Describe, compare and contrast the ethical systems of Hinduism and Essay

Describe, compare and contrast the ethical systems of Hinduism and Confucianism - Essay Example This core belief presupposes a journey of transcendence, of transformation, that ultimately brings the soul to spiritual perfection, or moksha. The idea of the reincarnated soul is intrinsic to Hinduism, which teaches that the atman at long last merges with the great universal soul, or Brahman. Confucianism espouses a more humanistic, temporal view that emphasizes the improvement of human nature through teaching and personal experience. Confucianism is not a Deist religion in the same sense as Hinduism. It is sometimes considered more of a philosophy than a pure religion in the sense that it doesn’t emphasize care of the soul. However, its 6 million adherents have come to regard Confucius as a divine source of wisdom who achieved a form of ideal perfection in his life. Confucianism is a fairly elastic term for a belief system that has been present in China â€Å"from time immemorial† (Sarkar, 1916). In â€Å"Chinese Religion Through Asian Eyes,† Sarkar writes that a man named Confucius was the librarian at Lu and is thought to have compiled, or edited, a classic text in which the ancient Chinese â€Å"Cult of the World Forces† found expression (Ibid). Therefore, Sarkar writes that Confucianism, as it is now known, had actually pervaded China long before Confucius was born. It has since the 5th century A.D. become more like Hinduism in that Confucius himself has been worshipped as a god since that time (Ibid). Confucianism may, in practice, be an intricate system of moral, philosophical and social thought but it has long held the status of a religion in China as Hinduism has for hundreds of millions in India and throughout Southeast Asia. For many, the comparison between the two begins and ends there. Hinduism is, after all, a polytheistic religion with thousands of deities in which reincarnation plays a prominent role. Salvation only comes after the soul is at long last freed from the cycle of birth and death. For adherents of

Europen Union Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Europen Union Law - Essay Example This is subject to the principles of equivalence and effectiveness, i.e. national procedural rules must not discriminate against EC law rights and must afford full effectiveness to EC law rights. Where national rules of procedure respect these principles, EC law normally does not require any particular regime of procedural or adjectival law to exist in the member states. In particular, EC law does not normally create any remedies in its own right, leaving the law on remedies to national law. In these fields of law, the doctrine of supremacy of Community law is well established. In case of conflict between Community law and national law, the member states courts are obliged to respect the Community law which to a large extent has direct effect in the member states and also in relations between private parties. Member states courts might sometimes hesitate to set aside national law provisions regarded as important because they are contrary to Community law and they normally know their own national law better than Community law. Thus, there are problems not only of obstruction but also of ignorance. There has been and still is an ongoing struggle to secure the full application of Community law in the member states. . ... If the national court decides to make a reference to ECJ, proceedings are stayed in the national court until the ECJ gives its ruling. The Court has also assessed the legality of derogations to Community rules by reference to fundamental rights. In particular, the Court has applied article 10 of ECHR to a case in which a Member State justified a measure having equivalent effect to quantitative restrictions based on the need to secure protection of fundamental rights, such as media plurality2. The key factors that have helped in developing the Community legal system, are that the obligation in Community law to duly motivate any decision3, the principle of transparency to which Community and domestic Administrations have to comply with, individuals' right to have their legal positions fully and effectively protected4 and the principle of the liability of a Member State for breach of Community law5. The judgments of the Court, in this aspect, have played a fundamental role in trying to build an even playing field to secure a minimum standard of substantive judicial protection of Community rights. The Court has asserted a founding principle of the EC legal system that national judicial remedies must be adequate, and any impediment to Community rights being enforced effectively should be removed in the name of the supremacy of Community law6. In 1976, the Court had insisted that an essential element of the Community's constitutional order was the freedom of Member States to implement their Community obligations according to their individual traditions of public law and civil and criminal justice7. The only conditions set down by the Court of Justice were equal treatment and effectiveness. National courts and administrations were prohibited from making it more

Racism in the World and how is reflected in the Movie Hotel Rwanda Essay

Racism in the World and how is reflected in the Movie Hotel Rwanda - Essay Example Many factors can contribute themselves to racism and racial discrimination. Racism is always a product of inequality – whether it is cultural, economic or personal. A probe into history reveals to us how many countries and races have considered themselves superior to others and looked down upon others with scorn, contempt and hatred feelings. We know how Adolf Hitler and his belief that the Aryans are the best and most superior race in the world has caused a lot of violence, unrest and anti-humanitarian actions in the past. It is also advisable to bring into mind how the Negros in America and South Africa suffered various setbacks due to racial discrimination. Racism is a product of marginalization; the marginalized and suppressed races or communities strive themselves for existence, whenever they come to the realization that they had been suppressed and oppressed and their own individual human rights and that of the race are very adversely affected and endangered. The only po ssible solution to racism is the understanding that there is only a single race. There is no superior or inferior in the society; every individual equally deserves respect, humanitarian concerns and the opportunity to develop his/her potentialities irrespective of what race or culture he/she belongs. The issue of racism has something to do with culture and education. There are many who believe that the issue of racism is a cultural phenomenon and that effective education and the promotion of various ethnic identities can create better understanding and respect for others in the minds of people. â€Å"Racism has always been both an instrument of discrimination and a lot of exploitation. But it manifests itself as a cultural phenomenon, susceptible to cultural solutions such as multi-cultural education and the promotion of ethnic identities.† (Shah, Anup 2004). In the past many have tried to bring the issue of racism into light through literature, art, science

Application Letter to the University of Fairleigh Dickinson Essay

Application Letter to the University of Fairleigh Dickinson - Essay Example I have always wanted to get a degree from a reputed university that will offer me innumerable opportunities in life from numerous perspectives. When considering applying to a university, I have based my choices and preferences on a number of criteria such as the reputation of the university, the cosmopolitan nature offered at the campus, the range of courses offered, importance to activities apart from study and lastly the emphasis laid on the exposure to internationalism. I strongly believe that among the choices that I have considered and researched, the Fairleigh Dickinson University certainly has come to outscore the others as it has provided me with such an insight that has left me mesmerized and created an urge in me to come in and experience the rich heritage personally. The first and the foremost things that captivated my thought when I had a look at the university web portal was the vast number of campuses, colleges and the range of mediums over which priceless education was being offered to prospective students. I sincerely felt that such an extended range of courses left me with much more than I could expect to choose from. I believe that it is extremely important in terms of my career to choose a course of my choice as I firmly believe that in order to succeed at work, true commitment and a liking for the job is a must. At a personal level, I have always wanted to support the expenses for my education and I was delighted and encouraged upon finding the extensive range of scholarship options that the university offers. I was also encouraged by the fact that the university plays host to a large contingent of students from other countries and I have always been willing to meet new people of different cultures and see the world through them. I strongly believe that if I get an opportunity to meet people from as much as 80 countries, my self-belief of being a global citizen will be further strengthened. I am also happy and encouraged by the

