The Differences In Culture And The Importance Of Culture In Australia Article

The Differences In Culture And The Importance Of Culture In Australia Article The Differences In Culture And The Importance Of Culture In Australia – Article Example Reflective Journal Affiliation Reflective Journal As a young Italian woman, living in a foreign country, I have experiencedhuge cultural differences in Australia as compared to my country of origin. The differences exhibit themselves in the every day lives of the aboriginal people living here in Australia (Hofstede 1980). According to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory that describes the effects of culture of a certain society has on the value and morals of the society’s members (Hofstede 1980). The effects the aboriginal’s people culture exhibit are vastly visible especially to us as medical practitioner. According to Coffin’s study on the concepts of cultural safety, awareness and security (Coffin, 2008), the best ways to deal with the situation at hand of dealing with the aboriginal is well elaborated (Hofstede 1980; Coffin, 2008). The best way to solve this issue with the aboriginals is through understanding the aboriginal’s culture and educ ating them while still trying to understand the effects their culture imposes in their way of life (Coffin, 2008). Due to the aboriginals lack of knowledge and inaccessibility to most western technologies it is very vital for medical practitioners to understand them (Coffin, 2008). The lack of technological knowhow of (Coffin, 2008) the aboriginals poses as a threat and challenge to medical practitioner in their work to pursue and offer the best medical practice since they have to incorporate the aboriginals culture in their practitioner (Hofstede 1980). The understanding of the aboriginals will greatly enable the medical practitioners who are foreigner to treat and offer their services in a more satisfactory manner (Hofstede 1980). TReferencesHofstede ,Geert , (1980)â€Å"cultural paradigm as a more collectivism and western perspective.† Coffin, J., (2008) rising to the challenge in aboriginal health by creating cultural security. Aboriginal and islander health worker journ al, 31(3), 22-24

Learn about the Doppler Effect

Learn about the Doppler Effect Astronomers study the light from distant objects in order to understand them. Light moves through space at 299,000 kilometers per second, and its path can be deflected by gravity as well as absorbed and scattered by clouds of material in the universe. Astronomers use many properties of light to study everything from planets and their moons to the most distant objects in the cosmos.   Delving into the Doppler Effect One tool they use is the Doppler effect. This is a shift in the frequency or wavelength of radiation emitted from an object as it moves through space. Its named after Austrian physicist Christian Doppler who first proposed it in 1842.   How does the Doppler Effect work? If the source of radiation, say a star, is moving toward an astronomer on Earth (for example), then the wavelength of its radiation will appear shorter (higher frequency, and therefore higher energy). On the other hand, if the object is moving away from the observer then the wavelength will appear longer (lower frequency, and lower energy). You have probably experienced a version of the effect when you heard a train whistle or a police siren as it moved past you, changing pitch as it passes by you and moves away. The Doppler effect is behind such technologies as police radar, where the radar gun emits light of a known wavelength. Then, that radar light bounces off a moving car and travels back to the instrument. The resulting shift in wavelength is used to calculate the speed of the vehicle. (Note: it is actually a double shift as the moving car first acts as the observer and experiences a shift, then as a moving source sending the light back to the office, thereby shifting the wavelength a second time.) Redshift When an object is receding (i.e. moving away) from an observer, the peaks of the radiation that are emitted will be spaced farther apart than they would be if the source object were stationary. The result is that the resulting wavelength of light appears longer. Astronomers say that it is shifted to the red end of the spectrum. The same effect applies to all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as radio, x-ray or gamma-rays. However, optical measurements are the most common and are the source of the term redshift. The more quickly the source moves away from the observer, the greater the redshift. From an energy standpoint, longer wavelengths correspond to lower energy radiation. Blueshift Conversely, when a source of radiation is approaching an observer the wavelengths of light appear closer together, effectively shortening the wavelength of light. (Again, shorter wavelength means higher frequency and therefore higher energy.) Spectroscopically, the emission lines would appear shifted toward the blue side of the optical spectrum, hence the name blueshift. As with redshift, the effect is applicable to other bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, but the effect is most often times discussed when dealing with optical light, though in some fields of astronomy this is certainly not the case. Expansion of the Universe and the Doppler Shift Use of the Doppler Shift has resulted in some important discoveries in astronomy. In the early 1900s, it was believed that the universe was static. In fact, this led Albert Einstein to add the cosmological constant to his famous field equation in order to cancel out the expansion (or contraction) that was predicted by his calculation. Specifically, it was once believed that the edge of the Milky Way represented the boundary of the static universe. Then, Edwin Hubble found that the so-called spiral nebulae that had plagued astronomy for decades were not nebulae at all. They were actually other galaxies. It was an amazing discovery and told astronomers that the universe  is much larger than they knew. Hubble then proceeded to measure the Doppler shift, specifically finding the redshift of these galaxies. He found that that the farther away a galaxy is, the more quickly it recedes. This led to the now-famous Hubbles Law, which says that an objects distance is proportional to its speed of recession. This revelation led Einstein to write that his addition of the cosmological constant to the field equation was the greatest blunder of his career. Interestingly, however, some researchers are now placing the constant back into general relativity. As it turns out Hubbles Law is only true up to a point since research over the last couple of decades has found that distant galaxies are receding more quickly than predicted. This implies that the expansion of the universe is accelerating. The reason for that is a mystery, and scientists have dubbed the driving force of this acceleration dark energy. They account for it in the Einstein field equation as a cosmological constant  (though it is of a different form than Einsteins formulation). Other Uses in Astronomy Besides measuring the expansion of the universe, the Doppler effect can be used to model the motion of things much closer to home; namely the dynamics of the Milky Way Galaxy. By measuring the distance to stars and their redshift or blueshift, astronomers are able to map the motion of our galaxy and get a picture of what our galaxy may look like to an observer from across the universe. The Doppler Effect  also allows scientists to measure the pulsations of variable stars, as well as motions of particles traveling at incredible velocities inside relativistic jet streams emanating from supermassive black holes. Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Coventry's contribution to transportation Essay

