The Negotiation Strategies In International Business Commerce Essay

In concern relationships, parties negotiate because they think they can act upon the procedure in such a manner that they can acquire a better trade than merely accepting or rejecting what the other party is offering. Ghauri ( 2003 ) says concern dialogue is a voluntary procedure of spring and take where both parties modify their offers and outlooks in order to come closer to each other. In literature, sometimes â€Å" bargaining † and â€Å" dialogue † are used interchangeably. Negotiation, besides called â€Å" integrative bargaining † , refers to win-win dialogue where both or all parties involved can stop up with every bit good or attractive results. In other words, everyone can win. It is more related to a problem-solving attack, where both parties involved perceive the procedure of dialogue as a procedure to happen a solution to a common job. In integrative bargaining nevertheless, if dialogues are non decently handled, both parties can stop up with a jointly inferior trade. With dialogue, it is possible for both parties to accomplish their aims and one party ‘s addition is non dependent upon the other party ‘s grant. Business dialogue is considered by many writers as being this type of dialogue. The power/dependence relation is another basic feature of all dialogue processes. It is closely related to the existent power relation, which is influenced by the value of the relationship to the parties and their available options. Background factors for illustration the market place – can act upon the power/dependence relation. The ability to command a relationship is related to the sensed power of two parties, their comparative expertness and entree to information. This power is a belongings of the relationship and non an property of the histrion ; in fact, it is closely related to dependance. Therefore, the power relationship is in balance if both parties perceive equal power. The power relationship is imbalanced if one of the parties perceives more power, or if one party is dependent on the other. The dramatic growing of international trade over the last five decennaries has been non merely in footings of volume but in complexness every bit good. International sellers are now more and more concern negotiants, who invariably discuss trades across boundary lines with a assortment of people, runing from consumers to mediators and even rivals. Technology frequently plays a major function in such trades and this could misdirect people into believing that the whole dialogue procedure is chiefly an applied scientists ‘ treatment based on rational and scientific facts. In fact, proficient complexness intermingles with human complexness to render such dialogue processes hard to pull off. A considerable sum of literature is available on dialogues, some of it besides on concern dialogues but the field of international concern dialogues is rather neglected. Strategic Negotiations. Richard Walton etal,1994 identify three primary dialogues schemes. These are â€Å" forcing, † â€Å" fosterage, † and â€Å" flight. † Each represents an overarching form of interaction that characterizes the dialogues. A scheme does non emerge all at one time, but over clip as a consequence of consistent forms of interaction. A forcing scheme by and large involves taking a â€Å" distributive † or win/lose attack to the dialogues, combined with a â€Å" divide and conquer † attack to internal dealingss in the other side, and an attitudinal attack that emphasizes uncertainness and misgiving. By contrast, a fosterage scheme by and large involves taking an â€Å" integrative † or win/win attack to the dialogues, combined with a â€Å" consensus † attack to internal dealingss in both sides, and an attitudinal attack that emphasizes openness and apprehension. â€Å" Escape † is a non-negotiations scheme in w hich one or more parties seek to stop or undersell the relationship. Dietmeyer and Kaplan ( 2004 ) utilize a research-based attack to dialogue that assists gross revenues professionals in making their ain concern ends, while guaranting that their clients run into budget and professional aims as well-going beyond win-win to accomplish true, mensurable concern value for all parties at the negociating tabular array. Power and Diplomacy Power. Susan Strange ( 1998 ) brings out that power accrues to those who can offer or deny security ; those who manage the creative activity of wealth by production ; those who create recognition to let or deny other people to pass today and pay back tomorrow ; those who ( myocardial infarction ) manage the currency in which recognition is denominated ; those who have knowledge ( advanced engineering ) which provides military high quality and laterality in other power constructions. John De La Mothe ( 2002 ) , argues that scientific discipline, engineering and invention have long been cardinal factors in the competitory advantage of states. Today, nevertheless, the new international political economic system is being progressively driven by scientific discipline and engineering in new ways. Integration, globalisation and internationalisation have all become war cries for a series of dynamic procedures in which scientific discipline and engineering are profoundly concerned. As a conse quence, non merely are the policies of â€Å" national † authoritiess being exposed in footings of the bounds of their sovereignty, but scientific discipline and engineering are being progressively implicated in a broad array of public issues – runing from security, privateness, development and economic growing to employment, environment, foreign policy and geopolitics. Clearly, in today ‘s rising universe, the ways in which authoritiess organize their scientific discipline and engineering policy, their scientific discipline and engineering intelligence, and their research advisory constructions and resources matter more today than of all time before. Diplomacy. James Rosenau was one of the first to propose that the domestic and international are someway ‘linked ‘ and elaborated upon what he termed ‘linkage political relations ‘ ( 1969 ) . Scholars concentrating on the regional impact of domestic political relations are Karl Deutsch ( 1957 ) and Ernst Haas ( 1958 ) . Haas high spots two types of ‘spillover. ‘ The first type, functional spillover, occurs when cooperation in certain sectors of the economic system ( or society ) creates technocratic force per unit area for cooperation in bordering sectors, thereby impeling integrating frontward. The 2nd type, political spillover, occurs when ongoing cooperation in certain countries empowers supranational functionaries to move as informal political enterprisers in other countries. In order to pull off complex technocratic issues more efficaciously, rational authoritiess must depute discretion to experts, Judgess and administrative officials, thereby making powerful new supranational histrions with an involvement in cooperation. Graham Allison in Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis ( 1971 ) excessively, speaks of an ‘overlap ‘ between international and domestic political relations. In State Power and the Structure of International Trade, Krasner argues that that openness in the universe economic system is most likely to happen â€Å" during periods when a hegemonic province is in its dominance † . Equally long as the province ‘s technological lead is increasing, its leading will comprehend economic advantages to openness, since openness will spread out markets for the merchandises of its technologically sophisticated industries. The hegemon will besides derive politically, since the â€Å" chance costs of closing † will be low, comparative to those confronting smaller and poorer provinces. Conversely, when several big, unevenly developed provinces coexist, Krasner predicts that the more backward provinces will happen openness economically and politically dearly-won and will therefore resist it. Greater trade closing will, hence, consequence ( Keohane 1997 ) . Like Gilpin before him, Krasner excessively stresses on the influence of the Ã¢â‚¬Ë œ strength ‘ of the province on international trade. The important point is the correlativity between what occurs within a province is related to what occurs beyond province boundaries. Robert Putnam in Diplomacy and Domestic Politicss: The Logic of Two Level Games ( 1988 ) argues that domestic constructions and diplomatic negotiations are endlessly entangled and says that the negotiant is under force per unit area to accommodate domestic and international struggles. Putnam ‘s work challenges the ‘level of analysis ‘ attack to analyzing international dealingss which stresses the importance of sorting informations under three bunchs: the systemic, national and the person ( Singer 1961 ) . Mayer ( 1991 ) develops a theoretical account to research the deductions of domestic political divisions for international strategic battle in international trade. He explores the topic by handling international trade as a game and placing the participants and analyzing how they play. The observation that there are several overlapping games being played, a few of them being strategic and others non, is important. Policies such as duty, quotas, and export and produc tion subsidies are the tools used by the participants to derive an advantage in the international strategic trade game ( Krugman 1986 ) . Work on ‘strategic trade policy ‘ physiques on game theoretical theoretical accounts which analyse how provinces use trade policies to leverage their economic public presentation. India and Nanotechnology ( The literature study included, amongst others, a perusing of one-year studies of GOI MOD, DST, CSIR, TIFAC, CII ; back issues ( app 3years ) of Business universe, New Scientist, Hindu Businessline and Business Today. ) GOI enterprises include DST launched Nano Science and Technology Initiative ( NSTI ) with an allotment of Rs. 1000 crore, Government has spent about Rs. 250 crore, over the past five old ages to advance R & A ; D in the country of nanotechnology. 100 research undertakings on the synthesis and assembly of ceramic nanoparticles, nano tubings, nano wires, nanoporous solids, and DNA french friess have been supported by the Government. CII Enterprises have resulted in ; India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Cooperation, Indo-US High Technology Cooperation Group ( HTCG ) , Nanotechnology partnership with Taiwan, a figure of Nanotechnology Conclaves, Nanotechnology Cluster-CMTI, Jharkhand Nanotechnology Initiative, West Bengal Nano Park etc. CII is working closely with the Government of India on US India High-Technology Cooperation Group ( HTCG ) formed on November 2002. The HTCG acts to ease and advance bilateral high-technology trade. The focal point countries of the nucleus group include Information Technology, Defense, Life Sciences and Nanotechnology. Gaining the potency of nanotechnology, HTCG working group on Nanotechnology is formed to ease seamless flow of cognition between both the states and joint development undertakings affecting industries. The Confederation of Indian Industry ( CII ) has put together a 10-point action program to authorise Indian industry to come out with commercial nanotechnology merchandises, which it believes will drive the hereafter of industry worldwide. The action program includes awareness creative activity, preparation and accomplishments development, engineering facilitation and networking and easing collaborative undertakings. The Nano Science and Technology Consortium works to make a platform conducive for the growing, publicity and partnering in the field of Nano Science and Technology taking together industries, faculty members and authorities through consultative, consultative and educative procedures which will supply growing platform for organisations, faculty members and authoritiess for tackling the Nano potency at Global degree. Companies like Samsung have already entered the Indian market with a scope of merchandises utilizing nanotechnology such as icebox, rinsing machine and air-cooler. Samsung uses nano-silver in assorted composings in its merchandise scope. Further, companies like Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals, Mahindra & A ; Mahindra, Nicholas Piramal and Intel have invested around $ 250 million in the domestic market towards this terminal. Yash Nanotech has inked understandings with IIT Mumbai, NCL Pune and the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre of Advanced Research, Bangalore, to set about planetary contract research and set up nanotech fabrication installations. Civil Applications. These can be grouped under four caputs, viz. , sensing, including imagination, detectors and detector webs for the sensing of pathogens and chemicals ; protection, including decontamination equipment and filters, and personal protection ; designation, including anti-counterfeiting and hallmark, forensics, quantum cryptanalysis and the market for forgery and gray goods ; social impacts, including current regulative and ethical models, possible impacts on moralss and human rights, and public perceptual experience. Application in the field of medical specialty is one of the most absorbing countries that include new malignant neoplastic disease therapies, drug bringing systems, and biomaterials for implants or prosthetic device or diagnostic tools, which are under development or already in market. An of import country of application of nanotechnology includes fresh drug bringing techniques, which are quicker & A ; less hazardous, compared to the costs of developing new drugs. Military Applications. These besides flow out from civil applications in countries like ; higher public presentation platforms ( aircraft, ships, bombers, boats and orbiters ) , enhanced feeling through more sensitive and selective detectors, enhanced human public presentation, information laterality through enhanced information engineering, improved battleground casualty direction, lower life rhythm costs with improved stuffs, coatings, and condition-based care etc. Stake holders. The assorted interest holders include ; authoritiess, Industry, Entrepreneurs, R & A ; D, Institutions, Academic Research Institutions, and Society. Case Studies. These can be subdivided into those which pertain to PSUs, R & A ; D constitutions and Defense and the private sector endeavors. The private sector industries which can be studied for dialogues ensuing in assorted types of partnerships/JVs/MOUs/TOTs etc. are listed below: – Measuring devices & A ; equipments: Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd, Icon Analytical equipment. Ltd. , Veeco.Health Care: Dabur Research Foundation, Bharat Biotech International Ltd. , Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. Materials processing: Tata Chemicals, Pune. Reliance India Limited. Car: Mahindra & A ; Mahindra, Tata Motors, United Nanotechnologies Pvt. Ltd. Electronics: Bharat Electronics Ltd, SemIndia Systems, Samtel India.