The Popularity of Teachers Essay Example for Free

The Popularity of Teachers Essay Teacher education is a commonly studied predictor of quality in early childhood classrooms and it has been consistently associated with teacher effectiveness in early childhood classrooms (Bowman et al., 2001; de Kruif et al., 2000; Helburn et al., 1995). Teachers can be popular just because they are friendly and helpful, but to be truly professional and effective they need other qualities. Students may not be able to put their finger on just why one teacher is more effective than another but we need to be able to identify the skills and behavior we require in a true professional. Teachers can be popular just because they are friendly and helpful, but to be truly professional and effective they need other qualities. Students may not be able to put their finger on just why one teacher is more effective than another but we need to be able to identify the skills and behavior we require in a true professional. Proper preparation is another crucial requirement of professionalism. When the teacher enters the classroom s/he should have all the required materials and the lesson plan ready. Nothing is sloppier than poor preparation. Interaction with the group needs professional standards of behavior: polite, firm and fair just about sum it up. And in orchestrating the class the teacher must give everyone their chance to contribute and should be flexible enough to modify lessons if they are obviously not going to plan. Indeed a fall-back position is part of good planning. It stands to reason also that teacher must observe punctuality and appropriate tidiness and dress: it is not possible to demand such behavior from students if the teacher doesn’t set the standards. Indeed I can remember occasions on which students have complained to me about â€Å"scruffy† teachers. Since the 1920s, the issue of teachers’ qualifications, which can guarantee their effectiveness, has been of concern for not only the science of Pedagogy, but also for those in charge of staffing schools with qualified professionals. As regards this issue, modern studies have revealed that the way in which a teacher carries out his work is determined by the union of  his personality traits and acquired knowledge. A â€Å"good teacher† should possess a wide range of qualifications, which could, schematically, be classified as follows: ÃŽâ„¢. Personality traits, attitudes and beliefs These include personality traits related to the professional role of a teacher, which can be nurtured and developed through initial education and continuous training (Whitty 1996: 89-90). Specifically, studies have shown that traits such as flexibility in terms of the appearance of students, a sense of humour, a sense of fairness, patience, enthusiasm, creativity, care and interest in the students, all contribute to the effectiveness of teachers (Malikow 2005, Harslett et al. 2000). These also include a teacher’s attitudes and beliefs on teaching, learning, his role, all of which affect the way he chooses, evaluates and comprehends the knowledge acquired, as well as the way he benefits from this knowledge in practice, as this very practice is shaped by that knowledge (Feiman-Nemser 1990, Schà ¶n 1983, Zeichner Liston 1996). The attitudes of teachers affect their degree of commitment to their duties, the way they teach and treat their students, as well as how they perceive their professional growth (Chen Rovegno 2000, DarlingHammond 2000). Specifically, teachers that have high expectations for their students and insist on promoting learning for all students tend to be more effective ( Malikow 2005, McBer 2000). Another factor which contributes to the effectiveness of teachers is a feeling of commitment to the job at hand (Coladarsi 2002) and interest in the personal life of students and their families (Harslett et al. 2000). Lastly, â€Å"knowledge of self† and contemplation are worth mentioning, in that they presuppose critical and careful reflection, on the part of the teacher, on his actions and self (Turner-Bisset 2001: 110-112). McBer (2000), from a series of interviews with teachers, identified 16 â€Å"professional characteristics†, including personality traits and individual attitudes, which she then classified into five groups: a) Professionalism: commitment, confidence, trustworthiness, respect;. b) Thinking: analytic and conceptual thinking; c) Expectations: disposal of achievement of high objectives, disposal for permanent comprehension of reality (e.g. the students, the order), and undertaking of initiatives; d) Leadership: flexibility, accountability, passion for learning; e) Relations with other:  fertile interaction with involved in the educational process, skills of common work, comprehension. ΙΙ. Pedagogical Skills and Knowledge Didactic and pedagogical skills are not only understood as familiarization with techniques that are then used mechanically, but also as the acquisition of routines which, without a doubt, every teacher needs in order to save time and energy for the more significant aspects of his work; at the same time, they refer to a set of theoretical principles and research data that lead to a variety of techniques and strategies which a teacher chooses and shapes, depending on the circumstances (for the discussion on teacher skills as an element of professional competency, see Beyer 2002: 311, Conczi et al. 1990, Oser et al. 2006: 1-7). A plethora of related studies shows specific actions by teachers which can be considered factors for their effectiveness. With regard to the teaching approach, it seems that the more effective teachers (McBer 2000, Jasman 2002, Anderson 2004): set realistic objectives, try and give incentives to students for learning, apply various teaching methods, select participative forms of teaching, test and create didactic material, present information in a clear manner, combine words with pictures, use various teaching aids, maximize teaching time through systematic measures (e.g. planning, reduced disturbances in the classroom), assign work that will stir the interests of the students, monitor and evaluate the progress of students, set evaluation criteria for students and inform the students about them, and provide feedback to the students. Another decisive factor in effectiveness is a teacher’s ability to recognize the diversity of students, to choose the best method possible for each student, and to create incentives for students (Harslett et al.2000). Yet another important factor is teachers’ cooperation not only with the students, but also with the parents of the students, their colleagues and the community at large (Jasman 2002). Lastly, effectiveness, to a great extent, depends on the way problems in the classroom are managed. Research shows that more effective teachers keep all happenings in the classroom in check, that they are constantly on alert, that they swiftly deal with any problem that may arise and that they adopt various ways of working with students (Everston and Randolph 1999, Wang et al. 1999). A basic qualification, whatever the case, is the acquisition of an extended body of  knowledge which contributes to the way the teacher performs in practice (Birman et al. 2000, Hawley Valli 1999). Generally, a teacher’s training is classified into three fields: subject knowledge, pedagogical and didactic studies, and teaching practice. However, what still needs to be defined is what should be taught in these educational fields, especially in pedagogical studies. A way to define the contents of â€Å"professional knowledge† is to provide answers to the following questions: â€Å"What makes up the pedagogical and didactic work of a teacher?† and â€Å"What knowledge type and qualifications are needed for a teacher to cope?