Rational-Emotive Behaviour Therapy Theory Essay

Rational-Emotive Behaviour Therapy Theory - Essay Example The fundamental premise of the theory is based on the fact that almost all emotions and behaviors are caused by what people believe about the situations they face. The theory posits a bio-psychosocial explanation of how individuals come to feel and behave. This stems from the belief of Ellis that both biological factors and social factors are involved in the experiencing and action processes. This idea is important, for it proposes that there are limits to the extent that a person can change (Ellis A. , 2003). Ellis argues in his theory that all humans have the ability to interpret reality in a clear, logical and objective manner and avoid unwanted emotional behavioural disturbances. Furthermore, he argues that in addition to these abilities, humans are also predisposed to irrational interpretations (Collard & OKelly, 2011). They are predisposed to twisted or illogical thinking, draw illogical conclusions that are impartial and are cognitive distortions of reality (Levinson, 2010). Ellis identified four standard characteristics that represent an irrational interpretation of reality. These four standard characteristics are demands of something that is not of the real world, other people or the individual; amplification of the awfulness of something an individual dislikes (Macinnes, 2004); conclusion that one cannot tolerate the thing they dislike and finally condemnation of the world, other people or the individual (Dryden, 2003). The characteristics identified above are expressed in speci fic irrational ideas and beliefs (Macinnes, 2004). Ellis suggested that the targets for change in psychotherapy are those thoughts, attitudes beliefs and meanings that cause emotional-behavioural disturbances and then goes ahead to present the rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) (Windy & Neenan, 2004).   REBT teaches individuals how to identify their own self defeating ideas, thoughts, beliefs and actions and replace

Opium War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Opium War - Essay Example The First Opium War was majorly caused by Chinas isolationist trade relations with the West particularly the British. Tension further arose between China and British because China would accept only silver from the British. Opium addiction was also the main and direct cause of the wars. During this time, opium addiction was an epidemic for the people of China. The British took this advantage of the high demand and began illegal exportation of opium which angered the Chinese. Furthermore, the trade was considered as disrespectful to the emperor and was in a violation of Chinese law. The tension then built more, and none of the countries were willing to compromise. All was as a result of China to spoil trade for British, and they engaged in the war to show their frustration. The consequences of the Treaty of Nanjing were more like the impact of the Opium War itself since the Treaty was as a result of the Opium War. In the treaty, the British as a country were given Hong Kong and free access to five ports. The ratification humiliated China, and their demand were never considered. According to the ratification â€Å"†¦. The Emperor of China agrees to abolish that practice in future at all Ports where British Merchants’’ (Article V). This was more like a humiliation as apart from the port accusation China was compelled to pay a huge sum of fine. In these five ports, the British Nationals had the right of extraterritoriality. This is to say, they were not subject to laws of China. In immediate resolution, these were not all that significant. Moreover, they represented the start of a series of humiliating episodes in where the Chinese were forced to open up more to the West. The treaty, for instance, has been considered significant in mod ern day Sino-foreign relations (Wang, 2005). There are various historical lessons that one can learn from opium war. The war is important as it humiliated the Chinese. Chinese

Vera Drake Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Vera Drake - Movie Review Example The really shocking element with Vera is that she is introduced as completely dedicated to her family and her duties as wife and mother. Keeping this horrible secret from her family and being undisturbed for many years, for her this was a regular visit to someone's house and helping them out of the situation. At the time single women in particular would be socially and economically condemned if they got an illegitimate child. So in order to avoid the catastrophic situation, women would do anything to save their social appearance and image. What the film tries to imply to the audience is that the heroine acts on the bases of her own principles and she is guided by her good will to save the women and empower them with the right to decide for themselves what is best for them. What we do not expect from the movie is that such a kind and agreeable, wife and mother would ever thought of performing illegal abortions at a time when social norms and restrictions do not justify it. Vera possesses the inner strength and stamina to do these procedures and she is always soothing the misfortune women showing deep understanding and support for their situation. The director very carefully explores and plays with the roles that Vera fulfills - wife, mother and criminal. Though we are introduced to Vera's family, friends and social surrounding we are never given the argument what made Vera into practicing the then illegal abortions. So we can only assume that she is doing it out of her good will and belief that she is helping. She is supported by her response when the inspector comes into her home. In fact, they never ask her what she is doing, she gives her in by admitting that she knows already why they are here. And she replies: "I help girls out." Using this euphem ism leads us to believe that her desire is to aid the girls. Vera's action can be best described as "getting girls out of trouble". Another evidence of her good will is that she is not taking money. Instead she is brought food or milk or other ingredients. When asked about that she is repulsed. It seems that her explanation is far more complicated than simply gaining extra cash. Vera's discreet services and house to house visits give away that she is oblivious about taking advantage of women's situations and instead risks it all - her family and her good name in order to assist the women in their desire to make abortion. The audience is also given other perspectives after Vera's arrest. We have Reg's opinion (Vera's daughter potential husband) - "It ain't fair. Me mum brought up six of us in two rooms. If you can't feed 'em, you can't love 'em, now can you" His point shows understanding about the role that women play as mothers, homemakers and care providers. Vera has very affectionate bond with her husband - Stan. What he thinks about her arrest is that "Whatever she done, she done it out of the goodness of her heart!" Since the viewers have to rely on clues that other characters give away, Stan and Reg provide us with possible explanations why Vera initiated her actions. The reason for Vera's arrest is a life threatening mishap that happened to one of her customers a daughter of a wealthy bourgeoisie family for whom Vera cleans. Susan's desperation is as intense as Vera's

Importance of Time in Chinese Culture Essay Example for Free

