Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Importance of Staffing in Organizations Essay - 2711 Words

Importance of Staffing in Organizations Staffing has been an important aspect in all types of organizations’ development. More and more companies have noticed a good staffing plan could increase productivity and reduce operation costs in terms of lower turnover rate and transition costs. Good staffing could be able to minimize cost in order to maximize profit, because it could assist the company to stay more competitive within the industry. According to the definition by Dr. Green, â€Å"staff is the process of identifying work requirements within an organization; determining the number of people and the skills necessary to do the work; and recruiting, selecting and promoting the qualified candidates. It is the selection process of†¦show more content†¦Organizations could select one or more of these tests, but they have to be careful of the reliability and validity of all the results. Some results might be different depending on the environment of the testing area, or the relationship between the applicant s and their previous employer/manager. Many organizations depend only on the result of the test without taking the reliability and validity into considerations, which that might lead to in hiring the wrong people. What is the difference between reliability and validity? â€Å"Reliability is the consistency and the stability of a selection measurement and validity is the degree to which a measure predicts on-the-job performance† (Green, 2003). For instance, the consistency of a test is made for to measure reliability and what kind of method to use to test the candidate is to measure validity. Since reliability and validity are both important aspects in the selection process, let’s look at several methods that are used in today’s industries. College Grade Point Average (GPA) is one of the areas that employers look at and might weighted heavily in the selection process. According to a study, â€Å"grades have a fully corrected validity in the mid .30s for predicting job performance†(Roth, BeVier, Switzer, Schippmann, 1996) and â€Å"a validity for .20 for predicting starting salary† (RothShow MoreRelatedStaffing Planning Paper1199 Words   |  5 PagesStaffing Plan Paper Adrian Gadsden April 25, 2011 Patricia Meunier-Muenks Staffing Solutions for US Military I am familiar with the Infantry and Cavalry division of the military structure and how to make this division of the US government functional is of crucial importance. First, by the very definition, the infantry and cavalry division of military service personnel requires a special mindset. It requires a person who understands that theirRead MoreStaffing System For A Job1719 Words   |  7 PagesMaria Romano MGE 629 HW#3 Chapter #7 1. Imagine and describe a staffing system for a job in which no measures are used A staffing system for a job in which no measures are used would be virtually impossible. Measurement is the key in staffing organizations, as it is a method used for assessing aspects within the organization. A system without methods would have no efficient method for determining a framework in the process of selection. 2. Describe how you might go about determining scores forRead MoreThe Revolutionary Transformation Of The Healthcare Delivery System826 Words   |  4 Pagesorganization’s ability to meet quality outcomes and cost-cutting measures. The emphasis on value-based healthcare makes it essential for appropriate staffing levels to optimize quality of care and patient outcomes (ANA, 2015). Implementing a safe staffing matrix, when compared to other life-saving interventions is extremely cost effective. Healthcare organization administrators are challenging nurses to take care of 10-12 patients at one time. Evidence demonstrates the number of patients assigned to a nurseRead MoreRecruiting And Staffing Top Quality Employees842 Words   |  4 PagesRecruiting and staffing top quality employees can increase organizational effectiveness, productivity, and customer satisfaction. As a result, organizations that want to achieve its recruiting and staffing goals should incorporate practices that are legal, ethical, and encourages diversity. Abiding employment laws, developing a code of ethics, and encouraging different perspectives can also play a major role in employees’ contentedness with their employer. Therefore, it is important for employersRead MoreInternation Recruitment and Selection1678 Words   |  7 Pagesin international business (Shen). Therefore international organizations need to understand the roll that plays the international human resource management (IHRM) department, and the importance of adopting an effective recruiting, selecting, and training strategies that will enable the company to select the right talent for the right places. IHRM plays a very important and challenging roll in the international setting of organizations because â€Å"they must develop practices which will maintain congruenceRead MoreStatistical Data For Forecasting Future Staffing1513 Words   |  7 Pagespredict future staffing requirements. All the more, trend analysis uses historical data for forecasting future staffing needs. Likewise, trend analysis creates a relationship between past and future staffing needs. Trend analysis is appliedwhen organizations have data mostly on historical staffing levels with less detailed information on specific predictions. The breaking down of data into specific time periods of demand are also often used in healthcare and retail settings where staffing levels varyRead MoreHrm Activities774 Words   |  4 Pages(HRM) ACTIVITIES HR management is composed of several groups of interlinked activities taking place within the context of the organization . All managers with HR responsibilities must consider external environmental forces like : 1-legal 2-political 3-economic 4-social 5-cultural Read MoreAnalysis Of Functions Of Effective Management Essay1429 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Normally, management is generally known as that social process which entails the fulfillment of the given set