Physician Payment Reform Essay Example for Free

Physician Payment Reform Essay 1. The three goals of the Physician Payment Reform is to decrease medicare expenditures by promoting preventative care and preventing unnecessary hospital stays. The next goal is to Re-distribute physicians payments more equitably by ensuring that physicians receive a fair payment for services rendered. The last goal is to ensure quality health care at a reasonable rate. 2. Modifier -25 would be the appropriate choice, it is a separately indentifiable service that was provided by the same physician on the same day. 3. Medicare pays physicians for services based on three basic compnents called relative value units. The first is Physician work which is the time, skill, and training it takes to provide a particular service. The next is practice expense which is everything that goes into running a practice, like equipment, rent, supplies, etc. The last of these is malpractice, which covers the cost of professional liability expenses. 4. The three types of persons eligible for medicare are the elderly who are age 65 and older. The second are people who are disabled and drawing by social security disability The third are people who are in the stage of renal failure (ESRD). 5. The six basic location methods to find main terms in the index of CPT are; procedure/service, synonym, eponymous, anatomic site, condition of disease, and abbreviations. 6. 99253 is the appropriate E/M code of the initial impatient consultation. The consultation was with a detailed history, a detailed exam, and MDM of low complexity 7. The four elements of history are the chief complaint, the second is the history of present illness. The third is the review of systems, and the final is past, family, and/or social history. 8. The complexity of medical decision making is based off of the number of diagnoses, risk or morbidity (complication or death), and the amount of data (complexity). 9. The appropriate CPT code for this scenario is 99214. The re is a detailed history, a detailed exam, and a MDM of moderate complexity. 10. The three key components that are present in every patient case, (except counseling encounters or time-based codes) are  history, examination and medical decision making. 11. The correct CPT code for this clinic note is 99396. It is a 42-year-old female who is going for a routine physical exam, which is a preventative measure to ensure her health. 12. The appropriate CPT code would be 99341. This case is for a home visit with a problem focused history, a problem focused exam, as well as a straight forward MDM. 13. The four levels of history type are problem focused, expanded problem focused, detailed and comprehensive. 14. The appropriate CPT code is 99281, and the ICD-9 code is 918.1. 15. This scenario has a problem focused history, a problem focused exam and a straight forward MDM (or of low complexity.) Therefore the correct CPT code is 99231. 16. If a patient were discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of probable myocardial infarction without a history of MI in the past, the coder would use the ICD-9 diagnosis code 410 for this stay. 17. The correct CPT code is 13160, and the correct ICD-9 code is 998.32. 18. The difference between outpatient and inpatient measures of time is that outpatient care is when a patient comes in and receives a medical procedure or treatment and goes home immediately. As where with inpatient care they will receive a medical procedure and stay at the hospital. 19. In this scenario the patient has a fracture of the distal radius, the appropriate CPT code for this is 25600. 20. Four of the five graft types in the musculoskeletal system are bone graft, tissue, fascia, and cartilage. 21. The procedure that was performed in this scenario is on the placement of a halo. The correct CPT code for this scenario is 20661. 22. Since the procedure in this scenario is a left heath catherterization with coronary angiography and left ventriculogra, the correct CPT code for this is 93452. 23. The correct CPT code for the placement only of a dual-chamber pacemaker is 33208. 24. In this scenario the proced ure is for the replacement of a pulse generator in an old pacemaker, the correct CPT code is 33228. 25. The correct CPT diagnosis code is 58558, and the correct ICD-9 code is 621.0. 26. This outpatient clinic scenario is for a bilateral screening mammogram, the correct CPT code is 77057. 27. The correct CPT code for this scenario, an MRI of the brain, is 70552. 28. This scenario is for a dialysis progress note, the correct CPT code is 90947. 29. The correct CPT code for a pulmonary walking stress test is 94620. 30. Physical status modifier P3 indicates a patient with severe systemic disease. 31. The correct CPT code  for a patient who receives anesthesia for revision of total hip arthroplasty is 01215. The physical status modifier would be P2, because the patient has mild systemic disease. 32. The main term in the diagnosis of fractured clavicle is fractured. 33. The main term in the diagnosis of globe adhesions is adhesions. 34. The main term in the diagnosis of urinary retention is retention. 35. The main term in the diagnosis of acute pneumonia is pneumonia. 36. The correct code for personal history of peptic ulcer is V12.71. 37. The correct code for family history of breast cancer (for a), female is V16.3. 38. The correct code for the preoperative evaluation is V72.83, the code for COPD is 496. 39. In this scenario it is for a simple repair of a superficial wound of the nose measuring 5.2cm, the correct CPT code for this is 12014. 40. To correctly code a lesion excision you must first know the size, location, and number of lesions. You must also know if it is malignant or benign to properly code. 41. The appropriate CPT code for an unlisted procedure of the neck or thorax is 21899.

Analysing Recruitment Strategies Of Brunt Hotels English Language Essay

Analysing Recruitment Strategies Of Brunt Hotels English Language Essay Brunt Hotels, owns more than 30 hotels throughout the United Kingdom. They recently acquired a small hotel chain headquartered in France. Brunts chief executive decided that half of the new hotels in France would be retained and rebranded as part of the Brunt Hotels Group. The other half will be sold. This will support Brunts strategic objective of growing the organization slowly to make sure that new ventures are well supported and opened on time and on budget. The organization has decided to use an ethnocentric approach and send some of their existing UK-based managers to France to lead the changeover of the new hotels and then manage them after they re-open. If this new overseas venture is successful, Brunt may decide to acquire other small hotel groups in other European countries. The organization has never owned hotels outside the UK before, and has hired a team of independent management consultants to advise them on how to proceed. The hotel management asked you if they should look only internal candidates who are parent country nationals or recruit host country nationals. Explain the legal and ethical obligations in recruitment procedures. The point of a recruitment and selection procedure is to make sure that the best and most suitable candidate is recognized and recruited. The aim of the recruitment and selection procedure is to provide a structure for managing recruitment and selection inside the workplace, in a professional, efficient and fair way, ensuring that the best possible candidate will be selected for the job. This structure will further ensure that no unlawful discrimination occurs throughout the recruitment and selection process and that equality of opportunity is an essential part of the procedure. Any recruitment of family, friends or close associates must be confirmed and reviewed through the appropriate procedures. There should be a methodical and reliable search process and the selection process should be valid. Integrity must be given consideration in recruitment and promotion of employees. Ethics is a bottom-line matter in how managers carry out their responsibilities and how they will train, rewa rd and promote the best employees. Those employees will, in turn, assist to ensure that the company has the most effective and efficient work force promising to achieve its business goals. In our case, the organization has decided to use an ethnocentric approach and send some of their already existing managers from the UK to France to lead the new hotels and manage them after the re-open. However, the hotel management should hire new employees from the host country in order to complete all the positions in the hotel. The organization as for the recruitment of the new workforce will have to think about several factors concerning ethical and legal obligations. An ethical dilemma arises in our situation and this dilemma is: to send employees from the UK or to keep the previous employees of the hotel or to hire new employees and if they keep or hire employees, will be the appropriate ones. To send managers from UK to lead the hotels is not completely wrong, because they already know the philosophy of the organization but is unethical as for the previous employees of the hotels who will probably lose their jobs. Under The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 19 86 every employee must have the same opportunity for the job. If the management wishes to keep the ethical procedures, the best solution is to follow the recruitment procedures as for the new staff and interview the previous ones and after the selection of the best qualified persons to send them for a short period to UK to work in the belonging hotels. With this process the new employees will be introduced to the organizations philosophy and policies which will assist after to a better communication with the managers from UK. This approach will also help the managers to maintain confidence and trust among the new employees. The management has also to consider and to