DTLLS Unit Seven Free Essays

string(53) " cope with the changes that will come in the future\." Introduction It is unquestionable that each individual requires idiosyncratic conditions to nourish a growth and development that will turn them into the person they become. These conditions are provided through the institute of education through comprehensive knowledge of the educational infrastructure and the requirements and variety of qualities that each student presents. Looking at myself, I can say that my learning environment was the most crucial part of my life, encouraging me to step into the world and pursue a career I enjoy. We will write a custom essay sample on DTLLS Unit Seven or any similar topic only for you Order Now It proved efficient in establishing personal competence, social and qualitative skills, as well as allowing proficient gains in knowledge and autonomy. Since learning is a continuous process in an individual’s life, the qualities carried influence following stages and hence the importance of methods of teaching and evaluation is consequential. The contribution of learning to economic growth is one of many challenges in our society today. Teachers have a large impact on the skills and developmental skills student’s carry with them to aspire to a career into that sector. It is crucial to provide student with more than just facts but the tools that will ‘increase aspirations and awareness of the value of skills to them’ (Leitch Review of Skills Final Report, 2006). As study shows that our out-of-class experiences are just as important as the ones we learn in class (George D. Kuh, 1995). They have an increasing influence on the way things are viewed in the curriculum and that leads me to the conclusion that students with less social ability may be at a higher risk of employing a career in which they are less defined compared to those with higher sociability that would pursue careers that are suitable to their defined characteristic’s and abilities. Therefore, treating each student individually will encourage those individuals that are unable to flourish within their environments to identify themselves and accept achievements and skills in pursuit of specific careers. Furthermore, Dewey provides an understanding on reflection on such experiences and its importance in promoting a more complex and interrelated mental schema (Wertenbroch Nabeth, 2000). It generally helps to sum up knowledge from experiences and education and construct it mentally and use it in professional practice and to understand the world. To guide persons into higher order thinking through the skills learned in class is a significant target. Lack of it can be a result of environment, learning and reduced tasks of reflection. As an educator I believe reflection is integral in the lifelong learning process and to encourage it is to encourage promotion in economical growth. By adding depth to the meanings of observations and descriptions made in class it is possible to relate to the individual and reach the acquired goal in this specific area. The methods employed in class will improve personal development and enhance the interest in learning as a whole. Using descriptive writing reports, which allow the students to reason based on their personal judgment and encourage problem solving, is an essential. As to the facts, Hatton Smith reported four activities that aid the process of reflection: Action research projects, case and cultural studies, practical experiences, structured curriculum tasks like reading fiction and non-fiction as well as oral interviews and keeping journals. Community regeneration can be made through advancements in the institute of education and better teachers with a more rounded understanding of the world. Part 2: Waves of change have been implemented in the educational sector and our perception of it and the ability to cope with it have proved difficult. Policy can be viewed as the method of bettering and increasing the opportunities for learners in order for them to acquire qualifications and improve their capabilities. However, it has been a challenge for the sector to mend the system in a way that is equally beneficial to both the staff and the students. Some say: â€Å"Changing the way things are done †¦ does not necessarily change either the ultimate outputs of the system or the underlying principles that characterize the sector. These principles lie in the cultural and professional values and the societal expectations that underpin the system at the macro-scale.† (Lumby and Foskett, 2005:27). On the other hand, some believe it can destroy the system: â€Å"Commitment to the learners may not, however, be enough to help staff cope with the pressures of further waves of change .†(Paper, 2005) Agreeably, it is a large responsibility that the teaching staff must take on but it is nevertheless a high target to attain especially when it is constantly changing. Having said this, it is obvious in the current educational society, reforms made have a strong impact on the teaching staff and eventually trickling down to the students. To maintain the principles previously mentioned you must diligently teach without forgetting the â€Å"why† and â€Å"which† questions that strongly affect a minority of students whilst teaching a group for example. So it can be said that these fluctuations effect students and the teachers, which seems somewhat counterproductive to achieve a more efficient educational system. The major problem now is that because of funding cuts, schools and their staff are unable to further use equipment and facilities to achieve new and exciting methods of teaching younger student, which limits student interest and inevitably lack of interest in education as a whole. The effects that educational reform have on the learning circle produces different repercussions with the younger ones with comparison to the older stud ents it has been seen through some studies that adjustments in examination style or just general curriculum changes proves difficult to adjust to. Therefore it is wise to take extra caution in primary school classes in order to guide the children appropriately and through educational standards allow them to feel stable. To further enforce, it is the responsibility of the teaching staff to not let reforms affect the teaching in the classroom. Furthermore, it is mandatory to view the way changes in the past have allowed us to cope with the changes that will come in the future. You read "DTLLS Unit Seven" in category "Essay examples" Currently, the educational climate has been continually changing to establish a more equipped foundation for each current climate and the challenges they face. The advantage of this is that it has given teachers and staff of today a better understanding of how to prepare and acclimatize to change without major impact on teaching and student. Past teaching experiences have shown that during changes in the system, there is a great deal of confusion in curriculum and teaching, which has made the transition to the new system harder for teachers to cope with and ultimately effect the students learning. Under initiative leadership, all staff members are expected to take responsibility for the successes of the teaching and implementation, which by definition portray a high priority on improving and m aintaining an effective educational system. Leadership in a participative group will be matched to the tasks identified by the group, and leaders will emerge with sanction from the group. Thanks to past generations of teaching faculty we have consciously learnt that all