Bloodlines Chapter Twenty-Five

I HAD MOCKED KEITH when we first came to Palm Springs, teasing him for freezing up around Moroi. But as I stood there now, face-to-face with the stuff of nightmares, I knew exactly how he felt. I had no right to judge anyone for losing all rational thought when confronted with their greatest fears. That being said, if Keith was here, I think he would've understood why Moroi weren't as big a deal to me anymore. Because when compared to Strigoi? Well, suddenly the little differences between humans and Moroi became negligible. Only one difference mattered, the difference between the living and the dead. It was the line that divided us, the line that Adrian and I firmly stood together on one side of – facing those who stood on the other. I had seen Strigoi before. Back then, I hadn't been immediately threatened by them. Plus, I'd had Rose and Dimitri on hand, ready to protect me. Now? There was no one here to save us. Just ourselves. There were only two of them, but it might as well have been two hundred. Strigoi operated at such a different level than the rest of us that it didn't take very many of them to tip the odds. They were both women, and they looked as though they'd been in their twenties when they became Strigoi. How long ago that was, I couldn't guess. Lee had zealously gone on and on about how being Strigoi meant you were â€Å"forever young.† Yet in looking at these two monsters, I didn't really think of them that way. Sure, they had the superficial appearance of youth, but it was marred with evil and decay. Their skin might be wrinkle free, but it was a sickly white, far whiter than any Moroi. The red-ringed eyes that leered out at us didn't sparkle with life and energy, but rather an unholy sort of reanimation. These people weren't right. They weren't natural. â€Å"Charming,† said one, her blond hair in a pixie cut. Her facial structure made me think she'd been a dhampir or human before being turned. She was eyeing us the same way I'd often seen my family's cat watch birds. â€Å"And exactly as described.† â€Å"They're soooo pretty,† crooned the other, a lascivious smile on her face. Her height said she had once been Moroi. â€Å"I don't know which one I want first.† The blonde gave a warning look. â€Å"We'll share.† â€Å"Like last time,† agreed the other, tossing a mane of curly black hair over one shoulder. â€Å"No,† said the first. â€Å"Last time you made both kills. That wasn't sharing.† â€Å"But I let you feed from both afterward.† Before she could counter back, Lee suddenly recovered himself and staggered forward to the blond Strigoi. â€Å"Wait, wait. Dawn. You promised me. You promised you'd awaken me first before you do anything.† The two Strigoi turned their attention to Lee. I was still frozen, still unable to move or really react while being so close to these creatures of hell. But somehow, through the thick and overwhelming terror surrounding me, I still managed to feel small and unexpected pity for Lee. There was a little hate there too, of course, considering the situation. But mostly I felt terribly sorry for someone who truly believed his life was meaningless unless he sacrificed his soul for hollow immortality. Not only that, I felt sorry for him for actually thinking he could trust these creatures to give him what he wanted. Because as I studied them, it was perfectly clear to me that they were deciding whether or not to make this a three-course meal. Lee, I suspected, was the only one who didn't realize this. â€Å"Please,† he said. â€Å"You promised. Save me. Restore me to how I was.† I also couldn't help but notice the small red patch on his face where I'd hit him. I allowed myself to feel a bit of pride over that but wasn't cocky enough to think I possessed any noteworthy fighting skills to battle my way out of this situation. The Strigoi were too close, and our exits were too few. â€Å"I know where more are,† he added, beginning to look uneasy that his â€Å"saviors† weren't immediately jumping in to make his dreams come true. â€Å"One's young – a dhampir.† â€Å"I haven't had a dhampir in a while,† said the curly-haired Strigoi, almost wistfully. Dawn sighed. â€Å"I don't really care, Jacqueline. If you want to awaken him, go for it. I just want these two. He doesn't matter to me.† â€Å"I get the dhampir all to myself, then,† warned Jacqueline. â€Å"Fine, fine,† said Dawn. â€Å"Just hurry up.† Lee turned so radiant, so happy†¦ it was sickening. â€Å"Thank you,† he said. â€Å"Thank you so much! I've been waiting so long for this that I can't believe it's – ahh!† Jacqueline moved so quickly that I hardly saw it happen at all. One moment she was standing in the doorway, the next she had Lee pinned against the recliner. Lee gave out a semi-muffled scream as she bit into his neck, a scream that soon quieted. Dawn shut the door and nudged us forward. I flinched at her touch. â€Å"Well,† she said with amusement. â€Å"Let's get a good view.† Neither Adrian nor I responded. We simply moved into the living room. I dared a glance at him but could discern little. He was so good at hiding his true feelings in general that I supposed I shouldn't be surprised he could mask abject terror just as easily. He offered me no encouragement with either his expression or words, which I actually found kind of refreshing. Because really, I didn't see any good end to this situation. Up close, forced to watch Jacqueline's attack, I could now see the blissful expression that had settled over Lee's face. It was the most awful thing I'd ever witnessed. I wanted to squeeze my eyes shut or turn away, but some force beyond me kept me staring at the grisly spectacle. I'd never seen any vampire feed, Moroi or Strigoi, but I now understood why feeders like Dorothy could so willingly sign up for their lifestyles. Endorphins were being released into Lee's bloodstream, endorphins so strong that they blinded him to the fact that he was having his life drained away. He instead existed in a joyous state, lost in a chemical high. Or maybe he was just thinking about how happy he'd be once he was a Strigoi again, if it was possible to have any sort of conscious thought under these circumstances. I lost track of how long it took to drain Lee. Each moment was agonizing for me, as though I was taking the pain Lee should have been feeling. The process seemed to last forever, and yet there was also a weird sense of speed to it. It felt wrong that someone's body could be drained in so short a time. Jacqueline drank steadily, pausing only once to remark, â€Å"His blood's not as good as I expected.† â€Å"Then stop,† suggested Dawn, who was starting to look bored. â€Å"Just let him die and have these two with me.† Jacqueline looked as though she was actually considering it, again reminding me what a fool Lee had been to put his trust in these two. After a few minutes, she shrugged. â€Å"I'm almost done. And I really want him to get me that dhampir.† Jacqueline resumed drinking, but as she'd said, it didn't take much longer. By this point, Lee was nearly as pale as the Strigoi, and there was a strange, stretched quality to his skin. He was perfectly still now. His face seemed frozen in a grin that was nearly as much shock as it was joy. Jacqueline lifted her face and wiped off her mouth, surveying her victim with pleasure. She then pushed up her shirtsleeve and rested her nails on his wrist. Before she could tear her own flesh, however, she caught sight of something. â€Å"Ah, much neater.† She stepped away and leaned down, retrieving Lee's knife. It had slid under the love seat in our altercation. Jacqueline took it and effortlessly slashed her wrist, causing deep red blood to well out. Part of my brain didn't think their blood should look so similar to mine. It should be black. Or acidic. She placed her bleeding wrist against Lee's mouth and tipped Lee's head back so that gravity could help the blood flow. Every horror I'd witnessed tonight had been worse than the last. Death was terrible – but it was also part of nature. This? This was no part of nature's plan. I was about to witness the world's greatest sin, the corruption of the soul through black magic to reanimate the dead. It made me feel dirty all over, and I wished I could run away. I didn't want to see this. I didn't want to see the guy I'd once regarded as something like a friend suddenly rise up as some perversion of nature. A touch to my hand made me jump. It was Adrian. His eyes were on Lee and Jacqueline, but his hand had caught hold of mine and squeezed it, even though he was still cuffed. I was surprised at the warmth of his skin. Even though I knew Moroi were as living and warm-blooded as me, my irrational fears always expected them to be cold. Equally surprising was the sudden comfort and connection in that touch. It wasn't the kind of touch that said, Hey, I've got a plan, so hang in there because we're going to get out of this. It was more like the kind of touch that simply said, You aren't alone. It was really the only thing he could offer. And in that moment, it was enough. Then, something strange happened. Or rather, didn't happen. Jacqueline's blood was pouring steadily into Lee's mouth, and while we didn't have many documented cases of Strigoi conversions, I knew the basics. The victim's blood was drained, and then the killing Strigoi fed his or her blood back into the deceased. I didn't know exactly how long it took to work – it certainly didn't require all of the Strigoi's blood – but at some point, Lee should be stirring and getting up as one of the walking dead. Jacqueline's cool, smug expression began to change to curiosity and then became outright confusion. She glanced questioningly at Dawn. â€Å"What's taking so long?