Individual Performance Appraisal Paper

Individual Performance Appraisal Paper Introduction Individual performance appraisal is a way of evaluating the level of an employee’s performance in workplace. In healthcare, the 360-degree feedback is the commonly used individual performance appraisal tool; also known as multisource assessment or multi-rater feedback because it can involve external organizations in some cases. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Individual Performance Appraisal Paper specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Any appraisal system should be â€Å"relevant and applicable to everyday work, acceptable and fair, and a mutual collaboration between workers and employers† (Duraisingam Skinner, 2005, p. 2), and 360-degree feedback is not different; it meets all these requirements. As the name suggests, 360-degree is an all-round system that encircles an employee with feedback coming from supervisors, peers, or subordinates. In some cases, individuals carry self-asses sment while in other instances outside sources like customers are involved in the evaluation process. After getting the feedback from the involved parties, the evaluator uses this information to plan training, make administrative decisions, or make developments among others functions. The 360-degree feedback tool operates in a simple manner. An organization is required to form small groups of workers within different departments to fill in essay questionnaires, a task that takes less than 20 minutes. After carrying out the survey, the results are sent to an external organization, which conducts an analysis of the information provided, and gives a feedback. The external organization/company then sends the analyzed information back to the evaluating company after which it calls for employee meetings to discourse the report and come up with ways of improvement by either designing training programs or any other improvement strategies. This is relatively cheap method; nevertheless, it h as both merits and demerits. Merits and Demerits of this Tool This method has several advantages. The 360-degree appraisal method provides a wider view of worker’s performance as compared to the other appraisal tools (Atkins Wood, 2002, p. 875). This is true given the nature of its evaluation; there are many people involved in the assessment and this may run from top management to peers thus allowing all-rounded assessment â€Å"It is more comprehensive than other appraisal methods since they may only need the manager to do the evaluation† (Seifert, Yukl, McDonald, 2003, p. 565). This appraisal method increases the believability of the appraisal result. The many people used in this assessment reduce chances of unfair assessment. Biases are minimized for not all people can be biased towards an individual hence making it a credible tool. Therefore, some administration decisions like promotion are done on merit.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Given the fact that this tool involves one’s peers, the individual under evaluation can enhance his/her personal self-development. This factor emanates from the fact that an employee spends more time with his/her peers than his/her manager; therefore, any form of appraisal will be positively taken without the notion of bias. In such situation, the employee under evaluation will most likely embark on a self-development program for he/she will know the results are true. Finally, through 360-degree feedback, employees get the chance to air their views and complain without following the normal bureaucratic complaint chain (Seifert, Yukl, McDonald, 2003, p. 565). Employees can indicate their complaints when filling in the questionnaires and this eliminates normal and long procedures of airing complaints. On the other side, there are also few demerits of this system. This is a time consuming exercise. The element of including numerous people in the process implies more time consumption thus eliminating the possibility of frequent appraisal exercises. This system may yield cynicism and suspicion in workplace (Smither, London Reilly 2005, p. 39). Management may fail to cooperate in the appraisal process hence undermining their authority. Staff members may become de-motivated if they do not get positive appraisals from their workmates. This calls for an honest environment, which may be lacking in many institutions. This system poses the risk of revealing confidential information to other companies (Pfau Kay, 2002, p. 56). This factor comes because of outsourcing the analysis stage of the evaluation process. The external company receives all the information about a given company and this is dangerous in confidential matters. Effects on Employees This personal performance management system draws mixed reactions from employees. These reactions are tied in t he merits and demerits of the same. If well implemented, employees serve customers well and become gratified by their work. Employees are able to know their performance quite well if they take 360-degree feedback results positively. If employees choose to focus on the positive side of the results then they can develop themselves quickly by working on their weak points as indicated in the results. Areas where an employee scores poorly are areas that call for attention and improvement and by so doing, personal performance improves significantly. Nevertheless, some employees will fail to admit the results and resort to complaining citing sabotage. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Individual Performance Appraisal Paper specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this case, the effects will be debilitating and personal performance may drop significantly due to loss of focus and self-confidence among other issues associa ted with negativity. Therefore, the effects of this system on employee depend on how the employee in question views and responds to the results. Effects on Departmental Performance The effects of this appraisal method on departmental performance are similar to that of individual performance. This is true given the fact that individuals make departments and the outcome of any appraisal depends on how people in those departments view the results of the same. However, these appraisal effects falls on the departmental heads feel they are responsible of running departmental matters. Therefore, any effect at departmental level will be determined by the perception of departmental heads towards the 360-degree appraisal system. According to Full Circle Feedback, (2004), the entire department will then ‘react’ to the head’s perception; if it is positive, it will build the department but if it is negative it will call for drastic measures causing tension within the involv ed department in most cases. Improvement Suggestions/ Conclusion Taking into consideration the challenges facing this system, people may consider using technology to avoid the issue of time wastage. Designers of questionnaires may decide to do it online. Moreover, institutions should consider encouraging individuals not to personalize appraisal results but to work on them for they are honest. However, this calls for honesty and openness in the whole process. The 360-degree feedback system is an all-round appraisal system involving several individuals who fill questionnaires concerning different issues. After filling in the questionnaires, they are sent to an external company for analysis before coming back to the evaluating company for discussion. This system has both merits and demerits; like offering wider view of employees performance and time consumption respectively; nevertheless, incorporating technology and promoting honesty could solve some shortcomings of this system.Adve rtising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reference List Atkins, P., Wood, R. (2002). Self-Versus Others Ratings as Predictors Of Assessment Center Ratings: Validation Evidence for 360-Degree Feedback Programs. Personnel Psychology, 55(4), 871–904 Duraisingam, V. Skinner, N. (2005). Performance Appraisal. In N. Skinner, A.M. Roche, J. O’connor, Y. Pollard, C. Todd (Eds.), Workforce Development Tips (Theory into Practice Strategies): A Resource Kit for the Alcohol and Other Drugs Field. National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (Nceta), Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia Full Circle Feedback. (2004). 360 Degree Feedback. Retrieved From, Http://Www.Fullcirclefeedback.Com/Our-Services/360-Degree-Feedback-Explained.Htm Pfau, B. Kay, I. (2002). Does 360-Degree Feedback Negatively Affect Company Performance? Studies Show That 360-Degree Feedback May Do More Harm Than Good. What is The Problem? Hrmagazine, Jun 2002. 47, 6; 54–60. Seifert, C., Yukl, G., McDonald, R. (2003). Effects of Multisource Feedback And A Feedback Facilitator on the Influence of Behavior of Managers Toward Subordinates. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(3), 561–569. Smither, J.W., London, M., And Reilly, R.R. (2005). Does Performance Improve Following Multisource Feedback? A Theoretical Model, Meta-Analysis And Review of Empirical Findings. Personnel Psychology, 58, 33–66