Coventry's contribution to transportation - Essay Example The automotive industry in the United Kingdom- UK dates back to the end of the 19th century. During the 1950’s, the car manufacturing industry in the UK became the second largest in the globe falling behind to the United States (NAIGT 2008, p.89). At the time, the UK was the largest exporter of cars. In the decades following the 1950’s, the industry faced greater competition from other car manufacturing nations such as France, Japan and Germany. This led to a fall in growth of the industry. By 2008, statistics showing the production of cars by volume ranked the UK as the 12th largest car manufacturer. As competition in car making rose during after 1950, so too did the number of foreign car manufactures rise in the country (Tom, Jason & Clive 2012, p. 54). Companies such as BMW, TATA, and Volkswagen Group invaded the industry. Foreign company groups also claim a large percentage of ownership in traditional British car brands such as Rover, Triumph and Riley (Wells 2010, p. 103). Below is a picture of a Triumph Dolomite sprint car that got manufactured between 1973 and 1980; The Coventry motor industry has experienced innovations and inventions over the years as it faces competition and pressures from the market. The industry has invested heavily in modular design and technology in response to other competing automotive firms in other countries (Tom, Jason & Clive 2012, p. 13). ... This becomes possible through the industry’s extremely sophisticated systems integration skills. The industry has also seen massive technological progress since its inception. The industry has incorporated vital features to ensure vehicle safety (Tom & David 2000, p. 118). Technological progress has also seen the industry focus on issues such as fuel economy, environmental impact, comfort, performance and versatility. Technology and modern management skills have led to transformation of the industry through cutting edge design analysis, lightweight materials, extension of digital control to enable most car functions. Coventry has recently assisted in developing cars that embrace green technology such as electric cars and hydrogen powered vehicles (NAIGT 2008, p.65). The image below represents the technological advancements in green technology by the industry; Part 2: Report One sector that makes up the Coventry automotive industry gets to be research and development- R&D. the efforts of Coventry’s R&D get geared towards a technology roadmap that makes use of relevant resources to build cars that meet the consumers’ demands and environmental demands. This paper will analyze the R&D segment of Coventry’s automotive industry to determine its strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Success of the industry’s R&D will ensure that the industry remains competitive and relevant in the current global automotive industries (NAIGT 2008, p.59). The current global targets in transport aim towards decarbonizing the system by 2050, improving vehicle performance, safety and designs. R&D expenditures represent key information on the sustainability of an industry. The R& D represent an

Prohibition of Unsolicited Parties Act 2010 Essay

Prohibition of Unsolicited Parties Act 2010 - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Tom works in the particular business as a sales assistant. His duties are limited, according to the employment contract related to the particular position; the supervision of the organization’s premises is not part of Tom’s duties but his job is related only to sales. The manageress of the business asks Tom to keep an eye on the business while she will be abroad; this means that Tom has acquired the right to have access to the business even when it is closed. However, this right is related only to the check of status/ safety of premises and is not expanded to other rights, at least as explained in the case study. Tom asks his friends to visit a specific part of the business for participating in a party that Tom has organized because of his birthday. This action of Tom is out of his powers, as given by the manageress. Furthermore, Tom uses his e-mail for inviting his friends. The specific means of communication is exposed to risks; the phenome non of technical failures of e-mails is quite common. Still, the specific technical problem is rather unusual. This means that Tom could not expect that his invitation would reach all his e-mail contacts, especially if in the past he had faced no such issue when using the specific e-mail service. The above facts should be taken into consideration when deciding on the overall liability of Tom in regard to the particular case. The individuals who joined the party of Tom were welcomed to participate. There was no warning made to them in regard to the mistake and the need for them to leave the place. At this point, the liability of Tom could not be doubted. It was only under the intervention of a neighbor that the party stopped since the police were also asked to intervene. The liability of Tom, as related to the above facts, will be analyzed by referring to the Act under examination, as influenced by relevant provisions of the UK law.

Internet Addicition Essay Example for Free

Internet Addicition Essay Much evidence has been alleged that social pathologies are beginning to surface in cyberspace (i.e., internet addictions). A lot of controversy is surrounding the question, is there proof that the internet is being abused and misused by individuals on an everyday basis and should we consider this to be a major mental health problem? Key Arguments: * Why do people have attachment insecurity and dissociation with their lives to make them choose to be disorganized, and allow a fantasy world to take over resulting in problematic internet abuse. * How information and communication technologies changing our way of interacting with reality. * What are the psychological symptoms involving disturbed relationships with technologies emerging, how some are more affected than others. * How different forms of related dependence behaviours, such as an addiction to social networking, cybersex, online gambling, or web-based role-playing games are affecting our need to be on the internet. * How some games reward achievements and goals making the cyber game goals more important of that than reality goals. * Does social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and other forms of cyber communication have detrimental effects related to internet addiction. * Internet Gambling, main reasons for internet addiction, however not just costing their health but impacting finances and crippling family relationships. Critical Analysis Article 1: Reference (2) Researchers have begun to examine the personal and social consequences associated with excessive online involvement. The present study examined college students problematic Internet use (PIU) behaviors Its specific aim was to investigate the links between PIU with both internalizing (depression, social anxiety) and externalizing (substance use and other risky behaviors) problems. Article 2: Reference (4) There are many psychological factors surrounding the present issue of internet addiction, using evidence such as Social Networking Sites (SNS)e.g., facebook , twitter etc, Massive Multiplayer Online games and Internet Gambling as my three key topics. The aim is to provide a clear and concise method about how individuals who consistently spend their time on the internet are having detrimental effects on their physical, social and psychological life. Article 3: Reference (5) There is an increasing need for the provision of both internet addiction prevention and care for any sufferers, psychologist should be weary of the dangers of internet abuse when youth present with anti-social, aggressive behaviours. Socialization in girls may be warped towards online contact and the user may beneï ¬ t from providing alternatives. The aim is to focus on internet-related addictive behaviours and how to include the use of suitable diagnostic tools, a detailed personal interview, a mental health status examination and information regarding the overt behaviours gathered by the surroundings. I want to engage the reader to believe that internet addiction is a real mental health issue, that effects youth all the way to late adolescent, whether it be an addiction though games, gambling, social media etc, there is evidence to say that individuals influenced by this addiction are not progressing in life, because excess use of a cyber world has become a major part of their li ves or taken over their lives. Structure: – Evidence addiction in Video Games (Kuss, Daria J; Griffiths, Mark D. Studies): Main conclusions stemming from this source – Psychological Evidence to Addiction (Griffiths, M Study Gencer, S L Koc, M Study): Main conclusions stemming from this source – Evidence addiction to Social Networking Systems (Kittinger, R., Correia, C J., Irons J G Article): Main conclusions stemming from this source References Bozkurt, H; Coskun, M; Ayaydin, H; Adak, I; Zoroglu, S S (2013). Prevalence and patterns of psychiatric disorders in referred adolescents with Internet addiction. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. 67(5), pp. 352-359. De, L., Josepth, A. (2013). Problematic Internet Use and Other Risky Behaviours in College Students: An Applicationof Problem-Behaviour Theory. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 27(1), pp. 133-141. DOI: 10.1037/a0030823. Gencer, S L Koc, M. (2012) Internet abuse among teenagers and Its relations to internet usage patterns and demographics. Journal of Educational Technology Society. 15(2), pp. 25-36. Griffiths, M. (2010). Internet abuse and Internet addiction in the workplace. Journal of Workplace Learning, 22(7), 2010, pp. 463-472. Kittinger, R., Correia, C J., Irons J G (2012) Relationship Between Facebook Use and Problematic Internet Use Among College Student. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. 15(6), pp. 324-327. Kuss, D J; Griffiths, M D., In ternet video game addiction: A systematic review of empirical research in the literature. Revue Adolescence. 30(1), 2012, pp. 17-49.

