Final Stat Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Final Stat - Assignment Example Work: Since the Q3 for Quiz 1 is 95 and Q3 for Quiz 2 is 90. Quiz 2 has 25% of students 90 and above whereas the Quiz 1 has Q3 as 95 which means 90 starts even before Q3. So Quiz 1 has more students whose score is 90 and above. Work: Since the Q2 for Quiz 1 is 60 and Q2 for Quiz 2 is 50. Quiz 1 has 50% of students below 60 whereas the Quiz 2 has Q2 as 50 which means some students above this range has below score 60. So it is more than 50% Here n(A)=200 and n(B)=100 and n(Aï€  Ã¯Æ'‡B)=80; P(A)=n(A)/N=200/1000=0.2, P(B)=n(B)/N=100/1000=0.1 and P(Aï€  Ã¯Æ'‡B)=n(Aï€  Ã¯Æ'‡B)/N=80/1000=0.08. The probability that a randomly selected junior is taking at least one of these two courses is given by (a) Since the opponent’s serves which she is able to return is the no. of trials , it is 10 and she is able to return is treated as success it is 30% and p=0.3, the probability of success and q=1- probability of failure=1-p=0.7 Given that xïÆ'  N(10,2) and define a standard normal variable z=(x- ÃŽ ¼)/ÏÆ'=(x-10)/2 which follows N(0,1) so that the probabilities can be obtained form a standard normal table. P(10

Canadian Photographer Edward Burtynsky Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Canadian Photographer Edward Burtynsky - Essay Example The current debates regarding global environmental conservation and sustainable living have substantially drawn inspiration and encouragement from Burtynsky’s images and photographs. After being awarded TED prize in 2005, one of his important wishes was the establishment of an environmental conservation website that will help young children to learn and develop the habit of going green at their tender age (TED, 2). This paper discusses the life of Edward Burtynsky, as well as his contributions to industrial landscape photography. Burtynsky was born in 1955 in Ontario, Canada. His parents were immigrants from Ukraine and at the age of 11, his father bought cameras and a dark room for making largely black and white photographic prints. He studied photography and graphic arts in his hometown and first attained a diploma in graphic arts at Niagra College before graduating with a degree in photographic arts at Ryerson University. Burtynsky’s interest in landscape photography was particularly inspired by his childhood experiences such as exposure to the areas around the General Motors plant where his father worked. He consequently developed a strong passion for the global industrial landscape and began to explore most parts of the industrial world to identify and photograph some of the unique industrial and manufacturing landscapes. With the recent technological advancements and industrial development, nature has significantly transformed and this is the central theme of Burtynsky’s works. The photographic works of Burtynsky have been exhibited both in solo, as well as in numerous group exhibitions across several parts of the United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe. Additionally, some of his famous prints are currently housed in corporate, public, as well as in private collections in several parts of the world. The major museums that exhibit Burtynsky’s works include the Canadian National Gallery, Guggenheim Museum in New York and Biblioth eque Museum in Paris (Koch 2). Generally, throughout his career as an artist, Burtynsky was awarded several fellowships and awards. Most of the famous artworks were photographic images of landscapes that had been altered by industrial development. For example, some of the sites depicted in the photographs included quarry sites, mine tailings, and scrap piles. The beauty of Burtynsky’s photographs was particularly achieved through the contrast and tension created by depicting compromised environments. He also toured several parts of the world, including China, to photograph some of the landscapes that had been altered by industrial development and construction industry such as the Three Gorges Dam. The success of Burtynsky’s artistic photography was large as a result of the numerous experiences he accumulated that ranged from ranged from exposure to various images and sites to photographic work development. As a result, his photographic imagery explored the intimate lin k between industry and nature by combining the various elements of manufacturing, mining, quarrying, oil production, shipping, as well as water recycling. Most of these places provided unique scenery which depicted beauty and a sense of humanity which significantly contrasted with the expectations of the viewers. The images and landscape photographs of Edward Burtynsky were diverse and mostly ranged from altered landscapes due to industrial activity, mountains, mining sites, and rivers.

Are Treaties a Better Source of International Law?