Vengeance and Vindication

Vengeance and Vindication Vengeance and Vindication Vengeance and Vindication By Mark Nichol Vengeance, vindication, and a few related words are derived from a Latin word pertaining to punishment and retribution. These terms and their definitions are listed in this post. The forebear, the verb vindicare, means â€Å"avenge† and â€Å"claim,† though for each of its English descendants, the former sense holds almost exclusive sway. (Interestingly, vindicare may in turn stem from vim dicare, meaning â€Å"show authority†; the first word, meaning â€Å"force,† has been preserved in the first word in the phrase â€Å"vim and vigor,† while the second is the source of dictate, diction, and the like.) The verb avenge suggests righteous retribution (one who does so is an avenger), while the connotation of revenge suggests malicious retaliation. Revenge is more common as a noun than as a verb (though revenger is not employed to describe one who commits an act of revenge), while vengeance is employed as a noun in place of avenge; the adjectival form is vengeful. In a political context, revanche, adapted from the French verb revenchier, meaning â€Å"revenge,† refers to a policy of reasserting status or recovering territory; the practice is revanchism, and a revanchist is an adherent. Vindication is synonymous with vengeance, but usually it has the sense of â€Å"confirm,† â€Å"defend,† or â€Å"justify,† or â€Å"free from blame†; one who has been accused, then exonerated, is vindicated, and one who performs the vindication is a vindicator. The adjectival form is vindicative, which should not be confused with vindictive, which means â€Å"vengeful† or â€Å"spiteful.† For the most part, these terms entered the English language by way of French, but an exception is vendetta, adopted from Italian. Originally, it denoted a feud, especially a deadly one between families or clans that involves back-and-forth retaliation. Now, the sense is of a malignant campaign to discredit or harm someone. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 1Probable vs. PossibleHow Do You Determine Whether to Use Who or Whom?