prevent some other ethical and legal issues that might arise. Such issues are: -Sex discrimination which anyone can face in the workplace should be prevented. Management in recruitment procedures should be free of prejudice and discrimination because all have the same human rights and opportunities. -Racial  harassment is a very common unethical issue in the workplace and has to do with any verbal or physical act which is based on a persons color, physical characteristics, country of origin and nationality. Management should not influenced from all these and should treat to all the candidates equal. -The hiring, training or promoting candidates based on favoritism should be prevented because friendships and relatives are the ones who cause managers the most problems. -Equity and Justice: employees should be treated fairly from the management and not abused or exploited. Justice is concerned with preventing the abuse of power. -Respect for People: employees should be treated within the workplace as individuals with rights to be pleased and defended. Respect empowers others to assert their rights and to attain their potential. The Code of Conduct is based on ethics, values and behaviors outlined in the Code of Ethics which consists of policies, rules that identify the specific actions or procedures appropriate to employees for a range of specific ethical issues. The objectives of the Code are to: assist staff in dealing with ethical issues in ways that reflect the values and standards, provide staff with guidance in ethically unclear situations and encourage staff to do the right think. Appraise the value of the selection interview and the interview techniques. The purpose of interview provides the opportunity for two-way communication and interaction to determine fit between candidate and employer. By the interview the first impression is made and the impression is based on personal appearance, articulation, eye contact, personality and handshake. Interviews are a vital element of the recruitment process for almost all the organizations. Their principle is to give the selector an opportunity to assess the candidates and to reveal their abilities and personality. The interview gives the employer the opportunity to assess them and to make sure that the organization and the job are right for the candidate. Interview structure improves the reliability and validity of the selection interview and entails standardization of processes, including question selection and response evaluation. The selection process for the majority of organizations follows a common subject: Application and CVs are received and candidates are short-listed and invited for interview. The interview format can vary and may contain an assessment centre or tests. Some companies are satisfied after one interview, while others will want to recollect additional shortlist of applicants for more. In case that the interview is successful at the final stage, an official job offer is sent to candidate, the interview format is usually determined by the nature of the company, but there are various standard formats. Employers can avoid hiring mistakes by spending a little more time preparing for the interview in advance. The process of selecting the correct person for the right position through an interview should be followed by several standardized procedures: -Pre interview preparation is the first step and concerns the preparation of the interviewer as for the job requirements and what are the required skills for the position. The interviewer should also have company information available for the candidates and detailed information about the candidates. Review applications in advance to be familiar with the applicants background and to recognize gaps in the information or areas which need special attention. Applications include personal data such as: age, family status etc. and candidates qualifications such as: experiences, languages, diplomas etc. -During the interview, the interviewer has the first contact with the candidate and makes the first impression. He should give details for the organization, and give a general description of the job. At this point, the candidate should have enough information to make a opening determination as to whether he/she is interested in the job. Throughout the interview, the interviewer ask questions that are broad, open-ended, objective, job-related, clear, direct, , meaningful, understood and related to gather as more information from the candidate as possible. He should use questions to force the applicant to tell him what he needs to know to compare the applicant to his ideal applicant profile. Ask for examples whenever appropriate. The interviewer should be open and honest and tell the candidate what to expect in the hiring process. The interviewer should tell to the candidates what the companys expectations are as for the duties, experience expected, career advancement etc and show them where they would fit into the company. -The next step for the interviewer is to insure that a common ground have concluded with the candidate. Ask the candidate if he/she has any questions and at the end of the interview be friendly and honest and inform him/her if you are interested and give special attention to not give false encouragement. After the interview the interviewer should take time to add details to his notes while the information is still fresh and to prepare the information for the next candidate. -The last step is to discuss the candidates reactions and answers and rate them as potential employees. The interviewer should make a decision by comparing applicants to his ideal applicant profile. Communicate your decision to the selected applicant as well as to those who are not selected. By following this process, the interviewer can decide more easily which of the candidates are the most suitable for the job. There are several techniques that the interviewer can use which will help him to get as more information as possible: Closed questions: A closed question can be answered with a single word or a short phrase as well as with a yes or no. closed questions gives you fact, they are easy and quick to answer and help the interviewer to keep the control of the conversation. For example: How old are you?, Do you have previous experience in the hospitality industry?, Where do you live? Open questions: An open question is probable to receive a long answer. These questions require from a person to reflect on upon, a particular point in his own way. For example: What you did in your last position?, Why I should consider you for this position? Probing questions: ask for more detailed and specific explanations of a candidates work experience, knowledge, skills and competencies. Probing questions are, in essence, follow up questions that ask for further information, ask for the person expand on what she has said, or request the person to go deeper. Probing questions can be helpful in increasing understanding, while a great number of people need to be encouraged to go beyond what they have said to help someone understand their deeper feelings and opinions. Play-back questions: checks if the interviewers have understood of what a candidate has said by playing back. Hypothetical questions: putting a hypothetical situation to candidates and asking how they would response. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of interview. Advantages of an interview: Top Management Middle Management Office / Administrative -The interview enables a face-to-face meet to take place which will help the interviewer to make an evaluation of how the candidate might fit in the organization and what they would be like to work with. -The interviewer can describe the job and the organization by providing the candidate more detailed information. -Give the interviewer the opportunity to ask probing questions about the candidates experience, knowledge, skills and competencies. -Provide the candidates the opportunity to ask his/her questions about the position and clarify issues. -More than one interviewer can assess the candidates, if it is necessary. Disadvantages of an interview: -The interview process relies on the skills and the abilities of the interviewer to make the interview successful but usually many people do not have the abilities needed for interviewing. -There is a possibility that the interviewer will not succeed to assess directly competence in carrying out the several tasks that are included for the position. -After the end of the interview, the interviewer can be lead to subjective judgments. Assess the different interview types. There are various different types of interviews. An interviewer should has a familiarity with one or more of the situations described below. When an interviewer schedules an interview, he should try to get as much information about the candidate who will be meeting. It is unusual to have only one interview prior to a job offer. Most employers will evaluate a candidate many times to be sure that the possible employee will fit into the company culture. Face-to-Face Interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The mass of the interviews are face-to-face and the most common is a one-on-one conversation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The candidate should pay great attention to the person who asking questions and keep an eye contact, listen and respond once a question has been asked. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The candidate should aim to establish a link with the interviewer and show him that his/her qualifications will help the company. Panel/Committee Interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In this type of interview is more than one interviewer may perform in this part of the selection process. This is the chance for the candidate to put his/her presentation skills on display. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In these pre designed standard questions ranging overall aspects of the job are asked. They focus directly on elements of person specification. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The candidate the time that his is responding to a question should keep eye contact with the panel member who asked the question. Behavioral Interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ This type of interview concerns the past behavior of the candidate and is the best predictor of your future actions. These kinds of questions may be asked in any interview: panel, one-on-one, telephone. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ If the interviewer asks behavior-oriented questions, he is no longer asking hypothetical questions but the behavior-oriented questions must be answered based on facts. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Through a behavioral question, the interviewer is looking for results, not just an activity list. He is listening for names, places, dates, results and especially what the candidates role was in achieving that result. Case Interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In several interviews the interviewer may ask from the candidate to demonstrate his problem-solving skills. The interviewer will outline a situation or provide the candidate with a case study and ask him to prepare a plan that deals with the problem. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The interviewers are looking for how the candidate applies his knowledge and skills to a real-life situation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The candidate before answer the case interview question should prepare himself to ask the interviewer many questions for informational purposes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The more the candidate is able to analyze and divide the case study, the more he will likely impress his interviewer. Telephone Interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Many companies conduct interviews through telephone to narrow a field of candidates. Telephone interviews may also be used as a pre- interview for candidates who live far away from the job site. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In this kind of interview is important for the candidate to treat as he/she would in a face-to-face connection. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The candidate should be focused on the conversation and listen to the questions carefully before he answers. Group Interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A group interview is planned to expose the leadership potential of prospective managers and employees who will be dealing with customers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The preferred applicants are gathered together in an informal, discussion type interview. A topic is introduced and the interviewer will start off the discussion. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The aim of the group interview is to see how the candidate interact with others and how he/she use his/her knowledge to influence others. Lunch/Dinner Interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The same rules apply at a meal as those in an office. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The candidates can use the interview to develop common ground with his/her interviewer. Stress Interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In this interview the interviewer deliberately creates stress to see how an applicant operates in stress situation. The stress interview is usually an on purpose attempt to see how the candidate handles him/herself under pressure. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The interviewer may be argumentative or sarcastic, or may keep you waiting. The candidate must calmly answer each question. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The interviewer may also to stay silent during the questioning and this may be an attempt to unnerve the candidate.

Example Answers to Strategic Human Resource Management Exam

Example Answers to Strategic Human Resource Management Exam Section A, Question 1 To what extent does the approach to Talent Management at Standard Chartered Bank display features of SHRM? Answer: By focusing heavily on its talent management program it can be clearly be seen that Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) is making the practice of SHRM as one of its key priorities. As can be seen from the article, the way SCB adopts its appraisal methodology is of a very strategic angle. By making it a global standard to conduct face-to-face performance appraisals every 6 months goes to show that SCB is reviewing its own performance management objectives to make sure that those objectives stay relevant and achievable, and that is a feature of SHRM. Being sensitive to different cultures by employing different appraisal methods also shows that SCB understands the importance of managers and staff identifying and dealing with real, actual problems in a way that is most familiar and effective to them. That is also another facet of SHRM as through such means, SCB is able to monitor its own competitiveness in the market. Through appraisals, SCB also classifies their employees into 5 categories ranging from high-potentials, to critical resources, then to core contributors, followed by underachievers and finally, underperformers. By doing so they are able to identify areas in which they are lacking and act upon it. Interestingly, as Geraldine Haley explains the classifications, it can be seen that SCB is already identifying the likely flow of talent in the bank and are taking actions to manage the flow. For example, when classifying certain employees as underperformers, Haley goes on to mention that this group of people do not fit the job requirements and they should be transferred to another role or be managed out. Clearly, whether the bank decides to place this group of employees in another role (which fits the idea of SHRM because by placing people where they perform best clearly benefits any company), or by managing them out (thereby reducing unnecessary manpower costs or replacement with a more pr oductive candidate), the intent behind both actions is clearly strategic in nature. The employee classification also allows the bank to understand the their potential and manpower mix which is critical because, the HR department would be able to plan in advance for staff mobility or develop different programs to help develop potential of their talents to another level. So far we are able to see that SCB does indeed view its employees as a strategic key asset in churning out profits for the bank. Yet another SHRM feature being displayed is the secrecy of employee classifications. As mentioned in the article, SCBs stance is that while they do not want certain employees to feel de-motivated and others to boast about their own performances, the whole point of the classification system is to inform managers that there might be actions required on their part to improve the situation. It is true that in SHRM, managers should not cause their staff to feel like they are being constantly monitored for poor performance because this will affect the staffs willingness to contribute towards the company. Again, either way, we see that the actions taken are closely linked to helping the organisation achieve its strategic corporate objectives. The classification system is also being used a guide for regional offices to strategically benchmark against one another to see where they stand. Ever since SCB has been experiencing a high staff turnover rate among newly recruited employees, a solution in the form of a global induction program named Right Start was implemented to curb this problem and they successfully brought down the rate of employees leaving by 5% (http://www.standardchartered.com/annual-report-07/en/business_review/people.html, 2008). SCB has also gone on to groom talents into leaders by means of providing coaching and self-help tools through various medias such as podcasts, videos and workshops. Another key concept is to allow talents to play to their strengths rather than on focusing on managing their weakness. As Hayley explains the strategic rationale on focusing on coaching talents with global roles in the bank, it is because a small 5% improvement from these top managers is enough to cause a huge positive impact on the banks earnings. Under the Best practice view in SHRM, there are 18 Key practices of which SCB can safely said to have achieved at least 50% or more: Realistic job previews; Use of psychometric tests for selection; Well-developed induction training; Provision of extensive training for experienced employees; Regular appraisal; Regular feedback on performance from many sources; Individual performance-related pay; Profit-related bonuses; Flexible job descriptions; Multi-skilling; Presence of work-improvement teams; Presence of problem solving groups; Information provided on firms business plan; Information provided on the firms performance targets; No compulsory redundancies; Avoidance of voluntary redundancies; Commitment to single status; Harmonised holiday entitlement (Source: University of Sunderland). It can be concluded that SCB is investing so much resources towards its human talent management program simply because it views it employees as human capital for the organisation and understands the wisdom in developing and managing its employees in close relation to the values and objectives of the company so that an effective workforce can be grown, and groomed to achieve the strategic objectives of the bank. Word count (865) 1.2 Comment on the relevance of this approach in the light of the recent banking crisis? Answer: The banking crisis of 2008 was largely due to the fall of banking giant, Lehman Brothers (LB). If LB had adopted SCBs view of employees as human capital in the organisation, it could have at least minimised the loss to a certain extent. For one, discussions between employers and staff would have been