†According to Shulman, pedagogical thought and action go through the following stages: a) understanding / perception; b) modification / transformation; c) teaching; d) evaluation; e) feedback; f) reflection. For a teacher to cope with the above, â€Å"professional studies† are required, that is: a) pedagogical content knowledge and b) curriculum studies (Shulman 1986, Shulman 1987: 14-19). Turner-Bisset suggests a course that would instil the necessary qualifications and focus on the following fields (Turner-Bisset 1999: 43-48, Turner-Bisset 2001): â€Å"substantive knowledge†, â€Å"syntactic knowledge†, beliefs about the subject, knowledge of curriculum, knowledge of contexts, knowledge of self, didactic training, knowledge of learners, knowledge of objectives and learning outcomes, general pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical-didactic amalgam and learning subject. This body of knowledge, that can guarantee a teacher’s expertise, is determined by existing conditions and contexts, as well as the personal experiences, beliefs and needs of each teacher, a fact that renders an a prior definition of this knowledge extremely difficult. Nevertheless, there are knowledge fields that constitute a necessary prerequisite for every teacher, or at least for a large part of them, (Meijer et al. 1999, Meijer et al. 2001), and which form the basic part of â€Å"professional knowledge†. These include: a) Subject knowledge: the teaching subject does not coincide with the corresponding science; however, teaching a particular subject requires familiarization with scientific knowledge. The way each scientific field is approached and studied is strongly defined by the job and duties defined in the job description. For such a specific comprehension of scientific knowledge as a way of teaching, familiarization with the science and its dimensions is necessary. A classification of the dimensions of scientific knowledge is the following (Kennedy 1990): i)  science content (opinions, axioms, facts, etc.). It relates to the â€Å"facts† and â€Å"principles† of the science being taught, from which the teacher derives appropriate examples, pictures, etc. for instruction; ii) relations, organization and structure of the contents of a scientific subject. This knowledge on the subject defines the way it is presented to the students, the questions that would pass on the knowledge in a better way, etc.; iii) the research methodology on the scientific field. This knowledge of the methodology contributes to a better choice by a teacher of the methods through which he will approach the subject, the exercises, the questions, etc.; iv) the procedures and ways that contribute to the generalization of the â€Å"truth†, explored in every scientific field and now being acknowledged (syntactic knowledge). Moreover, a teacher should be in a position to approach the subject being taught with specific questions, such as which social norms are connected to the subject, what is its relation to social issues and its value in everyday life (Kennedy 1990). He should also be in a position to diagnose misinterpretations of the knowledge offered by the students and fully comprehend the procedures required for the acquisition of the knowledge and skills connected to the subject being taught (Shulman 1987: 9, Perrone Traver 1996: 395-397, Darling–Hammond BaratzSnowden 2005: 14-16). An extra requirement for a teacher would be knowledge on every subject in the curriculum of the grade he teaches, as this allows him to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to the material, i.e. using pictures, analogies and knowledge acquired by students through other subjects (Ernest 1989). Finally, knowledge of the subject taught is related to a teacher’s beliefs. Research has shown that teachers’ effectiveness is strongly influenced by the opinion teachers have of the subject they teach (Askew et al. 1997, Medwell et al. 1998, Newton Newton 1998). Moreover, teachers with a more â€Å"holistic† outlook on the subjects they teach tend to be more effective (Turner-Bisset 2001: 28-29). b) Knowledge of learners: this comprises knowledge on the biological, social, psychological and cognitive development of students, on issues related to group dynamics and interaction between students as well as teachers and students, students’ behavioral problems, learning motivation, adjustment issues, learning difficulties, etc. c) Teaching methodology: a way to define the necessary qualifications of a teacher is to give a detailed description of the  teaching methodology. A schematic presentation of the specific structural elements of instruction follows: i) lesson planning, i.e. a teacher’s pre-lesson activities and actions (for example, organization of content into thematic units, transformation of teaching material into teachable knowledge, definition of teaching goals, methodological organization of teaching, time planning, selection of evaluation process). Planning can vary, depending on whether it is short-term (weekly lesson planning or unit planning) or long-term (for the entire semester or academic year); ii) teaching performance, i.e. enforcing the choices made during planning (didactic organization, teaching path, application of teaching forms, direct actions of the teacher, use of teaching methods and aids; iii) Evaluation of teaching, i.e. evaluating the results mainly by assessing student performance (e.g. goals, forms, basic principles, assessment techniques). d) Curriculum knowledge: the school curriculum is a tool, which, in a way, determines the didactic choices of a teacher. Teachers should, therefore, know the curriculum, textbooks, the rules and laws of the education system and, as a whole, the state’s role in education (Shulman 1986: 10, Shulman 1987: 9-10). At the same time, however, the demands of society today call for a critical approach to the curriculum and its adaptation to the needs deriving from context. e) General pedagogical knowledge: this field relates to the organisation of the classroom, to motivating and retaining students’ attention, pooling resources, learning theories and pedagogical theories. Shulman refers to â€Å"principles and strategic classroom management and organization, which exceed the knowledge of specific subjects† (Shulman 1986). This type of knowledge is nonetheless acknowledged, as it secures a framework of mental representations necessary for the comprehension and interpretation of the school classroom. Moreover, this knowledge is absolutely essential for lesson planning, as it guides the teacher’s didactic choices (Ernest 1989: 19-20). f) Knowledge of contexts: a teacher is called upon to evaluate the contexts in which he teaches and act accordingly, as his actions are defined by surrounding circumstances; in other words, there are no predetermined attitudes that would suit every occasion. Still, there are certain outlooks on reality, certain principles, research findings, that a teacher can use to interpret the context, as well as a host of techniques and strategies which can be used, depending on the  situation. Hence, knowledge of contexts refers to knowledge of the environment and the circumstances where a teacher is required to work: the school, the region, the state. Specifically, it comprises knowledge of the students and their family background, as well as the entire local community, education system, the organization and management of the school unit, the history and philosophy of education in every state, the institutional framework and administrative structure of education. g) Knowledge of â€Å"self†: a basic qualification of teachers, related to their views on their role, responsibilities, training and qualifications, rights and professional development, working conditions, values, and philosophy, etc. and is mainly connected to their professional development through reflection, to learning through their teaching experience, in relation to their working environment (Lambert 1984, Kagan 1992). The way teachers perceive their role defines not only their options, but also the way they comprehend, interpret and use this knowledge (Clandinin Connely 1987). In conclusion, the qualities that can ensure a teacher’s effectiveness are not the sum of his knowledge, but rather the link between the different types of knowledge he possesses. These types of knowledge do not simply coexist: they should form a complete, inseparable unit of knowledge (Kennedy 1990). The degree of connectivity between these separate types of knowledge sets apart a â€Å"competent† teacher from an â€Å"excellent† one, as a â€Å"competent† teacher manages to combine these knowledge forms in part, whereas an â€Å"excellent† teacher uses the knowledge deriving from each separate field most effectively (Turner-Bisset 2001: 131-141). FOREIGN STUDY A wide range of empirical studies examine the impact of teacher characteristics on teacher effectiveness in order to draw conclusions about the extent to which these characteristics are, in fact, linked with teacher performance. Greater clarity on the empirical evidence can inform the wisdom of current practice, guide state efforts as they struggle with No Child Left Behind compliance regarding teacher quality. The framework for this study includes five broad categories of measurable and policy-relevant indicators to organize the teacher characteristics assumed to reflect teacher quality. It is notable that findings for these characteristics frequently differ for  teachers at the elementary school level and teachers at the high school level and that the body of research on the subject of teacher quality suggests that the context of teaching matters (e.g., differences in grade levels, subject areas, and student populations). A refined understanding of how teacher attributes affect their performance across these different teaching contexts can be helpful in determining the range of potentially effective policy options. The highlights of the empirical evidence include: Teacher experience †¢ several studies have found a positive effect of experience on teacher effectiveness; specifically, the â€Å"learning by doing† effect is most obvious in the early years of teaching. Teacher preparation programs and degrees †¢ Research suggests