Importance of Time in Chinese Culture Essay The importance of time is always dependent on the different perspectives of people’s origin, particularly culture. â€Å"Time is one of the most important bases by which culture rests and all other activities revolve† (Riggs et al 31). Different cultures handle time differently. In the past, time was measured in daylight, darkness, or in seasons; however, nowadays, time has become more important and more complicated. Yet, no matter how complicated it has become, it always boils down to the influence of culture, just like China, one of the countries with a very rich culture. The impact of modernization in China on the changes of Chinese’ behavior is significant. However, these changes in their behavior have had a more significant impact on their values. Indeed, Chinese seem to have never given up one of their most important cultural characteristics, Guanxi, which up until now, remains as an important Chinese business element. In the advent of globalization, Chinese has kept and reinforced this unique characteristic even in the most important socio-cultural changes. Yes, China has indeed undergone substantial cultural changes; nonetheless, with regards to the thinking and dealing process, modern China remains rooted to its traditional Yin Yang approach, and this is reflected on their shrewd use of time to keep their relationship intact. Because Chinese people value relationship more than anything else, as they believe that this could lead them to success, it is logical to expect that the Chinese society concentrates on fluid/multi-focus time value. Chinese people are both famous and infamous in different negotiations for their wise use of time as their bargaining tool. Chinese are known to have adept ability to run down the clock because they prioritize their relationships with their associates or business partners first. This way, they know that the value of relationship or guanxi continues. Moreover, Chinese can afford or stand to play the waiting game, provided that there is always someone left to invest and spend for them. Cultures around the world have developed their own way of responding to time. The dimension for time orientation is based on two aspects; the relative significance the culture gives to its past, present, and future, and its way of approaching the time. China has indeed embraced globalization since the last three decades. Despite this, its stronghold to its culture is still very evident. This is because China is considered as a past-oriented culture country. Countries that fall under this category have a culture that is largely leaned towards the past; they see their future as a repetition of their past experiences. Moreover, they have high respect and regard for their collective historical experiences and their ancestors. As per David Thomas’ description of the country, China embraces its tradition and culture of ancestor worship and has strong pride of its customary and cultural persistence for over thousands of years (73). The Chinese society holds the perspective that their past is their guide on how to live their lives in the present. According to an old Chinese proverb, â€Å"Consider the past and you will know the present† (Quotations). Work Cited Riggs, James, et al. Industrial Organization and Management. Manila, Philippines: McGraw-Hill, Inc. , 1980. Lo, Vincent. Chinese Business Culture: Guanxi, An Important Chinese Business Element. 17 March 2005. 01 May 2009 http://chinese-school. netfirms. com/guanxi. html Thomas, David. Cross-Cultural Management: Essential Concepts Second Ed. California: Sage Publications. 2008. Quotations. 14 February 2008. 01 May 2009. http://www1. bbiq. jp/quotations/past. htm

Impact of training on employee performance

Impact of training on employee performance The importance of training and development to employees performance and for that matter to employees and organisational performance cannot be overemphasised. Noe (1999) affirms that management of individual skills is an important aspect of doing business today, and employee development will likely grow in the future. The benefits of employee development extend beyond the actual skills gained and their contribution to an individuals productivity. The issue of training is paramount to the success of any organisation and this function of training has been examined for decades now. However, in todays business climate of continuous changes and uncertainty, the importance of training to employee and organisational performance as a whole, needs to be seen from a new perspective. The need for organisations to respond to the needs of its human capital and the effect of training on their performance of the organisation has become a crucial subject for business activity. It is important to note that there is an established link between training and performance. Not only does training enhance employee motivation and satisfaction, increases productivity, reduces the problems associated with the supervision of employees but also creates a reservoir of qualified employee as well as reduces work related activities as a result of increased knowledge, skills, abilities and competences. According to the Journal of Industrial Training, November / December 1947 edition, it is suggested that training be defined as that tool of management which through sound principles of teaching and learning, is utilised to raise the productive ability and to maintain and improve the performance of all employees. Training which consists of planned programmes must be on-going designed to improve performance at the individual, group, and organisational levels. Improved performance, in turn, implies that there have been measurable changes in knowledge, skills, attitude, and social behaviour. In fact, well-planned, well-executed training efforts may fail unless companies and communities help workers see training as a long term investment in their own career. Nestlà © Ghana Limited started business in Ghana in 1957 under the trading name of Nestlà © Products (Gh) Limited with the importation of Nestlà © products such as milk and chocolates. In 1968, it was incorporated as Food Specialties (Gh) Limited to manufacture and market locally well known Nestlà © brands. The company became Nestlà © Ghana Limited in 1987. In 1971 the production of the IDEAL Milk and MILO started at the Tema Factory which has since been expanded further with products not only produced for Ghana but also exported across West Africa. In 2003, Nestlà © Ghana Ltd invested in a new warehouse, the Central Distribution centre, located next to the factory in Tema. The company also runs sales offices with warehouses in Kumasi, Takoradi, Koforidua and Tamale. The main objectives of the company are the development of the local and regional West African market. Since it was established, the company has significantly stimulated the Ghanaian economy with a dynamic, well trained and dedicated workforce, manufacturing and marketing well known quality brands such as Ideal Full Cream Evaporated Milk, Carnation Filled Milk, Carnation Tea Creamer, Milo, Chocolim, Choco Milo, Cerevita Porridges, Cerelac and Nestlà © infant cereals. Nestlà © Ghana Ltd also imports and distributes brands such as Nido Milk Powder, Lactogen and Nan Infant Formula and soluble coffee Nescafe. All those products can be found all over the countrys extended distribution network. The company also takes an important role in the social life of Ghana by promoting medical students in health sciences, supporting child education and social events as well as sports. In addition to all these, the Nestle Ghana Ltd in its Investment Projects/ Growth Strategy, has invested some 130 billion cedis in 2004 and 2005 to increase its production capacity, particularly in the area of cocoa-based beverages, and to construct modern and efficient distribution facilities next to the factory in Tema. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Over the years, performances within some sectors of the company have not been particularly impressive. Even though through its brands, profits have soared, it is believed that the level of employees skills, knowledge and competencies, if improved, would enhance not only the companys image but also shoot profits through the roof. Nestle Gh Ltd has elaborate training and development policies for its employees which include study leave, on-the-job training, off-the-job training, special short courses, mentoring and workshops among others All of the above are aimed at updating the knowledge, skills, abilities and competences of its employees in order to achieve organisational goals and objectives. PURPOSE OF STUDY The general objective of the study will be to assess the effects of training on the performance of employees of the Nestle Ghana Ltd The specific objectives of the study are to: Examine the knowledge, skills and qualifications of employees of the Nestle Ghana Ltd Examine the training needs of employees of Nestle Ghana Ltd Ascertain employee performance management or appraisal system of Nestle Ghana Ltd Determine effects of training on job performance of employees of Nestle Ghana Ltd Make recommendations to the institution on ways to improve upon training and performance of employees and to inform policy and programme formulation Research Questions The following research questions have been formulated to guide the study: What are the criteria for selecting trainees in Nestle Ghana Ltd? How does training affect employee performance in Nestle Ghana Ltd? What level of importance does Nestle Ghana Ltd attach to training? Significance of the study One of the sources of improving on the knowledge, skills, attitudes, effectiveness and performance of employees in every institution is through sustained training and development. In this direction, there has been a reasonable amount of studies conducted on the subject matter in Ghana. However, studies of such kind are inadequate. It is therefore significant to undertake a study to assess the effects of training on the performance of employees of Nestle Ghana Ltd. The study is thus intended to serve as a reliable source of data for relevant agencies, researchers, students, and organisations and institutions interested in the effects of training on employee performance. Furthermore, the study is expected to contribute to knowledge and existing literature on training and its effects on employee performance. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study will focused on assessing the impact of training on employee performance by using Nestle Ghana Ltd. LITERATURE REVIEW According to Herzberg (1966) human resources constitute the ultimate basis for the wealth of a nation or an organisation, Human resources, particularly employees energies, talents, skills, abilities, knowledge and efforts are often useful in the production of goods or rendering services. Employees are often described as the most significant and dynamic among organisational resources since the character and strength of an organisation is invariably tied up with the quality and attributes of its employees (Cole, 2002). Employee training and development therefore is not only essential but also critical to an organisations survival. The global trend now is the training and development of human resources as the knowledge that human beings possess is the pivot for achieving an increase in total factor productivity (UNIDO, 1995). Training and development is a comprehensive learning system designed to enhance individual performance for the purpose of improving organisational effectiveness and efficiency. Training is the process of facilitating organisational learning, performance and change through formal and informal interactions, initiatives and management actions for the purpose of enhancing an organisations performance, capacity, capability, competence, competitiveness and readiness (Gilley, England Gilley, 2002). Theoretical framework According to Cole (1998) training and development activities depends on the policy and strategies of an organisation. Many organisations in the review of related literature as regards training in an organisation are not quite easy, as available literature encounters many difficulties. Beginning with, the use of the two terms of training and development are thought of as one entity. Some authors such as Cole (1998) and Robbins (1991) equate staff development to human resource development which focuses on among other things, preparing employees for greater responsibility and advancement. Others however look at it from the view of workers education and training. According to Robbins (1991), when management provide employees with training, its intention is to instil preferred work behaviours and attitudes in them. This may be most obvious during the new employees orientation, which is a type of training in itself. Daft (as cited in Mullins 1999) is of the view that all organisations are open systems and ignoring the environment may lead to failure in the entire system. Organisations and the environment in which they operate are constantly in link with each other. Indeed, interdependence is very crucial since the malfunction or neglect of any one of them inevitably affects the others and the total system. The training functions in any organisation is functionally linked to this whole work system and any extortion in the series of independent systems could affect productivity, hence the effectiveness by training (Mullin, 1999). Motivation is concerned with the factors that influence people to behave in certain ways, Armstrong (2006). Motivation is a tool for encouragement, a driving force that defines behaviour. It can be intrinsic, that is, self generating factors or extrinsic which is motivation that originates outside the individual. The survival of any training programme is dependent on its sensitivity to the demands of the environment, which includes the trainees, management and the entire community. It must be emphasized that the most literature agrees that the aim of the training process is to help develop the organisations employees skills, knowledge and attitude that have been regarded necessary for an effective performance of their work. According to Mc-Beath (1994), development is about total growth of knowledge, experience and abilities of the individual, the development of the whole person as he progresses towards his ultimate potential, being long term and future oriented opportunities to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes largely off-the-job, to help achieve designed performance or levels of knowledge. The definition is role of employee specific. Training is seen as teaching lower level employees how to perform their present job while development involves teaching managers and professional employees skills needed for their present and future jobs. Rae (1994) identifies the following training functions as the most commonly found in organisations. General job skills training: This sees staff at all levels frequently possessing a common problem or needs in order to carry out their jobs efficiently. Functional job skills training: concerns itself mainly with situations where organisations introduce new or revised operating systems, procedures and so on. On-the job training: refers to face-to-face, individualized training or instruction on-the job at the work place. Technical skills training: generally refers to training in the information technology where specific and technological skills are required. Professional skills training: involve the training of professional staff such as Accountants, Surveyors, Auditors, Architects, etc. Management training: trainers in many large organisations specialize in training and development of managers. In trainer training: the trainers themselves require advance skills in their existing line of work. To Mullin (1999), the purpose of training is to improve knowledge and skills, and to change attitudes. Mullins again states that in order to secure the full benefits of successful