A long walk home Essay

The whipping wind tossed and hurled the icy rain in countless directions, saturating the now shiny country cliffs. The tall huddles of trees were disrobed; leaving them exposed and stripped of their summer coats. Rays from the sun, were banished by the copious clouds that filled the once blue skies, and the raging storm antagonised the ocean until its fury could be heard from afar. Emerging from the evergreen woods, clinging vehemently to his school bag and protective coat, stood a young, well-mannered lad. This lad went by the name of Jack. Jack was a sprightly, yet gracious boy, tall, lean and of medium build, his skin was fresh and his eyes sparkled with a loveable mischief, which would captivate and sway any mother. Jack walked steadily against the elements, homeward bound. The wind bit at his flesh, like an adder bites its victims. He tugged at his hood, hiding himself from the driving unforgiving wind. And it was for this reason, this reason alone that Jack decided to take the short cut through the steep, sheltered cliffs. Read more:  Heavy School Bags Essay As the day closed in, Jack became ill at ease with his own redirected route. Oh! He had climbed the cliffs before, but never in these weather conditions, and certainly not this late in the evening, he knew oh so well, that if he didn’t make haste, the night would close before he reached the top. As luck would have it, the weather abated, the rain had eased to a mere drizzle, the wind to a light breeze. And so he made his way carefully and cautiously up the steep winding cliffs. He was nearing the top, when he suddenly realised he had taken a wrong turn, the path, such as it was, had petered out, leaving a very tricky way forward indeed; across slippery rocks and shingle; with a sheer drop either side. But, if he were to turn back now, it would be hours before he reached his destination; his parents would be gripped in the throws of panic. So, resolute and unrelenting, Jack continued along his arduous mission, until he reached a point from where he could no longer proceed, retreat offered no solution. Jacks dilemma seemed mountainous; there seemed no easy exit. The day’s light was diminishing rapidly. Jacks panic gripped him tightly; he needed to reach the top before the light faded. He scrutinized his location, scanning for any signs of help. Just then, a voice, a sweet friendly voice belonging to a girl, filled the air. â€Å"Are you alright there? You look as if you are in a bit of a pickle, would you like a hand?† Jacks anguished eyes searched for the source of these utterances, he saw nothing. Did his ears deceive him? Was it the wind playing tricks on him? â€Å"Hey! Don’t look so shocked and worried,† Came the sweet voice once more. â€Å"Who is that?† Spluttered Jack nervously, â€Å"where are you hiding?† â€Å"I’m here silly.† And there, in front of Jack, true enough, stood a girl about the age of himself, her wavy, blonde hair flowed to her waist, she was waif like, pale in complexion, slightly gaunt, but her piercing blue eyes sent out a radiation of warmth. She walked sure-footedly across the rocks towards Jack. † Follow me, I’ll show you the way,† whispered the girl, † that is, if you want to?† The girl offered her hand to Jack, Jack hesitated, she seemed friendly enough, but he really didn’t know her. â€Å"Honestly!† giggled the girl. † I wont bite you.† With that, they exchanged smiles, held hands and continued on their way, the girl obviously knowing the cliffs well, so assured did she place her feet. As they neared the top of the cliff, the boy asked. â€Å"Do you ever get scared, in case you fall?† â€Å"Oh no!† said the girl, â€Å"I fell once, I will never let that happen again†. â€Å"Were you hurt when you fell?† queried Jack sincerely. † It could have been very serious.† † What happened?† The girl sighed deeply, â€Å"I too got lost once. If it weren’t for this stranger, I surly would have died. He offered his helpful hand to me, but as I reached out, I lost my footing and slipped, I ending up clinging to the edge of the cliff.† † That must have been so scary!† exclaimed Jack. † It was, but scarier than that, was the fact that the stranger disappeared right after rescuing me.† † How odd! Maybe he was a ghost,† chuckled Jack. â€Å"Ghost? I don’t believe in ghosts,† said the girl, plainly amused by Jacks comments. † Neither do I,† said Jack defensively, in an attempt to mask his fears. Embarrassed at this, Jack thanked the girl profusely, bid her farewell, and continued his journey home. â€Å"Ghosts!† said the girl as she watched him leave. â€Å"What a peculiar notion.† Most close-knit neighbourhoods have strange ghost stories, as it happened, this community was not unusual in that fact. As this urban- legend would have it, the cliffs were inhabited by a ghost, a ghost who lead people to their deaths, an offering of a helping hand soon saw those who trusted it, plunged fatally off the treacherous cliffs. Was this just a legend to stop foolish children climbing the cliffs and hurting themselves? Or, was it something, far more supernatural? What do you think? Jack never saw the girl ever again.

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 14

On Friday Winfield took Damon and me to get fitted for a custom suit. A visit to Pinotto's Tailoring might have been fun at some other point in my life – as it had been the night I went shopping with Lexi in New Orleans. Pasquale Pinotto was a master of his craft, descended from a long line of tailors to kings and queens of Europe. With his pince-nez glasses and chalk and measuring tape around his neck, he could have been someone out of a fairy tale. I enjoyed trying to speak the few words of Italian I knew to him; he took pleasure in it as well, though he corrected my accent. Damon, of course, pretended that he only wanted to speak English now that he was in America – which is how he got around the tailor's delight at meeting a fellow countryman. â€Å"Look at this.† Damon held up a bolt of scarlet red silk to his face. â€Å"We could have our jackets lined with it. Doesn't it just bring out the color in my lips? Or†¦ Lydia's neck?† He moved it to the side, just about where the fang wounds would have been on him. Winfield looked confused. â€Å"She has taken to wearing scarves around her neck, lately. Is that what you mean? It's dashed peculiar – she never used to.† Damon flicked him a quick look, a flash of surprise and annoyance so fast only I caught it. It was interesting that Mr. Sutherland noticed the subtle changes occurring around him, even if he was ultimately powerless against Damon's compulsion. Although any safety the rich old man had was in staying completely ignorant of my brother's schemes. I leaned against the wall for support, tension exhausting me. I felt claustrophobic among all the rolls of expensive fabric and labyrinthine rooms of mirrors and sewing machines, as trapped in that room as I was in my life. Mr. Sutherland made his way to a chair to rest his ponderous bulk. He seemed a touch fidgety – he kept reaching for his cigar, but he was not allowed to smoke one of his famous cigars in the atelier, as the smoke would ruin the fabric. â€Å"Now here is some cloth I am thinking you will like,† Signor Pinotto said, presenting us with black wool crepe so fine and soft it might have been silk. â€Å"I get it from a tiny village in Switzerland. They work†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Leave the cloth to me,† Winfield said, twirling an unlit cigar in his hand. â€Å"I know the business. Let the young men pick out whatever style they want.† Damon started looking through the jackets, pulling one out and holding it against him to see how it fit. â€Å"In this morning coat and that black crepe, we'll look like real creatures of the night,† Damon observed. â€Å"Don't you think so, Stefan?† â€Å"Yes, yes we will,† I agreed stonily. â€Å"Here, try this on.† Damon tossed me a smaller version of the jacket. Dutifully, I took off my own and put it on. The jacket fit me well except for being too big in the shoulders and chest. Damon was distracted by the tailor and Winfield, discussing patterns and linings and buttons. It occurred to me in that moment that I could leap out the window and run away. Would my brother actually carry through on all of his threats? Would he really kill the Sutherlands – or worse? But then I thought of the message in blood and realized I would never let the world find out the answer to that question. I wanted no more deaths on my conscience. â€Å"Is that the sort of thing young men prance around town in these days?† Winfield asked, frowning at my jacket. â€Å"I've never really been a – what did you call it? – ‘creature of the night.'† Damon gave him a cold smile. â€Å"Never say never.† And then Damon was suddenly standing next to me in front of the mirror, buttoning up his jacket and fluffing out the tails. Very assiduously he fixed mine as well. â€Å"Well, would you look at that,† he said to our reflections, putting an arm around my shoulders. â€Å"We could almost be brothers.† â€Å"We were brothers at one time,† I hissed so quietly that only Damon's highly tuned ears could hear. â€Å"Though you are now as alien to me as the devil himself.† â€Å"Eh?† Winfield looked up. â€Å"You do resemble each other a little. The†¦ hair. And the†¦ face.† He waved a hand vaguely at us. Then he smiled widely. â€Å"I'll have a whole set of matching grandchildren! Dozens of them, dandling on my knees.† Damon grinned. â€Å"Absolutely. I plan on having a large family, Mr. Sutherland. It's important that my bloodline goes on.† â€Å"You're really pushing it,† I said. â€Å"I haven't even started,† he whispered, smiling. â€Å"Oh really? Then what was that message you left for me in blood?† I said. Damon's forehead crinkled. â€Å"Message?† â€Å"Actually, I rather like the scarlet.† Winfield held a bolt of the fabric in his hands, and didn't seem to notice the tension in the air. â€Å"It's perfect. Damon DeSangue – bloodred, or of blood, right?† Damon looked surprised. I was taken off guard, too. â€Å"I speak four languages, boys,† Winfield said with a bit of a growl in his grin. â€Å"And can read another four. I-tal-ian is just one.† So Sutherland wasn't quite the buffoon he appeared to be. There were layers in him, and of course there had to be for such a successful businessman. â€Å"And speaking of languages, ho bisogno di vino, something to wet my throat. I brought something from my own cellar, a fantastic amontillado. Care to join me?† â€Å"I really could drain a good Sutherland dry just about now,† Damon said gamely, clapping me on the shoulder like our future father-in-law did. I slumped in despair. When we'd first become vampires, I'd wanted nothing more than to spend eternity with my brother. But now I couldn't wait to be rid of him.

