ABC Company Final Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ABC Company Final - Assignment Example In the US alone there are, several companies dealing with the same product of Cedar roofing and siding shingles. Therefore, ABC Company has a large market to supply to raising its market share although in a very competitive market. ABC Company is a company that specializes in making cedar roofing and siding shingles. It has a 25% sales margin and has a growth target of three million in the next three years. Besides the competition, the demand for roofing sidings and shingles remains high because of the high rate of forthcoming real estate ventures. Apart from facing competition generated by several other companies, dealing with cedar in production of roofing and siding shingles, ABC tends to, also face high competition resulting from products manufactured using iron and clay, companies that operate in the same market. The prevailing fact is that, cedars products have do have a higher competitive gain over similar products that are made of iron and clay. There is also a little disadva ntage of cedar roofing and siding products, the prices tend to be too high thus scaring away potential customer, who resolves to cheaper iron products. ABC Company has a high chance of maintaining its development with minimal deviation from either downwards or upwards. The deviations could be because of the tough economic patterns forcing many homeowners who would prefer cheaper clay or iron products or clay products that are meant for their roofing and siding. ... I. Risk profile for ABC Company A risk profile evaluates an organization willingness to take risks as well as the threats to which an organization is exposed. Acceptable level of risk With a target growth of 3000,000, in the next three years, the risk associated with the growth should be laid out. The risk in introduction of a new product should also be included to ascertain the amount of risk ABC Company can take. As much as expansion comes to pave way for leverage on the skill in employees and the state of their manufacturing facilities, the risk involved should be evaluated to see whether the expansion will reduce or increase current risk. Possible threats One of the biggest threats will include competitors. The question here is; how much risk is already there and in presence of competitors, how much are they willing to expand or change to gain more consumers? The answer will be found once they evaluate risk associated with competition Another threat is that of trying to find addi tional products to leverage on their employee skill set and manufacturing facilities. Introduction of the products depends on probability, which in itself has high risk. The skill set and manufacturing facilities are certain Key risk areas The company’s has had a profit increase of 25% from the previous year. They will have to maintain of better that outcome and with the introduction of a new idea will increase on costs. They have to ensure their cash flow is on a positive trend. This will ensure positive cash flows that will encourage investment. In addition, another key risk area is on the financing of the project. They have to ensure that they pick the

Compare and Contrast Wilde and Hardy's Presentation of the Fallen Coursework

Compare and Contrast Wilde and Hardy's Presentation of the Fallen Woman - Coursework Example He depicts the type of woman Tess portrays by putting it her description in the story. In a very good manner, he uses narration to highlight facts about women. Hardy provokes more sympathy through his portrayal of Tess than Wilde because of the systematic way he shows her suffering. First, Tess is in a relationship that she expects to work out, but has a secret that when revealed can destroy the relationship. Hardy explains the way Alec got hold of Tess while in the woods and molested her without caring about the consequences2. Hardy could have chosen to minimize the suffering for this woman, but instead adds on more. Angel, Tess partner, leaves for Brazil on realizing that she was raped leaving her without somebody to nurse her wounded heart. Tess wishes that Alec was a lusty young farmer instead of being that entire Angel hated. Probably, the idea of being just a farmer would have lessened Angel’s heart into forgiving her. Peak of emotional sympathy happens when she had to g et executed for murdering Alec. In my opinion, she deserved to get pardoned because her actions towards Alec were based on the pain she felt and the pain he had caused her. Hardy brings more sympathy in the way he portrays Tess as the neglected woman. She is left to give birth in her village despite that her child is of a very wealthy man. Despite having just delivered, she has to ensure her survival by working as a field hand which leads to the death of her child. Hardy ensures that Tess’ misfortunes are elaborated in a narrated way. On the other hand, Wilde uses a number of characters to portray a fallen woman. The main character could be Mrs. Arbuthnot since she holds a dark secret of how she failed to stop her affair with the lord master. Her affair led to the emergence of a son out of wedlock. Wilde’s character does not provoke a lot of sympathy since; she has acquired a respectable name and lives a good life. Mrs. Allonby has had a lot of controversies in her lif e resulting to a flirtatious lady. Miss Hester can be used to portray a fallen woman since she is an orphan and has had to witness the shortcomings of life, despite being an heiress3. In addition, Jane can be identified as an indication of a fallen woman in the piece because the way she argues her points. Her arguments depict a woman of great ignorance and lack of education. Tess