Benefits Of Reading Books Essay

I’ve found that no matter what I read, the act of reading every day has helped me in nearly every aspect of my life. Here are a few of my favorite ways that reading has improved my quality of life, and will definitely improve yours. 1. Mental Stimulation Studies have shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progressof (or possibly even prevent) Alzheimer’s and Dementia, since keeping your brain active and engaged prevents it from losing power. Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy, so the phrase â€Å"use it or lose it† is particularly apt when it comes to your mind. Doing puzzles and playing games such as chess have also been found to be helpful with cognitive stimulation. 2. Stress Reduction No matter how much stress you have at work, in your personal relationships, or countless other issues faced in daily life, it all just slips away when you lose yourself in a great story. A well-written novel can transport you to other realms, while an engaging article will distract you and keep you in the present moment, letting tensions drain away and allowing you to relax. 3. Knowledge Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to tackle any challenge you’ll ever face. Additionally, here’s a bit of food for thought: should you ever find yourself in dire circumstances, remember that although you might lose everything else—your job, your possessions, your money, even your health—knowledge can never be taken from you. 4. Vocabulary Expansion This goes with the above topic: the more you read, the more words you gain exposure to, and they’ll inevitably make their way into your everyday vocabulary. Being articulate and well-spoken is of great help in any profession, and knowing that you can speak to higher-ups with self-confidence can be an enormous boost to your self-esteem. It could even  aid in your career, as those who are well-read, well-spoken, and knowledgeable on a variety of topics tend to get promotions more quickly (and more often) than those with smaller vocabularies and lack of awareness of literature, scientific breakthroughs, and global events. Reading books is also vital for learning new languages, as non-native speakers gain exposure to words used in context, which will ameliorate their own speaking and writing fluency. 5. Memory Improvement When you read a book, you have to remember an assortment of characters, their backgrounds, ambitions, history, and nuances, as well as the various arcs and sub-plots that weave their way through every story. That’s a fair bit to remember, but brains are marvellous things and can remember these things with relative ease. Amazingly enough, every new memory you create forges new synapses (brain pathways)and strengthens existing ones, which assists in short-term memory recall as well as stabilizing moods. How cool is that? 6. Stronger Analytical Thinking Skills Have you ever read an amazing mystery novel, and solved the mystery yourself before finishing the book? If so, you were able to put critical and analytical thinking to work by taking note of all the details provided and sorting them out to determine â€Å"whodunnit†. That same ability to analyze details also comes in handy when it comes to critiquing the plot; determining whether it was a well-written piece, if the characters were properly developed, if the storyline ran smoothly, etc. Should you ever have an opportunity to discuss the book with others, you’ll be able to state your opinions clearly, as you’ve taken the time to really consider all the aspects involved. 7. Improved Focus and Concentration In our internet-crazed world, attention is drawn in a million different directions at once as we multi-task through every day. In a single 5-minute span, the average person will divide their time between working on a task, checking email, chatting with a couple of people (via gchat, skype, etc.), keeping an eye on twitter, monitoring their smartphone, and interacting with co-workers. This type of ADD-like behaviour causes stress levels to rise, andlowers our productivity. When you read a book, all of your attention is  focused on the story—the rest of the world just falls away, and you can immerse yourself in every fine detail you’re absorbing. Try reading for 15-20 minutes before work (i.e. on your morning commute, if you take public transit), and you’ll be surprised at how much more focused you are once you get to the office. 8. Better Writing Skills This goes hand-in-hand with the expansion of your vocabulary: exposure to published, well-written work has a noted effect on one’s own writing, as observing the cadence, fluidity, and writing styles of other authors will invariably influence your own work. In the same way that musicians influence one another, and painters use techniques established by previous masters, so do writers learn how to craft prose by reading the works of others. 9. Tranquility In addition to the relaxation that accompanies reading a good book, it’s possible that the subject you read about can bring about immense inner peace and tranquility. Reading spiritual texts can lower blood pressure and bring about an immense sense of calm, while reading self-help books has been shown to help people suffering from certain mood disorders and mild mental illnesses. 10. Free Entertainment Though many of us like to buy books so we can annotate them and dog-ear pages for future reference, they can be quite pricey. For low-budget entertainment, you can visit your local library and bask in the glory of the countless tomes available there for free. Libraries have books on every subject imaginable, and since they rotate their stock and constantly get new books, you’ll never run out of reading materials.

4.2. Describe the Importance of Reassuring Children

4. 2. Describe the importance of reassuring children, young people and adults of the confidentiality of shared information and the limits of this. Confidentiality is the preservation of privileged information, concerning children and their families, which is disclosed in the professional relationship. It is a complicated issue which is based upon the principle of trust. Confidentiality is very important when working in a closely with parents. Some information needs to be shared but only with your superior, i. e. head teacher, as it will be a matter of total confidence. If you suspect a child-protection issue, this should be shared only with your superior and again in strictest confidence, and the parents will need to be aware of this. It will be important from the very beginning of your relationship with parents, there is an understanding and they can tell you something in confidence, you may have to share the information with your superior. It is important never to gossip about parents or their children. -It is important never to discuss one parent with another. -It is important not to make judgements about children or their parents. -Some information needs to be shared with the all the staff, in particular diet, allergy, religious rituals, if the child is being collected by someone other than their main carer, general records on pupils individual teachers’ records of assessment, SEN information on pupils. Under the Data Protection Act 1998, information about pupils needs to be kept in a secure place. Never take any information off site and do not provide opportunities for others to gain access to it. When sharing information with colleagues only discuss points they need to know. If you notice any breaches of confidentiality always report the matter to an appropriate member of staff.

Emerging Models by Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice

The article Emerging Models by Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice discussed several behavior management techniques that can be implemented especially in schools for children with disabilities. School-wide strategies was found effective as long as there is staff commitment, clearly defined procedures, and support plans that address the behavior problems of students (CECP, 1997). These strategies, supported with unified behavior management approach and practices can prevent student behavior problems. For beginning teachers, it is recommended that they follow a set of behavior management techniques as guidelines in managing student behavior. For instance, strategies such as â€Å"Self-Manager Program† which gives students with points for good behavior, or the â€Å"Chance Ticket System† which rewards students for their good behavior, are some of effective system that facilitates management of student behavior (CECP, 1997). The article Emerging Models is a useful source for this subject because it provides brief and yet sensible information on how to manage student behavior. Paraprofessionals are among the important elements in managing student behavior. They are the personnel who help teachers focus on their responsibilities through assistance in student monitoring and clerical works (Afolabi, 2002). In general, their roles focus on aiding and assisting teachers in their classroom duties. To plan and best utilize the roles of paraprofessionals, it is important that they are given with more training, not just as a teacher aide, but also as future teachers. The article written by Alfobi (2002) is a useful resource for this subject because it discusses information on the roles of a paraprofessional, as well as recommendations on how to improve the status of paraprofessionals.

Discuss the matter of single women who have children and no partners Essay

Discuss the matter of single women who have children and no partners simply take advantage of the welfare benefits, should addit - Essay Example This has become a burden on the working nation who has to pay huge taxes to support the unemployed. There people who are of the view that people who are under welfare should not have children . This is because if the working population make effort in planning the size of their families why should those that rely on welfare not do the same (Daguerre & Nativel, 2006: 412)? This article discusses whether single mothers take advantage of the welfare money and what steps can be taken to address these issues. The history of the welfare Programs in America American has created welfare programs aimed at helping people who are economically disadvantaged in the society. Some of the contemporary program in place today include the women, infant and children (WIC), Medicaid and aid to family with dependent children (AFDC) programs. The creation of these program started a long time when American was still a British colony. The British colony has created the poor laws that were used to distinguish those people who were unable work because they were physically challenged or old and those who had no jobs but were able bodies. The formers would be given assistance in form of cash and the latter would be given employment in the workhouse as public servants. Before the onset of the great depression, the government had created a pension scheme to assist war veterans and their families. This is because the men in the US army were the hardest hit by poverty because as they raged in battles, the other civilians were busy amassing wealth. When they came back home, they had no means to support themselves and the remuneration they got from the government was not enough to support them and their families. The great depression hit the American economy very hard. It left about have of the population unemployed. The government had to intervene to salvage the situation. The first welfare programs were developed by the former president Roosevelt in 1935 which were the Aid to dependent Children and unemployment compensation which are still in place today. These were created under the Social security Act that was created in the same year. Several government agencies were also developed to oversee the implementation of these programs (Mittelstadt, 2005: 130). These include the Department of Housing and Urban Development, department of education, department of agriculture and the department of healthcare and human services. In 1996, former president Bill Clinton authorized the Personal Responsibility and work reconciliation act. This allows the government to give a certain amount of money to the state mandated to be used in assisting the poor. Are the Single Mothers without Partners taking Advantage of the welfare programs? In addressing this area, president Barrack Obama is of the view that some of the welfare programs increase dependency. He says that some of the programs that have been developed in the past have been designed in the wrong way encouraging dependency. He sa id that having government in a poor neighborhood, he has observed how these programs have made people complacent in their way f live. They are not motivated to upgrade their skills or even get a college education. I totally agree with him. It is not wrong to help the poor in the society especially the women and children who happen to be the hardest hit by poverty. However, the government needs to not only provide the fish to

The Politics of Pacific Northwest Research Paper

The Politics of Pacific Northwest - Research Paper Example They include artifacts; collect art and primary sources so that the young generations can pass the traditions as recommended. The collections which are more than 68,000 objects from fine art and material culture from the America, Europe, and Asia are preserved to make sure that the young generation will have a chance to see and follow the traditions. Regional history includes the exploration, settlement, economic among others that the individual are required to follow. Many regions have relative liberal abortion laws, gender equality laws; others encourage the use of marijuana and other rights concerning the individuals. British Columbia has legal law that allows for gay marriage which was passed in 2003 while for Washington was legalized in 2001, the Oregon allows for same sex marriage this is because the urban size and voting impact has a lead and this make it easier for the passing of laws without any problem (Dublin 36). The region has a long history of political radicalism which means that general strike would be engaged thus combination of communes and socialist and thus an influence in the region. Every human being has right to life and that’s why the government has been fighting with terrorists. The region is productive in terms of economic since it has a long history involving the starting of cooperative and communal businesses and organizations. The Puget Sound has a history of publicly owned power utilities and thus some of the states that are around have public utilities that are personal. As a result they enjoy the lowest electrical power rates in the whole of the continent.

