Employee benefits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Employee benefits - Essay Example (EMPLOYEES BENEFIT/EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION (ERISA). The flexible benefit programs reduce the taxable income of an employee, as health insurance premiums are deducted from the paycheck before calculations of taxes. This gives the employee the benefit of a higher income for spending, and reduces the burden of the employer in making provisions for a higher income for spending. (FLEXIBLE BENEFITS. OVERVIEW). The key factors affecting the choice of benefits from an employee’s perspective are the choice that is offered in benefits, and the possibility of exchanging one benefit for another. From the employers’ point of view, the choice of benefits enables goodwill and motivation in an employee, and reduction in total employee benefit costs. The key role that communications plays in increasing the perceived value of benefits is that emphasis of the benefits accruing to the employee provides a feeling of caring among the employees, and this acts as a motivating factor that works both in terms of retention as well as productivity. (Glasscock, S. & Gram, K. 1999. WORKPLACE RECOGNITION). Gender is one characteristic that distinguishes special groups, and women form the special group in this category. Minority groups make up the second category of special groups, and may be distinguished, by several factors, which include color, caste, creed and ethnicity. (Griffith, W.R. and Hom, W.P. 2001. RETAINING VALUED EMPLOYEES). The key factors that need to be taken into consideration when designing a compensation strategy for special groups is that they not be discriminated against on the basis of their grouping, and that they be treated as individual employees with no emphasis on their gender, color, caste, creed, and ethnicity. (Griffith, W.R. and Hom, W.P. 2001. RETAINING VALUED EMPLOYEES). The executive pays have always been on

Accountant Essay Example for Free

Accountant Essay How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 10 hours per day and to work overtime to finish some special tasks in my previous Job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 2. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous ob, I felt excited and satisfied. The double-loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and self-reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 3. Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing during the first few months? I have no financial problem preventing me from accepting a Job if the income is low at the beginning. I worked as a no pay intern during the first two months in my previous Job. Since I am still young, I never put salary as the top priority in searching for a Job. The thing I concern more is whether this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 4. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 10 hours per day and to work overtime to finish some special tasks in my previous Job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. . How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous Job, I felt excited and satisfied. The double- loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and self-reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 6. Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing during the first few months? I have no financial roblem preventing me from accepting a Job if the income is low at the beginning. I worked as a no pay intern during the first two months in my previous Job. Since I am still young, I never put salary as the top priority in searching for a Job. The thing I concern more is whether this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 7. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime 8. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than session. 9. Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing during the me to develop my competitive edge or not. 0. How comfortable are you working long some potential risks and problems that I found. 11. How eager are you to keep on youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 12. Can you deal with the income 13. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 10 hours per day and to work overtime to finish some special tasks in my previous Job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 14. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous Job, I felt excited and satisfied. The double-loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and self- reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 15. Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing during the first few months? I have no financial problem preventing me from accepting a Job if the income is low at the beginning. I worked as a no pay intern during the first two months in my previous Job. Since I am still young, I never put salary as the top priority in searching for a Job. The thing I concern more is whether this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 16. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 10 hours per day and to work overtime on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 7. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous Job, I felt excited and satisfied. The double-loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and self-reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 18. Can you deal with the ncome volatility that you will be facing during the first few months? I have no financial problem preventing me from accepting a Job if the income is low at the beginning. I worked as a no pay intern during the first two months in my previous job. Since I am still young, I never put salary as the top priority in searching for a Job. The thing I concern more is whether this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 19. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 0 hours per day and to work overtime to finish some special tasks in my previous job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 20. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous Job, I felt excited and satisfied. The double-loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and elf-reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 21 . Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 22. How comfortable are to finish some special tasks in my previous Job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 23. How eager are you am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 24. Can you deal with the edge or not.

