and grammar mistakes; poor layout and formatting, which makes it hard to engage with the CV; and generic CVs which are not tailored to any industry in particular. However, more minor things like writing the words â€Å"CV† or â€Å"Curriculum Vitae† at the top of a CV or including references are also mistakes that jobseekers should avoid.What’s the one thing that needs to be on every CV?I would say a very strong introduction that skillfully and concisely summarizes what you have to offer as a potential candidate for the job at hand. Get this right, and you will have the employer hooked from the beginning and eager to read the rest of your CV.How can we make sure our CVs are more readable for job boards and the like?Newsflash – job boards are not human! This means they’re programmed to shortlist very quickly by picking up on specific terms and keywords on CVs. In order to make your CV more readable to job boards and therefore increase your success rate in this area, it’s important to submit a CV that is not generic, but targeted to a specific industry. This means making sur e that everything on your CV – from your personal profile to your skills, career history to education and training – supports your expressed aspiration to gain a job in that particular field. This also means that you will be using specific vocabulary related to that field which job boards can pick up on and use to push you higher up the list as a potential suitable candidate.What’s the role of social media in finding a job?The job market has changed significantly over the last few years, and social media now plays an increasingly important role in the process of finding a job. More and more employers are now using social media to directly recruit or eliminate potential candidates, so it’s very important that job seekers learn how to harness social media to their advantage.The first step is by getting involved and setting up a professional profile on the main platforms, namely LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, or Google+ if you’re more advanced. This will allow you to start building a credible online brand that will be attractive to employers and recruiters, as well as open up the channels to engage directly with those who hold the decision-making powers regarding your job hunt.What trends in hiring should we be watching closely?I would reiterate the above point and say that social media and its link to job hunting is not about to go away any time soon. In fact, I believe this connection will only continue to grow as technology advances, so if you’re job hunting, make it your priority to jump on the social bandwagon!

Factors of Conflict in the Workplace Research Paper

Factors of Conflict in the Workplace - Research Paper Example Conflict in the workplace is the result of certain factors. For instance, according to Fiore, the most important cause could be in the case where one feels taken advantage of. The employer/boss/manager may take advantage of the employees by overworking them but ultimately paying them close to nothing sometimes even not paying them at all. It could also be that the employee feels misunderstood in the workplace not only by the employer but also by colleagues. In other instances yet, the company may not clearly have interpreted its goals and values well to its employees. Conversely, the employee may have goals and values that are not in tandem with those of the organization that they work for. Thus, there are four main conflict resolution steps that employers and managers may take so as to reduce workplace conflict. (2008)  Sample the following scenario that has the potential for conflict in the workplace. A janitor is going about his daily duties in the organization that involve clea ning of not only the halls but also the restroom. He is about 45 years of age and has been a janitor for the last 20 years. On one occasion as he goes about his duties cleaning the restroom, a man in a business suit who forms part of the management approaches him and says to him, 'you should listen to me, you appear to be an intelligent fellow. For more than 15 years you have been cleaning the toilets. Why don't you try something else Do something with your life and get another job' In response, the janitor smiles and says to him, 'what And leave show business' the man in the suit cannot help but walk away and shake his head in disbelief? Few weeks go by and the janitor and the man in the suit meet gain. Just like before, the man in the suit says the same thing as before. This time the janitors seeks to question him, why he often speaks to him as he does.  Ã‚  Janitor: 'I often feel like you are putting me down when you constantly ask me to do something with my life and get anothe r job. Man in suit: I am only trying to help.  Janitor: While I understand that, I would appreciate it if you didn't ask me to get another job. I try not to let it bother me but it makes me feel inadequate. Man in suit: I apologize. Janitor apology accepted: Apology accepted. I enjoy interacting with the people I come into contact with as I do my job which is why I made fun of your comment last time. Man in suit: It was very smart and caught me off guard. I will try and be more appreciative of the job you do for us on a daily basis. Janitor: That will be very nice of you. According to Tillett, the first and the most important thing that the managers need to look into is communication skills. They need to understand how communication is carried out in their organization. Of particular significance is the way in which they communicate and how they could be teaching their employees to communicate with each other. (1999) For instance, it is important that the use of 'I' as opposed to you is encouraged.