An Organization for immigrants in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

An Organization for immigrants in UK - Essay Example The organization is a charitable one with the sole purpose of enhancing smooth transition to immigrants and intends also to maximize their improvement in well-being instead of maximizing profits. Implying that there is no profit to investors (Offer,2006,p56). The organization intends to provide assistance to the increasing number of immigrants who experience many challenges in their host countries. Since we are involved in social activity, the organization must just be a charitable organization. This is because it covers a wide scope, and if left to private firms which have limited scope it cannot achieve the organization’s objective of assisting a multitude of immigrants adapt to their new environment (Ross, 2003, p57). This is clearly illustrated by PotAucek who defined a nonprofit organization as is â€Å"the sphere of social activity undertaken by organizations that are not for profit and non-governmental†. Because immigration is highly sensitive politically, it has faced several challenges especially the regulatory environment relating to immigrants. Several restrictions have been put in place by the potential host countries to limit benefits offered to imm8igrants. Specifically the UK government introduced a ‘package of restrictions’ on EU migrants such as inability to claim housing benefits, delayed access to National Health Services, lack of job seekers allowances for the first 3 months and deportation and barred the reentry for 12 months for any EU national that is â€Å"caught begging or sleeping rough† (BBC, 2013). The most suitable organization to solve these challenges and restrictions is a charitable organization but not a private one (Panayi, 1999, p111). This is because an NGO has a global outlook while a private organization simply has a national or regional publicity and hence cannot exhaustively deal with a global problem. An NGO exists as a global asset and therefore best suited to deal with immigrantsâ€⠄¢ challenges. In order to eliminate racial discrimination in the host countries, the organization needs to be a public one this because of its fair, equitable and service to all nature. Public organizations treat people equally thereby eliminating racial prejudice that could occur if the organization would have been a private one. The organization aims at ensuring that immigrants are not denied jobs and housing because their credentials are devalued (Joppke & Seidle, 2012, p91). This, however, will be achieved through the provision of residential houses to immigrants as well as helping them with job applications, for instance writing CVs which are in line with the job market demand and, helping them prepare for interviews. The organization also intends to raise awareness of the on-going issue of racial discrimination, particularly â€Å"discriminatory practices in the workplace and the community†. The other reason why this organization must just be a nonprofit organization i nstead of a private one is because it has limited funds. It, therefore, depends on contributions and donations from well-wishers to accomplish its objectives because it has limited ways of raising funds contrary to private organizations which can borrow because they are able to repay the loan from profits that they make. A nonprofit organiz

Divorce and the Coase Theorem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Divorce and the Coase Theorem - Essay Example I would not advocate for a change in the current law. This is for the rationale that alternative arrangement divorce would be time consuming and would even cause or start hateful issues to develop during the arrangements and can ruin friendships. It is also confident for spouses to formulate one of the reasons for divorce essential in ruling. No-fault divorce, on the other hand, accepted that a marriage collapse might not be the cause of one spouses misbehavior. They cut down the divorce procedure and made it more reliable countrywide, hence obviating the necessitaty for distressed couples to cross position lines in look for of simpler break up laws. Ronald Coase is for no fault divorce and he said that, if the amount of a couple’s mesh gains from matrimony, as seen by the couple, is negative, then no conformity on distributing the gains from the marriage can keep them as one. Despite of its merits it is not the best way to divorce because it can cover up serious matrimonial misbehavior and I don’t advocate for

Gaelic Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Gaelic Language - Essay Example Gaelic is essentially a Scottish language and therefore it can be said that if this language meets its end in this country, it will be very hard to find its trace anywhere else in the rest of the world. The vow to save this language from the probable extinction in the future has been taken even by Prince Charles himself. (BBC, 2004) According to the recent most reports, the Gaelic language is spoken by less than 60,000 people all over the world. The day is not very far when the language will become totally extinct and it will be hard to find its existence outside some ancient texts and a few rare modern works. There are, however, many instances in the Scottish history when steps to protect the Gaelic language have been taken. One of those steps was seen during the 1860s when The Argyll Commission showed its interest in protecting the Celtic culture. Preserving the Gaelic language was one of the major parts of this project. (Paterson, 45) Despite the numerous projects to preserve this language, English has proved its power all over the world in the field of education, communication and transportation – everywhere. This has ultimately drawn a huge blow upon the development of Gaelic language, first stopping its growth and then by decreasing the number of people using the language. Going by European history one will be able to find the use of Celtic languages throughout the continent. English and French – these two languages came to the forefront with the unparalleled growth of these two countries, especially in the financial field. ... Numerous policies have been taken into consideration by the Scottish government in order to put life into this almost dying language and the ancient culture associated with it. Gaelic is essentially a Scottish language and therefore it can be said that if this language meets its end in this country, it will be very hard to find its trace anywhere else in the rest of the world. The vow to save this language from the probable extinction in the future has been taken even by Prince Charles himself. (BBC, 2004) According to the recent most reports, Gaelic language is spoken by less than 60,000 people all over the world. The day is not very far when the language will become totally extinct and it will be hard to find its existence outside some ancient texts and a few rare modern works. There are however, many instances in the Scottish history when steps to protect the Gaelic language have been taken. One of those steps was seen during the 1860s when The Argyll Commission showed its interest in protecting the Celtic culture. Preserving the Gaelic language was one of the major parts of this project. (Paterson, 45) Despite the numerous projects to preserve this lang uage, English has proved its power all over the world in the field of education, communication and transportation - everywhere. This has ultimately drawn a huge blow upon the development of Gaelic language, first stopping its growth and then by decreasing the number of people using the language. Going by European history one will be able to find the use of Celtic languages throughout the continent. English and French - these two languages came to the forefront with the unparalleled growth of these two countries, especially in the financial field. Many other Celtic languages, like Gaelic went down the

Leadership in nursing practice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Leadership in nursing practice - Assignment Example The leadership theory chosen by an individual will depend on the personality of the individual, as well as the individual’s beliefs towards leadership. Leadership in nursing is supported by theories that include motivational theories, interactive theories, and transformational leadership theories (Chambers, 2011, pg. 30). Abraham Maslow hatched motivational theory of leadership. Maslow broke down motivation using his hierarchy of needs, which outlines the motivation required at each level. Motivational approaches are hinged on the belief that team members must be continually and gradually be furnished with an impetus to stay on track with organizational goals. The impetus provided can be in terms of material or appraisals. Interactive theories emphasize the Japanese style of management - theory Z. These theories are hinged on democratic principles. The fundamental principles underlying these methods are harmonious decision-making, fitting employees to their tasks, and career refuge.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The theory lays emphasis on the importance of developing teams to achieve the goals and vision  set by the organization. Teams are developed through training and hand-holding sessions that are planned by the management.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Every institution has a style of leadership espoused by its leaders. Styles of leadership also vary according to the individual who take up leadership positions. There are several styles of leadership, which include servant, transformational, autocratic, laissez-faire, and democratic. A leader who animates servant leadership influences and motivates members of his/her teams by building their skills, as well as by building relationships. Besides, the input of each member of the team is brought into account whenever decisions are made in the organization. A leader practicing servant

