Case Study Managing a Systems Development Project

Elizabeth A. Humphrey Dr. Tim Brueggemann MBA54001OL November 11, 2012 Managing a Systems Development Project at consumer and Industrial Products, Inc. Situation Consumer and Industrial Products, Inc manufacture a variety of different products for individuals and businesses. Due to ineffective accounts payable system, Consumer and Industrial Products, Inc started a new project called Payables Audit Systems (PAS). The process of beginning this new project was taken very seriously. Roles were assigned and defined. Ted Anderson was the director of the project.Peter Shaw was assigned the responsibility of user project manager. The user project manager was â€Å"responsible for making sure that the system meets the user department’s business needs and that the system is completed on time. † (DeHayes, et al) Linda Watkins was given the duty of being the project director, whose main responsibility was to â€Å"manage the IS people on the project. † (DeHayes, et al) Harr y Carter was assigned the job of IS supervisor. The IS supervisor â€Å"was responsible for integrating all projects in the disbursements area and for allocating IS people to these projects. (DeHayes, et al) A steering group was also appointed and chaired by Ted Anderson. â€Å"The role of the steering group was to approve budgets, determine the business direction of the project, and make any necessary decisions. † (DeHayes, et al. )Communication was a very important part of this project. Therefore, everyone who was chosen to work on the PAS project had to have good communication skills. Consumer and Industrial Products, Inc had been using the CIMS (Computerized Invoice Matching System) system.This system would basically match invoices to purchase orders generated by the computer. Those invoices would then be paid if everything matched. If one minute detail didn’t match, the invoice would not be paid; delaying may accounts payable for an extended period of time. This system was not good for Consumer and Industrial Products, Inc and it was not good for the vendors. Due to the CIMS system being archaic and not meeting the needs of Consumer and Industrial Products, Inc, the project committee recommended developing a new system.The objects of the Detailed Study Report was to decrease the cost of processing vouchers, reduce the number of staff needed for processing vouchers, reduce the amount of time it takes to pay out the vouchers, and â€Å"support systematic integration with transportation/logistics, purchasing, and accounts payable to better facilitate changes due to shifts in business procedures. † (DeHayes, et al) When beginning the Drafts Requirements Study, Linda Watkins was concerned with so many systems dependent on each other being changed at the same time.When she voiced her concerns, she was basically told ‘the show will go on. ’ The last step was for the outline physical design group to take a look at the new system and get it set up. The original idea was for the PAS system to use the mainframe, but then an option of using a LAN was introduced. Using a LAN did cost quite a bit more than was budgeted. Just as the physical design report was being completed, Linda Watkins was in a car accident, leaving her with sever injuries and out of work for an extended amount of time. Ted Anderson was worried.Linda Watkins was the best manager he had and he wasn’t sure where to go from here. He asked his secretary to set up a meeting with IS Director Charles Bunke for first thing the next morning. He needed a plan. Target Consumer and Industrial Products, Inc is currently working on replacing their old CIMS system with the PAS system. Linda Watkins, the project director, was in a car accident and will not be able to return to work for an extended period of time. Ted Anderson, the executive sponsor is concerned and doesn’t quite know where to go from here. Many hours have been put into research ing this new system.It is on the edge of being adopted by the company and is now in danger of falling behind in the adoption process due to Linda Watkins’ car accident. Everyone involved in this project has taken great strides to do their research to ensure this is the right system for Consumer and Industrial Products, Inc. This company has done a great job with strategic planning. With all the great planning of this project, it doesn’t appear risks were taken into consideration. When working on and planning a project, â€Å"a good approach is to consistently include risk communication in the tasks you carry out.If you have a team meeting, make project risks part of the default agenda (and not the final item on the list! ). † (Jutte) Where was the plan B for this project? Proposal It appears Consumer and Industrial, Inc needs the PAS system in order to process accounts payable more effectively and efficiently. It appears it will save the company money, as well a s keep the vendors happy. Now that Linda Watkins has been injured and cannot return to work for an extended period of time, Ted Anderson will need to visit with Charles Bunke to come up with another plan to keep this project moving.Ted and Charles will need to meet with the other project managers to determine where to go from here. If the lines of communication stay open and they continue to work as a team, they will come up with a solution to keep the project from being put on the back burner. As stated in the article 8 Steps to Implementing Successful Organizational Change, â€Å"Once a change is planned, it is important to have good communication about the rollout and implementation of the change. A timeline should be made for the implementation and should make changes in the order that affect the process and the employees who manage the process.An effective timeline will allow for all new equipment, supplies or training to take place before fully implemented. Implementing witho ut a logical order can create frustration for those responsible for the work process. † Works Cited DeHayes, Daniel W. , et al. Managing Information Technology. Pearson, 2012. Print. â€Å"8 Steps to Implementing Successful Organizational Change. † http://thethrivingsmallbusiness. com/articles/8-steps-to-implementing-successful-organizational-change/ retrieved from web 10/19/2012