is used to show the different suffering women undergo and the how painful events can concurrently occur in a person’s life4. Hardy uses her to show the different ways in which women are treated in the society. During a conversation with Alec, Tess tries to bring out her own thinking about theology by rejecting sign writers words of condemnation. Her argument is purely ignored Hardy simply because he thought her agnosticism could be attributed to just a replication of angels. The fact that Tess’ ideas are not made up to something shows how the author used Tess to depict women in certain societi es. In contrast, Mrs. Arbuthnot is a woman who lost her husband but has gained a lot of respect from the people of her village. Her respect s earned from helping the poor and her neglect to associate with various people in social gatherings. Tess is identified as woman with sixth grade training in understanding and reproducing arguments. She seems intelligent and could have prospered as teacher if she was given a chance. This proves

Why Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Why Communications - Essay Example Without communication, it may be impossible for other people to know what their colleagues think or like. As such, it is important for people to exchange information in order for them to understand each other. We use communication in all facets of our life. For instance, we socialize through communication since we use it to exchange information. This also helps us to create mutual understanding among us so that our communities can be habitable if we understand each other. Conflicts in a given society are minimised if people understand each other through communication. Another important element about communication that makes it valuable in our lives is that it differs from place to place. There are also different types of communication, for instance, the most common ones are verbal and non verbal communication. In as far as non verbal communication is concerned, it can be noted that there are different signs that are used to convey meaning between two people involved. There is need for one to understand different signs used by other groups of people in order to communicate effectively with such people. Another important issue that should be taken into consideration with regards to non verbal communication is that signs differ from place to place. It can also be seen that communication skills are required especially in verbal communication when one is to achieve his or her desired goals. In business for example, there are different communication skills that are used in order to achieve the desired goals. For instance, the communicator ought to use persuasive speech in order to appeal to the interests of the targeted people or customers. This in turn can compel them to buy the products offered. Therefore, persuasion is a very important component of communication. There are different concepts that characterise communication in different scenarios. The message itself is a very important

Week 9 Question 1 Working Capital Management Assignment

Week 9 Question 1 Working Capital Management - Assignment Example Other technologies for planning and scheduling that are offered by companies like JDA, Logility, and Manhattan Associates offer good solutions. These are especially in the computation of safety stocks. Survey respondent tools from Akzo Nobel helps in identifying obsolete inventory. Looking at cash management, businesses find themselves handling a number of huge cash transactions. These transactions include collection of receivables and making payments. Managing these processes ensure that the business grows and succeeds in the industry. This is because cash management technologies reduce errors that result from manually managing cash. Tellermate electronic cash counters are examples of such technology. This technology is especially useful for businesses that handle a lot of cash. This is because they reduce the time that it takes to count cash and also reduces errors (Tellermate, 1996). There are other technologies that would enhance working capital management. However, it is critical to ensure that the technology that the business plans to use enhances the working capital. This is mainly by looking at inventory optimization where the technology should help the business is optimizing inventory. The technology should also be able to measure the business working capital and be able borrow ideas from companies that do well in managing working capital. This is so as to be able to improve the working capital in the business (Preve, 2010). Partridge, A. R. (2007, 08). Complex Technology Optimizes Basic Concepts. Retrieved 03 06, 2013, from Inbound Logistics:

American Literature Essay Example for Free

American Literature Essay Characteristics The literature is as diverse as the cultures that created it, but there are often common elements such as stories explaining creation or natural forces. Major Writers or Works Oral narratives: Myths; legends; songs; creation stories from groups such as the Zuni, Aztec, Navajo, Lakota, Seneca, Tlingit, Cherokee, Blackfoot, Cree, Inuit, and many more. †¢Exploration Period, 1492-1607 Characteristics The first European writings about North America are written in this period. European writings describe the explorers travels and impressions of the continent and its Native  people. Major Writers or Works Prose: Christopher Columbus, Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Thomas Harriot, and Samuel de Champlain. Oral narratives: Seneca legend How America was discovered. †¢Colonial Period, 1607-c. 1765 Characteristics The Colonial period was dominated by Puritan beliefs and thus literature of this period is usually