Companies in the Financial Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9500 words

Companies in the Financial Industry - Essay Example Other companies and their strategies will also be examined in an attempt to discover if they will reach the pinnacle, for which they are aimed, or if they will fail in their efforts to knock the ‘king off his mountain’. In order to reach the top in the financial services industry, and, an even more difficult task; to stay there, a certain amount of attitude can be a good thing, and some experts may even say it is more than likely a necessary thing. Some of the companies discussed herein have that ‘attitude’ and some of them don’t. Initially, the focus of this paper was to be on a number of the oldest and most well known New York Stock Exchange firms such as Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Kidder Peabody, JP Morgan, Chase Manhattan and Prudential. It soon became clear that such material, both printed and electronic, that was available concerning such firms was rather limited and focused on banal items such as; financials and profit/loss statements. Finding scholarly papers or journal reports written about the history of such firms was nearly as difficult as was discovering books (both fiction and non-fiction) about the same subject. A grand total of five books covering Wall Street history were discovered in the local library system, with only one book on site.   A detailed search at the local university’s library was not nearly as productive as had been hoped either.  Not only was there a limited supply of books covering Wall Street’s history, there was even less in the way of books wri tten about specific firms.   Books such as Charles R. Geisst’s; Wall Street: A History and 100 Years of Wall Street provided a detailed and rich history of Wall Street, but not a dearth of specific details concerning companies themselves.

Bosnian Refugee Life in America Essay Example for Free

Bosnian Refugee Life in America Essay Thousands of refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina have fled to the United States to seek protection from the ethnoreligious conflicts of the region. To best assist these families, service providers must understand their wartime and migration experiences and their culture. The purpose of this article is to review the literature relevant to working with Bosnian Muslim refugees as well as to understand the uruque issues facing this population. The authors interest in Bosnian Muslim refugees is a personal one. Between 1992 and 2001, nearly 3,500 Bosnian refugees escaping ethnic cleansing and war migrated to Bowling Green, a small city of 50,000 in rural southcentral Kentucky. The Bowling Green International Center has been a part of the local community since 1979 and actively works with the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI). For more than 25 years, the center has assisted thousands of refugees of many nationalities in their migration to the United States and the local community. According to the centers director, Marty Deputy, Bosnians make up the largest percentage of refugees that have relocated to Bowling Green (personal communication, February 3, 2005). Deputy also indicated that while Bosnian refugees have adapted well to the local community, they still face many challenges because of their experiences in Bosnia in addition to their integration into a new culture. One of the issues that continue to haunt many Bosnian refugees is post-traumatic stress—a result of war and genocide. Post-traumatic stress is particularly an issue for the adult women, who experienced the trauma of rape and sexual assault as well as witnessing the murder of their children and spouses. According to Deputy (personal communication, February 3, 2005), social workers should approach Bosnian families and children with cultural competence. If visiting a Bosnian home, for example, removing ones shoes when entering is a display of respect and sensitivity. A willingness to drink a strong cup of Bosnian coffee is also appreciated. Social workers also must be sensitive about body language and speech tone. It is also important not to assume that all Bosnians are alike. As with all cultures, there is tremendous variation in the Bosnian culture, along with individual differences in personality and environmental experiences. Bosnian Muslim Experiences in the War The 1991 census for Bosnia-Herzegovina shows that Muslims made up 43. 7% of the total population of 4. 3 million people. Serbs accounted for 31. 3% and Croats 17. 3% (Bringa, 1995). Serbs identified the Muslims majority population base in Bosnia-Herzegovina as its strategic strength (Cigar, 1995). In 1992, therefore, the Serbs declared war and began a campaign of ethnic cleansing to eradicate non-Serbs. The term ethnic cleansing stands for the policy of ridding an area of an undesirable national group to create a homogenous region; it represents a type of genocide that is designed to spread terror (Friedman, 1996; Weine Laub, 1995). Serbias initial rationale for its policy was promulgated by the belief that the newly formed state of Bosnia-Herzegovina would create national minorities of the Serb population and eventually destroy the Serb populace as a discrete and unique nation (Friedman, 1996). The prospect of acquiring material goods from the Muslims—land, livestock, houses, cars, and cash—apparently was an additional powerful incentive for many Serbs (Cigar, 1995; Sells, 1998). The indigenous Bosnian Serb population was drawn into a terror campaign of killing and mayhem so the non-Serbian populations would never return. This persecution ultimately led to more than one million Balkan refugees migrating to the United States and other countries. The types of experiences they endured in their homeland before emigrating dramatically influenced their initial adaptation to these new environments. Resettlement and Adaptation Issues As difficult as the war-related experiences