Are Treaties a Better Source of International Law? International treaty obligations are founded upon the maxim pacta sunt servanda (â€Å"pacts must be respected†). This is expressly recognised in the Preamble to the Vienna Convention[1] which â€Å"notes† that the principles of free consent and good faith and the pacta sunt servanda rule are â€Å"universally recognisedâ€Å". However, it might be argued that such a Convention is more a recognition of the status quo than an innovative development in international law. Article 2(1)(a) of the Convention defines a treaty as â€Å"an international agreement concluded between States in written form and governed by international law, whether embodied in a single instrument or in two or more related instruments and whatever its particular designation [emphasis supplied].† This immediately draws attention to the fact that the term â€Å"treaty† is more generic than specific and covers a range of international agreements which might equally be referred to by such terms as protocols, covenants or conventions. The impact of treaties upon domestic legislation varies according to jurisdiction. The contrast is frequently drawn between the position in the US and the UK. In the former, the treaty-making power is vested under the Constitution in the President but he requires the â€Å"advice and consent† of two-thirds of the members of the Senate present and voting. In the United Kingdom it is argued that the making of treaties is an exercise of prerogative power. This is controversial: it might be suggested that prerogative power can only be exercised by the Crown. However, the preferred approach might be that of Dicey who suggests that a prerogative act is any act of government that is not authorised by statute. However, it should be noted that there is a degree of Parliamentary control. First, there exists the so-called â€Å"Ponsonby Rule† which applies to treaties which have been negotiated and signed but have not come into effect because they have not in terms of internationa l law been ratified by the parties. Under this rule, the government must notify Parliament of the treaty and must not ratify it save in cases of urgency until 21 parliamentary days have elapsed. Second, Parliament may restrict the power of the executive to enter into treaties by expressly providing that they require parliamentary consent. Finally, the making of a treaty does not automatically ensure its application in domestic law. It was held in A-G for Canada v A-G for Ontario[2] that â€Å"the making of a treaty s an executive act, while the performance of its obligations, if they entail alteration of the existing domestic law, requires legislative action.† Further, it was held in Rayner (Mincing Lane) Ltd v Department of Trade[3] that â€Å"except to the extent that a treaty becomes incorporated into the laws of the United Kingdom by statute, the courts†¦have no power to enforce treaty rights and obligations at the behest of a sovereign government or at the behest o f a private individual†. This analysis reveals treaties as having a somewhat uncertain foundation when it comes to their implementation in the states involved. This dilemma was illustrated in the controversial instance of the Maastricht Treaty on European Union and led to a challenge to the treaty-making power of the executive in R v Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs ex p Rees Mogg[4]. The treaty was to come into effect upon ratification by the Member States. In the UK there was substantial opposition to the treaty on all sides of the House and the issue raised in the litigation was whether the government had the power to ratify the treaty without such approval. The British government took the allegedly â€Å"safe† course of not referring the treaty under the Ponsonby Rules arguing instead that its ratification was an exercise of prerogative power. The Queen’s Bench Division held that this decision was not susceptible to judicial review. By contrast it might be argued that customary law is a far more amorphous concept. In international law, customary law refers to the legal norms that have developed through the regular exchanges which have occurred between states over time. Such norms gain their acceptance from agreement upon certain universal values. Two easily cited examples might be genocide or slavery which are generally held to be unacceptable behaviour by civilised nations. However, Alder[5] is sceptical: â€Å"The influence of customary values is not necessarily benevolent and custom may become dead wood but still inhibit legal change.† He cites as an example the fact that although an extension of the franchise took place during the late nineteenth century, the advance of female suffrage was inhibited by the fact that the courts refused to interpret the legislative use of the word â€Å"person† as including women. It is therefore submitted that the attempt to determine whether treaties are a better source of international law than custom is misguided. As might be observed from the above argument, treaties while possessing a high-sounding title are often little more than an attempt to formalise customary obligations that already exist between states. The division is further blurred if one pauses to consider the manner in which treaties are interpreted. Article 31 of the Vienna Convention is framed in extraordinarily wide terms: â€Å"1. A treaty shall be interpreted in good faith in accordance with the ordinary meaning to be given to the terms of the treaty in their context and in the light of its object and purpose.† Article 32 which deals with â€Å"supplementary means of interpretation† broadens the scope of interpretation still further: â€Å"Recourse may be had to supplementary means of interpretation, including the preparatory work of the treaty and the circumstances of its conclusion, in order to confirm the meaning resulting from the application of Article 31, or to determine the meaning when the interpretation according to Article 31: (a) leaves the meaning ambiguous or obscure; or (b) leads to a result which is manifestly absurd or unreasonable.