Mcdonalds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mcdonalds - Essay Example It is one of the most well known and reputed brand and holds a leading share in the globally branded quick service restaurant segment of the informal eating out in virtually every country where they have a presence. It has achieved this distinction through efficiency in its operations and proper functioning. Approximately 70% of McDonalds restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women (Wikipedia). McDonald’s offers flexible menus with different tastes and different sizes to fit every active lifestyle. It has a global presence with successful expansion into 120 countries and they serve nearly 54 million customers each day. By 2001, they had 30,093 restaurants all over the world with sales of $24 billion. They offer both counter service and drive through service. McDonald’s follows a different business model from other fast food chains. In addition to the franchisee fees, supplies and a percentage of sales, they also collect rents partially linked to sales. Their international operations are very significant to them because a sizeable portion of revenue is generated through franchisees. While the US and Europe each account for 35% of the revenues, France, Germany and the UK collectively account for 60% of the total revenue (Orji, 2005). In Australia, China and Japan, they have 50% owned-affiliate account under the equity method which account for nearly 50% of the revenues. These six markets are the major markets for the company. While fast food meals based in burgers and fried chicken have been considered convenient, they have also been considered to be unhealthy. One of the reasons for the vast number of allegation against McDonald’s is that processed convenience foods contribute to obesity (Schrà ¶der & McEachern, 2006). This has led to several litigation proceedings against McDonald’s. This demonstrates that they have not been socially conscious in their dealings. There have

Advantages and Disadvantages of On-The-Job Training and Development Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages of On-The-Job Training and Development Compared With Off-Job Training and Development - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that training of the employees is an essential part of human resource management. When an employee joins an organization, he can be considered as a raw material. Training converts him from a raw material to finished good. In other words, training is necessary to fine tune the capabilities of the employee so that the organization may benefit from that. â€Å"Training and education are not only seen as the way of helping an individual to become more adaptive in their work, but also of providing more knowledge and skills†. In an ever-changing business world, training is necessary to update and knowledge and skills of the employee. Even if an employee may have previous experiences, it is difficult for him to excel in a new company without proper training. â€Å"Training is a learning process that involves the acquisition of knowledge, sharpening of skills, concepts, rules, or changing of attitudes and behaviors to enhance the performance of employees†. Torrington has pointed out that â€Å"Training and development has a role to play as do reward systems to maximize effort†. Training is broadly classified into two; one the job training and off the job training. On the job training, is training provided during the regular performance of duties whereas off the job training provided away from the employee’s usual work environment and the employee will stop their usual duties/work during the training period†. On the job training may give more emphasis to the practical aspects whereas off the job training may give more emphasis to the theoretical aspects. An employee should have knowledge about both theoretical and practical aspects of his profession and therefore both on the job and off the job training are necessary to empower the employee so that he could meet any challenges in his profession. Both on the job and off the job training have some advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, there are certain cases in which on the job training would be better than off the job training and vice versa. Judicious use of on the job and off the job training may improve the productivity and efficiency of the employees and the organization.

