There are many people that think that Odysseus isn Essays

There are many people that think that Odysseus isn't heroic because he got all of his crew men killed durin g their return trip to Ithaca. He has lied to them and even initiated a series of bad luck towards him and his men. But there's also many others people that think he is the most heroic person, because he saved his men from different problems they faced during the jou r ney. Odysseus was heroic because through two creatures he defeated them. The creatures were the Cyclops and Polyphemus son of Poseidon and at the land of the dead. Odysseus and his men are in the cave of Polyphemus eating all of his expecting him to obey the Greek hospitality. Instead of being okay with it Polyphemus eats two of Odysseus' men. Odysseus tells Poyphemus that his name is "Nobody". If only the men could get but there is a big obstacle in their way a huge boulder, that Polyphemus can move out of the way. Ody s seus has prayed to Athena the goddess of wisdom to help him figure something. An olive branch appears enabling the men to create a spear and blind Polyphemus. The men have the Cyclops get drunk enough that he will fall asleep and stab him with spear, now all they have to do is figure out how to get out of the cave.

Mobility in stroke rehabilitation Essays

Mobility in stroke rehabilitation Essays Mobility in stroke rehabilitation Essay Mobility in stroke rehabilitation Essay Mobility in stroke rehabilitation BY Itsas0101289 Mobility in Stroke Rehabilitation The purpose of this assignment is to identify the nursing role in the mobility rehabilitation of a patient who had a lacunar ischaemic stroke affecting the right corona radiata. The nursing care and the interdisciplinary management of the impairment will be critically evaluated as well as the patient progress during the stay in the hospital. The patient that will be discussed in this assignment was given the pseudonym of Martha. Martha is a 76 year old female who had a lacunar ischaemic stroke of the ight corona radiata. She has relevant past medical history of hypertension. on admission, Martha was presented with weakness on her left side in both her leg and arm with sensation preserved and no cognitive impairments. The corona radiata is a white matter that contains both descending and ascending axons that carry information from and to the brain cells that make up the cerebral cortex, an area of the brain that is responsible for the processing of conscious information and where the orders to initiate voluntary movements (walking, tapping your foot) first originate (Similima, 2011). These areas of the nervous system activate muscles all over the body to move. Therefore if the corona radiata is affected by a stroke, movement will be interrupted. The type of stroke that affects the corona radiata is called Pure motor stroke and is the most common type of lacunar strokes, accounting for more than 50% of all cases (Similima, 2011). Pure motor strokes cause partial or complete weakness in the face, arm and leg on one side of the body. It can occur in any of these areas, alone or in combination with either of the other two. Most commonly, pure motor strokes cause either a combination of arm and leg eakness, sparing the face (this is the case of Martha), or a combination of arm, leg and face weakness. By definition, there is no loss of sensation anywhere in the body, no visual or speech symptoms or higher cognitive impairment (Wityk and Llinas, 2007). The hemiplegia is one of the most common neurological impairments following stroke and it needs to be managed by every member of the medical team all patients have the benefit of the range of expert advice needed for high quality care (NHS, 2010). Multidisciplinary teams (MDT) need to bring together staff with the ecessary knowledge, skills and experience to ensure high quality diagnosis, treatment and care. The MDT meeting is about considering the patients individual case not Just about treating a stroke. To support this, an MDT should take account of the patients views, preferences and circumstances wherever possible when consulting on the care that is most appropriate for the patients condition. MDTs should be alerted if there are significant changes to their recommendations and the reason for this is so they have the opportunity to review and build upon each case The aim of the Multidisciplinary approach to a patient who suffers from a motor impairment is to maximise functional ability by providing time, space for activities, aids and equipment, preventing injury and promoting safety (Woodward and Mestecky, 2011). When caring for a patient it is of the utmost importance to ensure there is no further injury, therefore the communication within the team is crucial. Every member of the team should know what the patient is able to do and how they should be cared for to gain the best rehabilitation. Marthas case was approached this way and her status was discussed twice daily in the handover. Also during the day it is the nurses duty to speak the physiotherapist and get her recommendations. When possible, I found very helpful going with the physiotherapist and doing the daily exercises together enabling me to get a better understanding of Marthas condition and Martha seemed to like the added support. This also gave Martha more confidence around me when doing transfers as sometimes it can be very scary for a patient trying to mobilise when suffering from hemiplegia. Along this the Multidisciplinary meetings were done twice a week with the consultant, the hysiotherapist, the occupational therapist, the ward sister and myself or the nurse who was on duty looking after Martha. Correct positioning and early mobilisation of a patient following stroke is important in preventing potential complications arising from impaired movement which can develope changes in muscle tone such as spasticity. Around 19% of patients suffer spasticity following a stroke associated with pain and which interferes with rehabilitation interventions (Woodward and Mestecky, 2011). On admission the physiotherapist performed the Modified Ashworth Scale and Martha scored 1 which eans that there was slight increase in muscle tone. This was manifested by a catch and release or by minimal resistance at the end of the range of motion when the affected part(s) is moved in flexion or extension (Bohannon and Smith, 1987) (Woodward and Mestecky, 2011). From the beginning Martha used to hate being in bed and after being assessed by the physiotherapist making sure she was safe to do so she used to spent most of the time sitting in the chair provided. She was educated to sit well back and in the centre of the chair placing the affected arm well forward n a pillow with the