were, migration to resettlement countries signaled a transition to new types of struggles for Bosnian refugees. Unlike immigrants who leave their homes for a variety of reasons, refugees leave in order to survive, and they face a new realm of stressors as they attempt to rebuild their lives in exile (Keyes, 2000; Worthington, 2001). Such stressors include difficult transit experiences; culture shock; adjustment problems related to language and occupational change; and disruption in their sense of self, family, and community (Lipson, 1993; Worthington, 2001). Additionally, refugees leaving Bosnia-Herzegovina often have suffered multiple losses, such as severance from family and friends who have been left behind or killed, displacement from their homes and communities, social isolation, and the premature death of their children. Such an accumulation of loss can leave a sense of unresolved grief that can significantly impact mental health and future functioning capacity (Akhtar, 1992; Fullilove, 1996; Sundquist Johansson, 1996; Worthington, 2001). When refugees cross national boundaries seeking asylum, they typically find themselves in an alien social environment with norms that challenge their traditional patterns of family interaction (Mayadas Segal, 2000). Most Bosnian refugees have a hierarchical familial power structure and clear role definitions; in the homeland, authority was typically gender-based, with males maintaining instrumental roles and females fulfilling nurturing responsibilities. A traditional Bosnian womans commitment to her family includes observing strict codes of privacy and public silence on any issue that might bring shame on the family, such as family discord. For many women, this privacy mandate deters them from divulging details about marital strife or child maltreatment by spouses to outsiders such as work colleagues, community members, and mental health professionals. Consequently, Bosnian female refugees continue to be caught between traditional role models prevalent throughout the former Yugoslavias patriarchal society in the 20th Century and the expectations of their new culture. The Bosnian familys patriarchal patterns of behavior tend to be challenged on arrival in the United States, particularly around work-related issues. Women are more likely than men to find jobs in the low-wage labor market, and in becoming the breadwinners exposed to the outside world, they risk upsetting a family equilibrium based on male authority (Mayadas Segal, 2000). For Bosnian men, key ethnic and social boundary markers of their lives had evaporated; because of their grief over this, many seemed paralyzed in their attempt to move forward in their new life. Bosnian refugee children also face immense acculturation pressures (Mayadas Segal, 2000). They often are torn between the beliefs, customs, and values learned in their native culture and the often unrealistic expectations of the new one. The pressure to assimilate the cultural norms of their new country can be intense and extremely stressful. Their parents often lack the material resources and support systems to adequately assist them in navigating the complex terrain of foreign school systems, pervasive racism, and intolerance (Mayadas Segal, 2000). Consequently, many feel as if they are alone in a foreign, sometimes unforgiving new cultural milieu. To further complicate the situation, family roles often reverse as children typically become more fluent in English faster and adapt more quickly to the customs of the new country (Potocky, 1996). Because children are thrust into the role of serving as the interpreters and negotiators of cultural norms for their parents, respect for the authority of elders is often undermined (Carlin, 1990; Drachman; 1992). Even though most teenagers in the United States feel a certain amount of intergenerational tension, the adolescents of refugees often experience the pull of two vastly different worlds: those of their American peers and their parents (Mayadas Segal, 2000). They also feel subjected to the xenophobia of their American peers, who often ridicule others who they label as different. Immigration to the United States has provided Bosnian Muslim refugee families with many challenges as they struggle to adapt to their new lives. At first glance, their experiences may be similar to that of other immigrants, raising the familiar questions about how to perpetuate the faith of their forebears among their offspring or how to best preserve cherished cultural practices (Yazbeck- Haddad Esposito, 2000). But there are some real differences. With the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, the potential for a xenophobic reception of Muslim immigrants and refugees by Americans has intensified. For example, disputes over the building of mosques represent a key source of friction for most Westerners (Pipes Duran, 1993). While Bosnian Muslim families may encounter the same issues earlier generations of immigrants faced, they also are burdened with the question of whether their children will be accepted in the United States, and whether Islam can ever be recognized as a positive force that contributes to a pluralistic, multicultural nation (Yazbeck-Haddad Esposito, 2000). Culturally Competent Practice with Bosnian Muslims When working with Bosnian Muslim refugees, service providers need to learn as much as possible about their culture, particularly given the pivotal role that ethnoreligious identity has played in their war-related experiences (Witmer Culver, 2001). Bosnian men and women tend to adhere to traditional gender roles; connected with this issue is the intense stigma attached to the sexual violation of women. This stigma frequently led women to refrain from disclosing war rapes to their families (Witmer Culver, 2001). Bosnian Muslims typically act in ways that preserve the positive image of the familys identity, especially males, who see openly revealing vulnerability or suffering as a sign of great