Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Online Style Guides

Online Style Guides Online Style Guides Online Style Guides By Maeve Maddox Russell from Cape Town writes: As a rank novice to the world of writing, and one purely for work purposes not for literature, I was wondering where you gain access to so many style guides. Can you suggest some free guides to download? The two most frequently cited American style guides are the Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law and the Chicago Manual of Style. Both have online editions, but they are not free. Individual annual subscription rates: AP Stylebook $25; CMOS $30. The current Amazon price for the print edition of the 2009 AP Stylebook is $11.37. I paid $18.95 for my copy earlier this year. The AP book is very easy to navigate so I don’t see any advantage to subscribing online. The usual price for the print edition of the Chicago Manual of Style is $55. Amazon has it for $33.65 at the moment. For me the search feature of the online edition is worth the $30 subscription fee. For our readers who use British English, the BBC has a free downloadable PDF: The BBC News Styleguide. Another British online freebie is the Guardian, Observer and guardian.co.uk Style Guide. A free nonacademic online American style guide is the National Geographic Style Manual. An old edition of Strunk and White’s Elements of Style is available free at Bartleby.com/. Be aware that changes have been made in more recent editions. In addition to the AP Stylebook and the CMOS, I sometimes refer to the free Purdue writing lab known as OWL, but I don’t seem to be able to find things there as easily as I do in CMOS. OWL is probably the most comprehensive university guide out there, but many other universities offer style guides based on AP and CMOS, Many of these are available as downloadable PDFs. Most rely heavily on the AP Stylebook and Chicago Manual of Style. Here are a few: U of Alaska Style Guide: based on AP Stylebook and Webster’s New World College Dictionary. University of Buffalo Marketing Toolbox: apparently oriented towards business writing U of Colorado at Boulder Style Guide: intended as a general guide for print and electronic media, but not as a replacement for more specialized guides. Gustavus Adolphus College:an eclectic guide based on the AP Stylebook, Webster’s New World College Dictionary, Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, and the Chicago Manual of Style. Ithaca College Office of Marketing Communications: downloadable Editorial Standards University of Kentucky Style Guide: downloadable PDF â€Å"conforms largely to the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual, but it contains exceptions to both AP style manual and The Chicago Manual of Style.† Lafayette College Style Guide: links in convenient outline form Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Types of Narrative ConflictList of 50 Great Word Games for Kids and AdultsIf I Was vs. If I Were

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Critical evaluation of impact of stress on employee performance and productivity The WritePass Journal