levels of education in this country are primarily about teaching without recognizing what is required to develop a highly functional group. Students don’t have a primary role in what is to be taught. Students wait to be told what to do and how this is to be achieved. Teaching, instigated by the authorities, places the student in a strict relationship with the teacher and their teachers only. Fortunately there are some good teachers who encourage and facilitate learning, but we have mostly teachers who tell their students what has been decided they need to study and learn in the classroom. Finally, constructive learning is a personal journey, resulting from the maintenance of a steady practice and of personal motivation. Learning that is the way forward in education and an adventure essentially under the control of the individual, encircled by the developmental capabilities that are encountere d throughout the course, and with time and maturation is constricted somewhat by the method and course of experiences open to the teacher and student. Part 3: Evaluation has always been a key and a significant role in successfully maintaining a constructive and adherent learning environment. It allows the teacher and the teaching staff to better understand the fluctuations of student understanding and of specific subjects at specific times during the educational year. It allows for struggling students to understand their difficulties and with the teachers help better their understanding, it allows for exceeding students to push their learning capacity and achieve higher than expectations. Evaluation has always been, and always will be a key, decisive and imperative pillar in education. However some faculties in the educational society believe that by early evaluation of students since the age of 6 in their first year of primary school have many downfalls to it including stress, teacher’s favouritism and students not enjoying the time they have in school which ultimately defies the concept of learning and teaching as a whole. Although this may be true in some instances, because of early evaluation we have been able to identify students at an early age who have learning difficulties and attend to their needs, we have also been able to aspire students to achieve great thing with a knowing understanding of what needs to be accomplished leading to a great deal of increase in applications for university in the past few years. Having said this, evaluation has also been a significant and key way of better understanding the curriculum and changes in the curriculum and most importantly how the staff has taught this curriculum. This has proved as a very useful tool during educational reform when evaluating teachers has helped to better orientate themselves during implementation of new curriculum. It has also provided an outline as to how faculties are able to organize their teaching plans, class schedules, extra curricula activities and many other vital and important issues concerned in school. Moreover this has been in some way a guideline to the educational society in the government as to whether or not different syllabi have proved effective enough and consequences of these results. This has been done in a very constructive method to provide goals and targets for both students and teachers in order to create a more efficient and opportunity giving educational climate. This having been said evaluation of teachers and students in particular especially from GCSE’s until university and further education learning has proved troublesome and in some instances farfetched. University and colleges entrance requirements have increased significantly as have grading systems in college, so much so that a new great boundary has been created for the top achievers. This can be said to increase the gap between students in the same classes and often provide teachers difficulty in assessing how to teach a wide range of students with different understandings of the specific subject. Part 3, 4 In my teaching area, learners’ feedback and views are crucially important in determining what’s needed to improve their learning and therefore successfully reaching their goals in education. But I also highly value colleagues and head teacher opinions as this would help me improve my teaching methods and provide a high standard of education as well as following a set of quality assurance policies by which the work is continually monitored, which include self-assessments, reviews meetings by colleagues, recording data regarding success rate, attendance, in year retention†¦ References: Leitch Review of Skills: Prosperity for all in the global economy-world class skills, Dec 2006-Page 17. The Other Curriculum: Out-of-Class Experiences Associated with Student Learning and Personal Development Author(s): George D. Kuh. The Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 66, No. 2 (Mar. – Apr., 1995), pp. 123-155 http://www.businessballs.com/traindev.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_development http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifelong_learning http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_and_Skills_Council http://issuu.com/snatchmo/docs/unit_7_wider_professional_practice_draft_2003_for_ Lumby and Foskett, 2005:27 Paper, 2005 10. Reflective Practice in the lifelong learning sector, Jodi Roffey-Barensten R.Malthouse How to cite DTLLS Unit Seven, Essay examples

Investment and Selling Price free essay sample

Turnhilm, Inc. is considering adding a small electric mower to its product line. Management believes that in order to be competitive, the mower cannot be priced above $139. The company requires a minimum return of 25% on its investments. Launching the new product would require an investment of $8,000,000. Sales are expected to be 40,000 units of the mower per year.Required: Compute the target cost of a mower. 57. The management of Hettler Corporation would like to set the selling price on a new product using the absorption costing approach to cost-plus pricing. The companys accounting department has supplied the following estimates for the new product: Management plans to produce and sell 4,000 units of the new product annually. The new product would require an investment of $643,000 and has a required return on investment of 20%. Required: a. Determine the unit product cost for the new product. We will write a custom essay sample on Investment and Selling Price or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page b.Determine the markup percentage on absorption cost for the new product. c. Determine the target selling price for the new product using the absorption costing approach. 58. Bourret Corporation is introducing a new product whose direct materials cost is $42 per unit, direct labor cost is $16 per unit, variable manufacturing overhead is $9 per unit, and variable selling and administrative expense is $3 per unit. The annual fixed manufacturing overhead associated with the product is $84,000 and its annual fixed selling and administrative expense is $16,000.Management plans to produce and sell 4,000 units of the new product annually. The new product would require an investment of $1,022,400 and has a required return on investment of 10%. Management would like to set the selling price on a new product using the absorption costing approach to cost-plus pricing. Required: a. Determine the unit product cost for the new product. b. Determine the markup percentage on absorption cost for the new product. c. Determine the target selling price for the new product using the absorption costing approach.