Buenos Aries Essays -- essays research papers fc

The capital of the country, Buenos Aires is also Argentina's leading city in population, commerce, and industry. It is located near the Atlantic Ocean coast, on the broad Rà ­o de la Plata, an estuary at the mouth of the Paranà ¡ and Paraguay rivers. The early Spanish colonists named the city for the "good winds" that brought them to the port. Today about 10 million people live in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, one of the largest in the world. The city proper makes up a federal district, and its mayor is appointed by the nation's president. The city is not a part of Buenos Aires province, which surrounds it. The City--Its People and CommerceGreater Buenos Aires is made up of many settlements that grew together. The oldest European center lay in the neighborhood of the present Plaza de Mayo, a large plaza in the downtown area. Streets in the city were laid out according to a grid pattern described in the Cà ³digo de las Indias, a legal document followed by the Spaniards in settling the Western Hemisphere. The original grid is today surrounded by Balcarce, 25 de Mayo, Viamonte, Libertad, Salta, and Estados Unidos streets. Growth of the city first followed the high elevations, along which ox- and horse-drawn two-wheeled carretas carried freight and which the modern main avenues and the rail lines also follow. The most recent developments in the city are the industrial sectors that extend from the old center southward, such as Dock Sud, La Boca, Barracas, Pinero, and Lanà ºs. The Paranà ¡ River plays an important role in the life of Buenos Aires. Oranges, grapefruit, cherries, plums, and vegetables are raised in its delta area. Vacation housing is widespread, and on weekends thousands of people fill the area to engage in recreational activities. The Paranà ¡ not only provides recreation, but also links the hinterlands with Buenos Aires and supplies water to the population. The central business district has high-rise office buildings and retail stores. Automobiles are not allowed on the Calle Florida, and shoppers roam its elegant stores, coffee houses, and hotels. The nearby Calle Reconquista is the financial center. Outside the central business district much of the surrounding city has attractive cobblestone streets bordered by large, elegant houses and small shops. Many parks and local shopping districts blend in with the residential areas. Various... ...ce of hostile Indians. It was not until 1580 that Juan de Garay, a colonist from Asuncià ³n, established what became the first permanent community at Buenos Aires. The city did not really begin to develop, however, until the late 1700s. In response to British and Portuguese expansion in the area and increased smuggling, Buenos Aires was made the seat of a Spanish viceroyalty in 1776. In the early 19th century Buenos Aires was a major center for the movement to free the country from Spain. The city leaders had foreseen great economic advantages from the free trade that independence would bring. After independence the city grew rapidly as the center of Argentine political power. In 1880 it was made the permanent capital of the republic. Through World War I the city benefited from a stable economy and substantial foreign immigration. During and after World War II heavy industrial growth contributed to the city's expansion and reinforced its political and economic dominance of the country. Population (1986 estimate), federal district, 2,924,000. BibliographyComptons Encylcopedia Online - Aol Keyword: ComptonsThe Learning Company - Aol.Keyword: LearnMagellan Maps - Yahoo.com: maps

