Hotel System Free Essays

AMA COMPUTER LEARNING CENTER BSIT BSCS DEPARTMENT In partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the course Introduction to Software Submitted by: Kim John A. Hidalgo Jairus S. Echevarre Nikki Hanna P. We will write a custom essay sample on Hotel System or any similar topic only for you Order Now Palanog Submitted to: Karen Kate Seronay Date: February 7, 2013 Chapter 1 Introduction A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-termbasis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting onlyof a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suitebathrooms and air conditioning or climate control. Today, most of the Hotels provide goods and services using computersystem. It helps to perform task in an easy way with less time consumed. Some companies are become fully automated while others strive for thesimilar setting. Computer programmers develop things like computer system that the rest of us could use. The computer programmers tell the users what todo. They make programs that users can easily used or understand. The advent of new technology gave rise to easy and hassle free interaction between and among humans. Whether it is in business, science or what ever task a person takes on the quality and speed of carrying it out are enhanced with automation at the core of this efficient Today, many systems have used an automation process like using computer system, due to the efficient and accuracy. â€Å"Hotel Reservation System† is a transaction processing system. In this system there are more advantages rather than a manual Hotel Reservation. 1. 1 Background of the Study The proponents want to know the reasons of hotel in using manual reservation. The proponents conduct a study towards the topic because they notice some of the hotel still use manual reservation. The study will emphasize the effects of using manual reservation and how a computerized reservation will be substituted. Therefore, theproponents purported to find out how to increase the number of customerusing computerized reservation Interaction and individual stimulation have always been linked tothe technological availability of the time and place. With the transition toan information-based society, computers and transactions have evolvedfrom manual transaction. One of the solutions or alternatives to the problems that a hotel isfacing, a system was being developed which can edit, delete, filter,monitor and store and secured the records of the customers. Hotel Reservation system is a transaction processing system that solves the problem encountered during the manual Hotel Reservation. The computerized Hotel Reservation System aims to simplify the manual Hotel Reservation fastest and accurate. Database is shared thru World Wide Web (WWW). The proponents make use of some tools andtechniques to build the project. The system uses Graphical User Interface(GUI) to help the user give instruction to the computer. The system once implemented it will solve the most common problems that the Hotel Reservation encounter. 1. 2 Target Client Dotties Place Hotel is a place for relaxation and fun. Rooms with overlooking the swimming pool and view of the hotel. Dotties Place Hotel is located at J. C Aquino Ave. Butuan City 8600, Philippines. 1. 3 Statement of the Problem A number of travelers choose to book online nowadays for the reason that it is comfortable and convenient. The level of convenience is simply unmatched because booking is just a click away. The advantages that come along with online booking cannot be ignored. This study will aid those hotels which are still using the manual way of hotel reservation and will facilitate travelers in booking in a hotel. It would also promote the hotel in a wider geographical range that is to advertise the hotel to acquire a competitive advantage over the other. Not all hotels are implementing an online reservation system which is the reason why some problems arise and that convenience is not achieved by the management and by the travelers. Through series of interviews, the researchers found the following problems: * Important personal information of the guest are misspelled; * Possible loss of important guests’ records who already made a reservation for a particular date; * Inconvenient for the guest to reserve a room Delayed report generation. 1. 4 Objective of the Study The main purpose of the study is to develop a generic online hotel reservation system to allow guests to reserve a room through the Internet. The development of this study specifically aims to: * Provide the exact information of the guest; * Provide a centralized record for the proper management of the information of the guest; * Provide convenience for the guest to make a reservation, show the availability of the room and give suggestions on the available rooms for the guest; and * Generate generic reports to inform the management about the reservation. . 5 Significance of the Study This study is basically useful for the hotel management in the reservation in a way that it provides convenience both to the guest and the front desk officer. This study will be significant in the hotel owner as well as to hotel staff to gain more profit since it is online, the geographical reach will be widen thus making sales growth increased from time to time. Costumer convenience will also be emphasi zed because they can make any transaction anytime, anywhere. 1. 6. 0 SCOPE AND LIMITATION The scope of the study is that the researchers will give a proper webiste that can be easily to use. Using computerized system that enables bussinesses to track services and aims to provide accurate and reliable process on every transaction especially in a hotel reservation finding available rooms, the system tells you that this room is unavailable, deleting records, adding records, and to search records. This study is limited to other functions like printing the records. This study cannot have it’s own domain, due to lack of funds though this research is intended for educational purpose only. . 6. 1 Include The study focused mainly on the development of a generic online hotel reservation system. This allows the guest to inquire on the availability of every room in the hotel. The system is capable of registering the guest and a Captcha will also be provided to protect the system from web spiders. The system will accept online payment for hotels that require down payment throug h scanning and uploading of the bank receipt. Some hotels do not require down payment and the payment will be upon the arrival of the guest 1. 