objectives of a particular organization through effective and economical regulation and operation of the organization. The system is a dynamic process since it consists of handling of different activities and elements each time. However, these elements and activities are not like the operative functions which merely involve finance, purchasing, marketing and many more of similarRead MoreImproving Safe Staffing For Nurses1321 Words   |  6 PagesThe priority issue is safe staffing for nurses working in hospitals. This issue is a priority because many times nurses are overwhelmed with his or her patient load and cannot provide safe, effective patient care. With such a heavy emphasis on patient outcomes and patient satisfaction, more attention should be dedicated to this issue. Research studies consistently find that whenever there is high patient-nurse ratio it negatively impacts patient safety. A great number of studies have demonstratedRead MoreHuman Resources And Inadequate Staffing1336 Words   |  6 PagesHuman Resources and Inadequate Staffing A continuous concern that continues to present itself within the healthcare environment is adequate staffing on nursing units. Most hospital organizations try their very best to accommodate staffing needs, though many units remain understaffed for an unspecified amount of time. Inadequate staffing can negatively affect patient outcomes, lead to nurse burnout, and decrease patient satisfaction scores. Combating this issue will require a great deal of effort

Monday, December 23, 2019

Caravaggio and His Life - 1093 Words

Depending on when and where you lived, there are many words that could describe Caravaggio. Most people who lived around same the time as Caravaggio would describe him as eccentric, murderous, quarrelsome, daring, defiant, and forgettable. As present-day people, we only have the artworks of Caravaggio to portray him as beautiful, insightful, religious, descriptive, innovate, traditional, and probably an â€Å"Italian Badass†. However, we must look at his paintings, his masterpieces, in order to truly understand who Caravaggio really was. Notorious for his reckless private life and his provocative nature as a painter, Caravaggio wanted to make a statement in the arts. His paintings today are still alive with the high drama of his days and the†¦show more content†¦Although this is a daring feature in his art, the way he depicts God and religion can give us insight on his beliefs. Caravaggio was born and raised as a devout Christian, why then, does he not add intricate mysticism to his paintings? The only religious miracles I’ve seen from his work is in The Inspiration of St. Matthew (picture on cover) where there is an angel which looks strikingly close to a human swooping down in the picture and talking to a frightened St. Matthew who has a paper-thin halo around his head. Other than that painting, Caravaggio does not use spirituality in his paintings. In my opinion, he favored the Christian Humanist belief because he focused more on Christ’s presence on earth. Christian Humanism is â€Å"the belief that human freedom and individualism are intrinsic (natural) parts of, or are at least compatible with, Christian doctrine and practice.†( http://christianhumanism.bravehost.com/ ) This definition sounds like Caravaggio wrote it himself. Just like humanists, Caravaggio was a free spirit and believed in the power of self-rule. This sense of i ndividualism most likely inspired most of Caravaggio’s paintings. Caravaggio was his own person, whether it was the traditional painting of a fruit basket or the grotesque portrait of a beheaded Goliath, he painted what he wanted to. He didn’tShow MoreRelatedMichelangelo Merisi (Caravaggio) Essay1707 Words   |  7 Pagescalled Caravaggio, had the most interesting and turbulent life. Caravaggio, was born in Milan in during the late summer or early autumn of 1571. His parents, Fermo Merisi, and Lucia Aratori, had been married on January 14 of that same year. He was the first of their four children. For several generations the Mersi family had lived in the small town of Caravaggio. Caravaggio probably adapted the town name as his own when he left for Rome(Friedlaender 34 – 38). His father workedRead MoreMartha and Mary Magdalene by Caravaggio884 Words   |  4 Pagesvery different meaning today. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio better known as simply Caravaggio was an Italian Baroque master painter born in Italy around 1571. After he apprenticed with a painter in Milan, he moved to Rome, where he lived for most of his life. His work influenced painters around Europe. He’s most known for his gruesome subjects and use of Tenebrism, which was a technique that used heavy shadow to emphasize light areas. His life was filled with great controversy. He was known forRead MoreThe Counter Reformation : A Response From The Catholic Church1288 Words   |  6 Pagessupport; through art so to impress followers and bring in supporters from groups whom didn’t know how to read. Caravaggio was one of many artists in this time that painted and/or sculpted for the church, so let’s explore the effect the Counter Reformation had on his art work (Counter Reformation). The first thing I’d like to look at in Caravaggio’s paintings is his choices of color and lighting. In his works he always used a lot of red for example in Salome with the Head of John the Baptist and in The RaisingRead MoreAnalysis Of Lucca Madonna1176 Words   |  5 PagesJesus. Jan Van Eycks use of space reveals how disproportionate the throne is to the room in which it is located. Disproportion is also seen in how Jesus is drawn, his body and head are not proportionate. The position of the rug, throne and the emphasis of natural lighting guides the eye towards Mary and Jesus. Lucca Madonna is a still life painting, that is a great example of Van Eycks use of iconography. Mary sitting on a throne most likely depicts the strength of the church considering, she wasRead More Caravaggio, Death of St. Matthew Essay1515 Words   |  7 PagesCaravaggio, Death of St. Matthew Michelangelo de Caravaggio is one of the most renowned and popular artists of the Baroque Period. In fact, many paintings from this period, as well as after have been described as â€Å"Caravagesque.