† Dawn asked. â€Å"I don't know,† Jacqueline said, turning back to Lee. With her free hand, she nudged Lee's shoulder as though that might serve as a wake-up call. Nothing happened. â€Å"Haven't you done this before?† asked Dawn. â€Å"Of course,† snapped Jacqueline. â€Å"It didn't take nearly this long. He should be up and moving around. Something's wrong.† I remembered Lee's words, describing how all his desperate attempts at taking innocent lives hadn't converted him back. I only knew a little about spirit – and even less about it restoring Strigoi – but something told me there was no force on earth that would ever turn Lee Strigoi again. Another long minute passed as we watched and waited. At last, disgusted, Jacqueline backed away from the recliner and rolled up her sleeve. She glared at Lee's motionless body. â€Å"Something's wrong,† she repeated. â€Å"And I don't want to waste any more blood figuring out what it is. Besides, my cut's already healing.† I wanted nothing more than for Dawn and Jacqueline to forget I existed, but the next words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them. The scientist in me was too caught up in a revelation. â€Å"He was restored – and it affected him permanently. The spirit magic left some kind of mark, and now he can't be turned again.† Both Strigoi looked at me. I cringed under those red eyes. â€Å"I never believed any of those spirit stories,† said Dawn. Jacqueline, however, was still clearly puzzled by her failure. â€Å"There was something wrong with him, though. I can't explain it†¦ but the whole time, he didn't feel right. Didn't taste right.† â€Å"Forget him,† said Dawn. â€Å"He had his chance. He got what he wanted, and now I'm moving on.† I saw my death in her eyes and tried to reach for my cross. â€Å"God protect me,† I said, just as she lunged forward. Against all odds, Adrian was there to stop her – or, well, try to stop her. Mostly, he just got in her way. He didn't have the speed or reaction time to effectively block her and was especially clumsy with his cuffed hands. I think he'd just seen what I had, that she was going to attack, and had preemptively moved in front of me in some noble but ill-fated attempt at protection. And ill-fated it was. With one smooth motion, she shoved him aside in a way that looked effortless but knocked him halfway across the room. My breath caught. He hit the floor, and I started to scream. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain against my throat. Without a pause, Dawn had promptly grabbed me and nearly lifted me off my feet to get access to my neck. I mustered another frantic prayer as that pain spread, but within seconds, both prayer and pain disappeared from my brain. They were replaced by a sweet, sweet feeling of contentment and bliss and wonder. I had no thoughts, except that I was suddenly existing in the happiest, most exquisite state imaginable. I wanted more. More, more, more. I wanted to drown in it, to forget myself, to forget everything around me – â€Å"Ugh,† I cried out as I suddenly and unexpectedly hit the floor. Still in that blissful haze, I felt no pain – yet. Just as quickly as she'd grabbed me, Dawn had dropped and pushed me away. Instinctively, I reached out an arm to break my fall but failed. I was too weak and disoriented and sprawled ungracefully on the carpet. Dawn's fingers were touching her lips, a look of outrage twisting her already-horrific features. â€Å"What,† she demanded, â€Å"was that?† My brain wasn't working properly yet. I'd only had a brief taste of endorphin, but it was still enough to leave me addled. I had no answer for her. â€Å"What's wrong?† exclaimed Jacqueline, striding forward. She looked from me to Dawn in confusion. Dawn scowled and then spit onto the floor. It was red from my blood. Disgusting. â€Å"Her blood†¦ it was terrible. Inedible. Foul.† She spit again. Jacqueline's eyes widened. â€Å"Just like the other one. See? I told you.† â€Å"No.† Dawn shook her head. â€Å"There's no way it could be the same. You would never have been able to drink that much of her.† She spit again. â€Å"It didn't just taste weird or bad†¦ it was like it's tainted.† Seeing Jacqueline's skeptical look, Dawn punched her on the arm. â€Å"Don't believe me? Try her yourself.† Jacqueline took a step toward me, hesitant. Then Dawn spit again, and I think that somehow convinced the other Strigoi that she wanted no part of me. â€Å"I don't want another mediocre meal. Damn it. This is becoming absurd.† Jacqueline glanced at Adrian, who was standing perfectly still. â€Å"At least we've still got him.† â€Å"If he's not ruined too,† Dawn muttered. My senses were coming back to me, and for half a second, I wondered if there was some insane way we might survive this. Maybe the Strigoi would write us off as bad meals. But no. Even as I allowed myself to hope that, I also knew that even if they didn't feed off of us, we weren't going to leave here alive. They had no reason to simply walk off. They'd kill us for sport before they left. With that same remarkable speed, Jacqueline sprang toward Adrian. â€Å"Time to find out.† I screamed as Jacqueline pinned Adrian against the wall and bit his neck. She only did so for a few seconds, just to get a taste. Jacqueline lifted her head up, pausing and savoring the blood. A slow smile spread over her face, showing her bloody fangs. â€Å"This one's good. Very good. Makes up for the other.† She trailed her fingers down his cheek. â€Å"Such a shame, though. He's so cute.† Dawn stalked toward them. â€Å"Let me try before you take it all!† Jacqueline ignored her and was leaning back toward Adrian, who had gone all glassy-eyed. Meanwhile, I was free enough of the endorphins that I was thinking clearly again. No one was paying attention to me. I tried to stand and felt the world sway. Staying low, I managed to crawl toward my purse, lying forgotten near the living room's edge. Jacqueline had drunk from Adrian again, but only briefly before Dawn pulled her away and demanded a turn so that she could wash the taste of my blood out of her mouth. Startling myself with how fast I moved, I rustled through my cavernous purse, looking desperately for anything that might help. Some cold, logical part of me said there was no way we could get out of this, but there was also no way I could just sit there and watch them drain Adrian. I had to fight. I had to try to save him, just as he'd tried for me. It didn't matter if the effort failed or if I died. Somehow, I had to try. Some Alchemists carried guns, but not me. My purse was huge, full of more stuff than I really needed, but nothing in the contents resembled a weapon. Even if it did, most weapons were futile against Strigoi. A gun would slow them down but not kill them. Only silver stakes, decapitation, and fire could kill a Strigoi. Fire†¦ My hand closed around the amulet I'd made for Ms. Terwilliger. I'd shoved it in my purse when she gave it to me, unsure what I should do with it. I could only assume blood loss and scattered thoughts made me draw it out now and consider the possibility of using it. Even the idea was ridiculous. You couldn't use something that didn't work! It was a trinket, a worthless bag of rocks and leaves. There was no magic here, and I was a fool to even think along those lines. And yet, it was a bag of rocks. Not a heavy one, but surely enough to get someone's attention if it hit her in the head. It was the best I had. The only thing I had to slow Adrian's death. Drawing back my arm, I aimed at Dawn and threw, reciting the foolish incantation like a battle cry: â€Å"Into flame, into flame!† It was a good shot. Miss Carson would have been proud. But I had no chance to admire my athletic skills because I was too distracted by the fact that Dawn had caught on fire. My jaw dropped as I stared at the impossible. It wasn't a huge fire. It wasn't like her entire body was engulfed in flames. But where the amulet had struck her, a small blaze ignited, spreading rapidly through her hair. She screamed and began frantically patting her head. Strigoi feared fire, and for a moment, Jacqueline recoiled. Then, with grim determination, she released Adrian and grabbed a throw blanket. She wrapped it around Dawn's head, smothering the flames. â€Å"What the hell?† Dawn demanded when she emerged. She immediately began charging toward me in her anger. I knew then the only thing I'd accomplished was to speed up my own death. Dawn grabbed ahold of me and slammed my head against the wall. My world reeled, and I felt nauseous. She reached for me again but froze when the door suddenly burst open. Eddie appeared in the doorway, a silver stake in his hand. What was truly amazing about what followed was the speed. There was no pausing, no long moments to assess the situation, and no snarky banter between combatants. Eddie simply charged in and went for Jacqueline. Jacqueline responded with equal quickness, rushing forward to meet her one worthy foe here. After she'd released him, Adrian had slumped to the floor, still in the throes of the Strigoi endorphins. Keeping low to the ground, I scurried over to his side and helped drag him back to the â€Å"safety† of the far side of the living room while Eddie clashed with the Strigoi. I spared them only a moment's glance, just enough to take in the deadly dancelike nature of their maneuvering. Both Strigoi were trying to get a grip on Eddie, probably in the hopes of breaking his neck, but were careful to stay away from the bite of his silver stake. I looked down at Adrian, who was dangerously pale and whose pupils had reduced to the size of pinpoints. I had only a sketchy impression of how much Jacqueline had drunk from him and didn't know if Adrian's state was more from blood loss or endorphins. â€Å"I'm fine, Sage,† he muttered, blinking as though the light hurt. â€Å"Quite the high, though. Makes the stuff I've used seem pretty soft-core.