† This blurs the distinction between treaties and custom still further since it leads to a situation in which a treaty can be interpreted so widely as to allow almost any meaning to be placed upon it thus further undermining its status as a definitive document. Finally, a further respect in which the status of treaties as an authoritative source of international law is undermined stems from the manner in which treaty obligations can be ended. Obligations in international law are regarded as arising from the consent of the contracting parties rather than from externally established norms that can be held to be permanently binding. Part IV of the Convention regulates the â€Å"Amendment and Modification of Treaties† and makes it clear that consensus is required for a treaty to remain in force. However, Article 43 is, it is submitted, highly significant: â€Å"The invalidity, termination or denunciation of a treaty, the withdrawal of a party from it, or the suspension of its operation, as a result of the application of the present Convention or of the provisions of the treaty, shall not in any way impair the duty of any State to fulfil any obligation embodied in the treaty to which it would be subject under international law independently of the treaty [emphasis supplied].† It may be argued that this provision fatally undermines the status of treaties: in effect, while treaties might rise and fall effectively at the will of the participating states, international legal obligations remain. It may be questioned, therefore, whether treaties should enjoy any real legal status or whether they should more accurately be regarded as a species of diplomacy and little more than a temporary statement of intent within the prevailing foreign policy of the parties. In conclusion, therefore, it may be suggested that while treaties have become a commonplace within international law, they should not be accorded the status with which domestic legislation, for example, is regarded. If this premise is accepted, the role of custom in international law becomes more prominent. As has been seen, it is custom that truly informs international law. Indeed, it is possible to argue that so-called â€Å"international law† is no more than the recognition of established norms between sovereign and independent states. International law cannot be regarded as stemming from any recognisable international legislature and is enforceable only as a result of the acquiescence of the states involved. In the final analysis, it might be better to dispense with the concept of â€Å"international legislation† and concentrate instead upon the agreed rules of behaviour between states. In this regard, custom becomes far more influential in determining international obligations and treaties for all their written formality and supposed authority should be regarded as little more than a written record of customary rules. Bibliography Alder, J., General Principles of Constitutional and Administrative Law, (4th Ed., 2002) Allen, M. Thompson, B., Cases and Materials on Constitutional and Administrative Law, (7th Ed., 2003) Barnett, H., Constitutional and Administrative Law, (5th Ed., 2004) Bradley, A. Ewing, K., Constitutional and Administrative Law, (13th Ed., 2003) International and Comparative Law Quarterly Merrills, J., International Dispute Settlement, (4th Ed., 2005) United Nations, Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, (1969) Westlaw Footnotes [1] United Nations, Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, (1969) [2] [1937] AC 326 at 347 [3] [1990] 2 AC 418 at 477 [4] [1994] QB 552 [5] Alder, J., General Principles of Constitutional and Administrative Law, (4th Ed., 2002), p.42 What Is Public Health Health? What Is Public Health Health? Wanless (2004, p.27 [online]) defines public health as the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts and informed choices of society, organisations, communities and individuals. From this definition we can establish that the main focus of public health is to reduce health inequalities with the key concepts being to protect the public from transmissible diseases, improving service provision and to promote the health of the population (Naidoo and Wills, 2005, p.8). Health promotion and public health are intricately linked as the idea behind health promotion is to encourage individuals to have greater control over the decisions that affect their overall health. Health is a difficult term to define as people have different perceptions of what being healthy means and it is linked to the way people live their lives. The most common definition of health was set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948, which suggests that health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO, 2003 [online]). This definition suggests that health is the achievement and maintenance of physical fitness and mental stability however, each individual is unique so the term health varies from person to person and can therefore be a number of ideas that people have in their minds at different times of their lives (Pearson, 2002, p.45). Discuss the following key concepts in public health: Health inequalities The particular challenges that clients living in poverty face in relation to improving their health. Health inequalities can be described as the variation in the health status or the health gap between the socio-economic classes. Evidence suggests that there is a link between health and wealth, where people in the upper socio-economic classes have more chance of avoiding illness and living longer