Internatiomal Relations Foreign Policy Essay

Introduction The US Foreign Policy is undisputed going global, be it in the Far East, Middle East and the Asia Pacific Regions.   The governments of the world are inherent with the same positions and policies in various aspects that pertain to political and economic security. On the other hand, the so-called policy in achieving human security varies in degrees of considerations under the constitutions of different countries. As the world watch and perseveres to achieving world order and peace, the clout and competition among powerful nations are at large. The stigma of terroristic attack on US soil has spread the slogan to end up the cowardice and treacherous act of terror of Bin Laden and its cohorts. Way back in the 60’s and 70’s, the same sloganeering of foreign policy towards strategic security have echoed in the corridors of South East Asia, as the Vietnam War   wasted thousands of American soldiers’ lives. As there was the saying goes on: â€Å"don’t fight your enemy in their own backyard†. What has most recently developed in the turn of 21st century is the strategic positioning of foreign policy as changing of the guards in allied governments progressively adhere or inclined to adopting a policy of powerful nations. The magnitude of influence, motive and clout is in the frontline of global competition in the context of socio-economic, political and social development. More so, foreign policies bring forth and reach out diplomatic ties among allies as crossing borders widens and broadens powers that be. Policy on World Order The Preemptive or preventive measures particularly on war on terrorism rooted out by 9/11 attack on US soil. The cost of American lives outlived many agonies far reaching places of the World. The war on terrorism has plagued the world order. Supported by US Congress and the UN, President Bush out cried the rage and wage of war in Middle East. Economic embargo have somewhat the most outrageous assault coupled with advanced technological armament and military troops. At the height of massive legislation of policy, advocacy and military campaigns against terrorism to surviving world order, civil wars and domestic violence upsurge in other countries. Frightening issue on manufacturing of weapons of mass destructions has dubbed the North Korea, aside from known fractured pile of lethal weaponry in Iraq and Afghanistan.   Not remote to that is the continuing reign of terror of Islamic secessionist in Asia like Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, the government have pledged its allied support to combating and annihilating substantial terrorist groups and potential enemies of the state. The dreaded Islamic secessionist Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in the Southern Philippines embarked on the first blow. The show of force and deployment of American troops in the Philippines’ war zones through the â€Å"OPLAN Balikatan† (linking shoulder) of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) which plays critical role to the Philippines’ armed forces. This manifests domestic implementation of foreign policy in military affairs. It cited, though, that foreign policy imposition on domestic affairs of Philippine armed forces is impartial, ever since the â€Å"OPLAN Balikatan† specifically implements only combat exercises in unfamiliar war zones or combat territories. The call of the United States to all of its allied countries and governments of the world is adhere on a policy of surviving and preserving the world order.   Thus, the US foreign policy stands on the fundamentals of international stability. National security – preemptive or preventive war strategy? The source of third world countries in achieving national security is patterned with the Protect America Act Of 2007. In which it amended the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)†¦ â€Å"to provide intelligence community essential tools to acquire important information about terrorists who want to harm America†. (www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/nationalsecurity/) This follows the speech of US President George W. Bush on 10th October 2007: â€Å"In August, Congress passed the Protect America Act, a bill to modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. This new law strengthened our ability to collect foreign intelligence on terrorists overseas, and it closed a dangerous gap in our intelligence. Since this important measure took effect, our intelligence professionals have been able to gather critical information that would have been missed without this authority. And keeping this authority is essential to keeping America safe.† Exchange of information in the parlance of clandestine sourcing involves method or techniques of achieving the so-called â€Å"intelligence network†. Whereas, nations or countries and even communities that shares the same information in order to preempt, prevent, circumvent a potential enemy attack or heist that put the state and its citizenry into woes and chaos are considered to be one in the intelligence community. The community has envelopes the security of the nation that spends the cost of peaceful life by way of ensuring and securing politically, economically and socially. Capitalism – free trade or imperialism? Free trade is a growing issue of critical importance particularly to the third world economies. Like in the Philippines, the so-called global competitiveness is over dependent on the efficiency of agriculture and the development of industries in the rural areas. It meant to be, as the open markets freely soar into sky-high pricing and inflation, the US and European markets are the major stakeholders and consumers. However, the quality and production standards are the sharp end in order to compete globally. The General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was established in 1994.   The WTO conducted negotiations through the â€Å"Uruguay Round† from September 1986 to April 1994 in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The main objectives of the Uruguay Round, according to WTO, were: â€Å"to reduce agricultural subsidies to put restrictions on foreign investment and to begin the process of opening trade in services like banking and insurance† (WTO). With the most recent conference (round of talks) in June 2007, negotiations within the Doha round broke down at a conference in Potsdam, New York, a major impasse occurred between the US, the EU, India and Brazil. The main disagreement was over opening up agricultural and industrial markets in various countries and also how to cut rich nation farm subsidies. Among the countries in South East, like the Philippines, exporting of raw materials is a major breakthrough to compete in the open market and trade. But the setback relies on achieving the quota on export volume as provided in GATT. The efficiency of production of the Philippine agriculture does not mainly rely on the efficient hardship of the farmers and other sectors in fishery and livestock. Therefore, while a third world country is unable to compete and perform its stake in the open market, the means and least it can get is the surplus technology in post-harvest equipment, manufacturing, food processing and the exploits of cheap labor force. Capitalism has long been embedded in the history of monarchies, empires and dynasties. The ploys to developing the so-called bowl of economy have been brought about by war, famine, embargo and GATT.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The capitalists’ countries pour on investments to producing raw materials which the 21st century method calls it as â€Å"out-sourcing or outbound†. The out-sourcing or sourcing out is holistic as it invests directly in labor and raw materials. The greatest leap is to amass the power and influence of governments or bureaucracy. Democracy – continuities and contradictions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The popular democracy and democratic reform amongst governments are but a manifestation of people’s sovereign and constitutional rights. Democracy is basically upholding the freedom of will and expression where the rule of law applies. Democracy sometime becomes the scapegoat of hostility where common people are compromised. The US war on terrorism, as outlined in its National Security Strategy of 2006 (NSS 2006), merely defines the democratic will to uphold a just and peaceful state. Meaning to uphold the rule of law, preserve the people’s sovereignty, and secure the state and its citizenry from external and internal hostile forces. Again the 9/11 incident have broadened the US National Strategy of 2006 to cross borders– as it reached out attack in Afghanistan and Iraq. Meanwhile, the facades of military force have shown in selective countries of the world in trail of terrorists. Over the past years after September 11th 2001, the world has witnessed the sword of Damocles unleashed in Middle East and countries in Latin America and South East Asia. The common understanding of allied countries to the US claims upheaval of human security and protecting democracies. It may be presumed with etymology that democracy is symbiotic to chaos or tyranny. The societal perception of having democracy is attained after a long dictatorial regime has reigned to power. In the Philippines, the 20-year old rule of the Marcos dictatorship has ended through a military-civilian-back revolt in 1986. The restoration of the so-called â€Å"popular democracy† have been labeled or seconded from the popular will of the Filipinos as the non-violent response dismantling the regime. Democracy can be also defined as to representing the collective and major stronghold of a sovereign people. People as it mean humans. Therefore, democracy is people, humanity and sovereign will. World peace – contributing or detracting? World peace is every man’s dream and every nation’s hope. The attainment of world peace can be perceived by attaining a world order. The world order where every nation has resolutely achieved the essence of democracy based on just and lasting peace. A government enjoys the fundamentals of peaceful co-existence with its people. The rule of law harnesses the execution of justice. The abundance of life does not show in the streets where vagabonds and beggars dwell. The ecology returns its greens and life of the wilderness from extinction. Thus, world peace shall be harmoniously shared among nations. As the United Nations (UN) calls on the world order in accord of achieving world peace, the US foreign policy, together with its strategic security programs, remains as a predominating entity with the so-called vacuum of power. The continuing effort of the United Nations to halt global hostilities, the domestic conflict and foreign aggression have transformed into different level. The US foreign policy â€Å"has an overarching policy framework that comprehends the fundamental factors shaping our world, in practice, foreign policy typically is local. In other words, foreign policy is not designed to deal with different forces separately or on a global scale, but rather with how they come together and interact to create concrete problems or opportunities in specific regions and countries† (Richard N. Haas, published article: Policymakers and the Intelligence Community Supporting Us Foreign Policy in the Post-9/11 World, CIA posted document). It can be interpreted at a layman’s understanding that the US foreign policy has a leverage to be dealt with or not. At a glance, the influence of foreign policy in the domestic political and economic affairs of a country can be superficial. It is for that particular country to be anointed with a foreign policy guideline to interact on its implementation or pattern its governmental functions. In other words, a country that adheres and implements the foreign policy complicates the fundamentals of its governance as well as the political will, economic condition and above all the lives of people. To which, the third world countries in general are in fragile condition as benefactors of foreign policy, the disarray in governmental functions and helplessness for empowerment are only fractions of cumulative result. The avenues to achieving world peace with the continuing proliferation of a foreign policy in variable methods, situations and functions of people and government is a path to a long walk home. Human rights – helping or hurting? It says that the essence of becoming a man is being human. Human right is the preservation and dignity of life, liberty, the freedom of thought and expression, the equality before the law. As the war on terrorism escalates, a large number of casualties and refugees continue to grow. Starvation is a result of dislocation from economic source or absence of food supply by economic embargo. Those are only a few result of sub-human condition in a world at war although some experts would refer to ethical parameters but still the essence of being human have denied. The Human Security Act in the Philippines have been legislated and on its infantile enforcement. The clout of enforcement have been claimed by defiant civil society groups in the Philippines as experimental and patterned to US National Security Strategy of 2006. According to reports, â€Å"a case scenario of human rights violations has risen and growing from approximate 8-10 percent in years 2006 and 2007 breaking the similar reported cases at the time of martial law from 1973 to 1986 during the Marcos government† (Philippines, Commission on Human Rights). With the clout of foreign policy in the third world countries, collateral damage in the face of the world order took place in small and starving populace. Man made disasters equals its fury to natural calamities. As though, foreign policy may not mean or intend to harm the steward of the land, the complicating effect settles its residue on the stewardship. This means the system of execution becomes hurting to the core of the society that represents community, people, family and humans. III.   Ã‚   Conclusion A thorough review on available source or reference concludes that foreign policy influences much on the context of political, economic and social function of people and its government. The reaching out to influence external or domestic affairs of allied governments is adherent and cognizant to interpretation, studies and value assessment on impact to particular governance. The sympathy, cooperation, collaboration are among the vital faculties which the foreign policy inculcate among ally countries. The strategic positioning towards world domination is to win over supporters and the like in a rallying point of waging war on terrorist. The disturbing issue on â€Å"human security†, aside from â€Å"acquiring a strategic security measure or preemptive response against terrorism†, make a distinction to the latter. However, a common understanding to safeguard the lives and property of innocent people reconcile the distinction between â€Å"human security† and â€Å"strategic security measure against terrorism†. In retrospect, the effects of US foreign policy to the third world politics and economy can be implied as a domestic affair or concern at the point of view of direct control or internal aggression over governance. What can be safely question is the coherent application of a foreign policy in an unspecified territory, characteristic in governance of an allied government, the politico-economic and politico-military condition. The magnitude of US foreign policy is characterized by its dominance towards world order. However, the resistance and defiance among other powerful nations implicates competition resulting to conflicts, political and economic sabotage. This becomes an alarming situation that threatens the life and dignity of men, women and children, as well as the economic base. A critical perception and analyses on US foreign policy can be more effectively attained deducing the roles and executions of allied countries. The criticism on influencing the governance and mandate of an allied country that patronize the foreign policy is an issue at large. â€Å"As critics of US global domination should pause and consider the alternative. If the United States retreats from its hegemonic role, who would supplant it? Not Europe, not China, not the Muslim World—and certainly not the United Nations. Unfortunately, the alternative to a single superpower is not a multilateral utopia, but the anarchic nightmare of a new Dark Age† (Ferguson, N., July/Aug. 2004, A World Without Power, Foreign Policy, Page 32-39). What sources tells about on the issue of US foreign policy is to what extent or magnitude of influence have taken place? The efforts on achieving a world order in the 21st century is deeply entangled in the history of the world where people converge in a common way of life, be it Western, Asian, Islamic. The convergence can be taken back before the development of society from its primitive communal state. The freedom or liberty of humankind, the practices and traits of people, the social order and democratization are the consistent fundamentals of a world order. Therefore, the US foreign policy is cognizant to the fundamentals and potentialities of stability in its international relations, diplomatic values amongst nations. The only way that the political will of a foreign policy is a mighty sword and sharpened by the challenges it confronts. Bold and daring as it is intact of historically inherited dominion from the battle frontiers of France, Great Britain and Germany to the Pearl Harbor, Iraq and Afghanistan.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The casualties in the effects of war on terrorism can be assessed as a pragmatic result of human and technical error. The debris from the destruction was fragments of reality in order to regain. The critical issues on national security, economy, governance and peoples’ democracy progressively draws conscience and awareness among leaders of nations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The consensus on US foreign policy in developing countries has much drawn critical importance to minimize the adversity in political, economic aspects and human suffering. That is for allied governments to make use the influence of foreign policy in the objective condition of its governance, mandate and the sovereign will of the people. REFERENCES Excerpt: speech of US president George W. Bush, October 10th 2007; The Uruguay Round, General Agreement on Tariff and Trade, World Trade Organization (WTO); Policymakers and the Intelligence Community Supporting Us Foreign Policy in the Post-9/11 World,     Richard N. Haas, CIA posted document; Commission on Human Rights, Philippines, September 2007; Published Article, US National Security Strategy of 2007;

