WK3_Performance Management Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

WK3_Performance Management Paper - Essay Example At the same time, the role of Human Resource Management (HRM) is perceived to be extremely crucial for attaining the increased performance of an organization (Huselid, Jackson and Schuler 171-188). In order to ascertain comprehensive understanding about the performance management, this paper will critically review the selected article â€Å"Technical and Strategic Human Resource Management Effectiveness as Determinants of Firm Performance†. Furthermore, the article will apply the derived understanding from the article in the context of Ford Motor Company (Huselid, Jackson and Schuler 171-188). SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLE The article is primarily based on the learning relating to the performance management system of different firms in the United States. The article also explains the effective Human Resource Practices that can be utilized for delivering effective performance management practices. It predominately propagates the combination of various strategic HR practices that can p rovide great aid in determining and achievement of the broad objectives of a business. Furthermore, this article highlights the importance and broad functions of technical along with strategic HRM effectiveness. This article critically reveals the relation between effectiveness of HRM and a firm’s performance. ... COMPARISION OF THE COMPONENTS IDENTIFIED WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY’S PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM The critical review of the selected article broadly propagated the role of strategic HRM in enhancing the performance of an organization. Additionally, it has been ascertained that the strategic HRM within an organization facilitates in embedding the organizational strategies and policies with HR strategies which ultimately contributes towards increasing the overall performance of the organization. The comparison of the performance management processes as identified in the selected article with Ford Motor Company reveal that there persists certain differences within the Ford Motor Company in their current practice. Essentially, Ford Motor Company believes in maintaining all round transparency regarding the expectations of the company from its employees and further seeks to attain reliable commitment of employees towards the accomplishment of the organizational goals and objectives. On the contrary, the selected article firmly emphasized that the US organizations largely relies upon creating broad strategic HRM practices so as to ensure proper performance management of the employees as well as the organization. Ford Motor Company is also working upon various plans to incorporate new and improved performance management strategies in the future. In contrast the selected article showed that the US organizations primarily believed on statistical analysis and processes as well as on various feedback collection methods on order to measure outcome generated from performance management activities. Nonetheless, it can be argued that the performance management techniques followed by Ford Motor

Physics of Springboard Diving Essay Example for Free

Physics of Springboard Diving Essay What the hurdle does, is first to allow the diver to use the diving board as a slingshot, and second get as much energy as possible out of the slingshot. This is achieved when the diver takes the first leap into the air with his arms raised. When he comes back down on the board, his own mass falling onto the board will apply a certain force. An additional force is added as the arms swing down at the same time with a greater acceleration, applying more force. At the bottom of the diving boards oscillation, all of the now stored potential energy is released. The diver swings his arms upward and begins to release his pressure on the board. The board pushes the diver up and into the air with a huge force. This force now can be used by the diver not only to go up, but to rotate and therefore perform various dives. The Dives and Application To do a front dive a diver pushes his hips upward just slightly as he leaves the board. After he had begun to go up into the air, he throws his arms downward just enough to make is upper torso rotate around his hips. At the peak of the dive, the diver tightens his stomach muscles and pulls his legs up towards the sky, leaving his body in a perfect upside-down position to enter the water head-first. In order to perform a front dive with a somersault, it requires a full flip of the body and therefore it takes a quicker rotation to cover such an angular distance. The diver takes off from the diving board with the same hip motion and arm swing as for a forward dive, but throws the arms further and makes a smaller ball in the air. As is seen in the laws of rotational motion, the divers moment of inertia becomes smaller, but since momentum must be conserved in the system, the angular speed increases to compensate. It is important to note here that the reverse can be applied in order to stop the divers rotation to keep him from doing a belly-flop on the water. To stop his rotation, the diver increases his moment of inertia by straightening his body, conserving momentum again. When a diver goes to jump off of the board backwards, he begins by swinging his arms down with a deep knee bend. Just as in the hurdle, this presses the board down. When the diver lets the diving board recoil, he does two things at the same time: He swings his arms back up and jumps up. The board assists the diver just as in the hurdle and he has the ability to put this new energy to use. To do a back dive, the diver pushes his hips up as he leaves the board. Once airborne, he leans back and pulls his hips upward even more, generating just enough rotation to go into the water headfirst. To do a back dive with a somersault, the diver pulls his hips upward while leaving the board. As the rotation begins, he swings his arms around and grabs his knees to make himself smaller. Again, just as is accomplished with the front dive with a somersault, the moment of inertia is made smaller and the angular speed increases to make enough spin that is needed to complete the somersault. Reverse Dives You would think that there was a similar technique between performing a back dive and a reverse dive, which is true. A forward hurdle is applied before the dive, but when the diver leaves the board, he pushes his hips upward and leans back enough to create a backwards rotation and enter the water head first. Again, just like the back dive with a somersault, the same laws of physics allow for a diver to perform a reverse dive with one-and-a-half somersaults and enter the water headfirst. A smaller moment of inertia leads to a greater angular speed. Inward Dives Although the take-off for an inward dive is like that of a back dive, the techniques used in the air are exactly like those that are used to perform a front dive. Twisting Dives The front dive with one somersault and one twist can appear to be tricky, but it involves the same conservation of momentum as the other dives, only along two axis of rotation. When the diver takes off from the board, he begins his flipping rotation by throwing his upper body down towards his legs. Next, he unfolds while rapidly wrapping his arms about his body. This begins the twisting motion. From here, all the diver has to do is figure out what his orientation in the air is in order to know when to straighten his body to counter the flip and when to unwrap his arms to counter the twist before entering the water.