† He blinked, as though fighting to wake up. His pupils dilated to a more normal size and then seemed to focus on me. â€Å"Good God. Are you okay?† â€Å"I will be,† I said, starting to stand. Yet even as I spoke, a wave of dizziness hit me, and I swayed. Adrian did his best to support me, though it was pretty awkward with his bound hands. We leaned against each other, and I almost laughed at how ridiculous the situation was, both of us trying to help the other when neither of us was in any condition to do it. Then something caught my eye that chased all other thoughts away. â€Å"Jill,† I whispered. Adrian immediately followed my gaze to where Jill had just appeared in the living room's entry. I wasn't surprised to see her. The only way Eddie could be here was if Jill had told him what was happening to Adrian through the spirit bond. Standing there, with her eyes flashing, she looked like some fierce, battle-ready goddess as she watched Eddie spar with the Strigoi. It was both inspiring and frightening. Adrian shared my thoughts. â€Å"No, no, Jailbait,† he murmured. â€Å"Do not do anything stupid. Castile needs to handle this.† â€Å"She knows how to fight,† I said. Adrian frowned. â€Å"But she doesn't have a weapon. Without one, she's just a featherweight in this.† He was right, of course. And while I certainly didn't want Jill endangering her life, I couldn't help but think if she were properly equipped, she might be able to do something. At the very least, a distraction might be a benefit. Eddie was holding his ground all right against the two Strigoi, but he wasn't making any progress against them either. He could use help. And we needed to make sure Jill didn't rush into this with only her wits to defend her. Inspiration hit me, and I managed to stay on my feet. The world was spinning even more than before, but – despite Adrian's protests – I managed to stagger to the kitchen. I just barely was able to get to the sink and flip the faucet on before my legs gave out underneath me. I caught hold of the counter's edge, using it to keep me upright. â€Å"Jill!† I yelled. She turned toward my shout, saw the running water, and instantly knew what to do. She lifted her hand. The stream coming from the faucet suddenly shifted, shooting out of the sink and across the living room. It went to Jill, who collected a large amount of it between her hands and magically forced the water into a long cylindrical shape. It held itself in the air like that, a rippling but seemingly solid club of water. Gripping it, she hurried toward the fight and swung her weapon of water into Jacqueline's back. Drops flew off of the â€Å"club,† but it held on to its rigidity enough for her to get a second hit in before completely exploding into a spray of water. Jacqueline spun around, her hand swinging out to strike Jill. Jill had expected as much and dropped to the floor, dodging in exactly the way I'd seen Eddie teach her. She scurried backward, out of Jacqueline's way, and the Strigoi pursued – giving Eddie an exposed shot on her back. Eddie took the opportunity, evading Dawn, and plunged his stake into Jacqueline's back. I'd never given it much thought before, but if shoved hard enough, a stake could pierce someone's heart just as easily from the back as the chest. Jacqueline went rigid, and Eddie jerked his stake out, just managing to avoid the full force of a strike from Dawn. She still caught him a little, and he stumbled briefly before quickly regaining his footing and setting his sights on her. Jill was forgotten and hurried over to us in the kitchen. â€Å"Are you okay?† she exclaimed, peering at both of us. That fierce look was gone. She was now just an ordinary girl concerned for her friends. â€Å"Oh my God. I was so worried about you both. The emotions were so strong. I couldn't get a fix on what was happening, just that something was horribly wrong.† I dragged my gaze to Eddie, who was dancing around with Dawn. â€Å"We have to help him – â€Å" I took two steps away from the counter and started to fall. Both Jill and Adrian reached out to catch me. â€Å"Jesus, Sage,† he exclaimed. â€Å"You're in bad shape.† â€Å"Not as bad as you,† I protested, still worried about helping Eddie. â€Å"They drank more from you – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, but I don't have a bleeding arm wound,† he pointed out. â€Å"Or a possible concussion.† It was true. In all the excitement, I was so full of adrenaline that I'd all but forgotten about where Lee had stabbed me. No wonder I was so dizzy. Or maybe that was from getting my head smacked into the wall. It was anyone's guess at this point. â€Å"Here,† said Adrian gently. He reached for my arms with his cuffed hands. â€Å"I can take care of this.† A slow, tingling warmth spread through my skin. At first, Adrian's touch was comforting, like an embrace. I felt my tension and pain begin to ease. All was right in the world. He was in control. He was taking care of me. He was using his magic on me. â€Å"No!† I shrieked, pulling away from him with a strength I didn't know I had. The horror and full realization of what was happening to me was too powerful. â€Å"Don't touch me! Don't touch me with your magic!† â€Å"Sage, you'll feel better, believe me,† he said, reaching toward me again. I backed away, clinging to the edge of the counter for support. The fleeting memory of that warmth and comfort was being dwarfed by the terror I'd carried my entire life for vampire magic. â€Å"No, no, no. No magic! Not on me! The tattoo will heal me! I'm strong!† â€Å"Sage – â€Å" â€Å"Stop, Adrian,† said Jill. She approached me tentatively. â€Å"It's okay, Sydney. He won't heal you. I promise.† â€Å"No magic,† I whispered. â€Å"For God's sake,† growled Adrian. â€Å"This is superstitious bullshit.† â€Å"No magic,† Jill said firmly. She took off the button-up shirt she'd been wearing over a T-shirt. â€Å"Come here, and I'll use this to wrap it so that you don't lose any more bl – â€Å" An earsplitting shriek jerked us all back toward the living room. Eddie had made his kill, driving his stake right into the middle of Dawn's chest. In my brief scuffle with Adrian and Jill, Dawn must have gotten some shots in on Eddie because there was a large red mark on one side of his face, and his lip was bleeding. The expression in his eyes was hard and triumphant, however, as he pulled the stake out and watched Dawn fall. Through all the confusion and horror, basic Alchemist instincts took over. The danger was gone. There were procedures that needed to be followed. â€Å"The bodies,† I said. â€Å"We have to destroy them. There's a vial in my purse.† â€Å"Whoa, whoa,† said Adrian as both he and Jill restrained me. â€Å"Stay where you're at. Castile can get it. The only place you're going is to a doctor.† I didn't move but immediately argued with that last statement. â€Å"No! No doctors. At least, you have to – you have to get an Alchemist one. My purse has the numbers – â€Å" â€Å"Go get her purse,† Adrian told Jill, â€Å"before she has a fit here. I'll bind the arm.† I gave him a warning look. â€Å"Without magic. Which, by the way, could make this ten times easier.† â€Å"I'll heal on my own,† I said, watching as Jill retrieved my purse. â€Å"You realize,† added Adrian, â€Å"you're going to have to get over your dieting fixation and consume some major calories to fight the blood loss. Sugar and fluids, just like Clarence. Good thing someone bagged up all this candy on the counter.† Eddie walked over to Jill, and she paused as he asked if she was okay. She assured him she was, and although Eddie looked like he could kill about fifty more Strigoi, there was also a look in his eyes†¦ something I couldn't believe I'd never noticed before. Something I was going to have to think about. â€Å"Damn it,† said Adrian, fumbling with bandages. â€Å"Eddie, go search Lee's body and see if there's a key for these goddamned handcuffs.† Jill had been caught up in talking to Eddie but froze at the words â€Å"Lee's body.† Her face went so pale, she could have been one of the dead. In all the confusion, she hadn't noticed Lee's body in the chair. There'd been too much movement with the Strigoi, too much distraction by the threat they presented. She took a few steps toward the living room, and that's when she saw him. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out right away. Then she sped forward and grabbed his hands, shrieking. â€Å"No,† she cried. â€Å"No, no, no.† She shook him, as though that would wake him. In a flash, Eddie was by her side, his arms around her as he murmured nonsensical things to soothe her. She didn't hear him. Her whole world was Lee. I felt tears spring to my eyes and hated that they were there. Lee had tried to kill me and then had summoned others to kill me. He'd left a trail of innocents in his wake. I should be glad he was gone, but still, I felt sad. He had loved Jill, in his insane way, and from the pain on her face, it was clear she'd loved him too. The spirit bond hadn't shown her his death or role in our capture. Right now, she simply thought he was a victim of Strigoi. Soon enough, she'd learn the truth about his motives. I didn't know if that would ease her pain or not. I was guessing not. Weirdly, an image of Adrian's Love painting came back to me. I thought of the jagged red streak, slashing through the blackness, ripping it apart. Staring at Jill and her inconsolable pain, I suddenly understood his art a little bit better.