personal weakness (Weine et al. , 1997). Family is the most important social structure across the urban and rural regions of Bosnia (Mojica-Castillo, 2001). Up until the 1970s, adult children commonly lived with their parents and multiple generations lived in the same house. But today, twoparent families predominate in this region with extended family members often living nearby. A cluster of shoes can typically be found outside a Bosnian home (Mojica-Castillo, 2001). This is because it is customary to remove street shoes and leave them at the door. Bosnians maintain a strong social tradition of neighborliness. The drinking of strong coffee or the sharing of food, accompanied by the essential element of lively conversation, is an important aspect of social life. Traditional music and folk dances are an important part of cultural celebrations. A basic principle of generalist social work is that practitioners need to be able to intervene on behalf of various systems, including individuals, families, orgaruzations, and communities. Additionally, the generalist social worker operates within an ecological framework that attempts to improve coping patterns for a better match between the client systems needs and the characteristics of his or her environment. An empowerment approach to generalist practice assumes that clients can draw from existing competencies and reservoirs of strength. Empowerment indicates the intent and the processes of assisting client systems to discover and expand the tools and resources around them (Furuto, 2004). Swift and Levin (1987) referred to empowerment as an evolution from dependence to independence and interdependence. Gutierrez (1990) described empowerment as the process of increasing personal, interpersonal, or political power so that individuals can take action to improve their life situations (p. 140). The strengths perspective enhances the concept of empowerment with its focus on promoting healing. Healing implies both wholeness and the inborn ability of the mind and body to resist and regenerate when faced with disruption, disorder, or disease (Furuto, 2004). Ethnic and religious identity may lead to discrimination when the refugee is seeking a job that requires intervention on a more personal level. Long-term difficulty in finding a job that provides the family with adequate income may cause low self-esteem and family tension culminating in violence (Furuto Murase, 1992). Various system levels often must be addressed simultaneously (Mayadas Segal, 2000). Western thinking on designing comprehensive mental health services is mostly based on the individual as the primary system targeted for intervention; hence, existing services tend to be designed for a North American population (Mooren Kleber, 1999). Furthermore, treatment of mental health disorders typically follows a medical model using talk therapy and drugs. Western theories also emphasize intrapersonal processes in isolation from the cultural context. The prevailing view that the responses to trauma are individual centered is in keeping with this tradition. Service providers must use the refugees own, indigenous cultural definitions of health and illness when making mental health assessments (Boothby, 1996; Wing Sue, Ivey, Pedersen, 1996). For example, a Bosnian client who had the Western diag nosis of major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder refused medication saying that there was nothing wrong with him that medications could fix, and insisted that the clinician understand that his current condition was a result of the wrongs that had been done to him, and not because of anything that was wrong with him (Weine Laub, 1995, p. 255). To address the issue of respecting the clients definition of the issue, Yuen (1999) promoted a more holistic biopsychosocial model of intervention when working with Bosnian children and their families; hence, the importance of using an ethnically sensitive ecological framework becomes a second principle of culturally competent practice. A third principle is to respect the indigenous strengths and resources within Bosnians that empower them to cope with their own experiences. Chow Yuen (2000) noted the necessity for an empowerment and capacity building model where refugees become partners in the design and elivery of services within their community. Efforts to design and deliver human service programs should include using indigenous Bosnian religious and cultural organizations, as well as self-help groups (Chow Yuen, 2000). Conclusion After Bosnians flee their homeland, they need protection in the asylum country. This necessitates supportive policies and macrolevel intervention competence. The main policy that guides refugee resettlement in the United States is Public Law 96-212, the Refugee Act of 1980 (Mayadas Segal, 2000). Based on the goal of helping refugees achieve economic self-sufficiency as quickly as possible, the act defines self-sufficiency as not receiving welfare benefits (Potocky, 1996). As such, this policy may be ineffective in helping refugees to settle in an optimal manner. To become truly self-sufficient, service providers need to redefine success in more progressive ways, such as helping refugees to effectively deal with resettlement issues relating to acculturation, psychological trauma, and intergenerational conflict—all of which can impede long-term economic self-sufficiency. This new goal requires adequate fiscal resources to develop programs and engage in active community outreach (Mayadas Segal, 2000). Social services must aspire to restore the psychological health and dignity of these families and children, who have seen the worst side of human nature. Helping them establish a positive self-image is critical to their success. While the genocide of family members and violent acts can never be forgotten, surrounding Bosnian Muslim refugees with a network of positive, supportive services can help them establish a solid foothold in the United States.