Clinical Practice Essay

Clinical practice is of outmost significance because this is the site where students can turn theory into practice, students can interact with patients and families, and face the real world of medicine. It is significant and useful to reflect upon assessment practices to evaluate students in clinical setting. For this purpose, this paper analyzes three articles relevant to the clinical practices by the nursing students, and the role they should play outside the classroom, and who should evaluate them in the clinical setting. This paper also features suggestions and recommendations derived from the reflections and analyses made on the articles reviewed. Article one. The ongoing search for best practice in clinical teaching and learning: A model of nursing students’ evolution to proficient novice registered nurses. This article by Edgecombe and Bowden (2009) features current search to implement best practices in clinical teaching and identifies those positive and negative elemen ts as well as the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that make an impact on nursing students’ learning process, and their development and growing process from students to proficient novice nurses Rns. The study was conducted at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia, and involved 111 students. A model was created intending to assist students in their transformation from students to RNs, the Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) model was designed as an innovative approach for clinical teaching. This approach focuses on the specific use of the clinical setting available for learning practices in health settings such as mental health centers, acute medical departments, and surgical wards or community health organizations. The DEU follows the principles of adult learning of modifying, relearning, and replacing knowledge, skills, strategies and values through experience gained, and reflections made (Edgecombe & Bowden, 2009). The DEU foundational philosophy relies on the sound relationships between clinicians and academicists, valuing their contributions aimed at establishing the optimal learning environment for nursing students. Also valuing nursing students’ views. The model described in the article might have influences on the development of future curriculums, upgrading of staff and on different approaches used to place staff in adequate positions. The model can also serve to do research works intended to the teaching and learning process in the realm of nursing educ ation (Edgecombe & Bowden, 2009). Among the elements analyzed in this article, the authors highlighted  the emphasis students placed on the importance of belonging to a place, to feeling valued and trusted. These positive feelings, greatly influence the students’ learning processes. However, when a student feels isolated, neglected from the regular clinical staff or heavily or unfairly critized or scoffed at his/her performance, these actions have a negative impact on the learning stage at this specific clinical setting (Edgecombe & Bowden, 2009). It is important to observe tha bulling, and lateral violence at the workplace exist in some hospitals and health settings, as indicated by Broome and Williams (2011), especially with novice nurses or new nurses when they begin working for the first time in a clinical setting. In this regard, Broome and Williams (2011) state that in some health care settings the problem takes place when some experierenced nurses complaining about novice nurses’ performance, and the lateral violence develops in different ways and causes serious impacts on the victims. Dellasega (2009) considers that lateral violence manifests in cover or overt verb al and non verbal aggression episodes. Reflecting upon these topics among the negative effects that a toxic environment may cause to nursing students as indicated above by Edgecombe and Bowden, (2009), the author of this paper also believe that bullying and lateral violence can also create a harmful atmosphere for the learning process among students who develop their practices in a clinical setting. Article 2. Developing a successful nursing objective structured clinical examination. This article written by McWilliam and Botwinski (2010) evaluates the basic components for developing relevant and useful nursing objectives in the clinical area for nursing students, but these authors failed to highlight some significant aspects of high-skilled therapeutic work, the importance of interpersonal aptitudes, and blending some key information into practices in clinical settings. The article deals with assessing the clinical skills that students may acquire in different health scenarios. This practice is vital because students can work and learn from different scenarios, patients and diseases (Mcwilliam & Botwinski, 2010). According to Mcwillian & Botwinski (2010), clinical educators should pass on their experience gained to students, and at the same time, should ensure that patients also gain safe nurturing consideration. In achieving these goals, the delivery of clinical instructions should be imbuied of professional ability, proper interpersonal relations, and adequatin g aspects  of temperament. Educators should have a clear idea on the model that may guide them turning a speficic scenario into a learning experience, and also into an evaluative procedure that will be mutually beneficial for the educator and the nursing students. Nurse’s decision-making abilities derived from critical thinking and evidence-based practice have been analyzed by various analysists who have reflected that choice making is a studied skill that nurse educators should teach, but there are few research intended to investigate the choices made by nursing students. If more information of this topic is available, educators will be capable of designing a more proper curriculum that also covers the developing of this attitude geared to teach students how to make better choices (Mcwillian & Botwinski, 2010). The author of this paper believes that tools to furnish the nursing students to develop critical thinking and choice making are a vital part of the curriculum. It is true that not all topics can be covered in a curriculum as stated by Mcwillian and Botwinski (2010), but decision making process and a good guidance are crucial elements of a proper and adequate nursing training in clinical practice. Article three. Evaluation in clinical practice using an innovative model for clinical teachers The article features the Reflective Interaction Analysis in Nursing Education (RIANE) Model which addresses the problems faced by clinical teachers of how to turn information-rich interactions in clinical practice into objective information using a format that provides valuable feedback and helps evaluation. The Model facilitates the translation of the interactions for clinical teachers that occurs on a daily basis with nursing students, recorded in notes for their further use in formative and summative evaluations (Zafir & Nissim, 2011). The article discusses the use of this model in the training of a group of nurses that will become clinical teachers. The RIANE model motivates clinical teachers to see the students’ clinical interactions as another way to contribute to the learning process, as an educational opportunity. It provides certain order in an amount of information difficult to manage by clinical teachers who have to find a way to make this information accessible to students (Zafir & Nissim, 2011). The author of this paper considers that allowing the students to learn from their daily experiences, enabling them to provide feedbacks, and being heard, are great positive contributions for educational purposes in the  clinical setting, and the clinical instructor can keep track of their students by recording notes while the students also render their clinical collaboration. Zafrir and Nissim (2011) believe that the proper role clinical teachers should play is that of guidance, support, inspiration, and facilitating learning. Also these authors consider that an environment of mutual trust and confidence should prevail in supporting students’ process of learning and growth. There are several models for clinical instructors and faculty to evaluate students outside the classroom: The clinical instructor can use the modality of preceptor ,one to one relation, in which an experienced nurse serves as a preceptor for a certain period of time. The clinical teaching associate (CTA) model uses a staff nurse collaborating with a faculty to train a given number of students for clinical practices. The paired model features one-student, one patient model, a variation of the preceptor model, and a student begins clinical practice within specific days supervised by a staff nurse for a practicum experience (Billings and Halsted, 2009). Other models for clinical instructors to evaluate students outside the classroom, and on occasions, jointly with the faculty during their clinical practices are the clinical teaching partnership where a form of collaboration is established, the service institution contributes with a clinical nurse specialist and the university constribut es with a faculty member. Adjunt faculty is another model in which the faculty is a health care professional hired by a service setting in the modality of part-time. This professional can serve in several roles as supervisor, mentor, guest lecturer, and preceptor, and can also render a collaboration in research works (Billings and Halsted, 2009). The role that a student should play in the evaluation process should be that of a student that prepares for the clinical experience, establishes good relationships and exhibits proper communication skills, learns and accepts feedbacks and adapts to the assigned clinical setting and advances in his/her performance. The unsuccessful student in the clinical experience is unprepared for this activity, does not establish communication efficiently, breaks legal and ethical practices, uses practices that are not safe, his/her adaptation to the assigned clinical setting is poor (Lewallen and DeBrew, 2012). The students under a clinical practice can act in the following scenarios: labs, homeless shelters, camps, agencies that render social services often involving interdisciplinary health settings. The clinical teacher-student interaction is a significant part of this practice (Billings & Halsted, 2009). The author of this paper believes that students should embrace this relation, and take a good advantage of this opportunity to learn at large all what is taught by the instructor and assimilate the experience gained while doing the clinical practice, since the student is exposed to several medical situations. Conclusion The three articles reviewed contribute to make a good analysis of the possibilities of evaluating students in clinical settings. The clinical area is significant in training novice nurses because they are in contact with the real world and can interact, not only with patient but with their families and the professional colleagues and other related staff they will be working with during their professional life. The practice in clinical settings enables students also to be more confident in themselves, because after they can apply theory into practice will feel more capable in their profession, and become more autonomous decision makers. The students will have the possi bility to raise their caring abilities, and play more realistic roles based upon their practice.