Social and emotional learning (SEL)

Social and emotional learning (SEL) There is a daunting list of issues which face students and educators alike. A growing number of genuinely effective educational establishments are now coming to realise that competence in socio-emotional development and academic achievement are intrinsically linked and an integrated, coordinated approach (i.e. not just teaching children how to pass exams but educating them in how to develop life skills and deal with social challenges) in each of these areas not only helps students maximise their potential in school but throughout their lives. Educational establishments are now viewed as an important if not central arena for health promotion [and] primary preventionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in addition to the education of students (Roeser, Eccles, Samoroff, 2000, p. 467). This information however, is far from new. Wang et al. (1997) examined 28 learning influence categories which were based on handbook chapters, surveys of national experts and research syntheses. Of their findings they discove red that of the 11 most influential categories, 8 of them involved factors which were socio-emotional (classroom climate, peer group, social interaction, etc). In support of this work the (American) National Center for Education Statistics (2002) cited that among the predominant reasons given for children dropping out of school several involved socio-emotional factors. Generally feeling left out made up 23.2% whilst those who did not get on with peers or teachers accounted for 20.1% and 35% respectively. 12.1% of the students said they did not feel safe. These worrying figures led Wang et al. to conclude that intervention of a direct kind in the psychological determinants of learning promises the most effective avenues of reform (p. 210) which also supports the cohesive provision of social and emotional learning throughout school-life. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the ability within the student to recognise emotions and manage them effectively whilst establishing positive and healthy relationships with others around them (competencies which are inarguably essential for all pupils). Accordingly, the objectives of SEL are a combination of cognitions, behaviours and emotions. It is this process of knowledge acquisition and its effective application regarding attitudes and the development of related skills (including managing emotions, developing concern and care towards others, decision-making in a responsible manner and capably handling situations which may be challenging) (Beaty, 2008). Through positive engagement in activities within the classroom and outside the learning environment the students can learn SEL skills in a similar fashion to the manner in which they learn academic skills, then apply them and put them into practice. The increasingly complex situations which todays children face have are bet ter faced when these integrated and enhanced skills are applied (Elias et al., 1997). Much of prevalent practice and methodologies on SEL has evolved largely from research conducted by Goleman (1995) and Gardner (1993), both of whom started a great interest in SEL throughout the 1990s which has continued to the present day. On-going research has increasingly shown that those schools which make efforts to employ SEL and adopt its requirements produce outcomes which are positive. Parents and educators alike are progressively recognising the relationships across socio-emotional learning and academia, in particular within the systems of support found within the context of schools (Kearns, 2010). Within the context of safe, caring, well-managed and participatory school, classroom and extraneous learning environments, these learned skills are reinforced in the home, at school and within the community. All children benefit from instruction in social and emotional learning, although those who are already at risk, are beginning to engage in behaviour that is negative or those who may already display problems which are significant are particularly suited to SEL development. This is why early implementation of SEL programming is essential in order to allow children to develop their skills throughout their early childhood into adolescence. SEL programming focusses mainly on the universal prevention of behavioural problems and the promotion of socio-emotional competence as opposed to direct intervention. There may be smaller numbers of pupils who may require treatment which is moderate to intensive in order to develop socio-emotional competence but the intention of SEL programming is to enhance and promote growth in these areas for all children and to allow them to develop healthy behaviour structures as opposed to behaviours which may be mal-adaptive or unhealthy (Rice et al., 2006). A comprehensive and continuous system of support services which are based on student needs is the context within which SEL should be viewed. As such a support system, SEL is a concept which unifies the integration and coordination of school-based promotion and prevention programmes which reduce marginalisation and minimises fragmentation of these efforts. The most sustained and effective approaches should involve a partnership between educators, parents, students and community members in order to continuously and effectively plan, implement and evaluate the efforts of SEL. Socio-emotional education should begin in pre-school and continue throughout formal education. It should also be intentionally entwined to academic development and is an integral element of the national curriculum (Elias et al., 1997; Talay-Ongan Ap, 2005). With so many situations that can have negative effects on both the socio-emotional and the academic development of children, ultimately affecting their happiness in their lives, it is crucial that children are given SEL from an early age. An increased and generalised sense of fear and insecurity is purveyed throughout the media, from fanatical