Organisational Behaviour Management Annotated Bibliography

Organisational Behaviour Management - Annotated Bibliography Example The field of organisational behaviour ventures to explain and understand human behaviour in the context of an organisation. Griffin and Moorhead (2010) provided the definition of organisational behaviour as â€Å"the study of human behaviour in organisational settings, of the interface between human behaviour, and of the organisation itself† (p. 4). Hellriegel and Slocum (2007) explained the importance of studying organisational behaviour both for personal efficacy and organisational effectiveness. Hence, a working knowledge of organisational behaviour builds up the necessary competencies to achieve effectiveness on a personal and organisational level. Equipped with the essential competencies, employees, team leaders, manager, executives and any other member of an organisation can, therefore, contribute in their own little way to diagnose, understand, explain and act on emerging issues within the organisation as one cohesive unit. The LePine, Erez, and Johnson (2002) article is a meta-analysis which complements the three aforementioned articles, but extended the coverage of these three articles into the more-encompassing concept of organisational citizenship behaviour with such characteristics as altruism, civic virtue, conscientiousness, courtesy and sportsmanship. The articles of Brief and Weiss (2002) and Ashkanasy, Hartel, and Daus (2002) tackled similar affects of organisational behaviour: moods and emotions, and diversity and emotions, respectively.... A more profound understanding of moods, emotions and diversity will be instrumental in bringing out positive behaviour in the workplace. These two articles also demonstrated how a study of moods, emotions and diversity can foster positive and healthy working atmosphere. The Daus and Ashkanasy (2005) article is an important inclusion in this annotated bibliography on organisational behaviour management because an ability-based framework of emotional intelligence can help support the development of positive behaviours, organisational citizenship behaviour, and positive moods and emotions. Daus and Ashkanasy’s (2005) eloquent defence of their model against detractors buttressed the importance of emotional intelligence in organisational behaviour management, not just for leaders, but also for employees. The systematic review of Boudreau (2004) regarding organisational behavioural research revealed significant inputs about the progress of research in the various areas of organisati onal behaviour. The findings should serve as a guide for business and psychology researchers wanting to explore the virgin areas for scholastic inquiries, particularly in order to boost existing knowledge on positive organisational behaviour. Annotated Bibliography Research No. 1 REFERENCE Youssef, C. M. & Luthans, F. (2007). Positive organisational behaviour in the workplace: The impact of hope, optimism, and resilience. Journal of Management, 33(5), 774-800. AIM / PURPOSE The aim of the article was to detail the findings of the study which examined the relationship between the positive psychological resource capacities hope, optimism and resilience, and desired work-related employee outcomes; and how these psychological resources

Comparison of the Ideas from Buddhism and the Vedas with Upanishads Essay

Comparison of the Ideas from Buddhism and the Vedas with Upanishads - Essay Example Similar to the Vedas, Buddhism considered the idea of karma, but its interpretation was completely different (Grant, 2009). Buddhism did not see karma as destiny or fate. In turn, in the Vedas, the idea of karma was related to the idea of debt. The Vedas stated that people were born in different social conditions as a result of belonging to different castes (caste of warriors, rulers, servants) or were born of women. Their karma or debt was seen in following the classic patterns of behavior in specific situations. The Buddhist idea of karma was completely different from the Vedic. In Buddhism, karma was regarded as "impulses" that encourage people to do something or think (Grant, 2009). These pulses occurred as a result of previous habitual actions or behaviors. However, since there is no need to follow every impulse, human behavior is not strictly deterministic.Both the Vedas/the Upanishads and Buddhism considered the idea of rebirth, but it was understood in different ways. In the Vedas as well as in the Upanishads, it is atman, or "I" that is permanent, unchanging, and separate from the body and mind (Gunasekara, n.d.). It is always the same, passing from life to life. All of these "I" or Atman are one with the universe, or Brahma. Consequently, the diversity that people see around them is an illusion, since in reality all people are one with the Brahma. Buddhism treated this issue differently because it believed that there was no unchanging "I", or atman. "I" exists.