6. 2 Exlclude The system is limited to some areas wherein there will be two forms that the guest will fill-up. First will be the Guest Registration Form containing the guest name, address, age, gender, status   and the other one is the Guest Room Inquiry and Reservation Form which contains the availability of the room, arrival date, check-in date. 1. 6. 3 Dependency The system runs in a client-server environment. The hotel serves as the server-side and the guest is the client. The server is responsible for the confirmation and in specifying the grace period of the reservation. The system will automatically cancel the reservation if the guest exceeds in the grace period provided. Chapter 3 Software Analysis and Design 3. 2. 0 Model System Planning Water Fall Model Systems Analysis Systems Design Systems Development System Testing System Implementation Systems planning Systems planning phase is where the project initiation and requirements gathering takes place. In this phase, the researchers performed brainstorming. It helped a lot in the data gathering of the researchers in order to list the requirements needed by the system as to its development. Systems analysis Systems analysis is the dissection of a system into its component pieces to study how those component pieces interact and work. Appropriate data were gathered by the researchers and were used for the systems requirement specification. The specified existing problems were given adequate solutions. Through series of interviews, the researchers have analyzed the given data to come up with concrete information and to specify the existing problems sequentially. Systems design Systems design is the process of defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data for a system to satisfy specified system requirements. In this phase also, the researchers used the gathered data in order to accomplish the logical design of the proposed system. System Development In the development of the system, the researchers considered the detailed users’ requirements to meet the desired requirements. These requirements are the guidelines in creating the reliable and better system. In this phase, the researchers also select the programming language to be used in the development of the system. The main task of the researchers in this phase is to generate the code of the system. System Testing In this phase, the system is tested against its performance and based on the requirements specified in the earlier phase using two different ways. First was the Alpha Testing wherein the developers/researchers checked the system if it is capable of running in different operating systems. The researchers entered invalid inputs into the system to test if the system can handle such errors and give possible response. Second was the Beta testing, to test if the system is capable in making reservation through the internet. And the management can evaluate the developed system if it is user-friendly and if it meets the necessary requirements in the reservation process. System Implementation In this phase, the final product is the fully featured system with full functionality is then implemented. 3. 2. 1 Use Case Diagram New Entry for Check in Update Check In Perform Checkout View Room Status Search Customer Information Staff Customer 3. 2. 2 Activity Diagram Stop User name and password do not match Start Log-inNO Staff Yes Check Availability Fill Check In Form Check In Update Reservation Checkout User name and password do not match Log-in Start Stop Adminn NO Yes Add room info Add room type info Change hotel profile Set room price Set floor info Generate Reports 3. 2. 3 Class DiagramCustomer Cid : Integer Fname :Varchar Mname :Varchar Lname :Varchar Gender : Integer Contact No. : Integer Emailadd: Varchar(50) checkinDate: DateTime Stay : Integer Checkoutdate:DateTime Prepaid : Integer Room Info RoomId: Integer Room No. : Integer Roomava: Integer Floor: Varchar RoomType RoomType ID : Integer RoomType: Varchar Room No: integer Login Usrname: Varchar (50) Password: Varchar(50) Permission: varchar(50) Hotel Profile Name: Varchar Address: Vharchar Email: Varchar Contact No. : Integer AddHotelProfile() UpdaeHotelProfile() How to cite Hotel System, Papers

Nike Plus Marketing Plan free essay sample

They did not want to make it too complicated or the average runner would not be interested; they had to keep their target market in mind. The product is simply a chip that fits into your Nike shoe that keeps track of you pace, distance, etc. This chip transfers data to your ipod nano which allows the runner to hear progress made and how far they have to go to reach their goal. The simplicity of the product allowed them to make the price of their product quite low; but now so low to imply poor quality. History In the 1960’s Phil Knight was in university and had a project where he had make a business plan. Along with the business plan he had to make a marketing plan to go along with it. This business plan composed of the idea of producing shoes in Japan and selling them in the United States. We will write a custom essay sample on Nike Plus Marketing Plan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Later on in 1963 Phil Knight decided to give his business plan a try. He traveled to Japan to speak with a company that manufactures shoes that goes by the name of Tiger. Phil Knight was asked who he represented and he made up the name Blue Ribbon Shoes. Phil convinced them to sell him their ‘Tiger’ shoes for that he could resell them in the US under the name Blue Ribbon Shoes. Over the 8 years the Blue Ribbon Shoes broke 1 million dollars in sales. It was at this 8 year mark (1971) he changed the name to Nike and also included the swoosh to be recognizable characteristic. After this the company grew exponentially and over 10 years sales grew up to $270 million. In 1996 Nike got the marketer of the year award which increased it popularity even more. At this point (1996) Nike had hit $6. 