than those in the lower socio-economic classes and as a result, mortality rates are greater for the lower social classes than for the higher social classes (Marmot, 2010, p.16 [online] ; Acheson, 1998 [online]). Mortality rates are a useful indicator when assessing health inequalities because of its sensitivity to social conditions and even though the life expectancy years of individuals have increased, the life expectancy gap between the social classes has continued to exist (Marmot, 2010, p.45 [online]). The contributing factors to this life expectancy gap includes issues such as poor diet, obesity, smoking and higher drug and alcohol consumption (Marmot, 2010, p.37 [online]) and despite the reduction measures previously taken, this health gap between the wealthiest and the poorest continues to increase (Triggle, 2010 [online]). Access to health care services have also been reported as uneven (Acheson, 1998 [online]) however, an individuals health can be adversely affected by more factors than just the availability of healthcare and these other factors include gender, ethnic groups, religion, age, geographical location, residential deprivation, education, occupation and economic conditions (Marmot, 2010, p.39 [online]). Many of these factors can independently affect health however, those in the lower socio-economic classes tend to be disadvantaged by most, if not all, of them and the combination of these factors can lead to a significantly higher health burden for those who are living in poverty (DoH, 2010, p.15). Poverty is when individuals, families and groups do not have the income needed for the minimum standard of living and poverty can be measured as relative or absolute (Alcock, 2006, p.64). Relative poverty is when the income received is less than the average income for the country, where access to goods and services are limited compared to the rest of society and absolute poverty is where the level of income is below the required amount to afford a decent living or be able to sustain human life and as a result, only the bare minimum levels of food, clothing and shelter can be afforded (Alcock, 2006, p.64). Without sufficient money, people are less able to provide themselves and their families with adequate housing, nutrition, clothing and heating. People who live in poverty are also less likely to have the means to travel to specialist clinics and hospitals which may mean that they are less likely to attend appointments or take advantage of health screening opportunities (Kozier, 2008 , p.133). Identify a contemporary public health issue and describe its health consequences. Obesity is a term which is used to describe a condition where an individual is carrying excess body fat (WHO, 2011 [online]). It is a complex modern health problem facing society today which has both personal and economic consequences. In the UK alone the economic cost of obesity prevention, management and its consequences such as, premature death and employment absence is estimated at up to  £4.2billion per annum and is continuing to rise (DoH, 2010, p.20). As such, obesity prevention has become a public health priority, with significant focus being given to childhood obesity (DoH, 2008, p.27). Children who are obese are likely to suffer both short term and long term adverse health effects, such as increased blood pressure and hyperlipidaemia (NOF, 2011 [online]). They are also at greater risk of developing diabetes, coronary heart disease or even metabolic syndrome prematurely (WHO, 2011 [online]) and as a result, they tend to have a shorter life expectancy (DoH, 2008, p.2). Obese and overweight children also have a tendency to suffer poor psychosocial health and are therefore particularly susceptible to emotional stress, stigmatisation, discrimination and prejudice (NOF, 2011 [online]), which also increases the chances of children suffering with low self-esteem, depression and eating disorders (BMA, 2005, p.8 [online]). One of the biggest concerns of childhood obesity is that it is likely to continue on into adulthood (Coleman, 2007, p.71). Select a health promotion model and discuss how it applies to your chosen public health issue. The prevention of obesity is easier than the treatment and prevention relies heavily on education, therefore for this issue the education model will be used. The aim of this approach is to give information to ensure that each individual has the knowledge and a basic understanding about obesity, which allows the individuals to make informed choices about their own lifestyles (Ewles and Simnett, 2003, p.44). A good example of this approach is the school health education programmes, which not only increases the childs knowledge but also helps the child to the learn skills of healthy living (Ewles and Simnett, 2003, p.44). Educational programmes could also be targeted at the parents and could involve the promotion of breastfeeding, the delaying of weaning onto solid foods to infants and building an awareness of the types of foods that are available within home. Parental education could also focus around building the self-esteem of the child and an understanding of how to address the childs psychological issues. Education in early childhood could also include information about healthy diets, workshops (which could include food tasting) and physical activity (NICE, 2006, p.75 [online]). Identify public health strategies relating to this public health issue at the following levels: Local National and Global The rise in obesity combined with the increased public awareness has prompted new public health initiatives. The white paper Healthy weight, healthy lives, in conjunction with the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance, sets out guidelines for action on obesity (DoH, 2008 ; NICE, 2006 [online]). Policies and strategies were introduced