Change management and employee motivation strategies for a business Essay

Change management and employee motivation strategies for a business process reengineering cycle - Essay Example The company that is the subject of this research is   ABC Company, a world famous chain of automobile manufacturing company, which is operated in many of the countries. Now at this point of time, the operations are so expanded for the company that the management at the centralized hub feels to facilitate the individual continental operational units so that the whole network can work in a better way. The centralized system is good but the management of the variety of sale points can be more effective if the individual units have the authority. In order to facilitate the individual units of the continents, there is a need of business process re-engineering, which will hold at a larger level, thus affecting many of the areas and departments and the stakeholders including, employees, suppliers, dealers and the customers. The business process re-engineering in which the ABC Company will authorize its units in different continents; there is need of highly mechanized communication system between the individual units so that the network of all the units of the ABC Company can be effective. There will be many of the changes in the internal systems of the company, which will affect the employees’ performance. Therefore, it is highly recommended to facilitate the internal control system and the employees first so that they can be a part of the change, which the company management wants to implement. It will be very difficult for the company employees to adapt and adjust to the new and technological communication system but the training programs can develop them in positive ways. Here the training and the motivation of the employees is highly required. The re-distribution of data means that initially when the whole control of the ABC Company was centralized then the center of the employee data and the other knowledge databases was only in the main office. Now the individual units of the company will have to sort out their relevant files and then store the relevant data and knowledge at their own particular main and centralized office.

The Controversy of Homosexuality Essay Example for Free

The Controversy of Homosexuality Essay I. â€Å"I now pronounce you husband and husband†, when many people hear this statement whether in real life or in movies, it brings about many different opinions and reactions. Same sex marriage is still a controversial issue, and it’s questionable in many societies, in fact it is acceptable in very few communities in the world. People who oppose gay marriage are actually opposing unethical behavior that goes against many beliefs and different religions.  Although some might think it is a person’s right to love and marry whoever he/she wants, gay marriages should be prohibited in all parts of the world for it goes against most religions, nature, ethics and humanity II. God created Adam; he created for him a wife, not a husband. God’s intentions were clear, and that meant that marriage and family would always be between man and woman. Many religious people, whether holy men or regular people who hold their beliefs close, argue that gay marriage should not be allowed to happen and that it destroys the sanctity of this bond between two people. III. Gay marriages are mostly considered to be unethical marriages that are not based on any moral grounds and therefore are frowned upon. Many believe that the idea of a gay marriage is utterly outrageous because it involves the bond between two people of the same sex which some might find disturbing or repulsive. IV. the children of gay marriages are always being denied either a father or mother. People who oppose gay marriages believe that the children of such gay couples deserve better, actually, they deserve more; all children deserve to have a mother and a father. V.  Some claim that same sex marriages should not be frowned upon and should eventually become a normal part of everyday life. They believe that homosexuality is not an abnormality; however is just another form of relationships. Just like women are attracted to men and men are attracted to women, men can be attracted to men and women can also be attracted to women. It is just as normal as any other phenomenon and might even make more sense than heterosexuality sometimes. However, how right can this point of view be? Same sex marriages are not only unethical, but also are against many eligions, defy the political and moral standards and are not beneficial for the future of our societies. In addition, homosexuality is a new phenomenon that is bringing about uprisings in many different societies. Also, marriages have always been based on the bonds of holy matrimony between a man and a woman and nothing more. VI. The world should not change its natural laws, its religions and its morality due to a group of people who claim it is only natural for them to be with the same sex. Abstract Media and celebrities has been increasing demand for gay marriage to be allowed like Angelina Julie and Brad Pitte.  Whereas gay marriage should be banned, since it is against most religions, nature, ethics, and humanity. â€Å"I now pronounce you husband and husband†, when many people hear this statement whether in real life or in movies, it brings about many different opinions and reactions. Same sex marriage is still a controversial issue, and it’s questionable in many societies, in fact it is acceptable in very few communities in the world. People who oppose gay marriage are actually opposing unethical behavior that goes against many beliefs and different religions. Although some might think it is a person’s right to love and marry whoever he/she wants, gay marriages should be prohibited in all parts of the world for it goes against religion, nature, ethics and humanity. When God created Adam, he created for him a wife, not a husband. God’s intentions were clear, and that meant that marriage and family would always be between man and woman. Many religious people, whether holy men or regular people who hold their beliefs close, argue that gay marriage should not be allowed to happen and that it destroys the sanctity of this bond between two people. Holy books have discussed this topic since the beginning of time