Rare Earth Elements (Metals) - List

Rare Earth Elements (Metals) - List This is a list of rare earth elements (REEs), which are a special group of metals. Key Takeaways: List of Rare Earth Elements The rare earth elements (REEs) or rare earth metals (REMs) are a group of metals found within the same ores and possessing similar chemical properties.Scientists and engineers disagree on exactly which element should be included in a list of the rare earths, but they generally include the fifteen lanthanide elements, plus scandium and yttrium.Despite their name, the rare earths arent actually rare with respect to abundance in the Earths crust. The exception is promethium, a radioactive metal. The CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics and IUPAC list the rare earths as consisting of the lanthanides, plus scandium and yttrium. This includes atomic number 57 through 71, as well as 39 (yttrium) and 21 (scandium): Lanthanum (sometimes considered a transition metal)CeriumPraseodymiumNeodymiumPromethiumSamariumEuropiumGadoliniumTerbiumDysprosiumHolmiumErbiumThuliumYtterbiumLutetiumScandiumYttrium Other sources consider the rare earths to be the lanthanides and actinides: Lanthanum (sometimes considered a transition metal)CeriumPraseodymiumNeodymiumPromethiumSamariumEuropiumGadoliniumTerbiumDysprosiumHolmiumErbiumThuliumYtterbiumLutetiumActinium (sometimes considered a transition metal)ThoriumProtactiniumUraniumNeptuniumPlutoniumAmericiumCuriumBerkeliumCaliforniumEinsteiniumFermiumMendeleviumNobeliumLawrencium Classification of Rare Earths The classification of the rare earth elements is as hotly disputed as the list of included metals. One common method of classification is by atomic weight. Low atomic weight elements are the light rare earth elements (LREEs). Elements with high atomic weight are the heavy rare earth elements (HREEs). Elements that fall between the two extremes are the middle rare earth elements (MREEs). One popular system categorizes atomic numbers up to 61 as LREEs and those higher than 62 as HREEs (with the middle range absent or up to interpretation). Summary of Abbreviations Several abbreviations are used in connection with the rare earth elements: RE: rare earthREE: rare earth elementREM: rare earth metalREO: rare earth oxideREY: rare earth element and yttriumLREE: light rare earth elementsMREE: middle rare earth elementsHREE: heavy rare earth elements Rare Earth Uses In general, the rare earths are used in alloys, for their special optical properties, and in electronics. Some specific uses of elements include: Scandium: Use to make light alloys for the aerospace industry, as a radioactive tracer, and in lampsYttrium: Used in yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) lasers, as a red phosphor, in superconductors, in fluorescent tubes, in LEDs, and as a cancer treatmentLanthanum: Use to make high refractive index glass, camera lenses, and catalystsCerium: Use to impart a yellow color to glass, as a catalyst, as a polishing powder, and to make flintsPraseodymium: Used in lasers, arc lighting, magnets, flint steel, and as a glass colorantNeodymium: Used to impart violet color to glass and ceramics, in lasers, magnets, capacitors, and electric motorsPromethium: Used in luminous paint and nuclear batteriesSamarium: Used in lasers, rare earth magnets, masers, nuclear reactor control rodsEuropium: Used to prepare red and blue phosphors, in lasers, in fluorescent lamps, and as an NMR relaxantGadolinium: Used in lasers, x-ray tubes, computer memory, high refractive index glass, NMR relaxation, neutron capture, MRI contrast Terbium: Use in green phosphors, magnets, lasers, fluorescent lamps, magnetostrictive alloys, and sonar systemsDysprosium: Used in hard drive disks, magnetostrictive alloys, lasers, and magnetsHolmium: Use in lasers, magnets, and calibration of spectrophotometersErbium: Used in vanadium steel, infrared lasers, and fiber opticsThulium: Used in lasers, metal halide lamps, and portable x-ray machinesYtterbium: Used in infrared lasers, stainless steel, and nuclear medicineLutetium: Used in positron emission tomography (PET) scans, high refractive index glass, catalysts, and LEDs Sources Brownlow, Arthur H. (1996). Geochemistry. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0133982725.Connelly, N. G. and T. Damhus, ed. (2005). Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry: IUPAC Recommendations 2005. With R. M. Hartshorn and A. T. Hutton. Cambridge: RSC Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85404-438-2.Hammond, C. R. (2009). Section 4; The Elements. In David R. Lide (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 89th ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press/Taylor and Francis.JÃ ©brak, Michel; Marcoux, Eric; Laithier, Michelle; Skipwith, Patrick (2014). Geology of mineral resources (2nd ed.). St. Johns, NL: Geological Association of Canada. ISBN 9781897095737.Ullmann, Fritz, ed. (2003). Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. 31. Contributor: Matthias Bohnet (6th ed.). Wiley-VCH. p. 24. ISBN 978-3-527-30385-4.