Critical evaluation of impact of stress on employee performance and productivity Introduction Critical evaluation of impact of stress on employee performance and productivity ), and should, be an important factor in management with managers as stress moderators  (Shanks, 2011). Stress on Employee Performance and Productivity As research shows, there is a relationship between stress and organization effectiveness.   Stress at work is a result of incompatibility or mismatch between demands at work and one’s mental moderation process, which includes the way information, is processed, planned and implemented  (Health and Safety Executive, 2006). Workplace stress is detrimental to employee health and work and is a major source of psychosocial illnesses  (Schumpeter, 2010). Stress has adverse effects on employees and stress management is necessary to minimize organizational failures. However, stress is not the only factor that causes organizational ineffectiveness; stress is an occupational Health  and  Safety issue that can be remedied with good management practices (Dowell, 2001; Health Safety and Environment , 2013). Stress is not the real cause of organization ineffectiveness, but rather a result of loop holes in the management process.   Instead of isolating stress as a single independe nt factor in organizational ineffectiveness, ineffective management skills need to bear the brunt share of responsibility.    Learning and Knowledge Management Organizational effectiveness is a key factor in strategic management, and this is the main point of focus for every business stakeholder. However, this tends to make businesses look at projects in the short term in lieu of looking beyond the traditional neglected and non-integrated methods of learning and knowledge management. The culture predicated on learning and knowledge management approach is beneficial to businesses in tackling the stress issue and refocusing their efforts on organizational effectiveness  (Gold et al., 2001). The impact of stress on employee performance and productivity is a notion that is misplaced as stress is a symptom of challenges in management and not the real cause of low performance or productivity  (Vajda, 2012). In today’s business world, managers seem to fall in the pit of conflicting priorities with differing objectives each with a unique way of performing work  (Beer Eisenstats, 2000). This is detrimental to sharing of knowledge, whic h is important to the successful management of any business. Lack of quality direction contributes significantly to disunity in organizations and gives rise to situations of conflict  (Beer Eisenstats, 2000, p.32). Crucial to the success of any organization is learning and knowledge management. Information as a source of knowledge is vital in any economy and knowledge can give businesses the much sort after competitive advantage. Effective knowledge management, as Gold et al. (2001) explain, is the implementation of infrastructure that consist of technology, structure and culture in combination with the knowledge process design of the collection, transformation, application and protection. Effective and efficient knowledge management is more likely to aid most companies in enhancing organizational performance than research on stress as a limiting factor. As a component of knowledge management, knowledge sharing is a conduit through which effective integration between employees ca n be achieved. This integration is critical in reducing conflict and an important a stress mediator. Effective knowledge sharing can be analyzed through the employees and transfer of knowledge as well as mechanisms in place. Ingirige and Betts (2003), assert that most businesses fail to grasp the importance of sharing information between employees a fact that has been reiterated by Darroch (2005), who points at the fact that knowledge management is commonly taken for granted, but is an important antecedent of businesses performance or innovation. It is important for businesses to focus on the implementation of knowledge management, to improve on their effectiveness. Knowledge management antecedents critical to the effectiveness of business are organizational culture and organizational learning  (Darroch, 2005). With the implementation of these measures, it is less likely that stress will any longer feature in any aspect of organizational effectiveness. Knowledge management and org anizational learning are effective stress managers that are the foundations of ideal management processes  (Sommerville et al., 2004). Organizational culture determines an employee’s expectations be it formal or informal.   It is what describes the kind of individuals most likely to fit a company, and what influences employees way of communication both in and out of the organization. Organization culture is significant in shaping the way employees work within an organization. It is imperative for an organization to create a culture of honesty, faith, independents, and satisfaction  (McGuire et al., 2009).   Organizational culture is the conduit through which employees enhance their knowledge and satisfaction that breeds businesses effectiveness. Rai (2011), presents a significant connection between organizational culture and knowledge management. In addition, organization culture facilitates organizational learning, an important component in employee motivation. Organizational learning is an important business process through which knowledge is built and existing knowledge is rebuilt. An organization wi th a culture inclined to learning, provides an enabling environment of knowledge creation and sharing making them more competitive in a dynamic environment  (Fong, 2003). Organizations are more likely to benefit in organizational effectiveness when focused on learning behaviors.   Organizational culture can positively impact the execution of a knowledge sharing strategy, organizations that uphold trust and co-operation, are potential beneficiaries of a tacit sharing environment. The design of organizational learning should connect knowledge sharing to the benefits of the concern parties and this is best achieved by taking advantage of the organization culture. Fong (2003) is of the opinion that a common culture in Japan has made its industries innovative as a result of the high level of socialization such as sharing tacit knowledge. With a favourable organizational culture that supports effective managerial skills  (Sommerville et al., 2004), stress is unlikely to prevail, an indication that stress moderators are in built in good managerial process. It is clear that stress should not be the culprit in organizational effectiveness; it should be as mentioned above, an indicator of loopholes in the management process. In some jurisdictions, it is the management’s responsibility to adequately address employee stress at work failure to which legal action could be taken under the Health and Safety in Employment Act     (New Zealand Government, 2009 ; Health Safety and Environment , 2013).   It is misleading to focus on stress as a factor in organizational effectiveness rather than as a health and safety issue. Stress is increasingly becoming a challenge in management because of the failure to fully perceive it as common issue in todays world and organizations need to develop strategies on how to deal with employee stress. As a matter of fact, it is imperative that organizations are run effectively to avoid the increased occurrence of work stress.   Knowledge management is a Stress Mediator making it a valuable managemen t tool in this regard. As Fong (2003) alludes, knowledge management through sharing promotes team building an important aspect of innovation. Stress in any business environment has the potential for claims that is detrimental to the individual, the organization, and ultimately the reputation of the industry. With a suitable and appropriate design, knowledge within the organization can be collected and shared in a manner most likely to mitigate stress inducers. Sommerville et al. (2004) explains that knowledge management is a broad term, to realize its potential; there is a need for a detailed analysis of its different facets. Among them, knowledge sharing is revealed as a potential cause of competitive advantage as well as a stress mediator. It is important to demystify the notion that stress is an independent factor in the production equation. Instead, focus need to be shifted to the treatment of people within the organization in regard to focusing on how the individuals within the organization are treated in terms of knowledge generation and sharing will aid the organization in its efforts to reduce workplace stress. Organizational Performance and Development through People Human resource is a major aspect of organizational performance and development, and this must be a focal point for every organization. It is no wonder that most organizations continually invest in people, in the today’s soft economy, so that they could have a competitive edge; have a loyal customer base, as well as a motivated work force (Cascio Boudreau, 2010 ). Business strategies involving the implementation of organizational development approaches are most likely to enhance performance of an organization, and most important tackle work related stress among employees. As noted in the above paragraphs, stress has been focused on as a major cause of low performance. This fallacy has been the cause of unnecessary attention on symptoms of the real issue. In the current world, investment in people has often helped most organizations achieve better performance, because investing in people often develops and retains highly skilled employees while holding them accountable to ensur e business success (IBM Business Consulting Services, 2005). There are organizations in this century that are still filled with individuals who are in the wrong jobs or those whose talents are not fully tapped in their current jobs(Wheeler et al., 2007).   Any management has an opportunity, through investing in people,to focus on improving their employees talents and tap them in ways that are beneficial to everyone in the organization.In the same line, investing in people encourage them to be creative, innovative, and support their efforts. The same logic is applicable to other resources: most organizations can discover its hidden resources, as well as those that are underutilized. On the contrary, lack of quality investments contributes significantly to disunity in organizations and gives rise to situations of conflict (Wheeler et al., 2007). Organizations that do not employ or implement appropriate investment in its human resource suffer great losses(Kreisman, 2002). Crucial to the success of any organization is a positive interaction between enterprise strategy and employee rewards. For most organizations, people performance management entails the redirection of resources to focus on the important aspects of the business such as motivating employees to enhance performance and organizational development. In these organizations, organizational performance and development is undertaken in more ways than one to improve organizational effectiveness. Organizational development antecedents vital to the effectiveness of business are good leadership, training, rewards, alignment and communication, which are anti dotes to stress. Good leadership and ability to motivate employees is a determinant in an effective human resource management in an organization. Good leadership is the determining factor in regard to people’s expectations whether formal or non-formal. Sanhueza(2011), posit that organizations that have leadership programs and incorporate them in their strategic plan are most likely to avoid leadership challenges that the organizations are likely to face in the future. There is not only a positive correlation between good leadership and organizational performance, but also with reduced workplace stress(Lopez et al., 2011). Leadership ensures the retention and selection of persons suitable for the company, and influence customers and other stakeholders. An organization can create leadership development programs in response to significant challenges, such as stress, other than leaving it to chance. It is imperative for an organization to create a culture of good leadership to foster honesty, sati sfaction and performance. Good leadership and motivation encourages organizational performance, an important aspect in any organization. According to Wirtenberg, et al. (2007), leadership is the passion and management the system that drives an organization to achieve the required performance (Wirtenberg, et al., 2007). Quality leadership entails developing a smart vision for the company, listening to customers, employees and other stakeholders, providing beneficial feedbacks, rewarding employees for their achievements and prioritizing customers’ needs. In addition, business leaders are supposed to nurture their employees, inspire and lead by examples. In this way, the company’s employees can adapt their habits to increase their individual performance. The major aspect of leadership that requires improvement is the need for leaders to understand the benefits of people to the development of their organization, and know that like any manager they should motivate and encou rage all stakeholders in the organization in order to enhance organizational effectiveness. Employee training as a component of organizational development is an important business process through which knowledge is built, and existing knowledge is rebuilt. An organization with a culture of training provides an enabling environment of knowledge creation and sharing making it more competitive in a dynamic market environment  (Fong, 2003). Training is necessary for supporting the organization’s alignment process, as well as, equipping employees with knowledge required when dealing with customers. The training includes customer service management aspects, improving services, and streamlining operations to reduce business costs (Bradford Burke, 2005). Necessary adjustments in training programs for organizations should include training of customers. This entails guiding them to be good clients by raising awareness of the products and providing them with useful information about the organization. Organizations are likely to benefit from training since training influences the execution of most business processes and co-operation to encourage business success as well as limiting workplace stress. Rewards and recognition are significant in shaping the way employees work within an organization. These are the conduit through which employees enhance their knowledge and satisfaction that breeds businesses performance and development. Besides, recognition and rewards facilitate organizational performance and development, which are vital aspects of improving organizational values and full utilization of resources. Recognition of employees and incentives encourage loyalty, commitment and foster participation in communication. Organizations with reward systems for their top-performing employees encourage productivity and development of business activities. Recognition of employees entails giving feedback on their performance, rewarding their achievements either formally or informally (Wirtenberg, et al., 2007). Rewards may be a trip to a company event, merchandise price of cash bonus; these reinforce positive behavior and eradicates workplace stress since workers tend to repeat behavi ors they are rewarded for. Improvements essential to rewards include structured customer promotions which thank customers thus building their loyalty over time via continual recognition. Organizational alignment and communication encourages the flow of business processes, which fosters organizational performance and development. In any organizational setting, communication begins with the establishment of vertical alignment, which entails moving the organization’s strategy through the company while turning objectives into actual work. Business alignment relies on continual communication within the organization which entails face-to-face contacts with all employees, regular meetings and internet. A clear understanding of the organizations’ workflow helps employees perform effectively since they are aware how their performance affects company success and consumer satisfaction (Rausch, et al., 2013). Communication helps employees understand their performances and understand the course of their actions to ensure that their work remains organized and jointly reinforcing completely eradication workplace stress. Success and Failure of Organizational Activities Organizations increasingly struggle to achieve competitive advantage and the success or failure of such achievement is dependent on business implementation. Center for Creative Leadership and Vangent(2007), explain that human capital is the most important component of business implementation. This is also evident in the fact that most researchers relate employees mental well being to organizational effectiveness.  