Top Books on Mars - The Red Planet

Accentures Strategy And Analytical Capabilities - 1593 Words

1. Hard to Duplicate - Accenture s strategy and analytical capabilities is hard to duplicate by its competitors. For example Accenture has launched the Accenture Insights platform, a cloud based, end-to-end analytics solution designed to simplify analytics and deliver real time actionable insights to businesses for a competitive advantage. Comprised of an integrated suite of leading technologies, consumption-based commercial arrangements, and enterprise support, the platform is a flexible Analytics-as-a-Service solution designed to help a range of business users, from the C-suite to data scientists, make data-driven decisions that can solve business issues and create new opportunities. The Accenture Insights Platform can increase an organization’s speed to insight, decision-making and business outcomes. The platform has a preconfigured, industrialized end-to-end architecture that typically can be provisioned within 24 hours and generate initial actionable analytics insights in weeks, as opposed to conventional approaches that can take months. Centralized cloud management capabilities are provided via the Accenture Cloud Platform, a multi-cloud management platform. 2. Uniqueness - There is no single path to follow to become an analytic competitor, and the way every company uses analytics is unique to its strategy and market position. Accenture s use of analytics has always been unique to acquire the market position. Accenture, in telecommunication industry uses bundleShow MoreRelatedCase Study Review of Accenture2159 Words   |  9 PagesRunning head: CASE STUDY REVIEW OF ACCENTURE Case Study Review of Accentures Global Knowledge Management System Joseph M. Mitchell University of Maryland University College Identification Accenture is one of the worlds largest management consultancies, employing over 75,000 people in 48 countries with net revenues in excess of 11.8 billion (Paik Choi, 2005). The company operates in a highly competitive global business environment with firms such as McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group andRead MoreSwot2230 Words   |  9 Pagesconsulting, technology services and outsourcing company. The company has experience capabilities across all major industries and business functions worldwide. Its business is structured around five operating groups, which together comprise nineteen industry groups. Accenture provides services to its customers through a global delivery network of over 50 centers (Accenture plc, n.d.). At the top of the list for Accenture’s top competitors is global giant IBM. IBM is one of the largest leading businessRead MoreAccenture : Strategic Decision Making1648 Words   |  7 PagesAccenture a pioneer in the industry is competing on analytics and positioning itself on the top globally. This company is rising on analytics for its distinctive capabilities, viz., Global Experience, Focus on Results, Validated Leadership Assessment, Extensive Industry and Client Experience, Commitment to Innovation and Proprietary Research and Distinctive Approaches to Learning and Development. Accenture Analytics believes that refining the metrics used to measure analytic impact typicallyRead MoreThe Importance Of Risk Management Function Within Businesses1044 Words   |  5 Pagesits management processes. (The Risk Management Function (1) In 2009, the company Accenture, which is one of the world’s leading professional services by providing consulting, outsourcing of services through their use of strategies. Digital, technology and operational capabilities. (About Accenture), conducted a study called â€Å"Risk Management for an Era of Greater Uncertainty,† which included respondents from 446 organizations worldwide. From the findings, they established that the role of risk managementRead MoreBig Data7004 Words   |  29 Pages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 With Big Data Comes Great Responsibility (to Your Customers) . . . . 5 Mining for Gems: Analytic Insights from Big Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Four Keys to Building an Analytical Workforce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Banks, Big Data and High-Performance Analytics Turning Big Data into Competitive Advantage No industry stands to gain more from big data than banking. And if you haven’t startedRead MoreCase Infosys13356 Words   |  54 Pages The company’s offerings included discrete project services and long-term outsourcing work for ongoing maintenance and management. Accenture’s business consulting services included strategy and business architecture, customer relationship management, finance and performance management, human performance, learning, procurement and supply chain management. Accenture’s services spanned all phases of application services including the design, development, implementation and ongoing support of customRead MoreHrm Training and Development15736 Words   |  63 Pagesin future. A companys training and development pays dividends to the employee and the organization. Though no single training programme yields all the benefits, the organization which devotes itself to training and development enhances its HR capabilities and strengthens its competitive edge. At the same time, the employees personal and career goals are furthered, generally adding to his or her abilities and value to the employer. Ultimately, the objectives of the HR department are also furtheredRead MoreDarden Consulting Case Book25163 Words   |  101 Pagesits Strategy and Operations practices, although the firm has recently began recruiting for Federal. Accenture looks for well-rounded candidates who demonstrate a passion for creating client value through practical, implementable solutions. Interview Process Career Hierarchy Senior Executive (Partner) Senior Manager †¢ First and second rounds are both onGrounds, with a week or two between each round †¢ Second round interviews are likely to be conducted by at least one partner †¢ Accenture’s interviewsRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesEthnicity 48 †¢ Disability 48 †¢ Other Biographical Characteristics: Tenure, Religion, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity 50 Ability 52 Intellectual Abilities 52 †¢ Physical Abilities 55 †¢ The Role of Disabilities 56 Implementing Diversity Management Strategies 56 Attracting, Selecting, Developing, and Retaining Diverse Employees 56 †¢ Diversity in Groups 58 †¢ Effective Diversity Programs 58 Summary and Implications for Managers 60 S A L Self-Assessment Library What’s My Attitude Toward Older People

Sarah Birgel Essay Example For Students

Sarah Birgel Essay Writing WorkshopMr. Raymond3-1-2004Starting Early, Starting LateMany high school students are tired during the school day,distracting them from their studies. This causes bad grades, irritableteachers, unhappy parents, and nothing gets accomplished. Studies have suggested that the average adolescent brain doesnt evenbegin to function until around 9:30 am. Although some believe this to bematter of opinion, many schools already use the suggested later arrivaltime, so their students can be ready to learn when they arrive at school. Another thing that everyone knows or remembers about high, school isall of the homework that needs to be done for tomorrow. Plus projects thatare due, persuasive essays that need written, and the time you need to be ateenager. Most students even have so much work that theyll stay up allnight just to get it done. When needing a minimum of 9 hours of sleep as ateenager, getting up at 6:30 to be ready for school is just not enoughtime. Its easy to think that students will just procrastinate even more,but the average teenager is smarter than you may think. It sounds absurd to think that students sleep during the school day. The fact is that many students fall asleep during class. Remember thatsleep isnt something you can make yourself not want. Throwing water onyour face, listening to loud music, or taking a shower cannot make yourbodies craving for sleep disappear. The fact is puberty demands moresleep. There are also risks involved with not getting enough sleep. Mostpeople will be very sleepy and drowsy during the day, mood and behavioralproblems, and even increased vulnerability to drugs and alcohol. Thesethings could also develop more into serious sleeping disorders. Expertsadvise to not read or watch television shows when unwinding from a day atschool or work. Mary Carskadon of Brown Universitys School of Medicineeven believes that students dont need anymore sleep than adults do, butCarskadon still recommends that the school start time should be later inthe daytime. The average high school student just needs a little slack every oncein a while; they need a way to cope with being a teen. Sleep may not solvetheir problems, but it definitely helps in the long run.

Philippine Revolution and Fort Santiago free essay sample

After being held prisoner in Barcelona, Rizal was ordered by General Eulogio Despujol that he would be shipped back to Manila via the transport ship Colon. On board the vessel, Rizal was told that the Madrid newspapers were full of stories about the revolution in the Philippines and were blaming him for it. News of Rizals predicament reached his friends in Europe and Singapore. They dispatched telegrams to an English lawyer in Singapore to rescue Rizal from the Spanish steamer by means of a writ of habeas corpus. The writ, however, was denied and Rizal remained prisoner in the ship. The Colon reached Manila on November 3, 1896 and Rizal was then quietly transferred to Fort Santiago. The preliminary investigation began a few days later, with Colonel Francisco Olive acting as the Judge Advocate. Two kinds of evidence were presented against Rizal, namely documentary and testimonial. Documentary evidence included letters which allegedly implicate Rizal in the Propaganda movement, several transcripts of speech wherein his name was used by the Katipunan, as well as several of his poems which were highly nationalistic in nature. We will write a custom essay sample on Philippine Revolution and Fort Santiago or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Testimonial evidence, on the other hand, consisted of the oral testimonies of Rizals various acquaintances. After the preliminary investigation, the Judge Advocate General, Don Nicolas de la Pena, submitted the following recommendations: (1) the accused be immediately brought to trial; (2) he should be kept in prison; (3) an order of attachment be issued against his property as an indemnity; and (4) he should be defended in court by an army officer. Such army officer who acted as his defense counsel was Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade, chosen by Rizal himself. The information of charges was later on formally read to Rizal in his prison cell. He was accused of being the principal organizer and the living soul of the Filipino insurrection, the founder of societies, periodicals and books dedicated to formenting and propagating ideas of rebellion. Rizal raised no objections to these charges; however, he pleaded not guilty to the crime of rebellion. On December 15, Rizal wrote a manifesto in his prison cell at Fort Santiago appealing to his people to stop the necessary shedding of blood and to achieve their liberties by means of education and industry. General de la Pena, however, recommended to the newly installed Governor General, Camilo de Polavieja, that the manifesto be suppressed. Thus, it was never issued to the people. The trial of Rizal commenced on December 26, 1896 at the Cuartel de Espana. Although Rizal was a civilian, he was tried by a military court composed of alien military officers. The prosecuting attorney, Lt. Enrique de Alcocer, delivered a long speech summarizing the charges against Rizal and urged the court to give the verdict of death to the accused. Afterwards, Defense Counsel Andrade then took the floor and read his eloquent defense of Rizal. He ended his defense with a noble admonition to the members of the military that the judges be just and not vindictive. His admonition fell on deaf ears. Despite all valid pleadings, the military court, vindictive as it was, unanimously voted for the sentence of death. Polavieja affirmed the decision of the court martial and ordered Rizal to be shot at 7:00 in the morning of December 30, 1896 at Bagumbayan Field. Rizals Last Day and His Execution Rizal spent his last 24 hours in his death cell where he received members of his family and writes his letter of farewell, the first one to his second brother Ferdinand Blumentritt. He gave his sister, Trinidad, an old petroleum lamp and whispered to her in English that there is something inside the lamp. Thus is Rizals famous farewell poem Ultimo Adios, (Last Farewell) was found. Rizal was said to have married his Irish girlfriend according to Catholic rites in the very last hours of his life, after living with her for sometime in Dapitan. They were previously married civilly. On the morning of December 30, 1896, Rizal set on his walk from Fort Santiago to the Bagumbayan square, the same place where the three priests had been killed in 1872, now Luneta Park, in the center of Manila at 6:30 oclock. Many details were told about this walk; how Rizal, on this walk, told the priest accompanying him of his earlier strolls in that place; how the military doctor admired the normal pulse rate of Rizal shortly before his execution; how Rizal requested that he be shot in the chest, which was denied him; how he forgave all those involved in his execution. The Spanish authority set up the ceremony like a fair. Hundreds of men and women of the Spanish colony appeared in their best clothes in order to celebrate the death of their enemy. Troop units were paraded; a musical band celebrated the death of Rizal by playing the national anthem continuously. The firing squad was composed of Filipino soldiers of the colonial army, but behind them stood a detachment of Spanish soldiers with muskets leveled at their brown comrades in case they should refuse to shoot their countryman. Rizal, ready and calm, took his position opposite his executioners. Roll of drums and a volley of artillery accompany the firing of the soldiers. And even at the moment of his fall, Rizal turns his body so that he ends up lying on his back, with his face to the sun. The elegant Spanish ladies wave their handkerchiefs, the Gentlemen applaud. And while the Filipinos see the execution in enraged silence, calls of Viva Espan;a! resound thunderously. The execution of Rizal stirred emotions all over the world. The newspapers, which otherwise hardly took notice of this distant country reported about the execution. The international prestige of the Spanish colonialism, already discredited, suffered a heavy blow. Indeed in the Philippines itself, the death of the man, who for millions ot people had been the embodiment of uprightness, of tolerance, of kindness and helpfulness, but above all of liberalism, of freedom and independence, had the effect of a beacon. Thousands of those who hesitated, who were undecided, who were afraid perceived the death of Rizal as a mute call to join up with the revolutionaries whose ranks swelled in the weeks and months that followed.