74 billion in sales. Environmental Analysis Social With the rise in obesity there are more and more people becoming self-conscious about their weight. This is resulting in more people going to gyms and pursuing other ways of getting exercise. This will directly result in more people purchasing the Nike plus who which to lose weight by running. People these days are wanting to belong to something more than they did in the past. Examples of this are the huge rise in people using myspace, facebook and other social networking site. Nike took advantage of this trend by creating a networking site only for people who have purchased the Nike plus. Economic Everyone is well aware that right now the economy is doing very poorly and people have less money to spend. This will hurt Nike as a company being as most of their products are at the high end scale of pricing. However, the Nike plus is cheap when compared to similar products. So the downhill economy could in fact help with sales of the Nike plus. Technological The current trend in this information age is everything becoming wireless. This includes cell phones, gaming consoles, blue tooth, etc. Nike took advantage of this trend by having the chip in the shoe communicate wirelessly with the receiver attached to the ipod nano. Competitive Companies are continuously outsourcing production to other countries in order to be profitable while offering the lowest price. Nike has taken advantage of this. Nike has the ability to move production from one country to another (what ever one has cheapest labour) while only incurring a small cost. SWOT Analysis Strengths Nike has no set factory that all or most production takes place in. If the cost of labour raises somewhere, then Nike can move its production to another location where labour is cheaper. This means Nike can produce a high quality product at the lowest possible price. Nike has very good research and development. This is very evident the many innovative product they have come out with. Nike has a global recognition for quality. Almost anywhere if some one sees the Nike swoosh they will recognize it as Nike. Weaknesses Nike does not have its own retailer and retailers are very price sensitive. This means that Nike must sell to retailers a lower price because of the competion from other bands such as Addidas. Opportunities The owners of Nike claim that Nike is not a fashion brand. They claim all of their products serve the purpose assisting people in sports. However, many people buy Nike products simply because of fashion. This is great market Nike could tap into. There are high value items that Nike has still not put into production. This includes jewelry. High value items generally come with a profit. Threats Nike sells internationally. This means that as fluctuations in currency happen Nike risks selling at a loss. This is a threat that faces all international companies. Over the past decade the market for shoes is becoming very competitive. Many more brands are coming into the market which is taking away from Nikes market share. Marketing Objectives and Strategies Being such a large company with an enormous global presence, Nike has lofty objectives to reach. Nike sets the highest standard in the industry of athletics and sports equipment, therefore when they set out In this joint-venture with Apple computers, they intended for the Nike+ brand to hold the largest market share within it’s category. With-in the first year of its launch Nike is striving to promote the Nike+ brand vigorously in an attempt to capture the interest of fitness enthusiasts and recreational runners alike. With this joint-venture, Nike hopes to gain an edge over its competitors, combining a similarly position brand with it’s elite running shoe creates a unique product that will captivate the fitness enthusiasts. The ultimate first year goal is to increase it’s share of the fitness market over it’s competitors with significant room for growth with the Nike+ brand as it looks to promote primarily within North America. The long-term goal of Nike’s marketing plan is to utilize the uniqueness of their product in order to create a commanding strangle hold on the fitness market and expand advertising efforts globally. Nike has numerous strategies that they utilize in order to reach a number of various potential consumer groups. Nike utilizes the market-leader market-product strategy. This is evident in the way in which they advertise the Nike+, using slogans such as â€Å"Run like you’ve never run before† in mixed media such as television and print advertisements. Although the Nike+ is a new product, it is essentially an innovation. Because it is an innovation Nike can draw on, not only it’s brand equity, but Apple’s as well, in order to place it as a premium product with-in the industry all while still maintaining a buzz and newness about it’s product. The primary target market of the Nike+ product are fitness enthusiasts looking to optimize the efficiency of their runs. This is very evident in the advertisements of this product. They depict a runner running against his toughest opponent-himself. The product allows for a juxtaposition of all previous accomplishments technologically displayed on the computer, allowing the runner to compare themselves against themselves. The secondary target market are casual runners looking to improve, yet may not need to use the product to its full potential to experience a benefit to their runs. Product The product is a little a chip that fits into a Nike shoe (only certain Nike shoes accept the chip). The chip comes with a receiver chip that connects to an ipod nano and the two chips communicate with each other wirelessly. The chip in the shoe records elapsed time, current pace and distance as a person is running/jogging. This data is simultaneously sent to the ipod nano using the receiver chip. Once the person has finished their exercise they can hook their ipod to the computer. The runner can then go to the Nike website and view their data. Nike has branded its self in a way that when one purchases Nike plus one has now become part of a larger community. This community is formed on the Nike website. You can compare your data with other people who have also purchased the Nike plus. You can communicate with other members and set goal for yourself. The Nike website goes another step further and creates little competitions where runners can show off their skills. This is all an effort to make the Nike plus ‘brand personality’ of being some one that promotes being a community. All of Nike products automatically have perceived high equity. Nike attempted to continue this by naming the new product