Challenges of implementing Health IT on the African continent Essay

Challenges of implementing Health IT on the African continent - Essay Example While great strides have been made in managing the affairs of the continent by different countries in the continent, some have lagged behind in development, owing to the political instability and other natural forces such as the adverse climatic conditions and the environmental factors that poses a lot of challenge to the development of such countries. Consequently, the development of the African continent, especially in the field of health is far behind, compared to other continents of the world (Archangel, 2007). It is not unusual to find many people perishing from the very common and preventable diseases, which are non-existent in other continents, due to the inability of the African health systems to address such illnesses effectively (Edoho, 2011). Therefore, the health systems in the African continent highly require to be addressed. Nevertheless, there are major challenges that might face the implementation of the desired changes in the African health systems, especially regard ing the Health IT systems. Therefore, this discussion seeks to focus on the Challenges of implementing Health IT on the African continent, with a view to how such challenges can be overcome. Poor technological infrastructure, normally referred to as the digital divide, is one of the Challenges of implementing Health IT on the African continent (Khosrowpour, 2006).Technology in Africa is not only a challenge in the health sector, but in every other aspect of the technology application. By the year 2007, it was estimated that the access to technology was limited to a small percentage of the African continents population, including the telephone connectivity, the internet and the mobile phones accessibility. It was estimated that by then, only 1.5 in every 100 people had telephone connections in Africa (Edoho, 2011). The access to mobile phone subscriptions was estimated at 22.9% in every 100 people of the African population, while the level of internet accessibility was even lower, wi th the African continent having a meager internet accessibility of 3.7% for every 100 people of the African population. The African technological data is in sharp contrast with the global average technological data accessibility, where the internet accessibility, according to the global average was set at 20.6 for every 100 people globally (Edoho, 2011). The implementation of Health IT systems requires robust infrastructure, to ensure that data and information communication can easily be done by health professionals, health providers and other health institutions and agencies. The application of health IT systems is aimed at ensuring that the health information is gathered, stored, retrieved, analyzed and transmitted to the necessary information users, in the most timely manner (Archangel, 2007). However, all this cannot be achieved without a good infrastructural framework that allows for such gathering, storage, analysis and the transmission of the health information. The challenge with the African continent is that; it does not have a robust technological infrastructure, which would enhance the connectivity of the health systems and health facilities, thus enhancing transmission and sharing of information (Khosrowpour, 2006). Both satellite technology and the internet are limitedly developed in Africa, with only some countries managing to have access to such technology, though on a limited basis and restricted to the urban areas only. Considering the differences in

Hunting and mindset Essay Example for Free

Hunting and mindset Essay I believe if you have a fixed mindset it’s never too late to change and adapt to a growth mindset. The growth mindset will lead you to try new things but a fixed mindset will stop you in your tracks causing you only to fail. The type of mindset you have is very important because it will influence your life in many ways. What is the difference between a growth and fixed mindset? Well a growth or positive mindset leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as the path to mastery, and learn from criticism, and find lessons in the success of others. As a result you will reach even higher levels of achievement. A fixed or negative mindset leads to a tendency to look smart at any cost. Therefore a tendency to avoid challenges, give up easily, see effort as fruitless or worse, ignore useful negative feedback, and feel threatened by the success of others. As a result you will plateau early and achieve less than your full potential. Some of the ways a positive mind set affected my life happened early in my life. For example when I was ten years old I went to camp seven hills and took on archery. It was really hard but I learned it very quickly and never gave up. When I got home from camp I asked my dad if I could go hunting with him once I was old enough and he told me girls cant hunt we are too weak. Because I had a growth mindset I never gave up I practiced without my father every day for three years. I got my hunting license when I was thirteen and went with my friend mike and his parents to their cabin in Olean NY. It was really cold out that day I remember shaking while perched up in my tree I wanted to give up so bad but I wanted to prove my dad wrong and show him that girls can hunt. Finally a 8 point buck walks in my range I got my bow ready and breathing slowly I pull back the arrow aim for the kill spot let go WAMM right threw his lungs. I was so excited knowing I just proved to my father that I can do anything I put my mind to. After I turned fifteen I started to develop more of a fixed mindset towards school which affected my life in many ways. It all started with failing one test and my life spiraled downhill from there. It was 2003 and I thought I was on top of the world I could pass any test without studying and I thought I knew everything, but what I didn’t know is how this stuck up attitude was going to change my life in a huge way. I walked into my class head in the clouds sad down and looked at my test â€Å"spelling ha this is going to be easy† I muttered. I flew through the test handed it in and walked out. The next day I got to class and my teacher handed me my test my jaw dropped â€Å"this has to be a mistake I couldn’t of got only a 63% on my test you had to grade it wrong† I yelled to the teacher. She gave me detention for yelling at her in class but I didn’t bother going I was so mad. I started skipping school and going to parties because at this point I started not to care anymore. When I got home one day my dad grounded me because the school called him and mentioned my behavior to him. I was so mad I ran away from home and started drinking and doing drugs. This caused me to get put in a detention center when I was sixteen and when I got out I moved in with my mother because she didn’t care what I did. Now twenty-three I have started to work at getting back into a positive mindset so I can be a good role model for my daughter. In order for someone to adopt a growth mindset, they would have to care about what their mindset is, understand why they act the way they do, and understand that they can change, and the reason for change, which would be to become a better person, which they would also have to care about. Our mindset will affect us in many ways and it can also affect the people around us which are why we should try to keep a growth mindset.

The Hero Cycle in the Harry Potter Series Essay Example for Free

The Hero Cycle in the Harry Potter Series Essay Although Harry Potter is a product of the 21st century, he still has the necessary components of the romantic hero. The mystical circumstances surrounding his birth, his underdog state before receiving unlimited power, the mark of the chosen on his forehead, his status in the wizard community as the future savior – these qualities are just some examples that show how Harry Potter was patterned after the idea of a romantic hero (Heilman, 2008). As a result, he became a character whom audiences found themselves easily relating with. In following Harry’s adventures, they were introduced to a world where good always triumphs over evil and problems can be instantly solved with a single magic spell. The Hero’s Journey In almost every genre and medium, the journey of the romantic hero is divided into three parts – departure, initiation and return. Such a division was intended mainly to show audiences why he or she deserved to be the protagonist. In the duration of the journey, the positive traits of the protagonist are slowly revealed. In the process, it is imparted to audiences that even the most ordinary persons can likewise be heroes in their own right. Departure The departure begins with the call to adventure. The hero, usually portrayed as a dislocated and oppressed individual, is suddenly given notice that he or she is about to undergo a life-changing escapade. Harry was presented in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1997) as an orphan who was constantly maltreated by his relatives, the Dursleys. His miserable existence came to an end when the wizard Rubeus Hagrid suddenly came for him at the Dursley home and brought him to Hogwarts (Stouffer, 2007). Read more:  How many words are in harry potter. But due to reasons such as fear, insecurity or a sense of duty or obligation, the hero usually refuses to heed the call. Harry was initially reluctant to attend Hogwarts due to personal insecurities and lack of money. These concerns were dispelled when he later realized that his parents had a large amount of currency deposited at Gringotts Bank and that he was well-known in the wizardry circles as â€Å"the boy who lived† (Neal, 2002). According to Hagrid, Harry survived the Dark Lord Voldemort’s curse of death which killed both his parents (Neal, 2002). Once the hero has committed to the quest, either consciously or unconsciously, he or she is bestowed with immense power and magical helpers. Apart from Hagrid, two of Harry’s closest friends in Hogwarts were his schoolmates Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. They proved to be loyal friends who always stood by his side through thick and thin. Throughout the series, Harry also acquired several powers such as the ability to enlarge an item (engorgio) and create a Patronus (Expecto Patronum) (Granger, 2008). Furthermore, the hero’s commitment to the quest entails his or her abandonment of familiar surroundings and beliefs. From being the drudge and whipping boy of the Dursleys, Harry became a very powerful wizard who fought fearsome villains such as Sirius Black, Snape and Voldemort himself. Furthermore, the responsibilities associated with being â€Å"the boy who lived† resulted in Harry having a more restricted life than most boys his age. In an age when most boys should be having their first romantic relationships, Harry was depicted struggling to deal with his failed romance with Cho Chang (Agarwal and Vincent, 2005). Initiation In the duration of the adventure proper, the hero experiences numerous trials. These ordeals were intended to bring about his or her transformation. Although the hero often fails in one or more of these tests, his or her allies help him or her get back on track. Harry is no exception. In his first year in Hogwarts, he had to help capture a mountain troll, get past a three-headed dog named Fluffy, escape Devil’s Snare, find and catch the correct flying key among a flock, win a game of living chess, figure out which potion is safe to drink and finally face Professor Quirrell/Voldemort before getting the Sorcerer’s stone out of the Mirror of Erised (Neal, 2007). By the time he reached his second year, Harry had to discover who the heir of Slytherin is and defeat the monster in the Chamber of Secrets. In his third year, he and Hermione were tasked with figuring out how to rescue Buckbeak and Sirius. In his fourth year, Harry had to take a golden egg from the nest of a mother dragon in order to get through the Triwizard Tournament, rescue hostages held by merepeople and get to the Triwizard Cup by traveling through a dangerous maze. In his fifth year, he was in danger of being expelled and having his wand taken, was tested in every subject for his Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations (OWLs) and traveled to London to battle Death Eaters and Voldemort. In his sixth year, Harry went with Dumbledore to a lake guarded by inferius (animated human corpses) before they found and destroyed one of Voldemort’s horcruxes (Neal, 2007). The trials that the hero undergoes are not without purpose – these take place primarily to prepare him or her for the â€Å"final encounter† with his or her nemesis. In Harry’s case, therefore, the trials that he underwent in Hogwarts were actually preparations for his final battle with Voldemort. But his confrontation with Voldemort is more than just a skirmish – it was an exorcism of the fragment of Voldemort which he carried in himself. It must be noted that when Harry was still a baby, his mother Lily cast a powerful protection charm over him – a spell which required her to offer her life’s blood. In order to grant himself invincibility, Voldemort stole a fraction of this powerful charm – an act which resulted in him and Harry bound together in life and in death (Falconer, 2008). Return After the adventure was finally accomplished, the hero is usually reluctant to return to normal life. But his or her guides and assistants manages to convince him or her that the wisdom that he or she gained during the quest would be put to better use when shared with the rest of the world. Thus, the hero returns to everyday life, retaining the wisdom that he or she acquired during the adventure and using it for the betterment of the community he or she lives in. After defeating Voldemort, Harry went on to become the head of the Auror Department – the organization responsible for ridding the world of evil wizards. His struggle against Voldemort left in him a strong resolve never to let evil wizards threaten the world again (Riphouse, 2004). Conclusion The black-and-white, romantic persona of Harry Potter is a welcome break in an era of complex strife.  His meteoric rise from underdog to the most powerful wizard unconsciously implies to audiences that they can still overcome their present situation no matter how difficult it may seem. Although good people may have things hard at first, they will eventually triumph in the end. The bad people, on the other hand, will end up receiving the punishment that they deserve. Simply put, Harry Potter is a reminder to a conflict-weary populace that there is still hope even for the most insurmountable dilemma.