Multicultural Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Multicultural Management - Essay Example artment in many areas has become accustomed to the challenges that are being posed by the diversity in the work place and as such there have been efforts to come up with ways of managing this diversity. The combination of work force demographics in the work place has been as result of increased globalization in business which has placed the management of cultural and background differences one of the leading agenda in modern times in many corporate organization. This has been due to increased heterogeneity in gender, race, ethnicity, and nationality due to mix up of people. (Vonslid, 2006) To the organization, this has an advantage of better and quicker decision making, higher creativity and innovation in the work, remarkable success in marketing in foreign communities and countries and also equal distribution of economic opportunities. However, if not well handled, it can lead to increased cost due to high turnover rates, conflicts due to interpersonal differences, and breakdown in communications. The hospitality industry is one of the industries that have a high mixture of people both in customers and in the work force. The diversity in the hospitality industry has been one of the challenges facing many firms in the industry since their survival is based on the quality of services that is offered to the customers. Diversity in the industry is also important due to the diverse customers that it serves. Hence a diverse workforce in the industry will help to serve diverse customers who are served in the industry. Managing this diverse workforce in the industry is poses a challenge in the industry’s human resource department. This paper will explore the strategies that can be used by the human resource department in the industry to successfully handle the diverse work force. The hospitality industry is one of the growing industry industries in the world. Increased globalization and increased outsourcing of businesses has been one of the driving forces in

Cause and effect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Cause and effect - Essay Example Now, that Nancy finds it difficult to walk because of her obesity, her parents intend to sue one of the popular fast food restaurants in town. Parents and not the fast food restaurants are to be blamed for child obesity which makes them sluggish and lowers their self-esteem. Wealth causes parents to be unnecessarily fulfilling towards the demands of their children. In the case under discussion, Nancy’s parents have wealth. According to them, having wealth means one should get all one wishes for. They feel blessed that they are rich and are able to use their money to fulfill every demand of their child. In addition to that, there are several other factors that increase the tendency of rich children to become obese. There are servants to serve them, so they do not have to move much. Moreover, parents remain on work for most of the time. Lack of parental attention causes children to set patterns for themselves, like Nancy did in this case. Obesity is common in rich people because the lifestyle is conducive for that. Later, when they discover that their child is harmed by the junk food consumption, they tend to use their money to sue the fast food restaurant. ... It is the parents that fundamentally set the pattern for their children. Therefore, parents are to be blamed for the unhealthy eating habits of their children. They should not have fulfilled their daughter’s desire for junk food day and night. Instead, they should have inculcated the habit of consuming fresh fruits and vegetables in her. Much of the wrong eating habits of Nancy can be attributed to her parents. What makes it worse is that instead of realizing where the problem roots, the parents decide to sue the fast food restaurant they make a regular customer of. This is a mere wastage of time and money and a very useless way of solving the problem. Obesity lowers an individual’s self-esteem by way of added laziness. Obesity is fundamentally the name of condition in which an individual gains weight without increasing the height. The increase of weight makes the individual sluggish and laggard. In the case under consideration, Nancy can not participate in the marathon race in the school because she is too obese for that. What to talk of running, Nancy can hardly even walk with the speed, energy and agility with which girls of her age normally do. In her home, she keeps sitting on her bed all day long. She does not even bother to make it to the fast food restaurant. Instead, she makes use of the free home delivery service most fast food restaurants provide their customers with. Now, that she weighs 70 kilos in the tenth year of her life, she can not be involved in many physical activities. Her obesity has become her weakness. Her friends make fun of her and call her names. Nancy gets emotionally hurt by such attitude of her class fellows, and prefers to stay alone. Over the years, she has become a loner. She remains alone in