Nike plus. The name creates in a persons mind everything great Nike offers, plus a bit more. People already use Nike shoes for running and now they can keep track of their progress easily. Nike strategically chose Apple’s ipod to communicate with instead of a Microsoft mp3 player. Apple has a reputation of creating higher quality products than Microsoft which is why Nike chose Apple. This helps Nike create stronger brand equity. There are many competitors Nike has for this product. These include Timex Bodylink, Garmin Forerunner, Bones In Motion. All these competitors offer more advanced running statistics than the Nike plus. Their products take the form of a watch or a band the goes around the leg. Things these products can do that the Nike plus can’t are tell the average speed, automatically pausing at an intersection or water fountain, and a few others. Despite these competitors offering more advanced products, Nike has set its self apart by being innovative. No one else other than Nike has come of with a chip that goes in your shoe that tracks your speed and delivers the data to an ipod nano. As mentioned above, Nike took this a step further by making it possible to be part of a community of other runners. Not even Adidas (main competition) has come up a product that does what the Nike plus does. The packaging has been made in a way that makes it stand out whether if the consumer knows about the product or not. It is a piece of grey cardboard with plastic wrapped around it securing the chip and receiver. To make people notice it a red stripe is placed at the top and bottom. In the top right hand corner of the top strip there is Nike’s swoosh and Apple’s logo beside it (an apple). This gets people attention because both Nike and Apple are big companies and have nothing to do with each other in any of the lines of products they sell. Price One would expect the price the Nike plus to be quite high. In fact, the price for the Nike plus is only $29. They have likely been able to do this because the Nike plus is composed of just a chip and a receiver which makes manufacturing cost lower than its competition. Apple also covered a lot of the cost for software programming since the product would result in more sales of the ipod nano. The consumer must also buy a pair of Nike shoes that are compatible with the Nike plus which is where they make most of the profit. Any pair of compatible Nike shoes cost between $80 and $110. Most of Nike market value quality and are more likely to purchase the higher priced shoes. This product is still quite new on the market and has no discount/sale price is available. Since the price is relatively low it is not necessary to offer sales at this point in time, especially since their target market is not price sensitive. Nike’s price gives it a huge advantage over competition. Many of Nikes competitors mentioned in the ‘Product’ section sell for about $300. There are some cheaper alternatives; but then the consumer would be better off just to get the Nike plus. Place In order to insure the success of any of product it carries, Nike, like any other large company, must distribute its product in retail locations most conducive its consumer’s lifestyles. With over 25,000 retailers in the United States alone, Nike already has strong, vast, and established channels willing to carry its products. Nike has its own retailers called â€Å"Niketown†, are currently in over 160 countries worldwide and also distribute their product online at nike. com. Nike+ specifically is now distributed throughout North America and Europe through retailers; however anyone can purchase the Nike+ product online, through nike. com/nikeplus. The intensity of distribution is just as intense as many other running shoes in Nike’s product line and can be found at any typical Nike retailer. Promotion The main usage of promotion done by Nike in order to promote it’s sub-brand Nike+ is advertising. Nike utilizes television advertisements specifically. They do this because it allows them to reach a large amount of potential consumers in order to promote their brand. Nike looks to convey a powerful message about physical fitness as they advertise Nike+. Nike+ advertisements promote a fun and effective way to maximize the potential of your workouts. By doing this they capture the serious runner looking to improve on the effectiveness of his or her workout, but also the casual runner just looking to better enjoy the experience. Evaluation of Marketing Plan Nike has done an excellent job of excecuting their marketing plan. Many people are not aware of the Nike plus. However, Nike succeeded in creating awareness for the people they where targeting. They clearly identified their target market and pushed the advertising on them rather than wasting money on people who will not purchase the product. Because of Nikes already strong customer base they got away with not doing advertising on massive scale. This also adds to why they where able to keep the price low for the product. Nike should have priced the Nike plus higher. Their target market has little price sensitivity and they would have been willing to pay a higher price. Then after 6 months they could have lowered the price to what it is now ($29). Nike branded the product perfectly. Gave it an image of being something that’s bigger than everything else, which is where the online community comes in. Bibliography http://nikeplus. nike. com/nikeplus/ http://reviews. cnet. com/mp3-player-accessories/nike-ipod-sport-kit/4505-6519_7-31894266. html http://xroads. virginia. edu/~CLASS/am483_97/projects/hincker/nikhist. html http://www. marketingteacher. com/SWOT/nike_swot. htm http://www. wharton. universia. net/index. cfm? fa=viewArticleid=1207language=englishspecialId= http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Nike%2C_Inc. http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=qOr5_GaGnPc http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=gTv3sHGNOmQ

Online Banking Essays - Financial Services, Economy, Finance