terrorism and government fear propaganda to adverts and unattainable levels of exquisiteness in teen magazines and music television. This is compounded by a continually increasing level of inequity between the rich and the poor (Wollman et al., 2003). The media constantly bombards the unprepared public with lurid stories of sleaze and corruption, spanning across all walks of previously respected life. Politicians, businessmen, people in positions of esteem, sports icons and popular culture figures (to name but a few) are all regularly featured in relentless stories and reports of unethical conduct and questionable behaviour. This was not a conc ern for generations gone by when the media was less forthright about the delivery of messages which encouraged unhealthy behaviour, nor was the threat of online danger via internet chat rooms and violent video games so prevalent. With so many role models with publicly tarnished reputations, and unethical behaviour increasingly commonplace, more and more students are finding a feeling of uncertainly with their lives and their futures. This disenfranchisement, insecurity, disillusionment, and in many cases, fear, provides a palpable case for stating that perhaps SEL is now more than ever an essential element of educational reform (Zins, et al., 2004). Many SEL initiatives which currently exist are fragmented in methodology and approach which detracts from their collective effectiveness. Extreme action such as the introduction of metal detectors, searching pupils upon entrance to school property, alongside school change management, recreational activities, school architecture and information materials (brochures, posters, etc.) can help prevent problem behaviours whilst promoting a safe environment but are far from the provision of a coordinated and cohesive programme. Rather the outcome is the loss of opportunities to reinforce skills across activities and initiatives along with a seemingly inevitable competition for resources. By using SEL as the organisational framework for such initiatives it can serve a broad array of positive promotional efforts whilst delivering effective prevention of negative behaviours (Gottfredson Gottfredson, 2001). There are several key competencies that are regarded as essential to be reinforced in SEL programming. They consist of: Self-awareness (the identification and effective regard for ones own emotions, a recognition of strength in both ones self and in others and a sense of self-confidence), a social awareness (which involves a sense of empathy and respect for others), responsible decision making (evaluating and reflecting upon personal, ethical responsibilities), self-management (controlling ones impulses, managing stress, developing persistence, setting goals and developing self-motivation) and relationship skills (learning cooperation, seeking and providing help and developing effective communication) (Bear, 2005). As previously noted, it is when they are taught and developed in a caring, well-managed and supportive learning environment that these competencies are they delivered most effectively. Autonomic development, ethical advancement and self-discipline are all more effectively furthered in environments whereby care, consideration, mutual respect, cooperation and decision making are normal conduct. These contexts find themselves structured in such a way that they encourage exploration among students to try new or innovative learning activities. They can also provide accessible opportunities in order to address personal problems or requirements and allow support with the establishment of positive peer and adult relationships. The result is that students feel a sense of safety and security, and are not fearful of making mistakes. A reciprocal relationship should exist in the classroom between SEL and the climate of the school. The school environment which is positive and promotes SEL effectively is affected positively by the development of SEL in its students. This synergistic process exists due to the interdependent nature of social, emotional and academic growth (Dolby, 2007). Given the continuing positive outcomes of research conducted on SEL it seems clear that the responsibility to deliver effective programmes is evident. This means that educators should not only teach and assess SEL for all students within their care but should also be responsible for the conduction of reliable assessment of socio-emotional, health related and academic outcomes in tandem with acknowledgement and development of the school climate. All of this should be based on input gained from a range of constituencies, including, but not limited to, the students themselves, parents, community members and teachers. The assessment of SEL is an area which is still in need of further development and may soon become an area of particular interest to school psychologists. For acceptability and accountability purposes, a determination needs to be made regarding the value-assessable outcomes of SEL with regards to student learning and socio-emotional development, and to enable adequate devel opmental strategies in order to effectively review and improve the instruction delivered (Stormont, 2007). It is essential for todays students to be prepared not only to pass academic exams but pass tests that they will encounter in day to day life. Socio-emotional competence is closely related to academic achievement and to remain effective, educators should focus efforts on coordinated and integrated instruction on each area thoroughly in order to maintain the greatest potential among pupils to succeed both in academia and throughout their lives. Growing research concludes that SEL intervention of an evidence-based nature is increasingly becoming associated with health, academic achievement and ethical conduct. This creates the constant challenge of how to implement SEL as a core element of the national curriculum and perhaps more importantly how to develop relevant programming which is sustainable and effective.