Multicultural Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Multicultural Management - Essay Example artment in many areas has become accustomed to the challenges that are being posed by the diversity in the work place and as such there have been efforts to come up with ways of managing this diversity. The combination of work force demographics in the work place has been as result of increased globalization in business which has placed the management of cultural and background differences one of the leading agenda in modern times in many corporate organization. This has been due to increased heterogeneity in gender, race, ethnicity, and nationality due to mix up of people. (Vonslid, 2006) To the organization, this has an advantage of better and quicker decision making, higher creativity and innovation in the work, remarkable success in marketing in foreign communities and countries and also equal distribution of economic opportunities. However, if not well handled, it can lead to increased cost due to high turnover rates, conflicts due to interpersonal differences, and breakdown in communications. The hospitality industry is one of the industries that have a high mixture of people both in customers and in the work force. The diversity in the hospitality industry has been one of the challenges facing many firms in the industry since their survival is based on the quality of services that is offered to the customers. Diversity in the industry is also important due to the diverse customers that it serves. Hence a diverse workforce in the industry will help to serve diverse customers who are served in the industry. Managing this diverse workforce in the industry is poses a challenge in the industry’s human resource department. This paper will explore the strategies that can be used by the human resource department in the industry to successfully handle the diverse work force. The hospitality industry is one of the growing industry industries in the world. Increased globalization and increased outsourcing of businesses has been one of the driving forces in

How far can recruitment and selection processes under HRM be Essay

How far can recruitment and selection processes under HRM be characterised as being about 'getting the best person for the job' - Essay Example Much of the important work on the relative merits of employment structures has evolved through the debate in the industrial sociology/industrial relations and HRM literatures on the ‘flexible firm’. Several dimensions of flexibility have been identified (Blyton and Turnbull, 1998). Effective recruitment and selection are critical to organizational success. They enable companies to have high-performing employees who are also satisfied with their jobs, thus contributing positively to the firm’s bottom line. On the contrary, poor recruitment and selection often result in mismatches which can have negative consequences for an organization. A misfit who is not in tune with the organization’s philosophies and goals can damage production, customer satisfaction, and relationship with suppliers and the overall quality of work. He can also adversely affect the morale and commitment of co-workers and negate efforts to foster team work. Training your way out of a wrong hire can be very expensive. Effective recruitment and selection are therefore not only the first step towards organizational excellence, but are important cost control mechanisms as well. Although HR managers may be responsible for designing employees’ recruitment and selection systems in many firms, all managers need to understand and use these systems. After all attracting and hiring the right kind and level of talent are critical elements of business effectiveness. Stocking a company with top talent has been described as the single most important job of management (Hand, 2002). Managers being an in charge of recruiting or have a key role in the process, if they do not attract and hire the right people it can hurt the organization. Recruitment is the process of generating a pool of qualified candidates for a particular job. The firm must announce the job’s availability to the market and attract qualified candidates to apply. The firm may seek applicants