Labour Markets, Wages and Industrial Relations

Telecommuting is going to change the landscape of labour for years to come. As a matter of fact, the very notion of a job is going to change. A job will be something one takes home to do in the intervals between football matches and household duties, not an activity that reshapes one’s day. Such changes will trigger changes in other aspects of work. Thus, trade union participation and union power will most probably be reduced. A great part of this influence is based in personal interaction. It is much easier to recruit a person to become a member of the union through direct personal contact than through means such as e-mail. Trade union leaders will turn into virtual figures rather than living beings in flesh and blood, and people will feel less affiliated with the union. Besides, as the authors point out, there are reasons to expect an inflow of workers into labour who have never or seldom had employment before, including single mothers or disabled people. Those may feel isolated from the rest of the workforce and have had no experience with unions. As a result, they will be less willing to participate in union activities and bargain with their employer. Besides, more developing nations will be included in the workforce, and it is more difficult to recruit people there in the union as they live in remote places and as well have little experience with unions. However, trade unions will not go away because of telecommuting. There are factors that even call for an increase in their power. For instance, it will become easier to change jobs since it will not involve looking for a job in exactly the same area and workers will probably not have to go to interviews in person. Rather, they may be able to do some kind of audio- or video-interview via Internet. As a result, employees will have more possibility to defend their rights through trade unions as they will not fear loss of job. Communication with trade union leaders will take place through the same interactive means as communication with supervisors – e-mail, telephone, and videoconferencing. Telecommuting will probably to some extent remove the difference between house prices between capital cities and regions. At the moment, housing is pricey in larger cities since there a lot of people willing to move there because higher salary levels. Those people coming from the regions are prepared to pay a premium on house price as compared to the regions because they know the house price will be offset by gains in wages. As a result, they drive demand up even at higher prices. If differences salary levels are reduced, a probable result of telecommuting, more people will prefer to stay in the regions, and housing there will rise in value against capital cities. This does not mean that housing will cost the same throughout the nation. First, not all jobs will be affected by telecommuting. It will take time before the pay for manual jobs such labourers, nurses, etc., will get to about the same level throughout the country. People in those jobs will then still be attracted to larger cities. Second, there are other factors than salary levels that affect housing prices. For instance, in the same city where one can get the same salary living in a nice or unattractive neighbourhood, housing prices will vary from one district to another. The reason for these variations is the difference in infrastructure, ecological atmosphere (as, for example, when the house faces a busy road or something of the kind), and opportunities for entertainment. Surely in larger cities one can have a much more interesting and varied life thanks to the availability of many cultural establishments, and regions will not soon overcome this difference. That is why people may still be attracted to living in the capital even if wages arrive at about the same level. Besides, formerly the attraction of the remote areas was their cheap prices for everything other than housing, such as food, entertainment, services, etc. A rise in wages will probably change that, making prices go up. In conclusion, housing prices will go up in regions as compared to the province as a result of dwindling difference in wages. However, prices in capital or larger cities will still remain higher. Bibliography Sloman, John & Mark Sutcliffe. Economics for Business. Â  

Shakespeares Macbeth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Shakespeares Macbeth - Essay Example The necessity of keeping social and economic order often restrains stronger ambition for power. Macbeth is destined - through the prophecy of the witches - to become Thane of Cawdor and eventually King. However, Macbeth's conscience makes the distinction that, by achieving this, he will have broken the social order. This dilemma will eventually compel him to extreme deeds in the acquisition of his desire. Lady Macbeth recognizes her husband's elevation in position and prestige and has no doubt that he will fulfill the witches prophecy with a little help from herself. As she says after reading her husband's letter, " yet do I fear thy nature; / It is too full o' the milk of human kindness / To catch the nearest way" (1.5.360-362). Lady Macbeth has launched into an analysis of Macbeth's character - how he might restrain his ambition out of loyalty to his King rather than seek the most direct route to the throne. Macbeth lacks the internal strength and deviousness a powerful man must ha ve in order to rise to king. His desire is infinite, his ambition excessive, yet his respect for social structure prevents him from committing to the murder of the king. In accusing him of being "too full o' the milk of human kindness," Lady Macbeth is observing a timidity that un-weaned from the hand that raised him - he is not man enough to act aggressively.

International relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International relations - Essay Example After all, since the adoption of the UN Charter in 1945, the world has seen plenty of wars that the world body failed to avert. At the same time, however, students of the UN are inclined to give it the credit for the decreasing intensity of the wars. Although realists see the laws of power politics as relatively timeless and unchanging, liberal theorists generally see the rules of IR as slowly, incrementally evolving through time and potentially becoming more and more peaceful. (Joshua S. Goldstein and Jon C. Pevehouse. â€Å"International Relations, 8/e†. 2008) This evolution results primarily from gradual buildup of international organization and mutual cooperation (reciprocity) and secondarily from changes in norms and public opinion (identity)†¦ â€Å"We are not doomed to a world of recurring war but can achieve a more peaceful world,† says Goldstein and Pevehouse. For example, in recent years a strong trend toward fewer warts has become evident (Human Security Centre. Human Security Report 2005: â€Å"War and Peace in the 21st Century; 2006). For instance, to many Americans the world seems more war-prone and violent than ever because the United States is at war on a scale not seen since Vietnam. Yet, for the world as a whole, the current period is one of the least warlike ever, with fewer and smaller wars than in the past. â€Å"In the first half of the 20th century, world wars â€Å"killed tens of millions and left whole contents in ruin; in the second half, during the Cold War, proxy wars killed millions, and the world feared a nuclear war that could have wiped out our species. Now, in the 21st century, wars like those in Iraq and Sudan kill hundreds of thousands.† (Goldstein and Pevehouse) The late 1990s and the early 21st century saw termination of vestigial remnants of Cold War era, such as in Angola, Northern Ireland, Guatemala, and southern Sudan, following South Africa and Mozambique earlier in the 1990s. Most wars that erupted after the end of

Allstate Insurance Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Allstate Insurance Company - Essay Example At the time, the initial public offering of Allstate was the largest in U.S. history. On June 30, 1995, it became a totally independent company after Sears divested its remaining shares to Sears stockholders. For more than 75 years, Allstate leaders, employees and agency owners have been passionate about leading positive change in this country. Serving as a consumer advocate - and an advocate for the American economy - is an integral part of Allstate's heritage. In the 1930s, Allstate was one of the first companies to create a sophisticated rate classification system, giving better rates to safe drivers; in the 1950s Allstate opened its first drive-in claim office, revolutionizing the way automobile claims are handled; in the 1960s the company helped convince the government to make seat belt use mandatory; in the 1970s and 1980s Allstate played an instrumental role in advocating the safety benefits of air bags; and in the 1990s and 2000s Allstate has continued to take a public stand on issues that are important to consumers. In 2007, Allstate reported $17.7 billion in total property-liability insurance claims and claims expense. The Allstate Foundation donated nearly $20.1 million to nonprofit organizations including $400,000 in scholarships. The Allstate Corporation, its employees and agents donated nearly $6.1 million through the Giving Campaign to nonprofit organizations.

Qualitative research critique on nurse attrition Paper

Qualitative critique on nurse attrition - Research Paper Example With these statistics and proof in mind, the factors that cause these are necessary to be identified in order to prevent the shift which sooner or later will be problematic (MacKusick & Minick, 2010). Physical exhaustion was bound to take place. Having to recommend someone else may also provide psychological risks because the subject may not have wanted any contact with former employees and the interview questions were many and too demanding. The researchers of this research article are both PhD holders and associate professors who teach nursing in renowned universities. MacKusick is from Clayton State University while Minick is from Georgia State University. The participants in this study were briefed about the purpose of the study and before they signed the consent forms to agree they were guaranteed anonymity. They were informed that it was voluntary and hence could leave anytime they wanted to. The best protection was that the participants used pseudonym during the interview and this guaranteed to protect them. The purpose of this research article was to find out the factors that influence the RN’s decisions to leave the field of clinical practice. The article however ends up not directly finding these reasons but having to seek their perceptions and then deduce from there the factors. No directly related information about the perception of RN’s was found and therefore the literature review search had to take a longer route to find most of the information about RN’s and clinical practice and this was in the psychological and sociological databases. The conclusion therefore is that there is missing gap of knowledge in this area of RN’s and their perceptions about clinical practice. The research question was â€Å"what is the experience of RNs who leave clinical nursing?† It is not concise because the information to be collected through this question will not be in line with the purpose of the study and hence more concise

Encountering the Book of Romans by Douglas Moo Literature review

Encountering the Book of Romans by Douglas Moo - Literature review Example Most bible scholars identify the major books they need to major on and proceed to get the necessary information on where to base their studies. Douglas Moo in the book, Encountering the Book of Romans, has simplified the work of most populace by addressing the book of Romans in the Bible. Throughout the history of religion in general, the book has had an interest to scholars and the foundation of the Roman Catholic faith is based on the name. Researchers, therefore, have little to do but need to get to the shops and obtain the one important link to the study and an in depth look as well as a proper analysis of the book of Romans as described. The book was published On December 2002 by the Baker publishing group and has had various sales whose range is close to four hundred thousand. The basics of the writings are clear, concise, and the message is to all parties seeking to know about the letter of Paul to the Romans. The book is not one to pass by on the counter especially the theolo gical readers and scholars, and like most well written books, this one is a great self-discovery adventure. The cover page is well printed with an advance picture of a building which most people would view as an old fashioned empire church. The imprints are bold presumably to depict the importance of the contemporary writing and what is actually contained inside. The creation is set to encounter the bible studies especially with a great concentration on the book of Romans and the impact of the writings therein to a moderate reader. Douglas J. Moo is a PhD holder in the University of St. Andrews and has a wide knowledge on theological issues. He is a Blanchard Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and also the author to various books and commentaries on biblical writings such as the books of Judges, 2 Peter, Jude and James. Based on his academic circle and knowledge, the lecturer has provide a book worth reading and one that leaves those who come across it fulfilled and havin g a quest for more. Over the years, many theorists have raised questions on just what intended and what he had in mind regarding how the book of Romans is to be read. Moo has simplified this and has given guidelines especially to scholars and students with regard to the ancient letter and provided the basis for contemporary debates. The theme of the book centres on the gospel of Christ Jesus and in writing the book, the author has a purpose to help create an identity to the Roman Christians and help them understand their history of salvation chain. The structure of the book is centred on the letter, and the author shows key aspects such as the introduction which shows a proper understanding of the book based on the first century (Moo, 2002, p.7). Other issues discussed include the prevailing events during the life of Paul and also the situations in the lives of the proceeding readers. In this context, the author bases his study on two approaches including the reformation and the new perspective approach which are grounds for interpretation of the letter. Scholars thus need to decide which approach to use and which best suits their learning needs as the two provide different ways of interpretation. The book is segmented, with each segment further split into well-defined topics for easy navigation and access of study material. The broad networking has made it even available for study and print in the world through website and shops. The contents of the book are well aligned with the contents of the prevailing chapters flowing from the preceding. Moo lays the groundwork for reading the ancient book and provides the arguments that the book