Street Car Named Desire Essay Example for Free

Street Car Named Desire Essay As we grow up it’s not only our age and experiences that make us who we are, relationships also shape our identity. All relationships will change our identity no matter who they are or what kind of relationship they have with us. Our friends shape our identity just as much as our family, if not more. This statement is very well depicted in the play â€Å"A street car named Desire by Tennessee Williams†. Throughout the play you see the different types of identities being shaped. If we are around someone enough we will start picking up traits of said person. If we are around someone who is always smiling and expressing themselves more than likely we will begin to express ourselves too. We gather the traits from those around us and our mind will tell us which are good and bad and try to get rid of the bad. With the good trait it will find our comfort zone with the person. That is why adults are always trying to get children and teenagers to understand that our friends are who shape us in a way. Our family relationships have a very big impact on our identity because we grow up with them. In the play the characteristics of each character was very much affected by their families. Blanche Dubois’ identity for example was shaped in a particular way because of her major losses in life. Her family fortune and estate we gone and she lost her young husband to suicide. This has led to her to have insecurities and making her a disrupted individual. Blanche’s fragile identity is also shaped by Stanley’s cruel actions towards her, also leaving her mentally detached from reality by the end of the play. However Stanley Kowalski’s identity in the book is very much shaped by the relationship he has with Blanche when arrives at the Kowalski household. Stanley’s intense hatred for Blanche is motivated in part by the upper-class past that Blanche used to have. He sabotages her because he does not appreciate the way she attempts to fool him and his friends into believing she is better than they are. From Blanche’s arrival Stanley has the need to feel like the man of house and does not take any orders from Blanche or Stella which is his wife. In the end, Stanley’s character is seen as harmful and cruel. The relationship between men and women is also a major identity shaper. Often in life the relationship between man and woman can be very unusual as sometimes a woman can have a lot of impact on men or the other around and sometimes they could have no impact. In the play Stanley and Stella’s marriage very much shape their identity. Shaping Stanley’s identity by making him feel like more of a man. Stella’s identity is very much shaped by the way Stanley treats her. Stella is a not very stable character because of the situation she gets into with her sister Blanche and her husband Stanley. Stella’s identity gets changed throughout the play because a lot of major events happen, such as her sister’s presence, having a baby and how Stanley beats her. Stella’s relationship with Stanley is both animal and violent but renewing as they always make up in the end. After Blanche’s arrival, Stella is torn between her sister and her husband. Eventually, she stands by Stanley, because she gives birth to his child near the end of the play. Stella’s denial of reality at the play’s end shows us that she actually more in common with Blanche than she thinks. The friend relationship between Stanley and Mitch also shape Stanley’s identity. Stanley is very loyal to his friends and would make sure that his best friend Mitch does not get hurt by Blanche. This is one of the main reasons that Stanley sabotages Blanche. Stanley would go through so much to just make Mitch believe that Blanche isn’t really who she says she is. Since Stanley is a misogynist, he sees himself as a superior to both Blanche and Stella, his need to â€Å"own† the house and be in charge is the motivator for his actions towards Blanche. Knowing that he was going to rape her from the very beginning, he tries and stops Mitch and Blanche from entering any type of relationship. â€Å"We’ve had this date from the start† In conclusion all types of relationships affect Blanche and shape her identity in a way. But in the end she lost her identity already because her husband died. In the play there are many relationships that shape the characters such as family relationships, friend relationships and â€Å"man and woman† relationships. In life relationships are a major source of shaping our identity.