historical, religious, or didactic. The most common genres were tracts, polemics, journals, narratives, sermons, and some poetry. The first slave narratives were written at this time. Imaginative literature was rare; in some colonies, it was banned for being immoral. Major Writers or Works Poetry: Michael Wigglesworth, Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor. Prose: John Smith, Roger Williams, Cotton Mather, Jonathan Edwards Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Benjamin Franklins Poor Richards Almanacks. Narratives: Mary Rowlandsons A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson. †¢Revolutionary Period, 1765-1790 Characteristics This period begins with the passing of the Stamp Act in England and ends in 1790. The Revolutionary period usually refers to writings that are politically motivated, either in support of British rule, in support of American patriotism and independence, or relating to the Constitution. Major Writers or Works Prose: Thomas Jeffersons Autobiography, Declaration by the Represent-atives of the United States of America, Thomas Paines Common Sense, Alexander Hamilton and James Madisons Federalist Papers. Drama: Royall Tylers The Contrast. Verse and Ballads: Yankee Doodle, The Liberty Song. †¢Early National Period, 1775-1828 Characteristics. During this period, a body of distinctly American imaginative literature began to emerge. As with the novel, poetry, essays, and sketches also began to flourish. The publishing world and readership in America also began to grow. Slave narratives were published with increasing frequency. This period is sometimes called the Federalist period after the conservative federalists in power at the time. Major Writers or Works Poetry: Phillip Freneau, William Cullen Bryant, Phillis Wheatley. Prose: Judith Sargent Murray, Mercy Otis Warren, Washington Irving, Lydia Maria Child. Narratives: Olaudah Equianos The Interesting Narrative of the Lfe of Olaudah Equiano. Novels: Hannah Webster Fosters The Coquette. †¢Romantic Period, 1828-1865 Characteristics The Romantic period covers the period between Jacksonian democracy to the end of the Civil War. This period was the first major explosion of a distinctly American body of literature; for this reason, this period is also referred to as the American Renaissance. Many of American literatures most well-known writers emerged during this time. Readership increased significantly and the 1850s saw a number of immensely popular novels. Issues and subjects addressed in the literature of this time ranged from the American identity, to the slavery debate, to historical narratives, to poems and narratives inspired by romanticism, to prose works examining national unity. Major Writers or Works Poetry: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Lydia Sigourney, Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitmans Leaves of Grass, Emily Dickinson. Prose: Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Rebecca Harding Davis, William Lloyd Garrison. Narratives: Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Novels: James Fenimore Cooper, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Catharine Maria Sedgwick, Herman Melville, Susan Warner, Maria Susanna Cummins The Lamplighter, Harriet Beecher Stowes Uncle Toms Cabin, William Wells Brown, Harriet E. Wilson. Drama: George Aikens play, Uncle Toms Cabin, based on Stowes novel. †¢The Age of Transcendentalism, 1836-1860 Characteristics Transcendentalism, though varied, investigated the relationship between nature, humanity, society, and the divine. Major Writers or Works Prose: Ralph Waldo Emersons Nature, Self-Reliance, and The American Scholar, Margaret. Fullers Woman in the Nineteenth Century, Henry David Thoreaus Walden, Bronson Alcott. †¢Realism, 1865-1900 Characteristics The post-Civil War period was an era of increased industrialization and urbanization as the nation attempted to recover emotionally, culturally, and politically from the aftermath of the war. Though there were still elements of romanticism, this period was considered realistic in its emphasis on unidealized and truthful depictions. Major Writers or Works Poetry: Walt Whitman, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Emily Dickinsons poems published posthumously. Prose: Sarah Orne Jewett, Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, Zitkala-Sa, Charlotte Perkins Gilmans The Yellow Wallpaper, George Washington Cable, Kate Chopin. Novels: Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, William Dean Howells, Bret Harte, Louisa May Alcotts Little Women, Henry James, Helen Hunt Jacksons Ramona, Frances E. W. Harpers Iola Leroy. †¢Naturalism, 1900-1914 Characteristics An offshoot of realism, naturalism claimed to give an even more realistic and unflinching depiction of contemporary life. Naturalism was characterized by a pessimistic view of humanity and human existence. Major Writers or Works. Prose: Frank Norris, Jack London, Stephen Crane, Hamlin Garland. Novels: Frank Norris McTeague, Theodore Dreisers Sister Carrie, Jack Londons The Sea-Wolf, Stephen Cranes Maggie: a Girl of the Streets. †¢Modern Period, 1914-1939 Characteristics A period in British and American literature spanning the years between WWI and WWII. Works in this period reflect the changing social, political, and cultural climate and are diverse, experimental, and nontraditional. Major Writers or Works Poetry: Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg, Wallace Stevens, William Carlos Williams, T. S. Eliot, Edna St. Vincent Millay, e.e. cummings, H. D. Novels: Edith Wharton, Willa Cather, Sherwood Anderson, John Dos Passos, F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner, Sinclair