Arousing music Essay Example for Free

Arousing music Essay The Obendorfer’s three-story Victorian home rested at the corner of Peabody and Main in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The grand homes candy-corn colored shutters peaked out from mature oak and trimmed spruce trees. It was a glorious day, the September’s morning breeze pungent with honeysuckles and sage. Across the meadow soon-to-be-ripened pumpkins slumbered beneath crawling vines. Preparations had been made, silver polished, crystal goblets buffed and glistened along side china place settings in anticipation of Valentin (last name goes here). Arriving notebook in hand Solomon the butler shows the Ladies Home Journal (LHJ) reporter in for a sumptuous breakfast of, kippered herring, liver, bacon and griddle cakes with Mrs. Marx Obendorfer, her son Reginald, heading off to college and daughter Daisy, a member of the Symphony Society and high school student. The interview will explore the controversy the scathing article revealed in the August issue of Ladies Home Journal entitled: Does Jazz Put the in Syncopation? {Reginald dressed in plaid waist-coat and knickers enters the dining room. Daisy seated at the window-box-seat is fiddling with her starched middy-blouse collar} Reginald: Good Morning, Daisy. Daisy {yawning}: Morning Reg. Mrs. Obendorfer: Good Morning children. Your father won’t be joining us for breakfast, business affairs you know. {Doorbell chimes and Sage the butler shows Valentin into the dining room. } Mrs. Obendorfer {extending her gloved hand in welcome}: Oh, do come in Mr. Put your last name here. Valentin: {clutching a notebook under his arm}: I ‘m so pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Obendorfer; it was kind of you to invite me into your home. Mrs. Obendorfer: {to butler} Solomon please take our guests hat and escort him into the dining room at once. {Solomon takes Valentins fedora and top-coat and seats him at the table and he’s introduced to Reginald and a bored Daisy}. Valentin {placing his fork down and leaning in towards Mrs. O}: Who was it that said, â€Å"Music soothes the savage beast? Mrs. : Obendorfer: Young man, music can change one’s mood, it can soothe the heart, bolster the spirit. It is the greatest gift to mankind. Valentin: Your article last month caused quite a stir if you please lets talk about why should we believe that ‘music might invoke savage instincts? † isn’t music just a series of sounds? Mrs. Obendorfer: In the past we have been content to accept all kinds of music†¦ and to admit music in all its phases into our homes simply because it was music. Never before in the history of our land have there been such immoral conditions among our young- Reginald {Frowning}: Oh Mother! You can’t believe that a type of music corrupts the morals-. Mrs. Obendorfer: I tell you surveys have been conducted, and it has been proven the culprit is jazz music, and its evil influence among our young people. Daisy: Mother all this talk about a passing phase. Why we at the Symphony- Reginald {Getting red-in-the face and interrupts Daisy}: Daisy what do you†¦ know you just echo Mother’s sentiment- Mrs. Obendorfer: Reginald! That will be quite enough we have a guest. Valentin: Mrs. Obendorfer, you mention in your article that the dance music of the past could really do no harm because it was music. What exactly do you mean? Mrs. Obendorfer: What I mean is the music of the past was not morally deficient. Yes, in the past certain restrictions were placed on some types of music and dance, but it was by the clergy who I might add have never been particularly enthusiastic about dancing anyway. It was not immoral as this Jazz! Valentin: I’m interested in the idea that immoral acts can be directly attributed to certain dances. Can someone flesh this out for me? Is there really a cause-and-effect relationship? Mrs. Obendorfer: I am appalled at the outrageous dances that have been permitted in private as well as public ballrooms. Vulgar and evil acts can be traced acts to the influence of these immoral dances. Reginald: Jazz is not evil. Jazz is freedom a freedom of expression. Mother, how can syncopated rhythm and tempo create immorality? Valentin: Uh†¦what sort of immoral acts would there be, anyway? If we can discuss them in mixed company, that is†¦ Mrs. Obendorfer: Such arousing music with its jerky half steps invites immoral variations. How can one find refinement when the music is void of any?