Synthesizing Sodium Ferrate Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Synthesizing Sodium Ferrate - Lab Report Example NaClO is an active component of bleach. Very concentrated solutions of bleach are used as â€Å"liquid chlorine† for swimming pools. NOTE: This synthesis will be performed in the fume hood. The solution will be very basic, so goggles will always be worn while performing this synthesis. Any solution got on hands will be immediately washed with soap and water. 20 mL of commercial bleach is to be poured into a 50 mL beaker. A stirring bar will be added to the beaker and placed on a stir plate. 10 g of NaOH pellets will be added to the beaker of bleach and stirring will be begun. This is an exothermic reaction so the beaker will get warm. 0.50 mL of 0.30 M FeCl3 will be pipetted using the plastic pipette into the dissolved NaOH solution while it is still warm. The mixture will be allowed to stir for approximately 10 minutes. The solution will be allowed to cool for another 3-5 minutes. The formation of the Na2FeO4 will cause the solution to appear purple. Any foam that appears on the surface will have to be removed by blotting with a paper towel. A suction filtration apparatus will be assembled with due consultation of the GSA). A sintered glass filter will be used on top of the vacuum filtration flask, the vacuum will be turned on and the sodium ferrate solution will be added slowly. ... The volume of ferrate solution that was prepared using a graduated cylinder will be measured. The sodium ferrate solution will be stored in a plastic bottle. The bottle will be labeled with this information; Name of the Team Manager, â€Å"Sodium ferrate in water†, concentration of sodium ferrate (will be determined later), date, and the lab section number. Part 2. Calculation of the Percent Yield of Ferrate Produced In the reaction that was just performed, FeCl3 was the limiting reagent. After the theoretical yield (review is on pages133-139 in the textbook, Tro 2nd edition) of sodium ferrate has been calculated in moles, its theoretical concentration, in molarity (M) will be determined with the help of the total volume of solution that was measured in the Part 1. The actual concentration of sodium ferrate in the solution will be calculated with the help of the spectrophotometer and Beer’s Law. The SpectraVis spectrometer will be calibrated with the help of a cuvette o f DI water. The SpectraVis should be in full spectrum mode when calibrating. The DI water will be removed with a plastic pipette so that all the water droplets from the inside corners as well as from the sides of the cuvette can be removed. The sodium ferrate solution will be added to the cuvette (slightly more than half full). The absorbance of the sodium ferrate solution will be recorded at 510 nm. NOTE: If the absorbance at 510 nm gets above 1.5, the ferrate solution in the cuvette will be diluted (not the original solution) until the absorbance is between 1.0 and 1.5. The volume of ferrate solution that was diluted as well as the amount of water which was added to calculate the concentration of the original ferrate solution will be kept track of. The ferrate solution will be