by stating that God created man and woman to be fertile and to reproduce. Therefore, whoever believes in a God should oppose same sex relationships, as they are an offence to God. Edwards claimed â€Å"in Australia the religious right has advanced a number of arguments to isolate legally sanctioned heterosexual relationships in an inviolate conceptual and social space. † And then in the year 2004 the Australian government banned same-sex marriage. Thus, the simple act of being a homosexual and having same sex relations is considered a sin because it goes against what God intended, and therefore should be punished. Not only is homosexuality against religion, it is also unnatural. Moreover, heterosexual marriages are a natural and normal bond that agrees with nature and is considered good. However, nature depicts gay marriages as bad. Many people believe that marriage is a moral and social right that was instituted by God in nature. â€Å"Nature does not include same-sex relationships in its design and no biological imperative therefore exists for sex between women or between men. (Van Grend, 2007). In addition, marriage is not just any relationship between human beings. It is rooted in nature and therefore is governed by natural law. These natural laws are universal and immutable and generally apply to the whole human race, equally. The National Marriage Coalition in Edwards released a statement in 2007 announcing that to them marriage was the commitment between a male and a female; it is an expression of love and a beautiful sacred bond. It is not only unnatural to have homosexual relations; it also negatively affects the way children involved view the world. Furthermore, the children of gay marriages are always being denied either a father or mother. People who oppose gay marriages believe that the children of such gay couples deserve better, actually, they deserve more; all children deserve to have a mother and a father. The absence of parents with different sexes can affect a child’s view on the world, and their emotional stability. In many cases the presence of two gay dads can affect a little boy’s behavior or conduct in the world since the dads can’t provide what a mother can. This in itself removes the balance in the child’s life. Children adopted by or brought into gay families may not be aware of the life outside the family in their early years, but when they do start to understand, they may have a lot to face and a lot to adjust to. They tend to grow up with certain ideas about the world, taught by their foster parents, which may not be at all realistic or acceptable. Also, these children might eventually be bullied in school for having two dads or two moms. Being bullied is a major crisis in a child’s life and might therefore impact their ducation or social states. Moreover, children who grow up with parents of the same sex might inherit their personality traits and characteristics and might therefore think that being gay is what is meant for them to be. They might think that being gay is what is socially acceptable and therefore adopt these habits. Also, children need the compassion of a mother to be able to handle the difficulties in l ife. Yet, a father figure is also needed to make the children strong and have the right amount of security and protection in order for them to grow up properly. Thus, a marriage should provide both communal and assertive figures for the children. Heterosexual and homosexual marriages differ in gender-linked effects because of socialization pressures for women to be communal and men to be assertive. There is evidence that women are more expressive than men, develop more positive models, and are better integrated into social support systems then men are. Hence there is never a solidity and balance in a homosexual household since gay men see themselves as more communal and lesbians see themselves as more argentic and assertive. Lesbians and gays are not considered to be family members but only individuals. Such an issue as same-sex marriage isn’t only religious; it is also political. In many countries where politics and religion are tied together, a candidate can lose voters if they admit that he or she actually supports gay marriage. People with strong religious and ethical beliefs will protect themselves and their families from anyone they believe to be a bad influence, whether it’s actually someone who is gay, or just someone who supports the idea of gay marriage. These people’s beliefs are not subject to change, since normally they are active members of churches, and the community, and possibly traditionalists. In the 2012 presidential elections in the U. S, Mitt Romney announced that he was against same-sex marriage, as most Americans are. He believes that it isn’t a matter of tolerance, but about the â€Å"purpose of the institution of marriage†. And that won him many votes, mostly from the more conservative people. As many Americans believe, he also believes that marriage is between man and woman, and the sharing of domestic responsibilities falls on both sexes, which is the purpose of marriage. Gay marriages are mostly considered to be unethical marriages that are not based on any moral grounds and therefore are frowned upon. Many believe that the idea of a gay marriage is utterly outrageous because it involves the bond between two people of the same sex which some might find disturbing or repulsive. In contrast to heterosexual marriages which are considered a bedrock institution, homosexual couples in specific don’t really enjoy the support of their families and therefore may not benefit from any stabilizing influence such support gives. They are considered to be immoral and absurd for having gone out of the ordinary and irrationally choosing the same sex partner as a lawfully wedded man or wife. Families of such gay members might view the marriage as an end of the family name or a huge disgrace to the family name. A gay person’s own family might not accept the fact that he/she turned gay and might start questioning the reasons behind it bringing about many other questions. However, some might argue that every person is free to choose their own life partner because the heart wants what the heart wants. Some claim that same sex marriages should not be frowned upon and should eventually become a normal part of everyday life. They believe that