Personal Response Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Personal Response Journal - Essay Example I was aware and forewarned about this that I planned strategies and developed ways to, if not control, guide the students towards more positive outcomes in school. So instead of getting affected with all the instigations, I dwelt on the more important things, like preparing to make my classes more interesting so the students' attention and energy would focus more on the fun and enjoyment of their woodwork activities. Aside from handling woodwork classes in grades 10 and 7, I handled classes of grades 4 and 5. Teaching younger students is quite a new experience for me since I have always handled higher grade students. I did some innovations particularly on the tools to be used and the projects that would suit their age. I did not expect though that I had to do more than the usual preparations and adjustments because younger kids would behave unpredictably in class. I was quite uncomfortable during the first week. On the orientation on the basic hand tools, I found myself rushing to some students who were quite reckless in the handling of the tools. I realized that safety had to be given a lot of stress when teaching younger students. Safety is a major concern in teaching woodwork. The young students were a big challenge, unexpectedly. I was glad and lucky enough that the sessions ended without encountering major problems and accidents. Because of this, I intended to re-do some parts of my orientation in the following week and program myself to be able to closely supervise each student and their ability to cope with the instructions. There had to be a lot of value inputs in these sessions, particularly on the consequences of reckless behaviour. I would show pictures of children with cut fingernails or wounds caused by poor practice of safety in the workshops. The visual experience would be needed so the value of safety would stick in their system. This stage of development of children, particularly those aging 10 and 11 is very critical. Jean Piaget's development theory did stress that children, particularly this group, would have difficulty understanding abstract ideas. I realized that it was really important to support my teaching with sufficient visual aids and more examples, demonstrations and illustrations so that the students will clearly understand, more particularly when discussing the safety issues of woodworking. Recognising the importance of safety in my woodworking classes, I decided to conduct a safety test on the tools and machines that will be used in the projects, hand tools for all and for the 7th and 10 graders, they will be able to progress to the power tools only if they pass the test. The school had the tools available like jointer, table saw, planer and cut-off saw for precision and miters, band saw, sanders, routers, drills and finishing equipment. As the sessions introduce the tools and equipment, the students are given the test. The strategy for this safety test is to determine the students who are responsible enough to practice safety applying the tips that will be included in the briefings. The students who will not pass will have to retake the tests until such time they will pass and they will not be permitted to the next level workshop activities. Holistic Approach My objectives in teaching woodworking were not only geared towards the development of

Occupational Health and Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Occupational Health and Safety - Essay Example Marvin Schneiderman’s approach to work-place safety is unrealistic and impractical because he takes a position which largely ignores the dynamics of the workplaces themselves. Teachers and office personnel very rarely, if at all, are required to handle or come into close contact with dangerous or hazardous material. Therefore the level of protection required of employers in classrooms and offices are minimal when compared to workers who are exposed to hazardous situations on an ongoing basis in the workplace. This is not meant to suggest that once the job involves continuous risks of harm, no measures should be taken to safeguard against them. The reality is, when there are certain hazards, there is always a risk of harm, regardless of safety measures involved. The higher the risk of harm, the more likely it is that harm will occur, regardless of safety measures taken. There are two principles of safety that makes it virtually impossible to implement a safety standard across the board that will produce the same safety record for all workers, as those reported by the review from England and Wales. These principles are â€Å"safe-persons† and â€Å"safe-place.† (34) In order to facilitate a safe-place a number of initiatives are required with respect to the workplace. This includes â€Å"engineering controls or process changes† which are necessary to â€Å"reduce exposure to noise or airborne toxic contaminants.† (34) In addition, tools and â€Å"office equipment designed with attention to basic principles of ergonomics† will have to be purchased. (34) There is an obvious difference in the level of workplace safety that can be facilitated at minimal costs in a factory or on a construction sight as opposed to an office. Purchasing tools and safety gear for employees exposed to heights and hazardous materials can only provide limited protection, regardless of expenditure. Nose and

Critically discuss the relevance of the ownership structure of a firm Coursework

Critically discuss the relevance of the ownership structure of a firm and examine how this impacts on both the short-term and long-term strategies that are employed by business - Coursework Example At several instances, it is noted that the ownership structure of a firm has been affecting its steady growth and development at large. Moreover, the ownership structure of the firm is observed to function by developing the image and enhance the strategic development of the firm in both short and long terms (Jensen & Meckling, 1976). With this regard, the paper intends to elaborate on the relevance of the ownership structure followed in The Lego Group. The Lego Group is a private sector company founded in the year 1932. In accordance with its vision, the company’s business was majorly engaged in the development of the children’s cognitive skills through playing. The company has developed its image as a global enterprise over the tenure of 80 years and has developed itself, on of the leading manufacturer of toy in the world (1The LEGO Group, 2014). To develop a better understanding about the ownership structure of the company, a detailed analysis of its provisions and performances have been conducted in the following sections. Ownership structure provides a framework for the process of control and helps in developing a system of management of the firm. Ownership structure is therefore defined as the equity structure that depicts the holding rights of a company. This structure further defines the authority that a particular person has on an organisation. Moreover, the ownership structure depicts managerial abilities to control the different operations of the management and enhance the system overall, to suffice the changing needs of the contemporary business environment and adjust with the same, maintaining efficiency. Contextually, the ownership structure helps in identifying the corporate governance and in developing guidelines that in turn tends to shape the internal climate of the company influencing the investors’ confidence level as well as ensuring transparency in