Gay couples Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Gay couples - Essay Example in Cooke, para.2), that two men or women can raise kids better in terms of sexual growth, than a man or a woman in a traditional home setting. Kids of gay couples do not have to see one of their parents involved in extra-marital affairs. They do not have to see their moms and dads fighting with each other every day (Sharee). Kids pay little attention to what the relationship between their parents is, or whether or not their relationship relates to societal norms or not. All they want is love, of parents towards them and also towards each other. So, the relationship between parents has nothing to do with children becoming homo- or hetero-sexual. To conclude, children of same-sex couples are all the same as children of gay couples. They get full attention from their parents, and this is all that is needed for healthy sexual growth. Becoming a homosexual is a matter of abnormal sexual orientation by nature, and not by

Different types of wastewaters Essay Example for Free

Different types of wastewaters Essay Domestic wastewater Domestic effluents are generated from activities such as bathing, laundry, cleaning, cooking, washing, and other kitchen activities. This contains a large amount of organic waste with suspended solids and coliforms. Calculations made based on available data show that half the organic waste is from the domestic sector (PEM, 2003). As stated in the EMB report, domestic wastewater discharges contribute highest to the BOD load as the lack of sewage treatment system allows more than 90 percent of inadequately treated domestic sewage to be discharged into surface waters, which contain bacteria and viruses that threaten human life. Geographically, data show that one-third (30 percent) of BOD generation comes from Metro Manila and Region IV alone, at 18 and 15 percent, respectively (PEM, 2003). Industrial wastewater Reports show that the volume and characteristics of industrial effluents vary by type of industry and are influenced by different factors such as production processes and the scale of production used. Industries that are found to be water-intensive, i.e. food and dairy manufacturing, pulp, paper and paperboard products, and textile products, correspondingly discharge large amounts of wastewater (PEM, 2003). Most of the water pollution-intensive industries are in National Capital Region, Calabarzon, and Region III. Food manufacturing industries, piggeries, and slaughterhouses are the main sources of organic pollution (PEM, 2004). A report from a study conducted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in 1999 emphasizes that the situation is even more critical with regard to hazardous wastes. In the said report, approximately 2,000 cubic meters of solvent wastes, 22,000 tons of heavy metals, infectious wastes, biological sludge, lubricants, and intractable was tes, as well as 25 million cubic meters of acid/alkaline liquid wastes are improperly disposed of annually in the Metro Manila area alone. A study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted in 2001 (as cited in National Economic Development Authority’s document on the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan 2004-2010) states that around 700 industrial establishments in the  Philippines generate about 273,000 tons of hazardous wastes per annum. It was further estimated that with 5,000 potential hazardous waste generators, about 2.41 million tons of hazardous wastes will be generated. At present, the report added, there is no integrated treatment facility for hazardous wastes in the country although there are about 95 small to mediumscale treatment facilities that treat hazardous wastes (i.e., used oil, sludge). There is approximately 50,000 tons of hazardous wastes stored on or offsite due to lack of proper treatment, recovery and recycling facilities. Sometimes they end up being recycled in backyard operations further putting at risk workers and communities hosting these informal recycling facilities. Other hazardous wastes are exported to other countries for recovery and disposal (i.e. metal bearing sludge, used solvents and electronic wastes) and treatment (e.g. PCB). Health and environmental problems Much of the surface water in urban areas is a public health risk while rural surface waters are also sources of disease. The World Bank estimates that exposure to water pollution and poor sanitation account for one-sixth of reported disease cases, and nearly 6,000 premature deaths per year. The cost of treatment and lost income from illness and death due to water pollution is pegged at PHP6.7 billion (US$134 million) per year (PEM 2006). Pollution of our water resources such as untreated wastewater discharges affect human health through the spread of disease-causing bacteria and viruses. Some known examples of diseases that may be spread through wastewater discharge are gastro-enteritis, diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, and, recently, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) (PEM 2003). The state of water in the Philippines (Bacongui, Beau, 2007, October). Retrieved January 9, 2013, from http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/Global/seasia/report/2007/10/the-state-of-wa ter-in-the-phil.pdf Hazardous and toxic waste management Republic Act 6969, implemented by DAO 29 series of 1992, regulates the range of activities associated with hazardous and toxic materials (use, transportation, storage, export, distribution, manufacture, and processing). Users or handlers of chemicals must first check with DENR whether the substances are included in the Philippine Inventory of Chemicals and Chemical Substances (PICCS). A Chemical Control Order (CCO) prohibiting, limiting, or subjecting use to certain controls or conditions may be issued for chemicals that pose an unreasonable risk to public health or the environment. Environmental Impact Management System An on-going innovation under the EIS system is the introduction of programmatic compliance. Under this program, industries sited in declared industrial development areas may be issued a single Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC). This approach has the advantage of reducing the cost of document preparation and review. Furthermore, it justifies the future application of carrying capacity assessments to determine the number and types of industries that should be allowed to locate in a given area. Philippines: Country Profile. In Green Productivity Practices: In Select Industry Sectors. (Abanto, Arnel. 2001) Retrieved January 9, 2013, from http://www.apo-tokyo.org/gp/e_publi/gpp/0302PHILIPPINESrev.pdf Water pollution creeping in – senator MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines faces a creeping water pollution problem because of rapid urbanization and industrialization, a senator warned over the weekend. Senator Pilar Juliana â€Å"Pia† S. Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate Health and Demography Committee, said she is worried that government has weakly-implemented programs to improve the quality of fresh water supply. Cayetano pointed out that inadequate resources, institutional fragmentation and poor statistics as the major stumbling blocks in achieving the goal of securing a sufficient future supply of clean fresh water. She said addressing this concern is in line with the Millennium Development Goal 7 for environment sustainability which is to reduce by one half, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources chairman, said the issue emphasizes the importance of refo resting the country’s denuded mountains. Forests, Zubiri said, act as watersheds, storing and releasing fresh water through natural processes. In past Senate Committee hearings, testimonies on the country’s forest reserve being  denuded at a fast clip the past few decades had been presented. Citing the Philippine Environment Monitor report of the World Bank in 2003, domestic wastewater represents 48 percent of the total pollution in the entire country; the rest is due to industrial and agricultural sources. In Metro Manila alone, the share of domestic sewage is 58 percent of the total. Because of insufficient sewage treatment and disposal, more than 90 percent of the sewage generated in the Philippines is not disposed or treated in an environmentally acceptable manner, Cayetano said. The same report estimates that water pollution costs the Philippine economy an estimated P67 billion ($.3 billion) annually of which P3 billion is attributed to health, P17 billion to fisheries production and P47 billion to tourism. Cayetano pointed out that Department of Health (DoH) statistics show that approximately 18 people die each day from water-borne diseases, which accounted for 31 percent of all reported illnesses from 1996-2000. She said the Congressional Oversight Committee was created following the enactment of the Clean Water Act in 2004 and found out weaknesses in the enforcement of environmentally-related laws. â€Å"There are too many hands dipping in the broth, so to speak. Around 30 government agencies are involved in the management of our water resources. The gaps, overlaps and conflicts of responsibilities are apparent during the conduct of our (committee) hearings, making the institutional framework highly fragmented, weak and complicated,’’ she said. Water pollution creeping in – senator (Casayuran, Mario. 2011, April) Retrieved January 9, 2013 from http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/312556/water-pollution-creeping-senator#.UO1KP-TwaSo ‘Water pollution a threat’ Gov’t not enforcing environment laws SWS survey  MANILA, Philippines . Five of every 10 Filipinos believe water pollution is a serious threat to their health and environment, but the government is unable to enforce environmental laws. Results of a survey of the Social Weather Stations released Friday also showed that at least three of every six residents of Metro Manila did not agree that pollution was an acceptable trade-off for economic progress. The SWS survey, a first on water pollution and enforcement of environmental laws, was commissioned by  the environmental group Greenpeace as part of its Project: Clean Water program launched in September. The initiative aims to mobilize action in protecting the country’s vast fresh water sources. A recent World Bank study warned of a possible water scarcity problem in the country by 2025. The survey from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 covered 1,200 randomly chosen adult respondents divided into samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. We wanted to see how Filipinos perceive the problem because it is very hard to push for the implementation of environmental laws if the public accepts water pollution as an unavoidable consequence of economic development, said Beau Baconguis, Greenpeace Southeast Asia campaigner in a press conference Friday. Half of the respondents said water pollution in the country was a very serious problem and posed great danger to their health and environment; 22 percent found it somewhat serious; nine percent, a little serious; and 19 percent, hardly serious. While growing concern for water pollution was noted among residents in urban areas, with 58 percent finding it unacceptable that economic progress should mean environmental destruction, some 48 percent said they were not aware of any laws enacted to help prevent pollution. Among the environmental policies cited in the survey were the Clean Water Act and the Solid Waste Management Act. Out of the 1,200 respondents, 26 percent said they were familiar with the Clean Water Act; 27 percent were aware of the Solid Waste Management Act while 50 percent admitted not knowing about the laws. ‘Water pollution a threat’ (Uy, Jocelyn, 2008, January) Retrieved January 9, 2013 from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080126-114918/Water-pollution-a-threat Dirty Water: Estimated Deaths from Water-Related Diseases 2000-2020 (Gleick, Peter, 2002, August) Retrieved from http://www.pacinst.org/reports/water_related_deaths/water_related_deaths_report.pdf