Ã‚   It is critical for organizations take full advantage of their human capital investments by incorporating it in their strategic plan for effective management of employee talent base. Success and failure of organizational activities can be as a result of radical shifts in the business’ external as well as internal environment(Scott, 1992). Consistent with this paper’s argument is the fact that failure in organizational activities connected to the effectiveness of the management team.   There are several challenges in management that can lead to either s uccess or failure of organizational activities.   It is possible for the management to be composed of people who are homogeneous or heterogeneous in ideas and style of leadership. In situations requiring decision-making during turbulent times, heterogeneous groups are efficient than homogenous groups. Fink (1986) outlines that, in situations requiring fast decision-making in a catastrophic event, homogenous groups are effective. Besides, long serving and homogenous teams are unable to diagnose the causes of failure in escalating situations effectively (Fink, 1986).   For example, a homogenous management team may cut costs by increasing employee work load as a measure to increase production. Such wrong decisions can amplify the existing problem leading to complete failure of the business; these are some known cause of stress in the workplace (Schumpeter, 2010; Health and Safety Executive, 2006). Long-tenured managers often perceive business failures to come from external and temp orary issues while ignoring internal factors responsible for the failure, such as employee working conditions. Long serving managers are rigid to change, slow at decision-making and entrenchment, and spend more time identifying threats facing the organization (Geroski, 2001). Managerial succession improves organizational performance and survival rates. For example managerial succession in most organizations reduces conflict, increase business financial returns, and growth rates in situations whereby the successor is an outsider. Nonetheless, Miller (1990) asserts that success often results in over-confidence and arrogance among most organizations. Arrogance prevents firms from making small changes in their operations which leads to failure (Miller, 1990). In addition, successful organizations in reaction to external competitive pressures result to conservatism or even arrogant attitude. This is consistent with the common phrase in the business circles â€Å"success breeds failure a nd failure brings further failure in a spiral of business decay†(Ranft ONeill, 2001, p. 126). Besides, most businesses have the tendency to develop successful routines which grows into habits and routines ultimately become traditions thus preserving the company’s way of conducting business. As a result of redundancy in business processes, companies that were previously successful become unable to prevent their own downfall in the future. This is partly due to their inability to adopt a new and better method of business operations, such as implementation of knowledge management; this mitigates all other factors that could impede performance such as workplace stress. Moreover, success of organizational activities is often attributed to skills and training of managers, internal work environment, and psychological traits of employees. This part of the study focuses on managerial skills, training, and external environmental situations that encourage business success. As indicated in the below paragraphs, these two issues are essential because they are often influenced by policymakers in the organization(Henry Evans, 2008).According to a study by Levin-Epstein (2002), the most essential factor contributing success is good managerial skills coupled with financing, and personal traits. In this study, a manager with poor managerial skills is callous to the employees and makes the workplace environment unsuitable for most workers. This stresses some employees to the extent that their workplace productivity reduces. However, well-behaved and welcoming managers increase the employees’ morale thus increasing productivity which translates to business success. Besides, understanding the needs of the employees and customers increases the workers’ job satisfaction which increases productivity and ultimate success (Wheeler et al., 2007). Hard work is also an essential factor contributing to business success though the recommended eight hours may lead to improved satisfaction among employees. Such situations increase employees’ productivity and performance resulting in business activities success. Internal work environment and psychological traits of employees are the other factors that determine business success or failure. Most psychological studies indicate that high-esteem among employees regarding their roles in the organization reduces stress thus making them committed to the company (Dowell, 2001). In such scenarios, their productivity and performance increases contributing to business success, and failure in the contrary. Besides, self-competence and commitment increases business success; self-concept are ideas a person has about themselves based on their interactions with others. Based on this, if a person has a positive self-concept, they will act in a positive manner to increase their productivity and success of organizational activities. Employees who have high self-concept often believe in their abilities to accomplish any duty which makes them successful in most business errands; this increases performance, as well as, business success and most important creates a zero stress environment. Conclusion Stress is a symptom of a much complicated management challenges; it is not the problem as many researchers claim. Despite the fact that stress has a negative impact on employee performance and productivity, it is more important that organizations incorporate learning, knowledge management, and effective people management in strategic planning that support organizational effectiveness, as well as understanding the causes of success and failure in organizational activities. This would help demystify the common fallacy that stress is king in organizational effectiveness. Nonetheless, as indicated in the preceding paragraphs, stress has adverse effects on employees and stress management is necessary to minimize organizational failures. However, it is not the only factor that causes reduced workplace productivity and performance. Individuals in an organization must be able to share important knowledge through a well guided and effective organizational culture. This is a great motivator as well as a stress moderator. In addition, an organization must have in place good managerial structures that positively impact individuals in the organization. Human capital has been seen as vital in business implementation, a factor that has led many to focus on stress and its effects on organizational performance instead of management as a moderator of such a condition. Moreover, failure and success depends on factors such as the composition of the management, environmental changes, skills and training of managers, internal work environment among others. To alleviate organizational problems, methods such as social support, better workplace conditions, and self-perception among others are necessary to mitigate workplace failures. Additionally, engaging in interesting and complex tasks combined with flexible work procedures reduce failure rates which increases their productivity, but intra-department competition and poor interactions may alleviate the problems. Despite the numerous consequences associated with workplace issues, most organizations are reluctant to deal with the problems. It is critical for organizations to focus on internal management factors as key to alleviating issues such as stress instead of struggling to gain a competitive edge while shifting the blame to employees’ mental abilities in the name of stress.   Bibliography Beer, M. Eisenstats, R.A., 2000. The Silent Killers of Strategy implementation and learning. Sloan Management Review. Bradford, D.L. Burke, W.W., 2005. Reinventing Organization Development. San Francisco: Pfeiffer Publishers. Cascio, W. Boudreau, J.W., 2010. Investing in People: Financial Impact of Human Resource Initiatives. Upper Saddle River: FT Press. Center for Creative Leadership and Vangent, 2007. Executing Organizational Strategy: Achieving Success through Talent Management. [Online] Available at: ccl.org/leadership/pdf/community/VangentCCLExecutingOrganizationalStrategy.pdf [Accessed 16 December 2013]. Darroch, J., 2005. Knowledge Management, Innovation, and Firm Performance. Journal of Knowledge Management, 9(3), pp.101-15. Dowell, A., 2001. A Survey of Job Satisfaction, Sources of Stress and Psychological Symptoms Among New Zealand Health Professionals. New Zealand Medical Journal, 114, pp.540-44. Fink, S., 1986. Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable. AMACOM. Fong, P.S., 2003. Knowledge creation in multidisciplinary project teams: an empirical study of the processes and their dynamic interrelationships. International Journal of Project Management, 21, pp.479-86. Geroski, P.A., 2001. Exploring the Niche Overlaps Between Organizational Ecology and Industrial Economics. Industrial and Corporate Change, 10, pp.507-40. Gold, A.H., Malhortra, A. Segars, A.H., 2001. Knowledge Management: An Organizational Capabilities Perspective. Journal of ManagementInformation Systems, 18, pp.185-214. Hammer, M. Hershman, L., 2010. Faster Cheaper Better: The 9 Levers for Transforming How Work Gets Done. Crown Business. Haynes, B.P., 2008. An Evaluation of the Impact of the Office Environment on Productivity. Journal of Facilities, 26(5), pp.178-90. Health and Safety Executive, 2006. A business case for the Management Standards for Stress. Sandbury: HSE Books. Health Safety and Environment , 2013. Legal requirement. [Online] Available at: hse.gov.uk/stress/furtheradvice/legalresponsibility.htm [Accessed 15 December 2013]. Henry, O. Evans, A.J., 2008. Occupational Stress in Organisations. Journal of Management Research, 8(3), pp.123-35. IBM Business Consulting Services, 2005. The Capability Within: The Global Human Capital Study. IBM Human Capital Management. Ingirige, S.B. Betts, M., 2003. Knowledge sharing in Construction Alliances:demonstrating the utility of the Cognitive mapping technique in case study analysis. In 3rd International Postgraduate research conference in the Built and Human Environment. Lisbon, 2003. Kreisman, B.J., 2002. Insights Into Employee Motivation, Commitment and Retention. Insights Denver . Lopez, D., Green, M.T., Carmody-Buhh, M. Garza-Ortiz, D., 2011. Reducing Employee Stress – Practice Consideration-Oriented Leadership and Let Them Text. Leadership Review, 11, pp.144-56. McGuire, J.B., Palus, C.J., Pasmore, W. Rhodes, G.B., 2009. Transforming Your Organization. Center for Creative Leadership. Miller, D., 1990. The Icarus Paradox: How Exceptional Companies Bring About Their Own Downfall: New Lessons in the Dynamics of Corporate Success, Decline, and Renewal. New York: Harper Business. Nelson, R.R., 1995. Recent Evolutionary Theorizing and Economic Change. Journal of Economic Literature, 33, pp.48-49. New Zealand Government, 2009. Workplace Stress. [Online] Available at: dol.govt.nz/er/services/law/case/themes/2009-12-workplace-stress.asp#fn1 [Accessed 15 December 2013]. Rai, R.K., 2011. Knowledge management and organizational culture: a theoretical integrative framework. Journal of Knowledge Management, 15 (5), pp.779 801. Ranft, L.A. ONeill, M.H., 2001. Board Composition and High-flying Founders: Hints of trouble to come? The Academy of Management Executive, 15, pp.126-38. Rausch, P., Sheta, A. Ayesh, A., 2013. Business Intelligence and Performance Management: Theory, Systems, and Industrial Applications. United Kingdom: Springer Verlag. Sanhueza, J.A., 2011. Leadership development and its effects on organizational performance. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Schumpeter, 2010. Overstretched. The Economist, 20 May. Scott, W.R., 1992. Organizations: Rational, Natural and Open Systems. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Shanks, N.H., 2011. Management and Motivation. Burlington, London: Jones and Bartlet. Sommerville, J., Craig, N. McCarney, M., 2004. Knowledge Management as a Stress Mediator. In 20th Annual ARCOM Conference. Heriot, 2004. Vajda, P.G., 2012. Reflecting on stress and work. [Online] Available at: truenorthpartnering.com/sites/default/files/Refelecting%20on%20stress%20and%20work.pdf [Accessed 13 December 2013]. Wheeler, A.R., Gallagher, V.C., Brouer, R.L. Sablynski, C., 2007. When person-organization (mis)fit and (dis)satisfaction lead to turnover: The moderating role of perceived job mobility. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 22(2), pp.203 219. Wirtenberg, J., Harmon, J., Fairfield, K. Russell, W., 2007. HR’s Role in Building a Sustainable Enterprise: Insights From Some of the Worlds Best Companies. Human Resource Planning, 30(1), pp.10-20. Wirtenberg, et al., 2007. The Future of Organization Development: Enabling Sustainable Business Performance Through People. Organization Development Journal, 25(2), pp.7-22.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

