Thursday, October 31, 2019

Strikes and Employment Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Strikes and Employment Relations - Essay Example Changes in the definition and description of workforce conflicts across various time periods will provide an exhaustive understanding of whether the conflict can be considered as an influential feature of contemporary employment relations or not. Strikes can be described as the temporary disruption of work by certain groups of workers or employees. The objective behind strikes is expressing grievance or enforcing particular demand. Strikes can be temporary and in severe cases may lead to permanent closure of the factory or manufacturing site. In general, strikes have always been hampering for the company as it involves loss of time, money and productivity. However, strikes have been used as an influential method by worker unions to put their demands in front of the management. Strikes are conducted with specific and calculative purposes. As a result of its high influence and potential harm, they are often considered as a biggest manifestation of the industrial conflict. Nonetheless, looking at the present decline in the number of strikes, it cannot be concluded that strikes are the only source of conflict between employees or workers and management. Yet, it cannot be concluded that strikes have lost their importance or are sh rinking. From a worldwide perspective, it is clear that strikes are still a major source of communication and interaction in many parts of the globe. The interconnectivity between employment relations and human resource management can be understood by associating them with different managerial ideologies. For instance, unitarist ideology is dominated by autocratic and authoritarian style, where managerial control over decision making in disciplined and under strict control. In another form, unitarism can also be considered as a more paternalist management approach.  

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Essay Example for Free

Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Essay The enterprise resource planning system attempts to integrate or integrates all the data and also processes of an organization into a system that is unified. A typical system of the enterprise resource planning uses the multiple components of the computer hardware and software so as to achieve the integration. The key ingredient of most of the systems in enterprise resource planning is the usage of a unified database in storing the data for various system modules. Comparison between customer relationship management and supply chain management Similarities Both customer relationship management and the supply chain management are examples of modules in the enterprise resource planning system which formally would have been stand alone applications. (Monk and Wagner2006) Differences The data that is contained in the supply chain management software includes; inventory, commission circulation, order entry, claim processing, purchasing, inspection of goods, product configurator, supplies scheduling and the supply chain planning. On the other hand the data that is contained in the customer relationship management software includes; sales and marketing, call center support, customer contact service as well as commissions. On the other hand the supply chain management is a process of planning, implementing and controlling all the operations of the supply chain with a lot of efficiency. While the customer relationship management covers the concepts which are used by various companies in managing their relationships with the customers and they also include capturing, storing, analyzing the customers, vending, partnering and also information on the internal processes. The operational functions of the customer relationship management involve providing support to the front office business processes which include service and sales and marketing. The operational functions of the supply chain management includes activities such as; the daily production and distribution planning, sourcing planning, inbound operations, production operations and also order promising. (Monk and Wagner2006) The supply chain addresses problems on the distribution network configuration, the distribution strategies, information, inventory management as well as the cash flow. On the other hand the customer relationship management addresses the issues marketing sales and service. The customer relationship management has the capability of executing all the three sub modules through the multiple communication channels and the data that is gathered by the CRM considers the privacy of the customer as well as the security of the data. On the other hand the supply chain management components are the third elements of the four square circulation frameworks. Differences between financial accounting and managerial accounting Type of information and confidentiality Financial accounting mainly concentrates on the production of the financial reports which includes profitability, the basic reporting requirements, stability, solvency and liquidity. The reports of this nature can easily be accessible by the external and the internal users. On the other hand management accounting is a branch of accounting which deals with primarily very confidential financial reports for the restricted use of the organizations top management. (Monk and Wagner2006) Whereas the financial accountants follow the GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) that have been set by professional bodies in each country, the managerial accountants make use of the processes and also procedures that are not regulated by the standard setting bodies. On the other hand the multinational companies prefer employing the managerial accountants who have passed the certification in CMA. The certified management accountant (CMA) is an examination that is given by the institute of management accountant which is a professional organization for the accounting professionals. (Monk and Wagner2006)However the certification is very different and also unique from the chartered accountant certificate or CPA. Time period The managerial accounting provides the top management with reports which are future based while on the other hand the financial accounting provides reports that are based on the historical information. However even though the management accountants base their reports on the historical values they also employ the statistical methods so as to arrive at the future values. In both the financial and managerial accounting the enterprise resource planning systems benefits the workers in various ways. (Monk and Wagner2006) Information on the payroll of the sales people This information will be very useful in the management o the sales team in the Snackers sales department. This is because the manager will be able to know the consistency of each sales persons pay in relation to their performance. On the other hand such information will help the manager to pay the sales people according to the defined contract which could be inform of incentives, commission or a basic salary. (Monk and Wagner2006) Information on training of the sales people This information will be helpful in the management of the sales people since it will help in identifying the extent to which the sales people have been trained and also how far hey have been able to go with their training. This information is also useful since it helps in showing what the sales people have not been trained in and the consistency in their training. Such information will also be useful in the identification of the refresher courses on the sales people since such training is very important to the company sales and marketing strategies. (Monk and Wagner, 2006) Information on time and attendance of the sales people This information will help the management identify the employee’s trends in reporting and attending to their official duties. It will also help in identifying the employees who are consistent in their attendance and those who are not. Such information would be very useful especially when promoting the employees , increasing their   responsibilities, giving them incentives, taking any disciplinary actions and also in retrenchments and transfers. Information on the benefits of the sales people This information would be helpful to the management since it will give the basis of the benefits of the employees. Such information would help the company’s management to award the sales people with their correct benefits and incentives which they are entitled to during or after their term of service.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Numeracy Levels in BT1 Training Programme