Learn About the Associative Property in Math

Learn About the Associative Property in Math According to the associative property, the addition or multiplication of a set of numbers is the same regardless of how the numbers are grouped. The associative property will involve 3 or more numbers. The parenthesis indicates the terms that are considered one unit. The groupings (Associative Property) are within the parenthesis. Hence, the numbers are associated together. In multiplication, the product is always the same regardless of their grouping. The Associative Property is pretty basic to computational strategies. Remember, the groupings in the brackets are always done first, this is part of the order of operations. Addition Example of the Associative Property When we change the groupings of addends, the sum does not change:(2 5) 4 11 or 2 (5 4) 11(9 3) 4 16 or 9 (3 4) 16Just remember that when the grouping of addends changes, the sum remains the same. Multiplication Example of the Associative Property When we change the groupings of factors, the product does not change:(3 x 2) x 4 24 or 3 x (2 x 4) 24.Just remember that when the grouping of factors changes, the product remains the same. Think Grouping! Changing the grouping of addends does not change the sum, changing the groupings of factors, does not change the product. Simply put, regardless of whether you show 3 x 4 or 4 x 3, the final result is the same. In addition, 4 3 or 3 4, you know that the outcome is the same, the answer remains the same. However, this is NOT the case in subtraction or division so when you think of the associative property, remember that the final result or answer remains the same or its not the associative property. The understanding of the concept of associative property is much more important that the actual term associative property. Titles often confuse students and youll discover that youll ask what the associative property is, only to be returned with a blank look. However, if you say to a child something like If I change the numbers in my addition sentence, does it matter? In other words, can I say 5 3 and 3 5, will the child that understands say yes because its the same? When you ask if you can do this with subtraction, theyll laugh or tell you that you cant do that. So in essence, a child knows about the associative property which is really all that matters even though you may stump them when you ask for a definition of the associative property. Do I care that the definition escapes them? Not at all, if they indeed know the concept. Lets not trip our students up with labels and definitions when concept understanding is the key ingredient in math.

Human computer interaction Annotated Bibliography

Human computer interaction - Annotated Bibliography Example Selection scheme tests showed the amount of buttons and kind of pointing device to select text. Icon tests showed the optimal shapes for recognition. Graphics tests showed that the line drawings interface needed revision. The focus was on basic users of computers who relied on recognition largely. The system was to be kept as simple as possible so that learning did not pose much of a problem. The studies conducted were largely qualitative in design except for the selection schemes that were tabulated statistically in terms of errors during usage. Even the statistical portions of the study were not well documented enough to warrant sturdy critique. The study is largely irrelevant in terms of HCI today as the study represents basic and early developments in HCI. The paper can however be considered to be watershed as it addresses major questions for development of user interfaces. The results of the paper are also significant as modern trends in user interface creation are similar to th e findings of the paper. Moreover the paper displays some bias as it only investigates a limited number of human cognition areas. The total study spanned six years and multiple tests which indicates that more issues could have been addressed. The paper is highly relevant to HCI as it represents the trends in the early development of HCI in general and the early development of graphical user interfaces in particular. The paper represents a shift from qualitative investigation methods to quantities methods. In itself this paper is symbolic of the transformation from qualitative investigation to quantitative investigation in the field of HCI. The paper is also reflective of how small segregated development has helped to make HCI and user interface design what they are today. Bush The author of this paper is a respected scientist in the scientific community of the Allies. The paper is set in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War and the author concentrates on the large amounts of learning and research produced during the war effort and the inaccessibility posed by the large volumes of information available. Towards the middle the author begins to envision the kind of devices required to access the large banks of information with the greatest convenience. The idea is further developed to envision a device resembling a modern computer in principle but differing largely in terms of design and operability. The author is confined to the use of hardware based techniques to achieve large advances in user interfaces. The chief methodology utilised by the author is speculation based on advances in user interfaces and HCI as far as the Second World War. The excessive utilisation of speculation as the chief method discounts the credibility of the paper to a large degree. The author’s findings are nothing more than mere ideas with little practical ground to bank on. The paper cannot be declared to be a watershed as there is little evidence that the advances i magined by the author were put to practical use immediately. Instead the evolution of HCI and user interfaces went through multiple other stages before it got to its current state. The paper can be related in its speculation to modern technology especially for indexing although the author’s methods for indexing are irrelevant today. Moreover the compression of data speculated by the author is highly relevant to ground realities today although again the author fails to provide any real solutions for it. The study is biased towards qualitative speculation rather than taking facts and building on them. There is not quantitative data or research anywhere in the paper at all. The paper can be seen as very early attempts at envisioning modern user interfaces