Task Dependency – Critical Path

Dependencies and Network Diagram The network diagram is a schematic representation showing the sequence and relationship/ dependency of the tasks along with their duration. All the tasks, except the first and the last, are linked with at least one predecessor and successor to have a proper sequence of work. This logical dependency between the tasks will determine afterwards the duration of the project.There are four types of dependencies which define the relation between pair tasks Finish-to-start (FS- the second task ‘successor’ can’t begin until the first ’predecessor’ is completed), Finish-to-finish (FF- the completion of the successor depends on the completion of its predecessor), Start-to-start (SS- the start of the successor depends on the start of its predecessor), Start-to-finish (SF- the finish of the successor depends on the start of its predecessor). Critical PathHowever the duration of the project is meaningless without identifying what i s driving the project, why the project takes so long, what possible action is required to shorten the duration or what possible risk may extend the project†¦ Among the set of activities interconnected on the diagram; there is always one longest duration path from start to end of the project travelling through the network, Carmichael D. (2006, p. 51). This longest path is also known as a critical path driving the project duration and all tasks falling on this path are called critical activities.Any delay which occurs on these critical activities will delay the project completion time as well. The critical path analysis is carried out in three steps. The first step consists of forward pass which calculates the early schedule (earliest start time and earliest finish time of a task). If a schedule activity has two or more predecessors, its early start is governed by the early finish time of the preceding activities whichever is maximum. The second step is the backward pass which ca lculates the late schedule (latest start and latest finish time of a task).If a schedule activity has one or more successor, its late finish is governed by the late start time of the succeeding activities whichever is minimum. Finally the third step calculates the total float and free float. It is therefore crucial to have dependency between pair of tasks in order to analyze the duration, critical path and critical activities of the project. Critical path helps the project team to complete the project efficiently and on time. Nonetheless critical path is dynamic in nature and changes depending on the progress of work, Furniss B. nd Trauner J. (2010). Constraints Wysocki (2012, pp. 205-209) explains that there are four types of constraints which each one has appropriate area of application 1- Technical constraint This is a dependency in which the successor activity can start with some output of the predecessor activity. According to Wysocki there are four types of dependencies under this technical constraint †¢ Discretionary constraint This is a judgment which may be introduced by the project manager to change the dependency between tasks and avoid further risk.Discretionary dependency is often called soft logic, Kerzner H. and Saladis F. (2009, p. 167). †¢ Best-practice constraint This refers to previous experience of the project manager or others in executing similar task to the present. In some circumstance, dependencies which come from past experience are part of risk-aversion. The dependencies vary from industry to industry either to faster production (SS) or to avoid risk (FS- mostly building construction starts after the design is finished) †¢ Logical constraintIt is a result of the project manger’s way of thinking or common sense to follow logical sequence between pair tasks in such a way the logic is reasonable and justifiable. †¢ Unique constraint It occurs usually when a specific/critical resource is required for the execut ion of several tasks. 2- Management constraint This constraint is imposed by the management and dependencies of tasks can be reversed to a better one should the need arise. 3- Interproject constraint My current project is a construction of student accommodation and has a specific requirement for the toilet to be installed in the student rooms.This toilet is called prefabricated bathroom POD which should be manufactured as a complete standalone unit with floor and wall tiles, door, shower tray, water closet (WC), bidet, hand wash basin, mirror, hair drier†¦ off-site. The construction of the pods is a separate project. The pods are, then, transported to the site, lifted with crane and installed in the building. The installation of external masonry blockworks on the main project can only start after the delivery and installation of pod is finished (see attached picture). 4- Date constraintThis constraint preset a fixed start or finish date for deliverable to make it happen on a sp ecific date. There are three types of constraints. The first and the most annoying constraint which I exercised on my current project is the ‘on this date’. In order to energize all the utility services and proceed with all subsequent testing and commissioning activities, we (the contractor) needed to know when the power supply will be provided/completed by the client. The client ordered the contractor to submitted programme of work applying a constraint â€Å"on this date† for power-on connection task.We prepared the programme accordingly and highlighted the client that the project will be completed on X date from the day we receive the power-on. Unfortunately the power-on could not happen on the specified date and ALL of our subsequent activities were affected. The sequence of work was totally distorted with difficulties to construe the schedule resulting negative float. ‘No later than’ is the second constraint you can impose on a task to limit the latest finish time it can be finished. This constraint can, as well result negative float.The third constraint is the ‘No earlier than’ which specifies the earliest date a task can be finished but cannot result negative float by itself. Conclusion In general the combination of different dependencies and constraints build the project schedule and form the network diagram which is a tool to understand the sequence of work and critical activities in the project. Carmichel D. (2006) Project Planning and Control London: Taylor & Francis Furniss, Brian J. and Trauner, Theodore J. (2010) ‘The Critical Path: Definition vs.Understanding’, Construct, 19(1), [Online]. Available at: http://ehis. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. liv. ac. uk/eds/detail? sid=89b2f511-7e34-41db-8676-5d3f40f45afe%40sessionmgr10&vid=1&hid=3&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=52161761 (Accessed: 05 October 2012) Wysocki, R. K. (2012) Effective Project Management: traditional, a gile, extreme. 6th edn. Indianapolis: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Kerzner, H. and Saladis F. (2009) Project Management Workbook. 10th edn. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Canadaian Studies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Canadaian Studies - Assignment Example Although the nation has been doing fine without the law, some quotas have taken advantage of this laxity and have involved in murderous activities in praising the abortion. In the past 11 years of great experimentation without the law, it has been revealed that, although there is no law against abortion, doctors and women have exercised the right to abortion responsibly, without the need for any legal restrictions since their conscience do not allow them to do so (Marshall, 1988). Due to lack of the laws and regulation restricting abortion, Canadian citizens, especially doctors have had a share of difficulties in attempting to deliver accessible abortion services to women in part of the world that illegalizes abortion. Unfortunately, semi-skilled legislators who cannot support the improvement women’s access to safe and legal abortion currently govern some parts of Canada (Marshall, 1988). The access to medical and healthy abortion has also been hindered by bigger size of the country, least populated nation according to its size. This has made it difficult to the country to make available abortion services to Canadian women (Marshall, 1988). Furthermore, the government does not fund several abortions clinics thus forcing women to attend hospitals abortion services. Unfortunately, Canadian hospitals are not the easiest or most reassuring places to acquire an abortion (Marshall, 1988). A second problem resulting from the lack of anti-abortion law is anti-choice harassment and violence to Canadian women and doctors in other parts of the world. For example, three Canadian abortion specialists have been shot dead in the last 5 years, by American terrorist who is anti-abortion. Some of the Canadian citizens especially, women have been deported back to Canada for practicing abortion in cultures and nations that have strict laws limiting abortion. The country also had had poor

Art in Context - Andy Goldsworthy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Art in Context - Andy Goldsworthy - Essay Example Background and Philosophies of Goldsworthy Goldsworthy was born and grew up in Britain and is best known for his naturalistic work in photography, sculpture and site – specific art. Goldsworthy was born in 1929 and lived until 2001. His earlier life was spent by the green belt, a community specific for the naturalistic elements which were a part of the area. This was combined with the work which Goldsworthy began at the age of 13 as a farmhand. In 1974, Goldsworthy studied fine arts at the Bradford College of Art followed by his studies at Preston Polytechnic. He became a professor of applied mathematics at the University of Leeds and remained in Scotland and England for the rest of his life. His works continue to carry the same influences with the installations of the natural settings as well as the belief that nature is one which is not only based on the natural reflections and settings, but also has forms of artistic elements combined with the setting, all which are disturb ing and should be noted with his works (Malpas, 2008: 15). The artistic elements that are throughout Goldsworthy’s work are combined with the philosophies which he carried throughout his life. The main component which was the basis of Goldsworthy’s work was from what is now considered eco – art. This used the natural elements, patterns and frameworks of nature to combine into the main ideologies of the art works. By highlighting the natural patterns that were in nature, there was also the ability to show the values which were in society. The aesthetics were combined with this by focusing on the geometries, natural patterns and the elements of nature which stood out because of the values seen in ecological systems. Goldsworthy found pride in his works by showing how nature was one which shouldn’t be considered as an element of sameness, but instead, was based on the understanding that noticing the patterns also allowed one to notice art (McLean, 2002: 1). Works of Goldsworthy and Contextual Relevance There are several elements of Goldsworthy which were noted not only for his personal thoughts, but also which were relevant to the context of the time. The work of the time was one which was based on the growing of industrialization, factories, machinery and construction jungles of the cities that were emerging at a rapid rate. The work of Goldsworthy rejected the unnatural status which most were referring to. This came from the rebellion against artists such as Andy Warhol, who represented the artistic works of the time through concepts such as Campbell’s Soup. The take which Goldsworthy represented was one which sent the message that nature should still be looked into and considered as a main component in nature. The ideal was to move back into nature and to release the wild, as opposed to constructing the new out of the machinery which was quickly emerging at the time (Adams, 2003: 5). An example of the works which showed a reb ellion against the machinery was in â€Å"Reed Screen† as seen in image 1. Image 1: Reed Screen This particular installation piece was inclusive of the reeds of a tree which were intertwined like a spider web. In the middle of this was the shape of a tree from a sculpture which Goldsworthy