Lewis, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway. Drama: Eugene ONeills. The Emperor Jones, Susan Glaspells, Trifles, Clifford Odets. †¢Harlem Renaissance, 1920s and 1930s Characteristics The Harlem Renaissance was the first major burgeoning of visual, literary, and performing arts by African Americans concerned with African-American life, art, culture, and politics. The influence of the Harlem Renaissance remained strong for the remainder of the 20th century. Major Writers or Works Poetry: Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, James Weldon Johnson, Claude McKay. Prose: W. E. B DuBois, Jean Toomer. Novels: Zora Neale Hurston, Nella Larsen, Passing, Jessie Redmon Fauset, James Weldon Johnson, Claude McKay. Drama: Randolph Edmonds, Langston Hughes. †¢Lost Generation, 1920s Characteristics After WWI, a group of American writers grew increasingly disillusioned by, and resistant to, what they saw as hypocrisy in dominant American ideology and culture. Many of these writers left America in search of a more artistic life in London or Paris. Major Writers or Works. Poetry: Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot. Prose: Gertrude Stein, T. S. Eliot. Novels: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingways The Sun Also Rises. †¢Beat Writers, 1950s Characteristics Beat Writers writing was generally anti-traditional, anti-establishment, and anti-intellectual. Major Writers or Works Poetry: Allen Ginsbergs Howl, Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Prose: Gertrude Stein, T. S. Eliot. Novels: William Burroughs, Jack Kerouacs On the Road. †¢Postmodern or Contemporary, 1940-present Characteristics In British and American literature, the postmodern period refers to literature written after WWII. The postmodern period reflects anxieties concerning, and reactions to life in the 20th century. Postmodern works are often highly experimental and anti-conventional. Major Writers or Works Poetry: Sylvia Plath, Marianne Moore, Robert Penn Warren, Anne Sexton, Gwendolyn Brooks, Adrienne Rich, Philip Larkin. Prose: Eudora Welty, Raymond Carver, John Cheever, Alice Walker. Novels: Saul Bellow, Ralph Ellison, John Updike, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. , Richard Wright, Thomas Pynchon, E. L Doctorow, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison. Drama: Edward Albee, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Lorraine Hansberry, August Wilson, David Mamet.

Italian Culture and Work Ethics Essay Example for Free

Italian Culture and Work Ethics Essay History teaches us that it is through the family that new generations are equipped with ethics and values regarding work. The advent of bourgeois society, with its characteristic openness towards other social classes, appears to have relegated the promotion of working values by families to the background. This study sets out to test the hypothesis according to which the family continues to maintain an important role in the transmission of working values. Based on data from the Work Importance Study (Super and Sverko, 1995: Life Roles, Values, a n d Careers, San Francisco, Jossey-Bass), two subgroups were compared (working adults, and high school and university students), considered as representing two different generations (youths vs adults). Some results from cluster anatysis show how substantial similarity exists between adults and youths in terms of ideal values, expressing what would be important in an ideal world. The difference between the subgroups lies in expectations (termed expected values) relating to what would be important in my actual work environment. Here, relatively more important values for young people are relatively less important for working adults. Another result presented concerns the relationship existing betiveen value typobgies (classed into six categories) and personal character associated with birth order. What emerges is that the only children are prevalently the tough type, while the first bom, considered by some to be custodians of family traditions, tum out to be more independent than the second or third bom, identified above all by their calm and sociable characters. Introduction: the work ethic and the family ethic This study presents the results of a survey conducted nationaUy in 1995 on a sample of 1523 subjects (represendng the three main geo-cultural areas of Italy: North, Centre and South—see BeUotto, 1997). The objecdve of the survey was to determine values associated with work. For this a quesdonnaire, a values scale (VS) was used, devised by an intemadonal team pardcipadng in a world-wide survey called the Work Importance Study—WIS (Super and Sverko 1995). With the data coUected, a profile of the value judgements of Italian families was formulated. The importance of working values within the family context has been little explored from a psychological point of view. Yet the family is characterized by the ethical nature of the reladonships it contains, hence its values (Boszormeny-Nagy and Spark, 1973; Cigoli, 1992). The family is rightly placed in that class of insdtudons that Hegel indicated as the ethical horizon of human society. There are very few Italian studies on the processes of value transmission within families, not to mendon the handing down of working values. While one of the principal funcdons recognized as typical of families is the socializadon of the individual, studies regarding the socializadon by families with regard to work are rarely encountered. 