training, there must therefore be a planned and systematic approach to the effective management of training According to Douglas and Philip (1987), there are several training principles pertaining to training and learning. The generalisations are the results of efforts to formulate a reasonable useful set of descriptive statements concerning the trainee and training methods, materials and situations. Some writers who have written on training observed that most training reported was for organisational rather than individual development. This presupposes that carrier development does not appear to be fully blamed for such positions since some employers lose considerable human resource annually after investing heavily in them. The concern here is whether organisations are justified in maintaining such policies. Foster as cited in Mayo and Du Bois (1993) states that training should create conditions and stimuli to evoke response in others, to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes, to produce changes in behaviour and finally to attain specific objectives. The connection between training and organisational goals implies that training in an organisation could be strategic, informal and operational (OConnor, Bronner Delaney, 1996). Informal training is based on the need to give the employees information about the organisation which includes orientation, developing corporate citizenship, and creating a contextual reference for employees (Noe, 1999). METHODOLOGY Thomas (1996) in his deliberations on the descriptive surveys method stressed that data sometimes live buried with the minds or within the attitudes, feeling reactions of men and women and they can act as clues for further investigations to be canned out. The use of the survey method enables the researcher to systematically collect data about the nature of the training programme and its attendant challenges that the participants face. The sample population used in this research was thirty staff members of Nestle Ghana Ltd. There will be three groups of respondents: a. workers who have been in the company for just a year and have undergone only orientation training b. workers who have undergone in-service training within the company c. workers who have gone into international training. These are usually managerial staff. The Human Resource unit of Nestle Ghana Ltd will be contacted to provide the sample size of workers of the company who fall under these categories. Respondents will be issued questionnaires to fill on the information required. Where possible, there will be unstructured interviews with the respondents as to questionnaires they are required to fill. Research Instruments The standard questionnaire will be the main instrument for data collection for the trained staff of Nestle Ghana Ltd. It will be used to elicit responses from the beneficiaries as to how they are involved in the objective setting and the training needs assessment of the training programmes among others. All the questions will be asked to ascertain whether the purpose of training can be perceived in terms of ensuring that employees have the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes required to perform well at post. The questionnaires will consist of both open and closed questions. The closed-ended questions are asked to make sure of uniformity and greater reliability. The open-ended techniques will used to probe further on the questions and also eliminate ambiguities. The study will be based on both primary and secondary data sources. The primary data consists of responses to the questionnaire administered to Nestle Ghana Ltd staffs who have attended some training programmes. In addition bits of information will also be taken from other published and unpublished studies related to the study. The data collected will be matched, synthesized and coded for easy presentation. Data collected from respondents will be analysed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). CONCLUSION The research will highlight the importance of training to Nestle Ghana Limited and develop a link between training and both employee and company development.REFERENCES Armstrong, M (2006) Human Resource Management Practice, London: Kogan Page. Cole, G. A. (2002) Personnel and Human Resource Management, (5th ed.). London: Book Powers ELST Douglas, M. G Philip, H. D. (1987) The Complete Book of Training Theory, Principles and Techniques. London: Pfeiffer Co Gilley, J. W., England, S. A Gilley, A. M. (2002) Principles of Human Resource Development, (2nd ed.), Perseus, US. Herzberg, F. H. (1966) Work and the Nature of Man, Cleveland: World Publishing Co. International Journal of Industrial Training, November / December 1947 edition Mayo, G. D., Du Bois P. (1993) The Complete Book of Training. San Diego, California: University Associates Inc. Mc-Beath, G. Rands, D. N. (1994) Salary Administration (3rd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell. Mullin, Laurie J. (1999) Management and Organisational Behaviour (5th ed.). London: Prentice Hall Noe, R. A. (1999) Employee Training and Development, New York: McGraw Hill. OConnor, B. N., Bronner, M., Delaney, C. (1996) Training for Organisations. Cincinnati, OH: South Western Educational Publishing. Rae, L. (1994) The Skills of Human Relations Training, London: Gower. Robbins, S. P. (1991). Organisational Behaviour. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Thomas S. B. (1996) Method and Analysis in Organisational Research. Virginia: Reston Publishing Co. UNIDO (1995) 30 years of Industrial Development 1966-1996, London: ISC and UNIDO. . Impact of Training on Employee Performance Impact of Training on Employee Performance The importance of training and development to employees performance and for that matter to employees and organisational performance cannot be overemphasised. Noe (1999) affirms that management of individual skills is an important aspect of doing business today, and employee development will likely grow in the future. The benefits of employee development extend beyond the actual skills gained and their contribution to an individuals productivity. The issue of training is paramount to the success of any organisation and this function of training has been examined for decades now. However, in todays business climate of continuous changes and uncertainty, the importance of training to employee and organisational performance as a whole, needs to be seen from a new perspective. The need for organisations to respond to the needs of its human capital and the effect of training on their performance of the organisation has become a crucial subject for business activity. It is important to note that there is an established link between training and performance. Not only does training enhance employee motivation and satisfaction, increases productivity, reduces the problems associated with the supervision of employees but also creates a reservoir of qualified employee as well as reduces work related activities as a result of increased knowledge, skills, abilities and competences. According to the Journal of Industrial Training, November / December 1947 edition, it is suggested that training be defined as that tool of management which through sound principles of teaching and learning, is utilised to raise the productive ability and to maintain and improve the performance of all employees. Training which consists of planned programmes must be on-going designed to improve performance at the individual, group, and organisational levels. Improved performance, in turn, implies that there have been measurable changes in knowledge, skills, attitude, and social behaviour. In fact, well-planned, well-executed training efforts may fail unless companies and communities help workers see training as a long term investment in their own career. Nestlà © Ghana