Technology and Beckett’s Play, Krapp’s Last Tape Essay -- Krapp’s Last

Technology and Beckett’s Play, Krapp’s Last Tape â€Å"bois seul bouffe brà »le crà ªve seul comme devant les absents sont morts les prà ©sents puent sors tes yeux dà ©tourne-les sur les roseaux se taquinent-ils ou les aà ¯s pas la peine il y a le vent et l’à ©tat de veille†[1][1] -Samuel Beckett, Untitled As an avant-garde writer and a trend starter, Beckett was intensely in touch with his own time and its most significant realities, one of which being technological progress. In his play Krapp’s Last Tape, first performed in 1958, we meet yet another one of his spiritually crippled and disillusioned characters: Krapp, an old recluse. Krapp is alone on the stage, seconded only by a tape player/recorder. As an embodiment of his memory, the machine completes Krapp and provides him with a link to his past, a grounding force which serves to give him a stronger presence. Ultimately, however, Krapp is no better off than analogous characters in Beckett’s work. Whatever crumbs of hope the machine may bring, the core of the human problem is still the human condition, and that itself may not be changed by any form of insight into the past, however clear. â€Å"A late evening in the future.† starts Beckett’s script of Krapp’s Last Tape. One needs not to imagine what this future is like; if this indication is significant at all, its meaning does not exist has a stage direction to be interpreted creatively by the theatrical director. Rather, this indication concerns the whole mood and pace of the play; this is to be the future; that time or state after all that we may have planned or expected has passed. The world which Krapp inhabits is far away from our own; his â€Å"den† might as well be on another p... ...t or indirect manner. In fact, one would be in the right to propound the contrary; that the machine, in Beckett’s opinion, is a distraction from the meaningful aspects of existence, a superficial solution to the real problems of life. Works Cited and Consulted Astro, Alan. Understanding Samuel Beckett. Columbia: University of South Carolina, 1992. Beckett, Samuel. Collected Poems in English and French. New-York: Grover Press, 1977. Beckett, Samuel. Endgame. New-York: Grove Press, 1970. Beckett, Samuel. Krapp’s Last Tape and Embers. London, Faber and Faber,1968. Beckett, Samuel. Beckett: The Complete Short Prose,1929-1989 ed. S.E. Gontarski. New-York: Grove Press, 1995. Durozoi, Gà ©rard. Prà ©sence littà ©raire : Beckett. Paris: Bordas, 1972. Notes 1 Collected Poems in English and French, 45. 2 The Complete Short Prose, xi 3 Durozoi, 101

Dementia Awareness Essay

1.1 Explain what is meant by the term ‘Dementia’ The word dementia describes a set of symptoms that may include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem solving or language. These changes are often small to start with but for someone with dementia they have become severe enough to effect daily life. A person with dementia may also experience changes in their mood or behaviour. 1.2 Describe the key functions of the brain that are affected by dementia. The key functions of the brain that are affected by dementia are Temporal Lobe – Responsible for vision, memory, language, hearing, learning. Frontal Lobe – Responsible for decision making, Problem solving, controlling behaviour and emotions. Parietal Lobe – Responsible for sensory information from the body, also where letters are formed, putting things in order and spatial awareness. Occipital Lobe – Responsible for processing information related to vision. Cerebrum Lobe – This is the biggest part of the brain, Its role is memory, attention, thought and our consciousness, senses and movement. Hippocampus – Responsible for memory forming, organizing, storing and emotions. 1.3 Explain why Depression, Delirium and age related memory impairment may be mistaken for Dementia. Delirium, Dementia and Depression are disorders that are often confused by care-givers as they are complex and patients can be afflicted with more than one of the conditions at the same time. Although often coincidence they are entirely separate conditions. Delirium is an acute but reversible state of confusion occurring in up to 50 percent of older post-surgical patients. Dementia is an irreversible decline of mental abilities which affects 5-10 percent of the population over age 65, with incidence doubling every 5 years after 65. Depression is a mood disorder which affects 16 percent of the population although it is often unrecognised. 2.1 Outline the medical model of dementia The medical model focuses on the impairment as the problem and focuses on a cure, these may be dependency, restriction of choice, disempowering and devaluing individuals. 2.2 Outline the social model of dementia. This is personal centred, focusing on the rights of the individual, in turn empowering the individual, promoting independence, giving choice and looking at what the individual is able to do. 2.3 Explain why dementia should be viewed as a disability. Individuals who have dementia are not aware of requirements for living. They can forget to do the essential things that are vital. Taking medicines, hygiene and even eating are often forgotten. They can get lost or hurt and not understand what is necessary to correct a situation. Individuals cannot act in the manner of a responsible adult which is why dementia should be viewed as a disability. 3.1 List the most common causes of dementia. The most common causes of dementia are – Alzheimer’s disease – This is the most common cause of dementia. During the course of the disease, the chemistry and structure of the brain changes, leading to the death of brain cells. Vascular Dementia – If the oxygen supply to the brain fails, brain cells may die. The symptoms of vascular dementia can occur either suddenly, following  a stroke, or over time, through a series of small strokes. Dementia with Lewy Bodies – This form of dementia gets its name from tiny spherical structures that develop inside nerve cells. Their presence in the brain leads to the degeneration of brain tissue. Fronto–temporal Dementia – In fronto-temporal dementia, damage is usually focused in the front part of the brain. Personality and behaviour are initially more affected than memory. 