† Caravaggio’s works are some of the most popular in Italy, as well as around the world, and have been put into there own stylistic group. In his painting, the Martyrdom of St. Matthew, there contains certain characteristics that make the painting easily recognizableRead MoreArt Appreciation Unit 4 Ip Essay1084 Words   |  5 Pagespostmodern era. 1). Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio; 2) Rembrandt van Rijn; and 3) Peter Paul Rubens, these three artists were known for their religious theme in their art work. The naturalism that was visibly demonstrated in each of the artist work with high contrast of lighting that noticeably appeared in these paintings. Each artist was well known and respected for their work. The three artists Works of Art that I have chosen are: Michelangelo Caravaggio: The Calling of St. Matthew c. 1599-1602Read MoreBaroque Art : The Baroque Period1648 Words   |  7 Pagesin the 17th century knew that the Baroque style of art could be used to endorse the church and give an impression of power and authority. Initial Baroque artists comprised of Caravaggio, a painter who influenced the Baroque style with his use of chiaroscuro and intense realism, and Annibale Carracci, who was well known for his frescoes. The Renaissance had seen an outbreak in art, music, culture and architecture. Italy had not been predisposed much by the protestant reformation and the church was stillRead More Caravaggio Essay1069 Words   |  5 PagesCaravaggio Michelangelo Mersi was born at Caravaggio in Lombardy on September 28, 1573. His childhood was lived in a quite atmosphere in the small town located between Brescia and Milan. Caravaggio became orphaned at a very young age, and coincidentally was sent to Milan to study painting. This is where his career started. During the Eighteen years between his arrival in Rome and his death, Caravaggio enjoyed the pleasures of being a young artist. He enjoyed the triumph of a success, theRead MoreGenre Analysis: The Baroque and Rococo Periods Essay1556 Words   |  7 PagesThe following is a comparative analysis of Caravaggio’s The Musicians from the Italian Baroque period, and Watteau’s Mezzetin from the Rococo Period. Although both paintings depict a scene or event from everyday life, or a genre scene, the latter was painted more recently during the modern era and it differs immensely. The major differences become evident in the style of the painters as well as their person al representations of the subject matter. The works illustrate the evolvement of a certainRead MoreA Personal Statement about the Things I Have Learned in This Course1366 Words   |  6 PagesThe issues, ideas, concepts, and facts I learned in this course have stimulated my imagination and ability to think critically. I have been intrigued most by learning about art through history, from Caravaggio to Munch. The topic that confused and bothered me the most was related to the American Civil War, which illuminates the dark side of the countrys history. Because of my future ambitions, I believe that our understanding of why Hollywood became the center of the movie industry over other cities

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Corporate Governance Benchmarking Free Essays

string(41) " is a company from which MFSI can learn\." Running head: CORPORATE GOVERNANCE BENCHMARKING Corporate Governance Benchmarking University of Phoenix Corporate Governance MMPBL 570 November 30, 2009 Corporate Governance Benchmarking McBride Financial Services Inc. is a low cost mortgage provider located in Boise, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, as well as North and South Dakota. Recently, Beltway Investments became the majority investor in McBride Financial Services, Inc. We will write a custom essay sample on Corporate Governance Benchmarking or any similar topic only for you Order Now As a result, McBride’s CEO needs the board of directors’ collaboration while setting up internal governance controls and ensuring proper auditing. To secure that corporate governance benefits the company and investors, McBride’s CEO needs to consider benchmarking. Thus, the authors of this paper examine the benchmarking of Adelphia Communications, Tyco, Calpine Corporation, and Tyson Foods to help develop best practices for McBride Financial Services, Inc. Accordingly, Chew and Gillan (2005) state, â€Å"The role of top management is no longer just control and coordination; it is anticipating, leading, and managing change and articulating the rationale for such change to employees† (p. ). Hence, the lack of corporate governance could not be demonstrated better than the rise and fall of Adelphia Communications. Adelphia Communications was at one time the fifth largest cable provider in the United States. The company was controlled by John Rigas, the founder of Adelphia, and his family; they controlled 60 percent of the total voting shares. The family considered Adelphia funds their own personal funds and spent them lavishly on everything from airplanes to professional sports teams. When all was finally revealed, the Rigas family received $3. 4 billion in loans from Adelphia. The company eventually filed for bankruptcy and was split up in a buyout by Time Warner Cable and Comcast (Comcast, 2006). McBride Financial Services, Inc. (MFSI) is a small company controlled by McBride, the CEO. He is looking to move to the next level, like Adelphia. MFSI has recently formed a partnership with Beltway Investments to allow growth into a regional financial services provider and form a board of directors. It is not a partnership. It is a corporation and owned by Hugh and Beltway. They are not partners which is a different legal form of business. The company needs to embrace the board of directors as an independent oversight committee and not as rubber stamp committee, yet this is the initial direction the CEO wants the board to take (University of Phoenix, 2009). Adelphia Communications failed because the board was part of the corruption and independent from the daily operations