Limited started business in Ghana in 1957 under the trading name of Nestlà © Products (Gh) Limited with the importation of Nestlà © products such as milk and chocolates. In 1968, it was incorporated as Food Specialties (Gh) Limited to manufacture and market locally well known Nestlà © brands. The company became Nestlà © Ghana Limited in 1987. In 1971 the production of the IDEAL Milk and MILO started at the Tema Factory which has since been expanded further with products not only produced for Ghana but also exported across West Africa. In 2003, Nestlà © Ghana Ltd invested in a new warehouse, the Central Distribution centre, located next to the factory in Tema. The company also runs sales offices with warehouses in Kumasi, Takoradi, Koforidua and Tamale. The main objectives of the company are the development of the local and regional West African market. Since it was established, the company has significantly stimulated the Ghanaian economy with a dynamic, well trained and dedicated workforce, manufacturing and marketing well known quality brands such as Ideal Full Cream Evaporated Milk, Carnation Filled Milk, Carnation Tea Creamer, Milo, Chocolim, Choco Milo, Cerevita Porridges, Cerelac and Nestlà © infant cereals. Nestlà © Ghana Ltd also imports and distributes brands such as Nido Milk Powder, Lactogen and Nan Infant Formula and soluble coffee Nescafe. All those products can be found all over the countrys extended distribution network. The company also takes an important role in the social life of Ghana by promoting medical students in health sciences, supporting child education and social events as well as sports. In addition to all these, the Nestle Ghana Ltd in its Investment Projects/ Growth Strategy, has invested some 130 billion cedis in 2004 and 2005 to increase its production capacity, particularly in the area of cocoa-based beverages, and to construct modern and efficient distribution facilities next to the factory in Tema. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Over the years, performances within some sectors of the company have not been particularly impressive. Even though through its brands, profits have soared, it is believed that the level of employees skills, knowledge and competencies, if improved, would enhance not only the companys image but also shoot profits through the roof. Nestle Gh Ltd has elaborate training and development policies for its employees which include study leave, on-the-job training, off-the-job training, special short courses, mentoring and workshops among others All of the above are aimed at updating the knowledge, skills, abilities and competences of its employees in order to achieve organisational goals and objectives. PURPOSE OF STUDY The general objective of the study will be to assess the effects of training on the performance of employees of the Nestle Ghana Ltd The specific objectives of the study are to: Examine the knowledge, skills and qualifications of employees of the Nestle Ghana Ltd Examine the training needs of employees of Nestle Ghana Ltd Ascertain employee performance management or appraisal system of Nestle Ghana Ltd Determine effects of training on job performance of employees of Nestle Ghana Ltd Make recommendations to the institution on ways to improve upon training and performance of employees and to inform policy and programme formulation Research Questions The following research questions have been formulated to guide the study: What are the criteria for selecting trainees in Nestle Ghana Ltd? How does training affect employee performance in Nestle Ghana Ltd? What level of importance does Nestle Ghana Ltd attach to training? Significance of the study One of the sources of improving on the knowledge, skills, attitudes, effectiveness and performance of employees in every institution is through sustained training and development. In this direction, there has been a reasonable amount of studies conducted on the subject matter in Ghana. However, studies of such kind are inadequate. It is therefore significant to undertake a study to assess the effects of training on the performance of employees of Nestle Ghana Ltd. The study is thus intended to serve as a reliable source of data for relevant agencies, researchers, students, and organisations and institutions interested in the effects of training on employee performance. Furthermore, the study is expected to contribute to knowledge and existing literature on training and its effects on employee performance. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study will focused on assessing the impact of training on employee performance by using Nestle Ghana Ltd. LITERATURE REVIEW According to Herzberg (1966) human resources constitute the ultimate basis for the wealth of a nation or an organisation, Human resources, particularly employees energies, talents, skills, abilities, knowledge and efforts are often useful in the production of goods or rendering services. Employees are often described as the most significant and dynamic among organisational resources since the character and strength of an organisation is invariably tied up with the quality and attributes of its employees (Cole, 2002). Employee training and development therefore is not only essential but also critical to an organisations survival. The global trend now is the training and development of human resources as the knowledge that human beings possess is the pivot for achieving an increase in total factor productivity (UNIDO, 1995). Training and development is a comprehensive learning system designed to enhance individual performance for the purpose of improving organisational effectiveness and efficiency. Training is the process of facilitating organisational learning, performance and change through formal and informal interactions, initiatives and management actions for the purpose of enhancing an organisations performance, capacity, capability, competence, competitiveness and readiness (Gilley, England Gilley, 2002). Theoretical framework According to Cole (1998) training and development activities depends on the policy and strategies of an organisation. Many organisations in the review of related literature as regards training in an organisation are not quite easy, as available literature encounters many difficulties. Beginning with, the use of the two terms of training and development are thought of as one entity. Some authors such as Cole (1998) and Robbins (1991) equate staff development to human resource development which focuses on among other things, preparing employees for greater responsibility and advancement. Others however look at it from the view of workers education and training. According to Robbins (1991), when management provide employees with training, its intention is to instil preferred work behaviours and attitudes in them. This may be most obvious during the new employees orientation, which is a type of training in itself. Daft (as cited in Mullins 1999) is of the view that all organisations are open systems and ignoring the environment may lead to failure in the entire system. Organisations and the environment in which they operate are constantly in link with each other. Indeed, interdependence is very crucial since the malfunction or neglect of any one of them inevitably affects the others and the total system. The training functions in any organisation is functionally linked to this whole work system and any extortion in the series of independent systems could affect productivity, hence the effectiveness by training (Mullin, 1999). Motivation is concerned with the factors that influence people to behave in certain ways, Armstrong (2006). Motivation is a tool for encouragement, a driving force that defines behaviour. It can be intrinsic, that is, self generating factors or extrinsic which is motivation that originates outside the