following the recommendations outlined in these papers and were developed with the main focus being to assist in the prevention and management of obesity and to encourage healthy eating and physical activity (NICE, 2006 [online]). These strategies include school based educational and physical activity programmes and public health messages through the media such as, television, radio, poster campaigns and leaflet distribution. Local authorities have developed strategies which tackle obesity from a local level. A great example of a local initiative within the northeast is Medal Motion, which encourages children to walk or cycle to school whilst also working towards preventing obesity (Local Motion, 2011 [online]). Each locality has different needs and local strategies that are in place have been developed in conjunction with government initiatives and influenced by national policy such as, healthy schools. National interventions include the five a day scheme which encourages people to eat more fruit and vegetables, extended from this is the school fruit and vegetable scheme which helps increase the childs awareness of the importance of eating fruit and vegetables (NHS, 2011 [online]). Change4life is another example of a nationwide initiative which was launched to improve childrens diets, increase their physical activity and which, in turn, improves their chances of living longer, healthier lives (NHS Northeast, 2011 [online]). The national child measurement programme is a national strategy which requires school nurses to weigh and measure all four to five year olds and ten to eleven year olds annually, this monitors prevalence and evaluates obesity reduction strategies (DoH, 2011 [online]). Other national initiatives include Sure Start, school sports programmes, simplified food package labelling and the regulation of television advertising on childrens channels. The WHO has launched a major consultation into the diet-related disease and stated that their global strategy would focus on diet, physical activity and health (WHO, 2004 [online]). This global preventative strategy includes reducing the childs energy intake and improving their intake of nutritional foods, increasing physical activity and reducing time spent in sedentary behaviour, such as watching television (WHO, 2004 [online]). The WHO developed a framework and implementation toolkit which is used to monitor and evaluate their Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (WHO, 2008 [online]). Following on from this framework, the WHO called on governments to take action against food marketing to children and to regulate marketing messages that promote unhealthy dietary practices (WHO, 2007, p.9 [online]). Give an example of how nurses can improve health for this issue The recent white paper called Healthy Lives, Healthy People (DoH, 2010) sets out guidelines for healthcare professionals to support individuals to make their own decisions and choices about their health. Nurses can optimise their role by offering health promotion to individuals who seek help and support in relation to obesity, whilst acting as an advocate for healthy lifestyles and ensuring the clinical environment supports and encourages children to make healthy choices. Healthcare professionals, especially school nurses, are ideally placed to identify if a child is overweight and screening, parental support and health promotion activities should be routinely addressed where possible. Children and families should be offered support to manage weight sensibly, by discussing small incremental changes in family behaviours, and by making any necessary referrals for specialist investigation, psychological help or specific dietician advice (NICE, 2006, p.49 [online]). It is vitally important that the nurse possesses the necessary skills and adequate knowledge on healthy eating in order to educate children and their families (NICE, 2006, p.44 p.101 [online]). Additionally, the necessary resources should be readily available such as advice leaflets, to pass on to parents to aid in the communication and teaching process. Evidence suggests that when talking to children and families about obesity and food behaviours, that problem-solving techniques can have some success (Ewles, 2005, p.95) and as such, nurses can interpret when and where eating patterns become an issue and can therefore offer advice and guidance on how to manage in difficult situations (NICE, 2006, p.148 [online]). Why do people find it difficult to engage in health improvement interventions? A number of factors can inhibit access to healthcare such as language, age, attitudes to healthcare, disabled access, financial barriers and geographical location (Kozier, 2008, p.133). A geographical barrier can be that some patients may have to travel long distances for certain services or to receive specific treatments. The travel costs for these services may be relatively high and access to transport may also be limited. There is also the issue of the postcode lottery of healthcare services where some treatments are only available in certain parts of the country and not in others, such as the Herceptin postcode lottery (Kozier, 2008, p.133). Cost also affects most individuals as some services are not free, such as dental treatment and eye tests and some individuals also have to pay prescription charges which can lead to illnesses being left untreated, as some people afford to pay for their prescriptions. Additionally, due to limited income, some individuals may not have access to the internet and therefore may not be able to access certain services such as Choose and Book, which is primarily an internet based appointment booking service. Other issues that can inhibit access to healthcare include the cost of health insurance, lack of knowledge and awareness and lack of a support network.