WHAT IS THE REASON FOR GLOBAL TALENT MOBILITY IS IT RELEVANT TO THE Research Proposal

WHAT IS THE REASON FOR GLOBAL TALENT MOBILITY IS IT RELEVANT TO THE LAW AND POLICY OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES - Research Proposal Example Many companies are requiring high levels of flexibility from their subordinates as they increase their cross border activities. Furthermore, the changing trends towards diversity have put the firms under pressure to ensure that they get a global outlook. This is through having employees who emanates from different parts of the world. In 2011, the world changed dramatically. The financial crisis of 2009/2010 had a major impact on the global economy. Many countries across the world are still struggling to restore their local labor market. In countries that were highly affected, the local population eagerness to find a job abroad has increased immensely. Nevertheless, this does not necessarily mean that countries that have struggling economically are under pressure because the unemployed population will look for jobs in other countries. For instance, in some South European countries, the level of unemployment is very high. Nevertheless, the local population is not willing to leave their country in order to seek jobs elsewhere despite the ease to move to other European Union countries (Vance & Paik 2014). New opportunities keep arising in different markets across the world. With the increasing levels of competition in the local and international markets, companies are willing to take risks in order to tap to these opportunities. However, while opening these subsidiaries, they are forced to use some of their workforce that is experienced in dealing with customers who emanates from different cultural, racial, and religious background. The business world is changing rapidly. This has transformed the way companies are outsourcing their workforce, organize, and manage them. Currently, knowledge, trade, and technology are interlinked now more than ever (Vaiman & Haslberger 2013). The world is experiencing an explosive growth in the emerging markets, an aspect that is increasing the number of employees working away from their homes. In the past one decade, new

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Identify the main issues in the new multilateral agenda and explain Essay

Identify the main issues in the new multilateral agenda and explain how the interests of developed countries differ from those o - Essay Example Multilateral trade entails agreements among several nations on the quantity, price and tariffs of the trade (Keet, 2000). Multilateralism enables nations to solve complex global problems especially on issues that entail the use of force. Barfield (2001) is of the opinion that multilateral rules should promote greater transparency and consistency through minimising the distortions caused by the discriminatory practices of some nations. The agreements should also provide legal security in dispute resolution and increase equity in market access among the member nations. The agreements should also consider the interests of the developing countries such as the need of harmonized trading systems that eliminate a lot of bureaucracies (Kulovesi, 2011). The World Trade Organisation (WTO) was created in January 1995 can be termed as the biggest reform in multilateral trade since the end of the 2nd World War. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was established in 1947 and arranged 8 w orld rounds. At the Tokyo round, 102 GATT participating countries resolved to cut custom duties by a third in the major industrial markets thus bring the custom duties to about 4.7 percent compared with a high of 40 percent at the inception of GATT in 1947 (Schott, 2000). However, the recessions of early 1980s forced many countries in North America and Europe to start bilateral agreements with competitors and enhance the subsidies in order to remain competitive. WTO was founded on the principles of non-discrimination of the foreign and local companies, transparency in trade negotiations, reciprocity in concessions and differential treatment since developing countries could require favourable treatment and positive discrimination (Blackhurst 1998). There are numerous reasons why WTO was created to replace GATT. GATT only covered trade on merchandised goods unlike WTO that includes trade in intellectual property and services (Barfield, 2001). GATT only entailed set rules and instructi ons that had no institutional foundation unlike, WTO which is a permanent institution with a fully recognised secretariat. The member countries wanted a new multilateral trade system with faster dispute resolution unlike old GATT system (Blackhurst 1998). The GATT agreements and provisions were subject to the discretion and willingness of the member countries in the implementation thus many countries declined in implementing certain provisions for own reasons, unlike the WTO guidelines that are compulsory and permanent. Agricultural products, textiles and services were exempt from GATT regulations and some member countries administered anti-dumping duties and voluntary export restrains that led to trade distortions (Keet, 2000). There are numerous challenges facing the WTO such as the labour standards. Labour organisations have asserted that WTO guidelines permit the exploitation of labour and ultimate destruction of the environment. According to Mitchell (2005), the WTO standards u ndermine the country regulations that are designed to conserve the environment and ensure the health and safety of its citizens. The major controversy is whether WTO is the right institution to enforce the global labour standards especially in developing countries whose economic production is labour-intensive. Although WTO indicated that it would work with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) since 1996, it seems to