feet flat on floor and knees directly above the feet. She was very comfortable in that position and she always had the nursing bell close to her and used to call us if the pillow fell down or when similar issues arose. However, there were times that Martha was feeling tired and she had to spent longer periods resting. While in bed she usually prefer lying on her affected side so she could be more independent. She liked having two pillows for the head and the affected shoulder was moved well forward placing the good leg forward on a pillow and another pillow placed behind her back. Although her preference was lying on the affected side, after being educated of the complications of immobility she didnt have any problem to lie on the non affected side, especially during the night. The affected shoulder was placed forward with arm on pillow and the affected leg backward on a pillow. Plus an extra pillow was also placed behind her back. Another action taken postulated to be secondary to promotion of anti-gravity muscle activity in the trunk and lower limbs, maintenance or improvement in soft tissue and Joint flexibility, modulation of the neural component of spasticity through prolonged stretch and ltered sensory input, reduction of lower limb spasms and positive psychological effect (Stevenson VL, 2010). At the beginning this was Just carried out by the physiotherapist with the nurses help for safety reasons. Active movements were also performed to increase strength, re-educate movement patterns and improve cardiovascular fitness. Active movements should be encouraged because the effects are greater than those seen with passive exercise alone. These benefits have been seen in studies of people suffering from a stroke (Stevenson VL, 2010). Marthas rogress was incredible and when she left the hospital she was able to walk with a walking stick and the supervision of her daughter or with a zimmer frame and the Modified Ashworth Scale score was O. This was an achievement as when she came she wasnt able to mobilise at all. Another complication that can occur as a consequence of having a mobility reduction is the damage of the skin integrity therefore several tools were done to assess this risk. Within the first 6 hours of admission every patient needs to be assessed using the waterlow assessment and the MUST nutritional screening, also the skin needs to be inspected. Martha got a waterlow score of 17 on admission which placed her at high risk of developing a pressure sore, she was continent of faeces and urine and no pressure sore was found on admission. The taken actions according to NICE guidelines 2005 were to provide her an air mattress, to place her in a position chart ensuring that the prolonged pressure on bony prominences was minimised and ensuring the correct usage of manual handling devices in order to minimise shear and friction damage. Two sliding sheets were provided and the bony prominences were kept from direct contact from one another by using pillows in between them. At the beginning Martha found very difficult to get used to sleep on an air mattress because of the noise but the benefits of using it were explained and she agreed to use it. By talking to her I discovered that she loved listening to music when she was going to sleep and the following day when her family came to visit her, the difficulty of sleeping because of this device was discussed and they brought Marthas iPod with her favourite music which helped her to sleep peacefully through the night. Having a good night sleep is very important for any patient, specially for those who re having rehabilitation as they require a lot energy and strength. Additionally skin inspections were done regularly and Martha, as she wasnt mentally impaired was taught how to inspect her skin. She was shown what the high risk areas were (heels, sacrum, ischial tuberosities, elbows, temporal region of skull, shoulders, back of head and toes) and early signs of skin integrity deterioration (persistent erythema, non- blanching erythema, blisters, discolouration, localised heat, localised oedema and localised induration) (NDNQI, 2013). Regarding general hygiene, Martha required assistance due to her mobility impairment. Such care was provided regularly according to the RCN guidelines that recommends that skin cleansing should be done with mild detergents using warm water to minimise irritation and drying and particularly over bony prominences should be avoided (RCN, 2009). Martha was always very helpful and used to do as much as she could by herself, at the beginning she required more assistance but by the end of her time at the hospital we Just needed to supervise her when going to the shower and she used to do everything by herself. She usually liked to have her shower after the physiotherapist session and his preference was respected as much as possible. Also she didnt like to use the hospital clothes which according to her made her look less sick so the family brought her own clothes. The MUST score obtained was 1 on admission. Adequate nutrition is required by the body for maintaining tissue integrity and preventing tissue breakdown (NPUAP,2009) Due to this score Martha was put on food chart which helped us monitoring her food intake along with daily weight measurements and she was also referred to the dietician on the day of admission who put her on food supplements and which were discontinued when Martha started having a etter food intake. The family was made aware of the importance of having a good food intake and they brought Martha her favourite cakes and homemade food. At the beginning Martha needed assistance with feeding herself as she wasnt able to cut her food, opening leads etc. Assistance was given regularly and the kitchen staff was made aware about her requirements, therefore before serving her food they always used to come and talk to us first as it can be very frustrating not being able to feed yourself and have the food in front of you. Martha had a good progression during her tage in the hospital and she put on 3kg, her food intake was appropriate and she didnt develop any pressure ulcer. When the mobility of a patient is reduced the risk of VTE (Venous Thromboembolism) increases and therefore in a patient who suffers from hemiplegia after stroke should be assessed for this risk and preventive measurements should take place. According to The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2010), recommendations are that all patients should be assessed for risk of developing thrombosis (blood clots) on a regular basis. Martha was assessed on admission scoring 8 using the adapted tool rom Autar 2003 (Version 2PT 5/12) She was assessed again 24 hours after admission and when her mobility was better