Online Banking Banking Online Imagine banks without tellers, desks, brochures, or ATM's. Picture, a virtual bank, residing inside of a computer, projected by images on a computer screen. US financial institutions are moving towards virtual banking?; a strategy making bank services available to customers any time and place they need them. Banks are offering more services as virtual banking becomes more popular, while the number of traditional teller-staffed branches are declining. Bank customers are moving away from traditional banking and becoming dependent on electronic transactions using ATMs and PCs. Thanks to this technology, financial institutions are using software programs, online services, and even the internet to allow customers to check balances, pay bills, and transfer funds among accounts. Bankers promise that, in the near future, we will be able to buy certificates of deposit, mutual funds, other investments, and even apply for loans electronically. Many people's best option is to plug into their bank through software. Intuits Quicken, Microsoft Money, and Managing Your Money are the top home budgeting programs allowing users a way to harness their assets through their PC. In order to use this software properly all a customer needs is a personal computer, software and a modem. On-screen instructions, laden with colorful graphics and pictures, explain how to select and work on various tasks. The system automatically calculates and updates account balances and keeps records of bills. By charging $5 to $20 a month for these services, banks will cash in on the high-tech superhighway. Internet banking differs from traditional PC banking in several ways. Banks have already set up home pages on the Internet to provide information to their existing and potential customers about upcoming services. In most home banking ventures, the bank sends application software to the customer. The customer then dials into the bank using their modem, downloads and uploads data, and runs the programs they previously installed on their computer, sending back a batch of requests such as transfers between accounts. With Internet banking, on the other hand, potential customers already own the software they need to do their banking: an internet browser. The actual banking software resides on the bank's server in the form of their home page. The company can easily present new information, change prices, or introduce new products without expensive advertising and mailings. In addition, the virtual bank can implement system enhancements online so that they do not interfere with normal business. By not commuting to banks customers save time and money. If cash is not an issue at the time of a transaction, then Internet banking is very useful. This new concept may catch on and become a profitable venture for banks. Early entrants in the Internet banking market will benefit on multiple fronts. These banks will appeal to a vast market and attract educated, professional, affluent and efficient people. The new customers will cut bank costs by visiting branches less frequently and switching from paper to electronic transactions. More importantly, by developing internal expertise today, banks can position themselves to react quickly to competitive moves and consumer trends as the financial services industry evolves. These banks will see the benefits as early players and enjoy the public relations boost that comes from being market leaders. Once people accept this more efficient way of banking, there will be less need for offices. This method is not at all a way to end banks, more like a convenient addition for customers. This technology is in the future, but at the same time just around the corner. Online banking will become a great way for people to control their money. Business Reports

Summary of the Medea Tragedy by Euripides

Summary of the Medea Tragedy by Euripides The plot of the Greek poet Euripides Medea tragedy is convoluted and messy, rather like its antihero, Medea. It was first performed at the Dionysian Festival in 431 BCE, where it famously won third (last) prize against entries by Sophocles and Euphorion. In the opening scene, the nurse/narrator tells us that Medea and Jason have lived together for some time as husband and wife in Corinth, but theirs is a troubled union. Jason and Medea met at Colchis, where King Pelias had sent him to capture the magical golden fleece from Medeas father King Aaetes. Medea saw and fell in love with the handsome young hero, and so, despite her fathers desire to retain possession of the precious object, helped Jason to escape. The couple fled first Medeas Colchis, and then after Medea was instrumental in the death of King Pelias at Iolcos, fled that region, finally arriving at Corinth. Medea Is Out, Glauce Is In At the opening of the play, Medea and Jason are already the parents of two children during their life together, but their domestic arrangement is about to end. Jason and his father-in-law-to-be, Creon, tell Medea that she and her children must leave the country so that Jason may marry Creons daughter Glauce in peace. Medea is blamed for her own fate and told that if she hadnt behaved like a jealous, possessive woman, she could have remained in Corinth. Medea asks for and is granted one days reprieve, but King Creon is fearful, and rightly so. During that one days time, Medea confronts Jason. He retaliates, blaming Medeas banishment on her own temper. Medea reminds Jason of what she has sacrificed for him and what evil she has done on his behalf. She reminds him that since she is from Colchis and is, therefore, a foreigner in Greece and without a Greek mate, she will not be welcome anywhere else. Jason tells Medea that he has given her enough already, but that he will recommend her to the care of his friends (and he has many as witnessed by the gathering of the Argonauts). Jasons Friends and Medeas Family Jasons friends need not be bothered because as it turns out Aegeus of Athens arrives and agrees that Medea may find refuge with him. With her future assured, Medea turns to other matters. Medea is a witch. Jason knows this, as do Creon and Glauce, but Medea seems appeased. She presents a wedding gift to Glauce of a dress and crown, and Glauce accepts them. The theme of poisoned clothing should be familiar to those who know of  the death of Hercules. When Glauce puts on the robe it burns her flesh. Unlike Hercules, she immediately dies. Creon dies, too, trying to help his daughter. Although thus far, Medeas motives and reactions seem at least understandable, then Medea does the unspeakable. She slaughters her own two children. Her revenge comes when she witnesses Jasons horror as she flies off to Athens in the chariot of the sun god Helios (Hyperion), her ancestor.