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Computer Operating System Essay Example for Free

Computer Operating System Essay The Windows series of operating systems produced by the Microsoft Corporation primarily make use of two file systems: the File Allocation Table (FAT) and the New Technology File System (NTFS). Additionally, some versions of Windows NT also support the use of the High Performance File System (HPFS), a result of Microsoft’s joint developer involvement with IBM to produce the OS/2 operating system. (Duncan, 1989; Custer, 1994) Initially released with DOS, FAT makes use of a table which indexes information on which sections of the storage medium are free, unusable or taken up by files. Disk space is partitioned into distinct units known as sectors or clusters. There is no real organization to the directory structure of FAT, and as such free disk space can become distributed across many different sectors, resulting in file space being allocated in discontiguous sectors. As such, data is highly fragmented and increases seek times. (Microsoft, 2007; Duncan 1989) HPFS was first introduced with OS/2. It improved over the core functionality of the FAT system by introducing additional room for metadata attributes. Allocation units were changed from clusters to physical sectors of 512 bytes each, optimizing the disk space used for each file. HPFS directory entries also hold more attribute data: they possess single sector FNODEs that serve as the control structure for each directory. Fragmentation is drastically reduced by allocating as much of a file in contiguous sectors. However, the HPFS is dependent on a Super Block which contains the control structures of the root directory – essentially the root FNODE. The Super Block is thus vulnerable to corruption or loss from a bad sector which can compromise an entire partition’s useability. (Microsoft, 2007; Duncan, 1989) NTFS was designed to meet the growing demand for network servers and file sharing capabilities and it borrowed many of its concepts from the HPFS. (Kozierok, 2001) It is a journaling file system which permits greater recoverability by reverting files back to a useable state in the event of power failures and system crashes that occur during file transactions. Additionally, it also makes use of an expanded meta-data system which allows administrators to set a wider variety of access and use controls to files. The NTFS also optimizes data by storing small files into the Master File Table of the NTFS itself. The larger system format limit provides means that allocation units are much more refined as well. (Microsoft, 2004; 2007) Memory management on Windows has an access limit of up to 4GB of physical memory, and as such, the allocation of memory to processes is limited by this cap. By using paging to transfer pages of data between main memory and an auxiliary storage device such as a hard drive, it can overcome some of the limitations of physical RAM and enable system processes to have their own 4GB logical address space. Additionally, Windows accords memory protection to process in such a manner as to prevent access to one another, which is crucial to ensure that processes can operate simultaneously without compromising their functionality. (Garg, 2008) Microsoft Windows is essentially an operating system that is built with multi-tasking in mind, which in effect, allows multiple programs to be executed simultaneously. Each application is composed of one or more processes, each of which provides the resources needed to execute a program. Processes are composed of threads, a discrete unit by which processor time is allocated and a single thread, called the primary thread initiates the process. Each thread may execute any portion of code in the process, including those already being executed by another thread. Virtual address space and system resources are shared by threads of a single process, though exception handlers, scheduling priority and other components that determine a thread’s importance and role within the context of a process. (Microsoft Developer Network, 2008) Windows possesses many of the essential features crucial to basic security such as authentication and access control, encryption schemes and protection profiles. However, the API for cryptography is easily compromised by the fact that it easily trusts multiple keys in certifying authority of access. As such, only one code key is necessary to render a system vulnerable. Such a compromise is possible either through accidental disclosure of the private key or when the certifying authority mistakenly issues a certificate. On the level of network security protocol, Windows makes use of IPSec, a cryptographic IP-level protection system which is an open standard in the industry, which functions not only through data encryption and verification of hosts but by detecting modifications made to data during network transit. (Quardt, 2004) Windows security is at its most problematic with regards to applications and non-operating system products. Part of the problem is that for the purposes of consumer convenience, Microsoft Windows continues to be reliant on legacy applications that contain security threats that were of trivial matter during their initial release. Furthermore, the signature architecture of Microsoft programs is to mix application code and data, such as ActiveX for example, can allow untrusted data from outside the system to activate code. (Quardt, 2004) Also, Windows approves digitally signed code even if it is supplied from outside of the system, which means that a system administrator must implicitly trust whoever has signed the code to have subjected it to appropriate code review. In essence, the problem with Windows security is that trust and certification is so decentralized as to deny systems administrators total control and authority over the trustworthiness of code.   REFERENCES Microsoft Corporation. (2007, May 7) Overview of FAT, HPFS and NTFS File Systems. Retrieved August 9, 2008 from: http://support. microsoft. com/kb/100108 Microsoft Corporation (2004, May 5) Local File Systems for Windows. Retrieved August 9, 2008: http://download. microsoft. com/download/5/b/5/5b5bec17-ea71-4653-9539-204a672f11cf/LocFileSys. doc Duncan, R. (1989, September) Design goals and implementation of the new High Performance File System. Microsoft Systems Journal, 4, 5, 1-13. Custer, H. (1994) Inside the Windows NT File System. Washington: Microsoft Press. Kozierok, C. M. (2001, April 17). Overview and History of NTFS. PCGuide. Garg, P. â€Å"Windows Memory Management. † Intellectual Heaven. Retrieved August 10, 2008 from: http://www. intellectualheaven. com/Articles/WinMM. pdf Microsoft Developer Network (2008, August 7). â€Å"About Processes and Threads. † Retrieved August 10, 2008 from: http://msdn. microsoft. com/en-us/library/ms681917(VS. 85,printer). aspx Hart, J. M. (2004) Windows System Programming, 3rd Edition. Boston: Addison-Wesley Professional. Quandt, S. (2004, May 25) â€Å"Linux and Windows security compared. † Linux. com Retrieved August 11, 2008 from: http://www. linux. com/articles/36273? page=2