she was reassessed scoring 5. Because of the risk of developing a WE Martha was put on Enoxaparin and all the effects and risks were explained. Current NICE guidance suggests LMWH (Low Molecular Weight Heparin) prophylaxis for acute medical patients at WE risk unless there is a high bleeding risk (NHS, 2012). Stockings were not put on her because according to the Clots in Legs or Stockings after Stroke (CLOTS) trial 1 GECS (can even present a greater risk to patients f skin breaks, blisters, ulcers and skin necrosis (CLOTS Trial Collaboration, 2009). Early mobilisation is fundamental to prevent WE along with more risks and that is why this patient was mobilised as soon as possible with the physiotherapist support (NICE, 2010). A very weak arm due to its considerable hanging weight, is at risk of stretching the shoulder Joint structures and developing a partial dislocation or subluxation (Turner- Stokes and Jackson, 2002). Shoulder subluxation is considered a problem because it Many studies have suggested that trauma to the shoulder Joint can be prevented by roper positioning and handling. The shoulder should be protracted, the arm forward, the wrist in neutral or slight supination and the fingers extended. Another important aspect that needs to be considered is not to pull from limbs when doing transfers, especially from the affected one. Therefore Martha and family were educated not to do so. An arm sling was provided to her to support the affected arm. However,the sling was only used while doing transfer. When she was sitting on the chair a lap tray was provided positioning the arm away from the body, discouraging dduction and internal rotation and allowing bilateral upper limb activities (Turner and Jackson, 2002). Martha didnt develop a shoulder subluxation during her stage in the hospital. This was confirmed by an X-Ray that was taken to ensure there was no underlying problems. However she had pain on the shoulder and that is why this X- Ray was performed initially. Hemiplegic shoulder pain, or post stroke shoulder pain, occurs in at least 30 percent of patients although another estimate placed it at 70 percent . Post stroke shoulder pain can adversely affect both length of in patient ehabilitation and overall functional outcome (Woodward and Mestecky, 2011). Martha was on regular paracetamol but she wasnt put on NSAlDs from the beginning. When she started to feel this pain the consultant was informed who requested an X-Ray, the physiotherapist and the rest of the team were also made aware of the troubles. The consultant also put the patient on PRN Ibuprofen which was very effective in reducing the pain levels. I consider that the approach to this risk wasnt the most effective one as Martha suffered from shoulder pain and it can be an area to improve for future patients. However the communication within the team was very successful and the problem was solved in a short period of time. Another recommendation for the future supported by evidence based documentation could be the practice of passive movements which improve the spasticity (Lynch, et al. 005). After suffering a stroke the person can suffer an alteration on the body image understanding as such as the beliefs and feelings about how our bodies look and function. This is influenced by what we think we should look like, and how we think our bodies should perform. In Marthas case the main issue for her was the loss of unctionality of half of her body. Martha went from being able to perform all the activities of the daily life by h erself to require assistance for most of them. Successful adjustment and adaptation to this new situation depend on how well the acquirement of the new knowledge is and skills needed in order to get on with her life. (Woodward and Mestecky, 2011). The rehabilitation team role was crucial here because we needed to teach her new skills and this was achieved by good coordination and communication within the team. It was very important to proceed in the same way and reinforce the knowledge. As supportive measures a board was used to remind Martha the steps she had to follow and also it was very helpful for her family as they knew which was the appropriate way to help her mother. Also setting realistic goals was very positive for her as every day she had a new challenge to achieve and that kept her motivated. Motivation also plays a vital role in with the way in which a patient evaluates their chances of successful rehabilitation and that this is influenced by social or external factors (Woodward and Mestecky, 2011). Martha as already mentioned was always motivated to improve her skills and his had a very positive impact on her evolution. Also she had a very good support from her family who was always there to help her and a good support from the health team. After 5 weeks of rehabilitation Martha was discharged being able to perform the activities of the daily life by herself, walking with a walking stick and assistance from her daughter or with a zimmer frame. She went to a nursing home for a couple of weeks while they were adjusting her house for her (she lived with her daughter). After she was seen by the team (consultant, physiotherapist) as an outpatient and she also came to visit the team to the ward. Reference list Bader ,M and Littlejohns, L (2004) AANN Core Curriculum for Neuroscience nursing. th edition. Missouri. Saunders Bohannon, R. and Smith, M. (1987). Interrater reliability of a modified Ashworth scale of muscle spasticity. Physical Therapy 67(2): 206. Jun Hao Pan, Xin Yuan Song,; Sik Yum Lee, Timothy Kwok, (2008) Longitudinal Analysis of Quality of Life for Stroke Survivors Using Latent Curve Models. Stroke. Lynch, D; Ferraro, M; Krol, j; Trudell, C M; Christos, P and volpe, B T . (2005) Continuous passive motion improv es shoulder Joint integrity following stroke Clinical rehabilitation. Available at: http://cre. agepub. com/content/19/6/594. full. pdf *html (Accessed 9 March 2013) National Institute of Clinical Excellence (2010) Venous thromboembolism reducing the risk: full guideline. Available at: http:// www. nice. org. uk/nicemedia/live/12695/47200/47200. pdf (Accessed 8 March 2013) National Institute of Clinical Excellence (2001) Clinical practise guidelines, Pressure ulcer risk assessment and prevention, recommendations 2001. Available at: http:// www. nice. org. uk/nicemedia/pdf/clinicalguidelinepressuresoreguidancercn. pdf. Accessed: 6 March 2013) National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) (2009) The Role of Nutrition in Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Treatment. Available at: http:// www. npuap. org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Nutrition-White-Paper-Website- Version. pdf (Accessed: 25 March 