Numeracy Levels in BT1 Training Programme Research Methods BT1 Numeracy Abstract This research will investigate the readiness of students to join the basic training program. It will focus on the perceptions of staff at No1 Radio School while marrying these comments to student performance. The research will focus on the levels of numeracy within the student population and their ability to apply this to the course material, whilst relating this to their current level of qualifications. These issues are not purely associated with the Royal Air Forces training but are prevalent throughout the education and training sectors. The subjects of literacy and numeracy have been identified as areas that are vastly under research, it is hoped that the issues raised in the short research project will identify further research questions that in turn may form part of further research. Introduction The field of work this research will investigate lies within the MoD, specifically the RAF at DCAE Cosford. The school being used to conduct this research is No1 Radio School, delivering training to Basic Trainees and Assimilation Trainees for all ground trades now known as Trade Group Four (TG4). The students ages range from 17 to 30 years of age. This research will focus on one specific target group, Basic Training 1 (BT1). These students are new members of the Royal Air Force and will have just completed their basic training at Halton (Ten weeks); they have come to Cosford to begin their trade specific training. The course is ten months in length, over which the students will cover both principles and trade training. The entry requirement for this trade is a minimum of three GCSEs, in Physics, Maths and one other subject. However they do accept some individuals with lesser qualifications as an exception and occasionally current members of the RAF who wish to change their trade. The trade requirements are specific and therefore it would be reasonable to assume the students basic level of literacy and in particular numeracy, would be sufficient to allow them to develop throughout this course. Research Issue. This research will look specifically at the levels of numeracy within the BT1 student population. It will try and identify if there is a problem and seek to provide evidence of any issues while providing recommendations for improvement. To ensure that there is no breach of ethics, the research will focus on the perceptions of the staff and the results from the students. This research issued raised questions that required answering, why is it that qualified students find the level 2 key skills and the level 2 maths phase of the BT1 training difficult? It is these issues that have intrigued me for some time. I believe this issue is worthy of research, however it is quite possible that additional questions will be raised that fall outside the scope of this research and may require additional research before they can be answered. Research Focus It has become apparent that new students entering the Royal Air Force as trade group 4 operator maintainers, although qualified for trade do not appear to posses the prerequisite knowledge required to complete the Key Skills at level 2 and the Maths phase of the course. That is not to say they all fail. That would be far from the truth, it is the difficulty they demonstrate when completing this phase of the course. The reason that this research is so important is this first phase of the course is crucial for the students. It gives them the skills and knowledge they require, which in turn will allow them to apply this knowledge to new problems and situations as they progress through the course. These skills could be considered tools of the trade, without a good grasp of these concepts the students will not gain the maximum benefit from the course. Literature Literacy and numeracy have become major issues in the field of education since the Moser report 1999, the working group chair by Sir Claus Moser in the opening statement of the report stated, Something like one adult in five in this country is not functionally literate and far more people have problems with numeracy. Moser, C (1999) This statement is met with surprise when you discuss this subject, however Moser states, We have found that people are staggered when one confronts them with the basic facts about literacy and numeracy, and rightly soIt is a state of affairs that cannot be allowed to continue, and our Report proposes a wide ranging approach to the challenge Moser, C (1999) Many organisations have concerns about the statistics when it comes to Literacy and numeracy in the adult population, Wells, A (2004) states, Surveys in the 1990s suggested that between 15 and 19 per cent of adults had poor basic skills. However, the International Adult Literacy Survey in the late 1990s suggested a much higher figure of 23 per cent or seven million adults. Wells, A (2004) Are we seeing a true picture of the problem? This research has highlighted concerns from staff about the students abilities. It would seem from the statistics that there is a strong correlation. One area this research was unable to quantify was how does gender affect numeracy, It was not possible to confirm or deny this because there were insufficient females included in the sample group to make a good judgement. However a recent article published by the DFES suggests there is a considerable difference between females and males when it comes to numeracy. Grinyer, J (2006) states, Women and men perform near equally for literacy, but men significantly outperform women at numeracy. Grinyer, J (2006) At level 2 this is an interesting fact and one that is perhaps worth of further research. If gender is an issue then what about current qualification level. Grinyer, J (2006) states Highest qualification appears to be the best predictor of an individuals literacy and numeracy level, with parental background and local deprivation having larger effects than current employment status Grinyer, J (2006) Research Hypothesis. The research hypothesis should be constructed in such a way that the research can disprove the hypothesis. So while the researcher believes students have issues with numeracy that directly affect their ability to perform throughout the course, and that the accepted entrance qualifications standards do not reflect the abilities of the students, the hypothesis should refute this. (See the hypothesis) The Hypothesis for this piece of research is: All BT1 trainees are sufficiently numerate to attend the BT1 course, as all trainees are qualified to a minimum standard. (Three relevant GCSEs) Research Hypothesis. There are a number of possible questions encompassing a range of different methodologies the scope of this research will be limited to one Research question, below are two possible questions. Why do students on the BT1 course suffer with the issue of numeracy when attending the taught lessons, completing assignments and examinations when they are course qualified? How do staff perceive the readiness of students on the BT1 course to deal with the academics of the course? After consideration and due to the constraints of this research it was decided to use the later, an interpritivest approach. Using this question offers the research some distinct advantages, firstly a limited scope and secondly and more importantly, it eliminates the students from the research which removes a large percentage of the ethical issue that may arise from questioning the students directly. This research should identify how instructors feel about the perceived problems students have when using the different forms of numeracy. Mercer, N states, one function of theories is to set agendas for research  ¿Ã‚ ½ to generate certain kinds of questions which the research will attempt to answer. Mercer in Walford (1998 p.42) This question could use a likert style method of answering, thus allowing the individual to grade their agreement or disagreement of the above question. This question as it stands would not necessarily be suitable for the students to answer as it is likely to produce a Yes/No response, however it could be acceptable for the staff. The same question could be asked in a different way. i.e. How has the GCSE maths helped the students with their study of the other principle subjects? Although it would be more difficult to analyse a short answer would bring out more of the individuals feelings, where as the likert style just grades the agreement or disagreement. Other questions that might be asked are: I. Do you feel the students could complete this course successfully without this qualification (GCSE maths)? II. How did the students maths affect their ability to complete this phase of training? III. Has the student qualification helped them with their studies? Youngman (1986) in Bell said, The more structured a question the easier it will be to analyse. Bell (1999 p.119) Research Paradigm What is a paradigm? A Paradigm  ¿Ã‚ ½ group of coherent ideas about the nature of the world and of the functions of researchers that are adhered to by a group of researchers, conditions and patterns of their thinking which underpins their research actions. What paradigms exist? There are a few key paradigms that exist within educational research positivist and Interpretiveist. Positivist research uses scientific, Statistical analysis and empirical methods, Cohen and Manion said, Traditionally, the word refers to those techniques associated with the positivistic model  ¿Ã‚ ½ eliciting responses to predetermined questions, recording measurements, describing phenomena and performing experiments. Cohen and Manion(1996 p.38) Interpretiveist research deals with human emotions, personnel perspectives. Cohen and Manion said, The central endeavour in the context of the interpretive paradigm is to understand the subjective world of human experience. Cohen and Manion(1996 p.36) Ethnographical methods are interpretivist. Gall, M. et al (1996, p607) say, Ethnography involves first hand, intensive study of the features of a given culture and the patterns in those features. Judith Bells thoughts on quantitative and qualitative research identify that quantitative researchers collect facts and study the relationship. They are measured using scientific techniques producing quantifiable and generaliseable conclusions, where as a qualitative perspective is more concerned with individuals perceptions of the world; Seeking insight rather than statistical analysis. In addition she concludes that on occasions qualitative researchers draw on quantitative techniques and vice versa. This would suggest that one method alone does not have all the answers and therefore we could consider various methods when conducting research. This research will use an interpretiveist methodology, this approach has been selected as the most appropriate as the information will come from members of staff, the information they provide will be their interpretation of the situation hence interpretiveist. This approach has been chosen as more appropriate than positivist approach because there is little scientific evidence and the amount of data collected would be insufficient to produce any valid statistical analysis. Ethnographical and eclectic research was also dismissed although it bridges the gap between Positivist and Interpertiveist research. It would however,still have positivist elements as mentioned previously. However the over arching reasoning for adopting an interpretiveist approach was the limited nature of this research project. Although, it is hoped that the findings from this research will generate further questions and spark yet further research questions for future research Research Methodology This style