1351-1610/99/040583-13 Â © 1999 Interdisciplinary Centre for Comparative Research in the Social Sciences 584 Massimo Bellotto and Alberto ^atti The lack of research in this field can be partly explained by the relatively recent history of the concept of the family as a scientific subject for study in social psychology. At least until the end of the 1940s, families were considered as a group typology (Lewin, 1951). Successively, interest focused on the pathology of family relationships (Bateson et al. , 1956; Epstein et al. , 1982; Bamhill, 1979; Watzlawick et al. , 1967). It was only in die 1970s that the so-called normal family was considered worthy of psychological investigation as a scientific subject (Scabini, 1985). In recent years, however, the theme of values and the ethical importance of families has emerged strongly in a variety of fields, from individual and family psychotherapy to organizational psychology. In this article we would like to propose that a terminological distinction be made between ethics and morality. Ethics are, as the etymology of the word suggests, the study of the customs (ethos), the social habits, the relational practices of a people or social grouping. Morality relates more to the theme of how much certain behaviour corresponds to a reference model. In this sense, it is important to distinguish between ethics and morality when studying the customs and habits, in a word, the ethics of families (and not their morality). This is to avoid the pitfalls associated with referring to a particular set of values held by the family being analysed. What exacdy are the working values held by families? What relationship exists between these values and family needs? What are the motivations that stir the family organization? And which family values can be linked, even indirecdy, with work? Let us seek some answers to these important questions. Families in history have also been units of production. The peasant family, craft guilds, the factory worker families of the first and second industrial revolutions (Manoukian, 1976) are the most emblematic examples. In medieval society the chances of changing ones profession from the one inherited from the family were rather hmited. Children continued the working traditions of the family without having much choice in the matter. The transmission of working values within family groups, historically speaking, seemed to go without saying. However, it would be worthwhile to pose the question of how families educate their members today with regard to work. Families in Westem society have changed profoundly. The social mobility intrinsic to the very idea of bourgeois society (Weber, 1904) has led to the privatization of family relationships (Aries, 1960) and to the specialization of family practices to the sentimental sphere. The educational role of families is becoming more and more marginal, being delegated to collective institutions such as schools. Moreover, from the viewpoint of economic history, families have become increasingly characterized as units of consumption, losing in part their role as units of production. From a macrosocial perspective, a fundamental problem emerges in Italy: the percentage of youth unemployment is one of the highest in Europe, especially in the South. Working Values and the Italian Family 585 majority of young people between the ages of 15 and 24 live at home: 82. 4% of males and 72. 5% of females. In the next age bracket, 25-34, many more young men sdU live at home with their parents (33. 6%) compared with young women of the same age (22. 9%). According to some demographic projecdons to the year 2000, these percentages wiU touch 36. 3% for young males and 34. 2% for young females. There are cultural and ideological reasons for this phenomenon, such as the idea that marriage is the only proper route towards adult independence (8 males out of 10 and 9 women out of 10 leave the family only foUowing marriage). However, social factors also make a contribudon, in particular, high youth unemployment and a shortage of rental accommodadon. The result is that families coundng a young adult as a member are a socially significant category. Psychological factors and value systems also play an important role. The working values tradidonaUy handed down in Italian families place heavy emphasis on permanent and full-dme employment. The definidve departure from the family is often condidonal on minimizing the risks of independence. Among others, for these two factors (permanent fuU-dme employment and minimum risk of independence), life-dme employment in government and union employment policies have come to be considered as a necessary and sufficient prerequisite for the attainment of adulthood. The quest for so-caUed guaranteed employment has led Italian society to one of the most cridcal paradoxes in its history: the creadon of a barrier to occupadonal access for youth. Thus, the one prerequisite considered a vital and sufficient condidon for the evoludon of Italian families, life-dme employment, has become one of the major obstacles to the same end. By disallowing generational change in employment, it has become impossible for young generadons to enter the workforce, and hence to reach independence. * Following on these consideradons, we decided to use the results of a study on working values (WIS 1995) to shed some light on value differences between young students and adult workers. As mendoned above, very few studies have been carried out in Italy on the transmission of values within families. While the WIS study was not designed for this purpose, we believed that it could give some indicadons regarding the generadon gap (youths vs adults) and differences in social status (students vs workers). The underlying hypothesis to tjiis study is therefore that working adult values can be considered as being similar to those of parents; likewise, those held by young students can be considered as being similar to those of offspring. The WIS survey.