more open and problem issues could have been brought up and identified at an earlier stage. Inefficiencies in the organisation would have been uncovered if there were a global compilation of performance like in SCB, where CEOs were able to benchmark their performances against regional offices. In a way, having a certain amount of centralised control through talent management would also enable the monitoring of LB companies globally. It is interesting to note that when a German subsidiary of LB requested that top management in the USA forgo multi-million bonuses as a sign of taking responsibility for poor performance, the request was immediately struck off at the first instance. It seems that top management either did not know or did not bother to care what was going on in its other global offices. Therefore it is important for companies to have a solid leadership and to achieve that, organisations must start to take the first step in acknowledging its employees as key assets towards enabling the company to achieve it strategic goals and objectives. Thereafter that, the companys HR policies should be dawn to include short and long term strategies that are inline with the companys corporate objectives. Companies should also consider which view the company would adopt in relation to SHRM. For example, does the company suit the Best Practice view, Bes Fit view, Best Fit Integration view or Resource based approach? Each has its own strengths and weaknesses but the company has to decide which is the most compatible and allow the company to achieve its goals. Perhaps the culture of a company should also be set as culture can deeply affect a employees willingness to contribute positively to the company. Every organisation aims to communicate its own objectives and goals to its employees so a to align the values and attitudes of the employees towards commitment in performance for the company, and in this respect, having an appropriate culture will greatly enable the employee to settle comfortably into the company and be motivated to perform well. Retaining talent is crucial in a companys route of progress and much effort should be put into talent management where employees will feel like that are an important part of a company that cherishes their contributions and seeks to develop and groom them for further growth in their career. With SHRM as the key basic guiding principle, companys should therefore seek to create a pool of talent that will steer it in the right direction, both in good times and bad. Word Count (473) 1.3 Why is it important to measure the impact of SHRM? What might be included in a evaluation strategy to measure the impact of SHRM in an organization to achieve strategic integration? Answer: It is important to measure the impact of SHRM because, firstly, strategies that are formulated into HR policies are closely linked to the strategic objectives of its organisation. The reason why this is so is because the company understands that attitudes and performances of its employees makes a significant difference towards achieving organisational goals. Therefore when an organisation decides to employ the HR unit as a strategically, resources are being invested to make sure the HR unit contributes towards the attainment of those objectives. In measuring the impact of SHRM in a company, there are 18 Key practices of SHRM might be used to ascertain the degree of SHRM present in the company: Realistic job previews; Use of psychometric tests for selection; Well-developed induction training; Provision of extensive training for experienced employees; Regular appraisal; Regular feedback on performance from many sources; Individual performance-related pay; Profit-related bonuses; Flexible job descriptions; Multi-skilling; Presence of work-improvement teams; Presence of problem solving groups; Information provided on firms business plan; Information provided on the firms performance targets; No compulsory redundancies; Avoidance of voluntary redundancies; Commitment to single status; Harmonised holiday entitlement (Source: University of Sunderland). Other possible measurements could be in the form of appraisals where performance management objectives are being reviewed. Through the appraisals the organisation would be able to know how it is faring against the achievement of its own targets relative to the overall performance of the employees. Word count (287) Section B, Question 4 4. What are the main features of a Performance Management system? In what ways can organizations ensure that such systems fulfil strategically useful outcomes (30 marks) Answer: 4.1 Main Features of a PMS The main features of PMS are: PMS consists of business-led outcomes that may be assessed against definite business objectives; PMS is integrated with interlocking procedures and flows of information; There is a mix of quantitative and qualitative objectives; There is a focus on both system design and manner of implementation. Because PMS are sensitive to process and culture, it is hence flexible; PMS rely on a participative approach by mangers and staff alike, which can align with other organisational processes, for example, employee religions, communications and decision-making processes; Lastly PMS have a distinctive and adaptable quality of being people and systems-oriented (Source: University of Sunderland). There are 6 other features of PMS that links it to the overall business strategy of a company which might also guide organisations in ensuring strategic outcomes are met: Objective setting; Ongoing review of objectives; The development of personal improvement plans linked to training and development; Formal appraisal and feedback; Pay review; A competence-based organisational capability review (Source: University of Sunderland). 4.2 Ensuring PMS Fulfils Strategically Useful Outcomes The best way to ensure that PMS is able to fulfil strategically useful outcomes is for the organisation to be involved in the setting of performance objectives and thereafter measure those objectives. When setting clearly defined performance management objectives organisations can gear the scope and nature of the objectives to reflect the organisations own corporate goals. These performance objectives should also be linked closely to the individual employees as well as the organisations capability resources. When setting objectives, coverage should include competence and skill development, ability in meeting operational targets, and creating a suitable corporate culture. Objectives are generally defined into 3 categories: productivity and output related, job-related and person-related. For productivity and output related objectives, these are a measure of quantifiable output targets like: Cost reduction Achieving sales quota Meeting production volumes. For job related targets, these involve meeting the main objectives of the job laid down in its description according to the specified level of competence: Achieving main responsibilities and accountability. Meeting tasks as described in the job description. Meeting the obligations and service relationships to internal and external customers. For person related objectives, these affect the behavioural outcomes of the person performing his job, such as sharing knowledge an ideas with co-workers. Organisations recognise the importance of linking organisational culture with person-related objectives as it can help to bring about a positive change in the organisations culture. For instance, an organisation that wants to have a culture that is collaborative in nature will set objectives on employees and measure an employees research report on the number of references made to other employees work or the number contributions made by the employees colleagues in the report. This type of objective will change a person behaviourally so that he or she is able to meet the performance objectives. As organisations are beginning to shift away from individualistic performance objectives such financial goals and moving towards objectives which links the workforce to the corporate objectives or wider environment such as quality and effectiveness of business processes, other measurements are being introduced to maximise the potential and skill of the workforce through a commitment-oriented strategy. Thus, organisations have also realised that to engage the wider environment, they have to identify the relationship between the 3 key stakeholders an the organisation: Investors who require return on their investment through dividends; Customers who require quality and service for which they pay; And employees who require a healthy and rewarding working environment that provides job security (Source: University of Sunderland). Now that the inter-relationship has been identified, organisations are better able to communicate expected levels of competence from employees and will also be able to appropriately empower staff to deal with activities as a result of their integration. Lynch and Cross (1995), created a model that shows this relationship (see Figure 4.A). This model also identifies the broad measures and integration of objectives at each individual level. Figure 4.A shows The Performance Pyramid from Lynch RS and Cross (1995) (Source: University of Sunderland) 4.2.1 Appraisal Systems As the link between objectives and organisational resources are important, it must therefore be integrated with appraisal systems. Appraisals do the job of reviewing the performance management objectives, and it traditionally occurs annually between the manager and staff. However, as the need for objectives to stay relevant and achievable all the time, reviews of the objectives are beginning to occur more regularly. Hence it can be said that regular reviews also encourages the building of relationship and the occurrence of coaching through such regular discussions. In the design of appraisal schemes, there are 2 types of orientation schemes that emerge: the control orientation and the developmental orientation. In