homosexuality is not an abnormality, however is just another form of relationships. Just like women are attracted to men and men are attracted to women, men can be attracted to men and women can also be attracted to women. It is just as normal as any other phenomenon and might even make more sense than heterosexuality sometimes. People who support homosexuality state that lesbians and fays are more diverse, variable, resilient, and thriving than heterosexuals. Moreover, they sometimes make better fathers or mothers and better partners. In addition, supporters of gay rights believe that the children involved in same sex marriages are actually being saved from foster homes and given an education and a family rather than remaining among the millions of homeless or loveless parentless children. They believe that these children actually benefit more because they are being raised by such parenthood since the parents bring in new ideas and different views on life so that the children can learn never to be biased or restricted in thought and beliefs. However, how right can this point of view be? Same sex marriages are not only unethical, but also are against many religions, defy the political and moral standards and are not beneficial for the future of our societies. In addition, homosexuality is a new phenomenon that is bringing about uprisings in many different societies. Also, marriages have always been based on the bonds of holy matrimony between a man and a woman and nothing more. Therefore, homosexuality can’t just come and change that entity. A marriage cannot simply change its definition because of what’s happening in the world. The people should adapt to the world as it is, not the other way around. The world should not change its natural laws, its religions and its morality due to a group of people who claim it is only natural for them to be with the same sex. In conclusion, there will always be a controversy between the two different points of view about same sex marriages, but the truth is life has always been a certain set of rules and regulations and should not, could not, and will not change for the purpose of homosexuality. Same sex marriages should be prohibited because they do not belong to any religious concept, moral ground or ethical conduct. Heterosexuality has always been what’s right and should remain the same way throughout all of history.

Conflict Management And Dispute Resolution

Conflict Management And Dispute Resolution Conflict can be defined as a struggle which is emanates from different ideas, values and beliefs. Most of the time, misunderstanding and miscommunication among people cause conflict. Furthermore, conflict lies not in objective reality, but in peoples minds (Fisher, 1981). Disputes, on the other hand, are such issues that are less deep than conflict but still very important. As human beings evolve and their technology grows through time, their awareness expands and they take more responsibility for making their own decisions. This is especially true of personal decisions. Humans want to be the ones that drive decisions in their lives; they do not want anyone else to decide on their behalf. Thus, conflicts arise. Often, conflicts occur because people differ in their ways of thinking. Because of this, conflicts can make people look at problems and issues not only from their perspectives but from others as well. Consequently, conflicts are not always negative; they can also bring about new ideas. These new ideas can help people to change, which is useful because everything in nature is changing in every moment. Conflict shows itself in every part of our lives. One of them can be the commercial activities that play an important role in todays world. For example, conflict can arise in commercial contracts. When this happens, the possibility of dispute arising is much higher. In this essay, we will discuss the conflict and dispute in commercial contracts and explain that whether or not they are inevitable. In addition, we will compare and contrast the different methods for resolutions of dispute in commercial contracts. Finally, we will present an example of dispute and explain how to solve it. Section A Are conflicts and disputes inevitable on commercial projects? Conflict and dispute definitions Before we can determine whether or not conflict and disputes must be avoided, we must first define both terms and determine the differences between the two. Conflict and dispute are two common terms. Although sometimes they are interpreted as equal types, there are some differences that will be mentioned. Conflict First, we will discuss the definition of conflict. There exist many definitions of conflict (Foss, 1979; Gelles, 1978; Straus, 1978) cited by Straus (1979). Mary Parker (1925) states that we can summarize conflict in one word: difference. A more comprehensive definition by Strauss (1979) suggests three distinctions: conflict of interest, conflict, and hostility. Conflict of interest A conflict of interest means that each member of the group prefers to seek their own interest, which is often different from other people. In other words, they want to live out their own lives from others. According to Straus (1979), the relationship between the amount of conflict (conflict of interest) and the well being of the group is curve linear. It means that existence of conflict can have a positive impact on the well being of group. However, if it exceeds more than the optimum point, it would be detrimental. Conflict Coser (1956) uses conflict to refer to the means or behavior used to pursue ones interest rather than conflict of interest, itself Straus (1979). According to Straus (1979), conflict means tactics which are used by a person in the response to the conflict of interests. Hostility Hostility occurs when feeling of dislike takes a place of sympathy among the members of the group. Often this fact is also named as conflict but in paradox of this idea, there exists some conflict theories that believe that hostility will not appear if conflict exists. This is because it can protect people from getting hostile in a way that can express their point of views and interests and do not let anyone to force them. Consequently, the author considers hostility as a negative fact in groups. Conflict exists in every part of our lives such as commercial activities. Contrary to