2013) NDNQI (2013) Pressure ulcers training. Available at: https://www. nursingquality. org/NDNQlPressureUlcerTraining/Module1/ Default. aspx (Accessed: 25 March 2013) NHS (2010) CLOTS trial 2: Thigh length versus below knee stockings for DW prophylaxis post stroke. Available at: http:// www. nelm. nhs. /en/NeLM-Area/News/2010September/21 /CLOTS-trial-2-Thigh- length-versus-below-knee-stockings-for-DVT-prophylaxis-post-stroke/ (Accessed: 6 April 2013) NHS (2010) The Characteristics of an Effective Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). Available at: http://ncat. nhs. uk/sites/default/files/ evidence. Available at: evidence. nhs. uk/documents/]-nhs-evidence-comms-publications-eyes-on- evidence-eyes-on-evidence-sleep-apnoea-t hromboprophylaxis-contraception-stroke- diabetes-and-more. pdf (Accessed: 6 April 2013) Royal College of Nursing (2009) RCN Masterclass (2009): Continence, Pressure Ulcers and Nursing Metrics. Available at: rcn. org. uk/_data/assets/pdf_file/0004/280777/Dettorri_M_Collier_ppt. pdf. (Accessed: 25 March 2013) Royal College of Nursing (2013) Preventing VTE. Available at rcn. org. uk/ development/practice/cpd_online_learning/ nice_care_preventing_venousthromboembolism/preventing_vte (Accessed 7 March 2013) Stevenson VL. (2010) Rehabilitation in practice: Spasticity management, Clin Rehabil 2010 24: 293. Available at http://cre. sagepub. com/content/24/4/293. full. pdf *html (Accessed: 7 March 2013) Similima (2011) Corona radiata. Available at: http:// www. similima. m/physiology-biochemistry (Accessed : 6 March 2013) Thompson H and Ryan A (2008) A review of the psychosocial consequences of stroke and their impact on spousal relationships. British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing Vol 4 No 4 pp 177- 184 Turner-Stokes L, Jackson D. Shoulder Pain After Stroke: A Review of the Evidence Base to Inform the Development of an Integrated Care Pathway. Clinical Rehabilitation, 2002: 16: 276-298. Wityk, R and Litnas, R. (2007) stroke. Philadelphia : American College of Physicians Woodward, S. and Mestecky, AM. (2011) Neuroscience Nursing Evidence-Based Practice. Chichester:Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

List and briefly describe at least five of the programs included with Essay

List and briefly describe at least five of the programs included with Microsoft Office 2010. Provide an example of when you might use each one - Essay Example It is a valuable program for analyzing numerical figures. This program is very helpful in making budget reports, calendars or invoices (Microsoft Corporation, n.d.) The PowerPoint program enables the user to make powerful presentations (Microsoft Corporation, n.d.). It now allows easier coordination with other people through co-authoring which makes it possible for collaborators to work at the same time on one presentation (Microsoft Corporation, n.d.). It is used to make office report presentations and slideshows. This program â€Å"creates professional quality publications and marketing materials† (Microsoft Corporation, n.d.). Publisher is a valuable program for making advertising materials, newsletters, greeting cards and brochures. This is the database program of Microsoft Office. It is used to manage and organize information with the use of its templates and other modular components. This program is very useful in setting up a database of a company’s customers. It is also beneficial for creating database for an organization’s workforce. Microsoft Corporation. (n.d.). Whats new in PowerPoint 2010? Retrieved February 17, 2012, from Microsoft Corporation Web site: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint-help/what-s-new-in-powerpoint-2010-HA010336563.aspx Microsoft Corporation. (n.d.). Word 2010 features and benefits. Retrieved February 17, 2012, from Microsoft Corporation Web site:

Homeland Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Homeland Security - Essay Example This essay discusses that the Threat Analysis Division is entrusted with the duty of detecting vulnerable areas in USA’s critical infrastructure framework and its vital resources. It functions through its four main divisions. The Alternative Analysis Division utilizes alternative analysis instruments and techniques to recognize critical assumptions, challenge their results and finally arrive at a conclusion. This Division works in collaboration with the analysts of the I&A. The Collections and Requirements Division has been allotted the duty of identifying fundamental ISR capabilities of the DHS and accordingly constructs the required ISR enterprise architectures. The Plans and the Integration Division is responsible for integrating the plans and programs of the overall intelligence enterprise of the DHS. The Information Sharing and Knowledge Management Division monitors the information technology resources of the DHS and ensures their proper governance.In conclusion, It is ev ident from the above discussion that, The United States has to deal with the potential threat of the internal terrorist organizations along with the external dangers of terrorism. In fact, the US intelligence agencies have identified these home-grown branches of the militant groups as an immediate danger to the country considering their easy access to America’s resources and its people. After the September 11, 2001’s terrorist attacks the Federal Government had adopted a two-pronged approach to counter-terrorism.... Security agency studies have predicted that this trend will continue in the future as well. Ever since the Al-Quaeda’s attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the United States has intensified its efforts to counter terrorism and eradicate the terrorist groups completely. The US Homeland Security Advisory Council has set up a special cell called the ‘The Future of Terrorism Taskforce’ for this purpose. According to a report of the Taskforce, there is a high possibility that the US and its allied countries will experience an increase in the frequency and magnitude of terrorist activities in the near future. Thus, the Federal Government should consider ‘terrorism’ as a chronic problem and adopt a sustained evolutionary strategy to counter its ill-effects. In fact, there are international terrorist organizations which have established their bases in the country and conduct their militant activities centering round these operational camps . The after-effects of globalization, the polarization of the US economy and the rising income-inequality have all created a conducive atmosphere for these terrorist groups to flourish and expand their networks in the domestic territory. The US needs to be extra careful regarding these indigenous terrorist groups since they pose an immediate danger to the national security. (Lijn, 2011,p.2) American security experts have not been satisfied by the existing US Homeland Security System in the past. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 had prompted the Federal Government under President Bush to implement a two-pronged strategy to counter global terrorism. On one hand the Government undertook a security intelligence operation to identify and locate the terrorist groups and their sponsors and