Friday, November 15, 2019

Marijuana: Safe, Therapeutic, and Illegal :: Pro Marijuana Legalization

Marijuana is illegal. Illegal to possess, purchase, distribute or grow. To start off the basic non-creative, non-read between the lines question; Why? Why was marijuana made illegal that fateful day 68 years ago. Is there a justifiable reason to the original criminalization and continuation of that law to present day? So, again I ask; Why? Yet, besides the reason why marijuana is illegal many are against the prohibition laws. However, possibly just as many are for keeping marijuana in the same position it has stood for 68 years. Prohibitionists’ only non defensive argument is that marijuana is a gateway drug. Those in favor of marijuana legalization claim it has a medicinal value and is no worse than alcohol or cigarettes, in their own separate ways. Prohibitionists tend to disagree. Lastly, it seems the system is broken. The way the laws are set up really doesn’t work very effectively, or maybe the focus is on the wrong part of this situation or the ways to eliminate t he â€Å"problem† are being carried out in the wrong manor. Either way, whether marijuana is decriminalized or not some changes need to be made to the current system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After a series of events the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 banned marijuana but it created consequences that were not expected. Prior to the congressional meeting, at which marijuana would be banned, lies and propaganda had been flying about amongst the people. Only years after alcohol prohibition ended the liquor industry, obviously seeing marijuana as a major threat, released the movie Reefer Madness, depicting a man going insane from smoking marijuana, which leads him to murder his entire family. He obviously had some other serious issues. Seeing hemp as a major threat to the plastics industry and timber industry, each aided in promoting the movie and campaigning for marijuana prohibition. Since alcohol prohibition had ended in 1933 the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, now DEA, was losing money. This could be connected to their director, Harry Anslinger’s strong interest in marijuana prohibition. He spoke before congress with circumstantial evidence and accusati ons that I hopefully would not fly today. â€Å"Most marijuana smokers are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes.† I would think today that this statement would be considered bad conduct but then again it isn’t quite legal to have a partner of the same sex. Marijuana: Safe, Therapeutic, and Illegal :: Pro Marijuana Legalization Marijuana is illegal. Illegal to possess, purchase, distribute or grow. To start off the basic non-creative, non-read between the lines question; Why? Why was marijuana made illegal that fateful day 68 years ago. Is there a justifiable reason to the original criminalization and continuation of that law to present day? So, again I ask; Why? Yet, besides the reason why marijuana is illegal many are against the prohibition laws. However, possibly just as many are for keeping marijuana in the same position it has stood for 68 years. Prohibitionists’ only non defensive argument is that marijuana is a gateway drug. Those in favor of marijuana legalization claim it has a medicinal value and is no worse than alcohol or cigarettes, in their own separate ways. Prohibitionists tend to disagree. Lastly, it seems the system is broken. The way the laws are set up really doesn’t work very effectively, or maybe the focus is on the wrong part of this situation or the ways to eliminate t he â€Å"problem† are being carried out in the wrong manor. Either way, whether marijuana is decriminalized or not some changes need to be made to the current system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After a series of events the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 banned marijuana but it created consequences that were not expected. Prior to the congressional meeting, at which marijuana would be banned, lies and propaganda had been flying about amongst the people. Only years after alcohol prohibition ended the liquor industry, obviously seeing marijuana as a major threat, released the movie Reefer Madness, depicting a man going insane from smoking marijuana, which leads him to murder his entire family. He obviously had some other serious issues. Seeing hemp as a major threat to the plastics industry and timber industry, each aided in promoting the movie and campaigning for marijuana prohibition. Since alcohol prohibition had ended in 1933 the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, now DEA, was losing money. This could be connected to their director, Harry Anslinger’s strong interest in marijuana prohibition. He spoke before congress with circumstantial evidence and accusati ons that I hopefully would not fly today. â€Å"Most marijuana smokers are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes.† I would think today that this statement would be considered bad conduct but then again it isn’t quite legal to have a partner of the same sex.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

External-Internal Factors Paper

There are many internal and external factors that can affect how a business is developed and maintained. Amazon. com has been molded from many of these factors that exist within their business and their macroenvironment. Macroenvironment is defined as the most general elements in the external environment that potentially influence strategic decisions (Bateman & Snell, 2009). Internal business factors can include new entrants, buyers, suppliers, rivals, substitutes and complements, and the competitive environment Amazon is faced with. The macroenvironment introduces the economy, technology, laws and politics, demographics, and social values that may affect Amazon’s progress as a leading, online retail provider. In planning their business, Amazon had to take into account all internal and external factors to avoid catastrophic troubles while beginning their company. The same concept holds true, even today. Internal and external factors affect the planning, organizing, leading, and controlling (four functions of management) functions of management involved in the successful and continual growth of Amazon’s company. Their company began as a planned rival to Google and Microsoft, for lead in the online retail industry. With their original focus, Amazon used four different key values to help their business off-the-ground, and stay focused on their personalized progress. Their ability to zone-in on customers, dynamic pricing, personalized service, and brand variety was their plan for success (Amazon, 2011). It became a primary goal for Amazon to make their customers’ online shopping experience easier and more enjoyable while supplying dynamic pricing options and the convenience of a ‘one-stop’ retail ordering system. The business model of Amazon included selling books, compact discs, movies, electronics, and games. Currently, Amazon has the largest online retail selection because it extends its inventory out to offer home goods, clothing, food, automotive, and jewelry products (Amazon, 2011). Amazon’s website is specifically designed for e-commerce. The features are consumer-friendly and guide the customer through product listings that rival any major department store. Their website allows the recommendation of future product purchases based on consumer shopping/browsing history saved through their advanced customer relationship management (CRM) system. Amazon’s initial desire was to prevent the average consumer from needing to leave the comfort of their own home to accomplish their normal and continual shopping needs. This desire continues to be the driving-point for Amazon’s foundation. Amazon has organized their human resources to provide personalized customer service that readily matches other online retailers. Amazon does not offer in-store customer-service because they are an online business entity; however, they do offer e-mail, phone, and online live-chat customer service support. To enhance Amazon’s website structure, there was need for more consumer options than rival competitors that supported the customer better. Amazon provides other services to include developer, advertising, and self-publishing services. Developer services allow Amazon to use the new idea of incorporating human intelligence tasks into their company’s services, now Amazon is better able to provide for their consumers and their consumer’s business needs. Advertising services enable web developers the use of Amazon’s advertisements on their own websites, for easier customer fulfillment capabilities. Self-publishing services allow on-demand publishing for any novice-to-intermediate non-published authors to display their written content publicly for sale on Amazon. com. To fulfill shipping requirements on retail goods sold, Amazon had to build more than four million warehouses to prevent large amounts of backorders (Amazon, 2011). For dynamic pricing, Amazon conducted real-time price tests to measure out customer responses and adjust prices accordingly for better customer satisfaction. Amazon encourages new retail seller affiliates to sell on their marketplace to expand the purchase options and avenues for its customers. Amazon has remained the leading e-retail provider for the entire world since early 2009 (Stores Magazine, 2010). Amazon hasn’t been affected by new entrants into the retail industry as much as a smaller retail company could. Although new companies do take a slight portion of the industry, Amazon has yet to be financially scathed in a troubling way. In addition to sales, Amazon also provides community support to disaster relief, tools for non profit organizations, and grants for non profit author and publisher groups. This allows the public community to see and understand that Amazon does care for its customers in the furthest sense of the word. Additionally, Amazon is proud to be a business party involved in environmentally aware programs that discern Amazon as an eco-friendly company, by enacting a â€Å"Frustration-Free† packaging model. This makes products easier to open because it uses 100% recyclable cardboard packaging and the product remains the same, just in streamlined packaging (Amazon, 2011). Amazon does its best to render personalized service to their customers. The ‘Recommendations’ feature on their website tracks the purchases each customer makes, so on the next visit to Amazon. com they can see similar products based on previous purchases. Amazon also sends personalized e-mails to customers informing them on new items that fall into their recommended categories. When concerning pricing and branding, Amazon places online customer valued selections, convenience, and good services above pricing (Amazon, 2011). Amazon has instituted several controls to ensure a complex, yet user-friendly website and business. They have supplied their website with enough graphical descriptions and pictures of purchasable goods to ensure more accurate product purchases. By designing a more convenient ‘one-click’ ordering system, the need to re-enter customer payment information had been eliminated. Amazon takes studious care in the ethics, legal, and security issues of their customers. By limiting the amount of internal and external parties that have access to personal customer account information, stating their legal responsibilities for quality of merchandise sold, and educating consumer patrons on security measures, Amazon can better protect Internet purchase transactions. Amazon has expanded to include tools on their website to further assist intermediate consumers. Tools such as the Simple Storage Service (S3), the Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), and the Mechanical Turk. With the establishment of these services, Amazon can revolutionize their productivity of their storage space, processing power, and non-automated web services by lending space and processing power in their network. This allows Amazon to store, manage, and collect other businesses’ data and information, on their daily business processes and human intelligence tasks, and Amazon takes a percentage of the profit (Amazon, 2011). Whether buying services or goods through Amazon, this combined market strategy allows Amazon to continue to excel at retail leadership and control. References Amazon (2011). Amazon. Retrieved from http://www. amazon. com/ Amazon (2011). Amazon and our planet. Retrieved from http://www. amazon. com/b/ref=gw_m_b_corpres? ie=UTF8&node=13786321 Bateman, T. S. , & Snell, S. A. (2009). Management: Leading and collaborating in a competitive world (8th ed. ). Chapter 1: Managing. Retrieved from https://portal. phoenix. edu/classroom/coursematerials/mgt_330/20110425/. Bateman, T. S. , & Snell, S. A. (2009). Management: Leading and collaborating in a competitive world (8th ed. ). Chapter 2: The External Environment and Organizational Culture. Retrieved from https://portal. phoenix. edu/classroom/coursematerials/mgt_330/20110425/.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Cosmetology and College Search