Importance of Training in Catering Industry

Introduction The title of the research is â€Å"A study on Training and Development of Work Force in Catering Industry in Wrexham Area†. Training is one of the most important elements in each and every organisation for the betterment of its employees. The aim of the research is to study the Training programmes conducted for the staffs or employees of an organisation to improve the company’s performance and productivity. The research aim is mainly to identify the importance of training requirements in catering industry and to identify the benefits of it. Research Question aims to find what all successful training and development programmes or schemes are adopted by the management in catering industry to motivate the employees of a company and also to improve the performance of the overall organisation with the help of total work force employed. The three important research questions will be: 1. What are the benefits obtained by a company after providing trainings to their staffs? 2. What costs are involved in training? 3. How will a company ensure that the training is successful? Research Objective is to conduct an investigation through qualitative analysis by interviewing the managers and the staffs by distributing printed questionnaire containing open and closed end questionnaires. Also collecting details provided by the interviewed persons orally. A detailed investigation on the topic will help to give more ideas to the management to implement more training courses to develop the skills of the employees working in the company and also will be able to judge how effective productivity can be made with less cost and wastage. Also the research would be helpful to understand whether the employees are happy towards the current training programmes and how helpful is it for the employees or staffs. Limitations of the study: While conducting the research there may arise many limitations with respect to sampling and also due to the non – random sampling. The research which is to be conducted will have managers and employees who works in a catering industry. Literature review Human resource management plays an important role in an organisation providing various characteristics of employment in catering industry. The success of catering industry depends on its manpower. Training and development plays an important role in human resource management. Training is essential in every work environment and has become everyday aspect of human life. The government has taken certain initiatives to improve the catering industry’s standard. One of the important establishments in the field is the Hotel and Catering Board (HCTB). In most of the organisation, training is provided on: Computing studies Supervisory skills Food and Beverage management House keeping The reason to provide training is to avoid; The failure to attain the targets like gross or net profit on food or liquor. †¢ Dissatisfied customers. †¢ Slow service. †¢ High labour turn over and low morale. †¢ Unhealthy relationship between two departments. Types of Training There are two types of training; 1. On the job training: As most of the staffs working on catering industry will have direct contact with the customers , so new staffs are given training ‘on the job’ to experience dealing with customers. 2. Of the job training: This type of training takes place away from the actual work place. Real working environment will be crated to train the new staffs. Training need and Analysis The need for training should be considered from employer’s point of view and employees. There will be always a person assigned to provide training to staffs whenever required in consultation with the line managers. The line managers will identify, analyse the requirements of training or problems or opportunities and exploit training with assistance. Benefits of training The benefits of training to the organisation will be short term or long term and it includes: †¢ Increased customer satisfaction †¢ Help to develop relationship between staffs and departments. Increased customer demand †¢ Safe working mode †¢ Wastage reduction †¢ Less staff turnover Process involved in training Before the actual training process it is to be considered ‘who is to do the training, what is to be taught, how to train and evaluating the success of training. The actual process of training includes: †¢ Identify the training and development needs. †¢ Design training and development strategies and plans. †¢ Providing learning opportunities, resources and support. †¢ Evaluate the effectiveness of training and development. †¢ Support training and development advances and practice. Development Development is the main part of any training session. Development may be defined as those activities designed to provide the organisation with competent work force which is able to meet the target in short, medium or long term objectives. In development stage the trainer’s knowledge and skills are transferred to the trainees. The other concepts of development includes: recruitment, induction and appraisal. Some of the examples of development programmes are: Trainee management programme, junior supervisory position, new project department, trainee officer, and assistant to area manager. The main objective of training and development will be to ‘Develop human potential and assist organisations and individuals to achieve their objectives’. Health and Safety training Accidents and healthy problems in places of work occur very frequently and so health and safety training will have to be provided to all the individuals working in an organisation. There are two laws which have to be followed in hotel or catering industry and they are the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (the HASAW Act) and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH). Health and Safety Training at work includes -preventing accidents and dealing with accidents; the ways in which accidents happen and what all ways to prevent such accidents. It is the objective of Health and safety training to identify the health problems and accidents happening in work life and to take important steps to minimise them. Research Methodology Types of data employed There will be different types of data employed in a research. Primary data: Collection of Primary data includes Interviews and Questionnaires. Secondary data: Secondary data will be collected from the staff training record sheets. Sampling Technique: Sampling Techniques includes Non Random Sampling and other techniques. Methods of Data collection Primary data: face to face interaction, questionnaire, telephonic interviews. Secondary data: books, training records, internet Data analysis The method of qualitative analysis and qualitative analysis will be employed in the research study. Qualitative analysis will be helpful to analyse the interview outputs. To analyse the interview questionnaires qualitative analysis will be employed. To analyse the research questionnaires, quantitative analysis will be employed. Primary data will be collected through face to face interviews. Face to face method of interviews was taken to overcome any communicative difficulties if arises. Closed and open – ended questions will be used to implement the survey questionnaire. The aim of using open – ended questionnaire is that the respondent will be free to give up his ideas or opinions. The closed ended questions will be analysed by using regression technique which is a quantitative approach and the interviews will be analysed by using qualitative approach. Conclusion The time period for the research to be conducted is estimated to be three months and the samples taken for the research will include the managers and his subordinates working in a hotel or in a catering sector. Survey questionnaire will be made before starting actual research. A detailed analysis will be conducted with respect to literature review. References Literature Review Training and development One of the major anxieties in an organisation is about the training. It may be due to more staffs or because of the labour turnover. For an effective training programme there should be sufficient funds allocated for it in an organisation. There will be more benefits for an effective training scheme. The benefits of a training programme include: ? Less wastage and speedy work performance by the trained worker. ? Less mistakes or accidents in the organisation. ? Less damage of machines and equipments. ? The complaints from the customers will be reduced. ? Another important benefit is that the trained staffs require less supervision and guidance. ? The trained staff will be more resourceful when other staffs go for holidays or any absence problems arise. Training will improve the job satisfaction and confidence in employees and will let them perform well in the organisation. ? Another benefit is that the potential to work and personal benefits of working efficiently and safe. Training needs analysis To design the training method, it is required to identify the training needs. It will be the responsibility of the trai ner or the line manager. He should attempt to identify the problems and opportunities which could be made better with the help of training. For this the training needs of individuals has to be studied through the appraisal reports and detailed discussion with the manager. Identification of individuals training needs will lead to corporate training needs. For example, if a catering company wishes to expand its business in a limited time, it is important to identify the staffs that are to be transferred or promoted to the new unit and the kind of training required for them to adapt with the new business unit. This may range from preparing some assistant managers and trainee chefs or stewards to do more responsible job like cooking food for the customers. The availability of sufficient trained persons in the organisation will give a successful growth to the company. The training needs arise from unexpected circumstances or conditions. For example if a restaurant makes new menu launch, the waiters or waitresses has to give training about the new products, service and selling techniques which plays a big role in sales and profits of the company. Training is considered as one of the vital tools of management. It helps the management to increase the efficiency of the company. Different skills and knowledge and attitude could be developed with training to achieve company’s objective. Training enables an individual to go through increased competences and confidence and to gain promotions. Methods to identify training requirements Job Analysis Job analysis is one of the major roles of Human Resource Management. Job analysis is conducted to check the efficiency and effectiveness of a job. Job analysis highlights the needs of training to be conducted for the job or activity to be performed. The trainee’s actual work inside the organisation is evaluated and more training will be given to improve their performance up to company’s standard. Job Evaluation Job evaluation is another method to identify the requirements of training. It is essential that a person such as chef should be well trained to acquire knowledge and skill. The type of factors assessed for training in job evaluation is: Knowledge, skill, responsibility, social skills and working conditions. Performance appraisal Performance Appraisal is one of the methods to identify the training needs. Performance appraisal is conducted in every six months or annually. It is actually a review of performance of each staff by the manager. It usually compares the actual performance of the person with the set standards of performance, company’s objective, consent job objective, specific core competencies. Performance Appraisal helps the employees to identify whether they require more training to achieve their objectives as compared to the present performance. Self Assessment Self assessment can be formal or informal. Formal assessment methods suggest the employee to asses or rate their performance against the performance standard set and will be provided if they ask for more training if they feel training would benefit. Informal assessment is method is up to the employees. The employee can ask for training if they feel would be useful. It depends upon the organisations training policy and training budget. Direct Observation Direct Observation is another method to identify the training requirements in an organisation. Observation may be with or without the knowledge of the employee. For example, in a call centre, the line manger would spend time to listen to calls attended by the staffs to find how many of them are following the prescribed standard. Otherwise a mystery caller would make a call from outside the organisation where he pretends as a customer to find the outcome. Different methods of training The two main approaches are: †¢ On the job training †¢ Off the job training On the job training in hotel or in catering industry In a hotel or a catering industry most of the staffs will have direct contact with the customers. So on the job training will be beneficial for the trainees to acquire knowledge about how to deal with the customer. On the job training plays a vital role in catering industry. If the trainer is talented in training techniques and if the objectives are clear then on the job training is the best possible way to teach the trainee the manual and social skills. In some companies new employees are put together with experienced employees who are not capable of training others. If the experienced employees are interested to train