The role of technology in human resource development

The role of technology in human resource development What is the role of technology in Human Resource Development? Identify some key forms of e-learning and critically evaluate their advantages and disadvantages, providing appropriate examples from organisations. This essay will identify and discuss the role of technology in Human Resource Development. It will define what Human Resource Development is and why it needs technology. Also it will discuss what electronic learning (e-learning) is, and will explain some key forms of e-learning and why we need to use e-learning. It will give a brief indication as to what technology actually is, and also the progression of technology. The essay will critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using e-learning in Human Resource Development. There will be appropriate examples used to show how different organisations use e-learning within their company/organisation. Finally it will offer conclusions as to why I think technology should or should not be a part of Human Resource Development. Technology Technology is used in nearly all organisations these days including schools, companies and universities as examples. What people may not know is what it actually means. Technology is a branch of knowledge that can deal with the creation and the use of technical means and their interrelation with life, the environment and society. Technology draws upon subjects such as industrial arts, applied science, engineering and there are many more. Technology can be seen as a process or an invention of something. (Technology, N.D) Progressive Technology Technology is always progressing and this is very good for companies who need or even sell technology. If we look at how a few years back within companies the secretary would need to file documents manually and this could take a long time, also apart from the time issue there were more serious problems like documents going missing or being damaged. This is where technology began to progress because there was a new technology progressing and this was the database and this could hold all the documents you needed safely onto the computer and that way it would be a lot faster and more secure for the secretary to file the documents. This is just one example there are many more ways in which technology has helped to progress companies. The example given here is just to show that technology is progressing and it will keep progressing much further in the future years to come. Human Resource Development Human Resource Development is all about learning, training, developing and education the employees in the workplace. There is a difference between these four concepts but there all correlated. If for example we looked at learning; this can be learnt anywhere and you can be learning yourself the new skills, but on the other hand if you looked at education you are being taught something but in a formal way but the two are linked because from both of these you are learning new skills and then you can go on to training and developing them skills. HRD was not always known as this, there was a shift from welfare officers to HRD. HRD was initially set up for training and development and this was to help the employers in crafts such as electricians, or engineers as an example and from this they would be learning from their masters and will be developing their skills to be able to perform in the workplace. HRD created an integration of people management and development and this could become CIPD which stands for the chartered institute of personnel and development. HRD likes to be strategic and is more for the organisation than the employees; it is also a long term method to help to build the company. HRD does like to implement change into their methods and this is why e-learning will be very convenient to help within organisations because it is constantly changing and this change would help employees improve on their learning and training and will be able to implement new skills within the workplace. E-learning What is e-learning? Firstly before I go into detail about how e-learning helps HRD perform you will need to know what e-learning actually is. E-learning used to be known as computer-based learning, this is basically what it still is, it is a way of learning but on a computer or even these days there is even m-learning which is through the mobile. We need e-learning in everyday life to be able to adapt the required skills in education, employment, even at home. It can be defined as any learning activity supported by information and communication technologies which is known as ICTs. There are arguments out there concerning the labels, an example of this is whether ICT-based learning is the same as e-learning, we can gather information from the world wide web channel and this would be our online materials, but we can also get materials from this intranet would could be confused as being from the world wide web but instead this material is delivered through an internal network of personal computers. E-learn ing is in fact taken to mean any form of electronic technology which can support learning this can be opposed to the chalk and blackboard technology which used to be the main form of learning. E-learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. To implement the learning process the information and communication systems will serve as a specific media. It is essentially the computer and network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. The applications and processes will include web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classroom opportunities and also digital collaboration. The contents can be delivered via the Internet or even from an audio or video tape. E-learning can be self-taught or even instructor-led, this can be done in groups or even individually, it can include media in the form of text, image animation, video streaming and audio. (e-learning, 2010) What