Meaning and Definition of Performance Appraisal

Meaning and Definition of Performance Appraisal Performance appraisal is a formal system that evaluates the quality of a employees performance. An appraisal should not be viewed as an end in itself, but rather as an important process within a broader performance management system that links: Organizational objectives Day-to-day performance Professional development Rewards and incentives In simple terms, appraisal may be understood as the assessment of an individuals performance in a systematic way, the performance being measured against such factors as job knowledge, quality, and quantity of output, initiative, leadership abilities, supervision, dependability, co-operation, judgment, versatility, health, and the like. Assessment should not be confined to past performance alone. Potentials of the employee for future performance must also be assessed. Traditional Performance Appraisal The history of performance appraisal is quite brief.Its roots in the early 20th century can be traced to Taylors pioneering Time and Motion studies. But this is not very helpful for the same may be said about almost everything in the field of modern human resources management. During the First World War, appraisals concept was adopted by US army which was in the form of merit rating. It was man-to-man rating system for evaluation of military personnel. From the army this concept entered the business field and was restricted to hourly-paid workers. During 1920s, relational wage structures for hourly paid workers were adopted in industrial units and each worker were used to be rated in comparison to other for determining wages rates. This system was known by merit rating. The process was firmly linked to material outcomes. If an employees performance was found to be less than ideal, a cut in pay would follow. On the other hand, if their performance was better than the supervisor expected, a pay rise was in order. Little consideration, if any, was given to the developmental possibilities of appraisal. If was felt that a cut in pay, or a rise, should provide the only required impetus for an employee to either improve or continue to perform well. Sometimes this basic system succeeded in getting the results that were intended; but more often than not, it failed. These observations were confirmed in empirical studies. Pay rates were important, but they were not the only element that had an impact on employee performance. It was found that other issues, such as morale and self-esteem, could also have a major influence. As a result, the traditional emphasis on reward outcomes was progressively rejected. In the 1950s in the United States, the potential usefulness of appraisal as tool for motivation and development was gradually recognized. The general model of performance appraisal, as it is known today, began from that time. Modern Appraisal Performance appraisal may be defined as a structured formal interaction between a subordinate and supervisor, which usually takes the form of a periodic interview, in which the work performance of the subordinate is examined and discussed, with a view to identifying weaknesses and strengths as well as opportunities for improvement and skills development. In many organizations but not all, appraisal results are used, either directly or indirectly, to help determine reward outcomes. That is, the appraisal results are used to identify the better performing employees who should get the majority of available merit pay increases, bonuses and promotion. By the same token, appraisal results are used to identify the poorer performers who may require some form of counseling, or in extreme cases, demotion, dismissal or decreases in pay. Whether this is an appropriate use of performance appraisal, the assignment and justification of rewards and penalties, is a very uncertain and contentious matter. Objectives of Performance Appraisal Salary Increase Performance appraisal plays a role in making decision about salary increase. Normally salary increase of an employee depends upon on how he is performing his job. There is continuous evaluation of his performance either formally or informally. This may disclose how well an employee is performing and how much he should be compensated by way of salary increase. Promotion Performance appraisal plays significant role where promotion is based on merit and seniority. Performance appraisal discloses how an employee is working in his present job and what are his strong and weak points. In the light of these, it can be decided whether he can be promoted to the next higher position. Training and Development Performance appraisal tries to identify the strengths and weakness of an employee on his present job. This information can be used for devising training and development programmers appropriate for overcoming weaknesses of employees. Feedback Performance appraisal provides feedback to employees about their performance. A person works better when he knows how he is working. This works in two ways, firstly, the person gets feedback about his performance. Secondly, when the person gets feedback about his performance, he can relate his work to the orgaisational objectives. Pressure on Employees Performance appraisal puts a sort of pressure on employees for better performance. If the employees are conscious that they are being appraised in respect of certain factors and their future largely depends on such appraisal. Others: Identifying systemic factors that are barriers to, or facilitators of, effective performance. To confirm the services of probationary employees upon their completing the probationary period satisfactorily. To improve communication. Performance appraisal provides a format for dialogue between the superior and the subordinate, and improves understanding of personal goals and concerns. This can also have the effect of increasing the trust between the rater and the rate. To determine whether HR programmers such as selection, training, and transfer have been effective or not. Methods of Performance Appraisal A) Traditional methods 1) Rating Scales: The rating scale method offers a high degree of structure for appraisals. Each employee trait or characteristic is rated on a bipolar scale that usually has several points ranging from poor to excellent. The traits assessed on these scales include employee attributes such as cooperation, communications ability, initiative, punctuality and technical (work skills) competence. The nature and scope of the traits selected for inclusion is limited only by the imagination of the scales designer, or by the organizations need to know. The one major provision in selecting traits is that they should be in some way relevant to the  appraisers job. 2) Check-list Method: Under this method, checklist of statement of traits of employee in the form of Yes or No based questions is prepared. Here, the rater only does the reporting or checking and HR department does the actual evaluation. The rater concerned has to tick appropriate answers relevant to the appraises. When the check-list is completed, it is sent to HR department for further processing. Various questions in the check list may have either equal weightage or more weightage may be given to those questions which are more important. The HR department then calculates the total scores which show the appraisal result of an employee. Advantages economy, ease of administration, limited training required, standardization. Disadvantages Raters biases, use of improper weights by HR Dept, does not allow rater to give relative ratings. 3) Force Choice Method: A series of statements arranged in the blocks of two or more are given and the rater indicates which statement is true or false. The rater is forced to make a choice. HR department does actual assessment. Advantages Absence of personal biases because of forced choice. Disadvantages Statements may not be correctly framed. 4) Force Distribution Method: One of the problems faced in large organizations is relative assessment tendencies of raters. Some are too lenient and others too severe. This method overcomes that problem. It forces everyone to do a comparative rating of all the employees on a predetermined distribution pattern of good to bad. Say 10% employees in Excellent Grade, 20% in Good Grade, 40% in Average Grade, 20% in Below Average Grade and 10% in Unsatisfied grade. The real problem of this method occurs in organizations where there is a tendency to pack certain key departments with all good employees and some other departments with discards and laggards. Relatively good employees of key departments get poor rating and relatively poor employees of laggards departments get good rating. 5) Critical Incident Method: In this method, only critical incidents and behavior associated with these incidents are taken for evaluation. This method involves three steps. A test of noteworthy on the job behavior is prepared. A group of experts then assigns scale values to them depending on the degree of desirability for the job. Finally, a checklist of incidents which define good and bad employees is prepared. Advantages: This method is very useful for discovering potential of employees who can be useful in critical situation. Disadvantages: a) Negative incidents are, generally, more noticeable than positive ones. b) The recording of incidents is a core to the superior and may be put off and easily forgotten. c) Overly close supervision may result. 6) Essay Method: In the essay method approach, the appraiser prepares a written statement about the employee being appraised. The statement usually concentrates on describing specific strengths and weaknesses in job performance. It also suggests courses of action to remedy the identified problem areas. The statement may be written and edited by the appraiser alone, or it be composed in collaboration with the appraisee. 7) Grading: In this method, certain categories of abilities of performance are defined well in advance and person are put in particular category depending on their traits and characteristics. Such categories may be definitional like outstanding, good, average, poor, very poor or may be in terms of letter like A, B, C, D etc with A indicating the best and D indicating the worst. This method, however, suffers from one basic limitation that the rater may rate most of the employees at higher grades. 8) Performance Tests Observations: This is based on the test of knowledge or skills. The tests may be written or an actual presentation of skills. Tests must be reliable and validated to be useful. Advantage Tests only measure potential and not attitude. Actual performance is more a function of attitude of person than potential. Disadvantages Sometimes costs of test development or administration are high. 9) Confidential Reports: Though popular with government departments, its application in industry is not ruled out. Here the report is given in the form of Annual Confidentiality Report (ACR). The system is highly secretive and confidential. Feedback to the assessed is given only in case of an adverse entry. Disadvantage is that it is highly prone to biases and regency effect and ratings can be manipulated because the evaluations are linked to future rewards like promotions, good postings, etc. 10) Comparative Evaluation Method (Ranking Paired Comparisons): These are collection of different methods that compare performance with that of other co-workers. The usual techniques used may be ranking methods and paired comparison method. Ranking Method: Superior ranks his worker based on merit, from best to worst. However how best and why best are not elaborated in this method. It is easy to administer. Paired Comparison Method: In this method each employee is paired with every other employee in the same cadre and then comparative rating done in pairs so formed. The number of comparisons may be calculated with the help of a formula N x (N-1) / 2. The method is too tedious for large departments and often such exact details are not available with raters. B) Morden Methods 1) MBO (Appraisal by Results): The use of management objectives was first widely advocated in the 1950s by the noted management theorist Peter Drucker. MBO (management by objectives) methods of performance appraisal are results-oriented. That is, they seek to measure employee performance by examining the extent to which predetermined work objectives have been met. Usually the objectives are established jointly by the supervisor and subordinate. Once an objective is agreed, the employee is usually expected to self-audit; that is, to identify the skills needed to achieve the objective. Typically they do not rely on others to locate and specify their strengths and weaknesses. They are expected to monitor their own development and progress. 2) Assessment Center Method This technique was first developed in USA and UK in 1943. An assessment centre is a central location where managers may come together to have their participation in job related exercises evaluated by trained observers. It is more focused on observation of behaviours across a series of select exercises or work samples. Assesses are requested to participate in in-basket exercises, work groups, computer simulations, role playing and other similar activities which require same attributes for successful performance in actual job. Advantages Well-conducted assessment centre can achieve better forecasts of future performance and progress than other methods of appraisals. Also reliability, content validity and predictive ability are said to be high in Assessment Centres. The tests also make sure that the wrong people are not hired or promoted. Finally, it clearly defines the criteria for selection and promotion. Disadvantages Concentrates on future performance potential. No assessment of past performance. Costs of employees travelling and lodging, psychologists. Ratings strongly influenced by assassins inter-personal skills. Solid performers may feel suffocated in simulated situations. 3) 360o Appraisal: It is a technique in which performance data/feedback/rating is collected from all sections of people employee interacts in the course of his job like immediate supervisors, team members, customers, peers, subordinates and self with different weight age to each group of raters. This technique has been found to be extremely useful and effective. It is especially useful to measure inter-personal skills, customer satisfaction and team building skills. One of the biggest advantages of this system is that assesses cannot afford to neglect any constituency and has to show all-round performance. However, on the negative side, receiving feedback from multiple sources can be intimidating, threatening, and expensive and time consuming. 