Human Resource Challenges of the 21st Century Essay examples -- Huma

The traditional administrative role of human resource practices are a thing of the past and new roles for HRM are emerging at an alarming rate in the 21st century. HR is increasing its support for business goals and objectives while at the same time becoming strategic business partners. Challenges for the 21st century include, changing roles, shifting demographics, and globalization. In order for HR to stay current they must adapt and make necessary changes in retraining, alternative work schedules and technological advancements. Then, these successes have to be analyzed and evaluated for effectiveness. HUMAN RESOURCE CHALLENGES With the 21st century in motion human resource management will face some of the old struggles and HR will be forced to face many new challenges. The main objective of HR is to recruit, retain, train, retrain and keep workers satisfied. Indeed, these responsibilities can be challenging in the 21st century, especially with changing roles, a multi-generational workforce, and globalization. Changing Roles. Traditionally, HR has been an administrative position-processing paperwork, benefits, hiring and firing, and compensation. However, recently HRM has moved from a traditional to a strategic role, the emphasis is on catering to the needs of consumers and workers. Before, HR was seen as the enemy and employees believed that HR’s main purpose was to protect management. Now, the position requires HRM to be more people oriented and protect their human capitol, the staff. In addition, human resource management has to be business savvy and think of themselves as strategic partners in the 21st century. Multi-generational workforce. Another major challenge human resources department’s face in the 21s... ... but will continue to transform. Just as HR has changed from 10years ago the same will be true 10 years from now. Works Cited Effron, Marc, Robert Grandossy, and Marshall Goldsmith (eds). "Chapter 3 - The 21st Century Workforce". Human Resources in the 21st Century. John Wiley & Sons, Â © 2003. Books24x7. Web. Apr. 6, 2012. Greengard, Samuel. "Technology Finally Advances HR." Workforce 79.1 (2000): 38. Academic Search Elite. Web. 6 Apr. 2012. Gueutal, Hal G., and Dianna L. Stone (eds). "Chapter 9 - The Next Decade of HR—Trends, Technologies, and Recommendations". The Brave New World of eHR: Human Resources in the Digital Age. Jossey-Bass, Â © 2005. Books24x7. Web. Apr. 6, 2012. Noe, Raymond A., John R. Hollenbeck, Barry Gerhart, and Patrick M. Wright. Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage. 7th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2010. Print.

Health coach Essay

Being a health coach for gamescape these past 5 weeks has really helped me reach a better understanding of health and wellness. Having a team with such different backgrounds and very different in their whole aspect of health and wellness was a challenge at times but that is what made me understand health and wellness so much better. Being the team leader and having to make different life decisions for the three other team members helped me see how changing some small things can have a huge impact in your life. I have learned that even someone who is very active and fit like June in gamescape was there is still room for improvement and better health choices to be made. The most important thing that I have learned is that there has to be balance between all six elements in order to reach optimal health. It is really important to understand each element and make it a part of your life because if one is absent in your life then you can not reach true health and wellness. Before gamescape I had no idea about the six elements that make up health and wellness. I knew that all those things were important but I never really knew the role the six elements have in reaching optimal health. Also learning all the ways that I can help prevent chronic disease has been great, learning about all the risk factors made me very scared at first but I also know now that I can help prevent it.