Trends and challenges in HR management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Trends and challenges in HR management - Essay Example Timely performance management can be used to identify, measure, and develop those individuals who could be the stars of a company (Campbell & Garfinkel 1996). A system of annual appraisals works with the idea that performance should be managed at the end of a give year but the more modern version of the process looks at performance from quarter to quarter which is the process used by many Fortune 500 companies (Grote, 2002). The annual appraisal system may put a considerable time gap between the time high performance was shown and the time when the reward for the performance is received. Kerr (1996) uses the example of giving food pellets to a mouse in a cage when a button is pushed by the mouse and says that if the reward comes a year after the button was pushed, it would be difficult to readily associate the two acts Of course, quarterly appraisals or other systems that have a shorter feedback loop as compared to annual appraisals may demand more time from managers as well as the employees if 360 performance evaluations have to be used. However, compared to an annual system of performance appraisals, more timely systems can give a company the means by which their strategic HR objectives, evaluation purposes and HR needs analysis could all be met (Bretz, Milkovich, & Read, 1992). Thus the annual appraisal system may come with the advantage of less time and money invested by the company; it certainly has its own set of drawbacks which make other systems more attractive. In essence, there are two primary approaches that can be taken towards an appraisal system i.e. an approach which focuses on the behavior of the employees and an approach that focuses on the results produced by the employee. However, in real world scenarios, the methods used by companies may take elements from both approaches to create a performance appraisal system for the employees. Amongst them the two more popular ones remain

Rhetorically (Crazy Stupid Love) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rhetorically (Crazy Stupid Love) - Essay Example One would notice in the movie how infidelity affects one’s way of life and leads characters into discovering its drastic effects and the host of alternatives people do to cope with the situation. In this regard, the objective of the essay is to present a rhetorical analysis of the movie by expounding on the message of the movie and its effectiveness in establishing audience appeal through logos, pathos and ethos. The conflict in the movie stemmed from Emily’s acknowledgement of cheating on Cal, devastating his perfect perception of his life and facing him in an ambivalent situation. While Cal and Emily had a romantic dinner she asked Cal for a divorce; stunning him and leading him into a situation where ethos is applied. He tried to convince Emily to think of their family and their love. On the other hand, Emily was actually also applying the ethical appeal to present to Cal that her infidelity justifies the divorce and therefore, despite her uncertainty for her true fe elings for the man she slept with, she was convinced that there was no other option but to part ways. In her argumentation, Emily actually used logos by rationalizing and justifying that by committing an unfaithful act through sleeping with a man, other than her husband, the most logical and rational recourse is to file the divorce. The audience’s emotions could actually side on Cal or Emily, depending on the personal perspectives, value system and cultural orientation. For people from the eastern culture who still do not accept divorce as acceptable in their society, the argument of Emily is unacceptable and therefore do not appeal to their emotions (pathos). On the other hand, for people from the western culture, who have learned to accept divorce as a way of life, like the office mates of Cal who even made fun of him when he cried his heart out, the contention that divorce is the only option available after an unfair relationship, is indeed the most appealing recommendatio n (pathos). Another situation worth examining is why, despite Jacob Palmer’s advice to Cal to get over Emily, to move on and start living his life, still is convinced that Emily is the only person for him. It was actually an understandable action at the onset that Cal would listen to Jacob by succumbing to his suggestions of changing his lifestyle by making him look younger, donning new and attractive clothes, and start dating other women to seek fulfilling relationships that would help him forget about Emily. Through the use of logos, Jacob, was actually successful in convincing Cal that if Emily could find somebody to replace him; then by all means, he should likewise find ways and means to forget and replace her. The audience could actually empathize with Cal at this point and through Jacob’s innuendos, he was also effective in manifesting the presence of using pathos to appeal to the emotions of the viewers and share in the journey of transformation for Cal’ s new life. Further, the move was likewise effective as Jacob was able to manifest ethos, or an ethical appeal as he convinced even Emily that she actually made a mistake of suggesting the divorce. By showing personality and traits that exemplify expertise in treating women and being highly competent in dealing with relationships, Jacob assumed a

Theories And Principles For Enabling Learning