Herman Melville Essay -- Biography

Many American novelists appeared during the harsh times that slavery existed. Herman Melville was one of them. Dying as one of the most unknown authors, his works came again and had major success. Despite not gaining major success during Melville’s time and receiving harsh criticism as well, Herman Melville remains one of the most important American novelists for his use of reoccurring themes and discrete symbols within his works. Born in New York in August 1819 (Szumski 13), Melville was full of imagination and his father’s treasures added to his creative mind (Robertson 33). Melville’s father was extremely successful, therefore giving Melville an advantage in life at an early age (Szumski 14). When his father passed shortly after the downfall of his company, Melville got multiple jobs to provide for his poor family (Szumski 14). Melville was just 12 when his father had passed away (Szumski 13). He felt even more pressure due to his older brother’s achievements as he already struggled with the desire to gain acceptance (Robertson 34). Herman Melville attended a strict New York Male High School and, ironically, struggled at a young age to read and write (Bengtsson). He had difficulty gaining approval of family members and his father once said, â€Å"Your little protà ©gà © Herman, although a monitor at the High School, is rather indisposed this evening.† (Robertson 35). Regardless of the negative feedback towards Melville himself, he never gave up trying to win the acknowledgement and acceptance of his family (Padilla). At just 20 year old, Melville went on his first journey across the sea; this was the start of his significant inspiration for years to come (Robertson 34). Sailing from New York to Liverpool would begin t... ...layed out in his lifetime (Spark notes). Some say that Benito Cereno is expressing Melville’s apprehensiveness on the topic of slavery and slavery itself (Spark notes). People overall felt great rigor in his works with the way Melville presented his characters and the motives of those characters (Bloom 33). They had a good idea that the readers of Melville were represented as the lawyer in Benito Cereno. Many of his readers noted that many of the characters had multiple sides to themselves which made it difficult to follow along. Although some found it hard to keep up with, they still pointed out many uses of Melville as a hidden symbol (Bloom 34). Although Melville went through troubling times and received harsh criticism, his works will remain some of the best novels ever written because of their unique structure, basis, and inspiration for his stories.

CASTLE’S FAMILY RESTAURANT: HRIS NEEDS ASSESSMENT Essay

Introduction Jay Morgan, an Operations and HR Manager for Castle’s Family Restaurant has asked Preston’s HR consulting firm for a HRIS application proposal that will reduce the time spent traveling between the Castle’s Family Restaurants eight restaurants in the northern California area and help him complete his HR tasks in a cost-effective manner while allowing Mr. Morgan to do part of his HR tasks from his office. The following paragraphs provide a business assessment, detailing the type and size of Castle’s Family Restaurant, the identified HR problems, and a HRIS needs assessment. I have concluded with a brief overview and closed with why a HRIS application is the right strategic choice for Castle’s Family Restaurant. Business Assessment Castle’s Family Restaurant is part of the restaurant industry which according to the National Restaurant Association (2013) is now 13.1 million employees strong, and expected to increase 9.8 percent to 14.4 million by 2023. Castle’s Family Restaurant’s mission is to promote customer loyalty by providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value and to promote employee loyalty through leadership training, promotion, benefits, and rewards. Castle’s Family restaurant currently employee’s approximately 300-340 employees of which 40% is full time; in the eight restaurants owned in the northern California area. Currently Jay Morgan is both operations  manager and HR manager for the eight restaurants in which time and money is spent traveling between the eight restaurants to manually complete each restaurants HR tasks. Sales have shown improvement over the past ten years since Castle’s Family Restaurant opened up their doors, but contin ue to struggle with employee satisfaction that accounts for the increased turnover rates the company has experienced in the past two years. It is the mission of the company to not only satisfy their customers needs but also their employee’s and therefore it is imperative that the necessary means be taken to decrease the increased employee turnover rates. Identified Problems Castle’s Family Restaurant’s concerns over the past two years are with the increased employee turnover rates. Even though sales have increased Castle’s Family Restaurant is concerned with future revenue and profitability, low workplace moral, and deteriorating product and service quality which are negative impacts from high employee turnover rates. In order to reduce turnover rates more attention must be given to employee training, promoting, benefits, and rewards. Right now Mr. Morgan is spending time and money traveling among the eight restaurants in order to manage scheduling, recruiting, hiring, payroll, and answering employee’s questions; leaving little to no time for developing the employee’s. By automating HR tasks Mr. Morgan can travel less, spend less, and have more time developing the employee’s which in turn will reduce employee turnover rates. Scheduling software