Domestic Or Foreign Firms In China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Domestic Or Foreign Firms In China - Essay Example Remuneration packages and salary increases Wang, Chen, Hyde and Hsieh (2010) recruited a sample of 260 different employees working within multi-national corporations in Shanghai in the semiconductor industry to determine the potential relationship between intention to leave and pay systems at the firms. The questionnaire instruments utilised for the study provided results that pay satisfaction was the most significant method for satisfying employees and reducing turnover intentions (Wang et al. 2010). Offering wages that were higher than the competitive environment within other firms substantially increased Chinese employees’ organisational commitment. Cotton and Tuttle (1986) support these findings, indicating that HR strategies involving the development of remuneration and bonus packages greatly improved organisational commitment and, hence, reduced employee intention to leave the organisation. Even though not all companies have the financial resources available to offer hig h quality remuneration packages, there are opportunities for even smaller Chinese firms to use some sort of monetary incentives in a culture that legitimately values the importance of pay. The study conducted by Cotton and Tuttle (1986) illustrates that pay values are significantly important for Chinese staff members, a phenomenon which has endured into contemporary Chinese businesses. Another study conducted by Ming, Zivlak and Ljubicic (2011) engaged a sampling of Chinese employees in the fashion retail sector. Research findings indicated that 78 percent of respondents cited pay dissatisfaction as the primary motivator for wanting to leave the organisation. Turnover rates at the four different organisations were between 26.69 percent and 36.45 percent (Ming et al. 2011),... This paper stresses that the majority of contemporary HR strategies being utilised in Chinese firms are largely successful. Establishment of participative leadership practices gives employees a greater sense of ownership and value within the organisation, causing them to remain committed and dedicated to the organisation. Coupled with the establishment of autonomous working environments provides the same motivation and dedication which has the opportunity to reduce turnover ratios. This report makes a conclusion that the most fundamental finding of the research is the shifting dynamics of manager-employee relationships that confounds the traditional model of management in which there is ample power distance. Giving employees more communications, information and opportunities to share their opinion and innovative solutions better satisfies Chinese employees, whether a product of adopting Western models of business management or whether as a product of an evolving and liberalising culture. The engagement quality between managers and employees cannot be under-emphasised and more HR leaders should be training managers and developing communications systems that provide for a more decentralised environment. The only potential hindrance to active HR policy in China, as illustrated by the research, is the extent to which autonomous working systems have been established and implemented. Stress and anxiety as two potential outcomes of working independently of management control should be major concerns for HR managers in China attempting to reduce turnover through policies allowing for self-sufficiency and self-evaluation.

Precede Proceed Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Precede Proceed Model - Essay Example As per the research conducted by Stanford University Medical Center (2003), South Asian Indian Women are more prone to heart diseases and diabetes compared to other women of the world. The primary reason behind this is their reluctance to the insulin resistance syndrome that causes high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. There is no doubt that diet plays an important role in controlling diabetes but reluctance towards insulin is one of the major problems that often aggravate the problem. Thus, it is important for health planners, policy makers and evaluators to design an effective and efficient health program pertaining to the diabetes control among South Asian Indian Women. The role of health care institutes and communities is of great importance in creating awareness along with changing the health care systems and patterns along with educating women suffering from diabetes. There is a need of global initiative and a systematic utilization of the health framework to attain he alth objectives. It is important to incorporate Precede Proceed Model’s elements while designing an effective framework for controlling diabetes along with keeping a tab on related diseases. ... There has been a dramatic increase in the prevalence of Diabetes in South Asian Indian Women living in different parts of the world. The primary reason behind this is low physical activities and high fat diet. There is no denying that genetics play an important role in determining a disease but apart from it, health initiatives and perceptions also play a deciding role. It is important to create local level awareness among these women along with guiding them in an informative and logical manner on the use and importance of insulin. An initiative needs to be taken by creating health care communities bringing changes along with managing and guiding people suffering from diabetes (Gielen, McDonald, Bone, (2008). This would help in addressing the problem in a systematic manner offering great results and solutions. Precede Proceed Model Lawrence Green (1976) stated that Precede Proceed Model is a framework that helps and guides health planners, policy makers and evaluators to assess a hea lth problem along with designing an effective health programs. It includes enhancing of health and quality life by designing and implementing effective health initiatives and programs. This model requires active participation of targeted audience in order to understand problems and issues pertaining to a specific disease. This model states that health problems are influenced by both environmental and personal factors and need to be analyzed well. In this discussion, the basic health problem to be assessed and analyzed is diabetes and community based health solutions would be designed based on Precede Proceed Model. This would help in achieving the proposed objective of the discussion in a desired and systematic manner. Description of the Model The