Planning, Scheduling and Control

Planning, Scheduling and Control Business or business organizations involve conceptualization of implementation of a specific plan designed for particular business outcomes. This particularity of business outcomes envisages putting up a well coordinated system for realization of the same. Forming a conglomeration of peoples, activities work schedules, methods, processes, all geared towards achieving a specific business objective, work or assignment, it works according to a plan to achieve the objective within a particular time-frame, with the available or additional resources. This whole process is given the generic name of Project, and coordinating all the activities within it to achieve the desired objective to perfection within the time frame is known as Project Management (Heerkens; 2001). Given the generic nature of the work as well as the outcome it can be said that every activity requiring a particular work to be completed within a particular time by using a particular amount of resources takes the shape of a project. In that way every activity, be that of building a township, a bridge, a subway project, oil refinery, steel production, manufacturing facility erection or even conducting a study to seek some particular information, data or have some desired outcome, all can be termed as projects. In that way projects are distinguishable from continuing work processes like manufacturing process, routine management work or doing daily chores, which are continuing in nature, with the distinguishing factor being a specific time for start and completion of a particular work. So, essentially, time is the core element of a project. As a result the inseparable part of a project is adoption of proper management systems and processes to complete the project within the particular time and cost (Levine; 2002). For this it is imperative that there should be proper planning to execute a project within the allotted time, cost and resources for which there should be proper planning for its implementation . Project planning and implementation within the allotted time by properly organizing it to maintain quality of execution, avoid risks and adhere to the project schedule by proper utilization of resources is key to the success of a project (Hillson; 2003). This study essentially pertains to discussing the key aspects of project planning and control activities in order to successfully complete a project by adhering to the quality of execution of projects. Project Management: Project management essentially is the process of planning, organizing and managing the allotted resources given to a project in order to successfully complete the projects objectives and program. As said, a project is one time work unlike a continuing process, and has a particular period of execution with a starting and ending time in order to meet particular goals and objectives that is aimed at bringing about a particular outcome(Kerzner; 2009). It means that the projects are different from usual business processes that have repeat value and are of permanent nature requiring routine functional work that is envisaged to produce different products and services. In actual practice, the two systems are quite different, thereby requiring the development of specific technical skills and adoption of separate management practices. Projects adhere top specific phases or stages of work processes. According to Horine, project management process includes conducting feasibility studies, defining the project scope and objectives, planning the model to attain those objectives, implementing the plan according to design and scope, evaluating the process of implementation to ensure that the project is being implemented according to guidelines and quality along with provision of proper support and maintenance backup to protect against any hiccups in the implementation process (Horine; 2009). All these are required because project management is a meticulously planned and organized effort to attain a specific and single objective like building a flyover, implementing a software system or building a thermal power plant. It is for this reason only that the project management process includes developing a project plan, which includes defining the project goals and objectives, identifying tasks and goals to be achieved, quantifying the resources needed, and determining budgets and time peri od for completion and managing the implementation of the project plan, along with establishing control procedures to track the proper implementation of the project according to the objectives relative to the plan and intervene to restore the quality of implementation wherever required (Lewis; 2006). All these aspects constitute the project planning and control process. Project Planning, Scheduling and Control: Planning: According to Lewis, project planning and control includes developing a standardized management methodology to implement the objectives of a project that can be comfortably adapted to any project and be flexible enough to be customized for such projects but for which there should be a specific system with checks and balances to proceed with the project according to the plans and objectives (Lewis; 2005). This means that the project management function has a specific process and stages of implementation as is given below: Project Planning: Contents Project Planning: Key Stages Source: F Harrison; Advanced Project Management: A Structured Approach; Gower Publishing; 2004 The project planning and control process therefore pertains to defining the scope and responsibilities accruing to a project, scheduling the time and resources, estimating the cost and budget and analyzing the risks associated with the project implementation process and planning to handle those risks. Suppose there is a project to construct a new administrative building for a certain organization. In this case the management of the organization will define the scope of implementation of the building plan, estimating the time needed to complete the project and the resources in terms of materials, money and time needed for it. There would also be measures to analyze the risks that can come in the way of constructing the building in terms of escalation of costs, time, materials and inadvertent incidents that would hamper the e smooth construction of the building. For this the manager of the project will have to make a blue print and accommodate all the factors while planning the impleme ntation of the project. In such cases the planning process is properly delineated and documented for the benefit of all the members of the project team as well as the client or the organization for whom the project is being implemented (Turner; 1998). This process also becomes beneficial in taking steps to control the project according to the requirements and preventing it from going from its planned path that would necessitate intervention in terms of cost and materials by the project manager. In order to achieve all these objectives the project management process includes key elements to the project planning process i.e. the products, activities, resources, schedule, budget, risks and assumptions. Accordingly, the project planning process determines what are the products and sub-products that a project must deliver ad what quality aspects it must adhere to, what are the activities and the resources needed to carry out the project, what is the sequence and schedule that must be fol lowed to complete the project, what is the budget needed for implementing the project, what are the risks associated with implementing the project and what are the assumptions that are part of the project(Burke; 2003). The projects management planning process therefore incorporates all these aspects to formulate the plan of implementation. Broadly speaking the project plan includes all the aspects that are needed to properly implement a project according to the specifications of the client. Accordingly the actual requirements