the new comers, then it will good for the company that they could save the expenses paid for specialist trainer and also the experienced employees will be able to train the new staffs in the work place along with them. They will be able to share their knowledge with the new staffs. The experienced employees should be given apt training before they are asked to train the new employees. In off the job training the progress of employees according to the training has to be checked from time to time by the person who trains. For example, the training for barmen include: bar preparation and cleanliness. The benefits of on the job training are: †¢ Training is provided in the same working environment itself. The trainee will quickly understand the nature or the standard of the job that he has to be followed. †¢ Training could be provided in exact timing. No pre-determined schedules need to be followed. †¢ There may be fewer requirements for special equipments as it is possible to use the operational resources. Off the job training in hotel and catering industry Off the job training takes place away from the actual work place. In off the job training a variety of methods and techniques are applied. The main methods used are: †¢ Talks- talks are the methods used to share knowledge regarding the nature and policies of the company, rules and regulations and other legal matters. There should be question and answer session to check the progress. †¢ Case studies, projects and business games are the best ways of off the job training techniques. Role plays are identified as the best ways to develop skills to interact with customer, how to handle customer complaints, up selling and interviewing. †¢ Some time visual aids such as films on different hotel and catering industry are used to train the new staffs of the company. †¢ Other techniques of off the job training include Programmed texts and teaching machines which could be helpful for the individual to learn at his convenient time. It does not require the presence of any instructor. The disadvantage of this method is that sometimes it could be expensive to design and the training can not give on manual skills. Staff induction Staff induction is one of the training methods. The term induction training means process by which the new staffs are given ideas about the nature of business, its structure, rules and regulations of the company, conditions of employment and duties to be performed. Induction training is not compulsory as per legal Acts. But for the welfare of the new employees or staffs, companies would indent to have staff induction when they employ new staffs. The important information concerned under the staff induction is: 1. Contract or Terms and conditions of employment. . The condition to perform a job and to whom the person is accountable to. 3. Grievance procedures, Disciplinary rules and procedures. 4. Policies regarding promotion and training. 5. Health and safety rules 6. Other social and welfare benefits The new employees should be given formal induction training to avoid unhealthy or malfunctions inside the organisation and to develop attitudes, norms and practises. The role of training agencies In developing countries importance is given for quality and standards rather than individual productivity. In Britain Industrial Training Act was established in the year 1964 to maintain the quality and supply of skilled labour so it led to establishment of Hotel and Catering Industry Training Board (HCITB). The main aims of the Board are: ? To provide advise to the companies, how to implement effective training. ? To conduct research and to develop new methods of training and materials and practises. ? To allocate sufficient funds for training needs and to aid companies to conduct approved training. To co-ordinate the supply of labour to hotel and catering industry, the Manpower Service Commission was established in 1973. It provides funds for training young people and retraining schemes for those who are unemployed. There are plenty of colleges which has department of hotel and catering. Organising training Each aspects of training have its advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages of On the job training is that it is cheap as compared to the other methods of training. The trainee will be able to learn from the actual work place the standards or procedures of work that he has to be followed. On the job training is flexible and can adapt to any pressures of the work environment. Just like the advantages, there are disadvantages also. The trainer may find it difficult if he has had no instructional training. And so he will not be able to adopt the work pressure and will withheld training considering it as less important. Inexperienced trainers will not be able to provide effective training. On the job trainer would be able to share only those knowledge which he possessed when he was trained. The advantage of off the job training is that the expense involved in training can be measured already and the company can allocate budget and control for the off the job training programme. There will be a well trained instructor to provide training. The training will be conducted in a planned environment with good equipments. Another advantage is that training can be conducted in logical way after preplanning. The disadvantage of off the job training is that the trainee will find difficulty while facing actual work environment. The principles which he learned from off the job training have to apply in actual work place. The existing workers may feel uncomfortable to attend off the job training programmes. Systematic training Systematic training is the process of actual implication of training in a system. Systematic training is divided into three phases and it operates as a cycle. The three phases are : planning, implementing and reviewing. Planning The different stages of planning include: 1. Formulation of policy 2. Identifying training needs 3. Decision on priorities 4. Preparing a plan Formulation of policy: formulation of training policy should be given importance as like the other policies of the company. A training policy should include company’s attitudes to training and the place it will occupy in its activities. It should point out the budget allocated for training requirements. Should have specific responsibility for the implementation of training policies and it should be communicated to all staffs and management. Identifying training needs: training need can be identified if there is a clear standard which is followed in a company. Sometimes the departmental managers will make assessment whether the employees is performing up to the company’s standard. Job analysis and job evaluation are two methods to identify the training requirements. Decision on priorities: because of economic and practical reasons an employer will not be immediately be able to undertake all the training needs. And so the employer will have to set a priority. Managers in developing countries need to take staffs with more training on western style. Preparing training plan: a training plans may originate from two sources. One is the man power requirements and the other is the detailed analysis of training requirements. A training plan will make plan about the methods of training, who to conduct the training and the responsible person to implement the training. It also plans the costs involves in training and other financial considerations. Implementation Implementation involves three areas: attitude training, knowledge training and skills training. In hotel and catering industry attitude training plays an important role as the customers expect a pleasant and active service. Attitude training is important as some jobs can not be supervised closely, so the person carrying out the job should have a well attitude. For any kind of skill knowledge is required. Most skills are based on the foundation of knowledge. There should be knowledge about application of tools and equipments, methods and procedures, knowledge about the menus and recipes, food, hygiene, health and fire safety, cost control standards and onditions of employment. Those who are in higher post require more knowledge. Knowledge training may include the following: †¢ Talks and lectures †¢ Handbooks and instruction manual †¢ Posters and charts †¢ Video tapes or CD’s †¢ Programmed training packs Knowledge training is not expensive. The materials used for this kind of training can be re-used. With the help of relevant and realistic and in a very attractive manner the training can be made effective. Skills training are very important in a hotel and catering industry in order to maintain the accuracy, consistency and speed. It therefore helps to reduce the wastage and helps to produce the standards required. The skilled person always is able to work fast without mistakes or less mistakes. The two general types of skills are: social skills and physical skills. Physical skills Physical skills include movement of hands, the fingers, the eyes and other senses. Examples of the use of senses in carry out of skills include flavour for wine specialist, touch for pastry cooks, to gauge the consistency of dough, etc. Social skills training Social skills are being used as motivational technique and as a method to control a work group inside an organisation. Social skills are always attached to attitudes. A social skill is a trained ability to perform with apt behaviour in different situations. Methods of skills training There are four methods of skills training: Informal training: the informal method includes observation and hearing. It is not possible to plan and control in this method. It totally depends on the experienced worker, who performs correctly and he should be helpful. Training within the industry: this method is well organised and involves demonstrations and copying. The task will be broken down to different stages. This method requires mental thinking and judgement. The discovery method: this method enables the trainee to perform correctly through his own deductive process. This method requires great amount of preparation and careful monitoring. The skills analysis method: this method involves explanation of principles in different stages and also requires comprehension and active participation of trainee. The trainee should establish some sort of interest in this method. The training objective should be clear and the trainee has to be confident about what he has to perform. Supervisory training Supervisor is a part of management and has the responsibility to direct and control the work of others. A supervisor in an organisation is expected to maintain loyalty and reduce conflict. As supervisor’s job vary it is difficult for them to provide only general training. They would need specialised training. First the job of internal supervisor has to be analysed to asses the training requirements for a supervisor. The special areas include: †¢ Maintaining staff relationship by encouraging staff motivation and group performance development. Ensure disciplinary actions are being taken to correct and improve the performance of the employees. †¢ Industrial relationship in consideration with use of procedures. †¢ Health and safety A high proportion of training should be given to supervisors in order to enable them to face problems and different situations. Group work will help to identify each other and to solve the problems of each department. Supervisor plays an important role in the industry and good supervisory training would be an asset to the organisation. Development of personnel in catering industry The word personnel imply a particular activity which is conducted by a qualified person or a trained staff. There will many factors which will help the development of personnel in a catering industry. The five major factors which influence the development of staffs in hotel and catering industry are: 1. The growth or prosperity of catering industry on world wide basis. 2. The growth of the medium sized hotels. New traditional approaches were taken into consideration to manage the large work force. 3. The number of labour turn over is another factor concerning the catering industry. . Large number of unskilled or part time workers or casual workers creates more stress on the skilled labour. This could be avoided by creating a separate training squad in the company. 