Government Interest Groups Research/ Jake Jae Essays -

Government : Interest Groups Research/ Jake Jae Question1: https://www.aspca.org/about-us Question 2: The name of the interest group: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Mission: The ASPCA's mission, as stated by founder Henry Bergh in 1866, is "to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States." Question 3 After I have met with my dog 12-years- old dog Rookie, I realized that animals are equal partner and friend of a human, not a possession, and they have emotions and feelings just like human being. Also, I believe that helping vulnerable animals and keeping them in safe environment is our duty in the humanitarian perspective. There are still numerous animal s in dancer of abuse and neglect. ASPCA is a leader in rescue, adopti on and welfare of animals, they are fighting against cruelty to animals such as dog fighting, animal hoarding, and puppy mills. I think these cruel behaviors that uses animals for human's entertainment and profits should be ceased and I became to support their mission and activities. Question 4 T he ASPCA has developed policies regarding the appropriate treatment of animals. For Instance, the ASPCA opposes "dangerous dog laws" that define specific breeds of dog as "dangerous," "vicious" or potentially "dangerous" without regard to the character or behavior of the individual dog. The ASPCA believe that there is no credible evidence that breed determines dangerousness.They claim that dangerous dog laws should be attentively drawn to define dangerous dogs as those who have either attacked a person or another animal without justification, or those who display behavior that strongly suggests the risk of such an attack, as determined by a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. Question 5 To convince people to join or donate to ASPCA, I will talk about the cruelty issue that many animals is placed. People neglect, abuse or even kill innocent animals who have capacity to feel and suffer the pain only for their entertainment and profits. For instance, dog fighting is a type of blood sport in which dogs are forced to fight one another for the entertainment and profit of spectators. Although it is a felony offense in all 50 states it is still widespread. Also, there are 10,000 estimated puppy mills in the U.S. and 250,000 animals fall victim to hoarding annually. ASPCA rescued 10578 animals in 2016 and, 4332 animals from harm during rescue operations. If one can support their activities by making some donation or participating in their campaign, more animals will have a chance to be treated better ending up the chains of cruelty-for-profit industry. Question 6 I found that the ASPCA is opposed to laws that prohibit a person from having a companion animal, except in cases where the person has been convicted of cruelty to animals. Also, the ASPCA is opposed to laws that impose limits on the number or size of pets an individual may keep. I think these issues can be controversial as some limitations towards the pet owners can prevent from hoarding. I would like to ask the background of this position if I can meet the ASPCA president.

Cover Critique #1 with Mark Ecob

Cover Critique #1 with Mark Ecob Cover Critique #1 with Mark Ecob We are very excited to bring you the highlights from our first  Reedsy Live Chat, which as promised will be a regular feature in the coming months.  Every live chat features one professional from the Reedsy marketplace hosting an interactive session that includes among other things free advice on topics like editing, book design, and marketing.We started things off with our first Cover Critique, a big thanks to the terrific Mark Ecob for an informative session.Mark runs his own design studio  and specialises in book cover design. He has worked with large publishing houses like  Penguin, Little, Brown and Amazon, as well as independents such as Faber and Icon. Since 2012 he has been Associate Art Director for Unbound, the London based crowd-funding publisher.  His work has been recognised three times by the Design Art Directors Association (DAD), and exhibited at the Hay Literary Festival 2012.For those of you who missed it, we've compiled a brief recap. However, we strongl y recommend you watch the videos. And if you want to take part in our next Cover Critique, with Jake Clark, remember to send your covers in advance to covers@reedsy.com.Cover Critique  with Mark Ecob - Part 1Just click on the image below to watch the video!

Managing Across Cultures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Managing Across Cultures - Essay Example This concept of diversity in a workforce is something experience in any organization worldwide. It is then common to find many published articles and other news articles addressing the issue of management across cultures in many organizations (Fitzgerald, 1997).I found a news article titled â€Å"Looking Another Culture in the Eye† and it had an interesting story about the Japanese culture in relation to business management and decision making. The author of the article explains how different all over the world perceive situations in different ways especially when in a work place. According to Meyer (2014), while giving a talk to managers in Japan, the author of that Japanese do not make a direct contact which other more often and it is way of life there in Japan. This culture therefore, affected the author’s communication with the group of managers and so he was not able to find out if there was any person who wanted to comment on his talk. In regards to this, it is clear that cultural diversity affects communication in several workplaces. This therefore influences the flow of information and sharing of business ideas that are important in making business decisions. There is also the case of workmates form different cultures in the article. Americans claimed that their French workmates were chaotic and always disorganized while Indian also claimed that the same persons were inadaptable (Meyer, 2014). This clearly shows the great diversity in the workforce of that particular organization. People from different cultures have their own differences based on the way they communicate, make decisions, lead, persuade and do many other things. Therefore, it is upon the members of a work force to understand and embrace each other’s cultural differences to ensure peaceful coexistences in their various workplaces. The business managerial

Sports Event Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sports Event Management - Assignment Example Tourists are often people from regions outside the venue in which the activity is happening. However, there are incidents of domestic tourists i.e. people from the region within the venue of the tourist attracting event. Tourism is often a source of income to the organising organisation which may or may not be affiliated to the government of that specific country in which the event is taking place. Most of the time the planning of the tourist event involves a government organisation and in such a case the income gained goes to the government. If the event is organized by a non governmental organization then the organization is under obligation to pay tax to the government. Therefore regardless of who is organizing the event, the government earns revenue. The organisers of any tourism event need a strategy to maximize the revenue gained. An event that recurs maybe annually or after a number of years requires that the organisers make it attractive for the visiting tourists so as to encourage a possibility of them coming back again in future and their enjoyment may lead them to favourably sell the destination country (hosting a tourist event) to their friends and family back home. Security is yet another important thing that has to be taken into consideration to guarantee the safety of the visiting tourists. Some events have been cancelled in the past based on security concerns. The organizers have to guarantee the security of every individual attending the tourist event before they can be given the right to host the event. One such tourist event is the world cup 2006 which took place in Germany. Being the 18th instance of the world cup which happens after every four years, Germany was chosen to host the event. German won the right of hosting the event in 2000 and this means that they had six years to prepare for the event. In this event 198 soccer teams representing their nations took part in a qualification process that started in 2003 to see only 31 teams qualify for the finals in Germany (Coleman, 2006). Germany is ranked 7th tourist destination worldwide. The number of tourists visiting German keeps on increasing annually. For example the number of tourists visiting German rose from 23.6 million to 24.4 million in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The number of tourists visiting Germany annually is nothing though compared to France which receives more than twice what German receives annually. Germany therefore set out to utilize the worlds popular and biggest sporting event, world cup 2006, to market itself as a tourist destination. With more than a million visitors that were expected to visit German courtesy of the world cup event, Germany was more than jubilant to receive them because this was a sure boost to it tourism industry. Actually, according to the managing director Tourist Board, Petra Hedorfer, the event was projected to boost the German's domestic economy by more than 9 billion euros. This is extremely impressive for a short term event. The 2006 world cup event was to be more beneficial to German than to boost its domestic economy from the revenue that would come from the more than 1 million visitors most of which were soccer fans. The tourism board planned to use the event as a marketing tool. Through television, German intended to reach the more than 40 million viewers worldwide. This is relatively large audience for the German's tourism promotional advertisements and commercials. German intended to