The Painted Monasteries in the Southern Bucovina Essay

The Painted Monasteries in the Southern Bucovina - Essay Example The giddying, scope and detail of the Voronet Monastery fills every reasonable square centimetre of the external Western wall. â€Å"These walls have been roundly declared as the most interesting and marvellous Bucovine fresco. Just like any of the existing Monastery paintings in Romania, the Voronet Monastery painting is something of a miracle† (Vorhees, 19). Voronet Monastery painting pigment is only 2 millimetres thick, making the lasting sturdiness of the frescos easier said than done to explain. With the exemption of the Voronet’s northern wall, which has absorbed the impact of centuries of Romania’s elements, the external frescos remain unbelievably vibrant. The northern wall represents Genesis. The southern walls comprise a tree of Jesse with the lineage of biblical personalities. The photograph was taken using a much-digitalized camera that makes it clear and more balanced. The most important part of photography is to be sensitive to natural light. Lookin g at the picture below, you will realize that a brilliant sun found a hole in the clouds and lighted the monetary from the side hence making the entire picture glow. The colour in the picture creates a sense of history, place and emotion about Romania tourism sector. Additionally, the photography used Adobe Camera Raw, comprised of Photoshop CSA and Photoshop element that ensures that the image is high quality. The Monastery paintings are a true reflection of ethical art. The monastery paintings are framed as western frames and it is used religiously hence they have both symbolic and religious significance.

A short paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A short paper - Essay Example The French were the first Europeans to settle in what later became the Canadian province of Quebec and to appease the population after their humiliating defeat by the British in the 1700s, they were granted certain rights including the retention of their religion, judicial and educational systems. These rights were maintained when Canada moved from colonial status to an independent democracy in 1867. While there are pockets of French heritage settlements in the rest of Canada, most are in Quebec province where they constitute the majority of the population. Unfortunately the classical French educational system with its’ close ties to the Roman Catholic church and lack of business orientation, was ill equipped to prepare students for business management positions so that in the industrial revolution most were relegated to low skill work serving Anglophone managers imported from the rest of Canada and had few prospects for advancement. Naturally this situation created resentment which was expressed in the formation of a political party dedicated to separation from the rest of Canada and a more militant group (the FLQ) . When this group escalated their activities from blowing up mail boxes and other symbols of alleged Anglophone authority to the kidnap of a British diplomat and the murder of a Quebec cabinet minister, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau stepped in with the army to prevent an armed insurrection. However, people of Quebec were allowed to vote twice in referendums to express their desire whether to separate or remain within Canada, with the pledge that the majority wish would be respected and if separation was chosen there would be no military action and negotiations would commence for an equitable division of the country’s assets and liabilities. While in both cases the majority voted to remain in Canada, one was very close. Trudeau, although a

The Future of Education in US and Saudi Arabia Essay

The Future of Education in US and Saudi Arabia - Essay Example According to the research findings the revolution in the education sector will also result in an overall information symmetry to the residents of both countries and at large the world. The education infrastructure will also get upgraded and the funds spend on the acquisition teaching staff decline. It will become a cost cutting strategy as the education sector has over time utilized large amounts of capital that could have got utilized in developing other sectors. The overall adoption of technology in the education sector will eventually result in a declined rate of illiteracy and ignorance levels as learning shall become a progressive exercise.From the discussion it is clear that  the initiation of formal education dates back to the 19th century when people saw the need of adopting a formalized educational system as opposed to the informal. The future of the education will heavily relay on the adoption of formalized systems of impacting knowledge to the students. The development a genda of the education sector will heavily rely on the methods of overcoming the barriers that have for long hindered the development and establishment of formalized education in both US and Saudi Arabia. The aim is to ensure that learning can take place anyplace anytime so long as there learner has a willingness to learn. The idea of students going to school for classes shall change and become history. It is so as classroom learning will no longer be taking place and if it happens to be shall be made for the young generation only.

Consent and learning disability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Consent and learning disability - Essay Example People with learning disabilities may have difficulty with the second key component. Yet as part of their autonomy requirements consent cannot be denied to them and it is essential that there is an understanding of the manner in which their autonomy can be enhanced and not compromised. With more and more people with learning disabilities in the United Kingdom seeking generic health care services, as a result of the policies of the health care authorities, consent with regard to people with learning difficulties becomes a significant issue for professionals involved with providing health care services to people with learning difficulties (Brittle, 2004). In the United Kingdom nearly one-and-half million people are estimated to be affected by learning disabilities. Two factors need to be considered when addressing people with learning difficulties. The first is that learning difficulty remains with these individuals throughout the course of their life and the second is that these individuals have their own likes and dislikes, history and opinions and possess the same rights like any other citizen of the United Kingdom. The Royal College of Nursing Learning Disability Nursing Forum, 2006, relates learning difficulties to those individuals, who demonstrate the characteristics of â€Å"a significant impairment of intelligence, a significant impairment of adaptive function and age of onset before adulthood† (The Royal College of Nursing Learning Disability Nursing Forum, 2006). There are no laboratory tests or imaging tests that form the basis of identifying individuals with learning tests. The measure of intelligence based on cognitive assessment, whereby the intelligence quotient (IQ) score is ascertained, is the means to identifying people with learning difficulties. Such IQ tests evaluate the abilities of an individual in areas such as comprehension, expression, knowledge, abstract thinking, memory and problem-solving skills. These tests are normally