Outlined based on the questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Outlined based on the questions - Essay Example Experience Design According to Norman (2004) human beings develops psychological attraction to different things depending on the way they interact with them in everyday life. Different items play different roles and influence the way their owners perceive them. Norman further argues that those who possess such items are envious of them and respect for the purpose they serve. Therefore, the ways in which different things are useful influence the individuals’ emotional attraction to those items. Such items should be designed in such a way that they will be able to serve their intended purpose. Norman further suggest that greater efficiency of different items to serve the purpose they were meant to serve will attract greater affection from those who posses them. Some items also reveal social and economic status of individuals. These items becomes valuable to such individuals by the virtue of personal memories they generate to people who posses them (Norman, 2004). These items may be kept for remembrance of previous occurrences though they may serve any other purpose in the human life. They may appear useless to other people, but they are very essential to those who possess them. Therefore, such people feel intensely attached to those items which invoke their feelings about some past encounters. According to Norman (2004), the functionality of objects according to human outlook influences their psychological affection towards those objects. Norman argues that individual insight determines how they interact with different things. For example, a person expects a machine to function in a certain way and incase it fails to do so, this may result to emotional detachment. It is for this reason that Norman states those machines such as computers and others which people interact with on a day to day life should be designed with emotions to echo the human feelings. However, since these machines are used for specific purposes only, they will have a limit on extent to which they can forge human feelings. They will only influence human emotions to the extent in which they anticipated to perform a certain job. In essence, the author is implying that human feelings should be reflected in the kind of items they possess and in the way they handle and display those possessions (Norman, 2004). These activities will manifest human emotional attraction to those items they own. Similarly, the efficiency of performance of the things we use will influence the psychological attraction of the user towards them. When objects are functioning effectively, they appeal to their users who then develop close intimacy with those items. However, if those items fail to perform as expected, they will cause annoyance to the user who loses emotional feelings for them and may even smash them. The Philosopher's Tool Kit When people listen to the others talking or other sources of sounds, they definitely hear what they would like to hear. Though there are many sounds emanatin g from various sources at the same time, individuals become so discerning with what they want to listen to and will filter out things of less concern to them. The sense of hearing becomes an instrument which enables individuals to figure themselves in the public domain. Through hearing, individuals appreciate the beauty of different things and are able to like or dislike various things from