Books And Reading Essay

Topical Vocabulary 1. Categorisation: Children’s and adult’s books; travel books and biography; romantic and historical novels; thrillers; detective stories; science fiction/fantasy; non-fiction; pulp fiction. absorbing; adult; amusing; controversial; dense; depressing; delightful; dirty; disturbing; dull; fascinating; gripping; moralistic; obscene; outrageous; profound; whimsical; unputdownable. 2. Books and their parts: paperback and hardback; binding; cover; jacket; title; epigraph; preface; the contents list; fly leaf; bookplate; blurb; a beautifully printed book; a tome bound in leather; a book with dense print/ with loose pages. 3. Reading habits: to form a reading habit early in life; to read silently/incessantly/avidly/voratiously; to read curled up in chair; to read a child/oneself to sleep; to be lost/absorbed in a book; to devour books; to dip into/glance over/pore over/thumb through a book; to browse through newspapers and periodicals; to scan/ skim a magazine; an avid/alert/keen reader. 4. Library facilities: reading rooms and reference sections; the subject/author/title/on-line catalogue; the enquiry desk; computer assisted reference service; to borrow/renew/loan books; CDs and video tapes; rare books; to keep books that are overdue; books vulnerable to theft; to suspend one’s membership; to be banned from the library. I. Use the thematic vocabulary in answering the following questions: 1. Which books are you reading now? 2. Where is your favourite place to read? 3. Who is your favourite novelist? 4. Who is your favourite character? 5. Which contemporary author do you most admire? 6. Which is the first book you can recommend reading? 7. Which school text did you most enjoy? 8. What is your favourite children’s book? 9. Which book would you like to see filmed? 10. What is the most difficult book you have ever read? II. Work in groups. Find out about the last book each of your partners has read and make notes on these points: Author and title Type of book and what’s it about Reason for liking it Reason for recommending it to others III. Work in pairs. Choose the best alternative to complete these sentences: 1. Oliver Twist is a classic work of English †¦ . Literature non-fiction letters editions 2. The plot of the story was very exciting, but I didn’t find the †¦ . Persons people characters figurers 3. This book is a special edition for foreign readers, so there’s a(n) †¦ . Appendix glossary introduction preface table of contents 4. A novel is usually divided into several †¦ . Chapters units sections passages 5. If you need to find some information in a non-fiction book, look in the †¦ . Atlas blurb catalogue diary index review 6. Cambridge University Press is the †¦of the book you’re reading. Author editor printer publisher 7. A great novel has a good plot and a strong †¦ . Communication meaning message significance 8. The book was marvelously †¦ and it was a joy to read. Stylistic tedious well-written wonderful 9. Ernest Hemingway is one of my †¦ American writers. Best favourite ideal most popular 10. The thriller was so exciting that I couldn’t †¦ . Let it down look it up pick it up put it down 11. Even the †¦ characters in the book are really interesting. Less minor small tiny 12. I’d like to †¦ that book when you’ve read it. Borrow hire lend loan IV. In these sentences three alternatives are correct and two are wrong. Choose the best three alternatives for each: 1. The †¦ character in the book is called Oliver. Central main principal principle top 2. I enjoy her books because her style is so very †¦ . Dull entertaining readable tedious true-to-life 3. I found that the characters in the story were very †¦ . Amusing believable informative likeable thrilling 4. There were so many twists in the plot that I didn’t really think it was †¦ . Accurate authentic convincing realistic true-to-life 5. She doesn’t read any fiction because she prefers reading †¦ . Biographies short stories textbooks non-fiction science fiction 6. I can’t †¦ books like those – they just send me to sleep. Bear carry enjoy stand suffer V. Fill in the gaps in these sentences with suitable words: 1. You can borrow books from a †¦ or buy them from a †¦ . 2. A writer can also be called an †¦ . 3. I can’t afford to buy the book in hardback, so I’ll wait till it comes out in †¦ . 4. I can’t remember the †¦ of the book, but I know it had a yellow †¦ . 5. A book that tells somebody’s life story is called a †¦ . VI. Match each word in the column with the explanation: Ballad, biography, novel, drama, poem, fairy tale, poetry, story, rhyme, novelette a) a story in prose, long enough to fill in one or more volumes, about either imaginary or historical people; b) piece of creative writing in verse form, especially one expressing deep feeling or noble thought in beautiful language, composed with the desire to communicate an experience; c) simple song or poem, especially one that tells an old story; d) the art of a poet, poems; e) tale about fairies of imaginary origin; f) branch of literature dealing with the lives of persons; g) play for the theatre, radio or TV; h) verse for small children characterized by sameness of sound of the ending or two more words at the ends of lines of verse; i) short novel (story in prose); j) account of past or imaginary events. VII. Read the following extract and make with your groupmates the list of the books you would like to read while travelling: The Book- Bag Some people read for instruction, ad some for pleasure, but not a few read from habit. I belong to that company. Let us admit that reading is just a drug that we cannot get along without. Books are necessary to me and I never traveled far without enough reading matter. But when I am starting on a long journey the problem is really great. I have learnt my lesson. Once I fell ill in a small town in Java and had to stay in bed for three months. I came to the end of all the books I had brought with me and knowing no Dutch had to buy the schoolbooks from which intelligent Javanese, I suppose, got knowledge of French and German. So I read again after twenty-five years the plays of Goethe, the fables of La Fontaine and the tragedies of Racine. I have the greatest admiration for Racine, but I admit that to read his plays one after the other requires a certain effort in a person who is ill. Since then I have made a point of travelling with a large sack full of books for every possible occasion and every mood. There are books of all kinds. Volumes of verse, novels, philosophical works, critical studies (they say books about books are useless, but they certainly make very pleasant reading), biographies, history; there are books to read when you are ill and books to read when your brain want something to work at; there are books that you have always wanted to read but in the hurry of life at home have never found time to; there are books to read at sea; there are books for bad weather; there are books chosen solely for their length, which you take along when you have o travel light, and there are the books you can read when you can read nothing else. (from W. Somerset Maugham) VIII. See how many authors and titles you can match: For Whom the Bell Tolls Charlotte Bronte A Perfect Stranger Charles Dickens Airport Walter Scott Sister Carrie Dan Brown Tom Sawyer Daphne du Maurier Pride and Prejudice Arthur Hailey Martin Eden Danielle Steel Of Human Bondage Ernest Hemingway Alice in Wonderland Mark Twain Ivanhoe Lewis Carroll Rebecca Jack London David Copperfield Theodore Dreiser Jane Eyre Somerset Maugham The Da Vinci Code Iris Murdock Black Prince Jane Austen IX. Read the text and agree or disagree with the statements below: An English author once wrote: â€Å"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed or digested. † This quotation tells us how to read books of different kinds. Most travel books are to be tasted; it’s enough to dip into them and read bits here and there. If you are fond of crime stories (A. Christie, G. Simenon and the rest of modern favourites) you will read them quickly, you’ll â€Å"swallow† them. And then there are books that you’ll read slowly and carefully. If a book’s on an important subject, and a subject you’re interested in, you’ll want to chew and digest it. And you’ll want to weigh what the author says and consider his ideas and arguments. 1) Reading English fiction with a dictionary is very dull. 2) If the book is very exciting, you â€Å"swallow† it. 3) Nobody reads reference books for relaxation. 4) Reading thick science fiction books is tiring. 5) Very intelligent people don’t read detective stories. 6) Non-fiction books can’t be inspirational. 7) Travel books give you a lot of useful information. 8) Unfortunately many young people are not in the habit of reading poetry. 9) Great book-lovers never lend their books. 10) Lots of people buy books for their bright and beautiful jackets. 11) Bookcases and bookshelves are the best kind of decoration for a living-room. 12) It’s of no use collecting book issues of magazines and newspapers. X. Read the following passage and say if you agree with the author: Some people think that as more and more people have their TV-sets in their homes, fewer and fewer people will buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper, when the TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures? Why read a novel, when a play o television can tell you the same story with colour picture and action? Why read the biographies of famous men and women, when an hour-long television programme can tell you all that you want to know? Television has not killed reading, however. Today, newspapers and magazines sell in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold more than ever before. Books are still a cheap way to get information and entertainment. Although some books with hard covers are expensive, many books are published today as paperback books, which are reasonably cheap. A paperback novel, for example, is almost always cheaper than an evening at the cinema or theatre, and you can keep a book forever and read it many times. Books in the home are a wonderful source of knowledge and pleasure and some types of books should be in every home. Every home should have a good dictionary. Every home should have an atlas of the world, with large clear maps. It might be expensive, but a good encyclopedia is useful, too, because you can find information on any subject. In addition, it is useful to have on your bookshelves other non-fiction books such as history books, science textbooks, cookery books, books about medicine and health, etc. It is equally important to have some fiction on your shelves, too. Then you can relax with a good story, or from time to time you can take a book of poems off your shelves and read the thoughts and feelings of your favourite poets. XI. Choose the best answer according to the information in the passage: 1. Which is easier to get the news from? a) newspaper b) the television 2. Which is usually quicker? a) to read a biography of a famous person b) to watch a TV programme about a famous person 3. Which is usually cheaper? a) a paperback b) an evening at the cinema 4. Which is usually cheaper? a) a paperback b) a hardcover book 5. Which is it most important to have in your home? a) non-fiction books, such as dictionaries and encyclopedias b) fiction, such as novels, short stories and books of poems c) a mixture of both: good non-fiction and your favourite fiction XII. Discuss the following questions with your partners: 1. Were your parents worried that you watched too much TV when you were younger? 2. Did you find TV more interesting than anything else when you were at school? 3. Programmes on what subject do you like most of all? 4. Can you learn all you want on TV? 5. Do you think you get more information from books or TV? 6. Is it easier for you to memorize facts watching TV or reading books? 7. What do you like more to read books or to watch TV? XIII. Different people enjoy reading for different reasons. You will read five people saying why they like reading novels. Which of them says that novels a) are good for improving language skills? b) make them forget their problems? c) add some adventure to their life? d) teach them how to act in certain situations? e) increase their knowledge of other cultures? Reading Novels Ricky: Oh, I love novels, especially if they have a good plot. I started reading them when I was 12, encouraged by my parents who were hoping I’d be a writer myself. As it happened, reading so much at an early age had an effect on my studies, my compositions were always very good! And I still read at least one novel a week. My own life isn’t terribly exciting, apart from my work, which is very interesting, nothing much happens. In the novels I read there’s always a lot going on, lots of thrilling events, and I can share in the experiences and problems of the characters. Ella: Well, I used to read only short stories. That changed when I moved to a new city and found myself in a job I didn’t really enjoy. I would get back home at about 5p. m. , make some supper and sit down to read a novel for the rest of the evening. Many of them are pretty unbelievable stories, and not particularly well-written. It’s not as if you can imagine yourself in any of those situations, but the thing is they take my mind off whatever’s worrying me. I’ve had long conversations about this with friends who think I should read better quality staff, but I know what I’m doing. Sally: Why I like reading novels? I remember as an adolescent, I used to read novels just so as to see how my favourite characters solved their problems. I thought I could then apply that to my own problems! And I’m not ashamed to say that’s still the case, that’s what I’m looking for in the novels I read, and that’s my reason for reading them. I always choose novels that are in a clear style, because I find complicated language difficult. And also I like the stories to be about countries and cultures I know well, because then I can understand the characters better. Tom: I think reading novels is helping me a great deal in my studies, and although I haven’t got much spare time, I always make a point of reading a couple of hours in the evening. I’m in my last year at secondary school, and frankly, reading novels is an excellent way of learning how people live in other countries, how they communicate with each other, what problems they have. That’s why I prefer novels with characters who are true to life, not the ones who have impossible adventures. I’m very lucky because my best friend also likes reading and we can often discuss what we’ve both read. Alex: I like reading novels because they help me develop the ability to write myself. I used to have real problems in producing a good piece of writing. It wasn’t that I lacked ideas, no, my teachers always said my compositions were interesting. But I couldn’t get my tenses right. That’s where reading novels helped. I don’t think you can learn much about other things from novels, because the situations are usually so unrealistic. Some people say that’s OK, if your life’s boring, you need the excitement of fiction. Well, my life’s exciting enough, so that’s not my problem. 1. Do you like to read novels? Why? 2. Do you think that reading makes a person intelligent? XIV. Comment on the following: 1. A house looks gloomy and joyless without books. 2. If the book is worth reading it is worth buying. 3. Books and friends should be few and good.