Case Treetop Forest Products Essay Example for Free

Case Treetop Forest Products Essay Identification (20%) Facts, assumptions and problem identification Building-grade lumber industry is competitive and product being sold is not differential; only differentiation is due to product packaging and presentation. Product packaging is biggest factor when buyers are making a purchasing decision between buying from Treetop or competitors. Over the last 2 years, Treetop has declined in ratings for package of lumber products as a result lost customers to competitors . Treetop has six departments: boom, sawmill, planer, packaging, shipping, and maintenance. All other departments have a supervisor; however, packaging department does not have one designated supervisor. Possible solution is to convert one of the workers to supervisor, or dedicate a supervisor 100% of the time to packaging To solve the issue supervisor from sawmill and planer deparments cover the shifts. Due to distance between sawmill and planing divisions, the supervisors are unable given full attention to the operations of the packaging division. (assumption) Distance cause the supervisor to visit the departments not as often as they should. Productivity in 3 divisions remained constant, Sawmill and planing division productivity increased; however, productivity decreased in packaging department and caused the following: Stockpile up Risk of damaged stock increased the inventory cost Cost Competitiveness suffered due to management placing additional employees from other divisions to solve the backlog issue faced by packaging department. Packaging department run two shifts morning and afternoon Productivity level of afternoon shifts is less than morning shift employees Reason behind the decreased in productivity level in the department is due to following: Employees takes extended lunch and coffee breaks Leave few min early, specially afternoon shift Reallocation of temporary employees from different productive departments also follow the same practise after being in the packaging department for few days. Based on the case facts, organizational effectiveness and productivity is being effected by the in place practises of Packaging  Department. Following two major problems should be resolved to overcome the issues faced by Treetop: Packaging departments employees are effecting the working habits of other department employees. Department wide meeting communicating the company values, performance issues of packaging department, statististics proving decline in packaging, and initiatives to stop extended lunches, coffee breaks, leaving few minutes early especially in afternoon shift Produce daily backlog reports showing increase in backlog and spoilage statistics. Use negative consequences (firing), within union contract. and positive rewards based on production and quality targets being met. Methods and implementation of rewards can be determined by using Nominal Group Technique (variation of brain storming)- 1)silently and independently document their ideas, 2)collectively describe ideas to other team members without critique, and 3)silently ad independently evaluate the ideas presented Packaging division does not have a supervisor to oversee the operation on daily bases. This needs to change immediately. If costs can’t be justified, perhaps  ½ time position added, that also is in production the other half , or Bal Resolving the issues The packaging department is mostly at fault for majority of the Treetop Forest Productions Ltd recent decline of organisational success, not only are the packaging employees at fault, but also management for not monitoring the situation more effectively. It’s vital for Treetop Forest Products to improve and maintain their competitive edge within the building grade timber industry to ensure future success of the organisation. If solutions are not implemented immediately, the success of the organisation will continue to decline, placing Treetop Forest Productions Ltd in an unfavourable position where recovery may be implausible. Tackling the major issues illustrated within the packaging department will commence a strong positive path towards the future success of the organisation, placing them in a competitive position once again. There are possible solutions that can assist with effectively and efficiently dealing with this issue. Firstly, supervision and leadership needs a major  improvement within the packaging sector. As illustrated within all other fully supervised departments, work is completed efficiently and to a high quality standard. By providing packaging employees with the same supervision and leadership, near guarantees a positive change within the packaging department. Employing a leader with a with a transformational approach to leadership concerned with emotions, values, ethics, standards and long term goals will help to improve the work ethic within the packaging department. A supervisor with transformational leadership involves an exceptional form of influence that moves followers to accomplish more that what is usually expected of them. Furthermore, by introducing a new leader, costs will decrease due to supervised workers and the decrease of overtime; it can be implemented quickly, improv e productivity and increase the equity of work. As also explained within the issues of the packaging department, there is a lack of employee motivation. This is demonstrated through the low quality of work produced, longer breaks and early finishing times. Its important for managers to understand that each and every individual employee will have a set of drives, needs, decisions and behaviours to be motivated. By following the below diagram, Treetop Forest Products managers can use this to understand different emotional responses and resulting needs in the same situation. promote group cohesiveness and a pleasant working environment. In the short term, upper management could host a meeting or assembly between all departments to make them feel interrelated and important to the company. This could be a great motivation for the employees. In the long term, group evaluations could be necessary to measure the group’s performance and to see if the actions taken are resolving the problems. supervisor of the department. Learned Needs Theory: The Learned Needs Theory has three â€Å"learned needs† that can be defined as the â€Å"Need for Achievement†, â€Å"Need for Power†, and the â€Å"Need for Affiliation†. A need is amplified or suppressed through self-concept, social norms, and past  experiences (Internet Center for Management and Business Administration, Inc., 2002), although needs can also be learned through training whether it be strengthening or weakening the need. The members of the packaging department could have been more aware of their needs whether it is affiliation, power, or achievement and if they were more aware of what was there, there could have been more motivation on the part of the members to excel. Also, with the appointment of an actual supervisor, instead of taking them from other departments, it could have ensured that these needs be amplified through some forms of friendly competition or rewards. The â€Å"Need for Power† is stated as the need to make an impact on others, influence others, change people or events, and make a difference in life. If this need was taught to the members of the packaging department by the supervisors of the other departments, there could be a chance someone internally would strive so much for the need of power that he or she would emerge as the leader in a department with a declining productivity level. Having the ability to control others is a very powerful characteristic which everyone strives for internally, so if this need was brought forward by executives there would be an increase in competition and drive between the members to claim that position of hierarchy in the department. The â€Å"Need for Achievement† is the need and desire for excellence, competition, challenging goals, and overcoming difficulties. With the simple action as a reward put forth throughout the company internally that the employees of each section could enjoy, it could ignite an employee’s need for achievement and desire for excellence which in turn could ignite the competition in every employee to achieve success like his or her fellow employee has. People strive for recognition and success and if this need was amplified in the employees who have made it clear that they want to enjoy the benefits that come from a high productivity level, and brought out of those who believe that they don’t need success, Treetop Forest Products could internally enjoy success of their own making their business profit at its maximum rate. The â€Å"Need for Affiliation† is defined as the need for individuals maintain close, intimate relationships, or approval of other people. If Treetop Forest Products could bring out this need in the packaging department by showing them how the other departments in the company get along which in turn brings the productivity level up within the  department. Although, the employees of the packaging do well of getting along with each other by performing bad habits such as leaving early or extending their breaks, if that could be  transformed through the training of good habits such as exceeding expected productivity levels and working hard, the affiliation that is present now could be that much stronger and emphasized in the department. Also, in addition to affiliation within the department, there is also the possibility with the rise of productivity level and affiliation within the The team has strong cohesion, but needs to be turned around. (employees transferred are confor ming to the team norms of lack of punctuality)† Norms are the informal rules and shared expectations that groups establish to regulate the bahavour of their members.† Padge 225 chapter 8 Canadian Org Behaviour . It has to be set as a rethink to the department and communicating the new norms and aligning the norms with the company goals and objectives is critical. Through these simple needs that can be taught or learned, Treetop Forest Products could experience not only success from their five already successful departments but from the packaging department as well. If amplified the packaging department would benefit from the affiliation they would gain from the other departments, the power that employees could possibly gain with the increase of productivity via promotions or recognition, and the rewards that the employees of the packaging could gain through increased productivity levels. If Treetop Forest Products were to implicate these two simple theories there is a possibility that the packaging department would no longer be a harmful unit but instead an asset that Treetop can rely on. Through the Situational Leadership Theory, Treetop has the opportunity to find a leader that can adapt to the group and individuals and convert the now declining productivity level of the packaging department to an increasing level of productivity like the f ive other departments in the company. With the Learned Needs Theory, Treetop has the ability to install the needs for achievement, power, and affiliation to the packaging department to encourage friendly competition between the employees while still steadily increasing the productivity levels of the  department. Conclusion: Treetop Forest Products and Westboard Co have been suffering the consequences of the lackluster performance from their packaging department since there is no authority figure to keep the employees on task and working hard to produce sellable products for Westboard. With the packaging department not having their own supervisor, Treetop has appointed the supervisors of the sawmill and planing department as the supervisors of the packaging department during their shifts. With the packaging department being in a different location then the sawmill and planing department, it has caused the supervisors to make the packaging department an afterthought and with the productivity levels of the packaging department decreasing it has shown. After evaluating the case of Treetop Forest Product and the issues with their packaging department, they have been using the Contingency Theory which states that there is no one best way of leading and that a leadership style that is effective in some situations may not be successful in others and that while a leader may be very effective at one place and point in time may become unsuccessful either when transplanted to another situation or when factors around t hem change. This was clear in the case of Treetop Forest Product’s case because  although the leaders were very effective with their own departments, increasing the productivity levels of their respective departments, when transferred over to the packaging department their effectiveness did not follow. Each leader has their own key characteristics that play a major part in how they lead, whether it is their personality, drive, emotional intelligence, self-concept, etc. so what may be high and effective in one leader and his or her department may not be high and effective in a different department’s leader. Since the sawmill and planing departments were so successful when implanted into a failing department, the situation as well as the effectiveness of the leader changed. Instead of the Contingency Theory, there were others that if Treetop were to implement it could have made the productivity level of the packaging department go up while creating a better atmosphere within the company. If Treetop were to take the leader who was most able to conform his or her leadership style to that of the packaging department instead of just taking the top two  departments supervisors without considering the important variables such as distance and drive, Treetop could have improved the situation within the packaging department. With these simple changes to the company, Treetop could have quite easily changed the atmosphere and effectiveness of the packaging department to better the profits and trust gained from Westboard. If Treetop were to dedicate an individual supervisor based on performance and authoritative qualities within the department instead of having an external employee take on the responsibility of turning the packaging department around, the chances of increasing the productivity level of the packaging department would increase which would not only benefit the department but Treetop Forest Products and Westboard Co. respectively.