Tackling Childhood Obesity Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Tackling Childhood Obesity - Research Proposal Example When the behaviour is culminated in the community and family levels, the children also get to enter into these lifestyle cycles, sometimes inadvertently and sometimes due to lack of knowledge. It has been indicated in studies that dietary changes and schedules of daily activities lacking promotion of physical activities and lack of playtime activities are the reasons in cases of children (Edmunds et al., 2001). For example, in diets, fast foods have been included to a great extent. These contain items with high-fat and high-sugar contents. These mainly come from convenience items for family reasons. Work-roles in the families have led to a decrease in family meals. Outside the home environment, the patterns of dietary changes are also affecting food habits of the young. All studies have indicated the positive roles played by physical activity. Lack of physical activity has been implicated in children's weight gain in excess of what is ideal. Thus, there is a situation where the child ren are overweight or obese, and compounded to that there is a diminution of the physical activity in daily lives of the adolescents and the children (Reilly, 2006). Studies again indicated marked decline in schedules of physical activity in the middle school and high school schedules in children. This is more so in case of girls. This may be due to cutting down of physical education in school curricula. Additionally, there is increased use of television and computers, which decrease children's level of activities to a great extent leading to insufficient physical exercise (Brunt et al., 2008). The extent of obesity is assessed by classification in adults. However, it is difficult to assess the same in case of children by such classifications. For studies and research, given the problems in children, the prevalence is an important parameter to study. In research studies, classically this is measured in percentiles. Although there are legitimate criticisms, research literature has conventionally used body mass index. Consequently, there is a prescribed body mass index (BMI) for all ages, and 85th to 95th percentile of the standard BMI has been used as the landmark. This means children within this range will be considered at risk for being overweight. On the other hand, children who are beyond 95th percentile would be regarded overweight. It is evident that studies that involve at risk children as target population for intervention, would attempt to identify them, and in that context, these benchmarks could serve as effective identifiers. Once identified, these affected child ren may be intervened through designed public health measures with the objective and outcomes being prevention of future or existing obesity and reduction of complications and implications of obesity in them (Gibson et al., 2006). The global nature of this problem has already been mentioned, but the important parameter that this study attempts to address is launching the public health intervention at young age when the exposure to life style related risk

The Emerging Technology Trends In Computer Hardware Information Technology Essay

The Emerging Technology Trends In Computer Hardware Information Technology Essay The future of computer hardware is very fragile due to problems between software and hardware engineers and software now that cannot keep up with the material; the material may be decreasing as the software has priority. One thing to note is that the material cannot be totally eliminated. The market will always be a demand for faster hardware, lighter, more coherent and comprehensive. Arguably, the material can not hire as many jobs as the software does now because of the need and progress in software technology related to technology equipment. The material is and will carry on generating new applications that will make life easier and business more flourishing. Apply a new type of technology used in hardware applications, known as COTS. Commercial and product standards commonly known as COTS are proven and reliable in changing computer world. COTS allow software developers to provide new products, and hardware platform for adding custom hardware; a new device is the latest USB standard is also a past director of external equipment transfers. Cots are devices to help correct answers and progress on new computers, such as the XML protocol and new wireless advances. Another technology is the new hardware unit is microcontroller. The micro-controller unit (MCU) complete final products to the automotive market for smart cards. 16-bit and 32-bit MCU + are the main products of high-end consumer, the automotive and industrial control equipment. MPU Base application and wide variety of entrenched memory and other technologies add to their permanent unit and revenue growth. MCUs will carry on to see their make use of in products outside the home machine, which will allow hardware developers in the right direction for diversified applications. The tension between hardware engineers and software has led to an interesting correlation. Both types of engineers must learn to work together because the software and hardware engineers need each other in an appropriate communication to achieve various objectives. The types of material that is developed must cease and forth between the phase of software development for all types of applications across the board for all the different courses. With the increase in CPU capacity, created the software will always take more than enough room to allow the continued growth of the CPU in the industry. In the research project is completed, the balance between hardware and software engineers stay just as important for the optimal completion. Trends in computer software In an interview with John Bruggeman, Chief Marketing Manager, Wind River, a software design company based in the United Kingdom, which explains how the software has grown much faster than hardware applications. Bruggeman specialized software in Linux, which has seen faster growth than expected. For us the Linux business has grown from zero to 50 million dollars in 24 months. Not only Linux, but Amazon has created a unique opportunity to expand. Amazon Web Services has launched a new enterprise IT management software products, which include the rental of servers, instead of forcing companies to buy directly from a number of expensive servers. Technology recently published an article So far the market has taken the idea of Amazon and Amazon has shown that Web services have already won clients such as The New York Times, Red Hat and SanDisk. Other companies, like IBM and Sun are struggling to move to a new model. Sun already offers online rental system and expects to sell the equipment. We have the infrastructure, says Greg Papadopoulos, chief technology officer of Sun If you do not you can beat them, their hand. Suns final report shows that the Amazon Web Services functions have hit a new market that will continue to be successful. What are the current trends in computer hardware platforms and the evolving mobile platform, grid computing, and cloud computing? Mobile platform: more and more business computing is moving from PCs and desktop machines to mobile devices like cell phones and Smartphones. Data transmissions, Web surfing, e-mail and instant messaging, digital content displays, and data exchanges with internal corporate systems are all available through a mobile digital platform. Net books, small low-cost lightweight subnotebooks that are optimized for wireless communication and Internet access, are included. Grid computing Grid computing combines computer from systems multiple administrative domains to achieve common aims to solve a simple task and can disappear very fast. A grid computing key strategies is to use middleware to divide and distribute pieces of a program between several computers, sometimes up to several thousands. Grid computing is to compute in a distributed manner, which may also involve the aggregation of cluster systems based on large computer companies. The size of a grid can vary from a small restricted to a network of computer workstations in an enterprise, as for large public works across many companies and networks. The idea of a limited network may also be known as an intra-node, while the idea of bigger, wider networks may refer to inter-nodes. The grids are in the form of distributed computing; where the super virtual computer is composed of many networked computers to perform tasks freely collaborate large. This technique has been applied to computationally intensive problems in science, math and academic volunteer computing, and is used by commercial enterprises, such as various applications such as drug development, economic forecasting, seismic analysis and back-office data processing, support for e-commerce and web services. Grid computing gives a safe way to solve Grand Challenge issues, like proteins, financial modeling, earthquake simulation, weather patterns. The grid provides a way to use IT resources optimally inside an organization. They also offer a means of providing information for their technology and commercial business customers, with customers paying only for what they use, such as water and electricity. Grid computing is used by the grid of the National Science Foundation, National Technology, NASAs Information Power Grid, Pratt Whitney, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and American Express. The European Union has been a great supporter of grid computing. A lot of studies and projects have been funded by the European Commission Framework Programme. Lots of projects are emphasis here, but 2 of them deserve special point out: Enabling Grids BEinGRID and for e-Science. Business Experiments in GRID is a project, and also have a 1/4th amount of the whole project is funded by the European Commission as an incorporated Project under the 6th Framework Programme Sponsorship Program (FP6). Introduced in June 2006 and the project lasts for 2 years, until November 2009. The research is organized by the Atos Origin. According to the project sheet is their mission to create effective ways to promote the adoption of grid computing across Europe and to stimulate research on innovative business models using Grid technologies. Extracting best practices and common themes of the experimental implementations, two groups of consultants to analyze a number of pilots, technique and business. The results of this cross analysis provided by the TI website called www.tude.com. The project is important not only for its longevity, but also for its financial plan to 24.8 million Euros, is the greatest of all integrated projects in FP6. The grids of the E-science, which is founded the European Union and also sites in USA and the most part of the Asian continent, is a follow-up project of the European DataGrid (EDG), and is probably the largest computer network on the planet. This, together with the LHC Computing Grid (LCG) was developed to support the experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. LCG Project at CERN is based on the need to handle large amounts of data, where the rates are required to store several gigabytes per second. A list of active sites within LCG can be found online as well as real-time monitoring of the EGEE infrastructure. The software and documentation is also accessible to the public. It is speculated that optical fiber dedicated links, such as those installed by CERN to meet the needs of large volumes of data from the LCG may one day be available for home users and Internet service reach very fast approximately a thousand times faster than the usual broadband internet connection. Until April 27, 2007, United Devices United Devices Cancer Research Project based on its Grid MP product, which cleans the PC cycle of volunteering over the Internet. Grid MP in June 2005 ran about 3000000 machines. Cloud computing Cloud computing is computing on the Internet where shared resources, software and information is provided for computers and other devices on demand, with the grid. Cloud computing is a natural change of the well known to use of virtualization, SOA and utility computing. The details are extracted from consumers who no longer required specialized knowledge or control over the technology infrastructure that supports the tag. Cloud computing describes a new addition, consumption and delivery model for IT services Internet-based and are generally over-the delivery of Internet resources dynamically evolving and often virtualized. This is a result of product and ease of access to computer sites that offer Internet distance. This is mostly takes the form of internet based applications and tools that users can access and get use through an internet website browser as if it were a program installed locally on your own computer system. NIST provides a definition a little more objective and specific here. Tag word as a metaphor for the Internet based on the design previously used tags to represent the telephone network, and then to describe the patterns of Internet computer network as an abstraction that represents the underlying infrastructure. A typical cloud computing provider to provide common business applications online that is accessible from another web service or software as a Web browser, while the software and data stored on servers Most cloud computing infrastructure consists of services offered by the centers joint and integrated servers. Clouds often appear as single point of access to the computing needs of consumers. Commercial facilities are generally required to meet Quality of Service (QoS) of clients, and generally include service level agreements (SLA). The big cloud providers include Amazon, Microsoft and Google. Some large IT companies who are actively involved in cloud computing, Fujitsu, Dell, Hewlett Packard, IBM, VMware, NetApp and Microsoft. There are several doubts and confusions in relation to the phrase called hybrid when applied to the cloud a criterion description of the word hybrid Cloud has not yet risen. Cloud term hybrid has been used to assign 2 clouds. Separate conference ( private, public external or internal ) or a blend of clouds virtualized server instances that are used in combination with the actual physical hardware. The correct definition of the term hybrid Cloud; is probably the use of physical hardware and virtualized server instances tag together to provide a unique and common. Two clouds were collected are more properly a combined cloud. A combined cloud computing environment composed of multiple combined internal or/and external suppliers would be typical for most companies By integrating cloud computing services to multiple users to facilitate the transition to the public cloud services while avoiding problems such as PCI compliance. Another perspective on the implementation of a web application in the cloud using hybrid Web hosting infrastructure is a mix between Cloud hosting and dedicated servers it is usually implemented as part of a Web cluster, where some nodes running real physical hardware and some running on the server where the clouds. How network economics, declining communication costs and technology standards affect IT infrastructure? Network economics: Economics refers to the Business Network, which will benefit from the network. This is where the value is a good or service increases as more people buy the product or service. Examples include websites like eBay, or if the iVillage community together and share ideas to help the website become a better business organization. Metcalfes Law explains the proliferation of computer use by showing that the value of network participants grows exponentially as the network becomes more members. As the number of members in a network increases linearly, the values of the overall system grows exponentially and theoretically continue to grow indefinitely with increasing membership. Declining communication costs: The communication costs are rapidly falling down daily. The costs of communication and the exponential growth in the size of the Internet is a driving force that affects the IT infrastructure. When there is a decline happened in the communication cost will reflect several advantages and disadvantages to the information technology infrastructure. The main advantage of decline of communication costs is when its get fall to a very small and approaches zero, the use of communications and computer exploits. Technology standards: According to the growth of IT industry, the standards of design and communication is getting improved and more competitive day by day. Technology standards and economies of scale release powerful lead to decreases in the prices that manufacturers focus on products manufactured by a single standard. No economies of scale, the information of any kind would be much more expensive than is the case today. Creating and maintaining a coherent IT infrastructure raises multiple challenges including: Making wise infrastructure investments, IT infrastructure is a major investment for the company. If too much is used for infrastructure will not be used to form drag its financial performance. If it is too little used, a major business services cannot be delivered and competitors of the companys better than investing in the company. Coordinating infrastructure components: attempts to create IT infrastructures, select a combination of vendors, people and technology services and fitting them together so they operate in a coherent whole. Dealing with scalability and technology change: as companies grow, they can easily find that their infrastructure. As companies shrink, they can get stuck in too much infrastructure has been purchased in better times. Scalability: the ability of the computer of a product or system expansion to serve more people without breaking down. Leadership and management: refers to who controls and manages the IT infrastructure.