Problem occurs in real life

Problem occurs in real life Introduction Communication play the important part to solve the any kind of the problem occurs in the real life. There are two types of the communication. Internal communication External communication Internal communication is the communication between employees or departments across all levels or divisions of an organization (CBS Interactive Inc., 2009) whereas the external communication is the the exchange of information and messages between an organization and other organizations, groups, or individuals outside its formal structure (CBS Interactive Inc., 2009). Internal communication is the most and important factor within the any small or big organisation. Because of the good and right internal communication between employees, make their work more efficient and accurate which helps the company progress in the market. There are no of the flows of the internal communication within the organisation and those are formal, informal, upward, downward, vertical, and horizontal. All of them are used by the any organisation as they required. It adds value to the companys overall performance. All flows of the internal communication uses different types of the method of communication and that are verbal, non-verbal, visual, written, electronic, mass. But for doing that, organisation is using different kind of support to implement the internal communication .And those are telephone, face to face, tables, advertisement, eye contact, email, sign language, letter, fax, etc. In the organisation when we are going to use more of internal communication when something happening in the business or the organisation. That means change. When anyone thinks about the change, at the first point nobody will like it at the very first stage. Because of, Change is something that presses us out of our comfort zone.'(Institute of Industrial Engineers, 2009). Why we need a change? Change will be occurring in the organization due to two factors. Those are Internal force External force Change with Internal forces like, changing the employee, new equipment buying, behaviour or attitude of the employee, or the structure of the company has been change, or owner change. That all affecting the organisation and they heavily affect the business. Second one is external forces. Those are the new technology due to new research, market change, economy change, government laws change, etc. All are affecting the whole market and the organization as well. Mainly there are three types of the change occur in the organization structure, technology and people. First is structure changing that means like formalization, size of the company, converting flat structure to tall structure, changing the country (culture). Example, before the organization does not have the timing to come at work and go. Suddenly top management implement the time to come to work and go from work. That will make the difference to the entire employee. Second one is technology that means; today everyday there is new technology coming in the market. To cope up with the competitor everyone have use the latest technology. For that you have to train all the employees to use that new technology. Example, before LSC do not have the biometric attendance but now they do so, the management has to train the all the lectures, how to use that biometric machine? and last one is the people that means attitude and behaviour change of the employee, or management change Example, suppo se the company is in loss and owner sell the company to the another owner so the new owner might change whole employee or might he/she keep them but the management is changed so employee has to work in way that is suitable for the new owner. Now this change cannot be implementing in straight way in the business so for that we have to follow the process or steps of the change. They are as follows, Purpose Plan Action Feedback Adapt Repeat (lance haun,2009) Now I come back to the main question which is How to use an internal communication in a context of change? For that I am going to give you two or three case study as an example. Case study: JD SPORTS using the HHT (scanners) Few months before there is new system comes in the one of UKs company name called JD SPORTS. That system is HHT (scanners).When this system came in the company nobody have a clue how to use it and at the first stage all management denied to use that. But then top level management explain what the system is about and how to use it what are the benefit for that all that to the managers of the stores. And then after manager came to staffs and same thing explain to them and then they all understand what the HHT (scanners) is? And they are going to use it? Now that system is in the store but still employee bit scared to use it because it is very expensive product and second thing it is that connected to the head office so, any single mistake done that straight go to the head office. Then time gone people use to it and now it become so simple to use it. Now they realized that the manual work was very time consuming but with the scanner their job become easier. Now if you go in the store ev eryone of the employee is always looking for the HHT (scanner) because it makes their job easier. Why that is make happen because they explain the whole system from top level management to the normal staff very briefly and also they took the feedback and implement some new feature to it and now system is in the every single store of this company. And for doing that company spend so much time and money. Like they handout the leaflets for that and they shown the employee videos of it. Thus, from above we can say that, they change the system but very important the internal communication was well enough in the company so, they make the change successfully. Cash study 2: There is another company called ABC LTD (name changed) that company have so many stores in the UK. For the couple of years ago they had the two stores in Camden town. Distance between two stores was all about 10 min walk. One is bigger and the other one is smaller. But because of the two stores on same high street the smaller store was not making much money. So they send the e-mail to the store manger that we are thinking to close down that store. But they did not decided yet .they give like one month but still