Algebra Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Algebra - Essay Example After writing the augmented matrix for this system, use elementary row operations to reduce this to reduced row-echelon form. If the entries in the last column do not affect the values in the entries in the first n columns and if we take the same set of elementary row operations and apply them to A we will get In and so A is row equivalent to In since we can get to In by applying a finite set of row operations to A.   6) A is expressible as a product of elementary matrices, because every elementary matrices are invertible and its inverse is also an elementary matrices. A square matrix is only invertible if it can be written as a product of an elementary matrix. 7) A family of vectors is linearly independent if none of them can be written as a linear combination of finitely many other vectors in the collection. An alternative method uses the fact that n vectors in Rn are linearly dependent if and only if the determinant of the matrix formed by the vectors is zero. 8) To prove that columns span Rn, finding the basis of the column-space is essential. Then you must reduce the matrix and see if the rank = n; there has to be n linearly independent. columns, which is very easy to see if the matrix is reduced. The basis is the columns of the original matrix, not the columns of the reduced form. An invertible matrix A, determinant (A) != 0 (not equal to zero). 10) Rank A = n because in linear algebra, the column rank (row rank respectively) of a matrix A with entries in some field is defined to be the maximal number of columns (rows respectively) of A which are linearly

Human resource management importance in organisations

Human resource management importance in organisations STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION: Human resources management strategy is very important for every organisation to function smoothly. Faced with rapid change organizations need to develop a more focused and coherent approach to managing people. In just the same way a business requires a marketing or information technology strategy it also requires a human resource or people strategy. Strategic human resource management is a branch of Human resource management. It is a fairly new field, which has emerged out of the parent discipline of human resource management. Much of the early or so called traditional HRM literature treated the notion of strategy superficially, rather as a purely operational matter, the results of which cascade down throughout the organisation. There was a kind of unsaid division of territory between people-centred values of HR and harder business values where corporate strategies really belonged. HR practitioners felt uncomfortable in the war cabinet like atmosphere where corporate strategies were formulated. Strategic human resource management is crucial large as well as small companies. In small companies this process may be as simple as the manager or the owner himself taking time to observe employees, along with assisting, assessing and giving regular reviews. However larger companies will require a whole department to be in charge of such activities for the development of employees. The quality of staff members can be improved by meting their needs in such a way that it may benefit the company. Investing in employees and providing them with tools they need to thrive and prosper in the company proves to be a good investment in the long run for the company. So ahead in the literature review we will look in deep about the Strategic human resource management and the company following SHRM in their daily practice and how effective it is for running their organisation effectively. http://ezinearticles.com/?What-is-Strategic-Human-Resource-Management?id=549585 http://www.accel-team.com/human_resources/hrm_08.html http://www.mba-tutorials.com/human-resource-management/487-shrm-strategic-human-resource-management.html LITERATURE REVIEW: Strategic human resource management is a complex process which is constantly evolving and being studied and discussed by academics and commentators. Its definition and relationships with other aspects of business planning and strategy is not absolute and opinion varies between writers. So there are many definations for strategic human resources management. A comprehensive Human Resource Strategy plays a vital role in the achievement of an organisations overall strategic objectives and visibly illustrates that the human resources function fully understands and supports the direction in which the organisation is moving. A comprehensive HR Strategy will also support other specific strategic objectives undertaken by the marketing, financial, operational and technology departments. Strategic HRM can be regarded as a general approach to the strategic management of human resources in accordance with the intentions of the organisation on the future direction it wants to take. It is concerned with longer-term people issues and macro-concerns about structure, quality, culture, values, commitment and matching resources to future need. It has been defined as: All those activities affecting the behaviour of individuals in their efforts to formulate and implement the strategic needs of business.2 The pattern of planned human resource deployments and activities intended to enable the forms to achieve its goals Strategic HRM is based on HRM principles incorporating the concept of strategy. So if HRM is a coherent approach to the management of people, strategic HRM now implies that that is done on a planned way that integrates organisational goals with policies and action sequences. A good business strategy, one which is likely to succeed, is informed by people factors. One of the driving factors behind the evaluation and reporting of human capital data is the need for better information to feed into the business strategy formulation process. In the majority of organisations people are now the biggest asset. The knowledge, skills and abilities have to be deployed and used to the maximum effect if the organisation is to create value. The intangible value of an organisation which lies in the people it employs is gaining recognition by accountants and investors, and it is generally now accepted that this has