the control orientation approach, it is always assumed in a negative light that a senior entity in the organisation decides the goals, targets, objectives and rewards for the employees to achieve. This results in employees feeling insecure as they feel that they are being constantly monitored and may lead to a breakdown in commitment. Often, when adjustments are introduced to ease such worries, the appraisal scheme becomes ineffective as manager do not address real issues which may cause a loss in motivation or damage in relations between the manager and employee. Standardised controls are put in place so as to maintain consistency and equal treatment for all, however it sacrifices flexibility in the process. The level of impact is low on performance with the exception of a few existing high performers. Thus, this approach is effective when targets are clear and staff are used to it. The emphasis is not so much on enhancing performance through feedback and motivation but more on t he managements authority over the employees. In the case of the developmental approach, the manager is not in control whereas employees are the ones who take the initiative to address uncertainties in wanting to know how to improve themselves. Employees want to be helped and supported through problems and they learn through failures and success. The strengths in this approach include less resistance between the manger and staff, and being able to handle problems in an open way. Problems can also be dealt with on a more objective basis without souring relationships. Employees are also given high trust in their integrity. However, the weaknesses with this approach include less visible outcomes being produced and the manager has to take on a more consultative or counsellor role that they might not be able to perform well in. 4.2.2 Types of Appraisals There are a few types of appraisals which organisations may choose to adopt including the, self-appraisal, top-down appraisal, peer appraisal and multi-directional appraisal. Top-down appraisals are traditional and feedback is gathered from the staff while objectives come only from the top. The weaknesses of this type of appraisal are that too much emphasis is being placed on traditional organisational hierarchies. Favouritism might also be prevalent and employees might not have full knowledge in structures where managers posses a wide span of control. Self-appraisal methods are hardly used. It gives the employees more ownership and a much higher degree of participation in the appraisal scheme. Managers adopt a more supportive and advisory role where they engage in discussions with the staff on setting of objectives. In the upward appraisal model feedback is given from the bottom to top. Employees are often asked to provide such feedback anonymously. Organisations that use this method recognise the need to provide more effective working systems for employees to work more efficiently. In the peer appraisal model, members of the same team are being asked to appraise one another. There may be sensitivities involved when using this method as members might show favouritism to particular members or dislike towards certain members might be the reason for poor rating given. In contrast to the peer appraisal method, multi-directional appraisals sets up to obtain feedback from the outside of the team and it often also includes gathering feedback externally from customers. Its key strength is its being able to overcome the lack of knowledge from a single appraiser as it gathers feedback from many sources. However its biggest weakness lies in the lack of control over hostile ratings being given. Thus appraisals are also a tool to ensure that performance objectives meet strategically useful outcomes. Word count (1409) Section B, Question 5 5. Why are reward management systems critical to SHRM? How can organizations develop reward systems strategically? (30 marks) Answer: 5.1 Why Reward Management Systems are Critical to SHRM In strategic human resource management (SHRM), strategies that are being implemented into a companys human resource policies are closely connected with a companys main adopted strategy in order for it to aid in achieving company objectives. SHRM does so by means of recruiting, developing, maintaining and retaining an efficient, productive workforce. As employees make up a companys workforce, they should then be regarded as key assets in a company. Reward management systems are therefore critical to SHRM because they are used to reward and compensate employees in manners that impact employees positively for the company. For example, well-developed reward management systems uses rewards to motivate employees to grow and develop their potential, thereby increasing the quality of efforts contributed towards the company. Rewards and compensation systems are also critically used in aligning the culture, objectives and philosophies of the company with efforts of the employees, this allows employees to identify themselves as part of the company and thus strengthen their loyalty and commitment towards the company and its objectives (Sherman et al., 1998). In todays competitive environment where companies compete for talent and expertise, rewards play an important role in both the recruitment of talent and retention of long serving employees who have difficult-to-source tacit knowledge in their field of expertise. Having a flexible reward management system also means that a company is able harness other forms employment, for example, hiring of part-timers with relevant experience to temporarily fill in during short-term projects. 5.2 Developing a Reward System Strategically Rewards systems in companies practicing SHRM must obviously be strategic in nature. According to Lawler (1984), there are nine points to consider when making strategic decisions in developing reward systems in companies. The nine points are termed as follows: Base of rewards. Performance and Incentivisation scope for progression. Market position. Internal versus External comparison. Centralised versus de-centralised reward. Degree of pay hierarchy. Reward Mix. Process issues. Reward systems consequences/integration. 5.2.1 Base of Rewards Salaries can be based on 3 options: The type of job a person undertakes. The persons contribution in the job. The knowledge and skill level people possess within the job. The 1st option is to pay based on the growth and development an individual undertaking a job. This is typically done through internally comparing a particular job with other jobs within the company using a job evaluation which measures the tasks that the job is required to perform. External comparisons could be used, whereby companies compare the wages offered by other companies against their own. Job based rewards are typically found in larger organisations where job and pay equity is predominant; an example would be jobs in the public service sector where job grading is used. The 2nd option is to pay based on the individuals performance within his or her job and is commonly implemented in cases where the jobs are small in number or job scopes that are distinct and pay has to be individual. Performance based pay is used to balance job demands and contributions made in order to motivate the individual to enhance performance. The 3rd option is to pay based on the need to acquire new s kills and knowledge so as to enable organisations to meet the new market challenges. 5.2.2 Performance and Incentivisation scope for progression. This point considers the many types and ways of using incentives, whether as a part of an individuals salary or an additional portion. However, the main dilemma lies in reconciling strategic objectives with the use of suitable incentives to motivate and enhance employee performance and commitment to the company. Companies will have to decide the forms in which incentives will take and how it will be distributed as well as the positive and negative repercussions it might bring to the company or its employees. For example, substituting commission for a fixed bonus payout to sales employees might cause low-performers to be happy, while high-performers might become disgruntled they could have earned more on a commission scheme. 5.2.3 Market Position As labour markets are vulnerable to the economy, market trends and political influences, radical changes may happen anytime within the labour market. For example, if there is a labour shortage in certain industries, organisations would be forced to pay a higher wage to acquire the labour needed. As such, organisations are finding it difficult to sustain an internal sense of fairness that comes from a formal measurement of job equity within internal wage structures. Therefore, reward strategies need to be formulated to answer to such external uncertainties, and also be flexible (if it is not already so) enough to accommodate different wage schemes and levels when required. 5.2.4 Internal versus External comparison As reward systems are key to hiring, retaining and developing employees, it is important for a company to benchmark its reward policies against the external and internal environment. Hence, it is important for companies to understand the logic behind market rates of pay and benefit and to know where and how to collect data required to conduct pay and benefits surveys. These surveys are often conducted so that companies are able to rely on the information to make adjustments to current pay and benefit rates, thus staying competitive in their pay and benefit policies. Companies should also be able to present data in a meaningful manner so that proper analysis can take place. Job evaluaton (JE) is defined as a systematic procress by which relative worth of jobs are determined so as to establish which jobs will be paid more over others in the organisation (Sherman et al., 1998). The key features of JE are: A process which compares the relationships between jobs based on demand placed on employees. A process of judgement made by understanding of job descriptions and roles required to perform the job. A process of analysis after generating point factors from judgements, to enable job ranking. A process of structuring whereby job descriptions are formulated, problem solving, identifying key factors equivalent to job knowledge, and more. Score formulation also takes place to establish ranking, building wage structures and create job-grading systems. The important decisions to make in a JE are the selection of appropriate factors and their levels, as well as how value of factors will be expressed. 