is the purpose of e-learning? The purpose of e-learning is to advance and develop people ¿Ã‚ ½s skills. This is why it is so important to HRD because the aim of HRD is to learn, train, develop and educate people; this is exactly what e-learning does for people. Without e-learning I think people would be under developed with skills and this may not help them progress into a work place. E-learning can help to increase teacher effectiveness and will also improve the learning of the subject matter. With HRD I think trying to teach people new subjects can be quite tedious and this could be off putting for them involved and this can decrease their knowledge levels and even cause them to lose a job because they haven ¿Ã‚ ½t got the right skills needed for the job, this is where e-learning comes in with HRD because it makes the learning more relevant for them involved and helps them to become more interactive. E-learning now changes the way that people were taught new subjects because before people were being taught on a  ¿Ã‚ ½I will write out the subject and you will go away and learn it ¿Ã‚ ½ basis, but now computers are involved and people can teach themselves and this is the whole purpose of e-learning and it helps HRD to perform better. (Churchill, 2010) Have you used e-learning? What was your experience? I have used e-learning before, I am actually using a tool of e-learning now and that is Microsoft Word. I am constantly using this to complete assignments for my university work and I can develop my skills using this because there are so many different options within word for me to be able to expand my learning; an example of this would be to add a page number instead of doing this manually I can select an option to do it automatically. Another tool of e-learning that I use regularly is Facebook, I use this to keep in touch with friends and family and there are also applications on their which can help me towards education or my occupation. I am always very happy using e-learning and a lot of the time I actually prefer to use e-learning because I find it more interactive and detailed and when I learn this way I find that I actually want to learn because I don ¿Ã‚ ½t get bored and uninterested in the subject. Different forms of e-learning There are a number of different ways which e-learning can be presented. The main two forms of e-learning are; traditional e-learning which is based on highly produced web courses and there is rapid e-learning which is based on the name rapid because this is quickly produced web courses. In addition to this there are also two types of Rapid e-learning which are asynchronous and synchronous. Asynchronous is mainly student directed and at a self-paced learning which can come under the learning concept for human resource development. Synchronous is at a set time which could happen in an internet classroom session as an example and this could again come under the education concept for human resource development because education can be taught within a classroom for example. With these two forms of e-learning there are not specific types of companies that should choose between traditional e-learning and rapid e-learning. It just simply means that some projects are best suited for either on e of them. Traditional e-learning  ¿Ã‚ ½ the content of this is more fixed and it rarely changes, it is also generic and has a long shelf life. However it does need a large budget in order for it to be put into action. Rapid e-learning  ¿Ã‚ ½ the content is rapidly changing and is updated quite frequently, also it may not be generic or have a short shelf life. The budget for this way of learning is limited or non-existent. The information is very hot topic and is just in time. (Readygo, unknown) In order to use traditional or rapid e-learning correctly you will need to use different tools which are available. Traditional e-learning developers will use  ¿Ã‚ ½Power User ¿Ã‚ ½ tools. These are specifically designed for graphics artist, web designers, programmers, and instructional design experts, and this will be useful for any persons working in these sectors and will help to develop human resource development. Rapid e-learning which is typically used in small or medium enterprises will need tools that can produce interesting multi level courses but do not require a graphic or design background. This easiest tool which can be used is Power Point. (Readygo, unknown2) Different types of e-learning: As well as different forms of e-learning there are also a number of different types. I think depending on the workplace and the HRD set up within the workplace it does not matter what types of e-learning you use, it will be the type of e-learning which is best suited for the organisation. Below I will just list a couple of examples of e-learning:  ¿Ã‚ ½ You tube  ¿Ã‚ ½ Facebook  ¿Ã‚ ½ Google search  ¿Ã‚ ½ Wikipedia  ¿Ã‚ ½ Power Point  ¿Ã‚ ½ Microsoft Office  ¿Ã‚ ½ Firefox  ¿Ã‚ ½ Pb wikis This is just a small example just to show that there are a number of different kinds of e-learning, and also to show that they vary also. There are number of different applications from Microsoft office to Firefox. Each of these applications however does play an important role for human resource development, and will help to implement skills for people. (Hart, 2010) Bangor University An example of an institute using e-learning to develop HRD is Bangor University. Bangor University implement a lot of e-learning to help their students develop their skills. The main type of e-learning which is used by the university is Blackboard. This is has been brought into the mainstream of teaching and learning activities within the university. It is one of the most central systems which are not only used by the students but also the lecturers also. Within blackboard the lecturers are able to integrate presentations which contain both audio and video content onto the online courses. This will then go on to develop online questions and test provisions