implications for long term sustained performance. http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/corpstrtgy/general/strathrm.htm Strategic Human Resource Management by(Randall S. Schuler and Susan E. Jackson) second edition 2007 Blackwell publishing ltd. Defination of strategic human resource management: SHRM has been defined as ‘A distinctive approcah to employment management which seeks to achieve competetive advantage through strategic deployment of highly committed and capable work force using a work force using an array of cultural, structural and personnel techniques. (storey,2001)pg4 Strategic Human Resource Management theory and practice second edition by,( graeme salaman, john storey and jon bills berry)Sage publisher strategic HR inc. Home According to Wright McMahan, 1992, Strategic Human Resource Management refers to: The pattern of planned human resource activities intended to enable an organization to achieve its goals. Strategic human resource management concentrates on human resouce plans that have long term goals. It has a number of differences with the conventional human resource management methods. It does not focus on matters related to internal human resources. The principal objective of strategic human resource management is to enhance the efficiency of the employees through stressing on business hindrances that take place external to human resources. Objectives for Strategic Human Resource/People Planning For the Organization: There are three goals for this process: Goal 1: Develop the Strategic Human Resource/People Plan/Document and yearly priorities. Goal 2: Ensure successful implementation and change. Goal 3: Build and sustain high performance in people management over the long term. Principal Characteristics of Strategic Human Resource Management: Following are the principal characteristics of strategic human resource management as per Gratton and Truss: There is some type of an express association between the human resource practices and policies and all the strategic goals of the company and the environment of the company There is some co-ordination outline associating individual HR interferences in order to make them reciprocally corroborative. The majority of the responsibility for handling of human resources is delegated downwards http://finance.mapsofworld.com/strategic-management/human-resource.html Strategic human resource management (SHRM) is the purposeful resolution of human resource administration and policy issues so as to enhance a public agencys effectiveness. It requires understanding how personnel functions interrelate in context, recognition of their importance, and commitment by personnel managers, employees, supervisors and political leaders to work together for change (Klingner and Nalbandian, 1998, p. 386). An HR strategy will add value to the organisation if it: Articulates more clearly some of the common themes which lie behind the achievement of other plans and strategies, which have not been fully identified before; and Identifies fundamental underlying issues which must be addressed by any organisation or business if its people are to be motivated, committed and operate effectively. The first of these areas will entail a careful consideration of existing or developing plans and strategies to identify and draw attention to common themes and implications, which have not been made explicit previously. The second area should be about identifying which of these plans and strategies are so fundamental that there must be clear plans to address them before the organisation can achieve on any of its goals. These are likely to include: workforce planning issues succession planning workforce skills plans employment equity plans black economic empowerment initiatives motivation and fair treatment issues pay levels designed to recruit, retain and motivate people the co-ordination of approaches to pay and grading across the organisation to create alignment and potential unequal pay claims a grading and remuneration system which is seen as fair and giving proper reward for contributions made wider employment issues which impact on staff recruitment, retention, motivation etc. a consistent performance management framework which is designed to meet the needs of all sectors of the organisation including its people career development frameworks which look at development within the organisation at equipping employees with employability so that they can cope with increasingly frequent changes in employer and employment patterns policies and frameworks to ensure that people development issues are addressed systematically : competence frameworks, self-managed learning etc. In addition, the HR strategy can add value is by ensuring that, in all its other plans, the organisation takes account of and plans for changes in the wider environment, which are likely to have a major impact on the organisation, such as: changes in the overall employment market demographic or remuneration levels Cultural changes which will impact on future employment patterns changes in the employee relations climate changes in the legal framework surrounding employment HR and employment practice being developed in other organisations, such as new flexible work practices. The six broad interconnected components of this system consist of three planning steps and three execution steps. The top three components represent the need for planning. Organizations must determine their strategic direction and the outcomes they seek. This is usually accomplished with some form of strategic planning. Classic strategic planning is a formal, top-down, staff-driven process. When done well, it is workable at a time when external change occurs at a more measured pace. However as the pace and magnitude of change increases, the approach to strategic planning changes substantially: First, the planning process is more agile; changes in plans are much more frequent and are often driven by events rather than made on a predetermined time schedule. Second, the planning process is more proactive. Successful organizations no longer simply respond to changes in their environment, they proactively shape their environment to maximize their own effectiveness. Third, the planning process is no longer exclusively top-down; input into the process comes from many different organizational levels and segments. This creates more employee ownership of the plan and capitalises on the fact that often the most valuable business intelligence can come from employees who are at the bottom of the organizational hierarchy. Lastly, the strategic planning process less reactive and more driven by line leadership. Once strategic planning is under way, a process must be undertaken by the organization to design