Observations to Identify Child Needs

Observations to Identify Child Needs Planning, observation and assessment all contribute to supporting the learning and development of children. Careful observation can identify a child’s individual needs and interests and ensure that resources and activities are suitable for promoting further development. The early years recommends that practitioners follow a three-step cycle to effectively meet the needs of individual children. Planning Observation and Assessment. Write only what you see-this ensures accuracy. Write the date and time you’re observing, name and age of child, setting where the observation is being done. Avoid opinions, don’t say that the child is/ is not enjoying something, if they have not told you that. Continue with regular observations-this provides an overall consistent picture of the child’s development, and identify any areas of a child’s development that might need additional support or be delayed. You can learn a lot about the children you are working with by observing them, and you are more likely to be able to meet their individual needs effectively from observation. Formal observations can be used to observe a child’s development of a particular skill or knowledge and understanding. The practitioner can use adult-led activities to provide an opportunity for the child to practice this particular skill and observe their participation. Observations which are spontaneous, help gather information as children will be able to explore naturally without any added pressure. Formal observations can be used to observe a child’s development of a particular skill or knowledge and understanding. This is especially useful for development checklist for the child. There are factors to consider when observing a child and that it is regularly collected to produce a true picture of the child’s knowledge and abilities and ensure consistency in the evidence you collect. Many things can affect the validity of observation; tired or hungry or hungry children may not demonstrate skills to the best of their ability and might get different results in completing an observation on a child at different times of the day, illness can affect the child’s demonstrating skill if they are ill, or might not want to partake so won’t be demonstrating their true abilities. Practitioners should schedule a repeat observation whe n the child is well to gather the true picture of the child’s ability. It is important to see when a child has achieved a particular skill when you carried out the observations at the same time accurate results and consistency. There are many methods of observing and recording observations. Practitioners in early year settings often use a note taking method carrying with them a note pad, to write spontaneous occurrences in what a child’s interests and achievements are when they are engaged in an activity with them. This way of taking notes can then be written up after the events in more detail. Time sample is another way of recording information; this is a way of looking at a child’s activity over a period of time, observing the child at regular intervals for example every ten minutes for one hour. A summative assessment is when the evidence is gained through a formative assessment over a period of time and these are helpful when the practitioner needs to review a child’s developing progress. A formative assessment is an on-going assessment of the child, and carried out on a regular basis. The early years requires two formal summative assessments, at aged two and at the end of completion of the Early Year setting. Assessments after observations are the way in which the practitioner can make decisions about what the child can do. For example a practitioner is observing a child and note the child has spent ten minutes building bricks. It shows the practitioner that the child appears happily content doing this activity, it also shows the child can concentrate for a period of time and play independently. They are able to observe if the child is using favourably their left hand or right hand and their eye- to hand coordination is well developed.The practitioner can say if the child had any facial expressions i.e. smiling or frowning whilst doing the activity to show enjoyment or concentration. An observation like this helps the practitioner plan future activities well suited to the child to meet individual needs and abilities of the child, and encourage future development adding other construction activities for the child to try if naturally this is where the child is getting enjoyment. Planning for a child to help their development in their not as strong areas is very important also. And from observations you can assess where the child needs extra encouragement or additional help in certain areas, for example when a group of children asked to put their coats on ready to go outside. You can observe the children who are very capable of doing the task without aid and the children who take longer and need extra time or help. You can plan for this by dividing the children into two groups; group 1 and group 2. Group 1 being the slower children less able to p ut on their coats are to start getting ready first with extra time allocated than group 2.Planning should be built upon the observation and assessment findings of individual children in order to identify the best steps to take to further their learnings and development. The Early Years development matters document suggests that planning should include looking at what is next for the child including: experiences and opportunities, the learning environment, resources, routines and the practitioners’ role. A carer can observe an individual child during outdoor play and recognise that the individual child aged two years is climbing confidently and is beginning to pull themselves up on nursery play climbing equipment outdoors. So the carer can help the individual child by talking to the child about their movements and help them to explore new ways of moving, such as squirming slithering and twisting along the ground like a snake, and moving quickly, slowly or on tiptoe. Plan opportunities for children to tackle a range of levels and surfaces including flat and hilly ground, grass, pebbles, smooth floors and carpets. Provide a range of large play equipment both indoors and outdoors that can be used in different ways such as boxes, ladders –frames and barrels. Provide safe spaces and explain safety to the child and parents. These will help encourage their physical development even further. The Statutory assessments focus on three prime areas of development ages two and three progress check. The assessment review and identify the child’s strengths and any areas of where the child’s progress is less than expected. The progress check helps identify the child’s natural interests and plan effectively for the individual child. It is a good idea to show the parents how to understand effectively to support the child’s learning which can be encouraged at the home environment for the child. The assessment it helps identify any additional special educational need or identify any disability. The practitioners should develop a targeted plan to support the child’s future learning and development involving the parents and careers and other professionals which may be needed. The report shows reflecting development levels and needs of the child, it shows the areas where the child is progressing well, the areas where additional support may be needed, and focus particularly on where there is a concern that the individual child may have developmental delay, which may indicate a special educational need or disability. It must include any activities and strategies the provider must intend to adopt and address any issues or concerns. Parents must receive a written record of each of the child’s prime areas of development. It is of interest to the individual child to encourage the parents to share the information from the progress check with other relevant professionals, including their health visitor and the staff of any new provision the child may transfer to. The progress check and the Healthy Child Programme health and development review at age two, when the Health visitor gathers information on a child’s health and development, allowing them to identify any developmental delay and any particular support from which they think the child and family might benefit, should inform each other and support integrated work together. This also helps health and education professionals to identify any strengths as well as any developmental delay. The providers must have parental consent and careers to share information directly with other relevant professionals. The assessment at the end of early years foundation stage profile must be completed when the individual reaches age five in the final term no later than June 30 in that term. It provides a well-rounded picture of a child’s knowledge, understanding and abilities, their progress against expected levels and their readiness for starting year 1. It provides information to the parents, careers practitioners and teachers; the profile reflects ongoing observations, all the relevant records held by the setting, discussions with parents and careers and any other adult professionals relevant. The child’s development must be assessed against the Early learning goals, practitioners indicate whether children are meeting expected levels of development, or if they are exceeding expected levels and if not yet reaching expected levels. Year 1 teachers are given the Profile; this will help the teacher acknowledge the child’s stage of development and learning needs and help assist w ith the planning of activities. The Profile must be completed for all children, including with special educational needs or disabilities, with reasonable adjustments to the assessment process for children with special educational needs and disabilities are made appropriately. It is important to know that all children will have differing level of skills and abilities across the profile and it is important that there is a full assessment of all the areas of the child’s development to form plans for future activities and to help identify any additional support. Schools must share the results of the Profile with the parents and careers. The profile must be completed for all children, including of those with special educational needs or disabilities. Adjustments to the assessment process for the children with special educational needs and disabilities must be made as appropriate. Children will have differing levels of skill and abilities across the profile and it is important that there is a full assessment of all areas of their development to inform any future activities and to identify any additional support needs.