The Legalization of Marijuana :: Illegal Drugs Substances Essays

The Legalization of Marijuana The purpose of this paper is to discuss marijuana and compare the issue of legalizing it from both sides. We have two factions fighting each other, those who are pro-marijuana and those who are anti-marijuana. These two factions have been fighting on this issue in the halls of justice for years. Pro marijuana legalization groups such as the Physician's Association for AIDS Care and the National Lymphoma Foundation argue that Marijuana should be legalized in order to treat terminally ill patients. Among them are AIDS victims who find that marijuana stimulates their appetites so they can fight off dangerous emaciation, glaucoma sufferers who said it has prevented them from going blind, and cancer patients for whom it alleviates the severe nausea that often accompanies chemotherapy and sometimes makes lifesaving treatment impossible. Due to all these, lobbying groups which show substantial evidence that marijuana can be used as a prescribed drug. Many advocates who are pro marijuana complain that morphine and cocaine are legal and very dangerous drugs, which brings up the question "why not legalize marijuana as a medical drug" when it is proven safer than cocaine and morphine. Lobbying groups in San Diego, California, unanimously voted to urge president Bill Clinton and congress to end federal restrictions against the use of marijuana for " legitiment medical use". City council women Christine Kehoe said she wanted the city of San Diego "to go on the record we support the medical use of marijuana. Marijuana can be a drug of necessity in the treatment of AIDS, glaucoma, cancer and multiple sclerosis". Many agencies, which are anti marijuana such as, the Drug Enforcement Agency and police departments argue that marijuana shouldn't be legalized. These agencies believe that if marijuana is to become legal, then there will be thousands of more patients using marijuana. Then people will raise the question of "why is marijuana even illegal at all, if its a medicine". The main reason why the Drug Enforcement Agency doesn't want marijuana to be legalized is because their is no hard core evidence that proves marijuana is an effective drug as a medicine. In twenty years of research, there has been no reliable scientific proof that marijuana has any medical value. The American Cancer Society , American Glaucoma Society, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Medical Association , say that their is no evidence that marijuana is a medicine.