Factors Affecting Labour Turnover Commerce Essay

Factors Affecting Labour Turnover Commerce Essay This proposal is on the factors that affect labour turnover of Life insurance Agents in Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Kenya. A Life insurance company relies on a stable Agency force to sell and service its Life insurance products to enable it make profit from the Life policy. The exit of an Agent affects the servicing of the policies sold with negative impact on Companys profitability and investable fund for the nations economic development. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify the factors, find out how and to what extent they affect labour turnover of Agents in Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Kenya. It will also seek to find solution to the problem and make recommendations. This study will benefit the management and Agency Managers of the company, other Life Insurance companies, current and potential investors in Life insurance companies as well as government and its Agencies. The study will make use of descriptive research design which will involve field survey of targeted respondents of Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Kenya. The target population will be the regional managers, sales managers and the Agents at its branches in Nairobi numbering about 200. A sample of 15% will be taken using simple random sampling technique. The data will be collected by the use of questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics which will include tables, charts, diagrams and frequency distribution measurements such as mean, mode and median. OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS Life Insurance Life Assurance is an aspect of Financial Planning which provides for the payment of a capital sum to the dependants of a policy owner on his death or to the policy owner on survival to policy expiration, in consideration of the payment of a smaller, often regular, amount to the Life office Life Insurance Sales Agent Life insurance agents specialize in selling policies that pay beneficiaries when a policyholder dies. They also sell other varieties of Life insurance products such as annuities that promise a retirement income, Health insurance and short-term and long-term-disability insurance policies. Agents may specialize in any one of these products, or function as generalists, providing multiple products to a single customer. They earn commission and other benefits for their effort. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS LIMRA Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association AKI Association of Kenya Insurers IIAA- Independent insurance Agents of America COP Certificate of Proficiency OMLAC Old Mutual Life Assurance Company CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION This chapter will focus on background of the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, the hypothesis or research questions, significance, scope and limitation of the study. 1.1 Background to the study Life Insurance is an aspect of Personal Financial Planning which enables somebody to provide for his future financial needs at old age and that of his or her dependants in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Such unforeseen circumstances are premature death, Total Permanent disability resulting from Accident or Critical illnesses which may reduce or terminate a persons income earning capacity. The risk of premature death is one of the major personal risks faced by most individuals. The financial consequences resulting from the death of a breadwinner before adequate resources have been established for dependents can be severe. Life insurance is a major source of financial protection against premature death. There are three main sources of life insurance protection which are individually purchased, Employer-sponsored and Government sponsored life insurance coverage. The dependable source is the individually purchased Life insurance protection because the other two may not be available to an individual. Life Assurance is a service premised on a promise to pay a certain amount of money in future in the event of the occurrence of a stated contingency which usually depends on the duration of human Life. Hence, the best form of selling this service is one on one personal selling through a Sales Person traditionally called an Agent. One major problem facing Life insurance Companies in selling their products and hence, profitability is the high rate of labour turnover of their Agents. A Life insurance company relies on a stable Agency force to sell its Life insurance products. These products are usually long tern going for a minimum of five years in duration. The profitability of a policy to the Life insurance Company depends on the consistent servicing of that policy by the Agent. When an Agent leaves an insurance Company when the policies he sold are still in their early years, such policies will no longer be serviced. Hence, the Company will lose in terms of future in-flow of investible funds, lost of commission that has been paid in advance to the Agent and payment of surrender values arising from lapsed policies. This situation threatens the survival of Life insurance companies and it has attracted the attention of some writers and researchers. According to Leverett et al (1977), the death of the independent Agency system as it exists today has been predicted for several years. Increased competition from newer sources, such as the entrance of Life insurance companies into the property-liability field, as well as traditional competition from the direct writers of insurance, tends to reinforce the foundation for such a prophesy. The attraction and retention of new agents into the independent agency system is vital to the continued successful existence of that system. A number of studies have indicated that the retention rate for agents recruited into the Life insurance industry is very low. According to one study, the two year and five year retention rates for 13 large life insurers in the United States were 39 and 13 percent respectively. Furthermore, the retention rate for smaller life insurers was found to be even less than for their larger counterparts. These figures are not totally unexpected given the lack or inadequacy of training and educational programs offered to new life insurance recruits. LIMRA (2009) points out that, it has been of great concern to many managers, the fact that only 5% of sales representatives who join the industry remain in the industry and become successful sales representatives. Out of the 5% only 2% become high achievers in the industry. Despite the fact that those on commissions earn more than majority of the salaried people, it has remained a very challenging field especially for the young people from college and university who would wish to earn good money easily and fast. Burand (2010) notes that over time, agents retention in the life insurance industry remains a perennial challenge for companies operating within the traditional career agency system. According to LIMRA (2010), 68% of agents leave companies within their first two years. Many managers presuppose that retention rates correspond with a companys effectiveness in building its sales and Organization in general. Company bottom lines would benefit substantially from increased retention rates. 1.1.1 Background to the Scope of Study Old Mutual Life Assurance Kenya belongs to an International long-term savings, protection and investment Group. The Group provides life assurance, asset management, banking and general insurance in 33 countries (Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia). It has over 15 million customers and approximately 55 000 employees. The vision of the group is to be their customers most trusted partner passionate about helping them achieve their lifetime financial goals. The group was founded in 1845 and has expanded from their origins in South Africa in the last decade through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. It is listed in the UK, South Africa and three other African exchanges. Old Mutual Kenya (OMK) started doing business in Kenya in the late 1920s. The vision of the company is the same as its parent company but limited to East Africa. The mission statement of the company is as follows through understanding and meeting our customers needs, we will profitably expand our market for wealth accumulation and protection in Kenya. 1.1.2 Background to the Population Area and organizational Chart Old Mutual has 16 retail marketing outlets throughout Kenya including 4 in Nairobi. The retail marketing arm is under the jurisdiction of the Head of Sales who is at the head office. The head of sales is part of the executive management who reports on the activities of the sales force. The head of sales is assisted by head of channels who oversees the activities of the Branch managers in different locations. Under the Branch Manger are Sales managers who manage the Agents. 1.2 Problem Statement The Insurance industry has suffered astronomical losses resulting from high rate of labour turnover among Agents especially the new agents. The new agents are the sales representatives who have been with the company for less than four years. Annual report published by LIMRA international in 2004 pointed out that four year agents retention has not been able to move above 13 percents. This translates to 87 percent of the new agents in the insurance industry leaving their respective companies within the first four years of signing the contract. An agent in the insurance industry especially life insurance starts becoming profitable only after the third year of their contract in the company. This is because the initial years are characterized by huge training cost, initial allowances which are not tied to production and forward-earning commission system. This results in high expenses for the firm in the early years of recruiting an Agent with the hope of recouping the cost gradually from the future earnings of the Agent. This implies that most of the insurance companies have been incurring huge losses because of consistently poor retention rate of the new agents. Insurance agents retention has become a matter of concern as the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI) highlighted in the 2011 report concerning developments of the tied agents in the insurance industry in Kenya. AKI report (2010) observed that lack of personal development of many Agents who join insurance industry is an issue that requires attention by the industry if the industry is to remain relevant in the country. Lack of personal development among the agents has been cited as an important factor that affects agents retention in the industry. A Life insurance company relies on a stable Agency force to sell its Life insurance products. These products are usually long tern going for a minimum of five years in duration. Agents are paid commission for any policy sold. The commission is structured in such a way that a substantial percentage up to 50% of the premium is paid in the first year and between 10% to 40% is paid in subsequent years up to the fifth year or sometimes end of the policy term. The profitability of a policy to the Life insurance Company depends on the consistent servicing of that policy by the Agent. If an Agent leaves an insurance Company when the policies he sold are still in their early years, such policies will no longer be serviced. Hence, the Company will lose in terms of future in-flow of investable funds, loss of commission paid in advance for future services of the Agent and an early lapse of such orphan policies. The economy also suffers because it will be starved of investable funds which aid the economic development of the nation. Old Mutual Life Assurance Kenya has experienced a drop in its number of Agents in the past years. While it had 500 Agents in 2010, they currently have about 200. This has also reflected in the revenue of the company from the individual life Insurance segment of the company. The premium income generated by the Agents for the past four years is represented in the following table. Table 1. Premium Income of Agents in Old Mutual Life Ass. Co. Kenya (2008 2011) Year Premium Income (Kshs 000) Difference Percentage Difference 2008 386,367 2009 378,056 (8,311) (2%) 2010 376,496 (1,560) (0.41%) 2011 349,429 (27,067) (7.18%) Source: OMLAC (2012) The graphical representation of the above situation is shown below. Figure 1. Premium Income of Agents in Old Mutual Life Ass. Co. Kenya (2008 2011) Source: OMLAC (2012) Life insurance premium from the sales Agent should increase in geometrical progression with positive cumulative effect on the revenue of the company. If the premium from new policies sold is added to the premium of existing policy holders, it should lead to increase in premium income from year to year. However, the reverse is the case in Old Mutual where premium income from Life insurance Agents has declined from Kshs 386 million in 2008 to Kshs 349 million in 2011. This represents a drop of 9.56% in premium income in 2011 compared to 2008. It is against this premises that this study will focus on factors affecting labour turnover of Life Insurance Agents in Old mutual Life Assurance Company Kenya. 1.3 Objectives of the study The objective of the study will include the following: 1.3.1 General Objective To investigate the factors that affect labour turnover of Life insurance Agents in the Life insurance industry in Kenya. 1.3.2 Specific Objectives To find out how remuneration affects the turnover of Life Insurance Agents of Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Kenya. To determine the effects of training on the turnover of Life Insurance Agents of Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Kenya. To investigate how physical work environment affect labour turnover of Life Insurance Agents of Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Kenya. To establish to what extent job satisfaction affects labour turnover of Life Insurance Agents of Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Kenya. To determine to what extent level of education affects labour turnover of Life Insurance Agents of Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Kenya. 1.4 The Research Questions The study will seek information to answer the following research questions: To what extend does remuneration affect turnover of Agents in Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Limited? To what extent does training affect turnover of Agents in Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Limited? How does physical work environment affect labour turnover of Agents in Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Limited? How does job satisfaction affect turnover of Agents in Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Limited? To what extent does level of education affect labour turnover of Agents in Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Limited? The Significance of the Study The findings from this study will benefit the organization and its stakeholders, the life insurance industry, government and other researchers in this field. The top management of Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Limited consisting of the Managing Director, the head of sales and head of channels who are likely to use the findings to understand the reasons behind labour turnover of Agents in the company. It will also help the Regional and Sales managers of Old Mutual Life Assurance Kenya to improve on their management techniques towards reducing labour turnover of Agents in their region and sales unit. The Sales Agents will also benefit from the study by using the recommendations to improve on their sales performance and create the personal willingness to stay with the company The findings of the study will also be of immense benefit to the government, especially the ministry of finance, and the commissioner of insurance who will use it to formulate policies that will improve retention of Agents in the Insurance industry. The stakeholders of Old Mutual Life Assurance Limited which include customers, investors and the public will also benefit from the study by understanding the factors that affect labour turnover of Agents in the company. Lastly, it will also benefit other researchers in this field who may use this report for further studies. 