of research could be considered a case study, as its focus is centred on a specific group of students, belonging to a single organisation. Cohen and Manion state, a case study researcher typically observes the characteristics of an individual unit  ¿Ã‚ ½ a child, a clique, a class, a school or a community Cohen and Manion (1996,p106) While this approach would work it is more suited to a continuous improvement program and not a specific piece of research, in addition the length of time it would take to conduct a program of this nature makes this approach unsuitable. In planning the research, various methodologies were considered, however due to the limited nature of this research and to limit the impact of ethical issues, this research decided that an Interpretiveist approach would be most suited. This style of research is relevant, as the research will investigate the attitudes and opinions of the staff and not the students, while using student data to support or refute the findings. To facilitate this research there were a number of preferred techniques available for gathering the data: Interviews / Meetings Academic results Reference to external sources (Collages, Universities, Schools, Government Departments) The main reason behind this strategy, methods and analysis tools was time. The other key issue was ethics, for these reasons this research will be conducted through focus group meetings with staff using structured questions, this data will then be compared with the average results for a class. This approach will limit the impact of ethical issues and allow some conclusions to be drawn. This approach was discussed with the staff that felt that due to busy teaching commitments this was the most appropriate solution. Judith Bell states, Talking through problems and possible topics with colleagues is an essential stage of any plan. Bell (1999 p.21) The focus group will consist of five lecturers and four instructors, it is envisaged that a single meeting will take place to pose the questions to the staff. The data will be collected via questions directed to the staff in discussion groups; the responses of the staff were recorded. (See Annex B) To support the findings from the discussion groups the students results will be analysed. Data Collection instruments The data collection will be achieved through structured questions delivered at group meetings where the responses will be tabulated; this will give a feeling for the staffs concerns and perhaps some misconceptions. It will also allow any further research to focus its attention on specific areas of concern. Once the data has been collected this can be cross referenced to the student results, identifying any disparities, in addition student results and student retention rates may be useful sources of information. The other methods considered were, interviews, these could be time consuming, as staff are not always available. A well constructed questionnaire could produce valid reliable results in a reasonable time frame. However due to the limited time constraints, this research will utilise meetings with a number of groups and evaluate comments from those meetings to produce an Interpretivist style report. This will not provide hard evidence, however it will illustrate any concerns or trends that may be apparent which in turn could instigate further research. This approach although less structured will give a general feel for the issues, which could lead to further research questions. Sapsford and Jupp note the following facts about collecting data, There are both advantages and disadvantages to both highly structured and less structured methods; in no sense is it true to say that one is more objective than the other. Sapsford and Jupp (1996, p94) Research validity ensures the data collected is accurate and meaningful, collecting data in a non valid way would affect the final analysis; which may produce misconceptions when analysing the research data, thus rendering the research valueless. The research will improve validity through accurate data collection and careful analysis of the results, in addition reliability and repeatability could be enhanced through the triangulation of the data collected. Triangulation is method of verifying the data, checking and ensuring accuracy and ensuring that the findings are qualitative and thus reducing the chance of unsubstantiated data. Cohen and Manion said, Triangulation may be defined as the use of two or more methods of data collection the study of some aspect of human behaviour. Cohen and Manion(1996 p.233) The triangulation of the data was achieved through data collected from the meeting notes; these were then supported by student results and reference to national statistics. Chosen methods of data collection. This project will use a structured set of questions derived from the research question. The aim was to ask these questions at the focus group meeting, where the staffs responses and opinions were recorded. The rationale behind the choice of research and the methodology is predicated upon the limited nature of the research this in turn has limited the choice of methodology (interpertiveist). The limited time scale in which this research was conducted has in turn restricted the modes of research used to produce the data for evaluation; the aim was to gain a feeling from the staff as to how they perceived the research issue. The use of structured questions helped guide the process of data gathering and allowed the collection of data within a very short time scale, this was imperative due to the limited time constraints of this research. The interpritiveist approach allows the staffs feelings to be represented against the set criteria thus giving a good degree of relevant data for analysis. While this approach aided the collection of data at a rapid rate it did not offer the widest selection of data. Other methods could have produced further data to support or refute the findings. However this research hopes to triangulate its findings against student data (examination and assignment results). Research ethics. The matter of ethics is an important one; if the researcher wants to achieve open and honest answers they must consider ethics when conducting the research. To reduce the impact of this research the methodologies have been carefully chosen to reduce the data collection to that of the staff. The students results will be anonymous, to such an extent that the research will not identify the individual students, thus reducing the opportunity for others to identify individuals through the results and class group. Researchers cannot always predict what they might find and they may not like what they find; however it is the duty of the researcher to be open and honest about the research they are conducting. These are some of the things to consider when conducting research: Peoples amenity, that is to say protecting an individuals identity, ensuring that a respondents comments cannot be tracked back to a single individual or group. The Oxford Brookes University classifies research ethics and says, The integrity of any research depends not only on its scientific rigour, but also on its ethical adequacy. Ethical issues are many and varied, and may be quite complex. Research involving human participants is undertaken by many different disciplines and conducted in a broad range of settings and institutions. While some issues are specific to professional groups, all research should be guided by a set of fundamental ethical principles to ensure the protection of human participants. Wood,L (2006) Design Constraints One of the main issues when conducting any form of research is time; given enough time the research could produce massive amounts of facts, figures and an impression of peoples feelings. In addition to time there is always the cost of conducting research. However most organisations would expect any form of research to be conducted within certain time constraints, thus limiting costs and obtaining results within that time frame. Therefore the research can only be expected to deliver some of the information that is available, and that data would need to be substantiated through triangulation, generalisability and reliability. It is the limited nature of this research that has influenced the chosen methodology, interpertiveist. Although this may limit the validity of the research, the triangulation of the staffs comments and answers to the set questions when linked to student results, should give a reasonable confidence in its findings. Analysis of Results The questions asked at the focus group and the responces are given below: The group was asked, Are current BT 1 Trainees academically equipped to join this course? The staff responded with the following statements: Although students are qualified they do not seem to be prepared for the challenges this course offers. Some staff feel that GCSEs are a lower level qualification than a traditional O level (This used to be the entry requirement some years ago.) Although the students are qualified they do not seem to have the prerequisite skills to work effectively on the course. Students do not seem to remember some of the basics of mathematics. It would appear from the response that the staffs perception is that students are not prepared for this course and that the qualifications they hold do not reflect the students abilities. The BBC news web site on 30 October 2003 stated, The survey found 47% of the adults in England or 15 million people had a lower level of mathematical knowledge than was needed to gain a grade G at GCSE. The Department for Education and Skills blamed decades of neglect for figures showing millions of people lacking basic literacy and numeracy skills. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/3227263.stm There seems to be a general distrust of current qualifications as opposed to the traditional O Levels. This was the minimum entrant standard for this trade. The group was then asked, Which area of the course do students find difficult? The Maths is the most difficult for students because they do not possess the basic skills required to complete the work. Key Skills, Numeracy Some struggle with Electronic fundamentals mainly due to a lack of maths ability. They coped well with Addition and subtraction, however multiplication, division were more problematic. Additional areas where students struggled were percentages, area and fractions. These are not the only subject areas where students found difficulty, however they cover the major problem areas. These issues are similar to those identified in a recent TES, they stated, In last years skills action plan, the Assembly government revealed that 24% of the working age population lacked level 1 literacy skills and 53% level 1 in numeracy. In Wales, 20% have no qualifications compared with 14% across the UK (TES Cymru, June 30 2006) The focus of the problem seems to be centred on the Maths / arithmetic elements of the course. One of the key areas was Key Skills, in particular numeracy. Students seemed to find this difficult; they did not seem to posses the basics. Staff were asked to consider, Are there any circumstances that might affect students ability to perform on the course? Poorly prepared when leaving school. Length of time away from a learning environment. Lack of ability Some seem unable to apply previously learnt knowledge to new situations. Its is difficult to believe the students were poorly prepared as they all are qualified, suggesting they once had the knowledge, however it is interesting to note the comment about the length of time, as it is well known that constant and repetitive use of knowledge aids retention, lack of use leads to little or no retention of knowledge. A recent news article in the Daily Mail by HARRIS, S (2006) stated, One in five about to embark on teaching careers still have problems spelling and using punctuation as well as doing the most simple multiplication, division and percentages. Harris, S (2006) The question, Do you believe the students are suitably qualified? Staffs response to this was, Yes, they are for the trade and on paper, but do the qualifications match up to the expectations of the course? This alludes to a previous question about students being prepared. Do the qualifications meet the minimum requirements of the course. The answer is yes they do, however there seems to be a void between students retained knowledge and the paper qualifications. To illustrate this issue the House of Commons raised the issue of literacy and numeracy with the Secretary of State for Defence being asked, how many and what proportion of new recruits to the army in the last 12 months had (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills at or below (i) entry level 3, (ii) entry level 2 and (iii) entry level 1. Mr. Touhig replied, Consolidated literacy and numeracy initial assessment figures for recruits to the army in the period 1 November 2004 to 31 October 2005, are provided as follows. Literacy Numeracy Entry level 1 Entry level 2 Entry level 3 Entry level 1 Entry level 2 Entry level 3 Percentage 0.71 7.81 32.51 0.19 7.65 37.11 Number of recruits 72 795 3310 19 770 3737 Total number of recruits(11) Literacy Numeracy These figures were given from an Official Report, column 98W on departmental staff literacy and numeracy. No Author (2005) The group was also asked, Are students prepared for the academic rigor of this course? No, Students are ill prepared when it comes to learning in this environment. This may also relate to the time away from a learning environment, the beginning of the course is quite intensive and therefore the students find it difficult to get back into a learning environment. In summary of the responses, the staff feel the students were inadequately prepared for this course. However this was not for lack of qualifications more a perceived difference between the more traditional O Level and the existing GCSE qualifications, while the time away from the learning environment may have its part to play. Student results for the first eight classes illustrate that not all students struggle to achieve good results. (RAF pass is set at 60) So could this purely be a staff issue and not one of the students. As the results below indicate some classes obtain reasonable results, that is to say, not all struggle. The results for the first eight classes are shown below: Maths BT1/01 BT1/02 BT1/03 BT1/03 BT1/05 BT1/06 BT1/07 BT1/08 59 66 75 56 72 66 68 62 Electronic Fundamentals BT1/01 BT1/02 BT1/03 BT1/03 BT1/05 BT1/06 BT1/07 BT1/08 68 73 82 77 73 74 59 While these classes passed the respective subjects, there are some low scores in maths for classes 1, 4 and 8. Electronic Fundamentals produces better results, however class 1 and 7 have still scoured low marks. This information is not entirely conclusive as can be seen from the results, some classes did well. Findings The hypothesis has been refuted through the data collated from staffs responses to questions and the student data, all be it limited in nature this research has been shown to support the staffs comments. The analysis of the questions suggests a lack of ability on the students part, this however does not seem to be predicated on qualification. The staffs perceptions of students abilities seem to suggest the students are not sufficiently prepared to attend this course, more over they are not used to the training methods utilised within the MOD. These facts when grouped together cause the students and staff some problems, however this is not to say that large numbers of students are failing to achieve a pass in these subjects, therefore is there a problem? On the face of it, no. However modifications to the training methodology and some additional sessions may improve some of these issues. This research has investigated a broad range of issues relating to new students entering the RAFs BT1 training program, their ability to cope with the academic pressures of the course and their ability to complete the work to the required standard. It would appear many students, although qualified on paper have some difficulty when it comes to the Maths and Electronic Fundamentals phases. Some of the underlying problems relate to the methods of delivery on the course as it is unlike traditional academic institutions. This means that the students take time to adjust to this training methodology and as the Maths and Electronic Fundamentals phase of the course is at the front end, it does not allow sufficient time for this adjustment to take place. On the subject of time between learning, many students left school twelve months before joining the course and have not practiced these skills for some time. As with the maths unless a student continues to use these skills they are quickly forgotten. However this does not explain why students do not remember when prompted. Perhaps this could point to a lack of understanding at the initial point of learning and may require further research to substantiate this theory. Recommendations This piece of research has been limited in its nature, however it has allowed the researcher to gain a wider perspective on these issues, to further improve this work and make the findings more valid it is proposed to include the students in any future research. The students were excluded in this case to speed up the data collection and to reduce any ethical issues that may arise from the research. Further research could be developed from the fi

Friday, October 25, 2019

Queen Elizabeth I Essay -- essays research papers fc

Elizabeth I King Henry VIII wanted a son. He had been married for seventeen long years and had only been given a daughter named Mary. Someday one of his children would rule England and it was supposed to be a boy. Henry decided he wanted a younger wife who could bear many children, so he formed his own church and re-married Anne Boleyn. This began the life of Elizabeth. Elizabeth was born on Sunday, September 7th 1533 at three o’ clock in the afternoon. To the King, Anne seemed unable to have any more children. She became pregnant three more times after Elizabeth, only to lose the baby. When Elizabeth was three years old her mother was beheaded for treason and adultery. Henry had his marriage to Anne declared invalid, making Elizabeth illegitimate. His new wife, Jane Seymour finally gave him a son. His name was Edward. Jane died after childbirth and Henry married three more times and had no other children. Now that England had a Prince Elizabeth wasn’t so important. She didn’t live with her father at court, but instead she grew up at the palace of Hatfield, where she had her own governess, servants, and teachers. Elizabeth’s teachers were great university scholars. One of her teachers said that her mind had no womanly weakness and that her perseverance and memory were equal to that of a man. When Elizabeth was thirte en, Henry died and her nine year old brother, Edward became King. Edward who had never been strong or healthy died six years after becoming King. The throne was left to Elizabeth’s half sister, Princess Mary. Mary was married to Prince Philip of Spain. Mary was determined to restore Catholicism to England even if it took violence. Many of the Protestants wanted to get rid of Mary and have Elizabeth take over the throne. Mary found out about this and had Elizabeth locked up in the very tower her mother had been in before she was killed. Elizabeth waited in fear for two months. She was finally released because Mary could find no evidence against her. Elizabeth was sent to a far away palace, with only four decent rooms, where she was kept under house arrest. When some of Mary’s subjects stayed faithful to their Protestant faith she burned almost three hundred of them for heresy. This is where she got the nickname "Bloody Mary." On November 17, 1558, after ruling for five sh... ...er let it happen. She was strong. Elizabeth lived to a greater age than any English ruler before her. When Elizabeth was seventy, her health faded. She named Mary’s son James VI of Scotland as her successor. On March 24, 1603, after 45 years of reigning, Elizabeth died peacefully in her sleep. And the age she lived in was called the Elizabethan age. Elizabeth contributed so much to the people of her time and even to the people of today. Without Elizabeth we would have never been able to enjoy the work of William Shakespeare. She showed everyone that a woman could do "a man’s job." Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Speech: "Though you have had - and may have - many mightier and wiser princes sitting in this seat, yet you never had - nor shall have - any that will love you better." BIBLIOGRAPHY Stanley, Diane and Vennema, Peter, Good Queen Bess NY: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1990 Starkey, David, Elizabeth: The Struggle for the Throne NY: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2000 Thomas, Jane Resh, Behind the Mask: The Life of Queen Elizabeth I NY: Clarion Books, 1998 Weir, Allison, The Life of Elizabeth I NY: Ballantine Books, 1998