Health In Society Unequally Distributed Health And Social Care Essay

This essay will concentrate on the inequalities that exist around Cardiovascular Disease, specifically that of Coronary Heart Disease. Harmonizing to the British Heart Foundation ( 2010 ) incidences of decease attributed to Coronary Heart Disease are far more likely to happen within the lower socio-economic category. The British Heart Foundation ( 2010 ) besides report that those populating in the most disadvantaged countries of Wales, have a fifty-percent more opportunity of deceasing from CHD than those populating in the least disadvantaged countries. Furthermore, they claim that persons who undertake manual and unskilled employment have a 10 per centum more opportunity of enduring from Coronary Heart Disease than those employed in managerial places, despite those persons populating in the same country ( ibid ) . First, a brief definition of CHD will be offered in order to help apprehension of how this disease develops, and how unhealthy behaviors can lend to its oncoming. Second, an account of a wellness inequality will be given. Then, assorted studies that have been published in relation to wellness inequalities will be examined in order to offer an account for this inequality. This will include analyzing assorted facets of the lives of persons that are placed in the lower socio-economic category in an effort to explicate behavior that is harmful to wellness. Finally, the function of the Multi Disciplinary squad and the nurse will be discussed, this will include authorities schemes for societal policy, in order to place countries of enterprises to better cases of decease from CHD. CHD is a term used to depict the effects of impaired or absent coronary blood flow to the myocardium, by and large caused by fatty plaques known as atheroma developing within the interior liner of the coronary arterias ( Porth 2004 ) . NHS Choices ( 2009a ) province that cases of CHD are far more likely to happen if an single fumes, is corpulent or has a diet that has a high content of concentrated fat. The National Office of Statistics ( 2008 ) reported that in 2007 there were 2951 deceases under the age of 75 in Wales straight linked with CVD, and that 1662 of these were due to CHD The wellness of the state has shown marked betterment throughout the old ages. Harmonizing to the House of Commons ( 2008 ) the life anticipation in 1948 for work forces was 66.4 old ages and 71.2 old ages for adult females. In 2000 they had risen to 75.6 old ages and 80.3 old ages severally. However, despite these betterments, wellness inequalities still exist amongst specific groups within society ( ibid ) .According to the World Health Organisation ( WHO 2010 ) a wellness inequality constitutes a pronounced difference in the distribution of wellness between changing societal groups. These societal groups can run from societal category, age, gender, ethnicity, disablement, geographics gender or linguistic communication ( ibid ) . Historically, those included in the lower ranks of employment and hence placed in the lower socio-economic category, are far more likely to endure sick wellness and higher morbidity rates than those at the top of the societal graduated table ( WHO 2010 ) . Harmonizing to Black ( 1980 ) poorness has ever been a major factor in high mortality rates amongst the lower socio-economic categories, peculiarly in cases of famishment, infection and respiratory unwellness. However, Black acknowledged that the nexus between poorness and circulatory disease was less straightforward ( ibid ) . In an effort to mensurate the extent of these inequalities, during 1977 the Labour authorities commissioned The Working Group on inequalities chaired by Sir Douglas Black to measure the deductions of wellness and societal policy, and to garner information about differences in wellness position amongst changing societal categories ( Townsend and Davidson 1992 ) . The findings were presented to the Secretary of State of the new Conservative authorities in April 1980 ( ibid ) . Black ( 1980 ) concluded that despite the general betterment in wellness across Britain, marked differences in the wellness between those in societal category I and those in societal category V have remained, and in some cases increased. Black ( 1980 ) suggested that one of the grounds for this could be due to the displacement in occupational position across the UK. He explained that those undertaking traditional semi-skilled or unskilled employment tended to be older than those from the mean work force. However, Townsend and Davidson ( 1990 ) argue that despite the age disparity between societal categories, the likeliness of an single death before the age of retirement in societal category IV is dual that of those in societal category I. Furthermore, they go on to state that mortality is a characteristic of category across the life span and non merely during old age, with persons from the lower categories enduring higher morbidity rates during childhood, adolescence and maturity ( ibid ) . A follow on from the Black Report was commissioned in 1986 by the Health Education Council before its death in 1987, and was updated in 1992 ( Whitehead 1992 ) . The Health Divide published grounds which revealed serious inequalities in wellness had continued throughout the 1980 ‘s and into the 1990 ‘s ( ibid ) . During the 1990 ‘s the work of Sir Douglas Black was acknowledged and built on in a study by Sir Donald Acheson, who was invited by the Secretary of State for Health to place a scope of countries for future policy development in order to cut down wellness inequalities ( DOH 1998 ) . Black ( 1980 ) suggested that the high proportion of incidences of certain diseases, including that of circulative disease in the lower socio-economic categories could be attributed to the complete indulgence of merchandises that are harmful to the organic structure, and non to want and poorness. Black ( 1980 ) specifically highlighted the significance of the ingestion of baccy merchandises in the aetiology of diseases such as circulative disease. He questioned the impression that the usage of baccy merchandises is a strictly voluntary pre-occupation by and large undertaken by the irresponsible and highlighted the fact that the authorities makes huge sums of money out of its production and sale. However, Black besides acknowledged that the usage of baccy merchandises could non be blamed for the cause of sick wellness, but suggested that it should be viewed as a secondary phenomenon caused by underlying characteristics of society. He raised concerns for the hereafter, admiting that although pre-conceptions sing the usage of baccy were altering, this alteration had finally taken topographic point within the higher socio-economic categories, and would go on to make so, doing the wellness spread to turn even wider. Acheson ( DOH 1998 ) found, that as Black had predicted there was a clear societal category gradient in both work forces and adult females sing the ingestion of baccy merchandises. He found that 12 % per centum of professional work forces and 11 % of professional adult females were reported to be tobacco users, compared with 41 % of unskilled work forces and 36 % of unskilled adult females go oning to smoke. Furthermore, those in the higher socio-economic category who professed to smoking consumed fewer coffin nails than their opposite numbers in the lower socio-economic category ( ibid ) . Acheson ( DOH 1998 ) besides found that those in the lower categories had lower surcease rates than tobacco users in the higher categories. Similarly, the category gradient had widened in regard of deceases from CHD ( see appendix 1 ) . Acheson concluded that smoke is a clear component in mortality differences between societal categories, doing deceases from assorted malignant neoplastic diseases, respiratory unwellnesss and CHD ( ibid ) . The Wanless Report ‘Securing Good Health for the Population ‘ was published in 2004, and besides highlighted smoke as a major cause of high mortality rates under the age of 70 in the lower socio-economic category ( Wanless 2004 ) . Wanless called for smoke to be banned in public topographic points, particularly within the workplace, faulting inactive smoke for cases of malignant neoplastic disease ‘s and bosom disease amongst both tobacco users and non tobacco users ( ibid ) . Harmonizing to Acheson ( DOH 1998 ) the wider socio-economic factors of an person ‘s life style should be taken into consideration when explicating wellness inequalities. Marmot ( 2010 ) concurs, saying than unhealthy behaviors entirely, can non be responsible for the serious wellness inequalities that exist in today ‘s society. As a consequence, Acheson ( DOH 1998 ) implemented a socio-economic theoretical account of wellness, which examined an person ‘s exposure to inequalities from before birth and throughout the full life span. Acheson ( DOH 1998 ) acknowledged that an person ‘s age, sex and constitutional position did so impact their wellness, as did their personal wonts such as smoke and hapless diet. However, Acheson argued that wider influences such as friends, household, community, instruction, lodging, work environment and entree to wellness attention besides had a bearing on an person ‘s wellness position ( ibid ) . Therefore, in order to understand the relationship between low socio-economic category and CHD, it is necessary to look into the psychological and societal influences that are experienced by persons within this group. Harmonizing to Acheson ( DOH 1998 ) unemployment rates amongst unskilled workers are four times higher than those from professional groups. Acheson goes on to state that employment is a major constituent in an person ‘s position within society ; it determines their income, societal standing and their ability to take part within society. Furthermore Acheson states that being unemployed can hold damaging effects in both physical and mental wellness, being linked to a sedentary life style and increased ingestion of baccy and intoxicant ( ibid ) . However, the nexus between unemployment and sick wellness is hard to turn out, as it is non clear whether the ground for the unemployment is due to ill wellness that is already present, or whether being unemployed is the cause of the sick wellness ( Schurring et al 2007 ) . Acheson besides suggests that those persons who are in employment tend to be engaged in work that is low paid, insecure and of hapless quality and that offers little, or no chance of publicity ( DOH 1998 ) . Johnson ( 2004 ) argue that those from the lower categories constantly experience high degrees of physiological emphasis, and low degrees of control in the workplace, coupled with low wagess in footings of occupation security, publicity chances, money and regard. However, Stansfield and Marmot ( 2002 ) point out that despite grounds to propose that psychological emphasis at work can be a conducive factor in cases of CHD, it is besides of import non to undervalue the consequence of other nerve-racking constituents of an person ‘s life that are non work related. Persons that are unemployed or have low paid occupations constantly face poorness and adversity. They are more likely to brood in unsuitable lodging, that is frequently moist, overcrowded and in an country that has hapless entree to comfortss ( Acheson DOH 1998 ) . Harmonizing to Siegrist and Marmot ( 2006 ) those from the lower socio-economic category tend to populate in vicinities that experience high degrees of offense, and physical impairment. Skogan ( 1990 ) concurs, saying that persons that reside in these countries have, non themselves, chosen to make so ; hence, they have no existent motive to keep their belongingss or that of their vicinity. This in bend discourages commercial investing in the country, doing it to drop further into want ( ibid ) . Due to miss of fundss these persons are less likely to have any signifier of private conveyance ( DOH 1998 ) . This can hold a direct impact on entree to low-cost food markets, health care, and employment chances. WHO ( 2010 ) suggest that hapless lodging and location non merely do physical wellness jobs but that they are besides a direct cause of emphasis, depression and associated psychological unwellnesss. Harmonizing to Stansfield and Marmot ( 2002 ) nerve-racking life conditions, including those of employment and lodging have marked associations with coffin nail smoke. They go on to province that the prevalence of coffin nail smoke is closely linked with the experience and direction of emphasis. Many people use smoking as a self-medication to assist them get by with the emphasis they experience in their mundane lives ( ibid ) . However, harmonizing to Parrott ( 1999 ) , baccy ingestion is in fact a cause of emphasis, and non the emphasis stand-in that many tobacco users believe it to be. NHS Choices ( 2009b ) agree, saying that tobacco user ‘s may experience a diminution in emphasis degrees once they have smoked a coffin nail, nevertheless this lone occurs because they have satisfied their craving for nicotine. Once the nicotine has worn of the person will one time once more experience stressed ( ibid ) . Harmonizing to Stansfield and Marmot ( 2002 ) both emphasis and baccy ingestion are both clear markers in morbidity rates for CHD, and could take some manner to explicating high cases of this disease within the lower socio-economic category. In an effort to undertake emphasis caused by work, the authorities introduced the ‘Fairness at Work Act ‘ in 1999 ( House of Commons 1999 ) . This measure was introduced in order to guarantee that employees have specific rights at work, including occupation security ( ibid ) . Harmonizing to Acheson ( DOH 1998 ) , employment jurisprudence in the United Kingdom is highly under regulated, compared to that of other industrialized states. Assorted policies sing lodging have been introduced since the Acheson Report, the most recent in Wales being ‘Improving Lifes and Communities ( Welsh Assembly Government 2010 ) . This policy aims to supply Wales with more societal lodging, and to give prospective renters more pick with respects to the countries in which they live. It pledges to better the criterion of lodging offered, to better the visual aspect and feel of communities, and to supply persons shacking in the country entree to services and installations ( ibid ) In a command to undertake happenings of diseases, including that of CHD, the authorities announced a 10 twelvemonth committedness through a white paper, Salvaging Lifes: Our Healthier Nation ( DOH 1999 ) . To run into this committedness the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease was implemented and included 12 criterions to better wellness and prevent disease ( DOH 2008 ) . These rules are reflected in public wellness policy in Wales through the debut of a policy papers â€Å" Tackling Heart Disease in Wales: Implementing Through Evidence ( Welsh Assembly Government 2001 ) . As portion of the 10 twelvemonth program, they advised that local marks should be implemented in order to forestall, and cut down the ingestion of baccy merchandises. It was advised that the sale of illegal coffin nails and baccy should be closely monitored and reduced, that media coverage and national runs should be encouraged and that smoking surcease services should be implemented at local degree. In peculiar, mention was made to cut downing smoke in those on low incomes, with peculiar attending being made to pregnant adult females and their spouses ( ibid ) . The authorities pledged that by the twelvemonth 2010 deceases attributed to CHD would be reduced in the under seventy-fives by 40 % . This mark was in fact met five old ages early, with deceases rates falling by 44 % ( DOH 2008 ) In order to cut down disease caused by smoke, and to protect non tobacco users from passively inhaling baccy, a smoke prohibition was initiated on 1st July 2007 ( BBC News 2007 ) . This policy prohibits smoking in any public topographic point, including saloons, eating houses and topographic points of work. Since the smoke prohibition, research carried out by the Department of Health claim that cases of Myocardial Infarctions have reduced by 10 per centum ( Times Online 2009 ) . However, curates and anti-smoking groups think the authorities should travel farther, and are naming for smoking to be banned in autos, in order to protect kids from 2nd manus fume ( ibid ) . Despite the smoke prohibition some persons continue to smoke, harmonizing to Nice ( 2008 ) the multi disciplinary squad has a cardinal function to play in encouraging and authorising these persons to give up. Harmonizing to the Royal College of Nursing ( 2004 ) wellness publicity is the duty of every nurse. The NMC Code of Professional Conduct ( 2009 ) concur, saying that nurses are personally accountable for safeguarding and advancing the involvements of all patients and clients, irrespective of age, gender and societal fortunes. Harmonizing to Youdan and Queally ( 2005 ) nurses have a cardinal function to play in encouraging patient ‘s to give up smoke, they are ideally placed, and should enter the smoke position of all in and out patient ‘s, and where appropriate offer advice and smoke surcease options. In 2008, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, acknowledged that smoke is a major contributory factor in the wellness spread that exists between the higher and lower socio-economic categories ( Nice 2008 ) . As a consequence, NICE published its first elaborate counsel on smoking surcease ( ibid ) . Harmonizing to these guidelines all persons that come into contact with a wellness professional should be questioned on their smoke position ( ibid ) . Harmonizing to Thomas ( 2007 ) brief oppugning on the topic of smoke has become the foundation of national smoke surcease policy. Nice ( 2008 ) besides stipulate that wellness professionals should utilize as many avenues as possible to make tobacco users, saying that links between birthrate clinics, ante-natal groups, station natal assignments, tooth doctors, infirmaries and GP surgeries should be made in order to aim as many person ‘s as possible. If an single professes to smoke, the wellness professional should offer suited advice and nicotine replacing therapy ; this should be given in concurrence with continued support and a referral to the local NHS Stop Smoking Service ( Nice 2008 ) . Behavioral guidance should besides be offered where appropriate ; this can take topographic point on a one to one footing or in group Sessionss ( ibid ) . Nice ( 2008 ) acknowledges that an person ‘s societal fortunes can be hard to change in the short term ; nevertheless, they believe that behaviour alteration on an single degree is more accomplishable. Evidence has shown that category is a cardinal determiner of wellness. Those in the lower socio-economic category suffer higher degrees of CHD than those in the higher socio-economic category. It has besides been shown that they consume more tobacco merchandises and are more susceptible to emphasize. As antecedently discussed, emphasis and baccy ingestion are both clear markers in cases of CHD, therefore policy aimed at cut downing the emphasis related facets of these persons lives demands to be addressed. Similarly, the ingestion of baccy by this group besides needs to understood. This fact has been recognised by the authorities, who have introduced societal policies related to employment, lodging and smoke in an effort to cut down mortality rates within the lower categories from diseases such as CHD. Nurses and the multi disciplinary squad besides have a portion to play, peculiarly within the community. It is the duty of every wellness professional to oppugn an person with respects to their smoke position, by making so, advice, support and encouragement can be offered, in a command to alter the person ‘s attitude towards this wellness damaging behavior.Mentions:BBC News ( 2007 ) Smoking Ban Takes Effect. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6258034.stm ( Accessed 16 April 2010 ) . Black ( 1980 ) The Black Report: Inequalities and Health.Socialist Health Association. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sochealth.co.uk/Black/blackintro.htm ( accessed 15 March 2010 ) British Heart Foundation ( 2010 ) UK Coronary Heart Disease Statistics. Department of Health. ( online ) . Available at: www.bhf.org.uk/plugins/PublicationsSearchResults/idoc.ashx? †¦ 1 ( Accessed 25 April 2010 ) . DOH ( 1998 ) Independent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health Report. Chair Sir Donald Acheson. London: The Stationary Office. DOH ( 1999 ) Salvaging Lifes: Our Healthier Nation. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4118614 ( Accessed 19 April 2010 ) . DOH ( 2008 ) The Coronary Heart Disease National Service Framework: Building on Excellence keeping Progress. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_096556.pdf ) . ( Accessed 9 April 2010 ) . House of Commons ( 2008 ) Health Committee Third Report – Health Inequalities 2008-2009. Health Committee Publications. ( Online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmhealth/286/28602.htm ( Accessed 4 March 2010 ) . House of Commons ( 1999 ) Fairness at Work. House of Commons Library. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp98/rp98-099.pdf ( Accessed 16 April 2010 ) . Johnson ( 2004 ) Work Stressors and Social Class. ( online. ) Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.workhealth.org/risk/johnson % 20article.html ( Accessed 20 April 2010 ) . Marmot ( 2010 ) Fair Society, Healthy Lives. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ucl.ac.uk/gheg/marmotreview/Documents/finalreport/FairSocietyHealthyLivesChapter2 ( Accessed 17 March 2010 ) . NHS Choices ( 2009a ) Coronary Heart Disease. ( Online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Coronary-heart-disease/Pages/Causes.aspx ( Accessed 26 February 2010 ) . NHS Choices ( 2009b ) Does Smoking Help Stress. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1114.aspx? CategoryID=53 & A ; SubCategoryID=531 ( Accessed 20 April 2010 ) . National Office for Statistics ( 2008 ) All Deaths Under 75 by Cause and Sex 2007 England Wales Scotland N Ireland and United Kingdom. ( Online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/index.html ( Accessed 15 March 2010 ) . NICE ( 2008 ) Smoking Cessation Guidance ( Online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do? pageId=8024618 ( Accessed 19 April 2010 ) . The Nursing and Midwifery Code of Professional Conduct ( 2009 ) . ( Online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nmc-uk.org/aArticle.aspx? ArticleID=3 056 ( Accessed 16 October 2008 ) . Parrott A ( 1999 ) Does Cigarette Smoking Cause Stress. American Psychologist. 25 ( 54 ) pp 817-20. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.tobaccoprc.org/download/file/stress.pdf ( Accessed 15 April 2010 ) . Porth CM ( 2004 ) Necessities of Pathophysiology Concepts of Altered Health States. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Royal College of Nursing ( 2004 ) Commissioning Health Services for Children and Young People- Increasing Nurses Influence. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.rcn.org.uk/_data/assets/pdf_file/0003/78591/002169.pdf ( Accessed 11 April 2010 ) . Schurring M Burdorf L Kunst A Mackenbach J ( 2007 ) The effects of Ill wellness on come ining and keeping paid employment: Evidence in European Countries. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 61 597-604 ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //jech.bmj.com/content/61/7/597.abstract ( Accessed 15 April 2010 ) . Siegrist J and Marmot M ( 2006 ) Social Inequalities in Health- New Evidence and Policy Implications. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Skogan ( 1990 ) Disorder and Decline – Crime and the Spiral Decay in American Neighbourhoods. California: University of California Press. ( online ) . available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //books.google.co.uk/books? id=ASrAMJh7LngC & A ; printsec=frontcover & A ; dq=skogan+disorder+and+decline & A ; source=bl & A ; ots=_-DBYsfGXN & A ; sig=kPSCk3NGusegOJ_B ( Accessed 18 April 2010 ) . Stansfield A Marmot G ( explosive detection systems. ) ( 2002 ) Stress and the Heart Psychological Pathways to Coronary Heart Disease. London: BMJ Books. Timess Online ( 2009 ) Heart Attacks Plummet After Smoking Ban. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6832384.ece ( Accessed 18 April 2010 ) . Townsend P and Davidson N ( 1992 ) The Black Report. ( 2nd edn. ) London: Penguin Group. Thomas S ( 2007 ) Smoking Cessation Part 1: Brief Interventions. Nursing Standard. 22 ( 4 ) pp 47-49. WHO ( 2010 ) Developing the EvidenceBase for Tackling Health Inequalities and differential Effectss. ( online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.who.int/social_determinants/resources/esrc_document.pdf ( Accessed 19 March 2010 ) . Wanless D ( 2004 ) Procuring Good Health for the Whole Population. Department of Health. ( online ) Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4074426 ( Accessed 17 April 2010 ) . Welsh Assembly Government ( 2001 ) Undertaking CHD in Wales: Implementing Through Evidence. ( on-line. ) Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.wales.nhs.uk/publications/coronary-heart-disease-e.pdf ( Accessed 12 March 2010 ) . Welsh Assembly Government ( 2010 ) Bettering Lifes and Communities. ( Online ) . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //wales.gov.uk/docs/desh/publications/100421housingstrategyen.pdf ( Accessed 17 April 2020 ) . Whitehead M ( 1992 ) Inequalities in Health – The Health Divide. London: Penguin Group. Youdan and Queally ( 2005 ) Nurses ‘ Role In Promoting and Supporting Smoking Cessation. The Nursing Times. 10 ( 10 ) pp 26-28.