1.6 Scope of the Research Study The scope of this study will be found in the Life Insurance industry of Kenya. However, due to time and limited resources, the focus will be on Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Kenya. Since this study is on factors affecting labour turnover of Agents, the research will concentrate on the Agency force of the company which has about 200 Agents nationwide. For the same reasons above, the study will concentrate on the Agency force in Nairobi which is about 100 in number. The researcher will take sample from the research population. The period of study will be up to 30th September 2012. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This chapter will critically analyze literature related to the study. This will include the issue of labor turnover in general and its effect, special attributes of Agents engage in selling services and Agent turnover in Life insurance industry. 2.2 Labor Turnover Labor turnover is the ratio of the number of employees that leave a company through attrition, dismissal, or resignation during a period to the number of employees on payroll during the same period. One of the 14 principles developed by Henri Fayol is stable labor turnover. He postulated that there should be stability of tenure of personnel in an organization. This is because a high labor turnover is harmful to the organization. Employee turnover refers to the rate at which employees leave jobs in a company and are replaced by new hires. A high employee turnover rate implies that a companys employees leave their jobs at a relatively high rate. Employee turnover rates can increase for a variety of reasons, and turnover includes both employees who quit their jobs and those who are asked to leave. Average employee turnover rates differ among industries; for example, in 2006, average turnover rates in the United States varied between around 15 percent annually for durable goods manufactu ring employees to as high as 56 percent for the restaurant and hospitality industry, according to Nobscot Corporation. According to a freelance writer, Shelley Frost, Employee turnover is a natural part of business in any industry. Excessive labour turnover decreases the overall efficiency of the company and comes with a high price tag. Understanding the effects of losing a high number of employees serves as a motivator to work toward reducing the labour turnover rate for higher profits and a more appealing work environment. The writer identified some cost associated with labour turnover as follows. Each employee who resigns costs the company money. All of the money invested into that employee through training, education and licensing walks out the door with the employee. When you hire a replacement, the company spends money on those same areas to prepare the new hire for the position. The company also pays to advertise the vacancy and may incur costs for drug testing, physicals and moving expenses. The company could pay 1/3 of the yearly salary of the new employee in costs. Labour turnover rates cost the company time in addition to money. Managers or human resources staffs spend time conducting exit interviews, advertising the job, recruiting candidates and interviewing. Supervisors and colleagues are often left to cover until a new employee is hired and begin working. The new employee may take several months to fully learn the job and achieve competency in the position. When the staff changes frequently, the employees who stay have a difficult time building a positive team dynamic. A group of employees learns to work well together, only to have one or more members leave. This leaves the staff in limbo until a new employee starts. The personality and work ethic of the new employee may vary significantly from the previous employee. Labour turnover can hurt overall morale of employees. The overall productivity of the workplace tends to decrease with high turnover. Since a new employee has a period of adjustment, he wont complete tasks as quickly as the person he replaces. Group projects that rely on the new team member may slow down, which affects experienced employees productivity levels. The loss of momentum when an employee resigns may also affect morale. A high turnover rate affects the continuity of service to clients and other employees. This is particularly difficult in an industry that relies heavily on relationships with clients. For example, a client who purchases products from a company on a regular basis may grow tired of getting a new salesperson or customer service contact every few months. Consistent relationships with clients help build a stronger loyalty to the company. The company is also better able to provide consistent, high-quality service with well-trained staff that doesnt change often. 2.2.3 Life Insurance Agent According to Independent insurance Agents of America (IIAA) (2009) an agent is a person who performs services for another person or an organization under an express or implied agreement and who is subject to the others control or right to control the manner and means of performing the services. The other person is called a principal. Rosenberg (2004) expresses the same opinion in different words by saying that, Insurance agents are sometimes referred to as insurance sales agents whose main obligation is to help clients choose insurance policies that suite their needs. There are two types of agents as classified by LIMRA (2007), some agents are captive or tied agents who mainly work for an insurance company and only sell that companies products, the other category of agents called independent or free lance Agents, are those who work for various insurance companies and sell insurance products of many insurance companies. The independent or free lance Agents are usually registered and licensed companies popularly referred to as brokers. 2.2.4 Qualification for becoming an Insurance agent Frankas (2010) says that, for Insurance sales agents job, most companies and independent agencies prefer to hire college graduates-especially those who have majored in business or economics, high school graduates are occasionally hired if they have proven sales ability or have been successful in other type of work. In fact, many entrants to insurance sales agent jobs transfer from other occupations. According to LIMRA (2007), College training may help agents grasp the technical aspects of insurance policies and fundamentals and procedures of selling insurance. As per the recommendation of AKI (Association of Kenya Insurers) regulations, every insurance agent must have done C.O.P (Certificate of proficiency in insurance) which is a proficiency certificate to transact insurance business in Kenya. Various employers are also placing greater emphasis on continuing professional education as the diversity of financial products sold by insurance agents increases. (Holt, 2010). An Insurance sales agent who shows ability and leadership may become a sales manager in a local office. As noted by U.S Bureau of Labor statistics (2010) a few advance to agency manager. However, many agents who have built up good clientele prefer to remain a sales agent. Some particularly in the property and casually field-establish their own independent agencies or brokerage firms. 2.2.5 Resourcing strategies George (1990) has pointed out that before selecting an agent there has to be a great process than just interview. He asserts that pre-hire assessment like testing and call center simulations have become essential tool in the industry. Tett (2000) of employment Technologies Corporation says that, for the insurance industry to succeed in improving agents retention there has to be simulation centers where the applicants would be given the opportunity to experience what they expect to find in the field and how sales are like. According to Ashly (2000) it is good to control; the flow of less-interested candidates before they reach the interview stage. Sometimes the applicant knows better than the hiring specialist that he or she is not the right sampling the job. Tom (2009), and Peter (1999) agree that accepting agents without checking their interests in the initial selection stage leads to poor retention of the agents. Nevertheless Srivivas (2003) warns against relying too heavily on the simulation. He says that simulation can be very effective for providing people with some exposure to what the job is likely to be. On the same note Banks (2010) disputes the other authors by pointing out that simulation are too artificial such that good candidates get left behind because they do poor simulations Wright (1992) asserts that simulation is only good to give a job presentation. 2.2.6 Agents Remuneration According Armstrong, (2006) Remuneration is the compensation an employee receives in return for his or her contribution to the organization. Luthans (1992) asserts that Remuneration occupies an important place in the life of an employee, his or her standard of living and status in society. Groholdt (2001) points out that, Motivation, loyalty, and productivity depend upon the remuneration he or she receives. For the employer too, employee remuneration is significant because of its contribution to the cost of production, besides, many battles (in the form of strikes and lock outs) are fought between the employer and the employees on issues relating to wages or bonus. Life insurance sales professionals typically earn all or most of their income through commission, which means that they get a certain percentage of every sale they make as well as residual income when clients continue to make payments. For this reason, an agent has the potential to earn much more than he would at an average hourly job. As with any other commission-based job, if an agent fails to perform, he will not be able to earn anything. Even if he does sell a substantial amount of insurance one month, he may not be able to sustain these sales numbers from month to month, and this may result in an unstable level of income. Cravens, Ingram, Loforge and Youngs, (1993), explored the relationships between compensation/control systems and performance and retention. Their results indicate that the type of control system, that is management control versus commission control, is correlated to several measures of success and agents retentions. They found out that sales performed and agents retention was more affected by commission control than by management control. 2.2.7 Agent Training Employee development is something that most people imagine as intrusive all-day group training sessions. Unfortunately, this dreaded approach to employee development is just the opposite of how employee development should occur and feel to employees. Employee development can manifest itself in many forms of training, evaluations, educational programs, and even feedback. If executed correctly, the effects of training on agent performance can often encourage growth within the worker and the organization itself. One of the larger aspects of developing Agents skills and abilities is the actual organizational focus on the Agent to become better, either as a person or as a contributor to the organization. According to Organizational Behavior by Robert Kreitner and Angelo Kiniki, (2009) its been shown that employees that receive regular, scheduled feedback, including training, along with an increase in expectations, actually have a higher level of worker output. Kreitner and Kiniki refer to this as the Pygmalion Effect. The hope is that agents who receive training in line with their individual or organizational goals will become more efficient in what they do. Organizations should look at the positive effects of training on agent performance, and consider agent development as a targeted investment into making the front line worker stronger. More importantly, development plans that include train-the-trainer (training that trains agents to become trainers of a skill) can provide exponential benefits to the organization. This training can be anything from how agents can do their own jobs better to these agents being groomed to replace their supervisor. In addition, agents who are invested as a trainer might be further inclined to stay with the organization, and possibly reduce agent turnover. Along with supporting the organization, agents might recognize that most types of agent development provide them benefits. Agent development programs that range from certifications to education reimbursement, to even basic sales skills training, have a certain cost to the organization that can easily be considered a benefit to the agent. Such awareness on the part of the agent can also lead to greater loyalty to the organization as well as enhanced job satisfaction. Training and education that can be added to the agents resume are big ticket items in terms of compensation plans, and should be treated as such. Beyond agent training and certification courses, evaluations and counseling sessions are another form of agent development. They provide performance feedback and allow agents to be aware of changes to both their work goals and the overall objectives of the organization. Agents who do not receive feedback on a regular basis usually end up feeling as though they might be forgotten by their supervisor, and this pattern may even lead to feelings of dissent among the Agency force. Going back to the Pygmalion Effect, agents who have consistent knowledge of their levels of performance, and who feel that their supervisors are placing expectations on them, generally perform better on an individual basis. Agents are required to attend meetings, seminars and programs to learn about new products and services, learn new selling skills and receive technical assistance in developing new accounts. Churchill, Ford, Hartley, and Walker, (1998) explored role variable, skill, motivation, personal factors, aptitude, and organizational/environmental factors in the retention of agents. The study found that, on average, single predictors or sales performance accounted for less than 4% of the variation in salesperson performance. Aptitude accounted for less than 2% skill levels slightly more than 7%, motivation accounted for 6.6% role perceptions was by far the best predictor, accounting for as much as 14% of the variation in performance. Personal variables (age, height, and sex, completion, and dressing) accounted for 2.6% while organization and environmental factors accounted for about 1%. They concluded that personal characteristics, while important, are not as important as the influencing factor s such as, training, company policies, skill levels, and motivation. 2.2.8 Physical Work Environment The physical work environment can be identified as a place or location where somebody works. Performance experts agree that the physical work environment has a significant impact upon employee performance and productivity. By physical work environment we mean the building structures, office layout, tools, furniture, space, noise level and surrounding of