of the company. The CEO needs to also allow an external accounting firm to conduct regular audits, regardless of the results, of the company to ensure the corruption of Adelphia is not duplicated because â€Å"The way boards are structured, meeting every other month, they have to rely on outside advisers† (Patsuris, 2002). Another situation to consider is the decline of the stock prices for Tyco, turning out to be quite detrimental because of the same actions of Kozlowski, the former CEO; he failed to lead the company affectively. Kozlowski was found guilty of using company funds for his personal expenses (Cummins, 2006). Even though he was found guilty, the company’s image is still flawed and questioned, the same as the value of company stock prices. Nevertheless, Eric Pillmore is in the process of reclaiming the company’s image by reconstructing and communicating a well built ethical atmosphere. Pillmore may be strict and enforce control to help the company; perhaps if the control had been maintained through corporate governance in the past, and if employees had been at ease in bringing issues to the fore front, Kozlowski would not have been able to send the company into the tailspin it has experienced (Cummins, 2006). MFSI can learn valuable lessons from Tyco; in conjunction with legal action and a marred company because of inadequate corporate governance, Tyco has made strides in changing its business environment. Tyco has managed to make improvements, from restructuring the company ethics statement, to meeting each employee personally, supplying them with a company ethics statement, and publishing a quarterly report on any problems employees brought to the company’s attention, and compiling the findings and disciplinary actions (Cummins, 2006, para. 3). Pillmore may be strict and controlling but he has turned Tyco around by improving employee behavior, creating a trustful environment and communicating with Tyco employees. MFSI’s CEO needs to consider such changes as Tyco has implemented, to be in compliance with federal guidelines, build trusting relationships with his employees and change the tone of MFSI’s corporate culture by adhering to a new corporate governance plan. Basically, in critiquing and analyzing the roles of the key leaders of corporate governance to assess the function of ethics in compliance, key concepts and the best practices of Calpine Corporation have also been considered to help MFSI. According to Chew and Gillan (2005), â€Å"During the past decade many CEOs of large companies have become highly visible public figures,† and while MFSI is still evolving, pressure to act appropriately exists (p. 1). This visibility increases accountability for leaders’ corporate governance. In the case of MFSI, the CEO is faced with critical decision making. MFSI’s CEO’s corporate governance has the potential of creating undesirable outcomes. However, to help MFSI, the best practices of Calpine demonstrate how decision making can be executed through the code of conduct guidelines. Calpine is a successful company that despite its business strategies, it was challenged with uncontrollable environmental forces. In 1998, Calpine experienced the effects of deregulation; yet leadership followed the company’s good corporate governance to address the issue. Hence, in comparing MFSI with Calpine, it is noted that Calpine’s leadership is committed to act with integrity and transparency while MFSI’s CEO is behaving unethically by disregarding the board of directors’ and shareholders’ input. Chew and Gillan (2005) declare, â€Å"The performance of companies, good or bad, is often attributed—not only by the press, but by the directors and shareholders of the companies—to the CEO’s personal business savvy and leadership† (p. 2). Therefore, in providing MFSI with good corporate governance best practices, Tyson Foods is also considered. Tyson is a company from which MFSI can learn. You read "Corporate Governance Benchmarking" in category "Papers" MFSI’s CEO wants to control the board of directors. He tells them not to worry about doing any work or meeting more than a few times a year; â€Å"I will handle the real work,† exclaims the CEO (University of Phoenix, 2009). Tyson entered into a settlement agreement that not only cost them a considerable amount of money but also required them to practice proper corporate governance. By trying to control the board of directors, and by not offering incentive compensation and stock options, MFSI’s CEO may soon find that investors do not appreciate his self serving financial gain at the cost of their right to a good return n investment. MFSI’s CEO must take seriously, as Tyson now takes seriously, the need to allow the board of directors to be active in the business of the company and to carry out their duty to protect shareholders’ interests (Friedlander, 2008). Also, MFSI’s CEO must set up proper audit procedures, using an impartial outside aud itor while setting up internal controls. MFSI’s CEO needs to understand that corporate governance procedures are not only for his benefit but also for every investor’s welfare. The CEO needs to include others in the decision making, helping to enhance every stakeholder’s benefits. By creating transparency in their procedures and corporate governance, MFSI can help encourage the board of directors to work collaboratively to provide a good return to investors while creating long term gains that will keep the company running strong. If MFSI’s CEO continues to try to circumvent the company’s processes and make the board of directors a powerless figurehead, his investors might soon become disgruntled and take their investments elsewhere. Conclusion Maintaining state and federal guidelines and staying within the company’s code of conduct can be challenging. Thus, top leaders need to delineate the roles of each person in charge of decision making and correct any incompatible behaviors contrary to good corporate governance. In the case of McBride Financial Services, Inc. , for instance, corporate governance was identified as incongruent with the overall ethical code of conduct and responsibility of top leadership. While the best practices of the companies mentioned in this paper offer fundamental principles to executing decision making in managing the interests of stakeholders, it is also critical to adhere to all Federal ethical guidelines to help mitigate any potential undesired outcomes. Synopsis of Adelphia Communication by Michael Gillespie Issue in the Scenario that is facing the company Adelphia Communications was a publicly held company owned mostly by the founder John Rigas and his family. Adelphia had a board of directors the consisted of nine people, five of them appointed by the Rigas. Over a five year period of time the Rigas family â€Å"loaned† $3. 