Charter Schools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Charter Schools - Essay Example The different between charter schools and other public schools is that families choose them for their children because they have desired qualities and environment that must exhibit. Moreover, they operate on specific freedoms that are not in the other district public schools hence making them favorable and lenient to the children Chance, L. M. S. A. A., & Lewis, W. (2013) these schools must demonstrate exquisite performance in matters relating to academics prowess, transparent management of finances and effective organizational stability. However, failure for a charter school to meet the organizational may lead to the closure of such school. Chance & Lewis (2013) Affirms that the underrepresented students in charter schools tend to succeed in education and extracurricular activities compared to other students in the district schools. The essay seeks to illustrate why the underrepresented students perform better compared to others in the district schools. First, the general model of school provides an enabling atmosphere where all people can learn and integrate the relevant skills learned in the realm of academics. CREDO study indicates success of these students emanates from school quality features such as teacher quality, lengths of day among other factors that concentrate on the non-low-income, non-disabled females in the charter schools (Mayr, 2008). The school exhibits controllable effects such as peer group, physical education that contribute heavily towards making an individual full member of the community. In other words, the schools have an adequate atmosphere that will provide an avenue for students to succeed by the end of the day. The students have hardworking spirit. Coupling the handwork and effort from students makes it possible for students to excel and eventually perform distinctively from other students in the society. The administration has set principles in terms creating and maintaining motivation amongst students. Awards and

In-depth Economic Analysis of Brazil, Russia, India and China Essay

In-depth Economic Analysis of Brazil, Russia, India and China - Essay Example The term BRIC was in a way, created in the year 2001 by Jim O’Neill. Since then, the term BRIC has rather evolved into a concept which refers to economic growth. Each of the four emerging nations owns most of the components required to attain superior economic development in the world of today (â€Å"EconomyWatch†, 2010). Country Profiles Brazil In terms of country area, Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world with the country size being 8,514,877 sq km. The estimated population of Brazil in 2012 is 205,716,890; which is also fifth largest in the world. The rate of population growth hovers around 1.1% while 87% of the country’s population resides in urban areas. The age structure of Brazil illustrates that 67% of the inhabitants lie in the age bracket of 15-64 years, which is a healthy sign for any growing economy. The literacy rate, which stands at 88.6%, is pretty encouraging. Portuguese is the state’s official language. As far as the division o f population on the basis of religion is concerned, 73.6% of the population is Roman Catholic while 15.4% is Protestant. Brazil achieved independence in the year 1822, after more than three hundred years of Portuguese rule. The country continued with a monarchical government system up till the abandonment of slavery in 1888, followed by a declaration of a republic in 1889. The coffee exporters used to politically control the country until Getulio Vargas assumed power in 1930. In the year 1985, Brazil acquired freedom from military and populist rule. Ever since, it has set itself on the expedition of industrial and agricultural development. Economy Review The economy of Brazil revolves around hefty and well-managed sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, mining and services; which have made Brazil an economic leader in South America. Since the year 2003, Brazil has gained strength on a macro-economic basis, with the piling up of foreign reserves in addition to betterment of debt posit ion. Brazil has been one of the initial economies to demonstrate a recovery after the 2008 recession. By securing the position of the world’s seventh biggest economy in 2011, Brazil has been able to comfortably outshine United Kingdom (â€Å"CIA†, 2012). Russia Russia enjoys the first position with respect to country size in the world, as it has a total area of 17,098,242 sq km. The country’s estimated population in 2012 is 138,082,178, which is ninth highest among all countries. The rate of population growth has been a negative 0.48%. 73% population is located in urban areas. With reference to economic standpoint, the age structure is a promising one with almost 71% of the country’s people in the age category of 15-64. The literacy rate is very high at 99.4%. With respect to religion, 15-20% of the population is Russian Orthodox while around 10-15% is Muslim. However, Russia is known for a large number of nonbelievers primarily because of the legacy left by the Soviet era. Russian has always been the official language of the country. After 2 centuries of Mongol rule, the Principality of Muscovy was established in the 12th century. Up till the 19th century, numerous territorial acquisitions were undertaken