5. Lack of personnel practises and standards within the industry and among the management level will influence the development of staffs in catering industry. Management development Management development may be defined as process of providing organisation with capable and competent management team which is able to meet its short, medium and long term objectives. Most of the managers develop their knowledge, skills and attitude by continuous practise of managing others at work. A management development programme must have a balance between the formal training and work experience. Management development Management development is the process by which the young active talented staffs are trained to supervisory or management positions. It describes how a staff’s performance can be improved effectively and also makes them adapt to changes in the organisation. MINTZBERG studied managerial work and stated that in an organisation compared to other post managerial posts should be given foremost importance. He identified the roles of manager as: interpersonal, information and decision maker. Interpersonal Role Interpersonal roles include manager acting as a Leader and the Liaison. He will be responsible for team integration and motivation. As a Liaison, he will maintain a good relationship with the outside parties who are involved in the business and with the internal parties. Information Role Manager act as a Monitor, who analyses and collects information about the competitors, change of trends, internal and external factors. He will act as a Spokesperson who transmits information to outside parties. Decision Role As an Entrepreneur, manager will make decisions on any changes in the organisation. A manager will act as negotiator representing the organisation. Also, he will play the role of Resource allocator by scheduling, organising and programming subordinates work. Trainee management courses Trainee management course has a very important role in young manager’s career. In order to be a successful manager, a manager should posse’s knowledge and skills about other departments. Trainees must be given departmental training objectives in written form. Regular objectives should be held to check whether the trainees achieved their objectives. Methods of staff development †¢ General management training programmes which are of for a short period of time with theories and practises. It would be conducted in detached centres so that the manager doesn’t have the work pressure and will be free to actively participate in the training programme. †¢ Comprehensive programmes, such as a Diploma course. It requires an extended commitment from the company. †¢ Technical workshops for short term covering the use of new equipment. Job enlargement and Job rotation is another method of staff development. This method is cheap and is within the company’s control. †¢ Informal method including the process of consultation and senior management. In this method, improvement includes individual and specialized standards, expressive resilience, understanding, elasticity, assurance and inspired initiative. Systematic approache s to training Systems approach can be recognized as a rational connection between different stages in the course of examining training needs, designing, delivering and authenticating training. The illustrative image of a logical approach is a effective tool and as such it should be accepted that trainers will sketch up a model which is comfortable for them to utilize as members of a training division who must to observe the advancement of their training projects. Training Objective Training objective is to clearly state as likely what the apprentice are expected to be able to do at the end of their training, the circumstances under which they will exhibit their knowledge and the standards that must be reached to substantiate their level of competence. Written training objectives provide the trainer to decide the methods f training and contents of training and also it provide the trainees a clear target. Too much training is expensive and if inappropriate materials are integrated, then it will be confusing. Training objective act as the foundation for determining the success of training in terms of knowledge, skills and attitude expected of the trainees, the lowest acceptable standards of performance and the situation under which the performance is calculated. Also training objectives can be used to validate the link between the training needs and the actual training provided. It also considered as the first point of reference for any investigation or review in relation to training. Actions by the trainer Depending upon the nature of training to be conducted, the trainer may use different actions to make the training effective. Some of the actions used are: Setting up sub goal In order to lead the trainees towards the organisational goal, the trainer will sub divide the goals and provides motivation and support for the employees. This will help the trainer to monitor the progress of trainee’s achievement. Directing attention While conducting the training the trainer has to ensure that the trainee’s concentration is fully on training programme. They may do this through verbal, pictorial or any other means. The trainer should be aware of the different ways in which ‘to give selective emphasis to stimulus presentations for learning’ (Gagne, 1977). Humor Implementing humour in an effective way will help to stimulate and maintain the trainee’s attention towards training. Use of humour will keep away stress and will provide a relaxed situation. It will improve the communication between the trainer and the trainees. Humour may make the training session more enjoyable and will be a kind of motivation to the trainees. Pictures and demonstrations. Pictures or demonstrations will help the trainees to identify the methods or actions to be followed. It also will help to develop manual skills. Verbal instructions Language is a meditational process which can be used in training to provide information, ideas which could fit into the learning context. Also it could provide explanation about context, rules, principle and theories for acquiring basic intellectual, social and manual skills. Conclusion There are lots of benefits for the employees and the company through an effective and well planned training. With the job effective job training, individual may feel great job satisfaction. And the benefits of training towards the organisation include improved employee work performance and productivity, less wastage, less absenteeism, fewer accidents, and low labour turn over and greater customer satisfaction. Training will also have an indirect impact on the culture of the organisation.

CU3820 Principles of Assessment in Lifelong learning Essay

1.1: Explain the types of assessment used in lifelong learning. To ‘Measure (assess) the breadth and depth of learning’ (Geoff Petty 1998) I, as a teacher must ensure that my students will understand the targets and goals set for them. This is achieved by using assessment practises. ‘Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning’ breaks down the structure of assessing and learning thus: †¢ Creating †¢ Evaluating †¢ Analysing †¢ Applying †¢ Understanding †¢ Remembering These methods also enable me, as a teacher to measure success within the classroom. To evaluate whether learning is taking place, there are three assessment methods to use. Initial Assessment: To assess the learning capabilities of the learner an initial assessment will take place. This will enable me to determine whether there are any learning difficulties that may affect the learning and teaching process. Once any difficulties are found the relevant support can be given to the learner. Formative Assessment: This method is used to monitor the learning progress of the learners during the course. It will enable me to provide feedback on their progress and also give the learner the opportunity to give me feedback on my performance. This method can also highlight ant problems that may need o be addressed. Summative Assessment; Summative assessments takes place at the end of each course or learning session. It will assess to what extent learning has been achieved and to enable me to re-evaluate my own teaching methods. This will allow verifiers to assign course grades and certification. 1.2 EXPLAIN THE USE OF METHODS OF ASSESSMENT IN LIFELONG LEARNING To explain how assessments show progress and achievement, it is essential to learn what an assessment is. Assessment for learning is a term used to describe how evidence of student learning is recorded by me the teacher and is used by both students and teachers to decide where a student is within their learning and what they need to do better or to keep to the level that they are working at. Assessment for learning is a very effective way to put on record that learning and good teaching are being achieved. Assessment for learning is a joint process between student and teacher where both are engaged in an on-going process of student progress and development. The assessment to use will depend on the subject in my case spanish and any requirements of the organisations involved. Although all teachers should use some initial assessment to identify needs of the learner and to see if they have any previous experience in the language work set to them which in my subject would be spanish. Assessment methods can be recorded for group or individualls to reflect on the ability of the students. The student or learning group and the activities you select and the learning outcomes might affect your choice of assessment methods in a lesson. Formative assessment takes place during learning with the purpose of improving learning and involves me as the teacher giving feed back into the learning process to help me as the teacher, to decide whether a student is ready to move on or needs to practice what is being learnt, or has still yet to learn. It is usually the teacher’s final decision as to whether a student is ready to move on to the next stage of the course. Formative assessment can take a variety of forms; peer and self assessment, verbal and written, questioning and marking. Summative assessment happens at the end of a course. To measure and talk to the student/groups about what they have learned so far in the lessons. Summative learning is less about informing and improving the learning process but more about measuring the end result; for example end of year exam. 1.3 Compare the strengths and limitations of assessment methods to meet individual learner needs Student questioning is an effective way for engaging students within the learning process, obtaining existing knowledge of the chosen course and demonstrating, thinking and understanding of the students enables me to informally yet formatively assess their knowledge and the understanding of the progress the student is making with their studying. For example; at the beginning of my micro teach session, which was a De-fragmentation learning exercise, I asked the group if any of them had any previous experiences. This aided me in what level to teach the group. A good ice-breaker can be used as a group activity, as in my micro teach i got the group to exchange questions and answers with the person next to them to get the group engaged. I then dealt with each learner individually by asking them how they were getting on and if they understood the subject. This simple but effective method engaged the group, then I could address the learners individually and provide individual needs for the said learner. David Miliband stated: ‘We need to do more than engage and empower pupils and parents in the selection of a school: their engagement has to be effective in the day-to-day processes of education, at the heart of the way schools create partnerships with professional teachers and support staff to deliver tailor-made services, In other words we need to embrace individual empowerment within as well as between schools.’ References: Milliband,D (2004)’Personalised learning meeting individual learner needs’ Published by The Learning and kills Network 2. Understand ways to involve learners in the assessment process. 2.1. Explain ways to involve the learner in the assessment process. Carol Boston says ‘Black and William (1998b) define assessment broadly to include all activities that teachers and students undertake to get information that can be used diagnostically to alter teaching and learning. Under this definition, assessment encompasses teacher observation, classroom discussion, and analysis of student work, including homework and tests. Assessments become formative when the information is used to adapt teaching and learning to meet student need.† Where and how do we include students in the formative assessment process? What is the role of technology in this feedback cycle?’ Formative assessment, as I understand it, is an on-going process where both teachers and students evaluate assessment evidence in order to make adjustments to their teaching and learning. Robert Marzano has called it â€Å"one of the more powerful weapons in a teacher’s arsenal.† The formative assessment process can strengthen students’ abilities to assess their own progress, to set and evaluate their own learning goals, and to make adjustments accordingly. Formative assessment can also elicit valuable feedback from students about what teachers are doing effectively and what they could do better. Student Self-Assessment and Reflection Activities which promote meta-cognitive thinking and ask students to reflect on their learning processes are key to the formative assessment process. When students are asked to think about what they have learned and how they have learned it (the learning strategies they’ve used), they are better able to understand their own learning processes and can set new goals for themselves. Students can reflect on their learning in many ways: answering a set of questions, drawing a picture or set of pictures to represent their learning process, talking with a partner, keeping a learning log or journal, etc. Goal Sheets Having students set their own goals and evaluate their progress toward achieving them is an effective part of the formative assessment process. Goal setting has a positive effect on student motivation and learning when the goals are specific and performance based, relatively short-term, and moderately difficult. Goal sheets are an effective way to help students set goals and track their progress. It is best to identify specific goals. For example, â€Å"I will read in English for 20 minutes each night† is more specific than â€Å"I will read more.