there is a same condition. So companys director thought that smaller one will be closed down and we will expand the bigger store. So the decision has been done that smaller store will close down. This information passed on to the regional manager and the area manager with the use of mail and telephone about the decision. Area manager come down to the store with companys HR person to the branch personally. They explain the whole thing to the manager and whole team. They already decided that everyone have to go from the company with the redundancy except management (they will give them a transfer to the other store). But every single staff (28 staffs) has to go. All staffs oppose to that decision. And they told the management we are not going to leave the company. And for making that happen they can go to the court. Because some of them working for the company more than 3 year. Their family relay on his/her job. So management informed that to the top level management. Because of the legal problem they decided that, Temporarily staffs have to go from the company. Staffs working for the company more that 1 year they can go by taking the redundancy. Staffs who still wanted to continue with the job they can have transfer to their nearest branch. They took all the staffs contact detail and said that if there is any place in other store they will contact with them(that means they will have the first preference) And they send letter each of staffs and let them know what is going to happen to them. Thus, from above we can say that because of the good and the problem solving internal communication between the staffs and the management they resolve the problem of store closing down. Conclusion: From above discussion we can say that for any organization in real world if anybody thinking to go for the change than they can make the change but only with the good communication between the members of the company. Society, technology, culture are changing every time. And because of that any organization which is in the market they have go with the change and that will be implemented only if there is the good, efficient internal communication .So we can say that internal communication is a blueprint for developing an organization strategy which drives an organization towards its corporate goals.Thus it helps the organization to get success in the market. References: Books: Cook ,Sarah (2004) Change Management Excellence, Kogan Page Limited Smith,Lyn Mounter,Pamela (2005) Internal Communication, Kogan Page Limited Online: JD SPORTS (2009) JD SPORTS HISTORY [Online] (Access on 21/11/09) Received on: http://www.jdsports.co.uk/about-us/jd-history/ Iienet (2009) change management [Online] (Access on: 12/11/09) Received on: http://www.iienet2.org/Details.aspx?id=3290 Rehaul (2009) six steps of change in organization [Online] (Access on: 14/11/09) Received on: http://rehaul.com/six-steps-to-manage-change-in-your-organisation/

Haitian Culture: Death and Dying

Haitian Culture: Death and Dying From one of the poorest countries in the world comes one of the most complex and varied religions. Although very different from much of the world, Haitian customs regarding end of life, funeral practices, the dead and the practice of Voodoo has evolved throughout the past several centuries. From the very beginnings of the Island to the present the Haitian people have practiced their own variance of religion unlike any other place in the world. I have been to Haiti many times with my church and find it absolutely heartbreaking. Poverty and lack of any significant healthcare system aided and fueled by a corrupt government begets one of most broken societies in the western world. The last time I was there was the first time in recent history that Voodoo wasnt the national religion. Haiti has always claimed Roman Catholicism officially but until very recently most Haitians practiced voodoo alongside it with no sense of contrast between the two. Although the culture is split between Christianity and Voodoo, most churches dont turn people away who need care if they can provide it. By the same token, those who practice Voodoo do not shy away from health centers in favor of only being treated by the Voodoo priest or witch doctor. However, most hospitals are in the city so for rural Haitians seeing a voodoo healer is the only option. While in our compound in Borel (a rural town about 100 miles north of Port a prince) I could hear the drums of the voodoo ceremonies from beyond our walls, and more than once have seen the Christian funeral processions in the streets. I remember watching the vigils of the folks sitting in the cemeteries and asking my interpreter guide about what was going on at night and about the rituals and about how and why they worked the way they do. In order to accomplish this we must first do our best to understand a little of how Haiti came to exist Haiti is best known to be discovered by Christopher Columbus, but there were many cultures that inhabited the land before his arrival in 1492. The first known settlers were the Ciboneys, who migrated from what is now known as North America in 450 A.D. Then in 900 A.D., the Tainos, who belonged to the Arawak nation, settled in large villages. The Arawak Indians called the land Ayiti, which means land of mountains. Columbus left Spaniards in charge of the land and they became responsible of almost terminating all of the Arawaks This caused the island to be empty for many years until the French colonized the land in the middle of seventeenth century. During Frances reign, Haiti became one of the most prominent countries in the world. Resources such as sugar cane, cotton, cocoa, and coffee became the most important sources to Haitis wealth. These resources became a high demand by European markets and because of the increase in demand, the French needed cheap labor. As other countries did , the French looked towards Africa for slaves and since the slaves were not treated fairly, they soon became Frances downfall. It was during this time that the catholic French began converting the slaves who also held on to their ancient voodoo religion but practiced in secret. Eventually the two became intertwined. The slaves became the most important thing to Haitis economy and future and in the year of 1791, the slaves planned a revolt against the French and became