of a project may vary but there is no dichotomy with regards to the planning process that needs to be applied of such projects. For this the project implementation and planning process includes some fundamental principles, like breaking down the whole project into cohesive work packages, defining the desired results and encouraging the team members to work towards the plans to achieve the results (Williams et. al.; 2008). All these aspects of the planning proce ss follow certain basic objectives of the project plan that includes ensure that all the work and products need to achieve the project objectives included in the plan. For this the project planners include a framework to integrate the key planning and control functions i.e. scope, quality, cost, time and risk at different stages of the project management and implementation stage and specify the team and the responsibilities of the team members   to deliver the requirements of the project (Kendrick; 2004). In this whole planning process there includes factors such as scheduling the project to bring the desired outcome of the project. Scheduling and Control: Scheduling of a project essentially signifies managing the implementation of the project, keeping in view the time factor in primary sense, and adjusting the men, material and activities into the whole process (Berkun; ; 2005). This means that the project must follow a regimented routine according to daily weekly and monthly basis so that the project is effectively implemented according to the controls of its requirements and other factors. It is also important that the different activities associated with a project planning and implementation process are well coordinated so as to avoid delays and chaos in the implementation of the project that would result is costs and time overruns. A typical project schedule divides the work associated with a project into different activities all coordinated to the overall whole. In this the works are divided into areas of activities and the tine taken as well as the mode of operation is determined accordingly with the most easy path and the criti cal yet effective path of each activity of the path is determined with assessment as to the time lapse that can happen in the event of the time and work pace not keeping up with the allotted time schedule. Source: : F Harrison; Advanced Project Management: A Structured Approach; Gower Publishing; 2004 Accordingly the project implementation stage and control stage is divided into various activities and the time allotted is measured accordingly as is shown in the diagram above. In it the works are divided into critical and non-critical activities and the milestone is to be achieved with the overall work process along with the float time that can emerge due to unavoidable time delays. Along with all these factors it is also likely that without proper scheduling of the project it may happen that it may drag along beyond the manageable limit and therefore become unviable. So, the core part of effective implementation of a project is its proper scheduling so that unnecessary delays and cost overruns area avoided and there is harmonious coordination between all aspects of the work process of the project as well as the different stakeholders and service providers associated with it. Project Documentation: As mentioned in the preceding scheduling of a project is done in order to achieve all the factors the project planning process breaks down the project into a particular schedule as per its desired outputs in order to facilitate the proper implementation and control as well as help in maintaining quality of implementation of the project. Accordingly the project is divided into different sub-structures and process in order to effectively maintain quality of implementation such as primary outputs of a project a supplementary outputs of a project (Berkun; 2008). Along with it the project manager needs the proper documentation and processing of the activities in order to effectively track the implementation of the project as well as communicate with the team members and the management to articulate the progress of the project, give directions to the members to work according to an accepted framework and measure the progress of the project at different stages of implementation for which th ere should be proper documentation of the project planning, scheduling and control process. In the primary outputs the documentation process includes defining the product breakdown structures, product descriptions, work breakdown structures (WBS), work package descriptions (WPD), organization breakdown structure (OBS), responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) and assumptions documentation. In the secondary outputs of a project planning, implementation and control process the documentation and processing those are needed pertain to creating a product flow diagram (PFD), work flow diagram (WFD), control accounts (CA) and dependency structure matrix (DSM) (Berbee; 2009). All these aspects of the project process are properly documented in order to properly implement a project. For this the project manager establishes a proper structure and accessories for documentation as well as recruitment of relevant persons to manage such processes, which brings to the human resources aspect and the management structure of a project planning and implementation process. According to Leach, the most critical part of a project management process is the management part itself which means that if the management structure and the people manning it are not competent enough to effectively plan and implement the project than all the other factors even if they are of highest degree of quality, will fail to deliver the results (Leach; 2004). It is for this that the project planning and implementation process gives utmost importance to the management structure and team as well as the human resources aspect of the overall project structure and process. Management Structure: A typical product management structure incorporates the following management structure as mentioned below, with necessary customization as per the requirements of the individual projects: Source: Self Designed The typical project management team therefore consists of a project head who takes part in the conceptualization planning and overall control of the project followed by a project manager who actually oversees the implementation of the project with a team that consists of technical head, operation head quality control head resource head who do the actual work of implementing the project and directly supervise the work   through a team consisting of managers workers, technicians, suppliers and stakeholders along with support staff(Rothman; 2009). In the case of a building project the management would consist of a project head having wide experience in managing building projects, same is the case with the project manager who must have ample experience in managing projects associated with the construction industry. The different heads of the project should also have adequate experience in their area of activity and desirable experience in actual projects involving the construction indu stry. In this place it may be convenient to argue as what would happen if some people with general project management experience are taken into projects involving construction if buildings. In normal sense it would not make that much of a difference. But in actual stage of implementation and the critical factors associated with it the hands on experience of a person comes in handy. Along with it there is the factor of scheduling for efficient management of time and resources. In such a situation it if great advantage if personnel with hands on experience in specific projects are included in the project planning implementation and evaluation process rather than having general project management experience (Wong; 2007). Nonetheless the underlying spirit for proper implementation of a project is management of time and quality. Nowadays there are various technologies, tools and methods to manage project planning, implementation, quality control and delivery.   