that the selectivity/prestige of the institution a teacher attended has a positive effect on student achievement, particularly at the secondary level. This may partially be a reflection of the cognitive ability of the teacher. †¢ Evidence suggests that teachers who have earned advanced degrees have a positive impact on high school mathematics and science achievement when the degrees earned were in these subjects. †¢ Evidence regarding the impact of advanced degrees at the elementary level is mixed. Teacher certification †¢ Research has demonstrated a positive effect of certified teachers on high school mathematics achievement when the certification is in mathematics. †¢ Studies show little clear impact of emergency or alternative-route certification on student performance in either mathematics or science, as compared to teachers who acquire standard certification. Teacher coursework †¢ Teacher coursework in both the subject area taught and pedagogy contributes to positive education outcomes. †¢ Pedagogical coursework seems to contribute to teacher effectiveness at all grade levels, particularly when coupled with content knowledge. †¢ The importance of content coursework is most pronounced at the high school level. †¢ While the studies on the field experience component of teacher education are not designed to reveal causal relationships, they suggest positive effects in terms of opportunity to learn the profession and reduced anxiety among new teachers. Teachers’ own test scores †¢ Tests that assess the literacy levels or verbal abilities of teachers have been shown to be associated with higher levels of student achievement. †¢ Studies show the National Teachers Examination and other state-mandated tests of basic skills and/or teaching abilities are less consistent predictors of teacher performance. Given that many dimensions of teacher characteristics matter—preparation in both pedagogic and subject content, credentials, experience, and test scores—the findings from the literature imply that there is no merit in large-scale elimination of all credentialing requirements. Nor are improvements in teacher quality likely to be realized through the status quo. Most of the research does not seek to capture interactions among the multiple dimensions of teacher quality, and as a result, there are major gaps in the research that still need to be explored. Nor does the research fully address evidence about teacher quality at the elementary and middle school levels, in subjects other than mathematics, or among different populations of students (such as high poverty, English language learners, or special education). In opposition to those who propose to eliminate all requirements for entering the teaching profession, this analysis supports a judicious use of the research evidence on teacher characteristics and teacher effectiveness. The evidence indicates that neither an extreme centralized bureaucratization nor a complete deregulation of teacher requirements is a wise approach for improving teacher quality. What holds a great deal more promise is refining the policies and practices employed to build a qualified body of teachers in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools; for disadvantaged, special needs, and advantaged students; and for math, science, languages, English, social studies, and the arts. Education policy makers and administrators would be well served by recognizing the complexity of the issue and adopting multiple measures along many dimensions to support existing teachers and to attract and hire new, highly qualified teachers. The research suggests that investing in teachers can make a difference in student achievement. In order to implement needed  policies associated with staffing every classroom—even the most challenging ones—with high-quality teachers, substantial and targeted investments must first be made in both teacher quality and education research.

By The Time Macbeth Murders Duncan He Has Already Lost The Battle For His Soul Essay Example for Free

By The Time Macbeth Murders Duncan He Has Already Lost The Battle For His Soul Essay Introduction By the time Macbeth murders Duncan he has already lost the battle for his soul. In this essay I am going to discuss this statement and examine the factors that lead to his decision to kill the king. I shall divide the essay into 3 main parts, these are; 1. The battle for his soul 2. The factors which lead Macbeth to kill the king 3. Conclusion The Battle For His Soul This play was written for James 1 in 1606. Shakespeares children were now deceased and this had put him into a mood where he would only write tragic plays instead of the usual comedies. Shakespeare included the theme of witches for James 1 as he was into witchcraft and had even wrote a book about it. The target audience of Macbeth would have been a very superstitious Christian crowd. The King was believed to have been put on the throne by God, and to kill the King would be a great sin. The belief in the existence and power of witches was widely believed in Shakespeares day. The practice of witchcraft was seen to subvert the established order of religion and society, trying to corrupt people and making them sin against God. Witch hunting was a respectable, moral, and highly intellectual pursuit through much of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries. If someone lost their soul, they would be lost to God and would be condemned to hell for eternity. Here is a definition of a soul taken from the oxford dictionary; 1. A persons soul is the spiritual part of them that is supposed to continue after their body is dead. 2. Somebodys mind, character, thoughts or feelings. From the beginning of the play, Macbeth undergoes a complete change in character from a virtuous nobleman into a monster. He has a tragic weakness ambition which, when released, draws him into a web of evil and corruption that finally leaves him with none of the noble human qualities he possessed at the beginning of the play. Before being transformed into a murderous monster, Macbeth is a popular noble and also a good friend with the King. This is shown when Duncan calls him his worthiest cousin. He shows great loyalty and devotion to both King Duncan and his country in his fight against the Thane of Cawdor. Duncan is grateful for this. He says; I have begun to plant thee and will labour / To make thee full of growing. He also fights with great courage, which he draws from knowing that he serves a good and virtuous King. This is proved when he says; Duncan / Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues / Will plead like angels. He is modest when confronted with his achievements, in contrast to the arrogance that he displays after becoming king. He loves Lady Macbeth, an emotion he will eventually lose by the end of the play. Most of all, he fears what his greed and ambition can lead him to become, and he feels dubious about acting on them. When he kills the King he does it in cold blood, which shows his change after the incident with the witches. Macbeth doesnt want to kill the King but is convinced by Lady Macbeth that only good things will come from it. But just after he does kill the King, guilt overcomes him and he is left regretting the whole idea. This shows that he still wants Gods blessing. Also he says; But wherefore could I not pronounce Amen? / I had most need of the blessing and Amen / Stuck in my throat. At that time it was believed that if you could not say Amen, God would not bless you and you were doomed to eternal damnation. Ultimately he regrets killing the King. Here are some quotes that help to solidify this; I had most need of blessing I am afraid to think what I have done To know my deed, twere best not know myself Wake Duncan with thy knocking: I would thou couldst You should be thinking the obvious question: Why does Macbeth decide that he has to kill the King to become King? And, anyway, why is he not sufficiently happy with the high social position he occupies and the honoured status he has acquired among his peers? There is a very simplistic answer to this, and that is to say he is too inpatient and too ambitious. Both of these are sins and therefore Macbeth must be punished for them. As he believes that he is damned for eternity this breaks him down until he doesnt care or feel anymore. Banquo was also present when the witches predictions were made which makes Macbeth insecure. There are two reasons for this; 1. Banquos children will become Kings and 2. Banquo may suspect that Macbeth murdered Duncan. Macbeth is now in too deep to be repented for his sins and he knows this. To maintain his Kingship he decides to hire murderers to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance. This takes Macbeth beyond the murder of Duncan; it demonstrates that he will spare no one not even a close friend to secure his illegitimate kingship. He has turned his back on his closest companion and doesnt feel any guilt. This suggests that he has now become just as evil as the witches. Shortly after the murder of Banquo, the dead noble appears at Macbeths feast. The terror of seeing Banquos ghost makes