popular belief, commercial conflict is important to a countrys economy. Dorussen (2006) concluded that trade in some commodities will have a strong impact on conflict in comparing with other goods. The reason for this fact is that some commodities have much more significant important on the security of states than others. Recently oil industries as well as high tech ones, have the importance impact though. And also (Park, 1976; Abolfathi, 1976; Ward, 1976; Polachek, 1980) cited by Dorussen (2006) have reached to the conclusion that when the amount of trading oil increases, the exporting country will become more hostile toward oil importers. There exists three ways of dealing with conflict: domination, compromise and integration (Parker, 1925). First, domination arises from victory of one party to another one. Second, compromise means to get along with each other to settle peace. In this case, one side loses something and gets something in order to agree to end up the conflict. According to Parker (1925), compromise is the basis of trade union tactics, in collective bargaining, the trade unionist asks for more than he expects to get, allows for what is going to be lopped off in the conference. Thus we often do not know what he really thinks he should have, and this ignorance is a great barrier to dealing with conflict fruitfully. Third, integration is when two parts decide to integrate with each other. This is the most efficient way of dealing with conflict. There is no need to sacrifice, and both parties will benefit from each other and become satisfied. Dispute The distinction that is made by Burton (1993) cited by Fenn (2006) between conflict and dispute, is based on two parameters: time and content. He considers disputes as short term disagreements which can be solved easily. On the other hand, conflicts are deep-rooted, long term problems which need much effort to be solved. These types of disagreements can occur independently and, in some cases, dispute can exist inside the long term conflict. Are conflict and dispute inevitable? Considering the evidence presented above, conflict and dispute differ from each other. They both can occur and deserve our consideration. In this section, we will discuss how conflicts are inevitable and how disputes can be avoided. According to Parker (1925), conflict exists in the world which we are living. Instead of ignoring its existence, it is better to find a way to embrace it. We can change the unpleasant situation in a way that benefit from. Conflict is one of the issues that is better to be accepted and get advantage of it. In some cases, dispute can exist inside the long term conflict Burton (1993). The school of western thought believes that: conflict is part of dynamic capitalism and an integral part of commercialism (Fenn, 2006). If conflict cannot be managed properly, dispute may rise. In other words, in contrast with conflict, dispute can be avoided. Therefore these two areas should be considered: First, conflict management or dispute avoidance; and second, dispute resolutions. Some conflict theorists believed that conflict is an inevitable part of human beings life and without the changes which are caused by conflict, the risk of collapse among the social groups such as academic departments, or family will get higher (Adams, 1965; Coser, 1956; Dahrendorf, 1959; Scanzoni, 1972; Simmel, 1955; Sprey, 1969) cited by Straus (1979). If conflict fades away, there will be no hope to adapt to changed circumstances and therefore hostility will arise. Conflict is defined as a process that arises when group of people or a person believes that other groups or other people are thinking frustrating (McKenna, 2006) and Fisher (1981) has defined that everybody has different perception and different way of thinking. By analyzing theses two theories, we can understand that conflict is inevitable; because people are different. Suggestions to prevent dispute Regarding to this section, we can conclude that conflict is inevitable. If we cannot manage conflict properly, dispute will arise. Disputes are caused by conflicts and sometimes they exist inside long term conflicts. (Burton 1993) the same story exists in commercial contracts and because they are important facts, there are some suggestion on how to manage conflict and consequently avoid disputes. By reviewing dispute resolution guidance published by office of government (United Kingdom) commerce (OGC, 2002) we can understand that contractual disputes can destroy the relationships between the client and supplier. In some cases, they have been spends lots of time to build it. Thus, this kind of dispute is time consuming and expensive. One of the roles of government is to emphasize on the importance of the good relationships between both parties of a commercial trade or the client and suppliers. There are three facts that are advised by OGC (2002) to prevent dispute in commercial contracts: 1. Stating the expectations and intentions at the beginning of the contract. Everything must be clear. Besides, dispute resolutions which both parties agree to provide in the time of dispute, should be mentioned. 2. Managing the contract is one of the most important facts that should be paid attention during having the contract. Both parties should be aware of any kind of disputes that may occur. Try to find the sign of dispute before it arises. 3. Considering the importance of managing the contract which is near to be expired, is one of the significant things that both parties must learn. Section B Compare and contrast of dispute resolution techniques Dispute resolution methods It has been concluded that conflict is inevitable but dispute can be avoided in commercial contracts. Although it can be avoided, there still some probability of happening. Therefore here are dispute resolution methods which can be used in commercial contracts. ADR is an alternative dispute resolutions .It does not mean the same to all the people. In Europe and much of the rest of the world it connects to those resolutions that exclude arbitration and litigation. On the other hand, in the Unites States, ADR conclude arbitration (Moses ,2008). Negotiation Negotiation is a common way of dispute resolution which both parties try to solve their problems without the need of others (OGC, 2002). Mediation Mediation is a nonbinding and confidential process (Moses, 2008). In this kind of resolution, the third party will meet each party privately and express their point of views to each other. Mediation sometimes known as an interest based procedure whereas arbitration is the right based procedure. Adjudication Adjudication is a quick and relatively inexpensive way of resolving a dispute, whereby an impartial third party adjudicator decides the issues between the parties. It will almost certainly be quicker and less expensive than arbitration or litigation. Section 108 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act (1996 ) gives the right to parties to virtually all construction contracts to refer any dispute arising under the contract to adjudication at any time. If the contract does not contain any adjudication procedure, or it does but the procedure does not comply with the Act, then before you can refer a dispute to adjudication you need to make sure that the contract is a construction contract as defined by the Act;(Construction Umbrella Bodies Adjudication Task Group,2003). Litigation: Litigation is a formal process which is a binding and non confidential procedure, which is held in the civil courts (Moses, 2008). Arbitration: Arbitration is a formal and nonbinding (sometimes binding) dispute resolution .where the third party exists to make the final decision for two other parties (Moses, 2008). Choosing a resolution method By comparing the dispute resolutions that discussed before: Mediation is not a binding resolution. -litigation is not a confidential resolution. Adjudication is a resolution that has some limitations. (Not being useful for all kinds of contracts as discussed in the previous part). These days, in many commercial contracts, parties choose arbitration as the default dispute resolution. As they got clear vision about the courts and their actions, they preferred to rely on the courts to solve their commercial disputes; Because of its confidentiality, and also in some case the need to continue their relationships. (Fenn, 2006).In Mentschikoff (1961) idea, the reasons that why we use arbitration in commercial groups are: speed, lower expense, more expert decision, and greater privacy. According Moses (2008), there exist two main reasons that why commercial parties choose arbitration as a dispute resolution. First, the forum is neutral. it means that it is possible to stay out of the other partys court. Second, the parties which are included in 140 countries that are under the control of New York convention must obey the award that comes out of the arbitration and that is the reason that we mentioned before that arbitration is sometimes a binding process. As Charles Newton Hulvey(1929) mentions ,there are 2 classification of agreements to arbitrate in commercial disputes.1:agreements to just submit existing commercial disputes.2:agreements to submit all commercial disputes including those will may occur in future. Arbitration has more advantages (Moses, 2008).One of the important advantages of arbitration is its confidentiality. Besides, parties choose arbitration because they can freely choose the arbitrator. Another advantage is that the discovery fact is less in arbitration therefore it takes shorter to get to the conclusion. One of the points of arbitration in the past was that it was less expensive in compared with litigation. Many companies do not think that it is the advantage any more. Buhring-uhle (2005) cited by Moses (2008), mentioned:more than half (51%) of the respondents thought that the cost advantage did not exist. However with considering all the facts, parties tend to choose arbitration because of its advantages and it still worth the cost. Besides the advantages, Arbitration has some disadvantages as well. If the advantage of fewer discoveries can be viewed from different point, it would become a disadvantage. Especially for those kind of disputes which need much more discovery and are extended. Fewer discoveries mean here less chance for the claimant. Moreover, in arbitration there is lack of requesting multiple appeals. This can be considered as a disadvantage when the arbitrator has made a wrong decision it would be frustrating to a party to accept this award with lack of ability to have an appeal. To wrap up, we got to the conclusion that, although we can prevent dispute in commercial contracts with some methods, it can be take place in some situations. Knowing how to deal with commercial disputes is important and one of the significant methods in dispute resolution is arbitration. Section C Example of use One of the dispute resolution methods is negotiating. Positional bargaining is a negotiation method in which each party only focuses on what they want, and dont pay attention to hidden interests. According to Fisher and Ury (1981), there are three trends through positional bargaining in the conflict resolutions between parties: Hard, Soft, and Principled Negotiation. Principled negotiation is suggested to parties to get better results more amicably. This method is separated into four parts (Fisher and Ury, 1981): 1. People: separate the people from the problem. 2. Interests: focus on interests not positions. 3. Options: generate a variety of possibilities before deciding what to do. 4. Criteria: insist that the result be based on some objective standards. In order to understand principled negotiation, we will review a fictional case study below. By reviewing this case, we can understand better how to use the stages of principled negotiation. Note: The following case study was created based on a true past experience of an employee in a construction company. Some details and events were modified to fit with the goals of this essay. Please note that the case study is written in the first person. In April 2009, I was working as a civil engineer in one of the building construction companies in Iran. One day something strange happened to me. While I was working in the construction site, a woman came to the site and asked me whether I could help her to find the project manager. I showed his room and told her that she was lucky that she came that day, because the project manager was not in a meeting. I brought her in the room and stayed along to introduce her to the project manager. The woman then proceeded to explain that she was one of the customers that had bought one of the apartments in advance. She