individual. The survival of any training programme is dependent on its sensitivity to the demands of the environment, which includes the trainees, management and the entire community. It must be emphasized that the most literature agrees that the aim of the training process is to help develop the organisations employees skills, knowledge and attitude that have been regarded necessary for an effective performance of their work. According to Mc-Beath (1994), development is about total growth of knowledge, experience and abilities of the individual, the development of the whole person as he progresses towards his ultimate potential, being long term and future oriented opportunities to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes largely off-the-job, to help achieve designed performance or levels of knowledge. The definition is role of employee specific. Training is seen as teaching lower level employees how to perform their present job while development involves teaching managers and professional employees skills needed for their present and future jobs. Rae (1994) identifies the following training functions as the most commonly found in organisations. General job skills training: This sees staff at all levels frequently possessing a common problem or needs in order to carry out their jobs efficiently. Functional job skills training: concerns itself mainly with situations where organisations introduce new or revised operating systems, procedures and so on. On-the job training: refers to face-to-face, individualized training or instruction on-the job at the work place. Technical skills training: generally refers to training in the information technology where specific and technological skills are required. Professional skills training: involve the training of professional staff such as Accountants, Surveyors, Auditors, Architects, etc. Management training: trainers in many large organisations specialize in training and development of managers. In trainer training: the trainers themselves require advance skills in their existing line of work. To Mullin (1999), the purpose of training is to improve knowledge and skills, and to change attitudes. Mullins again states that in order to secure the full benefits of successful training, there must therefore be a planned and systematic approach to the effective management of training According to Douglas and Philip (1987), there are several training principles pertaining to training and learning. The generalisations are the results of efforts to formulate a reasonable useful set of descriptive statements concerning the trainee and training methods, materials and situations. Some writers who have written on training observed that most training reported was for organisational rather than individual development. This presupposes that carrier development does not appear to be fully blamed for such positions since some employers lose considerable human resource annually after investing heavily in them. The concern here is whether organisations are justified in maintaining such policies. Foster as cited in Mayo and Du Bois (1993) states that training should create conditions and stimuli to evoke response in others, to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes, to produce changes in behaviour and finally to attain specific objectives. The connection between training and organisational goals implies that training in an organisation could be strategic, informal and operational (OConnor, Bronner Delaney, 1996). Informal training is based on the need to give the employees information about the organisation which includes orientation, developing corporate citizenship, and creating a contextual reference for employees (Noe, 1999). METHODOLOGY Thomas (1996) in his deliberations on the descriptive surveys method stressed that data sometimes live buried with the minds or within the attitudes, feeling reactions of men and women and they can act as clues for further investigations to be canned out. The use of the survey method enables the researcher to systematically collect data about the nature of the training programme and its attendant challenges that the participants face. The sample population used in this research was thirty staff members of Nestle Ghana Ltd. There will be three groups of respondents: a. workers who have been in the company for just a year and have undergone only orientation training b. workers who have undergone in-service training within the company c. workers who have gone into international training. These are usually managerial staff. The Human Resource unit of Nestle Ghana Ltd will be contacted to provide the sample size of workers of the company who fall under these categories. Respondents will be issued questionnaires to fill on the information required. Where possible, there will be unstructured interviews with the respondents as to questionnaires they are required to fill. Research Instruments The standard questionnaire will be the main instrument for data collection for the trained staff of Nestle Ghana Ltd. It will be used to elicit responses from the beneficiaries as to how they are involved in the objective setting and the training needs assessment of the training programmes among others. All the questions will be asked to ascertain whether the purpose of training can be perceived in terms of ensuring that employees have the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes required to perform well at post. The questionnaires will consist of both open and closed questions. The closed-ended questions are asked to make sure of uniformity and greater reliability. The open-ended techniques will used to probe further on the questions and also eliminate ambiguities. The study will be based on both primary and secondary data sources. The primary data consists of responses to the questionnaire administered to Nestle Ghana Ltd staffs who have attended some training programmes. In addition bits of information will also be taken from other published and unpublished studies related to the study. The data collected will be matched, synthesized and coded for easy presentation. Data collected from respondents will be analysed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). CONCLUSION The research will highlight the importance of training to Nestle Ghana Limited and develop a link between training and both employee and company development.REFERENCES Armstrong, M (2006) Human Resource Management Practice, London:  Kogan Page. Cole, G. A. (2002) Personnel and Human Resource Management, (5th ed.).  London: Book Powers ELST Douglas, M. G Philip, H. D. (1987) The Complete Book of Training Theory,  Principles and Techniques. London: Pfeiffer Co Gilley, J. W., England, S. A Gilley, A. M. (2002) Principles of Human  Resource Development, (2nd ed.), Perseus, US. Herzberg, F. H. (1966) Work and the Nature of Man, Cleveland: World  Publishing Co. International Journal of Industrial Training, November / December 1947 edition Mayo, G. D., Du Bois P. (1993) The Complete Book of Training. San Diego,  California: University Associates Inc. Mc-Beath, G. Rands, D. N. (1994) Salary Administration (3rd ed.). Oxford:  Blackwell. Mullin, Laurie J. (1999) Management and Organisational Behaviour (5th ed.).  London: Prentice Hall Noe, R. A. (1999) Employee Training and Development, New York: McGraw  Hill. OConnor, B. N., Bronner, M., Delaney, C. (1996) Training for  Organisations. Cincinnati, OH: South Western  Educational Publishing. Rae, L. (1994) The Skills of Human Relations Training, London: Gower. Robbins, S. P. (1991). Organisational Behaviour. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice  Hall. Thomas S. B. (1996) Method and Analysis in Organisational Research. Virginia:  Reston Publishing Co. UNIDO (1995) 30 years of Industrial Development 1966-1996, London: ISC  and UNIDO.