Techniques and Technologies: The present day project management exercise is a highly technical function involving a number of complex tools and processes as well as advanced software systems to effectively implement, schedule, track and maintain the quality aspects of a project. It is immaterial whether the project is a brick and mortar concept or an academic concept, what is important is that there have emerged methods that can effectively coordinate all the activities and effectively establish communication channels between all the stakeholders of a project in order to maintain the time, quality and overall objectives of a project. At the outset there are basic operational tools like PERT and CPM which effectively schedule the project into different activities and measure the time, cost and materials required for completing the project (Kendrick; 2009). Along with these basic tools there are some methods that quantify the time required for completing the project along with the costs required. Some allied disciplines and tools are also used like the financial forecasts, statistical measurement of lead and lag time for completing a project as well as the application of quality tools like six sigma to ascertain that the project is going according to the accepted quality standards. But the most profound effect of technology on the project management discipline has been the development of various software for proper management of the overall project planning, scheduling, implementation, quality control, budgeting and assumption processes. One of such tolls is the Project Management suite developed by Microsoft that is known as MS Projects, which is a complete software package to manage the entire project management process. In it there are various functions and techniques to effectively plan, schedule monitor and implement various projects by adhering to all the functions and disciplines required for implementing a project (Microsoft Inc; 2009). Besides MS Projects there are other software applications designed to manage projects that are developed by different software companies for specific projects by different companies. Along with all these developments there have been instances where companies have developed their own software and techniques by applying a host of discrete software processes to create their own project management tools that cater to all its aspects including budgeting and quality control. In essence all these softwares have made the project management with overall planning, scheduling, quality control budgeting and monitoring, a smooth and hassle fee process by which the managers can hope to achieve expected outcomes without leaving anything to chance. This goes a long way in achieving efficiency in project planning scheduling and control process as well as its proper implementation. Conclusion: Project management is a complex and complicated   process requiring coordination of a host of disciplines along with men, money material that are to be coordinate within a proper time frame to achieve all the objectives of a project without compromising on the quality aspect of it. In that way it becomes necessary to design proper planning, scheduling and quality control mechanisms to give proper implementation to it. In this it becomes necessary to take the help of different tools techniques, documentation processes and technologies so that the project gets implemented successfully and according to its objectives. -x- Reference: Gary Heerkens; Project Management; McGraw Hill Professional; 2001; 250 pages H Levine; Practical Project Management: Tips, Tools and Tactics; John Wiley Sons; 2002 D Hillson; Effective Opportunity Management for Projects; Marcel Dekker; 2003 Harold Kerzner; Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling;Wiley; 2009 1120 pages Greg Horine; Absolute Beginners Guide to Project Management;   Que publications; 2009; 432 pages James P. Lewis; Fundamentals of Project Management; AMACOM; 2006; 160 pages James Lewis; Project, Planning, Scheduling and Control; McGraw-Hill; 2005; 550 pages F Harrison; Advanced Project Management: A Structured Approach; Gower Publishing; 2004 R. Turner; The Handbook of Project Based Management; McGraw Hill; 1998) R Burke; Project Management: Planning and control Techniques; John Wiley Sons; 2003 Mary Williams, William Meri; The Principles of Project Management; Site Point; 2008; 224 pages Tom Kendrick; Project Management Toolkit; AMACOM; 2004; 256 pages Scott Berkun; The Art of Project Management; OReilly Media; 2005; 374 pages Scott Berkun; Making Thngs Happen: Mastering Project Management; OReilly Media; 2008; 392 pages Davis Berbee; 97 Things Every Project Manager Should Know; OReilly Media; 2009; 250 pages L Leach; Critical Chain Project Management; Artech House; 2004 Johanna Rothman; Manage Your Project Portfolio; Pragmatic Bookshelf; 2009; 250 pages Zachary Wong; Human Factors in Project Management; Jossey-Bass; 2007; 368 pages Tom Kendrick; Identifying and Managing project Risk; AMACOM; 2009; 368 pages Microsoft Inc., MS Projects 07; 2009; cited in http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/project/default.aspx

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RESEARCH PROPOSAL ASSESSMENT OF CNR 9 COMMUNICATION SYSTEM COURSE IN ROYAL SIGNAL REGIMENT INTRODUCTION 1. Military organization was the unique entity which is self-contained organization with the complete equipment’s for their vision and mission. For the purpose of the training and operation, one of essential part was the communication system. The communication system which belongs to any organization will become their core competencies once they are valuable, costly to imitate, rare and non-substitutable. Communication system provides the ability to mass combat power. It is a way of architecting a battle or a campaign. It is a calculated to create possibilities for future force utilization. Effective communications determines how, when and where the force fight in a theater, where and when combat power can be massed. â€Å"Without the communication I only can command my table† is an expression attributed by Mc Arthur. Most importantly, the effectiveness of communication at the operational level is a part of the concept of operations. 2. As indicated in the Army Transformation Plan 2012, communication plays an important and significant role in ensuring that the army shall be a credible and versatile objective force that will be able to operate in a multi spectrum environment. CNR 9 communication system was procured last 6 year into the army inventory. More than 6000 radio set been purchased and it is consisting of HF(High Frequency) and VHF(Very High Frequency) which is fully digitized. The HF radio also known as SKY FAST and FAST NET for the VHF. The company that delivered the systems is Sapura Sdn Bhd which a local company and Thales, France is responsible to produce the product inclusive the training toward the users. Thales... ... assigned to take charge in conducting, distributing and collecting back the questionnaires. Besides that, secondary data was also collected through interviews with key management personnel of IKED as well as the SAPURA Sdn Bhd. Some information also gathered from magazines, academic journals, published books and internet sources in the area of radio communication courses and syllabus. DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES 20. For the purpose of this research, the data obtained is analyzed using the â€Å"Statistical Package for Social Science† SPSS version 22.0 software. The techniques of data analysis consist of descriptive and inferential analysis. Descriptive analysis covers analysis on the frequency of the respondents’ respond and the interaction relationship between independent and dependent variable in this research; whereas, inferential analysis includes t-test and ANOVA.