1 billion dollars from Adelphia. This was $800 million more than what was initially reported during an SEC investigation (Patsuris, 2002). These â€Å"loans† financed everything rom real estate ventures, airplanes, country club memberships, and operating the Buffalo Sabres hockey team. The Board of Directors fired the auditor of the company, Deloitte Touche, when they began to question some inconsistencies found during an audit (Farrell, 2002). Ironically, Adelphia sued Deloitte Touche for incompetence. If Adelphia’s board of directors had been independent, the board would have had to rel y on reports from management, external auditors and consultants, in order to determine the company’s status. Unfortunately, Adelphia’s board was so packed with insiders it was hardly in this position. Company response to the issue Soon after the termination of Deloitte, PriceWaterhouseCoopers was selected as the new auditor for Adelphia. The first step for PWC was to re-audit previous year’s financial statements. Two weeks after the hiring of PWC, Adelphia filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection and was able to secure $1. 5 billion in debt to continue operating. The company hired a new board of directors. To fill these positions the firm went outside the Adelphia umbrella and searched for ethical industry veterans to become board members. John Rigas was sentenced to 12 years in prison and his sons were sentenced to 17 years. Outcomes from the company’s response Adelphia Communications was never able to recover from the lack of corporate governance and the corrupt management of the company. In 2006, Time Warner Cable and Comcast Cable purchased Adelphia for $12. 7 billion in cash and stock options (Comcast, 2006). This deal took over 40 months to complete due to fraud and security investigations and the fact that Adelphia was operating under bankruptcy protection. Synopsis of Tyco by Colleen Holdahl Issue in the Scenario that is facing the company Tyco faced major legal issues in 2002 and was responsible to pay a â€Å"$50 million fine to settle claims that it inflated profits from 1996 through 2002† (Cummins, 2006, para. 3). Dennis Kozlowski, the company’s CEO, was found guilty of embezzling funds to such extravagance as reporting he purchased â€Å"a $6,000 shower curtain† (Cummins, 2006, para. 2) and hosting a â€Å"$2 million birthday party for his wife† (Cummins, 2006, para. 2). With all the turbulence Tyco has gone through, the present leadership is making progress to clean-up the company’s reputation. Eric Pillmore, the current senior vice president of corporate governance, has been the leader of the clean-up. Outcomes from the company’s response Pillmore started ‘cleaning-up’ Tyco by implementing a new corporate governance plan; starting with the replacement of the previous board of directors, developing, and forming a new ethics code. The newly implemented governance plan â€Å"first principle calls for strong leaders who see themselves as stewards of the company and mentors for its future leaders† (Cummins, 2006, para. 9). Pillmore is of the conclusion that some of the former leaders have more concern with their own self significance; seeing themselves as ‘wheeler dealers,’ instead of being responsible and looking out for the best interests of the company. Pillmore also believes one of the most critical functions of his job as chief financial officer is to monitor the finances and act as a mentor to everyone in the company (Cummins, 2006). Among Pillmore’s other philosophies is ‘a web of accountability’ and ‘a robust process to understand why people behave the way they do’. He believes every employee has something to contribute to maintain an ethical business environment and leaders should not be intimidating. Employees should be free to approach their company leaders on ethics and company values issues. Outcomes from the company’s response Eric Pillmore takes the time to meet each employee, supplying them with the company’s ethics statement, and to discuss concerns or issues they may encounter. Tyco â€Å"publishes a quarterly report on any problems employees brought to the company’s attention, then the company’s findings and any disciplinary action- leaving out all employees’ names† (Cummins, 2006, para. 3). After the turbulence and with the help of Pillmore, Tyco has turned around and once again has a positive company image and the stock has recovered most of its value. Tyco received a rating by the Governance Metrics International as â€Å"one of the most improved companies globally; on a scale of one to te n, Tyco rose from a 1. 5 at the end of 2002 to 8. 