Rock And Roll In The 1950s

Rock And Roll In The 1950s Rock and roll set the cultural standard of a generation. The components which comprised the landscape of modern life, and in particular American life, in the 1950s provided not only the backdrop but the impetus for the development of rock and roll and its impact on society. Rigid social rules enforced on a younger generation with more time and money on its hands than ever before sparked a flame of rebellion that threatened to burn traditional social conventions to the ground. It was these factors which constructed the framework for the renovation of social mores that began in the 1950s and drastically changed the social order of the 1960s and beyond. The music which came into being during the second half of the 20th century reflected the dualistic consciousness of the battle between constraint and rebellion which was fought by the youth of the times (Weinstein 94). An understanding of the beginnings of this battleground must start with a look at the nature of the society that preceded it. At the beginning of the 20th century, teenagers and young adults were not thought of as a separate societal group known as youth. Youth was simply a transitional period between childhood and adulthood (Weinstein 94). It was common for young people to be engaged in full-time work before they were old enough to be sexually mature. Post-World War II affluence coupled with changes in labor laws and a need for a better-educated work force meant that young people entered the labor market later and had more free time. Rather than working to help support their families, teenagers spent the money they earned (or got from their parents) on themselves. The post-war economy gave teenagers more disposable income than any previous generation had enjoyed (McDonald 85). Rather than thinking of their youth as a time of training to become productive members of society, many young people began seeing it as a time to live hedonistically for the moment and to rebel against assertions of adult authority (Weinstein 94). Perhaps the most emblematic aspect of this societal segment was its music, which was first known as rock and roll, then merely as rock, and later developed into a bewildering array of different types of rock (Weinstein 91). Rock and roll did not spontaneously generate from nothing as a wholly new art form. Rather, it was a hybrid of blues, dance-oriented rhythm and blues, and country, or hillbilly music (Hill 43). Rockabilly evolved in the mid-fifties, as a white southern fusion of country music, blues, gospel, and rhythm and blues, and provided the musical catalyst which allowed many white musicians to break free of the boundaries of traditional country music and move on to early rock and roll (Friedlander 16). Although the various types of blues and country music were gaining in popularity by the early 1950s, it would not be considered wholly proper for a cultured, urban, middle-class white teenager to listen to or, especially, to dance to this type of music (Hill 43). The pulsating beat of this type of music, and the rock and roll it was evolving into, made it particularly appealing to youth-and appalling to adults. The forbidden nature of this race- and class-specific music made it more compelling than mainstream, white music. It is important to remember that society in the 1950s was very rigidly controlled by the same mind-sets that allowed McCarthyism to take root. Racial segregation and sexual repression were a fact of the 1950s (McDonald 95). Young people living in that most proper decade were yearning to break free, and rock and roll music provided that outlet (Hill 45). Rock and roll music was considered nothing less than culturally subversive by the older, power-wielding generation because it allowed white, middle-class youth to mingle with and be influenced by improper elements such as Negroes and poor white trash (Hill 51). Rock and roll scandalized many white people. The scandal was that white adolescents were adopting black cultural styles and black heroes. This was miscegenation, racial mixing, and was seen as a rebellious act against the dominant group (Weinstein 95). The beat of rock and roll, which made it so danceable, was nothing less than the savage and primitive rhythm of darkest Africa invoking the beat of sexual intercourse (Hill 47). So powerful was the music on the malleable minds of youth that some even considered rock and roll a new form of mind control with dangerous affinities to fascism (Hill 47). This market-driven Negrification of white youth that the new strains of music invoked frightened many of the older generation, who d id what they could to stifle it. Attempts were made to placate the youthful thirst for rock and roll by having white singers like Pat Boone cover the most popular songs, but the driving beat of true rock and roll could not be stopped (Hill 49). A major contributor which allowed rock and roll to sweep the country like an unrelenting tidal wave was the advent of television. The FCC had blocked television licenses for a time due to concerns over technical problems, but in 1952 began granting them again. When television took over almost all the comedy and variety programming that had been the purview of radio, radio stations found themselves with hours of programming to fill-and a new genre of music to fill them with (Curtis 42). Conservative, middle-class parents saw this new kind of music as a threat to their social domination and way of life (Hill 54). No single person exemplified this threat more than Elvis Presley. Elvis was the antithesis of the Pat Boone crowd, a rebel from a poor, working-class family. He was considered both culturally and politically dangerous; his conduct, dress, and music challenged traditional notions of class and race, and arguably, even gender as well (Hill 55). To some, Elviss wild, grinding, abandoned hip movements . . . were reminders of the old spectacular presentations of female sex, like that of a burlesque show (Hill 55). In Elviss first television appearance on the Milton Berle Show, his dancing gyrations caused a public outcry. His next scheduled television appearance, on the Steve Allen Show, was only saved by the instigation of a plan to thwart the offensive hip movements: he sang Hound Dog dressed in formal tails and sang to a basset hound (Shumway 126). When he