Macbeth more paranoid and insecure than ever, which leads him to seek answers from the three Witches; And betimes I will to the weird sisters. / More shall they speak. For no I am bent to know / By the worst means, the worst This suggests that he still wants more and is still unhappy. He has tasted blood and now he wants more. He believes that he will lose his position as King unless he continues to kill. Eventually he has the blood of Duncan, Banquo, the two servants, Lady Macduff and her children on his hands. Blood is a very realistic image that helps people to relate blood and evil together. The Factors Which Lead Macbeth To Kill The King The witches play a vital role in Macbeths thinking about his own life, both before and after the murder of Duncan. Banquo and Macbeth recognize them as something supernatural, part of the landscape but not fully human inhabitants of it. They have malicious intentions and prophetic powers and yet they are not active agents. When I say active agents I mean that they dont do anything other than talk and offer answers. They have no power to compel. The most obvious interpretation of the witches is to see them as manifestations of evil in the world. They exist to tempt and torment people, to challenge their faith in themselves and their society. Act 1 scene 3 suggests that the witches have power but not enough to kill. This is shown when they are talking among themselves about a woman who would not give one of the witches a chestnut. The witch tells her sisters that she will make the winds blow strongly against her husbands ship. They work on Macbeth by equivocation, that is, by ambiguous promises of some future state. These promises come true, but not in the way that the victim originally believed. Macbeth takes his first step toward losing his soul when he is confronted with the knowledge that he will be king. The witches tell him; All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be King thereafter! When they say this he makes the mistake of letting his ambition overrule his judgment. If his judgment had remained intact in the face of the witches powerful prophecy, he certainly would have decided not to let his actions be dictated by a prophecy given to him by three strange witches who evade most of the questions he asks. The witches, appeal to what Macbeth wants to believe. They dont make him believe it and they do not tell him what to do in order to achieve what they prophesise. They say nothing about killing Duncan (or anyone else). In that sense, they cannot be the origin of the idea of the murder. They may be appealing to that idea, but they do not create it. The witches are said to be able to take possession of people and make them do wrong. This, seeing visions and going into trances are signs of this. The later two of these are shown, the second when Macbeth sees the ghostly dagger before he kills Duncan and the third, when he is described as rapt. These witches exist as constant reminders of the potential for evil in the human imagination. They are ineluctably part of the natural world, there to seduce anyone who, like Macbeth, lets his imagination flirt with evil possibilities. They have no particular abode and might pop up anywhere, momentarily, ready to incite an eternal desire for evil in the human imagination, the evil which arises from a desire to violate our fellow human beings in order to shape the world to our own deep emotional needs. Guilt plays a strong role in motivating Macbeth, and causes Lady Macbeth to go insane, until she commits suicide. Throughout the story, there are many different types of guilty feelings that play a role in Macbeths fatal decisions and bring Lady Macbeth to commit suicide. Although there are many instances that show the power guilt has played on the main characters, there are three examples that show this the best. One is, just after the murder of King, Duncan. Guilt overcomes Macbeth where he can no longer think straight. A second example is soon after that, where all the guilt Macbeth feels at first, changes into hate after he decides that Banquo must be killed as well. The last example is just about at the end of the play, when we see Lady Macbeth sleepwalking, and then later committing suicide; this all because of the burden of her guilt. All of these examples build the proof that in this play, guilt plays a very large role in the characters lives. Perhaps one of the strongest evidences that show guilt, is how it affected Lady Macbeth. Act 5 begins by re-entering Lady Macbeth; this time though, she is not at all the woman we were first introduced to. It begins with a discussion between a doctor and a servant about the failing health of the lady herself. Lady Macbeth enters sleepwalking. She starts to rub her arms, in a washing motion and says; Out damned spot! Out, I say! She also says; Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? The word blood, is really a image that we can use for the enormous guilt she feels and her action, in trying to get rid of the guilt by washing and rubbing it away. In the second quote, the old man represents, King Duncan. Her sleepwalking continues as she talks about the death of Lady Macduff; The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now? / What, will these hands neer be clean? After the continuous rubbing motion, Lady Macbeth cries out; Heres the smell of blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. She realises that nothing could ever get rid of the smell of the blood and the guilt caused by all the murders committed by Macbeth. Its also shown here that she feels fully responsible for every person killed by her husband. Just several scenes later, Lady Macbeth commits suicide. The reason was just a build up of all the guilt. Another big influence on Macbeth is Lady Macbeth. She puts considerable pressure on Macbeth and he is eventually persuaded to commit the murder of King Duncan. Driven by Lady Macbeth, he then orders the assassination of Banquo and Fleance and of Lady Macduff and her son. The attempted murders of Fleance and Lady Macbeths son make it clear that Macbeth has no problems about killing the innocent. Being so deeply immersed in murder and death takes away his ability to feel; when Lady Macbeth dies, he reacts only by musing that; She should have died hereafter. One of the chief functions of Lady Macbeth in the early part of the play is to keep the vision of Kingship alive within Macbeth by any means at her disposal. She taunts him to act on his desires. What she is saying, in effect, is that he must not let his conscience stand in the way of his desires. Part of her tactics with Macbeth is to urge him to be more of a man. She identifies him as something unmanly. Lady Macbeth should not be blamed for the actions of Macbeth. He freely chooses to kill Duncan in response to his own deepest desires. Neither his wife nor the witches compel him to do what he does, and he is free at any time to refuse to carry out the murder or, having carried it out, to seek out various courses of new action. But his decision to carry out the deed is marked by his, perhaps evil mind. In a way, Macbeth is never entirely satisfied with what he needs to do to become king or what he really wants to do. After the murder of Duncan Lady Macbeth has thought that a little water and a few lies will clear them, but she cannot evade the psychological consequences of what she has encouraged Macbeth to do. She lacks his will power, his determination to continue, and his ability to withstand the inner torment. And so as he becomes more and more determined to keep killing his way to some final solution, she falls apart. This begins with her fainting spell as soon as the news of Duncans death becomes public, continues in her anxious fussing before and after the banquet scene, reaches its clearest expression in her sleepwalking, and concludes in her suicide. This lack of inner will to confront the consequences of her and Macbeths actions makes her story one without the tragic significance of her husbands. The phrase lack of inner will in the last paragraph is not meant to indicate some limitation in Lady Macbeth. She had thought that she could unsex herself, push away any of her deepest feelings about the love of others, and become a pure agent of destruction. So long as the murders have not started, she plays that role with great rhetorical effectiveness (especially in her taunts about Macbeths manhood). In a way her reference to Duncan looking like her father does take on an important resonance. Whats particularly noticeable, too, is the way in which, following the murder of Duncan, their relationship becomes divided. We have every reason to believe that before Duncans murder, they are very close. Certainly Macbeth shares all his thoughts and feelings with her, and she speaks to him about what her deepest thoughts are even if it is to defy Gods decision. They are at first a very close and loving couple but as more people are being killed by Macbeth (who mostly keeps them to himself and doesnt involve Lady Macbeth) Lady Macbeth is falling apart and being unable to cope with the guilt she commits suicide.