Theories for the Development of Expertise

Theories for the Development of Expertise The Nature or Nurture of Expertise Historically, expertise has been strongly correlated with inherent ability. Experts were thought to be â€Å"born† and required training only to reach their highest level of performance. This was based on ideas by Galton (1869 as cited by Macnamara et al (2014)), a geneticist, who noted that excellence in the arts and sciences tended to run within families. However, this theory alone is in contrary to what is observed in surgical training, where despite initially showing poor aptitude for practical skill, most novices will progress and become expert surgeons. Therefore, whilst innate ability is undoubtedly an important factor when carrying out a task, is it really necessary for the development of expertise? The current view, first suggested by behavioural psychologist Watson (1930), completely moves away from the need for innate ability, and suggests that experts are â€Å"made† through practice, determination and hard-work (as cited by Macnamara et al (2014)). This theory is supplemented by Ericsson et al (1993), who state that while amount of practice and experience play an important role in the development of expertise, quantity alone is insufficient, but rather quality in the form of sustained deliberate practice is more important in the development of expertise. Ericsson et al (1993) defined this as practising individual skills with the specific aim of improvement, and famously quoted that 10000 hours of deliberate practice (DP) was required to attain expertise, which they based on the estimated cumulative quantity that the best musicians engaged in over their careers. DP hence involves practising the skill at progressively more challenging levels, with feedback and reflection, in an attempt to master it. I am able to relate to this as a musician myself; I was taught never to practise by playing the same piece of music over and over again. Rather I practise my fingering with the specific intention of becoming a better pianist by challenging myself with progressively faster and more technically challenging pieces of music. Thus, whilst frequent repetition may maintain my skill level, DP is crucial for advancement. Similarly, Rees-Lee and Kneebone (2015) describe the process of DP in tailors whereby the initially learn to practice on cloth and then progress to trousers and jackets. While this sequential training is similar to surgery in that the trainee starts with suturing and then progress to operations, the benefit of a graded training program in surgery over the apprenticeship in tailoring is that of a curricula whereby increasing levels of diffi culty are specifically introduced at regular intervals over the course of the training program, thus facilitating DP and development of expertise. On the contrary, Ericsson et al and the theory of DP has been criticised for placing no weight on innate talent. DP alone does not explain why only certain people are able to successfully take up playing a musical instrument. Macnamara et al (2014) argue that the majority of people will stop doing what they are not good at, and thus talent must precede DP. Grantcharov and Reznick (2009) were critical of the 10000 hours within the surgical domain, as it is based on the assumption that surgical trainees learn at the same rate, which is not the case. Recently, Hambrick et al (2014) and a subsequent meta-analysis by Macnamara et al (2014) have shown that within the domains of music, chess, education, sport and professions there is a large variance that cannot be explained by DP. Whilst the effect of DP was strong on music, chess and sport, it was extremely weak on education and professions. This may be because DP isn’t as defined in the latter activities, or alternatively performa nce in these activities is much less predictable (for example handling emergencies in surgery, or teaching students of varying knowledge levels). Subsequently, they concluded that while DP is a very important predictor of individual differences in performance, it isn’t as significant as Ericsson et al have stated. Overall, it seems evident that in both surgical and non-medical professions, the purpose of the selection process is to pick those candidates that demonstrate the innate abilities required to be a member of their community of practice. It is however sustained DP that will allow the individual to become an expert. Sadideen et al (2013) further suggests that innate ability will both speed up the rate at which this expertise is achieved, but will also be the limiting factor to how far one can progress. Efficiency versus Innovation As discussed in the previous section, sustained deliberate practice (DP) plays a critical role in the development of expertise. Through progressive