Research Proposal on Database Usability Issues

There are different types of database usability issues; you could talk about the problems that occur when a user views a database system . i. e. the user will see different from what the database contains. But with â€Å"the advance in design of highly interactive computer systems continues at an ever-increasing pace, with new developments in hardware and software being announced more frequently than ever before. † (Lawson, J. Yull, S. Anderson, H. Knott, G. & Waites, N. 2005, pg 258) So with the increasing interactive computer systems, within this research proposal I am going to talk about the problems that a user may come across in the form of virtual reality VR, graphical user interface GUI and human computer interaction / interface HCI. The aim of this unit is to provide an understanding of the importance of VR, GUI and HCI in the development of user friendly computer software and to inform the reader about the components that may be involved in these features. The Objectives that I want to achieve is to define what is meant by the terms VR, GUI and HCI. I also want to show what applications use Virtual reality, Human Computer Interaction and Graphical User Interface. The motivation I had to pick the topic of database usability issues was that I have learned about it in the past and I felt confident that it is an area that I enjoyed. It is better to write about something that you enjoy, so then the reader can feel the confidence in the review. It was also a topic I wanted to look further into especially the HCI factor. Within this initial literature review I have looked at a number of books and websites that I feel would help me in findings definitions for all usability features. I also looked at what applications use Virtual Reality, Human Computer Interaction and Graphical User Interface. According to (http://searchcio-midmarket. techtarget. com/sDefinition/0,,sid183_gci213303,00. html# ) â€Å"Virtual reality is an artificial environment that is created with software and presented to the user in such a way that the user suspends belief and accepts it as a real environment. This means that the user will have a feeling of being able to enter a virtual world. Most of the current virtual reality environments are displayed either on a computer screen, and some simulations even include additional sensory information, such as sound through speakers or headphone. All the features make a pretend virtual reality world seem real. â€Å"The uses for virtual reality are infinite. It can be used for air tra ffic control, medicine, entertainment, office work and industrial design. However, along with the good comes the bad. Virtual Reality could also be used for destructive purposes, such as war and crime. † (http://library. thinkquest. org/26890/virtualrealityt. htm) So with having the brilliant feature of being submersed into an alternative world, there can also be downsides as well. For example I would say that gaming would be one of the most popular virtual realities, and in the news you also here about how games are taking over children’s life’s, and it is contributed to make kids obese. This is true, but if used in the correct manner a VR can cause feeling of excitement. GUI or Graphical User Interface would possibly be the graphics that may be used to help create a virtual world. Galitz, W. (2007) also made a good point in saying that â€Å"GUIs are looked at in terms of their components, characteristics, and advantages over the older text-based systems. † (Galitz, W. 2007) A brilliant quote I feel was found on (http://searchwindevelopment. techtarget. com/sDefinition/0,,sid8_gci213989,00. tml). â€Å"A GUI is a graphical (rather than purely textual) user interface to a computer. As you read this, you are looking at the GUI†. I love this quote because it’s true, I know that there are no images or graphics on this document, but if you were to open this document on a web browser this would be the graphical user interface you would see. I personally feel that graphics play a major role within a program whether it is a website, database or presenta tion. I feel as if people recognise images before text. For example if we look at YouTube, people automatically recognise videos before even reading its title or description. On a website your eye is drawn to an image. So by having a program that incorporates high quality images, and maybe even videos, you will be catching the audience’s attention. HCI or Human Computer Interaction is a process that evaluates the interaction between the user and a program. For example does the user take advantage of features a program may have, do they use headphones when using a program. Everything that is used to create a VR (virtual reality) or create GUI (graphical user interface) is put into play at HCI. According to (Dix, A. Finlay, J. Abowd, G. & Beale, R. 2004) Human computer interaction â€Å"is the study of how people interact with computers and to what extent computers are or are not developed for successful interaction with human beings. † So HCI takes into account both sides of the computers users. It looks at things like the computer graphics, operating system, and programming language and on the human side according to (Cairns, P. Cox, A. 2008) â€Å"communication theory, graphic and industrial design disciplines, linguistics, social science, cognitive psychology, and human performance are relevant. † So for a program to incorporate good HCI, it could contain features such as movable interfaces with pull-down menus, dialog books, check boxes, scroll bars etc. By incorporating features like these to a program the user will feel they have mo re of a input on what they are doing, this mainly created by the fact that the user will get the feeling that they are controlling what they do. But according to (Preece, J. Rogers, Y. Sharp, H. Benyon, D. Holland, S. & Carey, T. 1994) â€Å"A decade ago, when our understanding of HCI was more limited, many systems developers might have felt that good intentions were the major requirement for producing an effective HCI design. † However with the amount of changes that computers have gone through in the past decade, HCI is now better than it ever was. HCI nowadays is about giving a user the freedom to interact fully with a program whether it be a website, a game or a database etc. With the rapid increase in new technologies and computers now smaller than ever, with more applications available and more advanced virtual reality experiences; we can only wonder what else can the future hold. We have already switched to digital photographs, mobile phones with GPRS, something that 20 years ago would have been laughed at. In fact GUI has taken a major leap into high definition. HCI has improved with the aspect of touch screens and wireless keyboards etc, and Virtual Reality has even branched out into the ergonomics sector. It has produced a chair that will receive audio and vibrations from a program on a computer or TV. For example if you get shot at in a game, you will feel as if the bullet is just passing you ear and the vibrations captivate you so you feel like you in the actual game. But there is still some questions that need answered like: 1. Why hasn’t the changes in HCI and GUI have an effect on things like teletext? 2. I would also like to research into a device that has become available in the last year and find out why it hasn’t been available before. 3. I want to find out how far Virtual Reality can stretch. 4. I would also like to know if VR, HCI, GUI has had a major impact on the obese children of Brittan. 5. What elderly people think about the change in technology today? 6. Finally I would love to know how childhoods have changed over the years with more and more computer devices available. I would use the internet mainly to gather my findings, but I would also look towards books and journals. I would use search engines to help me answer question one, and two. By doing this I could visit different sites that might give me answers. I would probably use on-line forums for question three and four, to get a prospective on other people opinions. But for question four I would also use news websites to find statistics if any. For question five I would maybe visit an elderly / retirement home, or send out questionnaires hoping to find information that will help me answer my questions, I would also use questionnaires for question six but a little less complex maybe. As well as the questionnaires for question six I would probably go to a school and ask the kids myself, to get a real response. To obtain answers from my research I would plan question six before school ends for summer, I would ask the kids what they plan to do for the summer, and when they return in September I would ask the same kids what they actually did with the summer. I would use the same concept for question four, I would ask for permission to maybe take note of different kids weight and height before they left for summer, and after they return from there break I would weigh and measure the same kids to work out if the summer has been an active one. Everything else I feel has no major rush but maybe for question three I would take note of the highest quality Virtual Reality system there is available now and in six months I would check if it has been improved any. REFERNCES Cairns, P. Cox, A. (2008) Research Methods for Human-Computer Interaction Dix, A. Finlay, J. Abowd, G. Beale, R. (2004) Human-Computer Interaction Galitz, W. (2007) The essential guide to user interface design Lawson, J. Yull, S. Anderson, H. Knott, G. & Waites, N. (2005) BTEC National Study Guide: IT Practitioners Preece, J. Rogers, Y. Sharp, H. Benvon, D. Holland, S. Carey, T. (1994) Human Computer Interaction Tech Target (2008) Virtual Reality [on-line]: http://searchcio-midmarket. techtarget. com/sDefinition/0,,sid183_gci213303,00. html# [Accessed: 22/04/09] Tech Target (2006) GUI [on-line]. (http://searchwindevelopment. techtarget. com/sDefinition/0,,sid8_gci213989,00. html). [Accessed: 26/04/09] Think Quest: Virtual Reality [on-line]. http://library. thinkquest. org/26890/virtualrealityt. htm [Accessed: 22/04/09]