4) Psychological Appraisals: These appraisals are more directed to assess employee potential for future performance rather than the past one. It is done in the form of in-depth interviews, psychological tests, and discussion with supervisors and review of other evaluations. It is more focused on employees emotional, intellectual, and motivational and other personal characteristics affecting his performance. This approach is slow and costly and may be useful for bright young members who may have considerable potential. However quality of these appraisals largely depends upon the skills of psychologists who perform the evaluation. Performance Appraisals purpose Performance appraisals are essential for the effective management and evaluation of staff. Appraisals help develop persons, progress of organizational performance, and feed into business planning. Official performance appraisals are generally conducted annually for all staff in the organization. Every staff member is appraised by their line supervisor. Directors are appraised by the CEO, who is appraised by the chairman or company owners, depending on the size and formation of the organization. Annual performance appraisals allow management and monitoring of standards, agreeing expectations and objectives, and allocation of responsibilities and tasks. Staff performance appraisals also create individual training needs and facilitate organizational training needs analysis and planning. Performance appraisal also normally feed into organization annual pay and grading reviews which commonly also coincides with the business planning for the next trading year. Performance appraisals generally review each individual`s performance against objectives and standards for the trading year, agreed at the earlier appraisal meeting. Performance appraisals are also necessary for career and succession planning for individuals, critical jobs and for the organization as an entire. Performance appraisal are important for staff motivation, attitude and behaviour development, communicating and supporting individual and organization aims and fostering positive relationship between staff and supervision. Performance appraisal affords a formal, recorded, regular review of an individuals performance and a plan for future progress. Job performance appraisal in whatever forms they take are therefore fundamental for managing the performance of people and organizations. Managers and appraises frequently dislike appraisal and try to avoid them. To these people the appraisal is daunting and time consuming. The process is seen as a difficult administrative responsibility and emotionally challenging. The annual appraisal is may be only time since last year that the two people have sat down together for a meaningful one to one discussion. No wonder then that appraisals are stressful which then beats the whole purpose. Appraisals are much easier and especially more peaceful, if the boss meets each of the team members individually and repeatedly for one to one discussion throughout the year. Meaningful regular discussion about work, career, aims, progress, development, hopes and dreams, life, the universe the tv, common interests etc., whatever, make appraisals so much appraisal so much easier because people then know and trust each other which diminish all the stress and the uncertainty. Appraisals much address whole person development not just job skills or the skills necessary for the subsequently promotion. Appraisal must not differentiate against anyone on the grounds of age, sexual orientation, race, gender, religion etc. For Example in the uk, the uk employment equality regulation 2006, which is effective from 1st oct. 06, make it particularly important to avoid any comments, judgments, suggestions, questions or decision which might be supposed by the appraisal to be based on age. This means people who are young as well as old. Age, along with other description stated above, is not a lawful basis for assessing and managing people, unless proper objective justification can be proven. See the age variety information. When crafty or planning behaviour appraisal, seek to help the whole person to grow in whatever direction they want not just to identify clearly relevant work skill training. Increasingly, the best employee distinguish that increasing the whole person promotes positive attitudes, advancement, motivation and also develops lots of new skills that can be unexpectedly significant to working productively and effectively in any nature of organization. Developing the whole person is also an important aspect of modern corporate duty and independently, whole person development is a crucial benefit in the employment market, in which all employers contend to attract the best recruits and to retain the best staff. Therefore in appraisal be creative and imaginative in discussing discovering and agreeing whole person development that people will respond to, beyond the usual job skill set and incorporate this sort of development into the appraisal process. Abrsham Maslow recognised this over fifty year ago. If you are an employee and your employer has yet to cuddle or even acknowledge these concepts, do them a favour at your own appraisal and suggest they look at these ideas or maybe mention it at your exit interview prior to joining a better employer who cares about the people not just the work. Incidentally the Multiple Intelligences test and Vak learning styles test are tremendously useful tools for appraisals before or after to help people understand their nature probable and strengths and to help managers appreciate this about their people too. There are a lot of people out there who are in jobs which dont allow them to use and develop their supreme strengths, so the more we can help folk understand their own special likely and find roles that really fit well the happier we shall all be. Essentials for a successful performance appraisal system Basing appraisals on accurate and current job descriptions Ensuring that appraisers have adequate knowledge and direct experience of the employees performance Providing ratings via aggregated anonymous feedback when multiple sources of information are used Incorporating performance appraisals into a formal goal setting system Offering adequate support and assistance to employees such as professional development opportunities in order to improve their performance Conducting appraisals on a regular basis (at least two times a year) rather than annually. If resource constraints do not permit frequent formal appraisals, consider conducting one formal appraisal annually, with a review of progress in the mid-year and ongoing review in regular supervision meetings Using performance appraisal to address workforce development challenges: Regular performance appraisals provide a useful opportunity to conduct a check up on various workforce development issues that may impact on employees effectiveness and well being. Performance appraisals can be used to: Recognize, reward and support effective performance Develop and reward effective teamwork Identify and manage issues likely to impact on retention Monitor and support employees well being.   Recognize, reward and support effective performance Ensuring employees receive adequate rewards and recognition is a key workforce development issue for the performance. Performance appraisals provide a good opportunity to formally recognize employees achievements and contributions to the organization, and to ensure a clear link is maintained between performance and rewards. The appraisal interview can also be used as a vehicle to demonstrate supervisory and organizational support for employees by discussing barriers and supports to effective performance, and strategies to address problems or difficulties.   Develop and reward effective teamwork The appraisal interview is also a useful vehicle for recognizing and rewarding employees contributions to various teams in the organization, especially if appraisal information is gained from team members. An appraisal of the team as a whole can also be a useful strategy to recognize and reward team performance, and to identify strategies to improve team functioning.   Identify and manage issues likely to impact on retention Open and constructive performance appraisals can be useful to identify issues that are likely to impact on employees willingness to stay with the organization in the longer-term. Key factors associated with retention include salary and remuneration, professional development opportunities, and work-related demands and stress. The appraisal interview provides a good opportunity for a check up regarding employees satisfaction with their working conditions and environment, and a discussion of strategies to address any problems or issues.   Monitor and support employees well being Performance appraisal interviews are a good opportunity to discuss employees health and well being in the workplace, particularly in regard to factors that contribute to feelings of stress and experiences that promote satisfaction with their work. 360 Degree Assessment The concept of 360 degree feedback makes a lot of sense and, if used well, should have a great deal to offer. It seems to suit the move towards the less hierarchical, more flexibly-structured and knowledge-based organization of the future Professor Clive Fletcher Goldsmiths College, University of London Introduction In recent year the 360 degree appraisal has become much admired. It has been felt for long that one person`s assessment of another cannot be free of favoritism. In supplementary with the focus on customers and emphasis on softer dimensions of performance it has become necessary to multiple assessments for a more objective assessment. The 360 degree appraisal is multilayer assessment and feedback system. Almost Fortune 500 Company is using this in some form or other. In this method, the candidate is assessed periodically by a number of assessors including his supervisor, immediate subsidiary, colleagues, and inner and outer customers. The assessment is made on a questionnaire specially designed to measure activities measured critical for performance. The appraisal is done anonymously by others and the assessment is collected by outer agent or specially designated inner agent. The assessment is consolidated; feedback profiles are prepared and given to the participant after a workshop o r directly by his supervisor or the HRD department in a performance examination conversation sitting. Due to the incalculable variations possible in the 360 degree feedback and Appraisals and its effectiveness as a competency identification and development tool, it is important to understand the process and its dynamics. 360 degree feedback 360 degree feedback is a full circle system of acquiring informal from peers, subordinates and inner and outer customers about employee`s performance. 360 degree assessment is based on the assessment of an individual`s management styles, competencies and behavior by contemporaries horizontally and vertically by involving his supervisor, peers and direct report in organization. 360-degree feedback is an assessment of multi source, which contain; Self Supervisor Internal customers/staffs/peers External customers Why 360-degree feedback is needed in the organizations? Business is towards surplus generation. Without additional no organization can develop. Here the effort to grow the business and the surplus should come from employee part. The performance of the employees is at work here matters in business development and organizational development. The performance of the employees should then align with the strategic decisions that integrate the business goals in more and more aggressive environment. It is the duty of the Human Resource Management to assimilate the culture of the organization with all available resources to the best possible output. The 3600 Appraisal helps the HR Department to have better understanding of the competitive advantage and disadvantages of the current manpower resources and tune them towards performance quality and output. Prerequisites Top management support Confidence of employees on the appraisal methodology Objective need to be with performance requirement clearly stated A detailed plan of implementation Collaboration between superior and subordinates Some prior experimentation and positive experiences clear organization philosophy and policy objective Uses for 360 Degree Feedback contain: Performance Appraisal Recognition of performance. Providing feedback on individual performance. Providing a basis for self evolution. Assessing employee development   Diagnosing training and career development needs.   Providing a basis for promotion, dismissal, job enrichmen, job transfer, probation etc.   Monetary and other rewards. Organizational Climate Study   Organizational environment improvement needs   Changes in managerial approaches, leadership etc. Customer satisfaction study   Employees attitudinal change   Customer satisfaction improvements Using of 360-degree performance appraisal we get benefits like, 360 degree feedback permit an organization to focus on developmental efforts, at the individual and grouping level, in the nearby business position where the success of the company depends on constant revolution, which is possible through organizational development. 360-degree feedback facilitates the alignment of individual capabilities and behaviors with organizational strategies. That adds value to the organization uncaring ways:- 360 degree feedback afford a talented view about the employee from different source 360 degree feedback provides increased the understanding about one1s role probability 360 degree feedback provide a better understanding of employed development requirements 360 degree feedback provide the understanding of competence and skill in various roles 360 degree feedback provides a better understanding of individual presentation at work 360 degree feedback reduces training costs by identifying common development want 360 degree feedback extends better morale to those who perform and put in well to the organization 360 degree feedback helps everyone to work for a common standard and institutionalize presentation management 360 degree feedback ensure better interpersonal relationship and grouping cohesiveness It promotes self directed learning and provides a road map for employee`s development planning It promotes better communication within departments 360 degree feedback increases the team`s ability to put in to the organization goals 360 degree feedback increases the team`s ability to put in to the organizations goals develop better bottom line thought additional the capability of the organization to meet its objectives. For 360-degree feedback this steps may be taken to gauge the readiness of an organization Identification of the problem.  · Analysis of the organization context for finding a solution to the problem. Allocation of resources for the purpose in terms of time and finances. A detailed plan of implementation. Follow up Drawback of using 360-degree feedback A detailed plan of action which, ensure the transparent and clear implementation of appraisal with employee accountability. Effective follow up is the prime requirement of 360 degree feedback. Failure in follow u cause more scratch than superior. The 360 degree feedback is time consuming and cost consuming assessment process. Without having adequate resource to implement the process, it will end up no where and develop financial