IVU Preparation and IVU Procedure

IVU Preparation and IVU Procedure What is Intravenous Urography? Intravenous Urography examines is the urinary system by using a special dye (contrast medium) that is injected into one of your veins. The dye travels through the bloodstream and is removed by the kidneys and passed into the ureters and bladder. The dye helps to show up these organs more clearly on X-rays. The test can help find out the cause of urinary problems. It can show kidney and bladder stones, tumours, blood clots or narrowing in the ureters. It is routinely done as an out-patient procedure in the radiology department. The procedure is comprised of two phases. First, it needs a functioning kidney to clean the dye out of the blood into the urine. The time necessary for the dye to come into view on x rays correlate exactly with kidneys function. The second phase gives entire anatomical images of the urinary tract. Within the first few minutes the dye lights up the kidneys, a stage called the nephrogram. Later the pictures follow the dye down the ureters and into the bladder. The final film taken after urinating shows how well the bladder empties. The contrast is removed from the bloodstream through the kidneys. Then contrast media becomes visible on x-rays almost immediately after injection. Attention is paid at the: Kidney Bladder  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Tubes that connect them (urethras) Why Intravenous Urography is done? The most common reason an IVU is done is in a condition be the suspected presence of stones in the urinary tract. Other pathology are such as renal failure, myeloma and infancy. The doctor would like to know how the urine is draining from the kidney to the bladder and how the stones have affected your urinary system. This may be used to balance the ultrasound of the kidney to the bladder and how the stones have affected the urinary system and the other wise. IVU uses a dye, also called as a contrast medium. This shows up the soft tissues the urinary system on the x-ray. This will allow the cancer to be seen in any parts of the patients urinary system. The cancer shows up as a blockage or an uneven outline on the wall of the bladder or ureter for an example. It is also used in the investigation of other suspected causes of urine obstruction or blood in the urine. Patient preparation for Intravenous Urography. Patient should be held NPO for 24 hours prior to the radiographic study. Patient should receive a minimum of 2 cleansing enemas prior to study. One enema should be performed the night before the procedure. Patient should receive large-bore catheter prior to examination start time. Patients over 60 lbs should receive 2 large-bore catheters to facilitate contrast administration. Medication Instruction Fasting Instruction Bowel Preparation A) Unless the patient have an asthma or other allergies the medications are not reqiured. Therefore, the suggestion for the examination is reviewed since the patient can develop a reaction towards the contrast media that are used. If the doctor feels the benefits of this procedure will equalize the risks, then the patient may be arranged to prednisolone (a type of steroid medication) tablets for the examination. This would be 40 mg 12 hours and then, 40mg 2 hours prior to the procedure. Sometimes in an urgent examination, the patient may be given an injection of Hydrocortisone 100 mg (another type of steroid) just before the the examination. B) If the IVU procedure is in the afternoon, patient can take light breakfast. Until 4-6 hours before the procedure, the patient can take a small cup of clear fluids per hour such as water, fruit juice, black tea or black coffee. No milk must be taken because it causes indigestion. It is preferable that nothing should be taken for at least 4 hours prior to the procedure. Water is allowed in diabetics, myeloma patients, renal failure and for other conditions where dehydration is contraindicated. C) Low residue vegetable-free diet for 1 day before the examination. A lot of water should be taken during this period before fasting begins. The patient may be given laxatives such as 2 tablets of Dulcolax at 9 pm the night before the examination to increase the peristalsis action. Procedure for Intravenous Urogram. Patient will be asked to lie on an x-ray table where the radiographer will take a preliminary film of their abdomen. The doctor will then give patient an injection of contrast medium into their arm. After this, a series of films will be taken over the next 30 minutes as the dye passes through your renal tract. At one stage of the procedure, a tight band may be placed on patients lower abdomen to help the radiographer to obtain maximum filling of the kidneys before the contrast medium flows down into the bladder. At the end of the examination, patient will be asked to empty your bladder, and then another film will be taken to see the empty bladder. Sometimes the contrast medium takes some time to go through the kidneys and these results in an extended examination time. Contrast medium is a fluid that is opaque to x-rays, is concentrated in the kidneys and goes into the bladder before being passed out in your urine. It is colorless, so the patient cannot see it when you go to the toile t. Aside from the minor sting from the injection as the contrast medium is injected, some people report feeling a warm flush, and sometimes have a metallic taste in their mouth. These things usually disappear within a minute or two, and are no cause for alarm. Incase the patient become itchy or short of breath, let the radiologist know straight away, as they may have a slight reaction to the contrast, which can be eased with antihistamines. If the patient have asthma or severe allergies, the radiologist may suggest them to take a steroid, or use other imaging options. Patient care after Procedure Sometimes, there would be minor (generalised warmth, to rashes) to moderate, asthma and difficulty breathing, a drop in the blood pressure (usually transient) or rarely severe and life threatening (anaphylaxis). Infrequently, there may be severe discomfort/pain when compression is applied, but usually the compression will be released the moment the patient inform the radiographer in charge of your examination. The only severe complication of an IVP is an allergy to the iodine-containing dye that is used. Such an allergy is rare, but it can be fatal. Patient are given and asked to lay on top of draw sheets cause the radiographic may be cold. Pillows are given for comfort. There is usually no special instructions post IVU. The patient may eat and drink unless your referring doctor has another examination or procedure for you after the IVU examination About the Intravenous Urography Examination The procedure takes about 40 to 60 minutes. Patient need to empty their bladder before the test. In a private cubicle, Patient may be asked to remove their clothing and put on a hospital gown. Then patient will be taken to the X-ray room and asked to lie down on the X-ray table. Radiographer will take the first X-ray pictures without the dye. Radiographer will then inject the dye in a vein in their hand or arm, and take more X-rays of your abdomen and pelvis. Patient may be asked to move position and lie on your stomach, or hold their breath for a few seconds while the X-rays are taken. To help improve images of the kidneys, a tight band may be placed across their abdomen. Patient may also be asked to go the toilet to empty your bladder and have another X-ray taken. Results on Intravenous Urography A normal intravenous urogram indicates no visible abnormality in the structure or function of the urinary system. The radiologist looks for a smooth non-lobulated outline of each kidney, no clubbing or other abnormality of the renal calyces (collecting system), and no abnormal fluid collection in the kidneys that could suggest obstruction. The ureters must contain no filling defects (stones) or deviations due to an adjacent tumor. The bladder must have a smooth outline and empty normally as visualized on the post-void film. Abnormal results include hydronephrosis (distension of the renal pelvis and calices due to obstruction) as a result of tumors or calculi (stones). Cysts or abscesses may also be present in the urinary system. A delay in renal function can also indicate renal disease. An abnormal amount of urine in the bladder after voiding may indicate prostate or bladder problems. Intravenous urograms are often done on children to rule out a rapid developing tumor in the kidneys, called a Wilms tumor. Children are also prone to infections of the bladder and kidneys due to urinary reflux (return back-flow of urine). Film For a preliminary film, (35 x 43cm) supine full A.P. abdomen to include lower border of symphysis pubis and diaphragm, abdominal preparation,and for any calcifications overlying the renal tract areas. Additional films to decide position of any opacities.35 ° posterior oblique of the renal regions. Tomogram of the renal areas are at 8-11 cm 4 reasom why we do preminilary Patient preparation The position of kidney (collimation) Exposure factor Instruction For an immediate film (24 x 30cm), AP of the renal areas, the film is exposed 10-14 s after the injection (arm-to-kidney time). It is to show the nephrogram. For a 5 minute film (24 x 30cm) AP of the renal areas, this film is taken to decide if the excretion is equal or if the uptake is poor and is important for assessing the need to adjust the technique. A compression band is now applied around the patients abdomen and the balloon positioned midway between the iliac spines. This can produce better pelvicalyceal distension. Compression should not be used in cases of suspected renal colic, renal trauma or after recent abdominal surgery. In 15 minute AP of the renal areas, there is usually sufficient distension of the pelvicalyceal system with opaque urine by the time. In the release of film the supine AP abdomen, this film is taken to show the whole urinary tract. If the film is good enough, the patient is asked to empty their bladder. The main value of this film is to access bladder emptying to demonstrate a return to normal of the dilated upper tracts with the relief of bladder pressure. In 25 Minute film (24 x 30cm) 15 ° caudal angulations centred 5 cm above the upper border of the symphysis pubis to reveal the swollen bladder. After micturition film, this will be the coned view of the bladder with the tube angled 15 caudad and centred 5cm above the symphysis pubis or the full length abdominal film to show the bladder emptying success and the return of the previously swollen lower ends of urethras to normal. Contrast agents and drugs Common examples for a 70 kg adult with normal blood urea values (2.5 7.5mmol/L.)Contrast media must be warmed to body temperature before injection. High osmolarity of contrast medium (HOCM) or low osmolarity of contrast medium (LOCM) 370 are acceptable but infants and small children, those with renal and cardiac failure, poorly hydrated patients, patients with diabetes, myelomatosis or sickle-cell anaemia and patient who have had a previous severe contrast medium reaction with low osmolarity contrast medium reaction with a strong allergic history have to receive low osmolarity contrast medium. Paediatric dose is 1ml kg/1 Equipment used for Intravenous Urogram Conray 400 ® 1 mL / lb ( 3 mL / kg) In high risk cats or compromised dogs (abnormal BUN / Creatinine), consult with the radiologist about the use of Omnipaque (Iohexol) instead of the Conray. Indwelling catheter preplaced in patient by clinician, student or treatment room techs. Depending on size of the animal or amount of contrast to be injected, 2 catheters might be required. Crash kit should be made available in the case of allergic contrast reaction (ie: vomiting and / or nausea are the most common.) What are the risks on doing Intravenous Urogram? Intravenous urograms are commonly performed and generally safe. However, in order to make an informed decision and give your consent, you need to be aware of the possible side-effects and the risk of complications of this procedure .Patient will be exposed to some X-ray radiation. Level of exposure is about the same as the background radiation that you would receive naturally from the environment over 12 to 14 months. Pregnant women are advised not to have X-rays, as there is a risk the radiation may affect the development of your unborn child. If the patient is, or think you may be pregnant, they must tell their doctor before the appointment. These are the unwanted but mostly temporary effects of a successful procedure. Very rarely, they may sense a warm feeling or get a metallic taste in their mouth after having the contrast. This should last only a minute or two.

What Compact Disc Would I Take to a Desert Island? :: Music

What Compact Disc Would I Take to a Desert Island? Tough question. What else to take? Easy Enough. I would bring as many bags of Utz Salt n’ Vinegar potato chips as possible, one copy of Earnest Hemmingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, and I figure just about any woman would suit me. Denied these things, the choice of a Desert Island Disc is made much more complicated. With nothing else to occupy my mind I need that one great disc. Much like Nick Tosches’ choice of Sticky Fingers I find this decision extremely difficult: "But Sticky Fingers is a choice as mysterious and as difficult to explain to myself as anyone else."(Tosches 4) The choices are numerous and I’m pulled and so many different directions at once it is very difficult to decide. Santiago had it easy; I’ll take the Marlin over this essay any day. The first band that popped into my head was, of course, Led Zeppelin. But, before I thought of any Zeppelin albums a few other choices came by. The first had to be Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. This album gets as much listening time as any single Led Zeppelin album. The music is haunting, powerful, and emotional. The problem with this is it lacks some of the levity that I felt would be necessary on the Desert Island. Tracks like "Time", which is about how fast time goes by in life, would only remind of how heart wrenchingly slow time would flow on the desolate sandbar. Darkside had to go. My next thought was Yes 90125 released when the band reformed in the early 80’s. This album in my opinion is on of the greatest albums ever composed. It though my entire lifetime has consumed the lion’s share of my listening time. This album flows as almost a singular musical creation. But this lacked levity and more importantly the variety that I wanted. This one wouldn’t fly either. The next album that popped into my head was Das Efx Dead Serious. This rap album might sound like a strange choice when compared to the other albums I’ve described. But I love it. It like 90125 really is a masterpiece of album composing. I love the beats and the rolling rhythm of the lyrics. The problem with this is that much like Yes it lacks the variety I wanted. All said and done my choice has to be Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy. What Compact Disc Would I Take to a Desert Island? :: Music What Compact Disc Would I Take to a Desert Island? Tough question. What else to take? Easy Enough. I would bring as many bags of Utz Salt n’ Vinegar potato chips as possible, one copy of Earnest Hemmingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, and I figure just about any woman would suit me. Denied these things, the choice of a Desert Island Disc is made much more complicated. With nothing else to occupy my mind I need that one great disc. Much like Nick Tosches’ choice of Sticky Fingers I find this decision extremely difficult: "But Sticky Fingers is a choice as mysterious and as difficult to explain to myself as anyone else."(Tosches 4) The choices are numerous and I’m pulled and so many different directions at once it is very difficult to decide. Santiago had it easy; I’ll take the Marlin over this essay any day. The first band that popped into my head was, of course, Led Zeppelin. But, before I thought of any Zeppelin albums a few other choices came by. The first had to be Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. This album gets as much listening time as any single Led Zeppelin album. The music is haunting, powerful, and emotional. The problem with this is it lacks some of the levity that I felt would be necessary on the Desert Island. Tracks like "Time", which is about how fast time goes by in life, would only remind of how heart wrenchingly slow time would flow on the desolate sandbar. Darkside had to go. My next thought was Yes 90125 released when the band reformed in the early 80’s. This album in my opinion is on of the greatest albums ever composed. It though my entire lifetime has consumed the lion’s share of my listening time. This album flows as almost a singular musical creation. But this lacked levity and more importantly the variety that I wanted. This one wouldn’t fly either. The next album that popped into my head was Das Efx Dead Serious. This rap album might sound like a strange choice when compared to the other albums I’ve described. But I love it. It like 90125 really is a masterpiece of album composing. I love the beats and the rolling rhythm of the lyrics. The problem with this is that much like Yes it lacks the variety I wanted. All said and done my choice has to be Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy.