Interactions between the Nativ essays

Interactions between the Nativ essays Interactions between the Natives, and the French and British The two documents, The Jesuit Relations, and Instructions for the Virginia Colony share commonalities in their approaches in enforcing Christianity on the Native people. Both French and English believe in exposing and converting the natives to Christians in order to make it easier for the countries to take over the land. The English announce to the natives in their document, ...make yourselves all of one mind, for the good of your country and your own, and serve and fear God. In other words if everyone had the same beliefs ( British and Natives ), they will create one strong mind with clear and consistent objectives capable of creating and maintaining a successful country. Likewise the French also aimed to declare to the natives a true God. To the English and the French the natives were seen as being spiritual, the French noted that they believed when someone died they would become spirits and live in the minds as memories of those they left behind. They believed that death is neither punishment or reward, and made no distinction between good and evil. In contrast, within the Christian religion, the souls of the dead that were good would live in, or be taken care of by Jesus Christ. The French noticed that the Natives treated evil equal as good, and how rather than to punish someone, they would teach them to be good. The French were intrigued by this since in their own country at the time if someone were to commit a crime they would just chop off their heads. It seemed in this document that the French saw some unique moral values within the Native community, such as their ability to get along, to exchange gifts, to give without receiving, however although liking it, the French probably felt that it was not a strong way of living and that the nation couldnt grow while still living on an equal treatment barter system....