The Three Tales of Cymbeline Essay -- Shakespeare Cymbeline Essays

The Three Tales of Cymbeline Cymbeline has always been a difficult play to categorize. The original collection of Shakespeare's plays, "The First Folio" (published in 1623), classifies it as a tragedy; modern editors have revised that to comedy, and to distinguish it further from other comedies, it is also referred to, along with The Tempest, The Winter's Tale, and Pericles, as a romance. Of course, like so many other plays of Shakespeare, these classifications are only guidelines rather than definitions, for an attempt to analyze a work of art according to somewhat arbitrary classifications is to diminish the very essence - its originality - that makes it a work of art. Undoubtedly, there are many aspects, patterns, and rhythms in this play that echo through several of Shakespeare's other tragedies, comedies, and even histories, for he used all his plays to view and explore a multi-faceted human condition from a variety of angles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There appear to be three main narratives to Cymbeline - the tale of Imogen and Posthumus, with the villainous Iachimo lurking beside them, poised to destroy their happiness; the story of two sons, Guiderius and Arviragus, who have been separated from their father and are eventually restored to him; and the successful defense of Britain by King Cymbeline against foreign invasion, the one character most involved with all three stories, hence the name of the play. The understructure supporting these three plots is a virtual labyrinth of sub-plots and strands that shift in and out of each tale until the final scenes at the end, when Shakespeare, in a masterful denouement, perhaps unparalleled even in his own plays, weaves each skein (some two dozen or so), into a... ...end, King Cymbeline calls for a lasting peace between Rome and England, a peace that is a fitting resolution not only to the war but also to the internal conflicts, as wives and husbands, fathers and children return in harmony to one another. But Cymbeline, for all its tragicomic patterns, romantic devices, and historical pretensions, is at heart, as Northrop Frye put it, "a pure told tale, featuring a cruel stepmother with her loutish son, a calumniated maiden, lost princes brought up in a cave by a foster father, a ring of recognition that works in reverse, villains displaying false trophies of adultery and faithful servants displaying equally false trophies of murder, along with a great firework display of dreams, prophecies, signs, portents, and wonders." It is a complex journey of love, forgiveness, jealousy, murder, war, and peace.

Paul Rubens and the Baroque Period Essay -- Essays Papers

Paul Rubens and the Baroque Period For this formal analysis paper I would like to talk about a painting done by the artist named Peter Paul Reubens. The piece itself is entitled, "The Apotheosis of Henry IV and the Proclamation of the Regency of Marie de Medicis on May 14, 1610." The painting was completed in the year 1610, and today it is on display at the Louvre in Paris, France. This painting was one of many that I had to choose from when I was deciding on what to write about. Many internet sites across the world had so many pieces from which to look at, but when it really came down to it, I wanted to write a paper over a topic on which I have held great interest in, that which of course is the Baroque style of painting. Peter Paul Reubens (1577-1640) exemplifies the Baroque style in painting, as did another type of artist from that period who excelled in the art of sculpting. That artist which I speak of, is of course Bernini. Both men were very prolific workers, and according to the text, were the favorites of very powerful rulers. Yet aside from his artistic prowess, I find Reubens' usage of religious themes in his paintings to be very appealing, and I think that is why I liked his work entitled, "The Apotheosis of Henry IV and the Proclamation of the Regency of Marie de Medicis on May 14, 1610," so much. In addition, I was amazed at his mastery of implying the elements and principles of art, which in essence made this work achievable. Therefore, f... Paul Rubens and the Baroque Period Essay -- Essays Papers Paul Rubens and the Baroque Period For this formal analysis paper I would like to talk about a painting done by the artist named Peter Paul Reubens. The piece itself is entitled, "The Apotheosis of Henry IV and the Proclamation of the Regency of Marie de Medicis on May 14, 1610." The painting was completed in the year 1610, and today it is on display at the Louvre in Paris, France. This painting was one of many that I had to choose from when I was deciding on what to write about. Many internet sites across the world had so many pieces from which to look at, but when it really came down to it, I wanted to write a paper over a topic on which I have held great interest in, that which of course is the Baroque style of painting. Peter Paul Reubens (1577-1640) exemplifies the Baroque style in painting, as did another type of artist from that period who excelled in the art of sculpting. That artist which I speak of, is of course Bernini. Both men were very prolific workers, and according to the text, were the favorites of very powerful rulers. Yet aside from his artistic prowess, I find Reubens' usage of religious themes in his paintings to be very appealing, and I think that is why I liked his work entitled, "The Apotheosis of Henry IV and the Proclamation of the Regency of Marie de Medicis on May 14, 1610," so much. In addition, I was amazed at his mastery of implying the elements and principles of art, which in essence made this work achievable. Therefore, f...