Physical Chemistry Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Physical Chemistry - Lab Report Example For example, steel containing a higher percentage of Mn is suitable for production of complex tools and durable machine parts. Contrarily, steel containing a substantial percentage of chromium is used to produce metallic parts that resist corrosion. In this case, quantitative determination of transition elements in steel is significant in industrial chemistry. Primarily, steel is made up of iron but it contain trace amounts of transition metals like manganese, chromium and copper among others. In practice, the actual amount of each element in a steel alloy can be determined quantitatively. This lab exercise covered on quantitative determination of manganese Mn in an unknown sample of steel. Determination of Mn in steel took advantage of the selective oxidation process underwent by Mn ions when exposed to a strong oxidizing agent like sodium bismuthate. In theory, colorless Mn ions in steel change to the deep purple MnO4- ions which can be quantitatively determined using the visible spectroscopy technique. In addition, back titration of Mn ions with agents like Fe2+ allows quantitative determination of Mn in steel. In practical contexts, precise determination of Mn in steel is compromised by the interfering effect of other trace elements metals like chromium (Stoddard, 2011). However, the interfering effects of these elements can be elimin ated by masking their colorful complexes with compounds like phosphoric acid which form colorless complexes with most ions. Subsequent sections of this report contain steps used in quantitative determination of Mn in steel. The first method in quantitative determination of Mn in steel was volumetric analysis. In this method, unknown samples of steel were titrated with KMnO4 followed by back titration of the sample with ferrous ammonium sulfate. First, a standard KMnO4 was prepared by titrating 0.1 M KMnO4 with sodium oxalate. Three separate standardization

Electronic Human Resource Management

Electronic Human Resource Management Chapter one: Introduction 1.1. Background: Since the mid 1990s, organizations increasingly introduce electronic Human Resource Management (HRM). It has different names, for example e-HRM, digital HRM and web-based HRM. The rapid development of the Internet during the last decade has also boosted the implementation and application of electronic Human Resource Management (e-HRM). Surveys of HR consultants suggest that both the number of organizations adopting e-HRM and the depth of applications within the organizations are continually increasing (e.g. CedarCrestone, 2005) in world wide. In addition, an escalating number of practitioner reports provide anecdotal evidence that e-HRM is becoming increasingly common and may lead to remarkable changes (e.g. Anonymous, 2001). Consequently, academic interest in e-HRM has increased, as several special issues of HR-related journals demonstrate (Stanton Coovert, 2004; Townsend Bennett, 2003; Viswesvaran, 2003). In the interim, there is an initial body of empirical research in e-HRM. Ho wever, since this research stems from several disciplines and is scattered throughout numerous journals and since initial reviews are not encompassing (Anderson, 2003; Lievens Harris 2003; Welsh, Wanberg, Brown, Simmering, 2003), the results of these studies remain unclear at present. Furthermore, changes in the role that HR fulfills in the organization and the implementation of e-HRM are related to each other, and should not be considered separately (Gardner et al., 2003; Fletcher, 2005). The implementation of e-HRM should fit well with strategic organizational needs regarding personnel in general and HR redesign in specific. Little is known about this fit, however. In relation to this point, the possible perception of e-HRM as an attempt by the strategic level within the organization to offload operational HR work onto employees respectively managers should be taken into account when analyzing acceptance of e-HRM systems. In the last decade the Internet has radically changed our social and economic lives, and has had a profound effect on the way organizations are managed. For example, it has altered human resource (HR) practices and changed strategies for attracting and retaining employees. The same strategies have become particularly important because organizations increasingly depend on workers knowledge, skills, abilities, and other attributes (KSAOs) to compete in todays economy (Ulrich, 2001) in Oman. In addition, the Internet has enabled organizations to become more collaborative, connected, and responsive to the changing needs of the workforce. For instance, new electronic human resource (e-HR) systems allow individuals to apply for jobs, change their job-related benefits, and enhance their knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) through web-based training systems. The type of information technology adopted by HRM has been phrased, as it has evolved, differently over the years, for example: Hum an Resource Information System (HRIS), Human Resources Management System (HRMS), Human Resource Development And Information Technology (HRDIS), and the most current and popular electronic HR (e-HR). The use of IT by HRM is growing especially critical to the business nowadays when discontinuities (mergers, acquisitions, restructuring and downsizing) are altering the industry landscape in a drastic way. HRM executives, the key figures in organizations responsible for fine-tuning a capable workforce, must have the right and real-time information to measure, manage, and predict how workforce should be allocated and reconfigured effectively. With the analyzed information produced by the IT, HR professionals, more than ever, are able to align their management goals and the goals of individual employees with corporate strategy to deliver strategic plans with quantifiable results, and, ultimately, be able to deal with changes proactively. With the help from the information technology, HRM p rofessionals are also able to demonstrate the HRMs benefit to the bottom line by effectively managing knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) that create winning companies. Human resource management (HRM) departments using information and communication technologies (ICTs) is becoming an increasingly important phenomenon commonly referred to as e-HRM. Automating HR tasks and practices is transforming the traditional paper-and-pencil, labor-intensive HR tasks, into efficient, fast-response activities that enable companies to anticipate and profit from environmental shifts to create a much needed competitive advantage (Marler, 2006; Watson Wyatt, 2002). Even though the e-HRM concept is widely used today, there are hardly any explicit definitions. The few detectable definitions (Lengnick-Hall Moritz, 2003; RuÃÆ' «l, Bondarouk, Looise, 2004) are rather general and emphasize the Internet-supported way of performing HR policies and/or activities. Leaning on these intensions, the following definition of e-HRM can be specified: e-HRM is the (planning, implementation and) application of information technology for both networking and supporting at least two individual or collective actors in their shared performing of HR activities. This concept highlights several crucial aspects of e-HRM. At the outset, e-HRM utilizes information technology in a twofold manner: First, technology is necessary to connect usually spatially segregated actors and enable interactions between them irrespective of their working in the same room or on different continents, i.e. technology serves as a medium with the aim of connection and integration. Second, t echnology supports actors by partially and sometimes even completely substituting for them in executing HR activities. Hence, information technology serves additionally as a tool for task fulfillment. The planning aspect accentuates the systematic and anticipated way of applying information technology. The shared performing of tasks through at least two actors points out that the sharing of HR activities is an additional feature and underlines the aspect of interaction and networking. The consideration of individual and collective actors takes into account that e-HRM is a multilevel phenomenon; besides individual actors, there are collective actors like groups, organizational units and even whole organizations that interact in order to perform HR activities. Beside e-HR(M), there are some further concepts which obviously refer to the same phenomenon. Widely accepted are such terms as virtual HR(M) (e.g., Lepak Snell, 1998), web-based HR(M) (e.g., RuÃÆ' «l et al., 2004), or bus iness-to-employee (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“B2Eà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ) (e.g., Huang, Jin, Yang, 2004). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Virtual HRMà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  refers to technological mediated networks of different internal and external actors providing the firm with the HR services needed without the further existence of a conventional HR department which therefore becomes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“virtualà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . E-HRM is additionally open to less developed varieties of technology application, e.g. the shared performing of an application process by a conventional HR department and an applicant via the Internet. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Web-based HRMà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  couples the concept to Internet technologies. E-HRM, as well, is particularly web-orientated, but also comprises additional technologies like networked ERP-Systems. Finally, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“business-to-employeeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  reduces the concept to the internal actor categories of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“businessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (presumably line managers and HR profess ionals) and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“employeesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . In contrast, e-HRM is open to further relevant actor categories like applicants or consultants. To sum up, these further terms undoubtedly direct attention to main characteristics of the same phenomenon but are of somewhat narrower intensions. Thus, in order to comprehensively embrace relevant aspects, the e-HRM term is used. Fundamental definition of HRM offered by numerous scholars remains to be the managing of people who work in an organization (Gomez -Mejia, Balkin Cardy, 2001). Another popular definition of HRM specified the top management of the corporation as the only employer of the HRM staff (Renckly, 1997). Based on this thinking, HRM is to essentially establish, develop, maintain, and communicate personnel policies to the entire company, and thus, to represent, help, advise, and consult with the employees of the organizations. It is apparent that HRM was defined from an employer perspective, and was expected to serve and represent first, last and always the best interests of their only employer: top management. Beer and Spector (1985), representing another group of researchers and HRM practitioners, defined HRM from the relationship perspective as the management of this relationship between employees and the organization which, more specifically, involves all management decisions which affect the nature of the relationship between the organization and employeesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  its human resources. Nadler (1990), on the other hand, defines HRM from an organizational learning point of view as: the organized learning experience in a definite time period to increase the possibility of improving job performance and growth. As human resource (HR) management departments continue to move to internet or web-based technology (The Hunter Group, 2001), more research evaluating the use of web-based HR, or electronic human resource management (e-HRM) is needed. The fastest growing trend in the delivery of HR information is employee self-service (ESS) (Gueutal, 2003). These applications give employees the ability to access and maintain their personal HR information via the web. Another growing trend is the adoption of managerial self-service (MSS) which provides managers access to a variety of HR tools and information via the web (Gueutal, 2003). Most manager HR-related tasks can be completed via MSS applications including pay administration/compensation, performance management, staffing, and employee development (Gueutal, 2003). Another term used to describe these tools utilized within a given organization is human resource information systems (HRIS), which Kavanagh and Thite (2008) define as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“th e system used to acquire, store, manipulate, analyse, retrieve, and distribute information regarding an organizations human resources.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Lepak and Snell (1998) refer to the four à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"pressures of virtual HRM. First of all, HRM departments are asked to focus on strategic questions. Secondly, these departments need to be flexible in terms of policymaking and practices. Thirdly, HRM departments should work efficiently and be aware of costs. Fourthly, HRM departments should be service-oriented towards management and employees. In short, HRM departments must be strategy-focused, flexible, efficient, and client oriented; and all at the same time (Lepak and Snell, 1998). RuÃÆ' «l et al. (2004) highlighted an aspect that is fairly well covered by the above but that is nevertheless interesting to spell out, namely the changing nature of the employment relationship. With the supply shortage in the labor market (during the economic upturn of the 1990s), the individualization of society, and the increased educational level of citizens (and thus of employees), the power balance in the employment relationship has shift ed in the direction of the employees: they want to steer their own career paths. In the view of RuÃÆ' «l et al. (2004), a move towards e-HRM can provide the tools to support this development. This aspect fits into earlier-mentioned drivers such as improving service towards internal clients, but has an external societal drive. Yet another goal of e-HRM was stressed as the outcome of the case study research conducted by RuÃÆ' «l et al (2004): it is necessary to recognize that to improve a companys global orientation can become a strong drive to start with e-HRM. Theoretical debates suggest three goals of e-HRM are cost reduction, improving of HR services, and improving strategic orientation (Brockbank, 1997; Lepak and Snell, 1998; Stanton and Coovert, 