5.2.5 Centralised versus de-centralised reward Organisations often have to struggle to decide if reward systems should be managed in a centralised or de-centralised manner. Centralised controlling is tight and usually means a standardised rate of wage increment. This may cause employees to be less motivated and innovative in their contribution which becomes unhealthy for the company, this holds true for employees who belong to a business unit selling a varied number of products and services. In this case, it might be better having a de-centralised control of rewards system and empower managers with discretionary authority to reward employees accordingly, hence boosting morale. 5.2.6 Degree of Pay Hierarchy Pay hierarchies exists in organisations and reward systems are dependent on them to a large extent. Pay hierarchies show the distinct difference in power and often reflect career progression. However, organisations are gradually moving away from such distinct hierarchies in pay systems by formulating wage structures that encourages wage overlap and opportunities for increment. Graded wage structures are commonly used and though not all are exactly the same, they share common features such as: A salary grade allocated to a job based on an individuals contribution, the labour market and the degree of complexity present in a job. Salary bands or grade in which employees belong to and have to gain promotion in order to progress on to a higher salary band. Each band consists of at least minimum entry point, market or mid-point and a maximum point that employees can achieve. Salary bands are associated with each other; usually the maximum point of a starting salary band is the commencement of the next salary band. The degree of overlap will have to be determined by the organisation. As employees move up along the band, organisations will have to decide if employees move up to fixed points along the bands or should employees be allowed to skip certain points and progress at a faster rate instead. 5.2.7 Reward Mix Although pay is often identified to be the key ingredient in a reward mix, other benefits such as free annual health screening, pension schemes, certified-skill upgrades, use of company vehicles, etc, are just as useful in rewarding employees. When creating a reward mix, the challenge for companies is to identify the strategic reasons for having each benefit in the reward mix and their costs to the company. 5.2.8 Process Issues In the discussion of process issues, the 1st strategic issue to be considered is communication and transparency. As communicating pay objectives to employees clearly is important in achieving positive human resource results, the existing culture of companies usually decides how open the dialogs are. Traditional companies adopt a closed system and keep salary ranges unknown for purposes of pay review. Other companies with open systems often publicise the salary structure and criteria for which salary increment can occur. Open systems tend to instil confidence and fairness into employees as decision-making becomes more transparent and criteria are made known. The 2nd strategic issue concerns with employees degree of involvement in pay decisions. A company aiming to achieve a team-based operating culture and high employee involvement in all aspect of human resource management should consider allowing employees to be involved in determination of job salaries too. Companies adopting close -based systems usually applies HR policies onto its employees and ultimately, companies have to decide whether leveraging highly on employees trust and commitment or otherwise, is more suited to the companys culture. 5.2.9 Reward Systems consequences/integration As HR objectives change over time, so should reward objectives because rewards should be integrated into HR systems. And if the objectives are inline, then the integration between rewards and HR systems will serve well to make a positive impact on employees who in turn stays committed to churn out more positive contributions for the company. Word count (1700)

Feminist Literary Criticism and Lysistrata Essay -- Literary Analysis,

Classically, women playwrights are almost completely absent. There were virtually no women writers at all up until at least the seventeenth century. This fact originally led feminist critics to disregard the classical period. In an article titled â€Å"Classical Drag: The Greek Creation of Female Parts,† Sue Ellen Case states that because â€Å"traditional scholarship has focused on evidence related to written texts, the absence of women playwrights became central to early feminist investigations† (132). Despite this absence of female writers, feminist critics analyze the role of women in ancient Greece in other ways. Recently, feminist writers have been able to delve further into the classical period by examining female characters from the works of male playwrights. The construction of women in male literature is extremely important. Peter Barry, in his chapter on feminist literary criticism in his book Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory, asserts that observing the female characters in works by men is important because it provides â€Å"role models which indicated to women, and men, what constituted acceptable version of the ‘feminine’ and legitimate feminine goals and aspirations† (122). Looking into the roles of the women within the works helps us determine the kind of role women and men occupy in relation to each other in addition to the personal characteristics of the women. This insight into the relations between men and women adds a new layer of knowledge for feminist critics. The depiction of women by women writers differs greatly from the depiction of women by male writers. Women, as represented by men, represent stereotypes of actual women. That is, â€Å"the feminist critic may assume that the images of... ...ial and cultural evidence of the role of women in ancient Greece. Despite the fact that he is indeed a man, Aristophanes does a good job capturing certain aspects of his female characters: their drive to succeed, their natural coquettishness, the general desire to end war diplomatically, and their devout servitude to the gods. Aristophanes also has a very firm grasp of the social situation of women in his time. For example, he knows where the line of rebellion would be drawn: if the husbands forced the wives into having sex, they must relent. He knows how the ultimately defer to their husbands’ judgment, particularly in political matters. Lastly, he knows that their concerns are chiefly domestic. However, he generally misunderstands or misrepresents many aspects of the female character. The feminist literary critic would be quick to point these discrepancies out.

The Power of Music in James Baldwins Sonnys Blues Essay -- Sonnys B

The Power of Music in James Baldwin's Sonny's Blues At first glance, "Sonny's Blues" seems ambiguous about the relationship between music and drugs. After all, the worlds of jazz and drug addiction are historically intertwined; it could be possible that Sonny's passion for jazz is merely an excuse for his lifestyle and addiction, as the narrator believes for a time. Or perhaps the world that Sonny has entered by becoming involved in jazz is the danger- if he had not encountered jazz he wouldn't have encountered drugs either. But the clues given by the portrayals of music and what it does for other figures in the story demonstrate music's beneficial nature; music and drugs are not interdependent for Sonny. By studying the moments of music interwoven throughout the story, it can be determined that the author portrays music as a good thing, the preserver and sustainer of hope and life, and Sonny's only way out of the "deep and funky hole" of his life in Harlem, with its attendant peril of drugs (414). The story's first encounter with music is after the narrator has learned of Sonny's arrest. He is thinking about the boys he teaches, and how they could all be "sucked under" (419) just as Sonny has been. He hears their laughter in the schoolyard and notes its "mocking and insular" quality, a noise made by disillusioned youth rather than the untainted, joyous sound one expects of children (410). One boy whistles a tune, a cool and moving, complicated and simple melody, "pouring out of him as though he were a bird," and the music manages to soar above the harsh sounds of disenchantment (410). Clearly this music is joy and salvation. Because he concentrates on this simple music, one boy does not curse and den... ..., because this tale is "the only light we've got in all this darkness" (438). "Sonny's Blues" is filled with examples of music and how it makes things better. The schoolboy, the barmaid, the mother, the brother, the uncle, the street revivalists, all use music to create a moment when life isn't so ugly, even though the world still waits outside and trouble stretches above. Music and the tale it tells provide hope and joy; instead of being the instrument of Sonny's destruction, introducing him to the world of drugs, music is his way out of some of the ugliness. For Sonny and the other characters in this story, music is a bastion against the despair that pervades stunted lives; it is the light that guides them from the darkness without hope. Works Cited Baldwin, James. "Sonny's Blues." The Oxford Book of American Short Stories 1992: 409 - 439.