† Also, goals need to be achievable in a short period of time and not impossibly difficult. The teacher can model how to set effective goals and also how to evaluate one’s progress toward achieving them by asking students to periodically write or talk about what they have achieved, what they still would like to achieve, and how they will do it. 2.2. Explain the role of peer and self-assessment in the assessment programme F. Dochy (2006) said ‘The growing demand for lifelong learners and reflective practitioners has stimulated a re-evaluation of the relationship between learning and its assessment, and has influenced to a large extent the development of new assessment forms such as self-, peer, and co-assessment. Three questions are discussed: (1) what are the main findings from research on new assessment forms such as self-, peer and co-assessment; (2) in what way can the results be brought together; and (3) what guidelines for educational practitioners can be derived from this body of knowledge? A review of literature, based on the analysis of 63 studies, suggests that the use of a combination of different new assessment forms encourages students to become more responsible and reflective. The article concludes with some guidelines for practitioners.’ Principles for using self and peer assessment 1. The purpose for using self and peer assessment should be explicit for staff and students A major reason for using self and peer assessment is for its role in developing students’ skills in improving learning and in helping students to improve their performance on assessed work. Additionally, it has a place as a means of summative assessment. 2. There is no reason why peer and self assessment should not contribute to summative assessment In many such cases such assessment will not contribute a major proportion of the mark until it has been well tried and tested. However, in a well-regulated scheme, there is no reason to limit the proportion of the marks involved. It is particularly important that the principles below are noted. 3. Moderation For any situation in which the mark from peer or self assessment contributes towards the final mark of the module, the member of staff should maintain the right to moderate student-allocated marks. The initial step in alteration of a student-allocated mark may be negotiation with the student(s) concerned. 4. Instances of unfair or inappropriate marking need to be dealt with sensitively Any instances of collusive (‘friendship’) marking need to be dealt with sensitively and firmly. 5. The quality of feedback on student work must be maintained In situations of self and peer assessment, students are usually in a position to learn more than from situations of tutor-marked work. They learn from their engagement in assessing and frequently from oral, in addition to written feedback. However, the tutor should monitor the feedback and, where appropriate, elaborate it to ensure that students receive fair and equal treatment. 6. Assessment procedures should always involve use of well-defined, publicly-available assessment criteria While this is true of all assessment, it is particularly true where relatively inexperienced assessors (students) are involved. The assessment criteria may be developed by the tutor, but greater value is gained from the procedure if students are involved in developing the criteria themselves. 7. Involvement of students in assessment needs careful planning Many students see assessment as a job for staff, but at a later stage they are likely to recognise the benefits to their academic learning and skill development. Initial efforts will take time and tutor support. For these reasons, it is preferable that the use of peer and self assessment is seen as a strategy to improve learning and assessment across a whole programme. The common situation is for these assessment procedures to appear in isolated modules, often not at level 1. 8. Self and peer assessment procedures should be subject to particularly careful monitoring and evaluation from the tutor and students’ point of view It can take time for such procedures to run smoothly and for this reason, the initial involvement of relatively few marks – or solely formative assessment is wise. Student feedback to the tutor on the procedure will be important. 9. The use of peer and self assessment should be recognised as skill development in itself Such procedures are not just another means of assessment but represent the development of self-appraisal/evaluative, analytical, critical and reflective skills. These are important as employability skills and can be recognised in the learning outcomes of a module. References: Dochy,F (2006) Studies in Higher Education. Published by Web of Science(2006) 3.1. Explain the need to keep records of assessment of learning. Record keeping is part of the role and responsibility of the tutor and some often these records are required by law or codes of practice in the institution or industry. But there are boundaries and legislation regarding what can be collected and kept and how it can be used. The Data Protection Act 1998 states that records must be kept securely, be relevant and not excessive, accurate and up to date and not kept for longer than necessary. Students can request a copy of all information held about them under The Freedom of Information Act 2000. All important things to bear in mind. The need for keeping records I like that you are forced to think about why there are these records, not just what they are or how they work. Why are these records being kept, to what end? †¢ Track progress †¢ Prove achievement †¢ Identify issues such as low attendance / learning difficulties †¢ Ensure all sections of course have been completed It could be that a lot of these are required by your institution. But I’m not sure that’s the best answer: â€Å"because I have to†. Take it one step further back and think about why the organisation requires you to keep or submit them. Once you’ve thought about what records you need then it is on to how you collect and categorise that information. The types of records you would maintain A lot of this focuses more on the pastoral side, which I think is nice. Make sure you show a variety of types of records, to show you have thought about the full spectrum: †¢ Attendance and assessment †¢ Everything in between †¢ Tutorials, one to ones, learning reviews / goals / plans 3.2. Summarize requirements for keeping records of assessment in an organisation. Recording and Keeping Assessment Results Most organisations have a process in place for recording the results of assessments, and so does your Registered Training Organisation. It is not uncommon as well for assessors to maintain their own records in case of any follow up or appeals. A generic approach would be: †¢ Assessor either records or passes on the results for recording †¢ Assessor checks that the result has been accurately recorded †¢ Result provided to learner There are several reasons why the results need to be kept: †¢ Feedback to learner †¢ Legislative requirements †¢ Record in case of appeal †¢ Company records for future training needs Recognition of Prior Learning Another reason to maintain a record is for the recognition of prior learning and credit transfer processes. If outcomes can be matched by different training organisations detailed records of exactly how competency is assessed simplify the process. It also means, the competency a learner has acquired in one environment may be considered in another, different environment. With records a learner can apply to have prior learning recognised often before commencing a new training program. While it is necessary to keep a record of the actual result, it can be useful to also keep details on how the assessment was made. Training Records and Confidentiality Generally speaking, the only way an external person is able to access another person’s record is with the written permission of the person involved. |Access to records must be restricted for the sake of confidentiality. | | |Generally, managers and supervisors have limited access to personal files, but consider: | | |Who should have access to assessment records? | | |Why would they need the information? | | |What level of detail do they require? | | Each organisation will have a policy and procedures for access that should comply with ethical and legal obligations. It would be worthwhile checking your store policy and procedures in relation to this area.

Middle Eastern Female Contemporary Artists Essay

Middle Eastern Female Contemporary Artists - Essay Example The essay "Middle Eastern Female Contemporary Artists" explores the Female Contemporary Artists of Middle East. Elements of the theater arts are evident in marriage ceremonials, funeral practices and performances of traditional music. Arab artists draw inspiration from the vestiges of the region's ancient cultures, combining older iconography with new insights to create fresh artistic expressions. This fusion of elements is evident in the works of several artists who have been influenced by the ancient symbols of Mesopotamia and the rich imagery of Coptic art. Sawsan Amer's works on glass, for instance, combine traditional iconography with personal imagery, mixing the direct frontality of Coptic icons with representations of birds, both real and imagined. Another artist who joins ancient and contemporary references is Liliane Karnouk from Egypt. "My paintings are in search of a definite cultural union," says the artists. "I belong to a generation trapped between Western and Oriental values." She expresses her search for union by combining tree bark from Canada and the papyrus paper from Egypt in installations such as Black and Green, 1992. This work expresses her helpless outrage at the senseless violence of the Gulf War. The black paperworks represent an initial outlet for her mourning for the human and environmental victims of the conflict. The large spatial canvases were conceived as a visual requiem. The tree bark and green seedlings emerge as a source of renewal. The art of Effat Nagui, a 92-year.... The black paperworks represent an initial outlet for her mourning for the human and environmental victims of the conflict. The large spatial canvases were conceived as a visual requiem. The tree bark and green seedlings emerge as a source of renewal. The art of Effat Nagui, a 92-year-old Egyptian artist "who lives in history," draws upon the ancient cultures of northern Africa. One of the pioneers of modern art in Egypt, Nagui was the first woman artist to have a work acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo, in 1928. Her mixed media works like Icon of the Nile. 1991 (Amirsadeghi, Mikdadi & Shabout, 2009, 167-185) unite concentric circles and the venerable outline of the mummy with remnants of Coptic parchment and crocodile skins to create contemporary images that utilize the magic of antiquity. As Nagui says: "Sometimes the artist needs to use materials and forms from ancient folk art so that he may touch the invisible bases which erected original art. Art is the result of assimilated and inherited culture." (Madkour, 2006, 19-21) Nagui's wooden sculptured surfaces, influenced by Nubian architecture, testify to the dynamic and symbolic roles of art forms. These and other contemporary Arab artists draw inspiration from the past. The Arab East has seen a succession of major civilizations, each creating its own art forms. This is precisely what civilizations are about--creative, centripetal power which fuses old elements with new ideas, giving birth to original and specific new expression. (McEvilley, 2007, 19-21) The Art of Politics The Arab East has been a battleground in the 19th and 20th centuries. War has been a critical feature of recent history in the region, and wars, per se, create turmoil in a society, accelerating the normal

Critical thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical thinking - Essay Example The relationship between education and gender during eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries is also explored by the author. The paper also demonstrates rejection that women faced in the early days. They were rejected by their male counterparts as seen in Cambridge University. Gender issues as embedded in social structures have dramatic impacts on access of knowledge by women. The paper uncovers array of neglected issues affecting hierarchical social structures. Furthermore, the article indicates that women are capable of learning and accessing all forms of knowledge just as men can. The discussion below portrays factors that limited the accessibility of relevant education by women around the world. In addition, the discussion reveals some radical developments that have occurred over time which have opened up opportunities for women to explore and exploit their abilities and talents. Intellectual development has been a very long and tedious process among women in the world. During eighteenth century, women were not allowed to learn scientific subjects as their male counterparts. Mind development was regarded as unimportant to women. They were allowed to access moral and religious teachings but not scientific ones. Religious precepts did not entail elite languages which were allowed for men. Conversations on chemistry during late eighteenth century reveal excitement of discovery and new knowledge amongst women in the world. Adoption of conversations and experiments by Marcet indicates progress in knowledge development which was not expected of girls hence it limited their ability to display their unique understanding of concepts. In the early eighteenth century, scientific ideas, as revealed by the case of Aristotle, show the opposition that women based in discovery of scientific ideas faced. Philosophies were associated with men and superiority in which