A High Wind In Jamaica :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A High Wind in Jamaica is set in The Caribbean during the mid-1800’s. The book is about a group of children living on a pirate ship, and gives insight into the world that children live in. Over the course of the book, the children do many bad things, without feeling any guilt: Emily murders a man; Rachael drops a marlin spike from the mast almost killing Emily, and Emily condemns the captain and crew that she had come to love to death or deportation without seeming to care at all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the beginning of the story Emily is just an ordinary little girl, but as the story continues she begins to feel herself changing. By the end of the story, Emily has gained self-consciousness and thinks of herself not as an ordinary little girl but as â€Å"Emily†. Emily murders a captured Dutch captain, but she doesn’t feel guilty and no one suspects that she did it. She only worries that she might be found out. She didn’t even think that what she did was wrong:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Near the end of the book, Emily is brought to court to testify against the pirates. When asked about the murder of the Dutch captain, she cries â€Å"†¦He was all lying in his own blood†¦he was awful! He†¦he died.† Sobbing hysterically, Emily is carried out of the box by her father. â€Å"As he stepped down with her she caught sight for the first time of Jonsen and the crew†¦The terrible look on Jonsen’s face as his eye met hers.† Once she is safely in a cab, â€Å"she [becomes] herself with surprising rapidity†. â€Å"She began to talk about all she had seen, just as if it had been a party†¦Ã¢â‚¬  All Emily worries about is whether or not â€Å"she said her piece properly†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Near the end of the book, Captain Jonsen decides to put the children on a steamer to England. Before they are sent to the new ship, he asks them not to tell anyone that he and the crew are pirates. Everyone agrees not to tell, and it seems that all is well. When the children arrive on the steamer, they do not say anything about their stay on the pirate ship. When Emily becomes hysterical a stewardess carries her down to her room. While she is being put to bed, she tells the stewardess about the pirates, breaking her promise to Jonsen, Emily thinks nothing of it, and she feels relieved at having told someone.

Terrorism in the Old Testament

Stacy Norton 03 October, 2012 Old Testament Ballard Terrorism and the Old Testament Many terrorist organizations use their religious texts as justification for their acts of terrorism. People even go as far to say that God, as depicted in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, encourages those acts as a way to defend their actions. While it is true that the Old Testament has evidence of God sending out his people to defend his word and his chosen people, it should not be taken as black and white as others would argue. It is important that we study the religious texts in their proper context.When these texts are not read in their proper textual and historical contexts they are manipulated and distorted. My God is a teacher of love and forgiveness and only uses violence as a last resort. This is more evident in the story of Moses and the release of the Israelite's from the Egyptians. The Israelite s were being held captive and tortured by the Egyptian Pharaoh and his people. They we re forced to spend their days as slaves and lived in deplorable conditions and were beaten routinely by the Egyptians. Moses upset that his people were being treated this way sought guidance from God.God agreed to help Moses free his people. God first sent Moses to the Pharaoh to ask kindly for his people's release. The Pharaoh refused. Moses even tried to convince the Pharaoh with the threat of curses being placed on his people. The Pharaoh refused again. Then, after the curses were released, the Pharaoh still held strong and would not release the Israelite s He was willing to have his own people suffer just because he did not want to give up his power over the Israelite s He only relented when the final curse was released and the first born of the Egyptians, including the Pharaoh's, were killed.The Egyptian Pharaoh was given multiple opportunities to prevent his own people's suffering but decided instead that his power was more important. Another part of the bible people like to c riticize is the book of Judges. Especially the story of Samson. Samson was a Nazarene leader with incredible strength. The Philistines wanted to capture him but could not find a way. Samson then fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who then tricked him into telling her the secret of his strength. He told her that if his hair was cut he would lose his power.When Samson fell asleep that night she cut his hair and let the Philistines in to capture him. They shackled him and gouged out his eyes and were planning on offering him up as a sacrifice to their deity. Samson cried out to God for help. He took out his revenge on the Philistines by basically, for lack of a better term, suicidal terrorism. He killed more people that day than in his whole life combined. In conclusion, the bible is not exempt from what some could deem as unflattering to the Christian faith. God does not try to deny that humanity is riddled with faults.But we must instead of looking at specific stories to justif y harming others think about the overall message. He only asks that we try to lead faithful lives. Treat each other kindly . Above all, we must keep his name holy. No where in the bible can we find where he tells us to set out and harm others just because we do not like their culture or religious viewpoints. He teaches tolerance. A most noteworthy verse that I like to remind myself often â€Å"Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2)

Far from the madding crowd Essay

In ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’, Thomas Hardy examines different types of love. Consider the relationships Bathsheba has with Gabriel, Boldwood and Troy; consider also Troy’s relationship with Fanny Robin. What conclusions does Thomas Hardy wish us to draw about the nature of love? Support the points you make with close reference to the text. You must also mention the social context of the novel and any relevant literary tradition. Bathsheba is a very vain woman who likes to think very highly of herself, in the first appearance she makes in the novel, she is admiring herself in the mirror. The last word in Chapter 1 is ‘vanity’. Hardy has established some of the features of two of the main characters and made us curious about this development of the relationship between Oak and this vain but handsome girl. Bathsheba was not a conventional woman of her time. She was an unusual for a woman of her time because she was very independent. She also refused her first offer of marriage although penniless and living with her aunt. Women at this time relied heavily on marriage. Women at that time often also married for security. Bathsheba is quite teasing with men, for example, when Gabriel Oak holds her hand, she suggests: â€Å"But I suppose you are thinking you would like to kiss it? You may if you want to. † But when Gabriel says, â€Å"I will. † She instantly says, â€Å"No you wont! † This shows that she is teasing, and she can get some men crazy about her. Her relationship with Gabriel has its ups and downs. Gabriel cares for Bathsheba so much but as the novel goes on, Gabriel realizes that there is no chance that he will marry Bathsheba because two other obstructions are in the way, the similarly vain Sergeant Troy and Mr. Boldwood. Bathsheba’s relationship with Mr. Boldwood is very awkward because, she only sent the valentine letter as a prank. It all started off when Liddy and Bathsheba were writing a Valentine letter to ‘little Teddy Coggan’. But Liddy suggests, â€Å"What fun it would be to send it to the stupid old Boldwood, and how he would wonder! † Bathsheba does not agree to the idea at first and says, â€Å"No, I won’t do that. He wouldn’t see any humour in it. † She was right. But Boldwood takes it so seriously and becomes absolutely obsessed with her, â€Å"My life is a burden without you, I want you – I want you to let me say I love you again and again! † When Bathsheba tells him the truth about the Valentines card, Boldwood does not want to and cannot accept the fact that it was a joke and a prank: â€Å"No, no, no. Don’t say thoughtlessness! Make me think it was something more – that it was a sort of prophetic instinct – the beginning of a feeling that you would like me. † Then Troy comes into the novel. During that period of time, there were strict rules governing the etiquette of behaviour about men and women being alone together and they certainly would not publicly touch each other or their clothes. This makes their meeting highly irregular. Bathsheba would be particularly vulnerable in this situation. Troy is similarly vain and teasing like Bathsheba, this enchants her, â€Å"Thank you for the sight of such a beautiful face! † He also often repeats the word, â€Å"Beauty† aimed obviously at Bathsheba. When they depart after their first ‘encounter’, she is very happy and feels flattered. She looks in the mirror (as usual) and repeats Troy’s words, â€Å"Goodnight †¦ beauty! † Bathsheba is aware of her beauty, and she feels that if some handsome man in uniform compliments her on her looks, then that is very rewarding for her and it boosts her self-confidence. Also, Troy’s showmanship with his sword swept Bathsheba off her feet. Also, because Bathsheba would have been very nai ve and inexperienced in the ways of love, she found it very hard to resist Troy. Bathsheba and Troy’s relationship, was more of a sexual love than a real love: â€Å"She felt powerless to withstand or deny him. He was altogether too much for her. † Another sign of Bathsheba’s vanity was that, she only married Troy because he had said he saw a more beautiful woman. So, Bathsheba went all the way to Bath just for Troy. But later on in the novel, Troy does not show that same feelings as when they first met. Instead, Troy becomes more involved into Fanny Robin and regrets ever turning her down. The type of love Fanny Robin loves Troy with all her heart; she even walks miles just for him. Many young women in the Victorian times would have eloped to marry soldiers. This was called ‘Scarlet fever’. This would be a disgrace to the girl and her family. Hardy’s aunt Martha was said to have eloped with a soldier When she asks Troy when they will be wed, Troy does not even understand what she is talking about. Fanny asks, â€Å"When will it be? † Troy then asks â€Å"What? † Then Fanny tries to remind Troy, â€Å"That you promised. † Troy again, forgetful, â€Å"I don’t quite recollect† Then Fanny desperately says, â€Å"O you do! Don’t speak like that. It weighs me to the earth. It makes me say what ought to be said first by you. † Fanny wants to get desperately married, but Troy wants her mainly for sex and for more of a ‘casual’ relationship. Troy gets very angry and upset when he sees the coffin with Fanny Robin and the baby in it. Tragically, Fanny died of childbirth. The baby was still born. Many deaths occurred due to lack of technology including childbirth. He completely forgets about what he had with Bathsheba and thinks of what he could have had with Fanny. Troy’s reaction to her death and his disregard for Bathsheba shows he is the type of man who only wants what he cannot have. When Fanny was alive, Troy showed little interest in her predicament. I think that the message Thomas Hardy is trying to get out is that love can only be true, not just for jokes and pranks (the valentines letter. ) Love also has to have two people involved not like Fanny Robin and Troy at the start of the novel. In conclusion, Hardy ended the novel happily, because he knew that is what the readers wanted to read. The story was printed into a monthly magazine and for a Victorian readership; a happy end involved a marriage. Bathsheba was first attracted by Troy’s good looks and superficial charm and preferred these qualities to the more traditional ones of security and love offered by Oak and Boldwood. But when Fanny dies, Bathsheba finally realizes that Troy’s is actually a womanizer and he is disloyal. Hardy, himself did not rate marriage very highly as he had an unhappy marriage. So by the end of the novel, Bathsheba becomes more sensitive to others and realizes that she should have accepted Oak’s initial proposal, rather than Troy’s, and that she would have been much happier with Oak.