challenges, the purpose of DP is to move the expert away from automation. Thus, the term â€Å"expert† can be split into two types; the routine expert and the adaptive expert (Alderson, 2010). The routine expert is one that has developed high levels of proficiency in a task by sheer volume of repetitive experience, which has subsequently lead to automation of the task. With a limitation to the cognitive process during automation, routine experts will try to adapt a problem to their existing solution, and as such Mylopoulos and Regehr (2007c) use the term â€Å"experienced non-expert† to describe these individuals. This is supported by Gawande (2002 as cited by Alderson, 2010) who argues that anyone can therefore become a routine â€Å"expert† within a narrow range if the environment of the task remains stable. The craft of glass blowing is an example of routine expertise. Here the blower has physical mastery of the materials and tools required to successfully blow glass, and as such it has become an automated process. Atkinson (2013) describes that within glass blowing there is little or no room for alternate approaches or novelty. Tried and tested methods ar e the shared culture of the craft and within this community of practice, the same technique and materials are used worldwide. Pedagogy in glass blowing is not learner-centred, but revolves around the technique, tools and materials, and whilst there is the stability within the craft, there is also a limited routine range. In contrast, expertise in the surgical field requires a greater flexibility due to the highly individualised characteristics of each patient, and greater innovation is required to deal with the regular challenges (Atkinson, 2013). Thus the surgeon must develop adaptive expertise to broaden their knowledgebase rather than just applying it. Adaptive experts seek and utilise new problems and challenges to encourage DP so as to extend their knowledge and boost performance (Alderson, 2010). They treat learning as a continuous ongoing process, developing flexible and creative methods of solving problems, rather than speed and automaticity. In essence, adaptive experts don’t try to do tasks more efficiently, they try to do it better (Mylopoulos and Regehr, 2007c). Subsequently, the adaptive expert continually seeks to move centripetally within the model of legitimate peripheral participation; they are not happy in the periphery unlike their routine expert counterparts (Mylopoulos et al, 2009). Through their flexibility and understanding of their accumulated knowledge, adaptive experts are better able to apply their past knowledge to deal with new problems (Mylopoulos and Regehr, 2007b). Kneebone and Woods (2014) demonstrate this by simulating an operation using a retired surgical team. Here it is evident that within t he right simulated context of the operating theatre and the familiarity of the same team, the adaptive expertise of the surgeon can be utilised many years later to perform the surgery. It can be argued that other non-medical experts such as musicians are also able to do this if asked to play a piece of music many years later. From personal experience as a musician, I would counter-argue that in this situation routine expertise is used as they would just be repeating a piece of music from memory, whilst the surgeon would be utilising their knowledge and applying it to operate on a new case with all of its various anatomical and physiological permutations (adaptive expertise). Wulf et al (2010) suggests that one should push away the automaticity and non-cognitive practice associated with the routine expert, and instead aim for adaptive expertise. Although Alderson (2010) supports this statement, he points out that in surgery the processes of adaptive expertise such as DP, seeking challenges and innovation need to be monitored to prevent harm to the patient that may arise from the overenthusiastic surgeon forever seeking new knowledge and thus persistently â€Å"at the bottom of the procedural learning curve†. On the contrary, Guest et al (2001) argues routine and adaptive expertise are not separate entities, but rather two ends of a continuous spectrum. They argue that while adaptive expertise should predominate in surgery, by automating basic technical skills, this will help to free-up time for the cognitive processes needed to deal with and learn from the more important and complex situation. The true expert has therefore developed resources and p rocesses that allow effective and efficient solutions for the routine problems of practice (e.g. pattern recognition aided by illness scripts and encapsulated concepts), thus allowing a reinvestment of the cognitive area liberated through the automation process towards innovation and extending new knowledge (Mylopoulos and Regehr, 2007c).