Watson & Skinner Perspective Essay Example for Free

Watson Skinner Perspective Essay Psychological perspectives will always change as long as psychology continues to move forward. Not one perspective or approach would be considered wrong or incorrect. It just adds to our understanding of human and animal behavior. Most psychologists would agree that not one perspective is correct, although in the past, early days of psychology, the behaviorist would have said their perspective was the only truly scientific one (McLeod, 2007). Two Psychologists who are well known for their theories on behaviorism are John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner. In this paper I will discuss their own perspectives on behaviorism. Behaviorism is an approach to psychology that combines elements of philosophy, methodology, and theory. It emerged in the early twentieth century as a reaction to mentalistic psychology, which often had difficulty making predictions that could be tested using rigorous experimental methods. The primary tenet of behaviorism, as expressed in the writings of John B. Watson, B. F. Skinner, and others, is that psychology should concern itself with the observable behavior of people and animals, not with unobservable events that take place in their minds. The behaviorist school of thought maintains that behaviors as such can be described scientifically without recourse either to internal physiological events or to hypothetical constructs such as thoughts and beliefs. John Boardus Watson(January 9, 1878 – September 25, 1958) was an American psychologist who established the psychological school of behaviorism. Watson promoted a change in psychology through his address, Psychology as the Behaviorist Views it, which was given at Columbia University in 1913. This is sometimes called The Behaviorist Manifesto(Watson, 1913). The first paragraph of the article concisely described Watsons behaviorist position: Psychology as the behaviorist views it is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science. Its theoretical goal is the prediction and control of behavior. Introspection forms no essential part of its methods, nor is the scientific value of its data dependent upon the readiness with which they lend themselves to interpretation in terms of consciousness. Watsons quote: â€Å"Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and Ill guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select – doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors. I am going beyond my facts and I admit it, but so have the advocates of the contrary and they have been doing it for many thousands of years† (Watson, 2012). The quotation often appears without context and with the last sentence omitted, making Watsons position appear more radical than it actually was. In Watsons book Behaviorism, the sentence is provided in the context of an extended argument against eugenics. That Watson did not hold a radical environmentalist position may be seen in his earlier writing in which his starting point for a science of behavior was the observable fact that organisms, man and animal alike, do adjust themselves to their environment by means of hereditary and habit equipments. (Watson, 2012). Nevertheless, Watson recognized the importance of nurture in the nature versus nurture discussion which was often neglected by his eugenic contemporaries. The behaviorist, in his efforts to get a unitary scheme of animal response, recognizes no dividing line between man and brute. The behavior of man, with all of its refinement and complexity, forms only a part of the behaviorists total scheme of investigation. With his behaviorism, Watson put the emphasis on external behavior of people and their reactions on given situations, rather than the internal, mental state of those people. In his opinion, the analysis of behaviors and reactions was the only objective method to get insight in the human actions. This outlook, combined with the complementary ideas of determinism, evolutionary continuism, and empiricism has contributed to what is now called radical behaviorism. It was this new outlook that Watson claimed would lead psychology into a new era. He claimed that before Wundt there was no psychology, and that after Wundt there was only confusion and anarchy. It was Watsons new behaviorism that would pave the way for further advancements in psychology (Watson, 2012). Burrhus Frederic B. F. Skinner (March 20, 1904 – August 18, 1990) was an American Psychologist, behaviorist, author, inventor, and social philosopher (Woodward, W. R. 1996). He Innovated his own philosophy of science called radical behaviorism, and founded his Own School of experimental research psychology—the experimental analysis of behavior. His Analysis of human behavior culminated in his work Verbal Behavior, as well as his Philosophical Manifesto Walden Two, both of which have which have recently seen enormous Increase in Interest experimentally and in applied settings. Contemporary academia considers Skinner a Pioneer of modern behaviorism along with John B. Watson and Ivan Pavlov. Skinner Called his particular brand of behaviorism Radical behaviorism (Skinner, 1984). Radical Behaviorism is the Philosophy of the science of behavior. It seeks to understand behavior as a Function of Environmental histories of reinforcing consequences. Such a functional analysis Makes it capable of producing technologies of behavior. This applied behaviorism lies on the Opposite side of the Ideological spectrum as the field of cognitive science. Unlike less austere Behaviorism, it does not accept private events such as thinking, perceptions, and unobservable Emotions in a causal account of an organism’s behavior. Skinner stood at the opposite position From humanistic Psychology for his whole career and denied humans possessing freedom and Dignity as well as Evidenced in his novel Beyond Freedom and Dignity (Skinner1984). Most of His theories were supposed to be Based on self-observation, which caused him to become a Supporter for behaviorism. Much of This self-observed theory stemmed from Thorndike’s Puzzle Box, a direct antecedent to Skinner’s Box (Skinner, 1984). The psychologist further Expanded on Thorndike’s earlier work by introducing the concept of Reinforcement to Thorndike’s Law of Effect (Skinner, 1984). Skinner was an Advocate of behavioral engineering And he thought that people should be controlled through the Systematic allocation of external Rewards (Skinner, 1984). Skinner believed that behavior is maintained from one condition to Another through similar or same consequences across these Situations. In short, behaviors are Causal factors that are influenced by the consequences. His Contribution to the understanding of Behavior influenced many other scientists to explain social Behavior and contingencies (Skinner, 1984). Reinforcement is a central concept in Behaviorism, and was seen as a central Mechanism in the Shaping and control of behavior. A common Misconception is that negative Reinforcement is Synonymous with punishment. This Misconception is rather pervasive, and is Commonly found in even scholarly accounts of Skinner and his contributions. To be clear, while Positive reinforcement is the strengthening of behavior by the application of some event, Negative reinforcement is the strengthening of behavior by the Removal or avoidance of some Aversive event (e. g. , opening and rising an umbrella over your Head on a rainy day is reinforced By the cessation of rain falling on you). Both types of Reinforcement strengthen Behavior, or Increase the probability of a behavior reoccurring; the Difference is in whether the Reinforcing Event is something applied (positive reinforcement) or something removed or avoided (negative Reinforcement). Punishment and extinction have the Effect of weakening Behavior or decreasing The future probability of a behaviors occurrence, by the application of an aversive Stimulus/event (positive punishment or punishment by contingent Stimulation), Removal of a Desirable stimulus (negative punishment or punishment by contingent Withdrawal), or the Absence of a rewarding stimulus, which causes the behavior to Stop (Skinner, 1984). After researching endless research, what is really boils down to is Watson, a classical behaviorist, believed that there was a connection between response and Environment and Skinners theory was a bit different from Watsons in that behavior was a result of consequence. Watson and Skinner were all fathers in the field of psychology. Their ideas Contributed to the way that behavior is seen. Their theories have helped to create many forms of Behavior modification as well as the processes that occur during thought. Although psychologys Theories grow and change daily; these two psychologists theories will maintain their values in Modern psychology.