Development of an Operational Plan

Development of an Operational Plan BSBMGT517 THEORY Performance Criteria: Research, analyse and document resource requirements and develop an operational plan in consultation with relevant personnel, colleagues and specialist resource managers. Activity 1.1.1 What strategies can an organisation use to research, analyse and document resource requirements for the development of an operational plan? For the development of an operational plan, an organisation needs to be able to research, analyse and document the resources on the following points The duration of the project; when it will start and the aim of completion. This should include current and upcoming desired and clear goals. Timeframes should be set at the start with clear plans about the project. Financial resources; how much fund is currently available to sustain the project and any risk that may occur in the funding needs to be identified prior. It is important to be able to convince investors and suppliers about the plan and the resources needed to help achieve a profitable completion of the project. Human resource and other capacity requirements; evaluate the labour and the skills needed and available that are important to complete the project. It is important to consider where the human resources will come from and how many staff are required. This should include maintenance and servicing resources such as customer service. Identify the risk and evaluate mitigation strategy; what are these strategies and how to overcome if they were to arise. For instance, if there is a gap in resources, there need to be a plan to fill in the gap. So, all risks are evaluated and plans are devised to be prepared and also to minimise the occurrences of these risks. The ability to measure the performance to monitor improvements need to be available. Performance Criteria: Develop and/or implement consultation processes as an integral part of the operational planning process Activity 1.2.1 What strategies do you or could you use to consult with team members and other stakeholders to gain and utilise their input when planning a project? There are several ways available to consult with team members about their input on a project. Emails and intranet may be used as a quality assurance and a way to improve the process. It is also an efficient way to get the same message across the whole group, especially in big organisations. On the other hand, it is an approachable system to welcome any opportunities for the staff to respond and provide feedbacks. This will contribute to the planning process and goals. Also, newsletters may be used to provide the staff about the important information about the plan with open opportunities to revert back with feedbacks. Furthermore, the use of surveys, questionnaires and information sessions may help to encourage staff to respond by providing specific feedbacks about the project. Quantitative and qualitative data are gathered for the operational plan of the project. In addition, there can be meetings; formal or informal. While informal meetings can be held anytime and anywhere, formal meetings require a safe and controlled environment. Both ways aim to gather feedbacks. Another different way to consult teams members are through interviews. Structured interviews may help the management to get the feedbacks needed in regards to specific aspects of the operational plan. These are done through specific questions. A more open way to gather such feedbacks and information is through brainstorming sessions whereby new ideas and solutions are generated. These are analysed to further determine its importance. To make these sessions fruitful, it is important to always welcome and recognise the effort of all participants for bringing their input and feedbacks to the organisation. This is in order to encourage more   open participation. Performance Criteria: Ensure the operational plan includes key performance indicators to measure organisational performance Activity 1.3.1 Key performance indicators act as benchmarks against which organisational goals and performance can be measured. List several areas of a project which might have key performance indicators reflected in an operational plan? Key performance indications may be used in an operational project to build goals. Setting a realistic aim will not only help staff to work towards it but it can also be used to reflect the profit of the organisation with quantitative targets.  Ã‚   Areas of a project where key performance indicators are reflected are Targets; sales and services will all work towards reaching the target Measurement of the growth in the organisation; this can be through sales or profit Objectives to help improve the system Initiatives for growth and increase performance. Performance Criteria: Develop and implement contingency plans for the operational plan Activity 1.4.1 Contingency plans deal with unexpected events and/or occurrences, and/or when things go wrong.List several areas where contingency planning would be typical? Areas where contingency planning is important are: Outsourcing human resources/ labour to cut down the cost used mutil function or skills. Contracting out then help to get a person with special knowledge and skills to bring their input at a lower cost and some organisations may even look into this strategy when an internal department has ceased functioning. Diversification of outcomes may help towards an achievable and profitable end result when many departments help to contribute towards the final result. Since the target is spread over a larger area, increase productivity from human resources help to contribute towards a bigger outcome. Cheaper and lower quality products help to moderate the budget. Globalisation helps towards competition and cost effective strategies and therefore more profit. Increasing sales or productions will increase profit. It is important to cater needs and resources towards the customer service department providing adequate training programs. By reinforcing their skills, it will help to reach key performance indicators. Recycling and re-using is a strategy to raise the organisational social responsibility towards the environment. Many customers are more inclined to buy consciously to protect the environment from these organisations. Rental and hiring alternatives are better ways to get hold of cheap resources than buying them. Negotiation helps to save on cost on the procurement of these resources needed. Restructuring of organisation to reduce labour costs is necessary at time to reduce expenses. Sometimes, some organisations will downsize in the aim of focusing on profitable departments only. Other departments that do not sell as their service or products, are not in high demands anymore, will cease to operate. Risk identification, assessment and management processes. Unfortunately, a rise in injuries due to hazards and risks put financial stress on organisations. So in order to minimise the risks of this happening, risk assessments are performed to reduce the occurrences of injuries. Sometimes, feedbacks from staff help to work out better strategies to manage injuries and also raise awareness of the importance of staying safe. Seeking further funding is important especially when the budget available is not adequate to reach the targeted goal. Strategies for reducing costs, wastage, stock of consumable can be done by using another supplier with lower costs that is able to produce at a cheaper rate Succession planning is important to identity good potentials within the organisation who are able to fill in important roles. Performance Criteria: Ensure the development and presentation of proposals for resource requirements is supported by a variety of information sources and seek specialist advice as required Activity 1.5.1 Provide several examples of the type of information sources and or specialist that may be used or accessed in the development and presentation of proposals for resource requirements within your organisation or area of activity? Raising funds is very significant to help achieve the goal of the operational plan. Raising funds help to obtain resources such as human resources/labour, capital resources and financial resources. If more funds is needed, the organisation needs to work on further strategies to obtain such by influencing senior management and skateholders to invest in order to supply these resources and in turn, get a profitable return. Developing a business proposal is a strategic plan and needs to be appealing enough to stakeholders so they can invest in it. They need to believe in its success, hence, devising a proposal is important to demonstrate the potentials behind the project. A business proposal needs to be convincing and needs to primarily cater the needs of the stakeholders investing in it, at a higher benefit for the latter. Identifying strategic goals such as marketing strategy helps to increase the organisations market share, therefore promoting the productivity of the organisation. Human resource strategy can be used to improve staffing experiences and skills. Management strategy, through emotional intelligence, also contributes towards productivity. Similarly, technological strategy helps to improve production line. Specialist advice can come from many informative sources such as managers, marketing specialist, financial consultants, accountants, suppliers, internal and external customers and the sales team. Customers feedbacks are also important to cater better needs and improve on the product efficiency. Presentation is the key to selling a business operational plan. The use of graphs helps to visually demonstrate costs, contingency plans and risk management plans and strategies to fund the plan. The