Impact of an Educator on Sustaining and Enhancing a Child’s Learning an

Educators have long been accountable for their student’s ongoing learning and development. The way in which an educator views both their students and their profession, will determine the way they perceive their pedagogical role in sustaining children’s learning and development. Given Australia’s focus on standardised testing in recent years, educators and society have become consumed by these results rather focusing on the process and personal needs of children’s development (Lingard 2010). In exploring the child-centred, constructive approach evident throughout Finnish educational frameworks, Australian educators can adapt these facilitative methods within their own pedagogy to ensure that the child, and society, equally benefit from the child’s overall development throughout their early childhood years. Education as a vocation is ever changing and evolving. There are no cases where a situation surrounding the learning or development of a child can be viewed in black and white or any teaching methods or techniques that can be immediately regarded as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, rather educators need to be prepared â€Å"for different learners within the framework of research-based learning† (Tryggvason 2009). Given the vocation’s fluidity, world-wide value and perceived necessity, many educators in the field come from a variety of backgrounds. Whether they vary by cultural, socioeconomic, or personal philosophies the factors that contribute to an individual’s perspective surrounding the field are endless (Tryggvason 2009; Dockett & Fleer 1998). This idea has been represented in a variety of ways across the academic field, whether they are specific, such as an educator’s attitude towards a particular subject based on the way in which they w ... ... Tryggvason, M. T. (2009). Why is Finnish teacher education successful? Some goals Finnish teacher educators have for their teaching, European Journal of Teacher Education, 32(4), 369-382, DOI: 10.1080/02619760903242491. Van Hoorn, J. L, Nourot, P. M., Scales, B. R. & Alward, K. R. (2011). Play at the Centre of the Curriculum, (5th ed.), Boston: Pearson Education Inc. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes, USA: the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Woodrow, C. (1999). Revisiting images of the child in early childhood education: Reflections and considerations, Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 24(4), 7-12. Woodrow, C. & Press, F. (2007). (Re)Positioning the Child in the Policy/Politics of Early Childhood, Educational Philosophy and Theory, 39(3), DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-5812.2007.00328.x

financial aid drug law :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The millions of college students heading to campus next year will not include an estimated 28,000 who will be denied federal financial aid because they have admitted to a recent drug conviction. Along with those, another 12,000 more may also be denied federal assistance because they have failed to answer a question that has been placed on the new financial aid forms among the income and background inquiries. The roughly ten million students who fill out financial aid forms will face a crucial question from the government; have you ever been convicted of possessing or selling illegal drugs. As a part of the 1998 amendment to the Higher Education Act any person applying for college aid is required to answer a question about previous drug convictions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Clinton administration basically ignored the law due to the delay in processing that it created when nearly one million applicants skipped the question, but the Bush administration has decided to fully enforce the law. This will be the second school year that the federal student aid has been contingent on a clean drug record, but it is the first time that aid is being denied to applicants who leave the question blank. It has been said that the reason for the vast amount of students leaving the question blank is because of the confusing fashion in which the question was asked. Last year applicants had to respond by checking off numbers about convictions and when they took place. In an attempt to avoid this from happening again, department officials brought together groups of aid administrators last summer to help them make the question more comprehensible. The new form also indicates to the applicant that they are not allowed to leave the question blank.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The law will suspend and maybe even revoke grants, loans or work assistance from people convicted of possession or sale of controlled substances.

The Veldt by Ray Bradbury :: Veldt

The Veldt by Ray Bradbury   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story of The Veldt, is a delving into the issue of how modern technology can destroy the nuclear family.   The editor of the Encounters book, John A. Rothermich comments that "This story is almost devoid of characterization.", I agree with this statement and think it is key to the plot of the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story begins with the mother of the family, who has quite a generic name.   We are given no information of the characters background and how they came to the point in time they are now.   The lines "Happylife Home" and the familiar room settings like the parent's bedroom and the nursery give you a sense that this is a typical suburban home of the time. The mother seems alarmed or confused about something, "the nursery is...different now than it was", this at first might lead you to believe the mother has true individual characteristics.   However, when you read on, you see the stereotyped reactions to every situation that comes about, the parents then say "nothing's too good for our children".   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Later in the story the parents discuss the problems of the incredible house and nursery, "The house is wife, mother, and nursemaid, Can I compete with it?", and the father has a generic answer "But I thought that's why we bought this house".   The parents in the story look upon their children's needs as services instead of ways of expressing any love or care.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the story we never learn anything about the children except for their obsession with the nursery, "I don't want to do anything but look and listen and smell; what else is there to do?".   When the parents tell the children the idea of shutting down the computerized house "for a vacation", the children react shocked and stay with their one, single characteristic given, they act shocked "Who will fry my eggs for me, or darn my socks?". You see then the children's primary relationship is to the house and not the parents, the children exclaim "I wish you were dead!".   And sure enough, by the end of the story the children act on their on