Girls Development During Adolescence: Diminishment of Self Essay

Large numbers of American girls face a crisis during adolescence. Numerous studies document the disturbing trends that affect girls during this vulnerable time. Girls' IQ scores drop. Their grades in math and science decline dramatically. The confidence, curiosity, and willingness to take risks that mark their childhood years are replaced by unassertiveness, boredom, and a cleaving to the status quo. Girls at this age become prone to eating disorders, self-mutilation, and depression. Even girls without obvious signs of distress undergo a curious diminishing, as if all the interests and energies of their childhood must now be channelled into maintaining a narrow and alien definition of self. What happens to girls as they grow up? What causes this diminishment of self? What transforms them from the happy, confident people they are in childhood to the self-critical, sullen, and frightened adolescents they become? Psychologist Mary Pipher, author of Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls talks about the "isms" that meet girls at the threshhold of adolescence--sexism, capitalism, and lookism. Who girls can be is no longer a wide-open playing field. They find themselves judged by how well they conform to a specific gender role. An enormous source of information about what it means to be female is the popular media. Music and music videos, movies, television, magazines, and commercials, many of them aimed at teenagers, all carry a loaded message--to be successful as a woman means adhering to a highly stylized script that defines for girls what womanhood is. Modern girls encounter an incredible contradiction in the messages they receive at this vulnerable time in their lives. On the one hand they ar... ...lem. We are buying into the mentality that fuels those images. Each of us must have the courage to examine our own unconscious pact with the scripts society hands us. We need to recognize the ways our power has been co-opted by the rewards we reap through compliance with the status quo. In what ways does our own diminishment hold us back? Can we move beyond that diminishment and reclaim our right to be whole? Can we step outside the gender boundaries we have internalized into a place where we finally exist as humans, first, and men and women second? It is through claiming our own integrity that we give girls permission to expand beyond the status quo. It is our choice. When enough of us have moved beyond the cultural icons that define for us what masculinity and femininity are, those icons will fall away. There won't be an audience left to sustain them.

Conscious Efforts Equate to Saving Lives

Livery cab driver killings — the challenge that New York City had to combat and a situation that allowed authorities to prove that they were doing their job. The killing of livery cab drivers was a time that united the people of New York (Rashbaum, 2000). Livery cab driver killings had been a major problem in New York for over 30 years. Every year, policemen and the government had to deal with countless investigations to provide justice for dozens of killed drivers each year. Not only were the livery cab drivers killed — they were also robbed (Rashbaum, 2000). The people who had enough means and power to do something about it, like the government and the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, did something about it, and here are as follows: The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers led by Fernando A. Mateo employed several safety measures to reduce livery cab driver killings. Mateo and his subordinates obliged all livery cab drivers to put bulletproof partitions inside the livery cabs. Because of this, the livery cab drivers were divided into parts where the livery cab driver was protected from his passenger who may have been a potential robber or murderer, through a wall or divider. While the wall or divider, or what the federation technically terms as partition, can prevent robbery, it obviously may not keep the livery cab drivers from murder at all since bullets can pass through walls. This possibility was a major concern of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers. To counterattack what was left of the problem, the federation ordered livery cab drivers to use bulletproof partitions. Bulletproof material prevented the livery cab drivers from getting shot. To further make this protective measure effective, livery cab drivers were ordered to close the partitions all the time. While it was true bulletproof material was used as a shield from gun shots and other means of killing, these partitions still made a driver susceptible to killing once it is left open. The use of surveillance cameras was also ordered by the city and the federation. Through this, a livery cab driver was given the chance to put another eye at the passenger's area. The driver can readily see the potential harms a passenger may do even before he does it. A passenger, for example, who releases a gun from his bag, will be readily seen by the driver. The time the potential murderer is releasing a gun is also the time a driver can call the police or employ other preventive measures to protect his own life. That time, every time a driver became suspicious of a passenger, he can readily report it to the policemen who were monitoring him through a secret alarm system. The city's mayor, Rudolph W. Giuliani, showed his support for these safety measures by providing each livery cab driver with enough financial assistance. The city released $5 million worth of protection equipment. Each livery cab driver in New York City was given $325. This amount of money served as an assistance to pay for the needed equipment like partitions and bulletproofing. Surveillance cameras cost $700. This means that the city paid for half the total expense of a driver for one surveillance camera. If a driver chose to put up a partition inside his livery cab, then he may put up one which cost $275 on the average. The city, together with the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, employed other preventive and protective measures without the use of material things. The city revised its law regarding the punishment for liver cab driver killers and robbers. Tougher sanction was applied in which another two to three years were added to the years a convict will have to spend in jail. Police decoy was also widely used. This was another preventive and protective measure to investigate murder and robbery cases more efficiently. With the use of police decoy, an officer pretended to be a livery cab driver. He went around the neighborhood to get passengers and picked up their fares. This was an effective step since robbery and murder reduced from 2,000 to 455 cases. The efficient investigation allowed for this impressive change in the statistics. Aside from police decoys who