Id System with Sms

Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University Computer Education Program Bacolor Pampanga ID System with SMS A Thesis Presented to the faculty of Computer Education Program In Partial Fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Presented by: Julie Ann Alvarado Paula Pamela Candole Georgette Nicole Cunanan Shiela Mae Gamboa September 2012 Chapter 1 Problems and its Settings 1. Introduction Nowadays, in modern society, human productivity was made efficient through the development of electronic gadgets.Now, with the advent of modern education, one way to globalize the process of recordings is to realize that the technology is incredibly fast. Computers were not confined for entertainment but made for education. And allow us to gather information in a quick and accurate manner. A School I. D System with SMS is used to verify the identity of a student in a campus. The data is stored in a database. An I. D system is about identifying the person’s full name, address, course and section and often containing a photograph. Some schools have been using I.D System but many are still using manual system like in MACCIM ROYAL ACADEMY in SAN JUAN LUBAO. This Manual System is time consuming and lost of records. This process is burden for the student and especially for their teachers. The proponents aim to improve the existing system and provide a better way of dealing with the most with the most common problems in schools. The proposed I. D SYSTEM USING SMS TECHNOLOGY. 2. Background of the Study Students I. D’s are a good way to increase the campus security. The project gate entry used I.D system has provided benefits to the events have made security for educational institutions. From the smallest charter school to the largest university, all concerned about running an efficient, low cost security solution that provides safety for its students. 3. Statement of the Problem The proponents of the study have inv estigated the topic â€Å"I. D SYSTEM USING SMS TECHNOLOGY†. In order to seek the solution and answer to the difficuilties encountered by the teachers and parents too. The MACCIM ROYAL ACCADEMY is using a manual system.Teachers used a recording book that serves as the records for their attendance of their student and it may cause a hard time because of one by one checking and writing the attendance of their students that can also cause of waste of time. Listed below are the problems that the proponents have encountered in using Manual System. 1. 3. 1 GENERAL PROBLEMS The general problem of MACCIM ROYAL ACCADEMY is that all school and teachers encountered is loosing their records of their student’s attendance that causes problem to the grades of their students.And most of all is the time wasted they do because of their manual system checking. 1. 3. 3 Specific Problem †¢ Large number of students and increase yearly. †¢ The wasted time in writing or checking att endance of their students. †¢ Less security for the students and records of the school. 4. Objectives of the Study Today parents expect and demand a lot more from their children’s schools. They want to be informed everything going on in the school so that they can make their own judgment about what is best for their children.Naturally, there is ambivalence on the part of the school officials about what kind of communication is necessary or appropriate. School officials want open and positive communication lines with their children’s parents, but they want parental support for their policies and educational philosophy. Very often principals and teachers feel that parents’ demands are excessive and unreasonable, and that the parents do not fully appreciate the difficulties with which the school officials are struggling. Research shows that children do better in school when parents talk often with teachers and become involved in the school.There are number of ways that parents and teachers can communicate with each other, rather than relying on the scheduled parent-teacher conferences. Close communications between parents and teachers can help the student. The proposed system will help the MACCIM ROYAL ACCADEMY to make their work faster and accurate. The proposed system will use Biometric scanner and Bar coded I. D to prevent unauthorized use of the system. The system will also used SMS Technology to send due notification to remind their parents or guardians that their child surely went to school.Because of this system parents are updated about their child or children in school. It serves more security for the school and students. 1. General Objectives To developed an I. D system using SMS Technology for MACCIM ROYAL ACCADEMY and also for the parents who’s concerned. 2. Specific Objectives In order to achieve the general objective, this study would seek the following specific objectives: †¢ More security for the students and school’s documents. †¢ Checking of attendance is easier. Classes start early. †¢ Parents are updated about their children. 5. SCOPES AND LIMITATIONSAs with any studies, there are scopes and limitations that cover the proposed system. This chapter gives detailed information on the scopes and limitations of the proposed system. 1. SCOPES The scopes of the proposed system are to create a I. D System Using Short Message Service (SMS). With these, it helps the teachers lessens their work in checking the attendance of their student for parents, it help them to know whether their child is truly went to school or not with the help of the system that be able to sent them a short message saying that their child really went to school.The system is able to check the student’s attendance whenever they enter the gate of the school with the help of their Bar Coded I. D and the system will automatically send a short message to the guardian’s contact number that will b e seeing in the students I. D that will be registered in the main server. 2. LIMITATIONS The limitations of the proposed system are as follows: †¢ The system relies on electricity not unless there is a generator at hand. †¢ The system cannot send a message to a single person. †¢ Simple txt message only. There is no scope for any graphics or audio. The message that they will receive will only have the information about the attendance of the student and nothing more. 6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The proposed study will contribute implication to different people and with the academy in these categories: economical, educational, social, and technological. 1. 6. 1 EDUCATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE The study is considerable to the research because they will gain some knowledge about developing SMS based system. The result of the study could also benefit the school as the system contributes to the accumulation of knowledge about the use of technology.The system will be a proof as one of the goals of the school and that is the quality education innovation. 1. 6. 2 TECHNOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE This system will be momentous milestone for the school as this pioneering undertaking. With the researchers, the study is important because it will extend their knowledge on the rapid rising of technology. In addition, in finishing this study, they will be able to develop possible enhancement in SMS based system on the user’s needs. 1. 6. 3 SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE In creating the system, the proponents were able to build up communication skills.They learned to deal with different people to achieve the desired information needed for the completion of the study. Companionship was increased between the proponents, to give forth-good results and success to the study. The system will allow the parents and the school administrator to communicate with one another through short message service (SMS). Getting parents involved about their children’s attendance in school is on e way of ensuring the proper guidance is extended and given. 1. 6. 4 ECONOMICAL SIGNIFICANCE With the system to be implemented, It shall greatly contribute to uplift the school image as a prime secondary school.It can be a good marketing tool to attract more parents to enroll their children in MACCIM ROYAL ACADEMY. Researchers will be able to maximize their time, resources and efforts in developing the said study. 