Structure And Function Of Neuron Health And Social Care Essay

Structure And Function Of Neuron Health And Social Care Essay With an estimate of approximately 100 billion the neurons form the most basic units of the nervous system and are also known as the nerve cell. The major characteristics which define a nerve cell are Excitability and Conductivity. Excitability refers to the ability of responding to any external stimulus by the neuron. Conductivity however is the transmission of the external stimulus through the cell and onwards. Neurons are also sub-divided into various categories based upon their functions and also their basic structure. [1] Neuron Structure Any external stimulus sensed by the nervous system is transmitted by means of electrical signals by the individual neurons. The neuron consists of three principal substructures the dendrites, cell body (soma) and axon. The figure below shows these substructures. Fig1: Neuron and its substructures. [5] Dendrite Is responsible for the increase in surface area of the neuron and reception of the nervous signals by means of specialised molecules called receptors that detect the neurotransmitters from the previous neuron, sensory part, muscle, etc. They appear as branch-like projections on the top of the cell body. Dendritic Spines are bag like structures present on the dendritic surface of some neurons. [4] Cell Body Also known as the Soma it appears as a star shaped structure with a diameter of 20ÃŽÂ ¼m into which many dendrites end and a single axon filament emerges. It consists of a large nucleus with a prominent nucleolus containing the genetic material and is the centre of control of the nerve cell. [4] Ribosomes in the cell body located on the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) produce proteins which are stored in vesicles by the Golgi body after sorting. The rER can be seen by an ordinary light microscope after staining with a dye and is called Nissls substance. [3] The vesicles formed by the Golgi apparatus contain the precursors for neurotransmitters. Cellular respiration in the cell body is carried out by the mitochondria, which is the site for the production of the ATP the primary source of energy for the cell. Intercellular transport of proteins and nutrients is carried out by means of tube like structures which run the entire length of the cell and are known as Neurofil aments or Neurotubules. [1] Axon Also known as the nerve fibre is responsible for carrying electrical impulse away from the cell body. The region of the axon just below the cell body is known as the initial part or trigger zone is the site where the electrical signal is generated for its transmission to the next neuron. [2] The length of the axon varies from a few millimetres to as long as from the head to the toes. In some neurons the length of the axons might be insulated by means of a fatty, membranous sheath also known as the Myelin sheath. The myelin sheath is formed from the surrounding cells oligodendrocytes in the Central Nervous System (CNS), Schwann cells in the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS). These accessory cells (glial) wrap themselves around the axon fibre and thereby help in increasing the speed of signal transmission and also provide a good degree of electrical insulation to the axon. The different layers of the glial cells are known as Neuurolemmocyte while the outer layer of this multilayer ed sheath is known as the Neurilemma (Schwann sheath).[1] The myelin sheath is formed in segments rather than one continuous layer; these segments are visible along the length of the axon and are known as the Nodes of Ranvier (neurofinral nodes). [1,2] The figure below shows the multi-layered sheath which is formed around the axon by these cells. Fig2: Myelin sheath and its formation [6] The axon is devoid of any protein synthesising structures since the neurotransmitters and proteins are replenished by the structures present within the soma. [3] The terminal part of the axon branches (telodendria) into many different swollen bulb-like terminals (boutons or synaptic knobs) which contain neurotransmitters for the transmission of the neural signal onwards hence a single neuron can trigger a larger area of cells or muscle fibres at the site of action. [1, 2, 3] Neuron Classification Neurons can be classified into several different groups based on their functional as well as structural characteristics. When classified on the basis of functional aspects the major distinctions which can be given is with respect to the direction in which the neuron carries the signal. Afferent Neurons These neurons are considered as the sensory neurons since they are responsible for the conveying of information to the central nervous system. They might be general somatic afferent neurons or general visceral afferent neurons. Somatic afferent neurons carry the sensory stimulus information from the skin, voluntary muscles, joint and other connective tissues to the central nervous system. However the visceral afferent neurons carry the sensory stimulus information from the various internal organs (visceral organs) to the brain. [1] They possess an extremely long axon owing to the signal transmission length to the central nervous system.[2] Efferent Neurons Neural cells carrying information from the autonomic nervous system to the effecter muscles and are also known as motor neurons. Like the afferent neurons these are also classified as general somatic efferent neurons or general visceral afferent neurons. The somatic efferent neurons send the impulses to the voluntary skeletal muscles thereby causing muscle contraction. The visceral efferent neurons however send the information to the involuntary smooth muscles of the various organs and glands. [1] Like the afferent neurons efferent neurons also possess an extremely long axon owing to the signal transmission length from the autonomic nervous system to the effecter muscle fibres.[2] Interneurons Accounting for almost 99 percent of all neurons and are called association neurons, connector neurons, or internuncial neurons. [1] They function is to convey the information from the sensory neurons to the motor neurons after processing the sensory information. The length of the axons in the interneurons differ, if they are short and branching then they are known as local circuit neurons while if they are long then they are known as relay neurons. Local circuit neurons are concerned with the transmission of information over a short distance while the relay neurons transmit the information over long distances. Interneurons are mostly found in the Central nervous system. [1, 2] Neurons can be further classified into three separate categories based on their structural characteristics. Multi-polar neurons- neurons with several dendrites and a single axon are known as multi-polar neurons. These neurons are mostly located in the brain and spinal cord. Bipolar neurons such type of neurons have only a single axon and dendrite emerging from the cell body. They are located in a few places in the body such as the olfactory nerves in the upper nasal cavity and the retina of the eye. Unipolar neurons these are the most common type of nerve cells found in the peripheral nervous system. They consist of only a single nerve process which splits into two with one brain leading into the brain while the other leads into the spinal cord.[1] The figure below shows the different structural characteristics displayed by the neurons. Fig3: Structural characteristics of Neurons. [7] Neuron Functions The primary function of the nerve cell is the transmission of the neural signals from the nervous system to the various parts of the body. This is done by means of electrical signals which travel through the nerve cells in bands of excitation with the movement of ions in and out of the cell membrane of the nerve cell along the axon length and by means of neurotransmitters (acetylcholine {Ach}) at the junction of one neuron to another or target site (synaptic cleft). Electrical Impulse Conduction along the Axon The neuron is said to be in a resting phase when it is not conducting any neural impulse, during such a phase the neuron is charged or polarized due to a concentration gradient across its plasma membrane. The concentration gradient is due to the differential amount of positively and negatively charged (sodium {Na+}, potassium {K+} and chloride {Cl-}) ions present on either side of the plasma membrane. Due to this difference an electrical potential is developed across the plasma membrane known as the resting membrane potential. [2] The resting membrane potential is typically about -70mV and is present due to the difference in the ionic concentrations of Na+, K+ and Cl-. In the normal resting phase the extracellular fluid of the neuron is more positively charged than the interior of the neuron since there is higher concentration of Na+ ions on the outside than the inside of the neuron. In the same manner there is a higher concentration of K+ ions and negatively charged protein molecules on the inside than the outside. The ions are able to freely pass across the plasma membrane from a region of higher to lower concentration but the relative concentration of the ions remains constant across the membranes. This is possible due to the homeostatic functions of the energy driven (ATP), self regulating transport mechanism known as the sodium potassium pump. The pumps activity increases as more sodium diffuses into the plasma membrane and it pumps three sodium ions outside the plasma membrane while pumping only two potassium molecules into the cell. Thus the pump helps in maintaining the overall resting membrane potential by keeping the interior of the neuron negatively charged when compared to the exterior. Apart from the sodium potassium pumps voltage gated open ion channels also help in maintaining the charged state of the neuron by allowing the ions to pass through the membrane when the concentration of any one of the ions is very high on either side of the membrane. The conduction mechanism is very similar in both the myelinated and unmyelinated nerve cells however there are differences due to the presence of the myelin sheath. In the unmyelinated nerve cells the change in resting potential is brought about due to the presence of an impulse which might be known as the threshold stimulus. This threshold stimulus causes the change in the permeability of the sodium ions in the plasma membrane of the axon. Hence a greater number of sodium ions rush into the neural cell due to the opening of the sodium ion channels and cause the depolarisation of the neural cell. The depolarisation causes the interior of the neural cell to become positively charged and makes the exterior of the cell negatively charged for a period of half a millisecond and raises the potential from -70mV in the resting phase to about +30mV in the action phase. The region of the plasma membrane which has been depolarised due to massive influx of the sodium ions causes the flow of current which further depolarises the neighbouring region by opening the voltage gated sodium ion channels and allowing the inflow of sodium ions. The sodium channels quickly deactivate shortly after the membrane has been depolarised and the inflow of sodium into the plasma membrane is stopped. The potassium ions try to escape out into the extracellular fluid in order to balance the potential outside and bring the membrane potential back to its original resting membrane potential. Once the membrane potential has been restored to the original resting potential it is said to be repolarised. Thus when it is observed the wave of polarisation and depolarisation travels as a band along the length of the axon in the neuron. After each firing of the neuron there is an interval of approximately one to one and half milliseconds before it is possible for the neuron to generate the appropriate action potential for the next depolarisation, this time interval is called as the refractory period. During this period the plasma membrane is being repolarised after the wave of depolarisation has passed through it. The graph showing the various levels of the electrical potential across the plasma membrane during the wave of polarisation and repolarisation is given below. Fig4: Action Potential during polarisation and depolarisation of the neuron. [8] The conduction mechanism in mylienated nerve fibres is called as salutatory conduction, since the action potential appears to jump between the successive Nodes of Ranvier present along the myelin sheath. It is at the Nodes of Ranvier that the voltage gated sodium gates are highly concentrated and exposed to the extracellular fluid and hence it is observed that the electrical potential jumps to these sites. [1,2] The figure below illustrates this process. Fig5: Salutatory Conduction [9] Electrical Conduction at the Synapses Once the action potential reaches the terminating branches of the axon after travelling through the entire length of the axon, the action potential is transmitted to the next neuron or the target muscle or organ, etc. across the synaptic cleft (the junction between neurons or the target organs, muscles, glands, etc). The the nerve cell getting the action potential towards the synapse is known as the presynaptic neuron while the one carrying the action potential away from the synapse is known as the postsynaptic neuron. [1,2] The transmission of neural impulse across the synapse is done by neurotransmitters (acetylcholine). These neurotransmitters can bring a change in the resting potential of the postsynaptic cells. As the action potential reaches the synaptic endings it causes the depolarisation of the presynaptic plasma membrane which causes the diffusion of the calcium ions into the presynaptic terminal. These calcium ions cause the neurotransmitter storage vesicles to fuse with the plasma membrane and release the neurotransmitters into the extracellular region of the synapse by means of exocytosis. The flow of neurotransmitter occurs only in a single direction since the presynaptic neurons only contain the neurotransmitter vesicles and no receptor sites while the post synaptic neurons contain the exact opposite. The neurotransmitters take a short interval of time in traversing the distance between the synapse and this interval is known as the synaptic delay. Upon the reception of the neurotransmitter in the receptor sites of the postsynaptic region changes start to occur in the membrane potential and a new wave of depolarisation begins in the next neuron due to change in the membrane permeability for the ions. After the reception of the neurotransmitter (acetylcholine) in the receptor site it is broken down into acetate and choline by the action of the enzyme acetylcholinestrase. The remainder of the neurotransmitters which were unable to reach the receptor sites and are stuck in the synaptic cleft are broken down by the action of proteins and enzymes. Over a period of time the acetylcholine is restored back to the presynaptic region. [1] The figure below shows the conduction of the neural impulse across the synapses by neurotransmitters. Fig6: Neural transmission at synapses [10] Conclusion The neurons thus form the basic functional unit of the nervous system transmitting and receiving the neural impulses to and from the various parts of the body to the central nervous system. They are classified into different categories based upon their structure and direction of conduction of the nerve signal. The nerve cells are surrounded by many accessory cells which provide insulation, support and nutrition to the nerve cells. Through the essay the basic structure of the neuron was explained showing the different substructures present within the neuron and also the mechanism of nerve impulse transmission through the neuron was explained.