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Iso Standards and Tqm

FOCUS ON TQM, EQM AND ISO INTRODUCTION Environment may be broadly understood to mean our surroundings. It can be divided into non-living and living components. The Environment provides resources which support life on the earth and which also help in the growth of a relationship of interchange between living organisms and the environment in which they live. ISO †¢ What? ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is the world's largest developer and publisher of International Standards. ISO is a non-governmental organization that forms a bridge between the public and private sectors. On the one hand, many of its member institutes are part of the governmental structure of their countries, or are mandated by their government. On the other hand, other members have their roots uniquely in the private sector, having been set up by national partnerships of industry associations. The organization's logos in its two official languages, English and French, include the word ISO. The organization adopted ISO based on the Greek word isos ( ), meaning equal. This, in itself, reflects the aim of the organization: to equalize and standardize across cultures. HISTORY: ISO is the world largest standards developing organization. Founded on 23rd February, 1947, it has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Between 1947 and the present day, ISO has published more than 18  000 International Standards, ranging from standards for activities such as agriculture and construction, through mechanical engineering, to medical devices, to the newest information technology developments. IS O was born from the union of two organizations – the ISA (International Federation of the National Standardizing Associations). Established in New York in 1926, and the UNSCC (United Nations Standards Coordinating Committee), established in 1944 †¢ WHO CAN JOIN ISO? Membership of ISO  is open to national standards institutes most representative of standardization in their country (one member in each country). ISO has three membership categories: ? Member Bodies: They are national bodies that are considered to be the most representative standards body in each country. These are the only members of ISO that have voting rights. ? Subscriber members: They are countries with small economies. They pay reduced membership fees, but can follow the development of standards. Participating members are called â€Å"P† members as opposed to observing members which are called â€Å"O† members. ? Correspondent members: They are countries that do not have their own standards organization. These members are informed about ISO's work, but do not participate in standards promulgation. ISO is a network of the national standards institutes of 159 countries, out of the 203 total countries in the world, one member per country, with a Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system. Some of the ISO members are : INDIA, US, HONDURAS, LESOTHO, MACAU, NAMIBIA. †¢ How ISO standards are developed ? ISO standards are developed according to the following principles. ? Consensus ? Industry wide ? Voluntary †¢ Why standards matter Standards make an enormous and positive contribution to most aspects of our lives. Standards ensure desirable characteristics of products and services such as ? Quality ? Environmental friendliness ? Safety ? Reliability ? Efficiency ? Interchangeability When products and services meet our expectations, we tend to take this for granted and be unaware of the role of standards. However, when standards are absent, we soon notice. We soon care when products turn out to be of poor quality, do not fit, are incompatible with equipment that we already have, are unreliable or dangerous. When products, systems, machinery and devices work well and safely, it is often because they meet standards. And  the organization responsible  for many thousands of the standards which benefit the world is  ISO. When standards are absent, we soon notice. What standards do? ISO standards ? make the development, manufacturing and supply of products and services  more efficient, safer and cleaner ? facilitate trade  between countries and make it  fairer ? provide governments with a technical base for  health, safety and environmental legislation, and conformity assessment ? share  technological advances and good management practice ? disseminateà ‚  innovation ? safeguard consumers, and users in general, of products and services ? make life simpler by providing  solutions  to common problems †¢ Who standards benefit ISO standards provide technological, economic and societal benefits. ? For  businesses, the widespread adoption of International Standards means that suppliers can develop and offer products and services meeting specifications that have wide international acceptance in their sectors. Therefore, businesses using International Standards can compete on many more markets around the world. ? For  innovators  of new technologies, International Standards on aspects like terminology, compatibility and safety speed up the dissemination of innovations and their development into manufacturable and marketable products. For  customers, the worldwide compatibility of technology which is achieved when products and services are based on International Standards gives them a  broad choice  of offers. They also benefit from the  effects of competition  among suppliers. For  consumers, conformity of products and services to International Standards provides assurance about their quality , safety and reliability. ? For  trade officials, International Standards create  Ã¢â‚¬Å"a level playing field†Ã‚  for all competitors on those markets. The existence of divergent national or regional standards can create technical barriers to trade. International Standards are the technical means by which political trade agreements can be put into practice. ? For  developing countries, International Standards that represent an international consensus on the state of the art are an important source of  technological know-how. By defining the characteristics that products and services will be expected to meet on export markets, International Standards give developing countries a basis for making the right decisions  when investing their scarce resources and thus avoid squandering them. For  everyone, International Standards contribute to the  quality of life  in general by ensuring that the transport, machinery and tools we use are safe. ? For  the planet  we inhabit, International Standards on air, water and soil quality, on emissions of gases and radiation and environmental aspects of products can contribute to efforts to  preserve the environment. †¢ Examples of the benefits standards provide ? solves the   repair and maintenance  problems caused by a lack of standardization that were once a major headache for manufacturers ? Standards establishing an international consensus n  terminology  make technology transfer easier and safer. ? Consensus on grades of various materials gives a  common reference  for suppliers and clients in business dealings. ? Agreement on a sufficient number of variations of a product to meet most current applications allows  economies of scale  with  cost benefits  for both producers and consumers. An example is the standardization of paper sizes. ? Standardization of  performance or safety requirements  of diverse equipment makes sure that users' needs are met while allowing individual manufacturers the freedom to design their own solution on how to meet those needs. Standardized  computer protocols  allow products from different vendors to â€Å"talk† to each other. †¢ Advantages of ISO: ? Implementing ISO has follow ing advantages: ? Create a more efficient, effective operation ? Increase customer satisfaction and retention ? Reduce audits ? Enhance marketing ? Improve employee motivation, awareness, and morale ? Promote international trade ? Increases profit ? Reduce waste and increases productivity The need for International Standards is very important as more organizations operate in the global economy by selling or buying products and services from sources outside their domestic market. Disadvantages of ISO ? Does not guarantee better quality ISO certification definitely does not automatically lead to better quality product. While it does encourage operations to think in terms of systems, it does not require them to be good. ? Focus on certification ? Frequent audits Full system audits every three years with annual surveillance audits. †¢ ISO 9000 ISO 9000 is a family of standards for quality management systems. ISO 9000 is maintained by ISO and is administered by accreditation and cer tification bodies. The rules are updated, as the requirements motivate changes over time. Some of the requirements in ISO 9001:2008 include a set of procedures that cover all key processes in the business; monitoring processes to ensure they are effective; keeping adequate records; checking output for defects, with appropriate and corrective action; regularly reviewing individual processes and the quality system itself for effectiveness; and facilitating continual improvement ISO 9001:2000 – What does it mean in the supply chain? ISO 9001:2000 is an international standard that gives requirements for an organization’s Quality Management System (â€Å"QMS†). The objective of ISO 9001:2000 is to provide a set of requirements that will provide confidence that the supplier can consistently provide goods and services that: ? Meet needs and expectations and ? Comply with