wondered if she could get her apartment earlier than the specified time. She wanted the project manager to finish her apartment earlier. (It was possible but a somewhat costly).The project manager, instead of listening carefully to her, just said no. She repeated her request once more and the project manager interrupted her and said:No; it is completely impossible. The woman repl ied: You do not even pay attention to me. Why dont you listen to me to solve the problem? He answered: Because it is impossible. We have never done such a thing in our projects. When I saw this, I immediately thought that there was a problem with the project managers behavior: he didnt separate the people from the problem (Stage 1 of Principled Negotiation). In fact, he was very hard on the woman and did not even spend time to get the problem. After a 10 minute discussion, he listened completely to her. At last he said:It is impossible because we cannot finish constructing one apartment completely and then working on other flats; it is too costly for us. When he said this, he forgot that he should have focused on interests instead of positions (Stage 2). It would be better if he listened to her and paid attention and instead of not listening. If he did, he could tell her the issues and also asked her if she had solution to solve the problem. After few minutes, the client said you just say it is impossible. What if I pay all the additional costs? The project manager just kept saying:it is impossible and against the rules. We have never done such a thing in construction projects. In this stage, the project manager should have known that, he could invent options for mutual gain (Stage 3). He could have thought more about her suggestion and also presented his own suggestions. He also could not reach to the final stage of principled negotiation which is invent options for mutual gain (Stage 4). The woman got frustrated and without saying good bye went out of the room. After a week I understood that we should work harder to complete that apartment earlier. It was the order of the board manager. He told the project manager she is one of our best clients that we get so many benefits from her. If we keep her satisfied, that would be point for us in future projects. The project manager somehow got shamed. Because he did not know how to negotiate properly with her and actually if he had done so, he would have got benefit from the good negotiation by getting the money that the woman has suggested and spent it in the project. To conclude, as far as the conflict is inevitable, knowing how to negotiate properly is an advantage that only some people have. Principled negotiation is the best way that everybody can use and get benefit from the negotiation and conflict.

Standardized Testing Provides an Inexpensive and Reliable Indicator of

Standardized Testing Provides an Inexpensive and Reliable Indicator of Student Learning and Achievement The question of assessment in the "school system, individual schools, and teachers has evoked strong and sometimes violent emotions from the educational community, the general public and their legislative representatives"(Brown & Knight, 1994). Assessment based on standardized tests has been looked at very closely over the recent years, and some people have even mentioned that they be eliminated completely. Those who feel traditional methods should be replaced by alternative methods. These people feel that demonstration, exhibition, investigation, oral response, portfolio, and written response's are all examples of alternative assessments and should be incorporated in the classroom. They also feel that peer assessment should be incorporated because students learn a great deal from each other, and with large student numbers, "the importance of student feedback increases as the availability of tutor feedback decreases"(Brown & Knight, 1994). G.I Maeroff wrote the first article I read he feels that assessment of student's achievement is changing, largely because today's students face a world that will demand new knowledge and abilities. "In the global economy of the 21st century, students will not only need to understand the basics, but also to think critically, to analyze, and to make inferences" (Maeroff, 1991). The author clearly identifies that we often believe that what get assessed is what get taught and that the format of assessment influences the format of instruction. Contrary to our understanding of how students learn, "many assessments test facts and skills in isolation, seldom requiring students to apply what they already know and can do it in real life situations"(Maeroff, 1991). He feels the problem with standardized tests is that they do not match the emerging content standards, and over reliance on this type of assessment often leads to instruction that "stresses the basic knowledg e and skills" (Maeroff, 1991). The article reassures that rather than changes in instruction toward the engaged learning that will prepare students for the future, these test will encourage instruction of less important skills and passive learning. "Although the basic skills may be important goals of ... ...nt is expensive and difficult to develop, administer and score, which makes their usefulness for large-scale assessment questionable. If these alternative models achieve comparable reliability and validity, wouldn't they in effect have become standardized as well? The issue is not whether or not one form of assessment is better than another; no assessment model is suited for every purpose. The real issue is choosing appropriately among the variables that apply the most suitable model for the students. It is necessary to determine what information is sufficient to each purpose before you decide what format that you are going to teach. The best way to do our students justice is to use as wide as possible a mixture of all the assessment methods; this will allow all the students to show their strengths and weaknesses. Bibliography Brown, S and Knight, P (1994). Assessing Learners in Higher Education. Kogan Page, London. Linn, R.L., Baker, & S. B. Dunbar. (1991). Complex, Performance-Based Assessment: Expectations and Validation Criteria. Educational Researcher, 20 (8), pp. 15-21. Maeroff, G.I. (1991). Assessing Alternative Assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 73 (4), pp. 273-281).