appeared on the Ed Sullivan television show later that year, he was shown only from the waist up, per Sullivans edict. Elvis seemed to epitomize the idea that rock and roll had sexualized teenagers, causing them to become addicted to the pleasures of the body. Rock and roll seemed to do away with inhibitions and provoke a sort of erotic vandalism (Altschuler 67). In the 1960s, the original rock and roll music of Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley began to evolve into the rock music of the Beatles, Kinks and Rolling Stones (Weinstein 96). By the late 1960s, rock music had begun to develop a social conscience (McDonald 85). Songwriters like Bob Dylan and Lennon and McCartney started to write about social issues such as war, the economy, politics, and feminism. Rock and roll had moved from the music of teenage rebellion to the music of the masses (McDonald 85). Advocating the use of mind-altering drugs and opposing the governments military policies became the youthful rebellion of that decade (Weinstein 95). It was during this time that teenagers were transformed into youth' (Weinstein 96). The distinction between the two is not just a matter of semantics. Young people began to become conscious of themselves as actors on the world stage, aware that their social consciousness wielded a power of its own. The baby boom generation was beginning to attend college, where the free speech movement turned into the youth-based anti-Vietnam War movement (Weinstein 96). The civil rights movement and the assassinations of the Kennedys and Martin Luther King, Jr. also contributed to the transformation of consciousness of the eras youth. These events affected the type of rock music that was being created, as singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan and Barry McGuire voiced the political objections of a generation. A backlash of social repression against political demonstrations by young people had a dampening effect on the use of protest as a power tool. The riot in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic national presidential convention and the killing of student protestors by the Ohio National Guard at Kent State University may have contributed to a greater tendency on the part of youth to delve into psychological and spiritual journeys with the aid of drugs, rather than seeking social change on the front lines of demonstrations (Weinstein 96). The lyrics to rock songs would often promote these inner pursuits of the drug-assisted mind, while a particular sub-genre, psychedelic rock, was used to enhance the hallucinatory experience. The raw, raucous exuberance of 1950s rock and roll still existed in various manifestations of rock music, but it had also split off into other types of music with a much quieter, more introspective, form of rebellion. It was arguably the rigid nature of the social structure of the 1950s which instigated its own destruction. It may be inherent within the youthful spirit to rebel against whatever restraints the older generation imposes. However, the rigidity of the mid-20th-century middle class mindset, combined with a newfound post-war affluence, set the stage for major social change, and the soundtrack to that change was rock and roll. Without the convention-shattering impact of 1950s rock and roll on societal expectations, the enormous social upheavals of the 1960s might never have come about, or at least, might have occurred decades later. The wild abandon of rock and rolls youthful enthusiasm opened doors of class, race, and gender that had never been opened before, paving the way to a complete reshaping of social interaction.

The Canterbury Tales Essay -- Literary Analysis, Geoffrey Chaucer

Through The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer is able to ironically portray the life friars lived throughout the 14th century. Geoffrey Chaucer was born around 1345 and lived in London. (Strohm par 1). He grew up being trained as a civil servant and diplomat. Around 1366 Chaucer married Queen Philippa of Spain (Encyclopedia of World Biography 483). Through being appointed to Parliament, he traveled to many different countries on diplomatic missions and was influenced by the contrasting types of writing (Strohm par 3). These experiences helped Chaucer to gain knowledge about diverse types of people and English writing, which influenced the way he wrote The Canterbury Tales (par 1). When Chaucer wrote, he often mocked and satirized people he saw on their fashion and etiquette, which had a large part in the way he wrote about certain pilgrims in his novel (par 2). Between the years of 1387 and 1400, Chaucer devoted most of his time to writing one of his most famous pieces, The Canterbu ry Tales. This tale is about thirty pilgrims on a journey to the Shrine of Thomas Beckett at Canterbury (par 7). Each pilgrim is expected to tell four stories; two story for the journey to the shrine and another two for the journey back home. The host is the pilgrim that decides upon the best told story. Whoever relates the best tale receives a meal at Bailey’s Inn. Unfortunately, Chaucer died around 1400 before being able to complete each of the pilgrims’ stories (Strohm par 3). In the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer introduces the Friar as someone who, although is meant to live by God’s deeds and the church, is controlled by his own greed. The tale which the Friar later narrates is appropriate because throughout the story it is evident that... ...that they are both lecherous. This is exemplified through the summoner in the Friar’s prologue. In â€Å"The Friar’s Tale,† the Friar states: He was a thief, a summoner, and a pimp. And he had wenches in his retinue, / . . . / He and these wenches made a gang at it Then he would fetch forth a fictitious writ, Summon them both before the Chapter-bench. (Coghill 295) This description of the summoner overall states how the summoner commits the sin of having sexual intercourse with many women. When the summoner is caught by some men, he blackmails them into letting him go free of charge. The Friar is like the summoner because just as the friar repels the vows of his church, the Friar does as well. Overall, it is evident through â€Å"The Friar’s Tale† that both the summoner and Friar are alike in more ways than one. This is shown through their greed, and habits of lying.