2004). Few empirical findings supplement these goals with globalisation as a driving e-HRM force in international large organisations, but also show that those goals are not clearly defined in practice, and that e-HRM mostly direct ed at cost reductions and efficiency of HR services, and least at strategic orientation of HRM (Gardner et al, 2003; RuÃÆ' «l et al, 2004; Ruta, 2005). HRM effectiveness is often mentioned as HRM contribution to firm performance (see, for ex., Kane et al, 1999; Ostroff and Bowen, 2000; Wright et al, 2001). Especially during the past decade the HRM literature made attempts to show that progressive HR practices result in higher firm performance (Wright et al, 2005; Hope Hailey, 2005). Huselids (1995) pioneering study has shown that a set of HR practices labelled High Performance Work Systems were related to turnover, accounting profits, and firm market value. Since then, a growing number of studies have attempted to empirically test the relationships between HR practices and firm performance (see elaborated overviews by Delery and Doty, 1996; Ostroff and Bowen, 2000; Boselie et al, 2001; Tsui and Wang, 2002; Wright et al, 2005). For example, MacDuffie (1995) has found that bundles of HR practices were related to productivity and quality in his sample of auto assembly plants. Delery and Doty (1996) found significant relationships betwe en HR practices and accounting profits among a sample of banks. Youndt et al (1996) discovered that certain combinations of HR practices in their sample of manufacturing firms were related to operational performance indicators. More recently, the study of Batt (2002) examined the relationship between HR practices, employee quit rates, and organizational performance in the service sector, and revealed that quit rates were lower and sales growth was higher in call centers that emphasized high skills, employee participation, and human resource incentives like high employment security. 1.2. Problem Statement One of the principal and most integral objectives of Omans Vision 2020 is the development of Human Resources. The importance of Human Resource Development (HRD) has been given top priority throughout the Sultanate of Omans successive Five-Year Development Plan. In Omans vision 2020; economic conference held in Muscat in June, 1995, His Majestys address to the nation clearly emphasized the need for the private sector to undertake an active role in the development of the economic process and in the achievement of the national goals. Nonetheless, this was not considered in isolation from the development of the national human resources, but rather in conjunction as proclaimed by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said: Development is not a goal in itself rather; it exists for building man, who is its means and producer. Therefore, development must not stop at the achievement of a diversified economy. it must go beyond that and contribute to the formation of the citizen who is capable of taking part in the process of progress and comprehensive development. (Vision 2020 Conference, June, 1995). In Oman, now as never before, the training and development of national (Omani) human resources to a high level of efficiency competency is a must. This is due to a number of reasons including less dependence on oil resources, less dependence on foreign (expatriate) workers, Omanization, implementation of a successful privatization program, diversification, industrialization, technological innovation and an increasingly competitive global market. To meet the goal of Vision 2020, electronic human resource management is the one of the essential part for the development of the human capital. In this sense it is quite difficult for effective e-HRM in firms in Oman. Technologically it will be new to the firms in Oman. Henson (2005) identifies workforce and technology as the heartbeat and the toolset of the HR business today. HRM is no doubt the business unit most directly responsible for the managing and the developing of the workforce, therefore, factors and trends that trigger the workforce changes need to be addressed with care. Researchers in 21st century have come to the realization of the greatest workforce crisis: the aging of the industrialized world (Dychtwald, Erickson Morison, 2006), resulting in an unprecedented shift in the age distribution of the general population and, specifically, the labor force. 1.3. Research Question: 1. Does an e-HRM tool affect e-HRM function? 2. Is there any relationship between e-HRM tools and HRM function? 3. Is there any relationship between HRM function and firm performance in e-HRM practice? 1.4. Research Objective: Main objective of this study is to investigate the e-HRM effectiveness in oil industry in Oman. * To investigate whether the e-HRM tools and HRM function are related * To investigate whether e-HRM tools affect the HRM functions * To investigate whether e-HRM has an effect on firm performance 1.5. Significant of the Study This study will provide the human resource professional to more effective way to implement the human resource functions implementation in oil industry in Oman. This study also identified e-HRM features that deserve HRM practitioners attention and organizational resources. This in-depth examining of the set of e-HRM features can also serve as potential tools for the management to decide on the future adjustments of their e-HR system, and the implementation of the new systems. From a practical perspective, result like performances, either yielded by certain business division like HRM or by organizations, reflects an organizations capabilities in implementing competitive strategies and tools, and aligning its resources and goals. Therefore, by establishing and learning the relationships among the use of e-HRM system, the perceived importance of e-HRM features, HRMs functional performances organizational performances, and the perceived importance of the dimensions of the organizational performances, HRM practitioners shall be able to manage IT-related issues more effectively, and benefit better from the use of e-HRM. Although this study will be based on the oil industry in Oman; but the finding can helps the other organization also such as education, manufacturer etc. to practice human resource function through online more effectively. 1.6. Scope of the study We only use the technology factors and the HRM function implementation through online for HRM effectiveness in this study. There are some other opportunities for researcher to conduct the research on e-HRM effectiveness in Oman. They can add the strategic part of organization with these variables in future. Strategic variable such as the organization goal, objectives and so on can be considered for further study. . Beside this the technology factors such as system implementation also can be included. 1.7. Limitation of the Study In this study one of the major problems is about the sample. This study can take larger sample than it will be taken. An also the time is another limitation for conducting this research. Shortage of time make researcher to consider the sample for this dissertation in few firms only. Beside that money allocation is another problem for this research. Researcher is using his own money to conduct this study. So that he cannot cover the wide area of or many more firm for analyze. 