Provide Support Essay

1. explain the importance of a holistic approach to managing pain and discomfort It is important that we take into consideration, areas other than physical pain and have a holistic approach. Pain is whatever the person who is suffering it feels it to be. Physical pain can be experienced as a result of disease or injury, or some other form of bodily distress. Pain can also be social, emotional and spiritual as well as just physical. Having a personalised and holistic approach to a person’s pain and discomfort needs good teamwork. E.g. Nurses and care workers may be able to help to support the person with physical pain. By using effective communication skills verbal and non-verbal, including active listening will help to support people holistically. Supporting people is looking at the person as a whole, and considering all of their needs Holistic care aims to take care of the whole person – not only the physical needs (i.e. pain what they are suffering from) of the patient but also their mental & emotional needs (i.e. afraid, not knowing what`s wrong), their social needs (i.e. worrying about money, bills, or how supporting family) and spiritual needs (i.e. feelings of anger or guilt). Using a holistic approach is important because it gets to the root of the problem, the reason you are having pain to begin with. Pain may be coming from another part of the body. Conventional medicine, alternative and complementary therapies can be used as options to relieve pain and other symptoms if desired. Care plan is  individualized and tailor-made for the service users which support their lifestyle and culture. The individuals and their family members are consulted and their wishes respected as far as possible in the care process. The purpose is to bring comfort, dignity and peace to the clients as well as support to their family members 2. Describe different approaches to alleviate pain and minimise discomfort Repositioning individuals and adjustments to bedding, heating, lighting or noise can also be a factor and the use of specialised mattresses such as air mattresses and equipment and pressure reducing aids can help to alleviate pain. There are many options to minimise discomfort such as: Doctors most often use conventional methods such as drugs. Physiotherapists rely on physical means of treatment such as; massages, electrical therapies, hot or cold packs Complementary therapists use methods such as: acupuncture, herbal medication, aromatherapy or chiropractic. Aromatherapy, homeopathic medicine, reflexology, yoga – these therapies should be used only where care professional agrees with the beneficial effects. Relieving anxiety by talking to therapies. Using drugs such as analgesics (paracetamol), opiates (morphine), anti-inflammatory (ibuprofen). Using physical methods like hot water bottle, massage, cooling with ice, repositioning. Self-help methods such as walking around or taking other exercises, having a chat or doing something else to distract from pain. 3. Outline agreed ways of working that relate to managing pain and discomfort The individual needed to be assessed, as every kind of pain relief can be harmful, care plan and policies and procedures always have to be followed and necessary precautions have to be taken. We have to follow agreed ways including Homes policies for pain management. Prescribed medication- via GP Homely remedies Practical measures from Health care assistance i.e. changing positions of individuals etc. 212.2 BE ABLE TO ASSIST IN MINIMISING INDIVIDUALS PAIN OR DISCOMFORT 2.1 Describe how pain and discomfort may affect an individual’s wellbeing and communication Severe pain or discomfort could have the ability to totally transform a person. It can affect the way a person eats and drinks, ie, difficulty in swallowing, it can cause frustration and unreasonable behaviour in a person who is normally calm and in control, it could also make resting, relaxing and sleeping difficult, leading a person to feeling stressed and suffering from insomnia, it could also, in some cases, lead to other medical conditions, such as depression. How a person interacts with others might also be a further consideration, in that they might find talking difficult, or they could become irritable and prone to sudden mood swings. Something else which should be considered is the sufferers ability to work and care for their family, if they are unable to do this, it might make them more reliable on others, which in turn could affect their whole well-being. Pain can effect individual’s communication so it is therefore important to observe their behaviour for signs of pain.