7. Definition of Terms Access Control Facility A set of programs from Computer Associates that enable security on mainframes, with ACF prevents accidental or deliberate modification, corruption, mutilation, deletion, or viral infection of files. With ACF, access to a system is denied to unauthorized personnel. Any authorized or unauthorized attempt to gain access is logged.Barcode An optical  machine-readable  representation of data relating to the object to which it is attached Originally barcodes represented data by varying the widths and spacing’s of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or one-dimensional (1D). Barcodes originally were scanned by special  optical scanners  called barcode readers; later, scanners and interpretive software became available on devices including  desktop printers  and  smart phones. Wireless network Refers to any type of  computer network  that is not connected by cables of any kind.It is a method by which homes,  telecommunications networks  and enterprise (business) installations avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building, or as a connection between various equipment locations. Electronics Deals with  electrical circuits  that involve  active electrical components  such as  vacuum tubes,  transistors,  diodes  and  integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies. The  nonlinear  behavior of active components and their ability to control electron flows makes amplification of weak signals possible and is usually applied to  information  and  signal processing.Access Administrator A person who manages a local area communications network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) for an organization. Responsibilities include network security, installing new hardware and applications, monitoring software upgrades and daily activity, enforcing licensing agreements, developing a storage management program and providing for routine backups, not to mention ensuring that it is up and running all the time. Biometric Comprises methods for uniquely recognizing humans based upon one or more intrinsic physical or behavioral traits.In computer science, in particular, biometric is used as a form of identity access management based and access control. It is also used to identify individuals in groups that are under surveillance. Level of Access Users can view and edit any part of your account or a system. Whats unique about levels of access users is that they can enable and disabled access for other users. Co mputer Software A general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedure and documentation that perform some task on a computer system. This term includes application software such as word processor which performs productivity tasks for users.Database A collection of data or file of information in a form accessible by computer or indexed in machine readable form. In a sense, a database is a computerized library in which individual records can be retrieved. Hardware It is the physical components of a computer system, in the form of computer hardware. Computer hardware is the physical part of a computer, including the digital circuitry, as distinguished from the computer software that executes within the hardware. Registered Jack (RJ45) It is a standardized physical interface for connecting telecommunication equipment (commonly, a telephone jack) or computer network equipment.

Love Is Sacrifice Essay

I left work today realizing just how fortunate I am to be on the track towards a successful career. And on top of that, the fact that I actually enjoy my job makes it even better! It’s definitely been a long road. I think about how I had to deal with rude and ignorant customers as a convenient store cashier during junior high, the strenuous labor working alongside my mother at the dry cleaners in high school, and then finally those dreaded double shifts waiting tables for three years during college. And yet I look at what I have today and realize that I haven’t obtained these things for myself. All of it has been provided by the hands of the good Lord, and the sacrifice of my parents. It’s truly amazing what a parent’s love for his/her child can accomplish. How much they are willing to sacrifice for the sake of their children. I must say without a doubt that is one of the most important lessons my parents have taught me. Love is sacrifice. My parents immigrated to the U.S. in 1979. My mother came to this country first in January of that year, along with her parents and her siblings. She left behind her husband and her two daughters in search of a better life for all of us. Being away from your child even for a minute is the hardest thing to do as a mother. Not a day went by during our separation that she didn’t think of us, did not long to hold us in her arms and to sing us to sleep with sweet lullabies. She fought back tears and endured heartache every day, but she knew that in the long run, this would all be worth it. My dad tells me that during this time while I was in Korea under his sole care, I would look up at all the airplanes that flew by and cry out, â€Å"Um-ma, Um-ma† (mother in Korean). My father would shake his head and tell me that it wasn’t my mother and I would burst into tears. My father and my aunts (his sisters) told me they had never seen an infant cry as much as I did during the time my mother was gone. Finally, almost a year later in December of 1979, we were reunited with my mother at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport. My father likes to tell me how our reunion was delayed, because I had to use the bathroom and couldn’t hold it in. So the flight was delayed twenty minutes for its departure to the good old USA because of little moi and her weak bladder (oops!). When I finally saw my mother, I immediately ran into her arms. I must have been the happiest little girl in the world at that very moment. But my sister (who was not even one at the time my mother left) didn’t recognize her and clung to my father refusing to go into my mother’s arms. I can’t imagine the heartache my mother must have felt when her own child didn’t recognize her. Even as my mother retold the story to us, she choked with emotion recalling the alienation she sensed at that moment. What a sacrifice she made. But a child never forgets the womb from which she was conceived and in no time at all, my sister was Mom’s little baby girl again. My mother is my role model of strength and courage. My parents had heard such wonderful stories about life in America. But life wasn’t wonderful in the beginning. My grandparents, two uncles, my aunt, and my parents all lived together in a small apartment in Maryland. They could hardly speak the native language. They had no money to their name. They were starting off from scratch. They began as cashiers at local convenient stores, worked in dry cleaners, and basically took whatever job they could get. Here they were, educated and skilled, yet working these blue-collar jobs in the hopes that one day their children wouldn’t have to. My parents both worked long hours. We hardly saw them and soon found ourselves becoming â€Å"latch-key† kids. My sister, brother, and I basically grew up taking care of ourselves. My father was also attending seminary at the same time studying to be a pastor, which I think ended up being one of the greatest sacrifices he made. There’s no money in ministry. No glory. Very little benefits. But I learned quickly that the treasures on Earth fade away just as quickly as the sun rises and the sun sets. My father saw the eternal reward and was willing to sacrifice everything he had for it†¦ including a comfortable life for himself and his family. I find myself awestruck at how my father even raised a family of five on his salary. I make more than double what he ever made as a pastor. And I’m having a hard enough time managing my finances as a single person, much less raising a family. Yet my father knew this was his calling in life and he knew it would not be an easy road for any of us. My father is my role model of sacrifice and incredible faith. My sister and I had to work our way through college, studying diligently when we weren’t working odd jobs to pay off our tuition and rent. Though those years were hard and we found ourselves ready to give up at certain points of our college career, we made it through. But I remember the moments where I felt I just couldn’t go on living like this. I remember vividly one night during my sophomore year in college when I came home after a horrible night at the restaurant and found myself weeping quietly in the corner of my room (hoping my roommates wouldn’t hear). I stayed there the rest of the night, wishing with all my heart that my life were different. Yet it was the hope and dreams of something better down the road that got me through those hard days. Although my parents couldn’t give us much in terms of material things, they gave us so much more. My sister, brother, and I have a deep appreciation and understanding of hard work and sacrifice. Having experienced the hardships ourselves, we are only that much more grateful for what our parents did for us. The chance they took to go to a different country where everything was foreign to them so that they could give their children a better life than they had known for themselves. To sacrifice their own dreams and ambitions so that we could see ours come true. Now as college graduates with promising careers, my parents proudly see that their sacrifice was well worth it. Mere words cannot say thank you enough.