How Can the Objective of Equality at Work be Promoted through Recruitment and Selection

How Can the Objective of Equality at Work be Promoted through Recruitment and Selection Introduction There is a new breed of human resource management that is relatively a recent entrant in business expanse due to the globalization of business that allows multi-nationals and corporations to conduct business worldwide. This is advanced business management strategized in congruence with strategic human resource management policies (Gibbon 1992).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How Can the Objective of Equality at Work be Promoted through Recruitment and Selection? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is a harmonized blend between strategic management and international business and aims at developing world wide strategies mindful of international laws and global market trends for global corporations. This requirement for a global approach to business management is necessitated by ground breaking shifts that continue to shape global business to which management strategies must resonate in tandem with to rema in relevant and competitive in the market. Such shifts that include information revolution and arrival of environmental ethic are revolutionary and cannot be ignored. This is a human Resource Management essay that seeks to address the question of how objective equality at work place can be promoted through recruitment and selection process of personnel. Goals and objectives The following are the objectives and the goals that this paper seeks to address and meet as it discusses how objective of equity can be attained and aided by the process of recruitment and selection. To investigate the effect of equality at work place during selection of personnel. To determine ways in which equality at work place can be promoted through the exercise of recruitment and selection of personnel. To investigate the relationship that such equality has with Human Resource Management practices To given insights on the mechanisms through which the objective of equality at work could be promoted through recruitment and selection The Concept of Recruitment and Selection For there to be a specific study of how objective of equity can be improved by recruitment and selection, it is imperative for there to be a concise consideration and assessment of what constitutes recruitment and selection first. Recruitment is a central concept in the act f Human Resource Management and one that stands alone in its pursuit of determining the best qualified and best suited personnel to be employed for specific areas of a company’s operation.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The whole process of recruitment and selection if it were to be defined the definition would have to incorporate the process of making predictions concerning behaviours of prospective personnel on which the basis of their selection would be predicated (Newell 2005). The kind of predictions that is involve d in recruitment is a unique one; more like the one that is witnessed in actuaries when it comes to determining insurance premiums rather than the kind of prediction that is observed in crystal ball gazers. This is so because the kind of prediction that is employed during recruitment is one that is based on professional judgments which requires that there is a systematic assessment of what makes the individual under scrutiny outstanding in capacity, personality and overall contribution as well as assessment of the given requirements of the organizational post seeking to be filled by such a person (Newell 2005). Newell (2005) in his article Recruitment and Selection gives further incredible insights as regards the central role that recruitment has in human resource management and how it directly may help in assisting attain and improve objective of equality. One of the key insights that is brought out in this article is the fact that recruitment and selection has traditionally been v iewed as a process that helps organizations to accurately match a given individual applicant to the jobs that are outlined needing filling. This process is what the author calls a ‘Psychometric Model’ which focuses on the job as the intended end for which selection and recruitment is a process that helps meet this end by systematically coming up with the correct person with the required qualifications and capacities that is rightly qualified to meet that vacant place in an organization (Newell 2005). Here the author further adds that the key element to watch here is the employment of a specific selection method that is appropriately relevant and appropriate to predict ‘good’ employees for a given job correctly separated from ‘bad’ employees. This requires that these methods that are chosen have sound psychometric properties that depict them as both valid and reliable (Newell 2005).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How C an the Objective of Equality at Work be Promoted through Recruitment and Selection? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development shade further light to this concept of psychometric approach of recruitment and selection practice while talking about the importance of the approach recommends that â€Å"Care should be taken to use techniques which are relevant to the job and the business objectives of the organization. All tools used should be validated and constantly reviewed to ensure their fairness and reliability† (Newell 2005, p. 116). This is the approach that has been taken and adapted by the current employment structure where as opposed to the importance that was given to the physical skills of the applicant in previous models, this approach places greater emphasis on social skills which is due to the fact that current market trends and requirements indicate that there is greater importa nce of one’s social competencies as regards interpersonal, communication, and social skills for the benefit of the employee and the customer (Watson 1994). In fact to authenticate this surmise, a case study by Callaghan and Thompson (2002) as recorded by Newell, realized that in fact in the Call Centre Recruitment that was studied, the criteria that was used for selection and recruitment of personnel was based on the following factors in order of priority: personality trait, verbal communication skills, interpersonal skills and technical skills (Callaghan 2005, p. 117). With the foregoing assessment and discussion, it is clear that the objective of equity can be to a large extend be promoted through the practice of recruitment and selection. Torrington, Hall and Taylor (2005) claim that organizations can achieve objective of promoting equality at work through development of recruitment and selection processes that satisfy and conform to regulations and legislation on equality and inclusion strategies on human capital management (Torrington, Hall and Taylor 2005). For an organization to demonstrate compliance with equality legislation, the organization has to demonstrate availability of ongoing reviewed working practice documentation on organizational commitment and values of diversity.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The capacity of organization to demonstrate commitment should be based on capability to demonstrate capacity to improve organizational processes and performances subject to human capital participation and involvement in diversity and inclusion strategy development with regard to equality in human capital selection and recruitment (Torrington, Hall and Taylor 2005). Employee participation in development of strategy for equality recruitment and selection results into employee increased awareness on the organizational business model and business case that makes it possible for employees to understand and take active role in implementation and promotion of the equality in selection and recruitment. This provides environment for employees to demonstrate organizational citizenship behavior and develop organizational identity hence increased organizational employee ownership. In addition to this, for there to be appropriate reinforcing of objective of equity Watson (1994) suggests that rec ruitment and selection procedures should be structured towards capacity for demonstration of organizational values on equality as a function of recruitment and selection strategy through development of a work environment that is meaningful and relevant to diverse workforce (Watson 1994). The work environment should promote capability of employees to exploit their full potential without regard on social identity as a function of employee gender (Walby 1988); employee race and ethnicity; employee nationality, disability and age (Thornley 2003); employee sexuality, beliefs, traditions and marital status (Kirton and Greene 2000) and employee political affiliation (Adnett 1996, p. 61). The capability of an organization to develop a structured equality and diversity objectives via recruitment and selection should satisfy different legislations and regulations. The organization ought to ensure ongoing evaluation and assessment of the equality in selection and recruitment by contracting an agency to be conducting equality analysis of the organizational selection and recruitment processes to identify position of the organizational equal opportunities policies and diversity and inclusion strategies towards promoting different facets of equality. The organization could develop internal equality monitoring programs that should be structured towards fostering fair employment and treatment order 1998 and race relations (amendment) act 2000. The organization should invest in internal analysis of organizational capacity to ensure equality programs satisfy Disability Equality Duty 2006 and Gender Equality Duty 2007. The organization could achieve objective of equality by conducting equality monitoring data on age, religion, beliefs and sexual orientation towards management of homophobia and employee harassment on basis of gender, marital status, race, traditions and color (Walby 1988). The organization should monitor efficiencies of its equality monitoring programs through ong oing reporting on equality monitoring. Monitoring ensures organizational practices conform to regulations and legislations with regard to employment equality (age) regulation 2006, Employment Equality (Sexual orientation) regulation 2003 and Employment equality (religion and beliefs) regulation 2003) and equality acts. Another approach to the topic question is to view equality objectives as an avenue to demonstrate procedures that are followed during recruitment and selection (Campbell et al. 1996). Organization ought to document procedures for selection and recruitment, develop framework for policy adjustment and capability for addressing employee concerns through development of equality policy on employee management and conduct. The equality policy should demonstrate capacity for equal opportunities for employees and future employees, through a documented framework for training, recruitment and promotion. As a result, the organization should demonstrate compliance with codes of pr actice with regard to equality legislation and capacity to satisfy statutory provisions on equality objectives on recruitment and selection (Gibbon 1992). This means, equality regulations should be complied with to ensure minority groups are represented. The equality objectives should clarify and illustrate rationale for managing discriminatory behavior and incidents through increased awareness on standards of equality policies and non-tolerance to sexist and racist behavior (Aube and Rousseau 2005, p.193). Equality Objectives Foundation for Recruitment and Selection Newell (2005) advanced an argument that equality objectives towards recruitment and selection should demonstrate conformity to theoretical framework on recruitment and selection best practices. As a result, recruitment and selection standards should conform to essentialism theory and system theory through demonstration of equal opportunities through development of objectives towards elimination, prevention and control o f employee harassment and victimization. The foundation of equality objectives are provided for by different equality regulations and legislations that seek to protect employment on basis of the following factors: Age Disability Gender Reassignment Race Pregnancy and Maternity Partnership Sexual Orientation Sex Religion or Belief Marriage and Civil Equality Objective Alignment to Organizational Culture Cockburn (1992) indicates that equality objectives on selection and recruitment practices should demonstrate organizational culture and mechanism culture is aligned to values that govern processes and operations. As a result, equality objectives should be structured towards promoting values of equality objectives and rationale for development of procedures for achieving values of equality objectives. This means, equality objectives should clearly define rationale of implementing equality rights and capacity for aligning organizatio nal systems on equality objectives to essentialism and system theory. Principles for Recruitment and Selection Gibbon (1992) claims equality objectives should be structured towards utility of principles of recruitment and selection. Adoption of equality objectives should not translate into failure of recruitment and selection processes to contribute into acquisition of organizational positions without consideration for employee competencies with respect to experience, qualification, attitudes on team work and innovation. As a result, equality objectives should be structured towards compliance with employee recruitment and selection legislation and regulations on service equality and diversity and inclusion policies. This means eligible candidates for a given organizational position should have access to vital information on the position in order to enhance cross-gender participation. Gibbon (1992) argues that equality objectives should demonstrate â€Å"enforcement of policies and procedures that are fit for selection and recruitment goals† with increased emphasis on â€Å"clarity and transparency of communicated information on the organizational vacant position† (Newell 2005, p. 126). In addition, Kirton and Greene (2000) indicate that recruitment and selection should satisfy organizational identified requirements for equality and diversity without merely fulfilling equality objectives at the expense of organizational performance. Torrington, Hall and Taylor (2005) advanced argument that equality objectives should demonstrate capability for the organization to achieve culturally diverse workforce; adopt strategies that could contribute into delivery of psychological contract, enhance employee involvement and engagement hence capability for increased employee retention. Competencies of an Equality Objective on Workforce Diversity Gibbon (1992) argues that equality objectives should be structured towards realization of a committed diverse workforc e and should enhance capacities for employee citizenship behavior. The organizational equality objectives should provide a reflection of integrated diverse workforce that should identify requirements for diversity and profile of employees towards achievement of a diversity and inclusion strategy (Damanpour 1991). Equality objectives on recruitment and selection should demonstrate organizational technical competency development through use of social networks to communicate on organizational equality objective statement. Employees have increased awareness on rationale for equal opportunities as work environment that doesn’t compromise on discrimination subject to need for fair and equal treatment. Contrary, organizations ought to identify limitations to attainment of equality objective through compliance with regulations on equality with regard to race, sex, and disability acts which has created environment where positive approaches to diversity and inclusion management could n ot be accounted for (Watson 1994). The rationale for implementation of equality objectives on recruitment and selection ought to be a continuous process subject to ongoing measurements and results assessment. Aube and Rousseau (2005, pp.192-196) claims that equality objectives should be structured towards achievement of organizational learning culture, development of workplace equality roles and responsibilities and alignment of equality objectives to organizational or business strategy (Newell 2005). In addition, Gibbon (1992) claims that success of equality objectives towards sustainable recruitment and selection policies depend on management support for equality culture. As a result, management ought to demonstrate commitment to equality objectives through increased input towards increased equality accountability, ownership of equality schemes and governance. The equality objectives sustainability is dependent on organizational investment and documented performance metric measure s for recruitment and selection. The equality objectives with regard to selection should provide foundation for employee participation, rationale for employee professional and personal development, management of cultural barriers to equality objectives and development of supportive diversity and inclusion strategy (Baron et al. 2006). Newell (2005) argues that equality objectives towards sustainable recruitment and selection should be supported by a functional business case and model that supports equality objectives. Business case that supports equality should form benchmark for achievements of equality objectives with regard to recruitment and selection strategy. An equality strategy has capability to decrease employee victimization, productivity and performance index that contribute into gradual decrease of legal cases arising from employee suits on discrimination and harassment (ILO 2009). Equality objectives ought o outline rationale for employee dispute management; contribute into development of employee relations programs, employee referral programs and employee rewards programs. Using Equality policy to Develop Roadmap for Recruitment Newell (2005) claims that organizations should structure equality objectives for recruitment through use of pro Mosaic II assessment tool towards capacity for realizing equality in the workplace. Pro Mosaic II assessment tool provides an organization with opportunity for creating a roadmap that could be used to develop framework for base-lining equality, diversity and inclusion strategy. This means an organization equality policy should provide rationale for determination of status of equality objectives, communication of measurements of individual employee performance and productivity as well as teamwork performance. Thus, equality policy should provide objectives for recruitment that should be used towards internalization of organizational diversity and inclusion strategy (Damanpour 1991). Equality policy should inform on rationale for organizational self assessment and objectives deliverable towards implementation of diversity and inclusion strategy, improvement of recruitment and selection strategic planning, and implement initiatives that enhance and create value to diversity and inclusion strategy and identify what could create value to the equality policies and strategy based on the organizational cultural mix. Outcomes of Pro Mosaic II surveys should help organizational equality policy and objectives towards realization of continuous improvement in terms of benchmarking capacity to deliver sustainable framework for equality, diversity and inclusion strategy which positions the organization to achieve employee ownership and gain from employee retention rate and value. Organization could utilize collaboration model in order to exploit values of equality strategy. Incorporation of collaborative model enhances capacity to gain from organizational networks and transfer of knowledge. The Element o f Leadership in Recruitment and Selection Goffman (2006, pp.131-3) claims equality objective should be structured towards achievement of objective of equality in employee skills and competencies. Thus, equality objective should demonstrate a working framework where recruitment and selection contributes into attraction of competent leaders to tasks. The equality objective based on leadership capabilities should contribute into provision of equal opportunities of employees for training and development that should result into capacity for internal promotion of employees. Thornley (2003) advanced argument that equality objectives should be structured towards development of employee development support programs that should prepare employees for future organizational opportunities hence equality objective should demonstrate capacity for alignment to motivational theories (Thornley 2003). The equality objective should highlight leadership programs, mentorship programs and coaching strategi es towards improvement of employee competencies. The equality objectives with regard to recruitment and selection should provide multi-entry paths or qualification to a given employment position (Walby 1988). According to Torrington, Hall and Taylor (2005), the organization should implement work placement programs that should help the organization to identify best candidates for different emerging positions in the firm. Work placement provides a knowledge pool that the organization could use to develop its human resource competencies (Adnett 1996). Conclusion From the preceding discussion, it is clear that the goals of the research were achieved and its objectives justifiably met. This has been shown through a detailed determination of the various mechanism through which objective of equality could be promoted through recruitment and selection. To summarize the above discussion, there are two models that clearly indicate the areas through which recruitment can promote equality of eq uity. The paper has also appropriately met the four objectives and goals that it set out to achieve. Firstly, in the course of the discussion, it has been overtly shown that the objective of equality at work place takes the center stage in the current recruitment procedures as they play an important role in this process. Also, there have been different ways, no less than seven, ways in which objective of equality can be enhanced and promoted by the process of selection and recruitment of personnel into organizations to fill specific vacant posts (Damanpour 1991). It has also been shown in the preceding discussion that there is a clear relationship between equality and Human Resource Management since among the central aims of HRM strategies and policies, equality, fair representation, defense for employees’ rights and privileges are the issues that are central to it therefore tying object of equality closely to Human Resource Management practice. Finally, the paper has also ad equately given much insight to mechanisms through which objective of equality at work can be promoted through recruitment and selection. This in finality therefore, indicates that indeed object of equality can be promoted in a number of ways through the process of selection and recruitment of personnel into different job positions in different organizations. References Adnett, N., 1996. European Labour Market. Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman, pp.60- 62. Aube, C. and Rousseau, V., 2005. Team Goal Commitment and Team Effectiveness: The Role of Task Interdependence and Supportive Behaviors. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 9(3), pp. 189-204. Baron, et al., 2006. The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Performance. In: V. U. Druskat, F. Sala, and G. Mount, eds. Linking emotional intelligence and performance at work: Current research evidence with individuals and groups. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, pp.3-19. Campbell, et al., 1996. The Substantive Nature of Job Perf ormance Variability. In: K.R. Murphy, ed. Individual Differences and Behavior in Organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, pp. 258–299. Cockburn, C., 1992. In The Way of Women. London: Macmillan, pp.16-45. Damanpour, F., 1991. Organizational Innovation: A Meta-Analysis of Effects of Determinants and Moderators. Academy of Management Journal, 34(4), pp. 555-590. Gibbon, P., 1992. Equal Opportunities Policy and Race Equality. In: P. Braham, A. Goffman, E., 2006. The Presentation of Self. In: D. Brissett, C. Edgley, D. Brissett and C. Edgley, eds. Life as Theater: A Dramaturgical Sourcebook. 2nd ed. New Brunswick: AldineTransaction, pp.129-139. ILO, 2009. ILO Standards on Occupational Safety and Health. Geneva: ILO. Kirton, G. and Greene, A-M., 2000. The Dynamics of Managing Diversity-A Critical Approach. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, pp. 13-42; pp. 99-120. Newell, S., 2005. Recruitment and Selection. In: S. Bach, ed. Managing Resources. 4thed. Oxford: Blackwell, pp.115 œ147. Rattansi, R. and Skellington, eds. Racism and Anti-Racism: Inequalities, opportunities and policies. London: Sage, pp.235-251. Thornley, C., 2003. Labour Market Policy and Inequality in the UK. In: D. Coffey and C. Thornley, eds. Industrial and Labour Market Policy and Performance: Issues and Perspectives. London: Routledge, pp.83-108. Torrington, D., Hall, L. and Taylor, S., 2005. Human Resource Management. London: FT Prentice Hall, pp.120-138. Walby, S., 1988. Gender Segregation at Work. Milton Keynes: Open University Press, pp.22- 23. Watson, T., 1994. Recruitment and Selection. In: K. Sisson. Personnel Management. Oxford: Blackwell, pp.185-216.