Personal Development Report Essay Example for Free

Personal Development Report Essay This personal development report reflects upon my learning experiences and outcomes during my first year at Nottingham Trent University. It aims to document the ways in which I have developed and areas for further consideration as part of a continual learning process. The report will be structured around 5 main areas as shown below 1. Placing learning on BABM within the wider context of lifelong learning 2. Taking personal responsibility for career planning 3. Taking personal responsibility for the learning process 4. Valuing the importance of developing personal effectiveness 5. Demonstrating an enquiring mind I have also looked at how all this learning at university relates and fits within a wider context of lifelong learning. Conclusions and recommendations for what I am going to do to improve in the months from May 2001 to 2002 are based on the areas I have mentioned in the above. I will do this in the form of a Personal Development Plan using the smart objectives as follows: (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Related to overall life-long goals and set over a Time period). I have made conclusions of the development plans, which have concentrated both on Core Transferable skills and also some softer skills. Introduction 1.My Learning At University Within A Wider Context Of Lifelong Learning 1.1 The concept of lifelong learning The concept of lifelong learning is as relevant now as it has ever been, with the traditional job for life being replaced by shorter periods of work for different firms requiring essentially the same skills and qualities in employees. Therefore the ability for these skills to be transferable is very important. To develop these skills therefore is extremely important with many employers putting greater emphasis upon these core skills and less emphasis upon specific skills. These skills can be used in many different situations and circumstances to allow the employee to perform to the best of their ability. The concept of work is continuously changing. An individual not only has several jobs in a lifetime but may also have several careers. Therefore everybody needs continuous updating of skills and competence throughout their working life ERT report, 1989 The following skills are widely considered to be Core Transferable Skills  · Organisational Skills  ·Ã‚  Interpersonal/ Social Skills  · Analytic and Problem Solving Skills  · Teamwork  · Creativity  · Self Motivation  · Initiative and Leadership 1.2The learning curve It is these skills that have been particularly important to develop whilst at university and it is the experience of university both academically and socially that has provided the ideal environment for these skills to be developed. The combination of leaving home and adapting to a completely different environment both educationally and socially has meant that the learning curve especially in the first semester was very steep. To live away from home for the first time without any contacts in an unknown city is a life changing experience and forces oneself to adapt and mature quickly after leaving the security of the family home. Being entirely responsible for yourself is also a new experience requiring maturity and forward thinking as well as planning to enable yourself to function. The way in which these skills have been developed forms the backbone for lifelong learning, one which employers recognize and actively seek in graduates. 1.3Lifelong learning defined The concept of lifelong learning is complex and is not easily defined resulting in no unilateral definition, however its importance is widely agreed. The Development of human potential through a continuously supportive process which stimulates and empowers individuals to acquire all the knowledge, values, skills and understanding they will require throughout their lifetime and to apply them with confidence, creativity and enjoyment in all roles, circumstances and environment Longworth, 1996 p22 The need for a learning society to convert and compete is not just urgent, it is a matter of economic life and death. It is a matter of social success or disaster. It is a matter of survival Cann in Bradshaw, 1995 The development of these skills both as part of the BA Business Management Degree and the wider University experience is key to becoming an attractive employee This is particularly so as years two and three of the Degree are in company so the development of these skills and the pace at which these must be  developed is crucial. This report will aim to reflect upon my first year experience and where appropriate utilize activities , questionnaires and assignments in an attempt to build a personal development review and action plan for the proceeding 12 months in the form of a personal development plan. 2.Taking Personal Responsibility For The Learning Process The biggest contribution to taking responsibility for the learning process was the decision to further my learning at university. This decision has allowed myself the opportunity to further my learning both academically and socially in ways that I would be unable to had I not made the decision to attend university. Also the decision to accept my place on the BABM course was another way in which I have demonstrated my personal responsibility for learning. The course is intense for each of the three years, more so than most undergraduate courses and the decision to accept a place on this course rather than other courses where workload and intensity were less was important. The course aims to enrich individuals with far greater experience both academically and in terms of transferable skills therefore by choosing BABM I feel I have made the best possible choice to continue my learning in the most relevant way providing me with higher levels of transferable skills than other graduates may have. 2.1 Taking responsibility for myself To be able to take responsibility for the learning process I have had to take responsibility for myself and become more accountable to myself in terms of making myself work harder and setting aside time in which to work. .University work is very different to that I have encountered before in terms of deadlines are much longer, scope for research is much larger, less specific titles to assignments etc etc so being accountable for myself is very important. 