more the organisations goals and benefits are reiterated and are made believable, the more comfortable the stakeholders will feel about investing in it. Performance Criteria: Obtain approval for the plan from relevant parties and explain the plan to relevant work teams Activity 1.6.1 From whom within your organisation or area of activity would you need to gain agreement and or endorsement for the approval of the operational plan, and once approved how would this information be provided to work teams and other stakeholders? An operational plan needs to be presented to the executives of the hospital, the director of nursing and the Chief executive officer for approval. It is usually via a systematic approach where justification is provided for the required funding. Each ward managers get to present their ideas and plans and relevant funding is then distributed according to their priorities. The decision is mostly based on the values and missions of the hospital. For instance, if funding is required to improve something important on the ward that has direct impact on the safety of the customers, it is more likely to be granted. Any ideas that will help to improve the risk management strategies will be taken seriously. Henceforth, it is important for managers to present their case in such a way that their operational plan is considered in accordance with the hospitals goals. Generally, once approved, the information is then passed on to the staff in the form of informal meetings, generally held every Thursday and also by email, so that the same information is delivered to every employee of the department. Flyers and newsletters are also posted on the common notice boards so everyone gets acquainted with the approval of the operational plan. Performance Criteria: Develop and implement strategies to ensure that employees are recruited and/or inducted within the organisations human resources management policies, practices and procedures Activity 2.1.1 What strategies could you use to ensure team members are clear about their roles and responsibilities as well as the requirements of the operational plan? Firstly, the team member gets to be acquainted to the roles needed prior to applying for it. Jobs and roles are advertised with specified skills needed and the employee gets to apply in relation of the demands and skills they can offer to the organisation. A resume is sent to the organisation and a selection process is undertaken in the form of an interview. This first step through applying and being recruited give the team members a clear perception about their roles and the responsibilities that are expected from them. The second step whereby the team members get acquainted to their roles is through an acceptance offer, a contract. Through a contract, the employer, through the Human Resource department, get to elaborate in writing about the roles and responsibilities of the employee. This contract is dully signed and returned to the Human Resource department as an agreement and acceptance of the roles and responsibilities required. The contract or acceptance letter has descriptive information: The dynamics of the workplace The role description in accordance to the mission and the values The collective agreement under the fair work act The hours or work, the flexibility of work and the remuneration The position description and title The allowances The superannuation The leave entitlements The period of probation/ engagement The commitment to performance review The policies and procedures The employee conduct; professional behaviour and attitude Variation to the terms of employment Confidentiality of the workplace The property of the employer The third step whereby the employee gets acquainted to the expected roles and responsibilities is through an induction of the workplace. An orientation or supernumerary time allows them to understand the dynamics of their department and the goal of the operational plan. Performance Criteria: Develop and implement strategies to ensure that physical resources and services are acquired in accordance with the organisations policies, practices and procedures Activity 2.2.1 Provide several examples of the type of strategies which might be required to ensure specific resource needs policies, procedures and practices? Strategies are in place to ensure physical resources and services are gained in accordance with the organisations policies, practices and procedures. These are: Supplier relationship; a good framework to strengthen important relationships. Being able to understand, analyse and focus on suppliers relationships help to be productive, efficient and compete in the market. It is important to identify how the supplier has an impact on monetary outcomes. Points to be considered are; what the suppliers are looking in the relationship, the way the supplier is used by the organisation and how it affects the organisations relationships with other suppliers. Purchasing; the supplier is the expert on the product and hence knowledge can be used from them for decision making processes and increasing performance. Choices are between purchasing internally or externally. Transport; cost effective strategies to save on storing, delivering and suppling the goods. The operations strategies can be sought from the supplier to handle and improve key relationships Networking; available contacts and resources that can be relied on to either get information or improve productivity. Relationship costs; surviving the impact of globalisation. It is important to minimise the procurement costs such as transport and customer service. The relationship benefits; what the organisation needs, the cost it incurs for these needs e.g. equipments, labour and cost of the products and services determine the benefits for the organisation. Obviously, a low operational, production and administration cost is more favorable and incurs less expenses. Revenue is then higher and can in return meet the demands of the customers. Clear communication; clear and concise. This helps to make sure the supplier and the organisation both knows what is expected and they can both work towards the same goal. Honesty; a reliable team. This favours good managerial relationship and each party is then accountable to fulfill their duties and promises, in turn enhancing the relationship. Practices and procedures are also taken into account in order to incorporate The culture of the organisation The guidelines of the organisation which determines operational functions such as human and physical resources Operating procedures and policies Undocumented practices in line with the operations Clear purchase orders to prove reliability and efficiency. Performance Criteria: Recognise and incorporate requirements for intellectual property rights and responsibilities in recruitment and acquisition of resources and services Activity 2.3.1 Requirements and responsibilities for intellectual property rights is an important part of the business environment, an organisations are wise to take steps to protect their own intellectual property, and also to honour the intellectual property rights of organisations from whom they have acquired relevant resources. When acquiring resources and services, it is important to acquaint to the intellectual propertys rights and responsibilities. Non-compliance to the later may result in legal consequences. For instance, material obtained from the internet may involve serious copyright issues. These unlawful accesses involve breaching the intellectual property of the involved organisation. Intellectual property is usually protected by many policies, procedures to reinforce the rights of acquisition. Policies, procedures and information include licensing agreements, information to ensure copyright protection, licensing agreements, procedures to register intellectual property rights or assets. Many organisations have policy in place to govern and manage ownership of intellectual property in an effective, efficient and ethical manner. These policies may include an explanation of any terminology relating to the property, mention of the relevant legislation, the types of intellectual property, disclosure of the property, information about marketing, commercialisation or licensing of the intellectual property and information if infringement happens. Another way of protecting intellectual properties is by licensing agreements for instance, a licensing document. These are devised to allow the owner to agree to terms and conditions and the other party to comply with the agreement. The ownership is thus maintained and it is beneficial for both parties. A license can cover product development, the manufacture, the marketing and the sales. Another form of licensing is franchising whereby distribution of goods and services occur with agreed terms between the owner of the intellectual property and the party paying to access the rights over the intellectual properties. Copyright is another way of protecting intellectual property to maintain the initial creativity of an idea or concept, be it on paper or electronically. A copyright notice clarifies the ownership of the intellectual property restricting its reproduction without permission. Trade marks can also be used to protect intellectual property. Prior to applying for registrations, online database needs to be scrutinised to make sure there is no similar product. Once cleared, the trade mark is then published in the Official Journal of Trade Marks whereby opponents may dispute its originality. If no oppositions are made, the application will go forward. There are several ways to register intellectual property assets. For instance, designs can be registered through the Australia Official Journal of Designs, Patents through the