Top Reasons for Choosing a Degree in Medical

Top Reasons For Choosing A Degree In Medical Office Management Aletha McTigrit Kaplan 2012 ? Medical office management jobs are one of the fastest growing professions in the health industry in 2012 predicted to grow as much as 22% in the next 8 years. If you have a desire to work in the medical field but like myself don’t want to work with patients directly, medical office management is a profession you should consider. What is a medical office manager? How much can they earn? What type of person would be a good candidate for a medical office manager position? What would be their responsibilities?How can a person become a medical office manager, and what are some the current issues affecting medical office managers today are just some of the questions I am prepared to answer. Medical office managers are responsible for the non-clinical day to day operations designed to improve and maintain productivity in practices that provide healthcare services. Medical office managerâ€⠄¢s salaries vary state by state depending on the area where you intend to work although according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the median salary for a medical office manager in 2010 holding a bachelor’s degree or higher in a large city was about 86,300 a year.Medical office managers need to be proficient communicator with good human resource abilities who are able to communicate with people from all areas of life; He or she must also be honest, fair, and dependable(Hicks, 2012). Working as an administrator or manager in any type of office has its challenges. Office managers have a large array of duties for which they are responsible that must be accomplished on a daily basis and depending on the size of the organization in which they are employed, some of these duties may include selecting, hiring and training other employees, managing inventory and being solely responsible for bookkeeping,. ut working as an office manager in a medical facility can also include other du ties such as managing the schedules of all the doctor’s that work in the office, addressing complaints made by doctors, staff, patients or insurance companies, supervising patient scheduling, sending out appointment reminders, maintaining confidentiality with patient records as well as staying informed of new laws and regulations that affect the facility to insure the facility is in compliance so being able to multitask without becoming overwhelmed is a plus.Courses needed to obtain a degree in medical office management often include medical terminology, medical office accounting, medical law and bioethics, as well as those in anatomy and physiology Although earning a bachelor’s degree or higher in health science is customary when seeking employment as a medical office manager one can also gain on the job experience and work their way up from a related career such as a medical receptionist, or a medical administrative assistant by taking on larger and more responsible positions as stated in an audio segment on medical office management.After earning a degree in medical office management most professionals will seek to earn their CMM (certified medical manager) credential offered by the PAHCOM (Professional Association of Health Care Office Management) which attest to a person’s professionalism as a healthcare manager nationwide.Being a medical office manager is a challenging profession and one must always be prepared for change whether it be in technology or to stay in compliance with an additional laws or regulations such as HIPAA(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) other current issues include infection control, internal control to prevent employee misconduct and dealing with unresolved claims.My desire to become a medical office manager was kindled by a desire to expand my education and be the first one in my family to have earned a college degree, and to have a positive impact on my daughter who did not finish high sch ool in hopes she would return and someday in the future hold a degree in her own chosen field. My goal is not to enter the work force immediately although I know I need to complete an externship and clinical requirements in order to obtain my degree.I intend to earn my bachelor’s degree and work part-time in order to qualify for my CMM credentials and possibly move on to earn a master’s degree in Medical office management. I see myself as already having waited 20 years to return to school and continue my education so I am not in any hurry to reach my maximum potential, but instead continue to stay at home and see that my children receive the utmost care and support that I am able to give to them.In 5 years with an estimated graduation date of November 2014. I see myself working as a medical secretary in a doctor’s office in Kokomo near my home town of Peru, IN, holding my CPS (Certified Professional Secretary) and CAP (Certified Administrative Professional) cred entials while working on my bachelor’s degree in medical office management.Based on the assumption that I do not have any more children in the near future my youngest child will be of school age and I will be able to work while finishing my bachelor’s degree and earning my CMM credential and finally begin seeking to earn my master’s degree in medical office management, fortunately for me when people my age are thinking about retiring I will be beginning a career in a profession that I have wanted to work in for as long as I can remember.Taking the steps required to becoming a medical office manager is something that requires a lot of time patience and dedication but will ultimately lead to a rewarding career should you choose to accept the challenge? References A day in the life of a medical office manager (n. d. ) Retrieved from http://extmedia. kaplan. edu/healthSci/HS100/AAMedicalOfficeManagement. mp3 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor, Occ upational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Medical, and Health Services Managers, on the Internet at http://www. bls. gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers. tm (visited November 12, 2012). Hicks, J. , (2012 February 6). 6 current issues for medical office managers Retrieved from http://medicaloffice. about. com/b/2012/02/10/6-current-issues-for-medical-office-managers. htm Hicks, J. , (2012 June 29). Several traits for successful managers Retrieved From http://medicaloffice. about. com/b/2012/06/30/several-traits-for-successful-managers. htmm PAHCOM Certified medical manager overview Professional Association of Health Care Office Management (no date) Retrieved From http://www. pahcom. com/cmm/overview. html