successful. In 1804, the slaves took over Napoleons reign and Haiti became the first independent black nation headed by General Jean-Jacques Dessalines. Dessalines was a poor leader and upon his death the country was split into two, making Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Today, the population is over 5 million and especially after the earthquake is excessively poor and very urbanized. It has constantly struggled economically after winning its independence, has not found an answer to the enormous poverty problems and is highly reliant on aid from other countries. Without a stable government or means of supporting itself Haiti remains at the bottom of economic and political power. The people of Haiti are mainly of African origin and speak either Haitian Creole (a unique dialect of French) or French and are Roman Catholic and Protestant or voodoo worshippers. Voodoo has been the best known feature of Haiti and has gained an image (mostly from Hollywood horror films) of being a country of sorcery and zombies. The religion of voodoo is monotheistic religion in which there a certain classes of spirits and lesser gods all subservient of the one true God. One of the main functions of these lesser gods or Lwa/loah cause or cure illness. Most all of the voodoo ritual is centered upon this one function and is taken as science for most the people of Haiti. Virtually all of the modern medicine practiced in Haiti is centered around the cities and therefore rural Haitians will almost always consult a healer practicing voodoo. The roots of voodoo run deep as does Christianity. None of us would find it strange to find healing through our faith and so it goes for the Haitians. A healer may use such things as putting a knife under a bed to cut pain or tie knot in string to choke out swelling. If the patient suffers from pain he may believe that a spell has been put on him or a curse. If the pain is imagined from the knowledge of someone placing the curse on him the spell to remove it may be just as effe ctive. This where the dolls of the movies come into play. A pin in the head of the doll is meant to relieve the pain not cause it, and a Haitian who believes this process may believe he is healed as a result of the ceremony. Those who practice voodoo do not believe that death is the end of life. Followers of Voodoo believe that each person has a soul and that it contains both the a part of the person and a part of the larger universe When someone dies, the soul stays close to the deceased for seven to nine days. During this time the soul can be captured and used by an evil one and made into a zombie to be enslaved to serve the one who made him. As long as the soul is not captured, a ritual called Nine Night is performed in order to completely release the soul from the body so the soul may live in the dark waters for a period of a year and a day. If this is not done correctly, the soul may have to wander the earth and do harm to others. After three hundred and sixty six days, loved ones of the deceased can initiate the Rite of Reclamation to raise the deceased persons soul essence from the dark waters and put it in a clay jar known as a govi. The clay jar may be placed in a temple or on an altar where the family may come and offer gifts and feed it offer it drink and pay homage to it. and At this time the spirit of the deceased is welcomed to enter a loved one and give them any last words of enlightenment. Sometimes the jar is then broken and the pieces dropped at a crossroads. This completes the purpose of the ritual which is to release the spirit until the final incarnation. In keeping with addressing t The four primary dimensions of coping with dying the physical psychological social and spiritual I will list some other common practices Haitians use in their culture when dealing with those at the end of life. When death is certain, the family will come together and bring with them religious artifacts. They will go to great expense and extremes to be together as it so important to be present if possible at the time of death.. Once they are together they will cry and pray. It is preferable for most Haitians that they die at home surrounded by loved ones. However, hospital deaths are not out of the question. At the moment of death there is ritual wailing and final bath is given. In Haiti the eldest family member takes charge of the funeral arrangements, but the body is kept until everyone can make it home for the funeral. Funerals are extremely signifigant social events and last for several days in which rum is consumed and large amounts of food.during this time family will sleep at the house and friends will stay in the yard. Since most Haitians are reluctant to be buried under ground elaborate multi-chambered tombs are bought which will contain several members or entire families. Since the body must be intact for resurrection at the end of days no organ donations are permitted. Since voodoo lacks any real theology many variations exist. Regional and cultural differences make doing solid research elusive and sparse as what is practiced in one place may or may not be practiced in another. Common beliefs about the afterlife are that there is no reward or punishment there. Spirits can enter or mount a body. At that time the person will not share the same space and becomes possessed by the Loa. Priest both summon and help the spirit leave a body. Drums, dance, and sacrifice are part of all voodoo ritual. In conclusion, Haitians have one of the shortest life expectancies on earth (61 years for adult males), so Haitians are used to living with pain, sickness and death. They are basically a peace loving people seeking hope in a land that that doesnt offer much. Like my own religion and culture the people of Haiti bond by practicing the religion and culture of their parents and ancestors. What some of us find superstitious, exotic and strange when looked at more closely is not so different at all. Practicing religion and doing it as a family and a community brings us closer to an understanding of purpose and meaning whether it is true or not. Without tradition and ritual we have much less in common and much less of a reason to carry on. Purpose to pass on to the next generation keeps going and going strong. Perhaps that is why the modern Haitians continue to exist today.