Maria Tallchief

Maria Tallchief Dates: January 24, 1925 - April 11, 2013Known for: first American and first Native American prima ballerinaOccupation: ballet dancerAlso known as: Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief, Betty Marie Tall Chief Maria Tallchief Biography Maria Tallchief was born as Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief and changed her name later to Europeanize it for career reasons. Her father was of Osage descent, and the tribe was the beneficiary of oil rights. Her family was well off, and she had ballet and piano lessons from age three. In 1933, pursuing opportunities for Maria and her sister, Marjorie, the Tall Chief family moved to California. Marias mother wanted her daughters to become concert pianists, but they were more interested in dance. One of Marias early teachers in California was Ernest Belcher, father of Marge Belcher Champion, wife and professional partner of Gower Champion. As a young teen, Maria, with her sister, studied with David Lichine and then with Bronislava Nijinska, who in 1940 cast the sisters in a ballet at the Hollywood Bowl that Nijinska had choreographed. After high school, Maria Tallchief joined the Ballet Russe in New York City, where she was a soloist. It was during her five years at the Ballet Russe that she adopted the name Maria Tallchief. While her Native American background led to skepticism about her talent by other dancers, her performances changed their minds. Her performances impressed audiences and critics. When George Balanchine became ballet master at the Ballet Russe in 1944, he took her as his muse and protege, and Maria Tallchief found herself in increasingly prominent roles which were adapted to her strengths. Maria Tallchief married Balanchine in 1946. When he went to Paris, she went as well and was the first American-born woman dancer to perform with the Paris Opera, in Paris and later with the Paris Opera Ballet in Moscow at the Bolshoi. George Balanchine returned to the US and founded the New York City Ballet, and Maria Tallchief was its prima ballerina, the first time an American had held that title. From the 1940s to the 1960s, Tallchief was one of the most successful of ballet dancers. She was especially popular and successful as and in The Firebird beginning in 1949, and as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker beginning in 1954. She also appeared on television, made guest appearances with other companies, and appeared in Europe. Having been trained by David Lichine early in her dance education, she played Lichines teacher, Anna Pavlova, in a 1953 movie. Tallchiefs marriage to Balanchine was a professional but not personal success. He began to feature Tanaquil Le Clerq in key roles, and he did not want to have children, while Maria did. The marriage was annulled in 1952. A brief second marriage failed in 1954. In 1955 and 1956, she was featured at the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, and in 1956 she married a Chicago construction executive, Henry Paschen. They had a child in 1959, she joined the American Ballet Theatre in 1960, touring America and the USSR. In 1962, when the recently-defected Rudolf Nureyev debuted on American television, he chose Maria Tallchief as his partner. In 1966, Maria Tallchief retired from the stage, moving to Chicago. Maria Tallchief returned to active participation in the dance world in the 1970s, forming a school connected with the Chicago Lyric Opera. When the school was the victim of budget cuts, Maria Tallchief founded her own ballet company, the Chicago City Ballet. Maria Tallchief shared duties as artistic director with Paul Mejia, and her sister Marjorie, also a retired dancer, became the schools director. When the school failed in the late 1980s, Maria Tallchief again became associated with the Lyric Opera. A documentary, Maria Tallchief, was created by Sandy and Yasu Osawa, to air on PBS in 2007-2010. Background, Family Father: Alexander Joseph Tall ChiefMother: Ruth Porter Tall Chief (Scots-Irish and Dutch ancestry)Siblings: one brother; sister Marjorie Tall Chief (Tallchief) Marriage, Children husband: George Balanchine (married August 6, 1946, annulled 1952); choreographer and ballet master)husband: Elmourza Natirboff (married 1954, divorced 1954; airline pilot)husband: Henry D. Paschen (married June 3, 1956; construction executive)daughter: Elise Maria Paschen (born 1959; poet, writing teacher) Education piano and ballet lessons from age 3Ernest Belcher, ballet teacher (father of Marge Champion)David Lichine, student of  Anna PavlovaMadame (Bronislava) Nijinski, sister of Vaslav NijinskyBeverly Hills High School, graduated 1942