5† (Cummins, 2006, para. 13). Synopsis of Calpine Corporation by Marisela Jimenez Issue in the Scenario that is facing the company Calpine Corporation is a successful independent power company that has strived to improve its business operations to help it advance its mission, values, and vision. While Calpine has managed to sustain its record high profits, the company, nevertheless, has faced changes in the business environment, particularly in deregulation. In 1998, a national movement, led by state legislation across the country, passed a U. S. Congress bill to accelerate and spread nationwide electric deregulation (FindingUniverse, 2009). This issue affected Calpine’s overall business functioning. Company response to the issue However, Calpine responded to the issue by focusing on the opportunities presented by deregulation. In other words, â€Å"The company’s foundation as a service provider to power plant operators and its subsequent development into a power plant operator itself engendered a vertically integrated enterprise primed for the new competitive era† (FundingUniverse, 2009). Calpine synergized its operations and focused on developing systems to maximize resources by improving conceptual designs, financing, construction, operation, fuel management, and power marketing. Through the synergistic approach to the business of producing electricity, Calpine managed to remain competitive in the market by strategically preserving profits without cutting the highly aggressive rates. The changes in deregulation helped Calpine’s leadership take immediate action by addressing the uncontrollable forces affecting the company. Leadership realized the potential for deregulation and its implications in the company; therefore, when Congress passed the deregulation bill, Calpine’s leadership was competently prepared. Outcomes from the company’s response Calpine’s outcome of the company’s response to the issue helped expedite the acquisition of 46 gas-fired turbines produced by Siemens Westinghouse. This acquisition radically enhanced Calpine’s market presence; leadership identified the opportunity of expansion as a result of deregulation. Basically, â€Å"The combination of Calpine management’s intuitive powers in foreseeing a growing demand for capacity and its willingness to gamble heavily paid handsome dividends,† enabling Calpine to grow into a successful company (FundingUniverse, 2009). Calpine’s leadership, however, ensures that their commitment to good corporate governance adheres to the highest ethical standards; thus, leadership behaves with integrity and transparency while maintaining strong levels of communication with stakeholders, including the board of directors, employees, and the community. Calpine’s leadership decision making is guided by the company’s code of conduct, helping to discourage any illegal and unethical behavior (Calpine, 2009). Synopsis of Tyson Foods by Carole Kindt Issue in the Scenario that is facing the company Over the years Tyson Foods has handled controversial issues concerning their business practices. They have been questioned over their ties to former President Clinton, unsanitary and dangerous conditions in their plants, plants staffed by low-paid workers, and even questionable campaign contributions (Unknown 1, 2009). In 2008, Tyson entered into a settlement with its investors over questionable practices in a case that named Don Tyson, members of his family, and the Board of Directors. The case alleged misconduct in connection with related party transactions and granting stock options to officers and directors of Tyson (Chase, 2008). The settlement agreement approved by the judge in the case ordered Tyson to pay $4. 5 million to their largest shareholders and forced improvements to Tyson’s corporate governance policies (Chase, 2008). As part of the settlement agreement, Tyson agreed not to engage in any new related party transactions without the approval of the Board and also to hire a consultant to evaluate its internal audit and control processes (Chase, 2008). Company response to the issue Tyson’s Board of Directors immediately began fulfilling the terms of the settlement agreement and they have worked to create a strong corporate governance structure. In 2008, the Board appointed a lead independent director and a new chairman of its compensation committee as well as establishing a nominating committee (Unknown 2, 2008). By focusing on their internal controls and corporate governance, Tyson’s board of directors has returned to their fundamental task, to work in good faith to assure they are upholding their fiduciary duties to the stockholders. Outcomes from the company’s response Tyson’s board of directors received a wake-up call that shook them out of their lassitude and encouraged them to make changes that enhance the long term goals of Tyson Foods as well as the return for their investors (Friedlander, 2008). In this way, Tyson will rebuild its reputation and trust with investors as well as fulfill the company’s long-term goals. By creating committees made up of independent, non-biased members, Tyson will create the transparency necessary to rebuild investor trust and build their company for the future. Good choice of companies and relating some of the take-a-ways to McB. Paper easy to read and follow but you could have worked the lesson into McB in more detail. Grade 96 References Calpine. (2009). Corporate Governance. [Online]. Available: http://www. calpine. com/ About/oc_corpgov. asp (2009, November 25). (Chase R 2008 Judge Approves $4. 5M Settlement Against Tyson Foods Directors. )Chase, R. (2008). Judge Approves $4. 5M Settlement Against Tyson Foods Directors. CNA Insurance Journal. Retrieved from http://www. insurancejournal. com /news/national /2008. thm? print=1 database. Chew, D. H. , Gillan, S. L. (2005). Corporate Governance at the Crossroads: A book of readings. 1 ed. ). New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Comcast Press Release. (2006). Comcast and Time Warner Complete Adelphia Acquisitions. July 31, 2006. Retrieved on November 26, 2009 from http://www. comcast. com/About/PressRelease/PressReleaseDetail. ashx? PRID=55. ComcaCCummins, H. J. (2006). Tyco exec makes the rounds spreading the word on corporate ethics. Star Tribune, p. 1D . Retrieved November 23, 2009, from ProQuest database. Farrell, M. (2002). Deloitte Blasts Adelphia on Audit. Multi Channel News. July 8, 2002. Retrieved on November 25, 2009 from http://www. allbusiness. om/company-activities-management/company-structures-ownership/6355799-1. html. (Friedlander J 2008 Overturn Time-Warner Three Different Ways)Friedlander, J. (2008). Overturn Time-Warner Three Different Ways. Delaware Journal of Corporate Law, 33(3), 631-649. Retrieved November 24, 2009, from Business Source Complete database Web Site: http://support. ebsco. com. FundingUniverse. (2009). Calpine Corporation. [Online]. Available: http://www. fundinguniverse. com/company-histories/Calpine-Corporation-Company- History. html (2009, November 25). Patsuris, Patricia (2009). Adelphia Hypocrisy. Forbes. om. Retrieved on November 25, 2009, from http://www. forbes. com/2002/06/10/0610adelphia. html. (Unknown 2 2008)Unknown 2. (2008). Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://www. tyson. com//C orporate/PressRoom/ViewArticle. aspx? id-2879 Web Site: http://www. tyson. com. (Unknown 2009 Tyson Foods, Inc. )Unknown 1. (2009). Tyson Foods, Inc. Retrieved November 24, 2009, from http://www. fundinguniverse. com/company-histories. /Tyson-Foods-Inc-Company-History Web Site: http://www. fundi nguniverse. com. University of Phoenix (2009). McBride Financial Scenario. Retrieved November 16, 2009 from rEsource student website. How to cite Corporate Governance Benchmarking, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Usability Report on the Battery