Geothermal Energy: The Alternative of the Future Essay -- Economy Tech

Geothermal Energy: The Alternative of the Future When the energy crisis hit Americans in the 1970's, people were scrambling to find ways to conserve energy. The crisis brought to attention the very real shortage of fossil fuels. Gas and oil prices skyrocketed, and Americans looked for ways to save energy. They started producing smaller cars, driving less, and turning down their thermostats. Also, they started to examine alternate energy sources, such as solar, geothermal, and biomass. For a while, Americans were making a conscious effort to cut back on the use of fossil fuels. However, when gas and oil prices started to go back down in the early eighties, many of the conservation ideas were forgotten. In the minds of most Americans, the energy crisis had been solved because they could now afford to use fossil fuels again. Looking into the next century, we can see energy shortage problems starting to resurface. The possibility of another energy crisis is very real; however, this one will be different. It will not be a matter of fossil fuels being too expensive, it will be a matter of fossil fuels no longer being a resource. Our gas-powered cars, factories, and heating systems are using fossil fuels much faster than the dinosaurs are turning to coal. The way things are going now, we won't make it through the next century before running out of our fossil fuels. The problems with fossil fuels go beyond their rapid depletion. The pollution from burning fossil fuels is really taking a toll on the environmentand the atmosphere. Factories in the United States spend millions of dollars on filtration systems to try and cut down on the amount of harmful emissions, yet the environment just isn't getting better. Converting fossil f... ...[WWW]. Available: http://eren.doe.gov/geothermal/gep.htm. Geothermal energy will fill energy gap. (1998, October 6). First Search. Online. Fast DOC Geothermal Energy Technical Site. (1998, November 12). [WWW]. Available: http://geothermal.id.doe.gov/goethermal/faq/q01.html Geothermal heat increases our energy supply. (1998, October 27). [WWW]. Available: http://www.crest.org/renewables/geothermal/grc/supply.html Geothermal technologies. (1998, October 13). US Department of Energy, 1-6. Available: http://www.eren.doe.gov/geothermal/history.html Graham-Rowe, Duncan. (1998, October 6). Resources: Energy: Deep down at the earth's core. Academic Universe. Online. Mclarty, L., & Reed, M.J., (November 15 1998). The U.S. geothermal industry: Three decades of growth. [WWW]. Available: http://geothermal.id.doe.gov/geothermal/articles/mclarty/index.html

The Chrysanthemums :: essays research papers

In Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" Elisa, poster woman for the feminist movement is a victim of her environment by disconnected. Working attempts to change and coming to realization that she will remain oppressed. Elisa opens her door of acceptance to Tinkerman. She yearns for someone to understand her quest for adventure. Buried in the third world of individualism, behind her fenced flowers, she longs for escape. Despite her efforts, she looks forward to the recognition of her circumstance and imprisonment. Elisa Allen is a lonely woman who enjoys growing and nourishing her chrysanthemums. Since her husband is always working by the fence, he never gives Elisa due attention and affection. Knowing that she can never intervene her husband ¡Ã‚ ¦s work  ¡Ã‚ §Elisa watched them for a moment and then went back to her work. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Her husband says:  ¡Ã‚ §I wish you ¡Ã‚ ¦d work out in the orchard and raise some apples that big. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Letting alone his lack of interest for her chrysanthemums, he does not even care about her. Elisa is vex and anger by her husband ¡Ã‚ ¦s lack of care, and she decides to take care of her chrysanthemums-symbol of how beautiful she really is. Despite her effort, she realizes that she is gradually detached from the world outside the garden. Her gardening area is a  ¡Ã‚ §cage ¡Ã‚ ¨ that protects her from potential harms. Everything changes, however, when the tinkerman arrive. Seeing that the tinker shows interest in the Chrysanthemums, Elisa, altho ugh hesitant at first,  ¡Ã‚ §melted ¡Ã‚ ¨ the irritation from her face and begins to reach out towards the outside world. Knowing that the flowers and Elisa have interchangeable meanings, the tinkerman shows interest in her chrysanthemums, which reflects to Elisa directly, in order to persuade her to find something for him to fix. He says  ¡Ã‚ §oh beautiful, ¡Ã‚ ¨ with this, she now feels appreciate and attractive to this stranger. His compliment to her about her flowers leads her to feel obligate to allow him to enter her world. The tinkerman asks Elisa to help another lady, Elisa feels strong and  ¡Ã‚ §tight with eagerness. ¡Ã‚ ¨ After giving the instructions, Elisa feels proud and good. After hearing the tinkerman ¡Ã‚ ¦s description of his profession, Elisa wishes to explore more with him,  ¡Ã‚ §it must be very nice. I wish women could do such things." The disappointment for Elisa follows her wishes, the tinkerman says  ¡Ã‚ §it ain ¡Ã‚ ¦t the right kind of a life for a woman. ¡Ã‚ ¨ The time has come, Elisa must let the tinkerman go on to his own adventure, but in their exchange , Elisa gain confidence and realize how beautiful she can be.