Australian Official Journal of Patents; Trademarks through the Australian Official Journal of Trademarks and Plant breeders through the Official Journal of plant breeders rights. Performance Criteria: Develop, monitor and review performance systems and processes to assess progress in achieving profit and productivity plans and targets Activity 3.1.1 How can you monitor and review the outcomes and achievements of operational plan against intended benchmarks and KPIs? There are several ways of monitoring and reviewing the outcomes and achievements of operational plans against benchmarks and KPIs. These are Quality assessment; gathering collective data to measure and analyse performance such as   observing service delivery, focusing on client method, auditing individual records, reviewing the data from an information system, testing a group, health worker interview, patient interview. Devising a quality monitoring system; data and design monitoring tools. This is in order to see the trend in indicators and monitor progress. Data are also used to identify any problems in the system that may be the result of poor performance. Three ways data are used; placing them in tabs, analysing them and interpreting them. This is later used in managerial decisions. External evaluation; process by which an external body provide feedback about an organisation performance. This can be done via an audit of in health care; accreditation. Certification is then required to acknowledge the competence and legal requirements of a group or organisation. Performance appraisals; a way for the management and HR department to provide feedbacks about the performance of their employee. This is instantaneously undertaken whereby the real time reports are given to employee about their performance. Managers are able to assess if their employees have been competent in undertaking tasks or organisational requirements. This is a systematic approach to evaluate the standard of an employee and also help to determine any increase in pay or promotions. It also helps to identify professional developments needs and set future goals to work towards better productivity. Process appraisal; a way to assess the functional and operational resources. This is to identify the equipment that are failing or need improvements, the tasks that are time consuming and the risk and hazards of the workplace. For quality improvement and to enhance productivity, these resources are maintained on a regular basis to make sure it wont slow down the line of productivity. Cost and variations in the process of maintenance is also evaluated to assess how these factors   are significant in order to   achieve quality improvement. Performance Criteria: Analyse and interpret budget and actual financial information to monitor and review profit and productivity performance Activity 3.2.1 What role do you or would you play in the development of a budget for an operational your organisation or area of activity, and who has final approval of this budget? Once the budget is approved, it is important to keep all the financial decisions and information involved such as the: Budget; all the expenses incurred The ratio analysis The forecast about the future expenses The cash flow statements The profit and loss statement The balance sheets of crediting and debiting cash The investments and liability reports. There are several factors that may affect the budget and so, it is important to keep a record of these factors and variations such as the changes to legislative requirements and innovations. To be financially aware will help guard any unforeseen circumstances. Financial reports help to justify profit or loss statement that will show the trend in productivity or fraudulent transactions. Performance Criteria: Identify areas of under-performance, recommend solutions and take prompt action to rectify the situation Activity 3.3.1 What strategies could you use to ensure team members are clear about their roles and responsibilities and to address under-performance issues? To ensure team members are clear about their roles and responsibilities, it is often useful to methodically raise questions that will help them to evaluate possible issues and devise solutions themselves. This is done by action learning. It helps a team to conduct a project with continuous improvements, assistance where needed and ongoing feedbacks.   The team will have a definition of the actual issue and appropriate awareness and solutions. This helps to understand organisational change and understand throughout a work group culture. It brings along new ideas and skills beneficial for the organisation. The team develops values such as openness, trust, collaboration, team spirit and cultural diversity and respect. Action learning highlights that mistakes do occur and helps the team to tolerate and action them. Likewise, action learning can be used to identify under-performance issues. An effective and quick strategy is to make sure that any changes do not deviate from the actual operational and strategic plan. Action learning helps to identify and recognise these changes with appropriate solutions. However, problems do not always arise from the process. There are many external factors that may interrupt the dynamics of action learning such as attitude, conflicted understanding or another group with performance issues. Performance Criteria: Plan and implement systems to ensure that mentoring and coaching are provided to support individuals and teams to effectively, economically and safely use resources Activity 3.4.1 What strategies do you or could you use to implement systems which ensure that mentoring and coaching are provided to team members in a safe, productive and economical manner? External parties to coach staff may be time consuming and expensive. Sometimes, it is best to allocate a mentor in order to save on cost and time. The mentor may need to perform a skill gap analysis to spot any gaps in performance, devise and demonstrate the desired expectations of performance to meet goals and eliminate any gaps. In order to be productive, mentors need to focus on their team and support each individuals growth. The manager needs to also identify whether the problem comes from the unawareness of the team regarding the goals or whether it is from a specific individual performance. If the issue comes from performance, coaches should be used to teach the group. On the other hand, if the issue is from a behavioural standard such as lack of confidence, then a mentor must be allocated to cater the specific individual need to improve his performance. This is safe and productive as mentors have specific targets to improve the success and performance of an individual and coac hes deliver skills to tackle tasks, challenges and works expectations. Both coaches and mentors are usually selected from members within the organisation. This is because they already understand the dynamics of the workplace and have the skills required to change performance challenges. It is important for both mentors and coaches to provide ongoing feedback and support the staff members. Coaches are normally leaders that need to use their authority to make sure all workers comply with the expected standard of performance. Their coaching is rather task related and will expect the individual to perform at the required level to improve their knowledge, skills and abilities to perform a task. Performance Criteria: Negotiate recommendations for variations to operational plans and gain approval from designated persons/groups Activity 3.5.1 From what stakeholders within your organisation or area of activity would you need to gain agreement and or endorsement from for variations to operational plans? Prior to gaining agreement or endorsement for operational plans, it is important to consult the following team for approval The policy and procedure committee depending on its relevance Standards committee in association with the topic that is involved The workplace healthy and safety manager and advisor to maintain a safe environment while undertaking these variations in the operational plan The board of executives for approval: CEO, coordinators, director of nursing and managers The staff of the designated department to make sure the operational plans is well understood prior to commencement Performance Criteria: Develop and implement systems to ensure that procedures and records associated with documenting performance are managed in accordance with organisational requirements Activity 3.6.1 What sort of records an information are required for the operational plan for your organisation or area of activity? Documentation is the main form of records in our organisation. In the healthcare industry, it is important to maintain ongoing documentation. This applies in the human resource sector, the billing sector, the booking sector, the nursing department and others. Records of the improvement processes help to measure performance and also innovation. Documentation such as operational plans, strategic goals, contingency plans, job advertisement, quality improvements, staff appraisals, leaves approval and the care of patients are highly recommended. For every step, there are specific forms designated to assist the organisation in keep records. Once completed with the approval, these forms are kept as per the policy of the organisation and filed away. For instance, any medical records go through a system of scanning and software storage for an indefinite period. This is safe with an optimum level of security   which is electronically verified.   Future generations can access these document s anytime and some data may be important not only for improvements but raising awareness of previous mistakes, so history doesnt get repeated.