Understanding Different Types of Navy Ships

Understanding Different Types of Navy Ships The Navy has a large variety of ships in the fleet. The most well-known types are the aircraft carriers, submarines, and destroyers. The Navy operates worldwide from many bases. The large ships   aircraft carrier groups, submarines, and destroyers travel around the world. Smaller ships such as the Littoral Combat Ship are based near their place of operations. Learn more about the many types of Navy ships in the water today. Aircraft Carriers Aircraft carriers carry fighter aircraft and have runways allowing the aircraft to take off and land. A carrier has about 80 aircraft on board a powerful force when deployed. All current aircraft carriers are nuclear-powered. Americas aircraft carriers are the best in the world, carry the most planes and operate more efficiently than any other countries carriers. Submarines Submarines travel underwater and carry an array of weapons on board. Submarines are stealthy Navy assets for attacking enemy ships and missile deployment. A submarine may stay underwater on patrol for six months. Guided Missile Cruisers The Navy has 22 guided missile cruisers  that carry Tomahawks, Harpoons, and other missiles. These vessels are designed to provide defense against enemy aircraft and missiles.are designed to provide defense against enemy aircraft and missiles. Destroyers Destroyers are designed to provide land attack capability as well as air, water surface, and submarine defense capabilities. There are about 57 destroyers currently in use and several more under construction. Destroyers have massive weapons including missiles, large diameter guns, and small diameter weapons. One of the newest destroyers is the DDG-1000, which is designed to have a minimal crew while delivering a huge amount of power were ever deployed. Frigates Frigates are smaller offensive weapons carrying a 76 mm gun, Phalanx close-in weapons, and torpedoes. These are used for counterdrug operations and provide defensive capabilities when escorting other ships. Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) The Littoral Combat Ships are a newer breed of Navy ships providing the multi-mission capability. The LCS can change from mine hunting, unmanned boat and helicopter platforms and special operations warfare to reconnaissance practically overnight. The Littoral Combat Ships are designed to use a minimum number of crew members to lower the operating costs. Amphibious Assault Ships The amphibious assault ships provide the means for putting Marines on shore using helicopters and landing craft. Their primary purpose is facilitating Marine transport via helicopters so they have a large landing deck. The amphibious assault ships carry Marines, their equipment, and armored vehicles. Amphibious Transport Dock Ships Amphibious transport dock ships are used to carry Marines and landing craft for land assaults. These ships primary focus is landing craft based attacks. Dock Landing Ships Dock landing ships are a variation on the amphibious transport dock ships. These ships carry landing craft plus have maintenance and refueling abilities. Miscellaneous Ship Types Special purpose ships include command ships, coastal patrol boats, mine countermeasures ships, submarine tenders, joint high-speed vessels, Sea Fighters, submersibles, the  sailing frigate USS Constitution, oceanographic survey ships, and surveillance ships. The USS Constitution is the oldest ship in the US Navy and used for display and during flotillas. Small Boats Small boats are used for a variety of tasks including river operations, special operations craft, patrol boats, rigid hull inflatable boats, survey boats, and landing craft. Support Ships Support ships provide the necessary provisions that keep the Navy operates. There are combat stores on board them with supplies, food, repair parts, mail, and other goods. Then there are ammunition ships, fast combat support ships, cargo, and pre-positioned supply ships, rescue and salvage, tankers, tug boats, and hospital ships. The two Navy hospital ships are truly floating hospitals with emergency rooms, operating rooms, beds for recovering people, nurses, doctors, and dentists. These ships are used during wartime and for major natural disasters. The Navy employs a wide variety of ships, each with its own purpose and responsibilities. It has hundreds of ships from small ones to huge aircraft carriers.