served as patrols, protection was maximized especially when livery cab drivers were required to stop at areas where there were police officers. These officers obliged drivers to pull over to see their current condition. The police officers ensure the safety and protection of drivers by checking the passengers. Police officers were able to prevent 50 possible livery cab driver killings by spotting 50 passengers with guns. Such intense conscious effort caused very pronounced victory than expected. Before 2000, no single year has passed without dozens of livery cab drivers being killed. When these aforementioned measures were employed, the year came when no single case of livery cab driver killing or robbery was reported. With this change in statistics, the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers and the government of New York City proved that with efficient action, achieving a goal becomes possible. Because of this, the federation and the city became more inspired with employing more measures to totally alleviate killings so that such victory won't last for only a year. To maintain positive changes, the federation and the government worked hand in hand to put up tracking systems for the drivers. This way, the drivers were always monitored. The police tracked down the whereabouts of every livery cab driver. Adolfo Carrion, Jr., New York City's councilman, was willing to co-sponsor this to further improve livery cab driver killings. In 2000, statistics dramatically changed from drastic to impressive when it comes to cases of killings. Every livery cab driver did not just begin to feel safer and more secured with his job — his children and wife patiently waiting at home were finally able to sleep soundly at night. All they needed to wait for was a goodnight kiss from their father. References: Michaelluo. (2004). Police Measures Avert Livery Cab Killings. New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/07/nyregion/07livery.html ?ei=5007&en=f4b0e5806c7261c&ex=1391576400&adxnnl=1&partner= USERLAND&adxnnlx=11143479799ScWbxozk+DIlE+9e5ddS Rashbaum, W. K. (2000). After Deaths, City Plans Millions for Livery Cab Safety. The New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2007 from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html ?res=950CE2DA1631F936A25757C0A9669C8B63 Â   Â   Â  

Learning outcome Essay

1.1 explain own role and responsibilities and boundaries of own role as a teacher . Write a essay explain the your role and responsibilities including the limits of your teaching role. Word limited (200) 1.2 Identify key aspects of relevant current legislative requirements and codes of practice within a specific context -The student will write a essay explaining the NEW STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS AND TRAINERS. Explaining the new standards expected, including details of Health and Safety. – Make a list of location where you can research changes to your subject topic including details of location and the method of research. 1.3 identify other points of referral available to meet the potential needs of students -Draw a mind map for your preferred learning style and include it within your portfolio. 1.4 identify issues of equality and diversity and ways to promote inclusion -Define equality and diversity. -What does the term inclusive mean? (100 words) – Place copies of equal opportunities policies from a number of companies if your company does not have any. -Write a short essay explaining the importance to address the issues of qualify , diversity and inclusion within your training area. (200 word) 1.5 Explain the need of record keeping. Write a reflective piece explaining how you feel about keeping paper work and record keeping. (200) 2.0 understand appropriate teaching and learning approaches in the specialist area. 2.1 Identify and demonstrate relevant approaches for a specialist teaching area. -Write a brief essay explaining the approaches for a specialist teaching area. (200) 2.2 Explain ways to embed elements of functional skills in the specialist area. -With reference to an experience teacher you have previously observed in your specialist area. Explain how your teacher can keep up to date with their teaching practice in their specialist teaching area? How can your teaching incorporate communication and numeracy? 2.3 Justify the selection of teaching and learning approaches for a specialist session. in reflective piece explain a teaching session that you have delivered and the reason you have used a teaching approached. If you are not teaching currently, explain a teaching approach that you have seen for a spe cific session. 3.0 Demonstrate session planning skills. 3.1 Plan a teaching and learning session which meets the needs of individual students. -complete a full teaching plan for the micro teaching session. (presentation) 3.2 Justify selection of resources for a specific session. -Write a brief essay of (100) explaining the reason for the use of specific resources within your teaching session. 4 Understand how to deliver inclusive sessions which motivate students. 4.1 Explain ways to establish ground rules with students which underpin appropriate behavior and respect for others. Write a brief statement explaining methods of establishing clear ground rules . Give a examples of a ground rules list. 4.2 use a range of appropriate and effective teaching and learning approaches to engage and motivate students. Feedback sheets for other students 4.3 Explain and demonstrate good practice in give feedback Complete a essay explaining good practice and examples of bad practice. 4.4 Communicate appropriately and effectively with students. – copy of the feedback from lead instructions and internal Verifier. 4.5 Reflect on and evaluate the effectiveness of own teaching. Complete a reflection on the effective of the teaching method used and the ways you can improve your teaching practices. 5 understand the use of different assessment methods and the need of record keeping. 5.1 Identify different assessment methods -Write a reflection piece on the type of assessment you have experienced during your training time and school experience and the methods that have been effective and ineffective. (200 words) 5.2 Explain the use of assessment methods in different contexts, including reference to initial assessment. -Write a essay explaining the use of assessment methods and the different times you would use this method including details of initial assessment prior to starting a course. Including details of the types of assessment that are suitable for different areas. How can you use this assessment techniques be used to assessment learner progress. 5.3 Explain the need for record keeping in relation to assessment. -Briefly explain the need for record keeping due to the fact and relationship of the awarding bodies and the requirement of tractability of all document and processes.