and align its HRM policies and practices to provide for organizational success. The remaining step in planning is to determine the quality and quantity of human resources the organization needs for its total force. The rest of the HR strategic system exists for and is guided by these plans, policies, and practices. These execution components contain mechanisms that generate the correct skill sets, invest in staff development and performance, and productively employ them in the organisation. The last component provides a means to assess and sustain the competence and performance of the organization and the people in it with regard to outcomes that the organization seeks. http://gametlibrary.worldbank.org/FILES/844_HR%20planning%20principles.pdf In company called HLB UK LTD the management system, human resource is given due importance while planning goals and long term strategies. The skills that are necessary to meet the organizational goals are developed in employees. This point is considered during the planning phase and included in the policies devised for meeting goals. Nowadays, the human resource department does much more than just recruiting employees for the company. Using the human resource effectively in order to give the company a competitive advantage and completing the set targets, are some of the priorities. The mission statements reflect the strategies, goals and the overall approach of companies. The values inherited and the policies devised by firms are based on the mission statements; which are the driving force that motivate the employees to move ahead. Let us see at the Advantages of Strategic Human Resource Management in HLB UK LTD: There are many advantages and benefits that strategic human resource management offers. It helps analyze the opportunities and threats that are crucial, from the point of view of the company. It is possible to develop strategies and have a vision for the future. The need for competitive intelligence, which is of utmost importance in strategic planning, is fulfilled by means of implementing strategic human resource management. The attrition rate can be reduced, if strategic HRM is implemented properly. It also performs the important task of motivating employees. Development and maintenance of competency among employees, is the most important benefit offered by strategic HRM. It helps determine the weaknesses and strengths of the company, thereby enabling the management to take appropriate measures. It helps keep a check whether the expectations of employees are addressed properly. Business surplus is achieved by making the employees competent enough to deliver the goods. Limitations of Strategic Human Resource Management But at same time there are some limitations as well of SHRM which are faced by the company which are as followes: Resistance to change from the bottom line workers. Inability of the management in communicating the vision and mission of the company clearly to the employees. Interdepartmental conflict and lack of vision among the senior management in implementing the HR policies. The diversity of workforce that makes it difficult for the management to handle them accordingly. Conflict among the employees over the issue of authority and the related fear of victimization. The resistance from institutions such as the labor unions. Changes that take place in the organizational structure. The changing market scenario which in turn creates pressure on the effective implementation of strategic HRM. But if implemented efficiently, strategic human resource management helps in improving the productivity of employees and utilizes their expertise in meeting the company goals. Organizations and companies succeed, or fail, based on the quality and effectiveness of their employees. Todays successful firms recognize that to compete in global markets, they must have world class Human Resource managers who are active participants in strategic and operational decision. Whether they are reengineering the pay and benefits of the company or implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) programs, Human Resources Managers play a central role. The goal of strategic management in an organization is to deploy and allocate resources in order to provide the management with a competitive advantage. It goes Without saying that two out of three classes of resources (organizational and human) Correlated with the human resource functions. Towards maximum effect, the HRM functions must be integrally involved in the companys strategic management process. Strategic management process first analyzes a companys competitive situation, develops its strategic goals and mission, its external opportunities and threats, and its internal strength and weaknesses to generate alternatives. In his second phase, strategic management process determines a plan of actions and deployment of resources to achieve the pre-specified goals. This kind of strategic approach should be emphasized in human resources management. Strategy formulation consists of five major components: Mission is a statement of the organizations reason for being, customers served and their needs, and the technology used. Also presents the companys vision and values. Goals are what the firm hopes to achieve in the medium-to-long term future. External analysis examines the firms operating environment to identify the strategic opportunities and threats. Internal analysis identifies the firms strengths and weaknesses,focuses on the quantity and quality of resources available. Strategic choice is done after the Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats (SWOT) analysis to define strategic alternatives, then the choice is made among these alternatives. http://www.prometa.com/1d3ef1e0.png STRATEGIC APPLICATIONS OF HR BUSINESS FUNCTIONS: Human resources functions refer to â€Å"those tasks and duties performed in both Large and small organizations to provide for the coordinate human resources. The Society of Human Resources Management identified six main functions: 1- HR planning, recruitment, and selection 2- HR development training 3- Compensation and benefits 4- Safety and health 5- Employee and labor relations 6- HR research Activities of the HR planning, recruitment, and selection function are: Performing job analysis that is â€Å" the process of determining and reporting pertinent information relating to the nature of a specific job†. This can be done using a motion Study, a time study or a statistical sample to draw inference about the demands of TacticalApplicationsStrategicApplicationsOperationalApplications Planning, Recruitment and selection Manpower planning Labor force tracking Labor cost analysis and budgeting Turnover analysis Recruiting Workforce