which will simultaneously drive learning activity and reduce marking workloads. Also included with Blackboard is the use of online discussion forums in supporting the development of learners and understanding and this can become useful for HRD because students can be educated by other students or even lecturers by submitting questi ons onto the forum as an example. Another example of e-learning which the university use is webmail. This is the emailing tool of e-learning in which students, lecturers, support staff or whoever is involved with the institute can communicate with one another or even with people outside of the university. (Bangor University, unknown) Tesco Tesco is an example of a company which also use forms of e-learning within the workplace. Tesco was looking into developing an Online Academy which was going to be a new learning portal which hopefully in the end would eventually serve the learning needs of over 400,000 staff across the global businesses. Their aim was to develop a cost-effective solution, Tesco would be partnered with Kineo to design and also deploy learning based on Moodle. During 2009 Tesco piloted its Academy Online portal as a proof of concept for a learning management solution and portal for their staff across this business. Tesco wanted explore alternatives with open source technologies, with doing so they saw a potential to make highly customised solutions with a strong focus on the user experience. Tesco chose Kineo to design and develop the portal solution based on the experience they had at combing user experience and web design. This was to make it easier for their staff to understand how to use the porta l easily and in a way in which they were able to extend their skills when working for Tesco, also it was to help them to manage and update the software easily. (Kineo, 2009) Critical evaluation Advantages There are many advantages towards e-learning. The advantages are as follows:  ¿Ã‚ ½ The work can be scheduled around personal and professional work.  ¿Ã‚ ½ It can be cost effective because it can reduce the need to travel.  ¿Ã‚ ½ It gives the users the option of selecting the learning materials which will meet their level of knowledge and interest.  ¿Ã‚ ½ If an organisation wanted to organise a study session it can be studied wherever they have access to a computer and Internet.  ¿Ã‚ ½ E-learning is self-paced which will allow learners to work at their own pace  ¿Ã‚ ½ There are a number of different learning styles which are addressed and facilitation of learning occurs through varied activities.  ¿Ã‚ ½ An important advantage is that e-learning can build self-knowledge and self-confidence and can also encourage the learner to take responsibility for their learning.  ¿Ã‚ ½ E-learning is very good for communication because with online portals such as Black Board the users can contact their tutors or even students very easily.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Interaction can also be an advantage for e-learning because some people may feel less confident talking face-to-face, but with e-learning there are some aspects where you can interact with someone without being face-to-face.  ¿Ã‚ ½ E-learning can be time flexible; learners are able to access everything they need in one place at any time so long as they have the Internet.  ¿Ã‚ ½ More people are able to afford to use e-learning, this can then go on to gain them a place at universities as an example because they can save money from expenses such as travelling, accommodation and even high fees for tutors. There are many advantages that come with e-learning, and all these advantages will play a role in human resource development. Also it will help to play a part in a user ¿Ã‚ ½s everyday life and will help them to progress their learning, training, development and education. (writing, 2006, unknown, 2008) Disadvantages As well as advantages there are a number of disadvantages which come with e-learning. Below I will list a number of disadvantages:  ¿Ã‚ ½ There can be some learners who are unmotivated can because of this their poor study habits may fall behind.  ¿Ã‚ ½ E-learning is very different from any other kind of learning and this may affect the learners knowledge due to lack of familiar structure, also the will then make the routine longer to get used to.  ¿Ã‚ ½ E-learning can be a lonely way of learning which could leave the learner to feel isolated or even miss social interaction.  ¿Ã‚ ½ If you required further instructions the instructor for the course may not always be available on demand.  ¿Ã‚ ½ A lot of e-learning can be carried out online, however this may be useful for some but for others the can be frustrating due to slow or unreliable Internet connections.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Face-to-face communication can be vital to how someone learns and because of the lack of this there can be a lack of understanding between the learner and the instructor.  ¿Ã‚ ½ There is a limited amount of time for e-learning if you were using video conferencing as an example, and this could lead to the teaching being rushed and the learner not being able to learn enough. As you can see from the above there are some disadvantages, however there are fewer disadvantages than there are advantages. The disadvantages can however help human resource development because they can learn from this and try and avoid the disadvantages and use this to their advantages. (Writing, 2006, unknown, 2008) Conclusion In my opinion I believe that the role of technology in Human Resource Development is very much needed. I believe that along with technology the main form of this is e-learning and with my own personal use I think that this is very much need in order for us to be able to develop HRD. With e-learning you can learn so many new skills which can help you too improve in the workplace. However there are a couple of disadvantages like the lack of face-to-face communication which can affect how e-learning is used.