When wanting to be a good Cosmetologist that person has to have good work ethics as in being self-motivated with their work. Cosmetology careers are jobs that help someone’s appearance look better over time as the hair is done by a licensed worker (An Introduction to Cosmetology). For someone to be a good cosmetologist he or she has to have a creative mind and has to be a friendly person (An Introduction to Cosmetology).When that worker is working with someone’s hair, the main thing to remember is to ask the customer how the hair is going to be cut and the instructions of that person always needs to be followed in order to keep the customer. Cosmetology workers can earn lots of money if taken the right path to succeed their possibilities in the future.The general tasks a hairdresser may do daily and many more could include keeping work stations kept clean at all times and cleaning hair accessories after each use, being sure to ask the customer what hair style they would like and follow their instructions on how they want it, â€Å"look at the hair and give the customer a couple of ideas on how the hair style could look†, picking up the phone and taking customers calls and scheduling appointments, â€Å"going through all files and making sure they are updated with all the customers correct information†, being on cash register duty to take the customers money from them, selling hair care products is a major component of this career and cosmetologists like to show customers before they leave the salon and demonstrate the items that would work best with their hair for them to sell. (College Search and Planning Guide).A cosmetologist can â€Å"make an average of $11. 21 an hour and make an average of $43,250 a year† (College Search and Planning Guide). In order for a worker to make this much they usually have 40 hour workweeks. â€Å"In the United States, there are about 349,210 hairdresser/cosmetology jobs offered to people in in terest of being a cosmetologist†(College Search and Planning Guide). The work environment for hairdressers is 99% always clean to satisfy a customer in their own personal salon or someone else that owns that salon (College Search and Planning Guide).

Friday, November 8, 2019

The Delian League essays

The Delian League essays What where the original provisions of the Delian League? How far did Athens adhere to them between 478 and 445 B.C? The Delian League (478-461) was an affiliation of Greek city-states. When faced with subjugation from Persia, they and the states in the islands in the Aegean turned towards Athens and her powerful navy for aegis and alliance. As it was led by Athens it is sometimes pejoratively referred to as the Athenian Empire. The Delian League had many provisions such as allies, an oath, finance headquarters and Synod. Athens adhered to these necessities for a certain amount of time. However they were soon contravened, so that Athens became an imperial state. Thucydides believed that there was no turning point where Athens transgressed these provisions, rather It was the actual course of events which first compelled us to increase our power to its present extent. The aims of the League were two-fold. Their first objective was to attain a short-term offensive stance, thereby attacking Persian areas in order to, as Thucydides says Compensate themselves for their losses by ravaging the territory of the King of Persia. As well as this there was a long-term offensive intention, to maintain the freedom of the Greeks and to create a defensive association to cope with future attacks. Initially the allies were independent states, they had their own particular forms of government. Conversely, rebellious states soon lost their sovereignty and became subject to Athens. Aristotle believed it was Aristides Who swore the oaths to the Ionians that they should have the same enemies and friends to confirm which they sank lumps of iron in the sea. This oath was sworn bilaterally between the Athenians and their counterparts. It was an indication that Athens was to be the hegemon and that the League was undeviating. In this respect it would therefore be seen that an apostasy is recognised as a rebellion...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How to Use a Library for Research