Questions: Create a usability report on the battery using the three sections outlined below. 1. Write an Executive Summary. 2. Write a requirements analysis and/or a task analysis. 3. Conduct a usability analysis on the device. Answers: Executive summary Cogstate Brief Battery is a playing card based battery and it is administered by IT technologies. Diseases such as schizophrenia, Alzheimers disease, dementia, depression, etc., which are neurodegenerative are screened by this battery. The ability of individuals in cognitive tasks are measured by this battery which are impaired with the diseases (Cogstate, 2015., Maruff et al., 2013). There are four tests which the battery is composed of. The tests have been designed so as to measure different domain of diseases. The four tests are as follows: Detection Test: Processing speed is measured by this test through the use of reaction time paradigm. Identification Test: Attention is measured by this test through the use of a choice reaction time paradigm One Card Learning Test: Visual Learning is measured by this test through the use of a pattern separation paradigm and One-back Test: Working memory is measured by this test through the use of an end back paradigm (Cogstate, 2015). Exploration of The One Card Learning Task and The Detection Task will be done for the purpose of this analysis. The clinical trials of Cogstate provide the scientific services and products for optimization of the design and execution of the clinical trials aimed at establishing the cognitive effects of the investigation or the marked products. The designs have the computer tests which are specific to patients populations, in this case, they are reliable for use, brief and concise, valid, sensitive to the changes across the languages and cultural aspects. The cogstate gives the provisions for management for scale, monitoring services, and the paper and pencil neuropsychological testing, and questionarres for the patient reports the outcome. Requirement analysis The batteries engage the study subjects which are the cogstate tests are known to be brief in the industry. For the appropriate site staff it involved with scheduling in the patient and also do the requirement study analysis, and at the end of the survey appreciate the ease use of the cogstate system. The products delivered in the approach of various platforms which are the laptops, web based and also on the tablets. In this case, they do not require to checked by an expert in neuropsychologist, but they can conduct from remote access. The training process for the system is easy. The system has to meet all the relevant regulatory and security requirements, also, the clinical data integrity. The system is procedure guidelines are in line with the ISO 9001:2008. The computerized tests in the cogstate clinical trials have provision rapid, sensitive, and valid measure of the different cognitive functions. The tests use novel and verbal stimuli to enhance the assessment. All the tasks are designed for repetitive practices in the little training and learning factors making them a high factor for the clinical trials. The batteries comprise of some individual tasks each designed to a particular area of cognition. Each single task battery is customizable. The services includes are scientific consultations, scales management; it also includes the selection, training, certification, recalibrations and the quality control measures. The teams in the clinical developments always the cost efficient and scale and high quality cognitive data. The management and training services are provided by the cogstate. High quality cognitive data is of the essence, and will result in the generation and collection of valid questionnaires. The baseline and change in the range of cognitive domains are measured by various cognitive tasks which are computerized. Memory, attention, language cognition, executive function and emotional cognition can be assessed by specific tasks. Not only that the effect of drugs, nutraceuticals, devices are also determined by the batteries. The batteries re also used in screening programs and large scale sports medicine programs. International peer reviewed journals have also validated the cogstate testing method. A wide range of cognitive domains such as attention cognition, social-emotional cognition, simple reaction tome are targeted by these batteries. The tests are designed to decrease the noise from cognitive records taken from the trials in research and increase the signal . and The ability has been proven to detect both the reduction in the in cognition and improvement. Usability analysis on the device There has been extensive use of Cogstate batteries for assessing a number of diseases. Four cognitive domains are assessed by the Cogstate batteries. These are Working memory Visual learning Attention Processing speed Any of the four tests which have been mentioned in the starting of the paper may be used by researchers for measuring the domains. The researchers may choose test according to their suitability and convenience. The use of the cogstate batteries have been very reliable as it has been tested by a large number of researchers. A huge range of language and cultural groups have used these tests and given positive feedbacks with respect to reliability of the batteries. Using and navigation of