Hunger Games

The Hunger Games is a fictional book. which establishes the relationship between the protagonist Katniss, and the protagonist Peeta. Katniss is a 16 year old girl who lives In District twelve, Panem. She Is the sole provider for her family and competes in the Hunger Games, a game where two people from each of the twelve districts are chosen to fight to the death. Peeta is a 16 year old boy who is also from District Twelve who competes in the Hunger Games with Katniss.Throughout the book there s great debate on whether Katniss and Peeta are in love, or not in love. Katniss pretends to be In love with Peeta because It helps her In the Games, and It Is an act of survival. Peeta on the other hand is deeply in love with Katniss. Throughout the book Katniss often finds herself making multiple references back to her friend, Gale, who has been her best friend for years. She wonders what life would be like with Katniss pretends to be in love with Peeta. She sees It as her only way of survival In the Games.When she and Peeta are in an affectionate state, the Capitol audience is ntertained. This results In her and Peeta getting both food and messages from their mentor Haymitch and their sponsors. Luckily, they entertain the audience enough to survive the games but towards the end of the book Peeta says to Katniss, â€Å"It was all for the games, how you acted. † (Pg. 372) This is legitimate proof that Katniss only pretended to be in love with Peeta. Based on much evidence from the book, it is revealed that Peeta is deeply in love with Katniss.Prior to the beginning of the Games, both Katniss and Peeta had to take art In a pre-game Interview. In Peeta's Interview. he tells the audience how winning the games would not help his situation because he is deeply in love with Katniss. Katniss was not happy with Peeta's statement, but later In the book calmly asks him, â€Å"Peeta, you said at the interview you'd had a crush on me forever. When did forever start? † ( Pg. 300) Peeta responded, â€Å"Oh let's see. I guess the first day of school. We were five. You had on a red plaid dress and your hair†¦ it was in two braids Instead of one.My father pointed your out. (Pg. 300) This is the most heart-felt moment between the two; however Katniss only asked Peeta the question because she knew she had to keep entertaining the audience. Her strategy to manipulate Peeta's emotions was a great advantage to her game. Katniss often makes references back to her friend Gale, her long time best friend that Is back home In District Twelve. She has mixed feelings about him because when Katniss was about to leave for the games, Gale was saying good bye to Katniss and was cut short with the slamming of a door.There are many misinterpretations about what Gale was trying to say to Katniss. Most people, Including Katniss, think that he ‘OF2 was aoout to say â€Å"l love you Inls unnnlsnea sentence OlsturDs Katnlss aurlng tne games when she has mixed fee lings about Peeta. Katniss thinks to herself, â€Å"Gale's not my boyfriend, but would he be, if I opened that door? † (Pg. 280) Any person who is truly in love would not be thinking about other men in this way. Throughout the Hunger Games there is great talk on whether Katniss and Peeta are in love, or not.Katniss pretends to be in love with Peeta because it helps her in the Games, and she uses it as an act of survival. Peeta on the other hand, is deeply in love with Katniss. During the book Katniss often finds herself making multiple mentions back to her friend, Gale, who has been her best friend and hunting buddy for years. She wonders what life would be like if she was with him. Too conclude, Katniss and Peeta are not meant to be. They have completely different individualities and although it may seem that their pretend love is mutual, it is not. Hunger Games The Hunger Games is a fictional book. which establishes the relationship between the protagonist Katniss, and the protagonist Peeta. Katniss is a 16 year old girl who lives In District twelve, Panem. She Is the sole provider for her family and competes in the Hunger Games, a game where two people from each of the twelve districts are chosen to fight to the death. Peeta is a 16 year old boy who is also from District Twelve who competes in the Hunger Games with Katniss.Throughout the book there s great debate on whether Katniss and Peeta are in love, or not in love. Katniss pretends to be In love with Peeta because It helps her In the Games, and It Is an act of survival. Peeta on the other hand is deeply in love with Katniss. Throughout the book Katniss often finds herself making multiple references back to her friend, Gale, who has been her best friend for years. She wonders what life would be like with Katniss pretends to be in love with Peeta. She sees It as her only way of survival In the Games.When she and Peeta are in an affectionate state, the Capitol audience is ntertained. This results In her and Peeta getting both food and messages from their mentor Haymitch and their sponsors. Luckily, they entertain the audience enough to survive the games but towards the end of the book Peeta says to Katniss, â€Å"It was all for the games, how you acted. † (Pg. 372) This is legitimate proof that Katniss only pretended to be in love with Peeta. Based on much evidence from the book, it is revealed that Peeta is deeply in love with Katniss.Prior to the beginning of the Games, both Katniss and Peeta had to take art In a pre-game Interview. In Peeta's Interview. he tells the audience how winning the games would not help his situation because he is deeply in love with Katniss. Katniss was not happy with Peeta's statement, but later In the book calmly asks him, â€Å"Peeta, you said at the interview you'd had a crush on me forever. When did forever start? † ( Pg. 300) Peeta responded, â€Å"Oh let's see. I guess the first day of school. We were five. You had on a red plaid dress and your hair†¦ it was in two braids Instead of one.My father pointed your out. (Pg. 300) This is the most heart-felt moment between the two; however Katniss only asked Peeta the question because she knew she had to keep entertaining the audience. Her strategy to manipulate Peeta's emotions was a great advantage to her game. Katniss often makes references back to her friend Gale, her long time best friend that Is back home In District Twelve. She has mixed feelings about him because when Katniss was about to leave for the games, Gale was saying good bye to Katniss and was cut short with the slamming of a door.There are many misinterpretations about what Gale was trying to say to Katniss. Most people, Including Katniss, think that he ‘OF2 was aoout to say â€Å"l love you Inls unnnlsnea sentence OlsturDs Katnlss aurlng tne games when she has mixed fee lings about Peeta. Katniss thinks to herself, â€Å"Gale's not my boyfriend, but would he be, if I opened that door? † (Pg. 280) Any person who is truly in love would not be thinking about other men in this way. Throughout the Hunger Games there is great talk on whether Katniss and Peeta are in love, or not.Katniss pretends to be in love with Peeta because it helps her in the Games, and she uses it as an act of survival. Peeta on the other hand, is deeply in love with Katniss. During the book Katniss often finds herself making multiple mentions back to her friend, Gale, who has been her best friend and hunting buddy for years. She wonders what life would be like if she was with him. Too conclude, Katniss and Peeta are not meant to be. They have completely different individualities and although it may seem that their pretend love is mutual, it is not.

Hammurabi’s code: was it just Essay

Hammurabi, the king of the small city-state of Babylon, ruled for 42 years making 282 laws being written in cuneiform. Together, these 282 laws carved onto a large stone, make up what has come to be known as Hammurabi’s code. Hammurabi’s code was not just because some of the laws were not only greatly exaggerated towards those accused of crimes, but also the consequences of the suggested crimes were unfair and cruel when viewed through the 21st century perspective. Hammurabi’s code is known to have been inscribed into stone in cuneiform. Because laws were most literally written in stone, the laws could never be altered or changed to suit situations or† new times† better. This is seen as unfair in the 21st century perspective because, for example, the United States constitution can be added onto and laws, or amendments, can and have been, repealed while none of this could’ve have been done to Hammurabi’s code.. (Doc A) Even though Hammurabi’s intentions seem to be good by making the intention of the codes to protect the weak from the strong as well as the widows and the orphans, these laws come off a bit harshly (Doc B) .For instance, it is an exaggeration for a married lady to be caught in an affair with another man and to then be punished by being tied together and being drowned (Doc C, Law 129). With the values that the people in the 21st century have, this punishment would be perceived as immoral. Rather than being sentenced to death by suffocation, fornication can be solved through discussion and forgiveness or by divorce. Another example of these harsh codes would be the excess of cruelty for a sons hand to be cut off for striking his father (Doc C, Law 195). In both 21st century and 4,000 years ago, the son’s action is seen as wrong and disrespectful, but the amputation of a sons hand is simply unethical. A more proper castigation would be to correct your son through parental discipline, or disowning him, or if he is of age, to bring him forth to court. An additional reference to an inhumane punishment would be the death, or hanging, of a robber in the same hole in which he made to break an entering into a home (Doc D, Law 21). An alternative correction to this crime would  be for the intruder to be tried in court, and if found guilty of charge, to be sentenced to a fair amount of years for his crime in jail. Although, through the perspective of the 21st century, most of these laws seem unethical, through the perspective of Hammurabi 4,000 years ago, some can be seen as fair or even balanced given to the hard realities civilization faced in ancient times. Even if these laws were moral 4,000 years ago, they are not ethical or viewed as just today because the consequences of the crimes are exaggerated and cruel. To be able to further prove that these codes were foul, a journal of those who were appointed guilty and punished would be great proof of how unfair these castigations were.