2.2 Time management Because the work is very different to that experienced before I have had to manage my time in a much more responsible manner to enable me to fulfill my potential, progress, and attain the best possible marks for myself. Examples of where I have managed my time effectively are physically difficult to produce as the BABM timetable is extremely varied from week to week so to produce a timetable where work and free time could  be planned in advance was very difficult to do. Undoubtedly time management and grades are very much linked and my grades for semester 1 and those received thus far for semester 2 have been good and I feel this has been partly due to my good time management skills. My peer assessment feedback included 5 of 6 people stating that I was well organized and three out of 6 stating that I was disciplined. This is included in appendix 1. 2.3Taking responsibility for learning The DLBM debate where our topic was interviews are the most unreliable method of selection required ourselves to complete a large amount of research. Our group split into two and four with the latter researching that I was a part of. The grade we received for this was high 70% and showed the level of research the group had done and is typical of myself being keen to take responsibility for learning. Development of interpersonal skills I am a member of The Herefordshire Golf Club where in 2000 I was captain. In this role I was required to talk to people of different ages and backgrounds and I feel this role has allowed my interpersonal skills to develop and I have learned a lot from this position as it provides a different scenario from academic studies. This role also developed my leadership skills as well as my organizational skills. 3.Value The Importance Of Developing Personal Effectiveness As part of the Developing Learning for Business and Management module the group completed two sessions on personal effectiveness including ËÅ"assertiveness and ËÅ"effective communication/ active listening These sessions have allowed my awareness to the importance of assertiveness and communication skills to be greatly improved and have highlighted ways in which I can improve on these skills. My level of skills prior to the sessions was of a good level and I believe I have the basic fundamentals to allow myself to develop communication and assertiveness naturally. However my increased awareness brought about by the sessions has allowed myself to take a more proactive approach to developing personal effectiveness. 3.1Demonstrated active listening/ effective communication An example of where I have demonstrated both active listening/effective communication whilst  being assertive was in a role-play with Vanessa Knowles DLBM lecturer as part of a tutorial session. Vanessa played the part of the under performing employee and I played the part of the employer. Vanessa used several different behaviour characteristics in attempt to alter my opinions and decisions. I feel that I learnt a lot by this, the importance of clear communication and active listening whilst not letting some-ones behaviour alter my decisions. 3.2Development of self confidence The session also increased my confidence especially as the role-play was conducted in front of an audience and made me more willing to be assertive rather than passive which is a tendency I will sometimes withdraw to. In the peer assessment feedback session this was something people felt was maybe a weakness of myself. Ben Gasson for example said You should be more confident and forceful, often what you have to say is just as valid if not more so than other people, just say what you think sometimes This analysis is very true of myself and to be more assertive I must first become more confident within myself. 3.3Development of leadership skills In the Belbin peer assessment it was also said that I was sometimes fearful of conflict. This I agree is true sometimes when maybe I am unsure of all the facts or am not in a position to speak confidently, I sometimes let others dominate me when really their ideas are no better than my own. However I feel that the example as mentioned above (role-play) demonstrated my ability not to be fearful of conflict. I am not a person to cause conflict within a group but at the same time I would not say i am fearful of conflict and can be assertive when necessary. One area for development are my leadership skills. Although I feel that I have become much more confident this year and this has enabled me to take a more active or leadership role in certain situations. However I feel that I still have a long way to go to enable myself to be a natural leader and to do so would be a great achievement. To improve this area of personal effectiveness is a definite priority for the next 12 months. My job at Marks Spencers requires me to work on the customer service desk listening to customers complaints and dealing with their problems. This role requires me to have good active listening skills and not be fearful of conflict whilst maintaining good customer service. This shows that my personal effectiveness and assertiveness can when necessary be very prominent. 3.4Ability to effectively communicate My ability to effectively communicate has been demonstrated in many ways this year, presentations, debates, meetings, interviews etc. My peer assessment said that my presentation skills are good and I can speak in confidently at a good pace. This was highlighted in the DLBM debate where it was mentioned in the group mark sheet as well as the business simulation feedback sheets. 4.Work With Others To Achieve Goals The ability to work with others to achieve goals is another very important transferable skill that employers seek. The Belbin team role questionnaire included in appendix __ and states that predominantly I am a team worker co-coordinator. This opinion is held by both myself and my peer group showing that I view myself and my group views me as a team worker. 4.1Working with others in practice My ability to work with others to achieve goals, I believe is one of my biggest strengths. Much of the work on BABM is team orientated as this will be the case when in the workplace in years 2 and 3. Examples of this have included the business simulation module where I feel I made a good contribution to the team. Other examples have included the DLBM debate, the organizational behaviour presentation as well as the smaller group assignments we have be set. 4.2My role within groups The experience I have gained working in groups this year has developed many of my skills far more than a normal undergraduate course may have done. My skill within groups is one of analysis and reflection of what others have said and making rational and coherent arguments from debate. This ability has proved to be very useful this year however I feel than within group work I need to take a more pro active role  stimulating debate and discussion. As was stated in my peer assessment feedback I sometimes need to relax, say