Tiwanaku Empire - City, Imperial State at Lake Titicaca

Tiwanaku Empire - City, Imperial State at Lake Titicaca The Tiwanaku Empire (also spelled Tiahuanaco or Tihuanacu) was one of the first imperial states in South America, dominating portions of what is now southern Peru, northern Chile, and eastern Bolivia for approximately four hundred years (AD 550-950). The capital city, also called Tiwanaku, was located on the southern shores of Lake Titicaca, on the border between Bolivia and Peru. Tiwanaku Basin Chronology The city of Tiwanaku emerged as a major ritual-political center in the southeastern Lake Titicaca Basin as early as the Late Formative/Early Intermediate period (100 BC-AD 500), and expanded greatly in extent and monumentality during the later part of the period. After 500 AD, Tiwanaku was transformed into an expansive urban center, with far-flung colonies of its own. Tiwanaku I (Qalasasaya), 250 BC-AD 300, Late FormativeTiwanaku III (Qeya), AD 300-475Tiwanaku IV (Tiwanaku Period), AD 400-800, Andean Middle HorizonTiwanaku V, AD 800-1150hiatus Inca Empire, AD 1400-1532 Tiwanaku City The capital city of Tiwanaku lies in the high river basins of the Tiwanaku and Katari rivers, at altitudes between 3,800 and 4,200 meters (12,500-13,880 feet) above sea level. Despite its location at such a high altitude, and with frequent frosts and thin soils, perhaps as many as 20,000 people lived in the city at its heyday. During the Late Formative period, the Tiwanaku Empire was in direct competition with the Huari empire, located in central Peru. Tiwanaku style artifacts and architecture have been discovered throughout the central Andes, a circumstance that has been attributed to imperial expansion, dispersed colonies, trading networks, a spread of ideas or a combination of all these forces. Crops and Farming The basin floors where Tiwanaku city was built were marshy and flooded seasonally because of snow melt from the Quelcceya ice cap. The Tiwanaku farmers used this to their advantage, constructing elevated sod platforms or raised fields on which to grow their crops, separated by canals. These raised agricultural field systems stretched the capacity of the high plains to allow for protection of crops through frost and drought periods. Large aqueducts were also constructed at satellite cities such as Lukurmata and Pajchiri. Because of the high elevation, crops grown by the Tiwanaku were limited to frost-resistant plants such as potatoes and quinoa. Llama caravans brought maize and other trade goods up from lower elevations. The Tiwanaku had large herds of domesticated alpaca and llama  and hunted wild guanaco and vicuà ±a. Stone Work Stone was of primary importance to Tiwanaku identity: although the attribution is not certain, the city may have been called Taypikala (Central Stone) by its residents. The city is characterized by elaborate, impeccably carved and shaped stonework in its buildings, which are a striking blend of yellow-red-brown locally-available in its buildings, which are a striking blend of yellow-red-brown locally-available sandstone, and greenish-bluish volcanic andesite from farther away. Recently, Janusek and colleagues have argued that the variation is tied to a political shift at Tiwanaku. The earliest buildings, constructed during the Late Formative period, were principally built of sandstone. Yellowish to reddish brown sandstones were used in architectural revetments, paved floors, terrace foundations, subterranean canals, and a host of other structural features. Most of the monumental stelae, which depict personified ancestral deities and animate natural forces, are also made of sandstone. Recent studies have identified the location of the quarries in the foothills of the Kimsachata mountains, southeast of the city. The introduction of bluish to greenish gray andesite happens at the start of the Tiwanaku period (AD 500-1100), at the same time as Tiwanaku began to expand its power regionally. Stoneworkers and masons began to incorporate the heavier volcanic rock from more distant ancient volcanoes and igneous outgroups, recently identified at mounts Ccapia and Copacabana in Peru. The new stone was denser and harder, and the stonemasons used it to build on a larger scale than before, including large pedestals and trilithic portals. In addition, the workers replaced some sandstone elements in the older buildings with new andesite elements. Monolithic Stelae Present at Tiwanaku city and other Late Formative centers are stelae, stone statues of personages. The earliest are made of reddish-brown sandstone. Each of these early ones depicts a single anthropomorphic individual, wearing distinctive facial ornaments or painting. The persons arms are folded across his or her chest, with one hand sometimes placed over the other. Beneath the eyes are lightning bolts; and the personages are wearing minimal clothing, consisting of a sash, skirt, and headgear. The early monoliths are decorated with sinuous living creatures such as felines and catfish, often rendered symmetrically and in pairs. Scholars suggest that these might represent images of a mummified ancestor. Later, about 500 AD, the stelae change in style. These later stelae are carved from andesite, and the persons depicted have impassive faces and wear elaborately woven tunics, sashes, and headgear of elites. The people in these carvings have three-dimensional shoulders, head, arms, legs, and feet. They often hold equipment associated with the use of hallucinogens: a kero vase full of fermented chicha and a snuff tablet for hallucinogenic resins. There is more variations of dress and body decoration among the later stelae, including face markings and hair tresses, which may represent individual rulers or dynastic family heads; or different landscape features and their associated deities. Scholars believe these represent living ancestral hosts rather than mummies. Trade and Exchange After about 500 AD, there is clear evidence that Tiwanaku established a pan-regional system of multi-community ceremonial centers in Peru and Chile. The centers had terraced platforms, sunken courts and a set of religious paraphernalia in what is called Yayamama style. The system was connected back to Tiwanaku by trading caravans of llamas, trading goods such as maize, coca, chili peppers, plumage from tropical birds, hallucinogens, and hardwoods. The diasporic colonies endured for hundreds of years, originally established by a few Tiwanaku individuals but also supported by in-migration. Radiogenic strontium and oxygen isotope analysis of the Middle Horizon Tiwanaku colony at Rio Muerto, Peru, found that a small number of the people buried at Rio Muerto were born elsewhere and traveled as adults. Scholars suggest they may have been interregional elites, herders, or caravan drovers. Collapse of Tiwanaku After 700 years, the Tiwanaku civilization disintegrated as a regional political force. This happened about 1100 AD, and resulted, at least one theory goes, from the effects of climate change, including a sharp decrease in rainfall. There is evidence that the groundwater level dropped and the raised field beds failed, leading to a collapse of agricultural systems in both the colonies and the heartland. Whether that was the sole or most important reason for the end of the culture is debated. Archaeological Ruins of Tiwanaku Satellites and Colonies Bolivia: Lukurmata, Khonkho Wankane, Pajchiri, Omo, Chiripa, Qeyakuntu, Quiripujo, Juchuypampa Cave, Wata Wata Chile: San Pedro de Atacama Peru: Chan Chan, Rio Muerto, Omo Sources The best source for detailed Tiwanaku information has to be Alvaro Higuerass Tiwanaku and Andean Archaeology. Baitzel SI, and Goldstein PS. 2014. More than the sum of its parts: Dress and social identity in a provincial Tiwanaku child burial. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 35:51-62.Becker SK, and Alconini S. 2015. Head Extraction, Interregional Exchange, and Political Strategies of Control at the Site of Wata Wata, Kallawaya Territory, Bolivia, during the Transition between the Late Formative and Tiwanaku Periods (A.D. 200-800). Latin American Antiquity 26(1):30-48.Hu D. 2017. War or peace? Assessing the rise of the Tiwanaku state through projectile-point analysis. Lithics: The Journal of the Lithic Studies Society 37:84-86.Janusek JW. 2016. Processions, Ritual Movements, and the Ongoing Production of Pre-Columbian Societies, with a Perspective from Tiwanaku. Processions in the Ancient Americas: Occasional Papers in Anthropology at Penn State 33(7).Janusek JW, Williams PR, Golitko M, and Aguirre CL. 2013. Building Taypikala: Telluric Transformations in the Lithic Production of Tiwana ku. In: Tripcevich N, and Vaughn KJ, editors. Mining and Quarrying in the Ancient Andes: Springer New York. p 65-97. Knudson KJ, Gardella KR, and Yaeger J. 2012. Provisioning Inka feasts at Tiwanaku, Bolivia: the geographic origins of camelids in the Pumapunku complex. Journal of Archaeological Science 39(2):479-491.Knudson KJ, Goldstein PS, Dahlstedt A, Somerville A, and Schoeninger MJ. 2014. Paleomobility in the Tiwanaku Diaspora: Biogeochemical analyses at Rio Muerto, Moquegua, Peru. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 155(3):405-421.Niemeyer HM, Salazar D, Tricallotis HH, and Peà ±a-Gà ³mez FT. 2015. New Insights into the Tiwanaku Style of Snuff Trays from San Pedro de Atacama, Northern Chile. Latin American Antiquity 26(1):120-136.Somerville AD, Goldstein PS, Baitzel SI, Bruwelheide KL, Dahlstedt AC, Yzurdiaga L, Raubenheimer S, Knudson KJ, and Schoeninger MJ. 2015. Diet and gender in the Tiwanaku colonies: Stable isotope analysis of human bone collagen and apatite from Moquegua, Peru. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 158(3):408-422.