applicable regulations How can you have confidence that your supplier meets ISO 9001:2000? There are various ways in which your supplier can claim that its QMS meets the requirements of ISO 9001:2000. These include: ? ‘Supplier’s declaration of conformity’: supplier’s internal audit system, or on second party or third party audits; Second party assessment: check if its QMS meets ISO 9001:2000 requirements and your own requirements – sometimes used in contractual â€Å"business-to-business† transactions; ? Third party assessment: (Often referred to as certification or registration) CASE STUDY KERALA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS),is a 450-bed multispecialty Hospital which has been awarded the I SO 9001:2000 certificate for a high-end cardiac cauterization laboratory, hi-tech operation theatres, a 24-hour emergency department, CT scan, facility for open heart surgery, blood bank, neurology and neuro-surgery departments. Quality and accreditation are prominent strategies adopted by KIMS to ensure world-class treatment at third-world prices. KIMS has acquired ISO 9001: 2000 certificate from BSI Group. †¢ ISO 12000: Plastics/rubber — Polymer dispersions and rubber (natural and synthetic) – Definitions and review of test methods †¢ ISO 14000 The ISO 14000 family addresses â€Å"Environmental management†. This means what the organization does to: ? minimize harmful effects on the environment caused by its activities, and to ? Achieve continual improvement of its environmental performance. The  ISO  14000  is a standard for  environmental management  systems that is applicable to any business. The aim of the standard is to reduce the environmental footprint of a business and to decrease the pollution and waste a business produces. The major objective of the ISO 14000 series of norms is â€Å"to promote more effective and efficient environmental management in organizations†. It offers source of guidance for introducing and adopting environmental management systems based on the best universal practices. The  ISO  14000  is a standard for  environmental management  systems that is applicable to any business, regardless of size, location or income. The aim of the standard is to reduce the environmental footprint of a business and to decrease the pollution and waste a business produces. The major objective of the ISO 14000 series of norms is â€Å"to promote more effective and efficient environmental management in organizations and  to provide useful and usable tools like cost effective, system-based, flexible tools that help organizations in gatherong environment related information. It offers source of guidance for introducing and adopting environmental management systems based on the best universal practices, in the same way that the ISO 9000 series on quality management systems represents a tool for technology transfer of the best available quality management practices The two major standards under ISO 14000 ? ISO 14001:2004 ? SO 14004:2004 Business benefits of ISO 14000 ? reduced cost of waste management ? savings in consumption of energy and materials ? lower distribution costs ? improved corporate image among regulators, customers and the public Framework for continual improvement of environmental performance. ? In the global economy CASE STUDY Copley Square Hotel A prominent hotel created an aggressive environmental program that provides a foundation for ISO 14001 registration. Energy Use Reduction: ? Energy efficient lighting was installed in public areas ? Install compact fluorescent bulbs in guest room table lamps , hanging lamps and back areas ? Remind employees to turn off all energy using devices that are not being used. Water Use Reduction: ? Installing toilets with 1. 5 gallon capacity, replacing ones with 3. gallon capacity will save $3,276 and 430,000 gallons annually. ? Showerheads of greater efficiency will save $6,546 and 859,000 gallons annually. ? Guest have been offered the option of reusing their towels and linens when staying more than one night. Comments Some of the reasons the program has been successful are: ? Everyone in the hotel participates in the program and can contribute from within their job responsibilities. ? Small savings are as important as big ones. CASE STUDY NOKIA ISO 14001 standard is used to control and manage the environmental aspects of Nokia’s production sites and large offices. Nokia has a corporate level ISO 14001 certificate in place for all manufacturing sites. †¢ What's the difference between ISO 9001 and ISO 14001? ISO 9001 contains a set of requirements for implementing a  Quality  Management System and ISO 14001 for an  Environmental Management System ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 have become thoroughly integrated with the world economy. ISO 9001:2000 (the transition to ISO 9001:2008 is now taking place) is now firmly established as the globally accepted standard for providing assurance about the quality of goods and services in supplier-customer relations. ISO 14001:2004 confirms its global relevance for organizations wishing to operate in an environmentally sustainable manner. In the global economy ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 have become thoroughly integrated with the world economy. ISO 9001:2000 is now firmly established as the globally accepted standard for providing assurance about the quality of goods and services in supplier-customer relations. ISO 14001:2004 confirms its global relevance for organizations wishing to operate in an environmentally sustainable manner. ISO 16000-1:2004 is intended to aid the planning of indoor pollution monitoring. Before a sampling strategy is devised for indoor air monitoring, it is necessary to clarify for what purposes, when, where, how often and over what periods of time monitoring is to be performed. The answers to these questions depend, in particular, on a number of special characteristics of the indoor environments, on the objective of the measurement and, finally, on the environment to be measured. ISO 16000-1:2004 deals with the significance of these factors and offers suggestions on how to develop a suitable sampling strategy. ISO 16000-1:2004 is applicable to indoor environments such as dwellings having living rooms, bedrooms, do-it-yourself rooms, recreation rooms and cellars, kitchens and bathrooms; workrooms or work places in buildings which are not subject to health and safety inspections in regard to air pollutants (for example, offices, sales premises); public buildings (for example hospitals, schools, kindergartens, sports halls, libraries, restaurants and bars, theatres, cinemas and other function rooms), and also cabins of vehicles. †¢ Latest ISO(15270:2008) On Plastic Recycling Plastics – Guidelines for the recovery and recycling of plastics waste. The standard has been developed to assist all plastics industry stakeholders in the development of: ? A sustainable global infrastructure for plastics recovery and recycling Establishes the different options for the recovery of plastics waste arising from pre-consumer and post-consumer sources. The standard assists in the selection of methodologies and processes for the management of post-use plastics that may be approached using various strategies. ? A sustainable market for recovered plastics materials and their derived manufactured products. Plastics material for recovery may be obtained from various sources and the major markets for plastics are packaging, building and construction products, electrical and electronic products, automotive/transportation, and household/consumer items. ISO promotes role of International Standards in tackling climate change at COP15 ISO International Standards can help fight climate change by providing a basis for ensuring trust, integrity and effective management in the quantification, measurement and verification of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation efforts, and practical tools for the development of energy efficiency and alternative energy sources. These messages were underlined by ISO at COP15, the 15th conference of the parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held on 7-18 December 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. ISO Guide 64:2008 Guide for addressing environmental issues in product standards It proposes a step-by-step approach, based on the principle of life-cycle analysis, in order to promote a reduction of potential adverse environmental impacts caused by products. The Guide is intended for use by all those involved in the drafting of product standards, encouraging them to: Identify and understand basic environmental aspects and impacts related to the product under consideration, ? Determine when it is possible and when it is not possible to deal with an environmental issue through a product standard. TQM †¢ What? †¢ an approach for continuously improving the quality of goods and services through the participation of all levels of organization, especially for the benefit of the customers â € ¢ COMPONENTS OF THE MODEL ? Quality Policy and Communication If an organization is to start implementing TQM, a sound quality policy is a fundamental requirement. The TQM foundation consists of strategic quality management, executive leadership and a continuous focus on consumer. This must be clearly stated, documented and communicated, as a quality policy to each and every employee of the organization in an easily understood language. The next step is to clearly define the key objectives and quality goals that must be achieved if the company has to realize its vision. ? Team Work and Participation From time to time, Indian industry has realized the importance of both Team Work and Participative Management. To institutionalize both the concept s of team work ad participation, Cross functional Management Teams, Quality Circles and Suggestion Systems have to be formed. This has indeed been done in organizations like THERMAX, ALFA LEVEL, NLC, BHEL, SAIL, MADRAS CEMENTS, MODI XEROX, and SONA STEERING SYSTEMS ? Problem solving Tools and Techniques One very common approach of problem solving is use of Deming Cycle, which is reproduced below: As shown in the cycle, the Planning Stage will primarily involve