How to Use a Library for Research For some students, one of the biggest differences between high school and college is the amount and depth of research that is required for research papers. College professors expect students to be quite adept at researching, and for some students, this is a big change from high school. This is not to say that high school teachers dont do a great job of preparing students for college-level research- quite the contrary! Teachers fill a tough and essential role in teaching students how to research and write. College professors simply require students to take that skill to a new level. For example, you may soon discover that many college professors won’t accept encyclopedia articles as sources. Encyclopedias are great for finding a compact, informative accumulation of research on a specific topic. They are a great resource for finding the basic facts, but they are limited when it comes to offering interpretations of the facts. Professors require students to dig a little deeper than that, accumulate their own evidence from broader sources, and form opinions about their sources as well as the specific topics. For this reason, college-bound students should become familiar with the library and all its terms, rules, and methods. They should also have the confidence to venture outside the comfort of the local public library and explore more diverse resources. Card Catalog For years, the card catalog was the only resource for finding much of the material available in the library. Now, of course, much of the catalog information has become available on computers. But not so fast! Most libraries still have resources that haven’t been added to the computer database. As a matter of fact, some of the most interesting items- the items in special collections, for instance- will be the last to be computerized. There are many reasons for this. Some documents are old, some are hand-written, and some are too fragile or too cumbersome to handle. Sometimes it’s a matter of manpower. Some collections are so extensive and some staffs are so small, that the collections will take years to computerize. For this reason, it’s a good idea to practice using the card catalog. It offers an alphabetical listing of titles, authors, and subjects. The catalog entry gives the call number of the source. The call number is used to locate the specific physical location of your source. Call Numbers Each book in the library has a specific number, called a call number. Public libraries contain many books of fiction and books relevant to general use. For this reason, public libraries often use the Dewey Decimal System, the preferred system for fictional books and general use books. Generally, fiction books are alphabetized by the author under this system. Research libraries use a very different system, called the Library of Congress (LC) system. Under this system, books are sorted by topic instead of the author. The first section of the LC call number (before the decimal) refers to the subject of the book. That is why, when browsing books on shelves, you will notice that books are always surrounded by other books on the same topic. Library shelves are usually labeled on each end, to indicate which call numbers are contained within the particular aisle. Computer Search Computer searches are great, but they can be confusing. Libraries are usually affiliated or connected to other libraries (university systems or county systems). For this reason, computer databases will often list books that are not located in your local library. For instance, your public library computer may give you a â€Å"hit† on a certain book. On closer inspection, you may discover that this book is only available at a different library in the same system (county). Don’t let this confuse you! This is actually a great way to locate rare books or books that are published and distributed within a small geographic location. Just be aware of codes or other indication which specify the location of your source. Then ask your librarian about interlibrary loans. If you want to limit your search to your own library, it is possible to conduct internal searches. Just become familiar with the system. When using a computer, be sure to keep a pencil handy and write down the call number carefully, to avoid sending yourself on a wild goose chase! Remember, it’s a good idea to consult the computer and the card catalog, to avoid missing a great source. If you already enjoy research, youll grow to love special collections departments. Archives and special collections contain the most interesting items youll encounter as you conduct your research, such as valuable and unique objects of historical and cultural significance. Things like letters, diaries, rare and local publications, pictures, original drawings, and early maps are located in special collections. Rules Each library or archive will have a set of rules relevant to its own special collections room or department. Normally, any special collection will be set apart from the public areas and will require special permission to enter or to access. You may be required to put most of your belongings into a locker as you enter the room or building where special items are held. Things like pens, markers, beepers, phones, are not permitted, as they could damage delicate collection items or disrupt other researchers.You may find special collections materials by doing a normal library search with index cards, but the search process may differ from place to place.Some libraries will have all the collections materials indexed in their electronic databases, but some will have special books or guides for the special collections. Dont worry, someone will always be on hand to guide you and let you know where to find materials that sound interesting.Some material will be available on microfilm or microfiche. Film items are usually kept in drawers, and you can probably retrieve either of these yourself. Once you find the right film, you will need to read it on a machine. These machines may differ from place to place, so just ask for a little direction. If you conduct a search and identify a rare item youd like to view, you will probably have to fill out a request for it. Ask for a request form, fill it in, and turn it in. One of the archivists will retrieve the item for you and tell you how to handle it. You may have to sit at a specific table and wear gloves to view the item. Does this process sound a little intimidating? Dont be frightened off by the rules! They are put into place so that archivists can protect their very special collections! Youll soon find that some of these items are so intriguing and so valuable to your research that theyre well worth the extra effort.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Persuasive Paper---The E-Sport professionals players should be Essay

Persuasive Paper---The E-Sport professionals players should be accepted and acknowledged authenticly by the public - Essay Example They involve use of computers and in most cases, the use of the internet. Players in these games are referred to as the e-sport professionals. However, over the years, the game has not been recognized as an authentic occupation or career like other games like football do. This paper explores the benefits that can be drawn from e-sport, such as earning of revenues, better health and better productivity of the player that warranty the reason for it been made a career. An e-sport game is conducted in a similar way like an athletic sporting event; the players are guided by a set of rules and regulations that guide them, the actions are commentated by a sportscaster just like other games, they have an audience and they have a referee who officiates the game. However, these games only require only one commentator unlike other games. E-sports can be dated back to 1980s when gaming tournaments would be conducted in arcades. In the 1990s, the video game competitions started been held in large auditoriums. Between the years 2000 and 2013, e-sports became even more popular as a competition game. Over the years, the sport has become very popular, especially with the rise of access to the internet, as it enables players to be able to compete in the game remotely and the game can be broadcasted online. The rise of the e-sport game has also witnessed the rise of professional video game players and provided platforms where they can participate at international levels in the game for cash prizes. They are commonly sponsored by technology companies though they generate a lot of money from selling tickets and online viewing subscriptions. E-Sport generally involves numerous genres of video games. The most common real-time strategy (RTS) games include Dota, Starcraft 2 and the League of Legends. Popular first-person shooters games include Half Life and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Other games played in e-sports competitions

Friday, November 1, 2019

Meuse-Argonne Offensive Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Meuse-Argonne Offensive - Research Paper Example The battle led to the stronghold of Allies with a loss of German’s on the Western front.   The European states vied together for power and military alliance. Britain, France and Russia from Asia formed a strong block. It was now a must for Germany to find a suitable alliance that could eliminate the danger of its extermination. Austria and Turkey were there for her. Then an incident, in the city of Sarajevo, made the European nations face a situation that the western philosophers feared for years. The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife Sophie led to hostilities between Serbia and Austria. The involvement of Russia and Germany on the side of Serbia and Austria, respectively, made the situation worse. Things became uncontrollable, as more and more countries began to get involved in the matter. On August 4, 1914, the German army marched into Belgium. As the war got fierce, more and more war fronts opened for Germany. With the beginning of revolution in Russia in 1 918, Germany deployed its freed troops on the western front. Using remarkable tactics of long wars, Germany gained many achievements and the French armies were then in retreat. The Germans had to face mines and military of the American Expeditionary Force at Belleau Wood, which slowed down its advancement. Meanwhile, the French army reformed its front, together with the British army. The whole area from the Meuse River to the top of the Mountains of Argonne was under a stronghold of the Germans. The presence of mines, camouflaged trenches, heavy artillery and a large number of German troops made this area a difficult battlefield for the Allies. The Argonne forest provided a good shelter to the Germans, where they could rest without the risk of being attacked. It was so because the area was lined by guns, mines and trenches and supported by artillery fire. There was no place, on the western front where the German army could think itself more safe and sound than the Argonne forest. Th is was probably the reason, for the Allies, to think the battle at this field as a decisive one. With a fresh American army on the southern flank of the western front, the Allies could now think of an offensive on the German troops in the Argonne forests. At 5:30 on the afternoon of September 26th, the American 1st Army jumped off with the French holding their flanks. The U.S. Army and the French 4th Army shared the Meuse-Argonne offensive which proved to be the biggest and the deadliest one for the American Expeditionary Force in the World War I. The French General Mariano Goybet, commanding the 157 Red Hand Division, indulged in the Meuse-Argonne offensive on 28th September. (â€Å"Meuse-Argonne Offensive†) 371 and 372 were two of his African American regiments. During the first nine days, the 372 regiment progressed through 4.8 miles of enemy defense. They captured 600 prisoners, 15 heavy guns, 20 Minenwerfers and about 150 machine guns. (â€Å"Meuse-Argonne Offensiveâ₠¬ ) The 372 regiment’s part was very important in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The regiment suffered total casualties of 500 men.