Archetypes In Siddhartha Essay -- essays research papers fc

In analyzing the novel Siddhartha, we find that Herman Hesse has incorporated many literary techniques to relay his message to the reader. By using various writing approaches to convey the theme of the novel, Hesse appeals to the readers' senses and aides them in grasping the novel. Included in these techniques are symbolism, metaphor, allusion, and archetypes. He compares many issues that Siddhartha faces to everyday objects and forces, making the novel easier to understand. Three of the main archetypes Hesse uses to get his point across are trees, rivers, and sleep. One of the more obvious symbols used in the novel is a tree. Cross-culturally, it is extremely common for trees to represent wisdom. In Hebrew literature, when Adam and Eve eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, they are "awakened" and gain the insight of good and evil. In Norse mythology, the tree of Yggdrasil represents knowledge and life. In American literature, John Knowles' "A Separate Peace" uses a giant oak tree to symbolize Finny and Gene becoming men. Finally, in Siddhartha we see that trees (and more broadly, gardens) are present when Siddhartha discovers something about himself. On just the third page of the novel with Siddhartha contemplating in a fig garden, it becomes obvious that trees are being used as a representative of learning. This concept is repeated many times throughout the novel, some instances of usage mo...

Little Richard’s Influence on Rock ‘N’ Roll History Essay

Rock and roll music emerged as a part of American teen culture during the notably conservative time period in the country’s history which shortly followed the traumatic events of World War II. Being that the genre’s target audience was white teenagers, many Americans- already overwhelmed and on-edge due to the anti-communist movement inspired by the Cold War- were apprehensive about the influence that this up-and-coming style of music might have on their country’s future. America’s youth openly accepted rock and roll’s racially integrated culture of performers and embraced the relatively lewd nature of many songs and performances associated with the genre, much to the dismay of their elders. Richard Wayne Penniman (better known by his stage name, Little Richard) had an important influence on the history of rock and roll music because of his unconventional stage presence and explicit sexuality. Artists such as Little Richard aggressively pushed the envelope, defied social norms and generated controversy. Richard, along with a few fellow pioneers, helped to define rock and roll in its early years, and paved the way for rock and rollers of future generations. Penniman’s work left an everlasting impression on the musical genre and culture that is rock and roll. Considering the time in America’s history during which Little Richard appeared on the rock and roll scene, it is completely appropriate to attribute much of his fame and influence to his unconventional stage presence. The rising popularity of television during the 1950’s fundamentally changed the music industry by presenting artists with an entirely new way to market themselves (or be marketed). Being televised meant that the overall look and presence of an artist played a more crucial role in stimulating audiences; the focus of listeners was no longer solely the sound of the music being produced. Prior to T. V. , music fans were only able to enjoy the sounds of their favorite artist by way of radio and the purchasing of records. In many cases, this meant that if a fan had never seen a live performance or record-jacket photo of a particular artist, it’s possible that they had never seen said artist at all and possessed only a general idea (if any) of what that artist looked like. As television sets became an increasingly popular household item for middle-class American families, â€Å"live performances assumed a new importance for performers of rock ‘n’ roll music, and individual artists and vocal roups sought to cultivate visual characteristics or mannerisms that would set them apart from others and encourage listeners to remember them†¦ but no performer in the early years of rock ‘n’ roll was as visually flamboyant as Little Richard,† (Schloss, Starr, and Waterman 1-75). A fan’s perception of an artist or group became subject to their opinion of the overall image of the performance. At this point in time, listening to the music of a completely respectable, clean cut, well dressed African-American was still considered inappropriate by a sizeable portion of white American society- particularly those living in the South and those beyond their teenage years. Many of these people were hesitant to accept racial integration, and tended to proceed cautiously when (or, more appropriately, if) they chose to do so. These are the same people that were unrightfully, but understandably, so frightened by performers like Little Richard. In order to differentiate himself from other rockers of the time, Richard usually wore heavy make-up and sported his famous pompadour hair style. As a former drag queen, Richard was fully aware of the type of reaction his look would draw from audiences; it’s the reaction he hoped to receive. Though, at the time, society as a whole was unsure of how to react to the statement his image made, â€Å"the†¦ ambiguity of Little Richard’s sexual identity†¦ paved the way for the image of performers such as David Bowie, Elton John, and Prince,† (Schloss, Starr, and Waterman 1-75). Just in case his eccentric outward appearance was not enough to gain the disapproval of parents across the nation, Little Richard put on an absolutely wild stage performance which included dramatic eye rolling and his simultaneous hip gyrating and piano playing. In order to dance and play piano at the same time, Little Richard stood (not sat) in front of the instrument- yet another feature of his performance that was specific to him. Little Richard aimed to gain the attention of his fans by creating an entirely original and exciting performance act. In order to do so, Richard created an image that was totally outside of society’s definition of normal, respectable, and safe. His image was only half of his act, though. It’s unlikely that there were many ‘respectable’ white, American parents around in the 1950’s that were comfortable with the idea of Little Richard having any type of influence over the generation deemed the ‘future’ of their country, much less over their specific children. If there had been anyone left straddling that fence, however, contemplating just how harmful a 24-year-old performer with a whacky haircut and face full of make up could really be, it would be safe to assume that they had never actually heard the man sing. The lewd, scandalous lyrics that completed Little Richard’s unorthodox self-presentation would have provided the final push that landed the aforementioned fence straddler on the opposite side of Richard’s performance, and confirmed the popular idea that â€Å"rock’s musical characteristics indicated a general decline in American taste,† (Schloss, Starr, and Waterman 1-75). While teenagers danced to the sounds of the modified twelve-bar blues accompanying Richard’s shouting vocal style and countertenor whoops, parents instinctively cringed in disapproval of the blatantly suggestive lyrics. Hit songs by Little Richard such as â€Å"Tutti-Frutti,† (Penniman, 1955) and â€Å"Long Tall Sally,† (Penniman, 1956) contained lyrics that were generally non-specific, but overall relatively sexual for the time. Richard’s scandalous appearance, behavior, and song lyrics embodied a sexual tension that managed to both intrigue teenage audiences, and inspire fellow performers. It is this same sexual tension that made society at large not only generally uncomfortable, but also concerned about what other ludicrous notions rock and roll would try to impose upon American culture in the future. Little Richard used rock and roll as a platform to rattle the cages of the music industry, and change society’s concept of what was acceptable, what was normal, and most of all what was popular. It was Richard’s unique image and abrasive song content that simultaneously intrigued and shocked American society in the early 1950s. American teenagers of this time appreciated the power of Little Richard’s performance and embraced Little Richard as the new spirit of rock and roll. Unfortunately, â€Å"in 1957 Richard denounced his work and joined the church†¦clos[ing] his most creative period,† (Oxford University Press). Although the momentum of his influence eventually slowed, it never quite stopped. Rock and roll performers such as Jerry Lee Lewis, the Beatles, and the American Creedence Clearwater Revival all provide examples of music inspired by the work of Little Richard, proving the power of his influence and solidifying the lasting impression that he left on rock and roll.

Investment strategy Essay

Adams discontinuity based investment strategy revolved around making investing in companies which were in in the process of or on the fore of exploiting dramatic and sudden changes in well developed markets. Adams focused on both discontinuities and a targeted investment strategy in his search for above average returns. Adams operationalized his discontinuity based investing method by hiring only engineers as partners, leveraging their technical training in the search of promising markets in which to invest. Overtime ACM’s investment focus evolved to focus on markets which he and his partners were already relatively familiar with and had already recognized as attractive. From a Limited Partner’s perspective Adams strategy in comparable to a growth-investing strategy many fund managers implement in the equity markets. That being said, Adams is searching for method of discontinuity based investing looks to capitalise on a company’s potential growth well before they have reached a large enough size to be listed on the equity market. ACM developed more sophisticated pre-requisites to investment developed overtime, these methods digress from typical investment managers and Private Equity/Venture Capital theories firms. Firstly, ACM was only interested in investing in companies which had business to business relationships with their customers, meaning companies without a retail branch from which to distribute products or services to consumers. Secondly, ACM believed the firm value’s and hence the value of their investment would be driven by return on investment (ROI) of respective business customers. Whilst always remaining focused on the business making us of â€Å"first generation applied technology† or being one of the first companies to use a specific technology for a specific application. A combination of ACM’s investment strategy’s divergence from typical investment theory, as it invested in small companies who’s growth prospects were infinite, focused on ROI of a firm’s business clients and utilise the partners wealth of knowledge and expertise to gear ACM to being highly technology focused allowing for Limited Partners looking for diversification to make significant ground. Not only were investors being exposed to diversification in the form of different investment methodologies, an LP also received exposure to the inherently high growth technology sector, all of which was a fantastic way to gain access to shifts that would create opportunities for start-up companies to become market leaders leading to high returns for investors. The four primary causes of discontinuities 1. Standards   2. Regulation   3. Technology   4. Distribution Adams believed â€Å"Market due diligence is the only due diligence you can do independent of a transaction. † A unique part of the ACM strategy was the need for unanimous firm agreement upon the industry or market before individual companies were considered for investment. This was based on the premise of top down analysis, meaning that only when market or industry based analysis showed potential for a discontinuity based investment would further research be conducted to find viable target companies. In addition, the inclusion of a Discontinuity Roundtable, consisting of twenty industry experts and observers that periodically met with the ACM partners to identify and discuss market discontinuities, provides a comprehensive and systematic approach to identifying investment opportunities in the market, and makes ACM more attractive as an investment partner.