defining a Quality mission, getting the organization relevant data, and going in for experiments in quality. And when we do something (Stage Two), the effects or results are checked in stage three. Recognizing people and rewarding them and changing processes form the essential steps of stage four ? Standardization Standardization is a management tool for encouraging and securing optimum utilization o resources and maximum efficiency of operations through formal establishment of the most suitable, pre-determined, solutions and answers to recurring problems and needs. Technical specifications in design, procurement, production and control are company standards. Similarly, administrative specifications in supervision and management, which may deal with products, processes, methods, materials, parts, etc. , are also company standards. ? Design and implementation of Quality System Standardization can be attained through ISO-9000 certification. ISO -9000 is not product standard, but it is Quality Systems Standard. It is a practical standard for a Quality system. There are four Quality System Standards as shown in the table ? Quality costs and measurements Contrary to popular belief high quality is not high cost. If things are done right the first time, tremendous savings in cost can be obtained. Around 10 – 25 % of the sales revenue is being spent by manufacturing companies due to poor quality. Hence, calculating the cost of quality is a must. ? Quality audit and review It is conducted by people who have no direct responsibility for performance and is always an independent examination to compare given aspects of quality performance with standards or specifications. Hence, an internal quality system should be developed for addressing customer requirements and complaints as well as internal quality problems. Process Control If processes are controlled properly, deficiencies are not with product and process control gives feedback for initiating necessary action. ? Customer supplier integration Effective integration between customer and supplier identifies mutual needs and fulfilling expectations becomes easier. ? Education and training Today, Indian companies that have implemented TQM sp ends thousands of rupees in preparing employees and educating them on various aspects of quality improvement. †¢ Principles of TQM ? CUSTOMER FOCUSED ONLY customers determine the level of quality , what ever you do to foster quality   improvement , training employees , integrating quality into processes management , ONLY customers determine whether your effort were   worthwhile ? EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT Removing fear from work place by providing the proper environment ? PROCESS CENTERED Fundamental part of TQM is to focus on Process thinking. ? INTEGRATED SYSTEM All employee must know business mission and vision, must monitor the process . an integrated business system may be modeled by     ISO 9000. ? STRATEGIC APPROACH Strategic plan must integrate quality as core component. CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT Using analytical and creative thinking in finding ways to become more effective. ? FACT BASED DECISION MAKING Decision making must be ONLY on data, not personal thinking or situational. ? COMMUNICATION Communication strategy, method and timeliness must be well defined. †¢ Chain Reaction of TQM ? Improve Quality ? Improve Produ ctivity ? Decrease costs ? Decrease prices ? Increase market ? Stay in Business ? Provide More jobs ? Return on investment †¢ Deming’s Fourteen Points ? Constancy of purpose ? Drive out fear ? Eliminate Exhortations ? Encourage education Institute training on the job ? Improve every process ? End â€Å"lowest tender† contracts ? The New philosophy ? Institute Leadership ? Cease dependence on inspection ? Break down barriers ? Eliminate arbitrary numerical targets ? Permit pride of workmanship ? Top management’s commitment †¢ IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF TQM : ? Customer-driven quality ? Top management leadership ? and commitment ? Continuous improvement ? Fast response ? Actions based on facts ? Employee participation ? A TQM culture. †¢ BENEFITS   OF   TQM : ? Increased pride of workmanship among individual   workers ? Increased   readiness Improved   sustainability ? Greater   mission   survivability ? Better   justification   for    budgets ? Streamlined   maintenance   and   production processes Many companies have difficulties in implementing TQM. Surveys by consulting firms have found that only 20 – 36 % of companies that have undertaken TQM have achieved either significant or even tangible improvements in quality, productivity, competitiveness or financial return. As a result many people are skeptical about TQM. However, when you look at successful companies you find a much higher percentage of successful TQM implementation. Why ISO 9000 Should Be a Company's Guidepost, And Not TQM The ISO-9000 quality standard and total quality management (TQM) is both necessary for any organization to become world class. But ISO is far superior because it offers a set of guidelines for quality management and can stand alone, while TQM can not. The reasons are: ? While ISO-9000 is a clearly defined system, TQM is a philosophy ? ISO-9000 is preventive. TQM is remedial. ? TQM is aimed at identifying the causes of quality problems and eliminating them TQM is not quality management but process management —   the process of improvement. ISO-9000 is total quality management ? While ISO-9000 requires documentation and record keeping, there is no such requirement in TQM ? One of the greatest features of ISO-9000 is that it is self-policing EQM Various countries, 8 including India, have set up standards with specify the limit pf emission of various pollutants that are permitted in specific media i. e. air or water. They may take the firm of emission standards, or relate to the content of products in food, or phosphates in detergents. †¢ Environmental Quality Management includes : Management of Air Quality The air quality standards are prescribed by CENTRAL POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD. They provide quantitative limits within which the pollutants may be present in the environment. There are three types of standards ? Emission standards : they are the maximm tolerable level of a pollutant that are permissible to escape the chimney of an industry or the thermal power plant ? Immission standards : it specifies the ambient a ir quality i. e. the amount of various pollutants that are tolerable in space surrounding the source of generation Vehicular emission standards : they have been prescribed recently, it specifies the maximum tolerable limit of the various pollutants that are allowed to escape the exhaust of an automobile ? Management of water quality Water quality management involves multidisciplinary approach in which the required water quality is related to municipal, industrial and agricultural requirements. Water quality standards are based on two standards ? Stream standards: It is based on the beneficial uses of water which fixes the threshold value of specific pollutants permissible in the water required for various uses. As specified by Central Pollution Control Board in 1979. It states that drinking water should have a minimum of 6 mg/1 dissolved oxygen and a maximum of 2mg/1 of Biological oxygen demand. ? Effluent standards: They are based on the maximum concentration of a pollutant of maximum pollution load discharged into receiving water. In India under the Water Pollution Control Act enacted in 1974, effluent standards, based on the maximum concentration of a pollutant (mg/1) have been prescribed. ? Management of land It is essential to improve man quality to grow more and to meet the increasing demands for food and other essential agricultural items. Large scale use of fertilizers is not advisable. Chemical fertilizers can improve soil and land quality but they are costly. Various ways to improve land quality are ? Organic farming : organic fertilizers in the form of biomass not only provide nutrients to soil but also enrich humus content. Biomass is used as fuel in the form of dung cakes agricultural residues etc. ? Mixed cropping : under this leguminous and non-leguminous crops are grown together in the same area in a mixed pattern. It always the crop to derive nutrients from the soil. Use of helophytes : excessive irrigation leads to salinisation of soils rendering it useless for agriculture. Thus, special plants known as halophytes are grown, which are tolerant to salinity. These plants improve the soil condition. ? Ariel seeding : packets containing seeds along with little fertilizers are sprayed from aircrafts and they are left togrow undisturbed. This mproves the performance of degraded land ? Land use planning : for maint aining the land quality excessive irrigation should be avoided, proper avenues for drainage and mixed cropping should be practiced. The positive roles played in globalization by ISO’s standards for quality and environmental management systems include the following: ? a unifying base for global businesses and supply chains – such as the automotive and oil and gas sectors ? a technical support for regulation – as, for example, in the medical devices sector) ? a tool for major new economic players to increase their participation in global supply chains, in export trade and in business process outsourcing; ? a tool for regional integration –   as shown by their adoption by new or potential members of the European Union in the rise of services in the global economy – nearly 32  % of ISO 9001:2000 certificates and 29  % of ISO 14001:2004 certificates in 2007 went to organizations in the service sectors, and ? in the transfer of good practice to developing countries and transition economies Presented by : †¢ Aditya jhunjhunwala (09) †¢ Rashmi tigga (10) †¢ Sukanya gupta (11) †¢ Spriha agarwal (24) †¢ Rimika mittal (25) †¢ Shrutee parasramka (27) †¢ Niharika khaitan (31) †¢ Priyanka gupta (34) †¢ Srimoyee dasgupta (45) †¢ Bhumika kotecha (48) †¢ Neha malpani (59)

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Discrimination Policies in Health Care