Discussing Web Use Especially for Educational Purposes :: Internet Cyberspace Education Essays

Discussing Web Use Especially for Educational Purposes Abstract The purpose of my paper is to define the web, discuss its educational value, and review some of the ongoing debate regarding its educational use. "And Robert L. Heath says ‘[It is a] means by which any organization - no matter how financially limited - can sustain its messages over time and reach people around the world’ " (as cited by Cooley, 1999, p.1). What is the Web? The Web or WWW or World Wide Web is an informational venue, as well as a communications medium that serves many purposes, namely, to advertise businesses, people, products, services; in other words, to facilitate marketing and public relations. "The World Wide Web’s accessibility and ease of use have encouraged a proliferation of Web resources on almost every imaginable topic. Due to the wealth of information available, the Web is becoming a widely used research tool" (Tate and Alexander, 1996, p.1). The Web is also an educational and news delivery system. The Web began with the birth of the internet. According to Sutherland and Stewart (1999), "[t]he Internet, developed in the 1960s to facilitate military research, had expanded to other research uses by the end of the 1970s." Starr (1997) states, that " [by 1981], the Internet had grown to comprise 213 host computers, linked in an unorganized collection of networks that included local area networks, dedicated computer lines, telephone lines and satellite links" (as cited by Sutherland and Stewart, p.1). "Barely a decade later, the Internet had come to include more than 2 million host computers, a growth largely driven by the popularity of the Web, which only became available in 1990" (Sutherland and Stewart, p.1). "Lehnert (1998) stated that this rapid growth of the Web stemmed from the increased availability of inexpensive, powerful computers, widespread access to the Internet, the combination of the easy to use HTML and graphics, readily available Web browsers, and significant a ttention given to the Web by the mass media" (as cited by Sutherland and Stewart, p.1). Starr said that "[T]he Web, with its innovations in the areas of hypertext, multimedia, and interactivity, has had a profound impact on higher education" (as cited by Sutherland and Stewart, p.1). According to Barnard (1997), "[U]niversity administrators, partially driven by market forces, value the Web as a vehicle to market their institution as well as to deliver distance learning" (as cited by Sutherland and Stewart, p.

Chose in Leadership Books :: essays research papers

So, you want to be a leader but don't know where to start? Well, after camping out in the self-help section at my local bookseller, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that you've got lots of help to choose from. The bad news is that you've got lots of help to choose from. In my brief reconnaissance, I discovered a legion of writers who are just itching to let you in on their secrets. Don't believe it? Well, I'll save you a trip. I brought back proof. Don't expect a definitive list though. The cottage industry that's grown up around the subject of leadership easily keeps an army of loggers working overtime. So I just jotted down a representative sample -- enough I think to convince even the most skeptical that there's something for almost everyone. So, FOLLOW ME and read on. As you might have guessed, leadership books are all over the map. If you want your leadership hard-edged and bloody-minded, you can cuddle up with Attila the Hun or Niccolo Machiavelli (Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun, by Wess Roberts; Machiavelli on Modern Leadership by Michael Ledeen). If you worry that Attila might be too old school, don't despair. There are ample contemporary choices. How about a couple of political celebrities like Rudy Giuliani (Leadership) and Colin Powell (Oren Harari, The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell)? Sorry, Colin, but I'm guessing that they're not so secret any more. Finally, for the truly avant garde, there's Leadership for the Twenty-first Century, by Joseph C. Rost. Not to digress, but Colin got me thinking. I've read The Da Vinci Code and I've heard about conspiracies to keep the rest of us in the dark. I wonder if there's a cabal of leaders trying to hide their secrets from the hoi polloi. Well, maybe. Colin's not the only one who's decided to fess up. GE's former boss, Jack Welch is another insider who's finally talking (Robert Slater, 29 Leadership Secrets From Jack Welch). Even Santa Claus has decided to come clean (Eric Harvey, The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus). Who knew that the teamsters kept secrets? There's also a heated debate over whether leadership is art or science. Max Depree says Leadership is an Art. And, he's got lots of company including retired General Barry McCaffrey, (Leadership: The Warrior's Art) and Ken Blanchard (Heart of a Leader: Insights on the Art of Influence).