can help automate the process of assigning the right number of emplo yees to perform the tasks that need to be performed on each workday and during each meal service. Workflow software will aid in the hiring process by allowing applicants to fill out applications online, upload documents, and allow criteria’s to be set weed out prospects. Even though one-on-one training is important, technology can be used to track the development of employees and also be used in ways of training videos and manuals. Automating payroll will reduce the time spent on them and help avoid mistakes that can lead to legal repercussions. Specialized software exists for both payroll calculation and tips reporting; which exist in the restaurant industry. Such software can help Mr. Morgan by automatically calculating payroll while remaining in compliance with the relevant legislation, make it easier to enter payroll data into databases where it  can be searched, and save time that would’ve been wasted on manual calculation. Payroll software can also help with ot her measures such as directly depositing paychecks into employees’ bank accounts. Though, I believe that each HR tasks listed above could benefit the company if automated, it is in the best interest of Mr. Morgan and Castle’s Family Restaurant to automate payroll to reduce errors and compliance issues and also free up some time which can be used for employee development. HRIS Needs Assessment Currently Mr. Morgan uses Excel spreadsheets and a computer application to print payroll checks. He spends on the average eight hours to process payroll for the approximant 300-340 Castle’s Family Restaurant employees. Without schedule software each manager at the eight restaurants have to print weekly schedules and make changes as necessary throughout the week; increasing errors. Mr. Morgan enters the schedules in the Excel spreadsheets which he relies on his knowledge of Excel to make the correct calculations. An automated time keeping system will track employee hours and pay hourly employees accordingly; it will also allow Mr. Morgan to import employee hours into payroll software which will compute the time worked; which saves Mr. Morgan time from having to manually calculate employee’s payments and deductions. Automated payroll is also a record keeper which the â€Å"IRS requires employers to keep employment tax records for a minimum of four years. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Labor requires payroll records to be kept for at least three years† (Grace, 2014). With a HRIS application Castle’s Family Restaurant can connect all eight restaurants in the northern California area. HRIS will assist Castle’s Family Restaurant in two major areas: recording and recruiting. HRIS will allow the company to invest more time and money in their most valuable resource their employees. Conclusion It is without a doubt that Castle’s Family Restaurant is in need of Automating HR tasks in order to save time and money while keeping their customers and employee’s satisfied; because we all know that if the employee is not happy, neither is the customer. It is my suggestion that payroll be the first HR function to be automated. By Automating payroll time is saved,  errors are reduced; payments and deductions, and records are kept while keeping in compliance with state and federal regulations. Reference Grace, N., (2014). What are the Benefits of Automating a Payroll System? Chron. Hearst Newspapers. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-automating-payroll-system-2126.html National Restaurant Association. (2013). Jobs & Careers Powerhouse. Retrieved from http://www.restaurant.org/Industry-Impact/Employing-America/Jobs-Careers-Powerhouse

Communication Style Case Study Essay

Communication style can vary among individuals. Common communication types include assertive, passive, and aggressive. Assertive individuals communicate confidently and speak up for themselves. Aggressive individuals communicate with verbal attacks; they speak their feelings without regard to others, often in a condescending manner riddled with superiority tones. Passive individuals communicate out of fear of displeasing others; they avoid conflict often denying their own feelings or needs (Hansten, 2009). This paper will be discussing three case studies and a scenario from my own personal experience. In the first case study Rashad was passive and Robin was aggressive. Rashad an aide and Robin a RN attended a team meeting. Rashad spoke about role clarification during the meeting stating that he thought it was part of his role to anticipate some of the needs of the patients. Robin was aggressive with her tone toward Rashad and disregarded his feelings and undermined his ability to do his job. Robin stated that he was only an aide and that he should only do what he is told. Rashad then planned on being passive-aggressive toward Robin in the future by not doing his job on his own, and only doing the things he was told to do. Robin’s condescending manner when speaking to Rashad did not take into account his feelings and she spoke with a sense of superiority. Rashad, fearing losing his job if he defended against her assault, was passive and quiet while devising a plan to make her pay for the way she treated him. This type of communication between Robin and Rashad is toxic and will lead to vengefulness and hostility among coworkers. Robin could have been assertive and clarified the role of RN and aide and the expectations of both parties. Rashad could have been assertive by being confident enough to stand up for his rights and expressing his feelings a bout how Robin treated him. The