minimal interface is easy. The difference between a failed and a successful experiment can be made by the services provided by the Cogstate. It will be helpful for the clinical teams. Assessment of cognitive functions in both younger and older adults and in clinical gropus suffering from pysochologiocal illness and dementian are done by the costate batteries. The battery has always been described in detail in the scientific literature and used broadly to guide clinical decision making in early phase settings. Due of its brevity and lack of generation of any practice effects upon repeated administration, it can be given many times in a single day and then on many days in the same experiment. The psychometric characteristics of the Cogstate Early Phase battery and its demonstrated sensitivity to change associated with drug effects are the subject of numerous for peer-review scientific journal publications. In the early phase Clinical Research Units want to imlement a proven, sensitive and rapid test battery to measure the cognitive effect of the new drugs of their Pharmaceutical Sponsor clients, the Cogstate scientific consultancy , software, training and data monitoring systems enable fast yet precise cognitive data collection. The other test batteries, the Cogstate Early Phase battery is easy to use, engaging and brief for subjects. For site staff, the system is quick to set-up, requires minimal training, is very easy to use and requires minimal data reconciliation work. Assessment of the device Benefits are accrued to battery users of targeted clinical population. The users do not need to learn the use of battery and they are also not distracted by the new information while progressing through the test. Thus there is not more interference from the programming which are assessed by the battery. However, there are certain flaws associated with the use of the battery. The Cogstate Research comprises a customizable range of computerized cognitive tasks able to conduct baseline and change in a wide variety of cognitive domains. The baseline and change in the range of cognitive domains are measured by various cognitive tasks which are computerized. Memory, attention, language cognition, executive function and emotional cognition can be assessed by specific tasks. Not only that the effect of drugs, nutraceuticals, devices are also determined by the batteries. It would not be feasible to use the batteries in screening and large-scale sports medicine programs. Audition of the quality and data systems are done by global pharmaceutical companies and by independent consultants. There are flaws associated with the use of battery. The feedbacks of error should be shown in red because red is accepted as an error colour. There is problem in understanding the error tone which accompanies the display as it cannot be heard properly. There are also certain guess abilities associated with the test and both my volunteer and I did not require the reading of detailed instructions while applying the test. There were concise instructions written and the instruction page also contained a start button. Signifiers and conventional constraints were used by the start button. The button was dark and it lit up once an user proceeds. Mapping was also used to establish a similarity between the onscreen keys and the keyboard keys. Thus I completed using the battery without going through much of the instructions. I could easily identify what needed to be done. The feedback for correct responses was being shown in green which was quite pleasing. However the error feedbacks were accompanied by low tone and blue cross and I did not find pleasing at all in the beginning. It created a kind of confusion. I tried to click on the no and yes button as it seemed to me that those buttons were clickable which were actually not. The mapping of the two keys on screen which were analogous to the keyboard was however appreciable. The tasks were quite lengthy and at some points I was getting really confused whether I was still in the practice test or in the real test. The tests being lengthy I was getting a bit bored as well. These were the minor problems associated with the performance of the tasks. Overall the tests have been designed quite well and it was a pleasant experience for me. References Alzheimers disease. BMC Pharmacology Toxicology, 1. doi: 10.1186/2050-7283-1-30 Barbas, N., Darby, D., Giordani, B., Hammers, D., Heidebrink, J., Persad, C., Ryan, K., Spurgeon, E.(2012). Validity of a brief computerized cognitive screening test in dementia. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, 25, 89 99. Doi:10.1177/0891988712447894 Cogstate Ltd. (2015, October 10). Cogstate brief battery. Retrieved from: community-dwelling older adults. J Alzheimers.Dis 2011;27(3):627-37. Lim YY, Ellis KA, Harrington K, Ames D, Martins RN, Masters CL, et al. Use of the CogState Brief Battery in the assessment of Alzheimer's disease related cognitive impairment in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) study. J Clin Exp.Neuropsychol. 2012;34(4):345-58. Lim, Y. Y., Jaeger, J., Harrington, K., Ashwood, T., Ellis, K. a, Stffler, A., Maruff, P. (2013). Three- Month Stability of the CogState Brief Battery in Healthy Older Adults. Louey, A. G., Cromer, J. A., Schembri, A. J., Darby, D. G., Maruff, P., Makdissi, M., Mccrory, P. (2014). Detecting cognitive impairment after concussion: sensitivity of change from baseline and normative data methods using the CogSport/Axon cognitive test battery. Archives of Clinical Maruff P, Thomas E, Cysique L, Brew B, Collie A, Snyder P, et al. Validity of the CogState brief battery: relationship to standardized tests and sensitivity to cognitive impairment in mild traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia, and AIDS dementia complex. Arch.Clin Neuropsychol. 2009;24(2):165-78. Maruff, P., Lim, Y. Y., Darby, D., Ellis, K. A., Pietrzak, R. H., Snyder P. J., Bush, A. I., Szoeke, C., Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimers Disease: Results from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle-Rate of Change Substudy (AIBL-ROCS). Archives of clinical neuropsych.