what I think, and be more confident and this is an area I need to work on in the next 12 months 4.3Teamwork outside the classroom During 2000 I have played golf for The Herefordshire Golf Club where much of the competition is in team format. Very different to university teamwork where communication is key, playing golf requires analysis of the situation and choosing the best course of action in a short time consulting your partner to achieve the best possible result. Again I feel I have learnt a lot from this sporting experience as often I am under pressure to make team decisions quickly at university and although in an entirely different situation the process is the same. 5.Demonstrate An Enquiring Mind An enquiring mind and to be interested in your work is essential to being successful, without this I feel would result in lack of motivation and a significant reduction in output. My educational background shows how my enquiring mind is diverse and heavily influenced the ËÅ"A level subjects I chose. I tried to choose subjects I was genuinely interested in and felt that I would be most motivated to work hard on. This at the time didnt include business studies but my work experience at Marks Spencers has led me to become interested in business. I wanted to know why decisions were taken at head office, what influenced them and how they took those decisions. My father works in business and as I have always been interested in his work and find it interesting. 5.1Examples of enquiring mind At university it is particularly important to have an enquiring mind as many of the subjects are only covered very briefly in the actual lectures therefore requiring me to be interested in them and to have an enquiring mind to allow myself to get a good knowledge of each subject. This is very different to ËÅ"A levels and I feel that I have improved greatly in this area since attending University. However I also feel that I still have a lot of room for improvement particularly in subjects that I find difficult and those that are maybe less interesting to myself. I should try to complete all the recommended reading rather than completing only that which I find interesting. I found the organizational behaviour module to be particularly interesting and read a lot of the textbook despite the fact that the essay I had to write was only a small proportion of the book. For the DLBM debate I was part of the research team as I enjoy finding information that can be used to form an argument. I enjoy reading national papers and try to do so as often as I can as I am interested in the wider scope of global business. My enquiring mind sometimes get the better of me and I find myself reading about completely irrelevant topics to that I am meant to be studying for and wasting time but I believe this reflects my enquiring mind For the information systems/ information technology module we could either build a website of produce a leaflet. Despite the fact I had never produced a website before I chose to do this as I enjoy using computers and felt that although this would be more difficult it would be more beneficial to myself in the long run. 6.Take a Personal Responsibility For Career Planning Taking responsibility for career planning is very important, and the BABM course demands that students do this much earlier than other students on other undergraduate schemes. Because of this career planning is very important specifically with regards to years two and three of the course to enable me to make the maximum of my interview and company opportunities. The first step in career planning for myself was my work experience at Marks Spencers that motivated me to choose the BABM course. Choosing to be on the BABM course itself also was of great importance to my future career with the uniqueness of the course enabling me to gain more experience earlier. 6.1Interview skills development Whilst on the BABM course I have had to take responsibility for my future career and have demonstrated this in a number of ways. Firstly interview technique was important to develop and the practice interview as part of the DLBM module gave good feedback as to my style and competencies. The feedback I got (see appendix 3) was generally good with areas to improve on including becoming more focused upon the process I went through when giving examples rather than the example itself. Also I tended to undersell myself when given the chance to impress but apart  from this the feedback was generally good 6.2C.V and application form enhancement My C.V and application form was also another area that required me to take personal responsibility. I read articles on the Internet and books from the library on how to write a C.V as well as attending lectures on C.Vs. I got feedback from my dad who takes part in selection processes as part of his job as well as Vanessa Knowles the DLBM lecturer. The feedback I got was very good highlighting areas that needed to be improved 6.3Increasing personal awareness of placements For the pre selection week I researched each company individually, sent off for their annual reports, looked at their web sites and read the national press to gain any knowledge I could before I attended the sessions. This gave me an insight not only into the companies that I was researching but also the industries they operated in. It also allowed me to view the types of placements offered to students such as myself and has increased my knowledge of the type of placement I am looking to secure. 7.Conclusions I feel that in the last 12 months I had developed tremendously as a person and feel that I have become much more confident, outgoing and assertive. My transferable skill base has improved greatly due to my experience on BABM and at university generally. I feel that my value as a person to an organization has increased greatly and I feel confident that the skills I have learnt this year will continue to be used long into the future not only just during the period in company. However I realize that my skills can and will be improved enormously by the experience I will gain whilst in company and that lifelong learning is a valid and very important concept. My personal development plan outlines areas I intend to improve over the next two years and contains ways in which I intend to monitor evaluate and measure myself and my development. I have tried as far as possible to make my targets Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant and Timescaleable to enable myself to develop myself in the most effective manner. The personal development plan will allow myself to continually review my progress and will hopefully prove a useful tool in the next two years whilst on the BABM course