planning/scheduling Training and Development Succession planning Performance appraisal planning Training effectiveness Career matching Skill Performanc evaluations Questionnaires, interviews and observation are tools to analysis jobs. This analysis produces job description and job specifications. The following step is the Job designthat is â€Å" the process of structuring work and designating the specific Work activities of an individual or a group to achieve certain organizational Objectives† HR planning that is â€Å" the process of determining the human resource needs of an Organization and ensuring that the organization has the right number of qualified People in the right jobs at the right time†. First of all be familiar With the business strategy, define the impact of this strategy over the specific units Of the organization. Define the skills needed and the additional human resources Required and develop action plans to meet the needs. Methods for forecasting and planning the HR needs: Judgmental methods such as managerial estimates, and Delphi technique. Finally, Scenario analysis using work force environmental scanning data to develop alternative work force scenarios. Brainstorming between managers and HR managers to forecast the future, then the managers will go back to define changing points. Statistical and modeling techniques using historical data to predict the future. Time series analysis, personnel ratios, productivity ratios and regression analysis Benchmarking is to carefully examine internal practice and procedures and measure them against the ways other successful organizations operate. Forecast methods will be compared to other successful organizations. Determining the additional need using both skill inventory and management inventory to specify all available data about the current employees. Depending on a single method of forecasting is not always accurate; in fact a mixture of different types of these methods may be very helpful according to the activity of the organization and type of data. Developing and implementing an action plan to meet the requirements. Recruiting the HR needed to fulfill the organizations goals. Selecting and hiring HR to specific jobs needed. The following figure illustrates the whole process http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/ARADO/UNPAN006257.pdf The areas of business planning, human resources planning, and strategic planning and performance measurement are outgrowths of the desire of managers, stakeholders and stockholders for direction and accountability. These strategic planning sites bring excellent resources to the strategic planning effort. Conclusion: Overall we have seen that the strategic human resource management plays very important role in every organisation which we have seen in case of HLB UK LTD as it increases effenciency of the organisation. A comprehensive Human Resource Strategy plays a vital role in the achievement of an organisations overall strategic objectives and visibly illustrates that the human resources function fully understands and supports the direction in which the organisation is moving. So it is very important for every company weather large or small to have the strategic human resource management as it is the one of the very important tool for business to run smoothly and flexibaly. References: http://ezinearticles.com/?What-is-Strategic-Human-Resource-Management?id=549585 http://www.accel-team.com/human_resources/hrm_08.html http://www.mba-tutorials.com/human-resource-management/487-shrm-strategic-human-resource-management.html http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/corpstrtgy/general/strathrm.htm Strategic Human Resource Management by (Randall S. Schuler and Susan E. Jackson) second edition 2007 Blackwell publishing ltd. Strategic Human Resource Management theory and practice second edition by,( graeme salaman, john storey and jon bills berry)Sage publisher http://www.strategichrinc.com/ http://finance.mapsofworld.com/strategic-management/human-resource.html A Strategic Human Resource Management System for the 21st Century. Naval Personnel Task Force, September 2000 http://gametlibrary.worldbank.org/FILES/844_HR%20planning%20principles.pdf http://www.prometa.com/1d3ef1e0.png http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/ARADO/UNPAN006257.pdf

Anna and Emma and the arts :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The arts, in many different forms, played a major role in the events and outcomes of both Emma’s and Anna’s life. The arts impacted major decisions in both of the characters lives. Whether it was an initial spark or a driving force, art played many roles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even though they initially met at the train station, the met once again at a ball they both attend. While they were at the ball they fell into their routine of dancing and socializing. Vronsky sought out Anna when he saw her but when they finally came together for the first time, that would be the beginning of the end for Anna. They were in the moment and the music helped put both of them in a trance with each other. This was the first time that the arts were involved in Anna and Vroksky coming together. This ball caused Anna great excitement inside her but also caused some pain to Kitty. When Kitty saw them together she knew, right at that moment, she had lost Vronsky to Anna. She apologized to Dolly for any hurt feelings that may have arose at the ball with Kitty. I think that underneath her talk with Dolly, Anna enjoyed the affect that she had on Vronsky. When she finally returns home from the exciting ball, her life at home does not excite her as she thought i t would.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These balls and types of parties are something that were normal to Anna. In her class, society, and near friends, these events are of everyday occurrence. The only art that Anna takes part in is only the best her class has available to her. She is very high in status in her marriage with Karenina. They have a status and look to uphold. They drag each other to these great dancing balls or enormous parties and drink and talk about the same old thing every time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vronsky knows about this type of class enough to know the right person who knows the right people. It was all about who you were friends with and who you were connected with. The society of balls and parties was the preference for Anna. Vronsky knew they would meet at these types of events. Vronsky played the arts the right way to conquer his â€Å"fair maiden.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anna also has a chance to see Vronsky in a different way when they went to the races.