Grammar check Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Grammar check - Essay Example Therefore, to be successful in the market place, the challenges for all businesses regardless of the size is to invest and strategically manage their human resources. This paper presents a study on the human resource management practices at the Al Rajhi bank in Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted using both the secondary and primary research methods. Qualitative analysis of the information collected leads to the inference that the bank has excellent human resource practices, which is guided by a deliberate overlapping of the business initiatives with the employee training needs for the organizations. The study has stated certain recommendations based on the findings of this study. These are aimed at improving the bank’s performance in the future. Table of Contents Chapter One 4 1.1 Introduction 4 1.2 Background of the study 5 1.3 The Al Rajhi Bank Company outline 6 Divisions of operations 7 1.4 HRM practices of Al Rajhi bank 9 1.5 Objective and scope of study 9 Primary objec tive: 9 1.6 Limitation of the study 10 Chapter Two 11 2.0 Literature Review 11 2.1 Saudi Arabia banking sectors: 12 Saudi Arabia experiences one of the fastest growths in the global banking industry. Even in the time of global financial turmoil, Saudi Arabia banking industry had shown impressive year-on-year growth results. The Saudi Arabia banking has strong credit growth, averaging 14.4% in 2012, and deposit grew 7.9% YoY, customer lending grew at 18.3% yoy, while corporate lending has growth of 10.6% at the same period. The Saudi Arabia banking sector has middle-sized financial sectors according to the IMF. The Saudi Arabia banks have a trend of adequate capitalization, and a good loan-to-deposit ratios and low exposure to foreign debt and toxic loans. All these positive results related to gaining astounding benefits from relatively high oil prices. 12 Figures: Saudi economic & banking sector growth 12 Saudi Arabia has a modern banking industry with 13 commercial banks that provi de retail and corporate banking, investment services, derivative transactions, credit cards, ATMs and point-of-sale transaction. There are also non-Islamic banking that provides Islamic banking services that are consistent with the principles of Islamic law, which prohibit the collection of interest on deposits and trading in financial risk. 13 2.2 Human Resource Management (HRM) 13 2.3 Employees Training and Development at Alrajhi bank 14 2.1.1 Employee Training 14 Leadership and management skills 15 Personal effectiveness 15 Phases of Training at Al Rajhi bank 15 Trainings at Al Rjhi conducted an internal and external session. Internal training involves when training organized in-house training through human resource department or training department using a senior staff or talented staff in a particular department. The external training normally arranged outside the firm and mostly organized by training institution and consultant. Whichever training, attendant is mandatory for al l employees. 15 Orientation program 16 Training issues and problems 17 2.4 HR planning 18 HR Planning refers to the procedure that comprises of setting of aims and objectives, budgeting, conducting planning that is strategic in nature and execution as well as assessment of programs (Durai 109). One of the main tasks of HR managers is to forecast the