Cultural Protectionism in the European Union Essay -- national film ind

Since the 1980s the European Union (EU) is pursuing a more liberal trade policy in its multilateral trade negotiations. This liberal approach is the result of the change in company preferences in favour of free trade. The change in business preferences also made politicians to support trade liberalisation. (Young, 2007) While the EU is a lead supporter when it comes to traditional trade policy, it is rather reluctant regarding the liberalisation in other trade areas. The European audiovisual industry is a good example to demonstrate the EU’s protectionist approach. Though there are countries, above all the United States, who are in contrary to the EU, great supporters of the full liberalisation of audiovisual industry. The US government seeks for liberalization of audiovisual services within the framework of General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), while other countries, such as the member states of the European Union see the US and the World Trade Organization (WTO) as a threat to their film industry and national culture. In this paper within the European audiovisual sector I will focus on the European film industry. The main question of the paper: why does the EU pursue protectionist policy in case of its audiovisual sector, when in general it is expected to follow liberal trade policy? In order to explain the EU’s behaviour, Alasdair R. Young’s (2007) division of trade policy will be used as theoretical framework. Young differentiates three aspects of trade policy: traditional trade policy, commercial policy, social trade policy. Traditional trade policy includes tariffs and other quantitative measures, occurring at the border in order to discriminate foreign goods. With the rise of export orientation of European manuf... ... WTO members’ commitment in audiovisual services very low. (WTO, 2009) None of the EU member states, nor any other European countries made commitments to liberalize its audiovisual sector, but they all asked for exemption from the MFN principle. On the other side only two countries with considerable economy opted for the liberalisation: US and New Zealand. (Puppis, 2008) What would happen with the film industry in case of the liberalization of audiovisual sector? Why the EU and the member states are so resistant in this matter? Without the MFN exemption, or with more extended liberalization would lead to increase commercialization, even bigger US/ Hollywood share in the European cinemas and televisions. Under the MFN principle the European Union and its member states would not be allowed to set up programs like MEDIA, or quotas for European content. (Puppis, 2008)

Implementing a plan for workforce diversity is in any organizations not easy Essay

The fact that you are dealing with people of diverse backgrounds makes the implementation difficult. â€Å"Diversity in the work force represents an effort towards ensuring a high performing inclusive workforce† (http://www. ornl. gov). When trying to promote diversity in a population based public health has its problems to. â€Å"Population-based practice focuses on the entire range of factors that determine health rather than just personal health risks or disease†. (http://www. health. tate. mn. us). Things taken into consideration are social status, education, employment, and personal health. If I was in charge of developing a plan for implementing a population based health institution, I would first look at the population itself. I would collect data on the health of the population; analyze that data taking into consideration the risk factor. I would then try to identify the cause of the health issues of the people and find out what their needs are. I would consult with others with knowledge of this nature, such as the stakeholders. Then I would derive the best solution for serving the people. Doing this would present some problems. Working with a diverse population would be a problem if not handled properly. If the workers aren’t educated in dealing with people of diverse backgrounds then they will be unable to meet their needs. â€Å"One of the great challenges facing organizations is getting all employees, from the CEO to the hourly workers, to realize that to become the best, they have to embrace diversity† (http://www. nwlink. com). Therefore, I would mandate that all employees take a course in diversity.