3.2 Describe the likely signs and symptoms of the most common causes of dementia. Dementia is a collection of symptoms including memory loss, personality change, and impaired intellectual functions resulting from disease or trauma to the brain. These changes are not part of normal aging and are severe enough to impact daily living, independence, and relationships. With dementia, there will likely be noticeable decline in communication, learning, remembering, and problem solving. These changes may occur quickly or very slowly over time. The progression and outcome of dementia vary, but are largely determined by the type of dementia and which area of the brain is affected. Diagnosis is possible through advanced brain imaging, clinical examinations, and diagnostic testing. 3.3 Outline the risk factors for the most common causes of dementia. The greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s is advancing age. Most individuals with the disease are age 65 or older. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s doubles about every five years after age 65. After age 85, the risk reaches nearly 50 percent. One of the greatest mysteries of Alzheimer’s disease is why risk rises so dramatically as we grow older. Another strong risk factor is family history. Those who have a parent, brother, sister or children with Alzheimer’s are more likely to develop the disease. The risk increases if more than one family member has the illness. When diseases tend to run in families, either heredity (genetics) or environmental factors, or both, may play a role. In general, the risk factors for vascular dementia are the same as those for heart disease and  stroke. Risk factors for vascular dementia include: Increasing age. History of heart attack, stroke or mini strokes. Atherosclerosis. High cholesterol. High blood pressur e. Diabetes. Smoking and Atrial fibrillation. Although the cause of Lewy body dementia isn’t clear, several factors appear to increase the risk of developing the disease. They include: Being older than 60. Being male & having a family member with Lewy body dementia. Many degenerative neurological diseases do not have a strong genetic component, but Fronto–temporal Dementia is believed to be an exception, with a high familial component compared to other instances of dementia. Unlike in other forms of dementia, however, there are no nutritional deficiencies or other habits that increase the likelihood of developing Fronto–temporal Dementia. Instead, risk factors for developing Fronto–temporal Dementia include: Mutations in the MAPT and/or GRN genes of chromosome 17, a family history of Fronto–temporal Dementia. 3.4 Identify prevalence rates for different types of dementia. The Prevalence’s of Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease dementia, and other dementias – Overall, 72% of the dementias were of Alzheimer type, 16% were vascular dementia, 6% were Parkinson’s disease dementia, and 5% were other dementias. 4.1 Describe how different individuals may experience living with dementia depending on age, type of dementia, and level of ability and disability. Dementia is not a disease but a set of symptoms which decreases the ability to think, memory and communication skills of human beings. It also declines the skills that needed to carry out daily activities. There are many causes of dementia. Few are :  · Alzheimer’s disease  · Vascular disease  · Lewy body disease  · Front temporal disorders  · Parkinson’s disease  · Depending on the form of dementia people’s ability and disability fluctuates. It is not necessarily to think that people with dementia are always forgetful. Like, people with Fronto-temporal dementia are very less forgetful than Alzheimer disease. Their memory remains intact but their personality and behaviour noticeably changes. Dementia with Lewy bodies interrupts the brain’s normal  functioning and affect the person’s memory, concentration and speech skills. It has similar symptoms to Parkinson’s disease such as tremors, slowness of movement and speech difficulties. People with vascular dementia may suffer from incontinence or seizure where other types of dementia may not affect those. However level of ability and disability depend on individual’s age and condition of dementia. People who are living with dementia in earlier age such as 60’s-70’s are less dependable than people living with dementia at the age or over 70’s or 80’s. People have different stamina in different ages. So, their ability and disability fluctuated and level of support are varied as well 4.2 Outline the impact that the attitudes and behaviour of others may have on an individual with dementia Dementia can have a big impact on a person’s behaviour. It can make them feel anxious, lost, confused and frustrated. Although each person with dementia handles these feelings in their own way, certain behaviour is common in people with the disease. This includes: †¢ repeating questions or carrying out an activity over and over again †¢ walking and pacing up and down †¢ Aggression, shouting and screaming †¢ becoming suspicious of other people If you are experiencing these behaviours, or are looking after someone who behaves in this way, it’s important to remember that this is an attempt to communicate how they’re feeling and that they are not being deliberately difficult. If you stay calm and work out why they’re expressing themselves in this way, you may be able to calm them down.