Theories And Principles For Enabling Learning Critically examine a range of theoretical approaches to learning and communication. Discuss how the learning and communication theories apply to your own teaching and promote inclusive practice. There are four main theoretical approaches to learning these being Behaviourism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, and Humanism and most learning theories tend to fall into one of these paradigms. Behaviourism in principle refuses to acknowledge the internal mechanism of learners. Founded in 1849 by I.P. Pavlov and further models developed by Dr John Watson, E.J. Thorndike and B.F Skinner, they believed that people learn through external stimuli and have no free though of their own. Learners can be conditioned by external stimuli and all behaviour can be explained without considering the consciousness or mental state of the learner. Their theories were centred on cause and effect, reward and punishment of the learner. Learners were passive and would respond to reinforcement and environmental stimulus. This theory of teaching has a very regimental approach to learning and development. Behaviourism is still employed today in many learning arenas and it is the authors view that one of the greatest employers of this approach is the military, in the training of its new recruits. The recruits are taught through repetitiveness, rewarded through praise, acceptance and freedom and punished by ridicule, increased workload, rejection and loss of freedoms. The two first pioneers of behaviourism Vladimir M. Bekhterev (1857 to 1927) and I.P. Pavlov (1849 to 1936) both studied at the military academy in St Petersburg (C. Boeree. 2000, Online). It was here where they first formulated their behaviourist ideology. Other learning institutions still employ this approach if only in part and indeed its theories play a major role in most childrens development both at home and school. It is a useful technique in controlling younger childrens behaviour and learning them right from wrong (punishing the bad and rewarding the good. Stone Nielson (1982, p.291) make reference to the behaviourist approach in child development, General findings suggest that a careful combination of reward with mild punishment when appropriate is most effective for learning. However most of us havent the skill to provide the optimum combination. The above refers to the lack of competence in acting out the model. Teachers or parents should be objective in their delivery of punishment. Objects like anger, retaliation, stress and any other external forces should not have any influence on the punishment given. The author believes that this is can be a major downfall of the behaviourist approach it is very difficult for teachers or parents to have a constant clear state of mind. Punishment can also have adverse affects on the person being punished it can lead to anger, retaliation, and strained teacher learner relationships, thus hindering the learning process. Punishments should be made clear from the outset, be fit for purpose and be given uniformly. I myself adopt a slight behaviourist approach in my Further education classes (mainly younger students). If a student is constantly late i.e. more than twice in a row (without good reason) or being disruptive in a class I will refuse to sign their E.M.A sheet as a form of punishmen t. I constantly use reward in the form of praise (I believe this to be a key motivator for students), however reward can have negative effects on learning in that students may only perform enough to gain reward and not to their ability. Although it is the authors belief that this approach works in some instances for younger students it is not has affective for adult learners and as such is not employed by the author on Higher Education courses. It is also the belief of the author that students are not passive. Most teachers in the UK have behaviourist approaches enforced onto them having to write/meet objectives and learning outcomes, Behavioural objectives were written descriptions of specific, terminal behaviours that were manifested in terms of observable, measurable behaviour. (Saettler, 1990, Online). In the construction management sector we have practical sessions that lend themselves more to behaviourism for example the use of surveying equipment, learning is gained through repetitiveness and familiarisation. Good development is rewarded with a pass; poor development is punished by the removal of reward which is replaced with further instruction. Objectives follow Gain and Briggs model for writing objectives (Saettler, 1990, Online) Gains and Briggs Model: Action Object Situation Tools and Constraints Capability This was a method employed by other staff at the college and was passed onto myself and until this now I had no knowledge that this was a behaviourist approach adopted by the department. The way in which the education system is funded and managed in the UK means constraints are placed on the educational establishments themselves. All the objectives for courses have to be met within a given time frame, thus employing the behaviourist approach. Cognitivism replaced behaviourism as the domineering ideology in the 1960s. Unlike behaviourism that basis itself on environmental stimuli, cognitivism focuses on the inner workings of the mind, mental activities the black box. In other words they were concerned with cognition the act or process of knowing. Information coming in gets processed and then gives certain outcomes. The cognitive learning theory claims that learning is a relatively permanent change in their mental picture, due to an experience that occurs by adding new information into an existing understanding in the mind. While cognitivists allow for the use of skill and drill exercises in the memorisation of facts, formulae, and lists they place greater importance on strategies that help students actively assimilate and accommodate new material. (Graduate Student Instructor, 2009, Online). Cognitivism and constructivism are very much alike and were founded on cognitive principles. However, constructivism places much more emphasis on the social context and culture. Constructivists see teachers has being the providers of tools to aid the students learning (Overview of Constructivism, 2010, Online) Jean Piagets studies in learning development had considerable influence on cognitivism, specifically the notion drawn from Gestalt theory, that knowledge is organised and structured. It is a view that for learning to occur it must be incorporated within existing memories and that the new experience and prior knowledge must overlap. Cognivitists believe that this happens in two ways. Assimilation, were the mind takes new learnt information and applies this to what it already knows. Secondly, accommodation is where preconceived ideas are adjusted to suit new information. Piaget called these parcels of memory in our brain Schemas. He (Piaget) was the first psychologist to make a systematic study of cognitive development. His contributions include a theory of cognitive development, detailed observational studies of cognition in children, and tests to reveal different cognitive abilities (McLeod, 2007, Online). Of importance, especially to the theorist to human learning is Piagets emphasis on four distinct stages of four cognitive developments, each categorised by different forms of thought at different stages. This model has come under criticism because of the lack of flexibility of the ages appointed to each stage of development. It has limited use in adult education. Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) was a Russian psychologist who developed his theories around the same time as Piaget. Vygotsky died age of 38 while his theories were still in infancy. However, the fundamental difference between Vygotsky and Piaget is that Vygotsky believed that learning was not guided by age but by social influences. Two significant models of Vygotsky are the more knowledgeable other was learning is facilitated through someone who has a better understanding. This could either be a teacher, adult or peer. Secondly the zone of proximal development this is intern linked with the first has it states someone will learn more with initial guidance and encouragement. It was this from his ideology that Social Constructivism was born (Overview of Constructivism, 2010, Online). The Gestalt moment or getting the knack of something probably best describes cognitivsm. An ability to suddenly to be able to ride a bike is a good analogy. The learning happens in a few moments, and is permanent-although it may have taken a long time to get to that step with seemingly little progress (Atherton, 2005, Online). I would appear to have adopted a cognitive constructivism style in my teaching. Firstly I obtain the students prior knowledge in the subject matter through questioning and then build on their knowledge. Secondly, I give an example that the whole class works through. Once I am satisfied have worked through the example correctly, a second example will be given for the learners to do individually or with support from their peers. If they approach me for help I will not give the answer but try to guide them to it using their own thought process. This is probably because that is how I like to approach problems and feel that this gives me a better understanding so that I can then retrieve and apply it to similar problems. This represents some correlation to Vygotsky four classroom principles (Overview of Constructivism, 2010, Online). Humanist ideology gained moment in the 1960s; two of its most prominent founders were Abraham Maslow (1908 1970), Carl Rodgers (1902 1987). In principle humanistic theory of learning is based on a humans personal act to fulfil their potential. It recognises the freedom and potential of humans and sees the teachers role as being one of facilitator. Learning is student centred with the focus placed on developing self actualised people through cooperation and support. Maslow developed his Hierarchy of Needs in 1943. This motivational theory is based on a five tear model. For humans to meet their full potential they must meet all the requirements of the model Carl Rogers developed is humanistic teaching theory facilitative learning. The basic principles of the ideology are that learning will take place through facilitation in a comfortable atmosphere. Other key features are: (L. Dunn, 2000, Online) A belief that human beings have a natural eagerness to learn. There is some resistance to, and unpleasant consequences of, giving up what is currently held to be true. The most significant learning involves changing ones concept of oneself. Facilitative teachers are: Less protective of their constructs and beliefs than other teachers. More able to listen to learners, especially to their feelings. Inclined to pay as much attention to their relationship with learners as to the content of the course. Apt to accept feedback, both positive and negative and to use it as constructive insight into themselves and their behaviour. Learners: Are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning. Provide much of the input for the learning which occurs through their insights and experiences. Are encouraged to consider that the most valuable evaluation is self-evaluation and that learning needs to focus on factors that contribute to solving significant problems or achieving significant results. One model of teaching that has been developed on the principles of humanism is Experiential Learning this was produced by David Kolb. Kolb believes that learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience (Learning Theories, 2009, Online). It is based on four principles. (Learning Theories, 2009, Online). The four stage model shows how experience is developed through reflection, reflection to concepts, concepts to testing (experimentation) and testing to experience. I believe this model to be beneficial to some areas of teaching especially Andragogy and practical application for various professions. The humanistic approach to teaching certainly has its place within the academic arena drawing on students knowledge and experience, encouraging learners to take some responsibility for their learning, self reflection, motivation and facilitating are all key concepts that (in the authors view) should be employed in the classroom. Deep and surface learning refers to ways in which individuals learn from studying. The two approaches do not mean that students fall into neither one category nor the other, in fact either approach maybe used at any given time. Surface learning applies to the memorisation of facts and formulas. This can be selected from the learners memory and used when required. Deep learning applies to the ability to understand the whole picture and reasons behind the facts and formulas and then apply them to understanding. (Engineering Subject Centre, 2009, Online). It can be concluded in the authors view that this application bears the traits of cognitivism.