National Home Builders Quality Award

It is recognized as an established source for reliable, objective information and research on housing construction and development issues, while it continues to promote innovation in housing technology to improve the quality, durability, affordability, and environmental performance of omes and home building products. Through its various testing and certification programs, the Research Center seal is recognized internationally as a mark of product quality and an assurance of product performance (nahbrc. com).In an effort to cultivate quality within the home building industry and promote the industrys best practices the National Housing Quality Award (NHQA) was established in 1992. This award represents the housing industrys highest recognition for achievements in the area of quality management and operational excellence in the residential construction industry (nahbrc. com). The NHQ Award is modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which was established in 1987, by C ongress to raise awareness of quality management and recognize U.S. companies that have implemented successful quality-management systems (Baldrige. com). The Award promotes awareness of performance excellence as an increasingly important element in competitiveness and information sharing of successful performance strategies and the benefits derived from using these strategies (Wikipedia). Recipients are selected based on achievement and improvement in seven areas, known as the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, which the NHQA hasPerformance Excellence which has eight categories upon which entrants are Judged. The National Housing Quality Award (NHQA) is open to all US homebuilders, remodelers and trade contractors and is administered by the NAHBRC in conjunction with Reed Business Information, publishers of Professional Builder Magazine. NHQ Award applications are reviewed by a panel of Judges who are experts in both the housing industry and quality management, many of t hem being past NHQ awards winners.These Judges then evaluate the importance of quality in the companys construction, strategic planning, leadership and performance management, trade elationships, customer satisfaction, human resources and business results, which are the NHQA Criteria for Performance Excellence (nahbrc . com). The NHQ Award is presented annually at the Professional Builders Benchmark Conference. Award winners go on to be featured in Professional Builder Magazine articles that highlight the quality management practices as models for the housing industry. The award title is held for one year.AWARD CRITERIA Patterned after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the NHQ Award was designed to recognize residential construction companies for excellence in quality chievement and promote awareness of customer focused quality as an increasingly vital element of competitiveness and productivity for building professionals. The NHQA has two divisions with one open to all U S companies that build or remodel residential homes using light construction methods. The other is open to all independent trade contractors that provide construction services to builders or remodeling companies.The NHQA consists of a set of eight criteria as outlined in their Criteria for Performance Excellence: Category I Description I Points I Leadership I How does the company's senior leaders, guide the organization towards common purposed based on shared values and priorities? | 10 | Strategic Quality Planning I How does the organization create and implement a strategic plan to achieve a vision for the future, enhance their competitive position and improve overall performance? | 10 | Performance Management I How are the companys business processes developed, managed, measured and improved to achieve performance excellence? 10 | Customer Satisfaction I How does the company manage the design and delivery of products and services that promise a high level of customer satisfaction? | 10 | Human Resources I How does the organizations mployee selection and development practices, as well as staff performance management, well being, motivation, satisfaction and compensation contribute to the growth of the organization? | 10 | Construction Quality I What methods does the company use to drive quality in the home construction process and ensure high performing, trouble free products and services? 10 | Supplier Partnerships Examines how the organization designs, manages and improves processes for implementation to deliver customer value and reach organizational success | 10 Business Results I What are the tangible measurements of the business benefits esulting from the organizations high performance practices in the financial, operational, customer satisfaction and product and service quality areas? | 30 | Despite the fact that the NHQA award is modeled after the MBNQA award there are focuses on quality assurance approaches that ensure high performing, trouble free p roducts and services.In addition the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award is awarded to a sole winner whereas the National Housing Quality Award has several award categories. The NHQA has three recognition levels: honorable mention, silver and gold. Gold is awarded to those that have attained a national benchmark level within ach area of evaluation; they have mature, fully integrated quality management principles and consistently demonstrate high level sustained results. Silver is awarded to those that are industry leaders in most evaluation areas; they have many refined business practices, key measures for continual improvement and good business results.Honorable mention is awarded in special circumstances for those that demonstrate an understanding of quality principles and show a sound, fact based improvement process. Key measures are in place and good business results are achieved in most areas (Denis 2009). To be considered for the NHQ Award applicants must complete a rigorous applic ation process which includes a 15 page application which is considered an important step in every applicant's road to quality.This is so as participants benefit from the insightful process of preparing the application, which is a long and grueling process, which takes hundreds of man- hours to complete. Judges evaluate each applicant to determine to what extent the entrant embraced a customer focus and systematically embraced it within their business practices. Those that passed the initial selection were scheduled for a site isit. On the site visit, each finalist spent at a minimum a day with a team of