Theatre and Other Arts- Theatre Challenges

Theatre and Other Arts – Theatre Challenges Theatre is a collaborative form of  fine art  that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. Theatre has existed since the dawn of man, as a result of human tendency for storytelling. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance. The most important element of theatre is the audience, which can make the performance or break it down.Theatrical art is done by people and for people. Theatre plays a very important role in the whole society, it is rather influential, and in fact, it has a great impact upon people, both positive and negative. The theatre has been shown to be didactic – it is one of the greatest aesthetic and educational strength. The main aims of theatre are: to appeal to the hearts of the audience; to involve them into the atmosphere of art; to engage them e motionally and let them rest and be entertained in the way they want.The first theatres were purposefully made for entertainment and everybody was allowed to attend it. In some time the art in theatre was done only for an elite, but today theatre focuses on the different audiences trying to make everybody involved in the art. Russian famous poet Vladimir Mayakovski once said that â€Å"Theatre is not a reflecting mirror but a magnifying glass†. The role of Theater in Society is became a mean of communicating culture, helped us come to understand more about humanity, our hopes and fears and helped to find ourselves and the larger world around. Theatre is changing.The traditional canon is constantly revisited with a fresh eye and new writing continues to thrive, with new plays enjoying full houses. It seems essential to dwell upon theatre and other arts, theatre and high tech scenery as all challenges have important impact upon it. Experiments have begun in digital broadcasting . Doubtless, that one of the greatest threats facing theatre is television. In the first place, television is not only a convenient source of entertainment, but also a comparatively cheap one. Many people do not understand that the theatre is the parent of new dramatic forms.Without a living theatre where writers, directors, designers and actors could learn their jobs, movies and television plays would be very crude indeed. Unfortunately the wealthy organizations responsible for films, radio and television, have helped themselves liberally to the talent the theatre has trained but have given it little in return. In fact their competition has made the position of the theatre which has no state support far more precarious than it used to be, and has made commercial theatre managers more reluctant than ever to experiment Another threat is generally seen from the sides of radio, cinema and the Internet.While the situation with cinema and radio are nearly the same as with the television, the state of affairs with the Internet demands to have a closer look at the problem. The appearance of wide access to the Internet and digital technology is bound to have an effect on live theatre or, at least, on our reaction to it. When we can see the best online all the charm of going out loses its loveliness. Digital inventions made us lazier although being said to save our time. Radio is the theatre of the mind; television is the theatre of the mindless† (Steve Allen) In conclusion I’d like to say that theatre is the magical place where man meets his image and has the lifelike communication with the art and performers. All in all, it is difficult to overestimate the role of art and theater in our lives. The future is full of possibilities, but it also demands more from theatre leaders and their programs than ever before. The pressure on theatre organizations continue to increase, that’s why they continue to find new ways to attract and engage people more wi dely.