Introduction to Bipedal Locomotion

Introduction to Bipedal Locomotion Bipedal locomotion refers to walking on two legs in an upright position, and the only animal to do that all the time is the modern human. Our ancestor primates lived in trees and rarely set foot on the ground; our ancestor hominins moved out of those trees and lived primarily in the savannas. Walking upright all the time is thought to have been an evolutionary step forward if you will, and one of the hallmarks of being human. Scholars have often argued that walking erect is an enormous advantage. Walking erect improves communication, allows visual access to farther distances, and changes throwing behaviors. By walking upright, a hominins hands are freed to do all sorts of things, from holding babies to making stone tools to throwing weapons. American neuroscientist Robert Provine has argued that sustained voiced laughter, a trait which greatly facilitates social interactions, is only possible in bipeds because the respiration system is freed to do that in an upright position. Evidence for Bipedal Locomotion There are four main ways scholars have used to figure out whether a particular ancient hominin is primarily living in the trees or walking upright: ancient skeletal foot construction, other bone configurations above the foot, footprints of those hominins, and dietary evidence from stable isotopes. The best of these, of course, is foot construction: unfortunately, ancient ancestral bones are difficult to find under any circumstances, and foot bones are very rare indeed. Foot structures associated with bipedal locomotion include a plantar rigidity- flat foot- which means the sole stays flat from step to step. Secondly, hominins that walk on the earth generally have shorter toes than hominins who live in trees. Much of this was learned from the discovery of a nearly complete Ardipithecus ramidus, an ancestor of ours who apparently walked upright sometimes, some 4.4 million years ago. Skeletal constructions above the feet are slightly more common, and scholars have looked at the configurations of the spine, the tilt, and structure of the pelvis, and the way the femur fits into the pelvis to make assumptions about a hominins ability to walk upright. Footprints and Diet Footprints are also rare, but when they are found in a sequence, they hold evidence that reflects the gait, length of stride, and weight transfer during walking. Footprint sites include Laetoli in Tanzania (3.5-3.8 million years ago, probably Australopithecus afarensis; Ileret (1.5 million years ago) and GaJi10 in Kenya, both likely Homo erectus; the Devils Footprints in Italy, H. heidelbergensis about 345,000 years ago; and Langebaan Lagoon in South Africa, early modern humans, 117,000 years ago. Finally, a case has been made that diet infers environment: if a particular hominin ate a lot of grasses rather than fruit from trees, it is likely the hominin lived primarily in grassed savannas. That can be determined through stable isotope analysis. Earliest Bipedalism So far, the earliest known bipedal locomotor was Ardipithecus ramidus, who sometimes- but not always- walked on two legs 4.4 million years ago. Fulltime bipedalism is currently thought to have been achieved by Australopithecus, the type fossil of which is the famous Lucy, approximately 3.5 million years ago. Biologists have argued that foot and ankle bones changed when our primate ancestors came down from the trees, and that after that evolutionary step, we lost the facility to regularly climb trees without the aid of tools or support systems. However, a 2012 study by human evolutionary biologist Vivek Venkataraman and colleagues points out that there are some modern humans who do regularly and quite successfully climb tall trees, in pursuit of honey, fruit, and game. Climbing Trees and Bipedal Locomotion Venkataraman and his colleagues investigated behaviors and anatomical leg structures of two modern-day groups in Uganda: the Twa hunter-gatherers and Bakiga agriculturalists, who have coexisted in Uganda for several centuries. The scholars filmed the Twa climbing trees and used movie stills to capture and measure how much their feet flexed while tree-climbing. They found that although the bony structure of the feet is identical in both groups, there is a difference in the flexibility and length of soft tissue fibers in the feet of people who could climb trees with ease compared with those who cannot. The flexibility that allows people to climb trees only involves soft tissue, not the bones themselves. Venkataraman and colleagues caution that the foot and ankle construction of Australopithecus, for example, does not rule out tree-climbing, even though it does allow upright bipedal locomotion.   Sources Been, Ella, et al. Morphology and Function of the Lumbar Spine of the Kebara 2 Neandertal. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 142.4 (2010): 549-57. Print. Crompton, Robin H., et al. Human-Like External Function of the Foot, and Fully Upright Gait, Confirmed in the 3.66 Million Year Old Laetoli Hominin Footprints by Topographic Statistics, Experimental Footprint-Formation and Computer Simulation. Journal of The Royal Society Interface 9.69 (2012): 707-19. Print. DeSilva, Jeremy M., and Zachary J. Throckmorton. Lucys Flat Feet: The Relationship between the Ankle and Rearfoot Arching in Early Hominins. PLoS ONE 5.12 (2011): e14432. Print. Haeusler, Martin, Regula Schiess, and Thomas Boeni. New Vertebral and Rib Material Point to Modern Bauplan of the Nariokotome Homo Erectus Skeleton. Journal of Human Evolution 61.5 (2011): 575-82. Print. Harcourt-Smith, William E. H. Origin of Bipedal Locomotion. Handbook of Paleoanthropology. Eds. Henke, Winfried, and Ian Tattersall. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2015. 1919-59. Print. Huseynov, Alik, et al. Developmental Evidence for Obstetric Adaptation of the Human Female Pelvis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 113.19 (2016): 5227-32. Print. Lipfert, Susanne W., et al. A Model-Experiment Comparison of System Dynamics for Human Walking and Running. Journal of Theoretical Biology 292.Supplement C (2012): 11-17. Print. Mitteroecker, Philipp, and Barbara Fischer. Adult Pelvic Shape Change Is an Evolutionary Side Effect. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 113.26 (2016): E3596-E96. Print. Provine, Robert R. Laughter as an Approach to Vocal Evolution: The Bipedal Theory. Psychonomic Bulletin Review 24.1 (2017): 238-44. Print. Raichlen, David A., et al. Laetoli Footprints Preserve Earliest Direct Evidence of Human-Like Bipedal Biomechanics. PLoS ONE 5.3 (2010): e9769. Print. Venkataraman, Vivek V., Thomas S. Kraft, and Nathaniel J. Dominy. Tree Climbing and Human Evolution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2012). Print. Ward, Carol V., William H. Kimbel, and Donald C. Johanson. Complete Fourth Metatarsal Andarches in the Foot of Australopithecus Afarensis. Science 331 (2011): 750-53. Print. Winder, Isabelle C., et al. Complex Topography and Human Evolution: The Missing Link. Antiquity 87 (2013): 333-49. Print.