Judges. At the end of the visit, the Judges had a clear understanding of the company culture, management practices and the quality results.The final award is given to the organization that is deemed befitting on the overall Judge's findings. BENEFITS OF THE AWARD The NHQ Award is more than recognition of quality achievement. It sets a benchmark to strive for and a model for improveme nt. By preparing an NHQA application organizations get an opportunity to assess their business from a Total Quality perspective. This rigorous process allows organizations to really take a look at their processes and make significant improvements in order to be competitive.The organizations that submit an NHQA application receive detailed feedback on strengths and opportunities for improvement from the expert Judging panel. According to Tom Gillespie, President Kennedy Community Development, a multi-year applicant and 1997 NHQ Award winner, â€Å"no other programs has provided our company with more rewards, both financial and operational, than the NHQ application process provides† (Toolbase. org). This shows the depth of the application rocess and the benefits that can be yielded from its undertaking. Tom Gillespie is not the only one that praises the benefit of the NHQ way.David Simon, president of operations at Veridian Homes, a 2005 Silver award winner, says that, â€Å"t he in-depth review of our application and the detailed site visits provide valuable feedback not only for our strategic planning but also for driving quality improvement throughout the organizations† (Builderonline, 2005). The benefits of the NHQ award are far reaching, applicants benefit Just by undertaking the award application process and y implementing changes based on the feedback that they are provided by the gross profit margins which can be significant.Mercedes Homes, a 1996 NHQ Award winner used the NHQ criteria as a model to â€Å"tune-up† their management practices. As a result of this improvement process they had higher profits in 1996 than the previous five years combined! Scott Buescher, V. P Operations, COO, attributes reports that using the NHQ model was a major factor in their success (Toobase. org, NHQ Agenda). The bottom line is that there are really no losers with the NHQ award as the enefits far outweigh the time and effort that are invested into th e application process.According to Paul Deffenbaugh, editorial director of Professional Builder, as a result of going through the process, NHQ Award winners, â€Å"significantly improve the performance of their companies, making them more consistent and more reliable. Home buyers have found these companies execute the best quality homes and deliver the highest quality satisfaction† (National Building News, 2007). PAST WINNERS Since the inception of the NHQA in 1993 through 2009, 67 builders have received recognition, of which eight builders have earned multiple awards.These organizations range in size from small family owned to large national builders, building a variety of homes in a wide price range. In addition six remodelers and five trade partners have been awarded recognition (Leonard, 2009). NHQ Award winners represent the best of the best in the home building industry. In 1993 Town and Country Homes was named the first National Housing Quality Award winner. This win w as attributed to customer satisfaction and sales as the leading Chicago area home builder (Hauser, 1993). Since then many other organizations have gone on to win what is considered the hardest award to win in home building.In 2009, Tempe, Arizona based builder, T. W Lewis become the sole recipient of the 2009 NHQ Gold Award, having won in 1998 the NHQ Silver Award. â€Å"This award is a significant accomplishment in the homebuilding industry and one that our company and associates are very honored to received,† said T. W Lewis president and COO Kevin Egan. â€Å"The NHQ Award reaffirms the path we have chosen as a company-a path that is focused on productive quality, customer satisfaction and operational excellence† (East Valley Living, 2009).In 2002 only one U. S builder was recognized as a Gold Award winner and that was History Maker Homes of Forth Worth, Texas. History maker attributed their success to the relationships that they have been able to foster. Nelson Mit chell, president of history maker a family owned company said, â€Å"we strive for valued relationships with our customers and with each of our team members, as well. Our company works diligently to maintain the family culture we have enjoyed for many decades† (History Maker Homes, 2002). 002 was a historic year for the NHQ Awards as it was the first year since its inception in 1993 that Silver Awards were gained by two trade contractors as the award was expanded to include ot only builders, but remodelers and trade contractors as well. The inaugural winners in the contractor category were All-tech, Inc. of Monroe, N. J and Tappe Construction of Eagan, Minn. When the NHQ Awards were introduced almost two decades ago, many builders had a hard time figuring out how quality management could help their companies.The longevity of the Awards and the achievements of the winning builders have set this award as the most prestigious award in the industry. Housing Quality Award examines the builder's business and quality management practices. We are concerned with the builder's ability to deliver a quality product onsistently, have satisfied home buyers, and achieve high productivity,† says Liza Bowles, President of the NAHB Research Center, (Professional Builder, 1997). Following is a list of other past winners of The NHQ Awards.For the home building industry the epitome of quality is seen in the National Housing Quality Award, an award modeled after the infamous Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and represents the highest recognition to be gained in the housing industry. The NHQA Criteria for Performance Excellence has been an important tool for hundreds of home builders and trade contractors to assess and improve performance on critical business success factors which has enabled them to grow as n organization.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GigE_Visionhttp://www.builderonline.com/design/awards/the-winning-homes-from-the-2016-gold-nugget-awards_oHome http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/technology/internet/23worm.htmlhttp://www.historymaker.com/dfw/aubrey/arrowbrooke-50s/http://www.nbnnews.com.au/tag/t4/https://www.nahb.org/en/research/safety/~/media/EC307DD0CB534384A60E0E089E7C5831.ashxhttps://uxplanet.org/best-practices-for-microinteractions-9456211aeed0https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:HighBeamhttps://www.tceq.texas.gov/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAHBGreenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Baldrige_National_Quality_Award