second case study a school nurse named Pamela was passive or non-assertive  when dealing with a volunteer Brigite who had administered some vision and hearing tests. Pamela noticed that the previous screens results and the results from the tests that Brigite administered differed. Pamela was concerned that they were not accurate. Instead of communicating to Brigite, and possible educating Brigite on proper technique for administering the tests, Pamela decided to redo all of the tests herself. This passive type of communication lead to a lot more work for Pamela and denied Brigite the opportunity to learn. If Pamela had communicated assertively with Brigite they could have retested the students together; with Brigite learning proper technique and building a trusting relationship between Brigite and Pamela. When dealing with delegated tasks, being assertive about how to do the task with clear expectations can build a trusting relationship among staff. Failure to be assertive lead s to one party feeling like they need to do all the work; this can lead to overtime, burn out, and decreased job satisfaction. The party who was denied the opportunity to learn because of the fear of the delegatee may feel underappreciated or not a part of the team. Feeling that you have to do it all for it to get done correctly can lead to multiple people being dissatisfied with their job. In case study three, Rosa is a surgical center manager and Mabel is a surgical technician. Mabel was aggressive to Rosa with regards to her job description by stating that her grandparent was the chairman on the board and that she would have Rosa’s head on a platter. Rosa was assertive in making sure that Mabel knew that what she was refusing to do was in her job description. Managers need to be assertive and treat everyone fairly regardless of who they know or are related to. Not being assertive with Mabel could have lead to hard feelings among other coworkers. Mabel’s aggressive behavior was threatening to Rosa; not only to Rosa’s authority but for her job in general. Mabel may feel entitled due to her grandparent’s role on the board, or she may just be a lazy employee, but whatever her motivation she has created a difficult situation for her manager. Rosa needs to continue to have the confidence to remain assertive in order to maintain the respect she needs to do her managerial duties effectively. If Rosa becomes passive and lets Mabel manipulate her, she will lose the respect of the employees she manages. In my own personal scenario I was dealing with an aggressive family member whose mother was very ill and the prognosis was poor. I had to remain  assertive and not let my feelings of anger get the best of me. This family member had been caring for her mother at home for about a year. When her mother was brought to the hospital she was emaciated, weighing only 70 pounds, she had 17 pressure sores, aspiration pneumonia, and was contracted into the fetal position. The patient flinched every time her daughter came near. Although Adult Protective Services had been notified, the daughter (family member in question) was allowed to stay with the patient. Any time a staff member would try to do any care for her mother the daughter wou ld aggressively try to tell us how to do our jobs, and made accusations that we were the ones who created the sores. She often sabotaged dressing changes but inserting herself into the process often contaminating the area. Despite her aggression the staff remained assertive that we were trained to do our jobs, and that we were following policy. I was the patient’s nurse on the day that she was rapidly declining after her lung collapsed and she was actively having a heart attack. The patient’s daughter became very aggressive with me and I had to be very assertive. The daughter wanted the patient deep suctioned; she was sure that would fix her. I had to continue to be assertive and explain that suctioning would not help in this case but could make her mother worse. I involved respiratory therapy and the doctor; we had a meeting before meeting with the patient’s daughter to explain the severity of the situation. We were able to medicate the patient and the patient calmed down with her breathing. At this point the daughter accepted what the situation was and thanked me for helping her mother. I saw an opportunity to sit down beside the daughter and discuss realistic expectations and set some boundaries. By remaining confident and assertive and involving the team to join I gained the daughters trust, therefore decreasing her aggressive behavior. If I had been passive or avoidant the patient would have suffered. If I had gotten defensive and aggressive the patient would have suffered. By having good communication skills the situation was diffused and all parties came to an agreement. If I could do it over again I would have set boundaries earlier. I felt that the daughter was aggressive due to her stage in the grieving process or due to her guilt of her mother deteriorating while in her care. I was assertive when the patient’s daughter became aggressive toward me, but I was also avoidant of conflict by â€Å"choosing my battles.† Among the communication types assertive  communication is the most productive. Passive or aggressive behavior can lead to difficulty managing others, hurt feelings, and stress. To effectively communicate in the healthcare setting, assertive co mmunication is key for dealing with colleagues, patients, and their families. Reference Hansten, R. (2009). Clinical Delegation Skills: a handbook for professional practice. Retrieved from the University of Phoenix eBook collection database.