Inclusive Learning

Contents Contents1 Introduction2 Findings3 What is Inclusive Learning? 3 Learning Environment4 Access for all4 Inclusive Learning in Initial Assessment6 Inclusive learning in the classroom6 Assessment9 Conclusion10 Bibliography12 ? A critical evaluation of the principles and practice of Inclusive Learning within XXXXXX XXXXXX. Introduction XXXXXX XXXXXX is a registered charity offering work based learning programmes to young adults.Within my role as Advanced Teaching Practitioner, I am responsible for curriculum design, monitoring teaching, staff training and mentoring, quality assurance and learner achievement in addition to my role as a Basic Skills Tutor. Before analysing current practices, I have gained the consent from those directly involved. In order to assess current inclusive learning principles and practices of the organisation, I need to increase my understanding of inclusive learning for my own Continued Professional Development (CPD).I need to reflect of my own practices and the practices of others and evaluate the service provided. Findings What is Inclusive Learning? Inclusive learning can be defined as ‘the greatest degree of match or fit between the individual learners’ requirements and the provision that is made for them’ (FEFC, 1996, p2). Inclusive teaching means recognising, accommodating and meeting the learning needs of all students and being aware of their individual needs. It is about identifying the reasonable adjustment that can be made without it having a negative impact of the teaching and learning of others.Open University Press (2006) defines inclusive learning as ‘acknowledging your students have a range of individual needs and are members of diverse communities. Inclusive teaching avoids pigeonholing students into specific groups with predictable and fixed approaches to learning’. It is important to consider the need to be proactive as opposed to being reactive. To practice inclusive learning, act ions need to be taken prior to students commencing the process.The Tomlinson report 1996 states: ‘Re-designing learning, assessment and organisations to fit objectives and learning styles may mean introducing new content to courses, adapting access or both. This approach is quite different from offering courses and then giving students with difficulties some additional human or physical aids to participate. ’ Under the Special Education Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) 2001, all educational establishments must not treat students less favourably than others and make reasonable adjustments to ensure that their learners are not substantially disadvantaged.Learning Environment An accessible and safe learning environment is vital for inclusive learning to take place. The premises that XXXXXX XXXXXX occupy are located on the second and third floor of a listed building. There are no lifts and there is a staircase leading up to the main reception. Under the Disability Discrimin ation Act, there is a requirement to make reasonable adjustment to be able to ensure those students with a mobility disability are not excluded. XXXXXXhave made contingency plans whereby they use the premises within a local college as and when required.SENDA 2001 states that students should be able to access all services provided for other students. In this case, the local college offers all the facilities and services we offer our students. Taking this into consideration, reasonable adjustments have been made. Access for all In order to give strategic direction to inclusive learning, Smith and Armstrong (2005, p1) state ‘providers need to adopt a co-ordinated approach to inclusive learning, working with different groups, genders and levels of learners’. These is achieved ongoing within XXXXXX XXXXX.There is no discrimination on the grounds of gender or sexual orientation within XXXXXX XXXXXX and therefore XXXXXXcomply with all aspects of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 . Our learners come from mixed race, religion and in order to ensure that we accommodate these learners, all staff receive multifaith calendars to ensure that they can manage their learning over religious or cultural holidays. As we are funded for a 14-19 age provision, we cannot offer learning to anyone outside this age range. This is a limitation by DCELLS.Should anyone outside this age range require the same type of education and training, there are other training providers where they can be signposted. McGivney (2003) guidelines suggest that people with disabilities, ex-offenders, low paid unqualified workers, male manual workers, unemployed groups, rural residents, women with young children, homeless and those from ethnic minority groups may have problems in participating in organised learning activities. (DCSF, 2008) states ‘9% of young people aged 16-19 are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).As part of the ‘Every Child Matters Agenda’ their aim is to break down the barriers to achievement and provide opportunities for those disengaged from learning. This agenda intends to ensure that programmes have been set up to identify children and young adults at risk and promote early intervention. According to the 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper ‘those with learning difficulties are twice as likely to become NEET’. XXXXXX XXXXXX have recently established street based youth work teams; across communities in south Wales, working with partner organisations to engage some of the hardest to reach young people; nd to progress them onto positive development opportunities in their own communities. The current teams are a pilot and are hoping to expand the project into other geographic and sector communities. XXXXXX XXXXXX are also establishing links to deliver full and part time extended curriculum services in schools for 14-18 year olds across Wales, providing support for young people in the youth justice system; estab lishing a youth drop in facilities at many centres and expanding the street based youth work.XXXXXXare also in community cohesion work particularly in areas with a large European migrant youth communities and those with a migrant non-welsh speaking community within Welsh speaking indigenous communities. XXXXXXis piloting development of youth volunteering in under-represented groups. Taking all this into consideration, it shows the effort that is being made in order to provide inclusive learning to those students who are at risk of becoming NEET. Inclusive Learning in Initial Assessment According to Green and Bartram 1998, p7) ‘Early and effective assessment of students’ requirements is critical to the concept of inclusive learning.There are three stages to the initial assessment process within the organisation. Prior to a learner joining they go through an initial assessment process. This begins with an informal interview following an endorsement from Careers Wales. In this interview, it allows the organisation time to carry out an informal assessment and identify individual learning needs. On entry, basic skills initial assessments and a VARK learning styles questionnaire are completed. From this process, an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) is written that is specific to the needs of the learner which will identify individual goals.Green and Bartram (1998. p10) outline that in order to achieve best practice; there should be ‘a common and shared understanding of the purpose of initial assessment’. Through discussion with staff and observations of the initial assessment process, it is evident that this there is a thorough initial assessment process which allows many opportunities to identify any individual needs and preferences. Following this process, if a learner is identified as having a literacy or numeracy need, diagnostic assessment is carried out.Learners have the opportunity to do these either by paper based methods or using Info rmation Technology (IT). The results of this assessment then produce an Individual Learning Plan that is specific to the learners literacy and/or numeracy needs and takes into consideration any special arrangements that may be required. Inclusive learning in the classroom If there has been an individual need identified through initial assessment, it is at this point XXXXXX XXXXXX are reactive as appose to being proactive. For those with physical disabilities, arrangements are made to support them.As previously discussed there is a lack of facilities within the centres to support learners with a disability affecting mobility and this is taken into consideration when careers signpost learners. Apart from this, Rooms are bright, well ventilated and are small enough to be able to accommodate those with minor hearing or visual impairments. When considering students who are deaf and hard of hearing, XXXXXXdo not have a strategy in place for dealing with those who require specialist suppor t including lip speakers, sign language interpreters and speech to text reporters.Although many learners who require this support often plan their own support requirements. To ensure inclusion in the classroom, it should be considered when planning lessons. Once the aims and objectives have been decided, it is then important to consider the needs and previous experiences of the learners’. At this stage, you can consider if there are any adjustments that can be made to ensure that the lesson is inclusive Open University Press (2006). This could be large print handouts, varied teaching strategies, practical tasks as appose to written, aural or visual methods and where possible, taking into account multi sensory learning.When carrying out questioning in the classroom, there was very good use of reinforcement techniques to consolidate learning. Although tutors encouraged all members of the group to participate, this was done in such a way that no learners felt uncomfortable. When this was necessary (e. g. a speaking and listening task) it was managed in a positive way to recognise individual needs. If learners need support with basic skills, subject specific tutors (NVQ, Key Skills) liaise with the Basic Skills Tutor to organise extra support in addition to their literacy and/or numeracy classes.If the learner has a learning difficulty that affects concentration, extra comfort breaks can be given and short activities should also be planned that vary in teaching strategy to keep learners engaged. At present, DCELLS are working towards converged basic and key skills. This initiative should have encourage a more standard approach as qualifications will be delivered in a different training and staff will be required to update their CPD. Practices vary depending on the experience of individual tutors within XXXXXX XXXXXX.When observing a key skills session, a tutor suggested to her group that it would be advantage to take notes whilst completing practical activi ties. On her lesson plan, she had shown inclusive practices by suggesting a Basic Skills Tutor could offer support with both reading and note taking if required. In terms of the use of classroom assistants or support workers, this is the only instance that in class support is offered due to staffing levels within the organisation. The majority of tutors promote equal opportunities practices by having notes available at the end of the lesson for all learners.Others show inclusive learning techniques by issuing gapped handouts at the beginning of the lesson to support those with individual needs. This later method allows those learners who have lack of confidence in groups, those with hearing difficulties or partial sight a greater chance of achieving the objectives set from the lesson. Experienced staff uses assistive technology in the classroom such as coloured acetate, worksheets on coloured paper or magnifying equipment to support learners when reading books, but once again staff training is needed to ensure consistency throughout the organisation.Smith and Armstrong (2005) suggest providers should make sure that CPD and staff training supports structures and systems implemented to deliver the inclusive learning agenda. Through discussion with staff, it is evident that staff members have little knowledge of how to support learners with Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and other learning and behavioural needs. Therefore staff CPD needs to be updated and staff training offered. Having observed a selection of basic skills sessions, I have seen differentiation being managed very well within the classroom.There are isolated cases where worksheets have been the main teaching strategy due to the diverse nature of the group but the main reason for this is the need for staff development and training. Within sessions, individuals show good inclusive learning techniques when giving feedback. They are constructive and give praise for what has been done well and avoid being negative to learners. For those who have physical disabilities, there is IT equipment available such as specialist mouse and the ability to increase the font size on the majority of programmes used.If there is a need for out of class support, this is also available from the training assessors responsible for the individual learners. Individual training assessors are encouraged to spend time with all learners to build a rapport and encourage them to discuss any individual learning needs. These persons are trained to signpost for guidance and counselling if required. Assessment Once learning has taken place, there are various methods of assessment that are used. Within basic skills, learners are given a choice of completing assignments which are paper based or tests that can be taken using IT.For those who have to submit a portfolio, they are given the option of using IT to produce their work. There are also dictaphones avai lable to record case studies, professional discussions or oral questioning as appose to written questions. These strategies in place show differentiation for individual needs are being considered. As well as the usual methods of assessment, learners also get a review which is carried out every four weeks. In this review, their progress is monitored and feedback is given on their performance.The Tomlinson Report (1996) shows us that monitoring progress and providing effective feedback contributes to effective inclusive teaching. Within their basic skills support sessions, further feedback is also given as part of their literacy/numeracy ILP. All learners at the end of their visits are given a Training And Support Log (TASL) which gives them feedback on any work produced. Conclusion Following this investigation, I have reached the conclusion that the organisation is reactive as appose to proactive with regard to inclusive learning.As a training provider, XXXXXX XXXXXX are genuinely no n-selective about the learners who complete a programme. Many of the learners face a number of obstacles to engaging in learning including low educational attainment, a lack of basic and/or personal skills, caring obligations, homelessness, lack of self belief, confidence and self worth. Despite this, over 70% of the young people that are supported leave with a positive outcome. The 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper state that 12. 5% of the NEET group have learning difficulties and/or disabilities.If XXXXXXtraining wishes to continue aiming to offer inclusive learning and reduce this NEET cohort, there is a need to train staff by offering CPD in inclusive learning and ways of developing an inclusive learning strategy within the learner process. There are different teaching approaches within the organisation. (Tilstone et al. ,1998, p. 6) states ‘a key issue in promoting inclusive practice must be a reappraisal of the training provided to teachers and other professionalsâ €™ From my observations, I feel that this is an accurate assumption to make.I have been able to observe many sessions over a period of time and have seen that tutors need training on how to incorporate inclusive learning strategies within their lesson plan. Smith and Armstrong (2005) also discuss how providers should establish a strategy for sharing best practice within an organisation. XXXXXXhave meetings for every subject route on a quarterly basis. Although this is an excellent way of sharing best practice, inclusive learning should be listed as an agenda item to ensure that it gets the attention it requires.Although everything is done during the learner process to ensure that equal opportunities and diversity are managed, XXXXXXhave a bullying and harassment procedure in place and also a grievance procedure that prospective, current and past learners can instigate if they wish. From carrying out research into inclusive learning within XXXXXX XXXXXX, it has been shown that on the whole, a lot of work goes in to meeting the individual needs of the learner and offering a positive learner experience.Having now completed this research, it has made me aware of the financial restraints of the organisation. I feel that I will carry out my role as ATP differently when training staff and mentoring. When working towards curriculum design, I will also ask myself the question â€Å" How can I make it more inclusive? † and from this, I feel that this has played a big part in my CPD. Bibliography †¢ACCESS UNIT. (2006, December 18). Access Unit – Making Information Accessible to Disabled Students. Retrieved December 8, 2008, from University of Bristol: http://www. ristol. ac. uk/accessunit/disabilityinfo/accessible33. html †¢ADAMS, M. , & BROWN, S. (2006). Towards Inclusive Learning in Higher Education. London: Routledge . †¢BLOOMER, M. , & HODKINSON, P. (1997). Moving into FE: The voice of the learner. London: Further Education Developmen t Agency (FEDA). †¢CLOUGH, P. (1998). Managing Inclusive Education. From Policy to Experience. London: Sage. †¢CSIE. (2008, April 30). About Inclusion. Retrieved December 15, 2008, from Centre For Studies On Inclusive Education: http://inclusion. uwe. ac. uk/csie/csiefaqs. htm †¢DCSF . 2008, July 02). Education, Training, Employment. Retrieved December 10, 2008, from Department for Children, Schools and Families. http://www. dcsf. gov. uk/14-19/index. cfm? go=home&sid=26 †¢Every Child Matters: (2008, July 02) Change for children: Retrieved December 15, 2008, from Every Child Matters http://www. everychildmatters. gov. uk/ete/ †¢FEFC. (1996). Inclusive FE: Report of the Further Education Funding Council Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities Committee CSIE Summary. Bristol: Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (CSIE). †¢GREEN, M. . (1998). Initial Assessment To Identify Learning Needs. London: Further Education Development Agency (FEDA). †¢L EARNING AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY. (2002). Access For All. London: DFES. †¢MCGIVNEY, V. (2003). Working With Excluded Groups. Leicester: National Institute of Adult Continuing Education. †¢OPEN UNIVERSITY PRESS . (2006, December 30). Inclusive Teaching. Retrieved December 12, 2008, from Open University Press: http://www. open. ac. uk/inclusiveteaching †¢SMITH, V. , & ARMSTRONG, A. (2005). Beyond Prejudice; Inclusive Learning in Practice.London: Learning and Skills Development Agency. †¢TILSTONE, C. , FLORIAN, L. , & ROSE, R. (1998). Promoting Inclusive Practice. London: Routledge Falmer. †¢WELSH ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT. (2008, September 29). Delivering Skills that Work for Wales: A new approach to adult community learning. Consultation Document 057/2008 . Caerphilly: Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills. †¢What is SENDA 2001? (2007, January 22). Retrieved December 13, 2008, from Hobo: http://www. hobo-web. co. uk/tips/12. htm