Military Recruiters in Our High Schools Essay

Military recruiters should be allowed in our high schools despite the opinions of anti-war groups, counselors and teachers who are focused on keeping the military recruiter out of our schools. This report will reveal opinions of those opposed to military recruiting showing that they are more focused on the war concept and slandering the recruiter rather than assisting the students with a job, trade, financial responsibility and an education. An article written from the author Ayers (2006), states that program’s such as the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps are helping the recruiting efforts with 40% of JROTC graduates joining the military. A clear insight of the Parent Teacher Student Association, in which some schools focus more on the war in Iraq than education or school functions according to an article written by Paton (2005), will show the opposing opinion of the recruiter and how the No Child Left Behind Act, to some, is an invasion of privacy promoted by the wars effort. Schools that do not follow this law will be in jeopardy of cutting the schools federal funding. With the research by Cupolo (2007), the article written shows the Opt Out, Opt In schematic, in which parents or students can deny the recruiter access to their information. At the base of the argument of whether recruiters should be allowed into high schools, remains the fact that the act of recruitment is strictly voluntary. The recruiters are not demanding an audience, nor are they requiring participation in the recruiting program. Should the Military be allowed to recruit in High Schools Recruiting in the high school arena has been a tool for the military recruiter to do his or her job effectively to complete the assigned mission. Certain jobs such as Administrative, Disbursing, Food Services, Computer Data Analysis, Motor Transportation, Aviation and Supply Administration are needed in the military to assist with day to day military operations, as well as continuing support of the war efforts. However, the individual recruiter is hindered by a lot more than just the student’s lack of knowledge, but the opinions of others, i. e. parents, teachers, whose lack knowledge of the opportunities that the military recruiter is providing for the students. In society today, our young adults are constantly pushed by counselors and teachers to go to college after graduating from high school. To some, the decision to go to college is not easy; depending on their race, location of living, financial stability or the student’s sense of character. According to an Ayers (2006) article, the JROTC program, which was credited to Colin Powell, head of the Joint Chief of Staff, tgives an individual discipline and structure; and has doubled it’s enrollment at over 3,000 schools. In addition to providing discipline and structure during the formative years, this program has been a useful tool for the military recruiter. Additionally, this program allows military recruiters to further focus their efforts for the students that are specifically interested in military service and those who may not be able to afford college. Herbert (2005) noted that all high schools are not equal to recruiters: â€Å"Schools with kids from wealthier families are not viewed as good prospects†. Further he stated â€Å"The kids in those schools are not the kids who fight America’s wars†. Those wealthier young adults have doors open to them that are not available to less privileged. The conversation of war presents itself again without giving the readers the knowledge of what the military recruiter has to offer. The Should the Military be allowed to recruit in High Schools deas of Herbert (2005) are also biased as was a Vietnam veteran who was drafted during the buildup of Vietnam. The No Child Left Behind Act requires that High Schools share student contact information with military recruiters so that the recruiters can provide information on military service. Schools that do not participate lose their federal funding. In an article written by Paton (2005), the Parent Teacher Student Association in Garfield High School has successfully blocked that sharing of student contact information with recruiters. The organization was started to assist students in activities and be a liaison for the parents to express their concerns to the teachers. In this instance they are using their platform for political sentiment not related to academia. Anti-war groups are pressing the Opt Out, Op In policy, Cupolo (2007), which keeps the student’s information private, unless the parents authorize its release to the military recruiters. To go into more depth, Paton (2005) research reported that a vote of 25 to 5 to adopt a resolution that says â€Å"public schools are not a place for military recruiters†. In Paton’s (2005) article, Steve Ludwig whose son is a senior and daughter is a freshman stated, â€Å"Garfield does not allow organizations that promote illegal activities to recruit students to perform those activities, nor does it allow organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, gender, national origin, or sexual orientation to recruit on campus. † The negativity of the PTA clearly limits the students’ options to speak to a recruiter or weigh his option to determine his furture; and instead speaks to the PTA’s antiwar senitment. War is not a number one factor for recruiting in high schools. Recruiters should be allowedto give students other options for the future. Teachers, counselors, need to focus more on a young adult’s future, rather than giving their opions and bias regarding the war. Targeting low income students or those of a particular race has no bearing on the recruiter; but setting the positive standards about the military and allowing students to make their own choices should be important to the parents and educators. The military recruiter should be accepted by parents as a means of financial independence and viable oppotrunity for their future. . Recruiters are meant to give pertinent information to both parents and students regarding the military. Should the Military be allowed to recruit in High Schools The military can provide Self-Reliance, Discipline, Financial Responsibility, Leadership and Job Security. Additionally the recruited young adult will feel that since of pride about individual accomplishments and financial independence.