America is one of the most diverse countries in the world with people of many cultures, ethnicity, genders, and religion. However, it has not always been as tolerant of its diversity as evident of America’s history on race, religion, and gender relations. As a result of this history, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted and prohibited employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces all of these laws (FMWM, 2008).Even with laws society still faces many different forms of discriminations including rate of pay, obesity and because of the time we live in religion. Our laws and society are not perfect but they strive to create a better work place for all American citizens. Organizations today protect themselves from liability and their employees from discrimination by developing policies and implementing training programs to educate and define acceptable ways to tre at one another in the workplace. A nondiscrimination policy in an employee handbook is very important, and could help prevent issues in the future of any organization.Every person should have the right to work in a nondiscrimination organization and not be threatened because of his or her personal beliefs. This policy should help ensure that all employees are aware of the organizations policies and give no room for questions on how an employee should expect to treat or be treated during employment in that organization. The policy needs to be presented to employees at the time of hire and enforced throughout their entire employment. In the policy should be nondiscrimination laws, regulations, policies, and organization executive orders. Read also Analyze the Ways in Which British Imperial PoliciesDiscrimination against anyone on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, gender identity and expression, familial or parental status, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected classification will not be tolerated (JHH, 2009). The organization should take proper steps when hiring new employees by carefully screening all prospective candidates. The interviewing manager needs to ask important questions to see if that new mployee will fit into the culture of the organization. Background checks, drug test need to be done before hiring. In order for the nondiscrimination policy to be effective every protected violation must be addressed and responses to every issue need to be handled as soon as possible. This will leave no question in an employee’s mind that everyone is treated according to the policies set fo rth by the organization and the law. No employee can be the exception to the rule or this policy will leave room for error and eventually fail.Regardless of what personal views management has, the organization’s policies are executed. Nondiscrimination policies in an organization limit liability by promoting equality in the workplace and a unified workforce. An effective anti-discrimination policy helps an organization anticipate issues, manage them, and then continue with business (Duncan, 2004). Organizations must ensure their anti-discrimination policies fully deal with all potential issues but not be so detailed and sophisticated that no one understands it.Ultimately, employers are responsible for ensuring a healthy work environment by providing policies and educating employees on discriminatory practices and harassment, as well as preventing liability for the organization (Fremgen B. F. , 2009). Discriminatory practices can be direct or indirect and both can have a negat ive impact on the work environment and the organization. Direct discrimination occurs when a direct distinction, preference, or exclusion is made, for example, a job description or advertisement that specifies applicants of a certain age, race, creed, or color (ILO, 1996-2010).Many of these types of discriminatory actions are addressed in federal and state laws, and can lead to litigation for the organization. Indirect discrimination is less obvious and occurs when neutral practices result in unequal treatment; for example, scheduling job assignments or training sessions that interfere with an employee’s family obligations. These types of issues do not usually result in litigation, but they do cause unrest and dissatisfaction in the workplace if not resolved (ILO, 1996-2010). In today’s competitive environment organizations need to find new methods to reate a culture of equality and opportunity in the workplace. Many organizations conduct mandatory training for all man agers on non-discriminatory practices in an effort to increase efficiency and productivity (Duncan, 2004). Equal opportunity and treatment allows an individual to develop their own unique set of talent and skills, as well as recognize their own value. Equal opportunity practices improve productivity, increase a sense of fairness, lower staff turnover, increase motivation, and provide a less stressful work environment.The Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 is the act that gives the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) authority to sue in federal courts when it finds reasonable cause to believe that there has been employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin (EEOC, 2009). The EEOC is responsible for coordinating the Federal government’s employment non-discrimination effort. In the case of public employment, the EEOC refers the matter to the United States attorney general to bring the lawsuit.The U. S. Equal Employment Opportu nity Commission (EEOC) enforces all of these laws and provides oversight and coordination of all federal equal employment opportunity regulations, practices, and policies (EEO). Different federal agencies enforce federal laws concerning workplace discrimination issues. Unless the government speaks together upon non-discriminating matters within employment, workers remain confused about what rights they have and how to protect them.Employers may be uncertain of their obligations and how to comply voluntarily with their legal duties. Other federal laws not enforced by EEOC also prohibit discrimination and reprisal against federal employees and applicants. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA) contains a number of prohibitions, known as prohibited personnel practices, which are designed to promote fairness in federal personnel actions (U. S. Department of Health & Human Services). The president appoints five commissioners and a General Counsel whom oversees the affairs of the EEO C.According to the Chair, the chief executive officer of the commission is responsible, along with the General Counsel, for conducting EEOC enforcement litigation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Equal Pay (EPA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The laws enforced by the EEOC are * Title VII of the civil Rights Act * Equal Pay Act of 1963 * Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) * Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Sections 501 and 505 Titles I and V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) * Civil Rights Act of 1991 (EEO) Many states have equal employment opportunity commission equivalents that enforce state employment discrimination laws and related regulations. State equivalents also investigate and resolve employment discrimination charges filed under state laws and under certain Federal laws. The company judges individuals by their abilities, not their disabilities, a nd seeks to give full and equal employment opportunities to all persons capable of performing successfully in the company’s positions.The company complies with all anti-discrimination laws, regulations, and executive orders. The company emphasizes that the law does not promise a job or a promotion but meant to level the playing field and make the rules the same for all applicants and employees. Equal employment opportunity programs include affirmative action for employment, as well as for handling discrimination complaints. Ethics in the medical industry is important because â€Å"ethics demands that the healthcare professional make sure that the patient understands the consequences in terms of the issues that are important to the patient.If there is no understanding, there is no agreement and therefore no authorization to proceed† (Garett, 2010). Ethical principles in healthcare refer to decisions or actions consistent with widely excepted ethics standards, norms, or expectations for a healthcare organization and its staff. One ethical consideration is strong leadership with a high regard of ethical values, which foster an environment and culture that support ethical practices throughout a hospital’s organizational structure.Fair hiring practices that bring in employees based on their knowledge, strength, abilities and competency for doing the job right. Also to enforce any codes, laws, or standards in the healthcare industry it is important to have a performance management system that is structured to your organizational needs. This is based on the ethical evaluation of patient care that â€Å"allows for the examination of organizational performance to ascertain how well the rganization is performing relative to what is expected, ethical improvement in organizational performance and by implementing corrective action that measures levels of expectations† (McConnell, 2003). The Ethics process plays an important part in keeping viabl e communication between health organizations and the patients, because ultimately it is the goal and mission of the organization to provide its consumers with a good or desirable experience. It is a sound principal to have clear goals and a complete understanding of ethics. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) governs and enforces the laws pertaining to discrimination. The healthcare industry should have a system in place to ensure that the highest ethical standards are maintained so that patients, family members, surrogates, employees and volunteers can work or be treated in a culture of professionalism. Good organizations know where ethical problems might occur and have solutions on how to resolve them. They must be committed to high ethical standards and morals consistent with an industry dedicated to the well-being of its customers.