1.8. Organisation of the study: Chapter two: Literature Review 2.1. Theoretical perspectives Given different interpretations and assessments of theory, there is an ambiguity concerning theories, frameworks and other phenomenological conceptualizations. Even acknowledging a broad intension of theory, only one-fifth of the studies rest on theoretical bases. Corresponding to the diverse disciplines and topics, the theories employed are also quite diverse. Often, several perspectives are employed in an eclectic manner. Predominantly, micro-level theories of psychological and behavioral provenance are adopted. Attribution theory and correspondence inference theory (ElginClapham, 2004), the attraction-selection-attrition and the similarity-attraction paradigm (Dineen, Ash, Noe, 2002), change management theories (Ruta, 2005), organizational citizenship behavior (Huang, Jin, et al., 2004), privacy theories (Harris, van Hoye,Lievens, 2003), procedural justice theory (Dineen,Noe, Wang, 2004), signaling theory (Cober,Brown Levy,Cober 2003), as well as social cognitive theory (Williams on, Lepak, King, 2003) are adopted in order to explain individual perceptions and reactions arising from e-HRM. Additionally, a learning theory is adopted to compare instructor-led and web-based learning (Coppola Myre, 2002). In addition, some theories stemming from information systems research are used. The technology acceptance model (Huang, Yang, Jin, Chiu, 2004), the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (Ruta, 2005), and the theory of usability (Williamson, Lipak, King, 2003) are used to frame again problems of individual reactions and usage. Also, a conceptual IT-framework is used to structure e-HRM impacts on HR-professionals (Gardner, Lepak, Bartol, 2003). One single study pursues a microeconomic approach to explain e-employment markets (Nissen Gates, 2004). In brief, current empirical research in e-HRM is mainly non theoretical. The theories applied are micro-level oriented, diverse in nature and often eclectic in application. Interestingly, recognized ma cro-level theories of HRM (Wright McMahan, 1992) were not considered. 2.2. HRM Effectiveness To know the effectiveness of e-HRM, HRM functions are relatively come to the picture. The American Society for Personnel Administration (ASPA), the predecessor to SHRM, first defined HRM functions in 1975 as the technical competencies in the following areas (HRCI, 2006): * Employment, placement and personnel planning. * Training and development. * Compensation and benefits. * Health, safety and security. * Employee and labor relations. * Personnel research. Smith and Mazin (2004) reports the scope of the HRM functions covers the following areas of functionality: * Employee selection * HR policies, performance management * Performance Management * Training and development * Employee relations and retention * Compensation * Benefits * Regulatory Issues * Workforce violence and investigation * Termination and discharge Researchers also observed other dimensions to HRM as well, for instance, Huselid, Jackson and Schuler (1997) reports that HRM effectiveness has two essential dimensions. The first, the technical HRM, includes the delivery of HRM basics such as recruiting, compensation, separation etc. The second, strategic HRM, involves delivering those services in a way that directly supports the implementation of the firms strategy. Other academia and HRM professionals are also inclined to analyze HRM functions from various perspectives, for example: from the areas of activity (Nadler,1990), and from the areas of service rendered. Nadler (1990) first groups the HRM functions into three specific areas of activity: (1) training, which implies learning related to present job, (2) education, which implies learning to prepare the individual for a different but identified job, (3) development, which implies learning for growth of the individual, but not related to a specific present or future job. This f urther reinforces the thinking of HRM being learning-driven. 2.3. Implementation e-HR Kehoe, Dickter, Russell and Sacco (2005) points out that the organizations overall culture and HRM strategy determine the manner in which organizations will implement their e-enablement systems. The e-enabled programs can either be implemented as part of a broad e-enablement of HR processes and systems, or implemented independent of other HR processes and systems. It is even possible that specific e-enabled assessment applications may be implemented independent of each other. No matter what, organizations need to develop guiding principles regarding the following issues on the management of an e-enabled HR environment: * Risk management relating to employment discrimination * Buy versus build and the roles of internal HR IT and third party providers * HR expertise versus automaticity in the e-enabled assessment process * Whose functions the system will be designed to support * Ownership * The integration of e-enabled assessment with other HR systems and process * Free market versus regulated processes E-recruitment In terms of the organizations objectives, the primary goal of the recruitment process is to attract potential applicants (prospects) who have the KSAOs needed to meet the requirements of organizational roles. Thus, organizations are increasingly using the Internet to advertise job openings and attract qualified prospects. The web-based advertisements often provide prospects with information about (a) job vacancies, (b) job descriptions, (b) the organizations culture and its à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“brand identity,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  and (d) the inducements (e.g., pay, fringe benefits, learning opportunities, promotion prospects) offered its employees. Interestingly, some estimates indicate that 100%of large firms currently use the Internet to announce job openings, and 82% of large firms use intranet systems to post openings or identify qualified employees within the organization (Cedar, 2002). For example, organizations have developed sophisticated web-based recruiting systems to convey informat ion about job opportunities and give applicants the ability to complete applications online (Stone, Johnson, Navas, Stone- Romero, 2005; Stone, Lukaszewski, Isenhour, 2005). In addition, organizational intranet systems are often used to search employment records to determine if the KSAOs of current employees are consistent with the requirements of vacant or soon-to-be vacant roles. Such systemsmay automatically provide managers with lists of qualified employees, and notify individuals about new job opportunities. In addition, the same systems may send messages to employees that ask about their interests in job openings. Overall, e-HR-based recruiting systems are thought to reach a much wider set of prospects than traditional recruiting systems (Gueutal Stone, 2005; Stone, Lukaszewski et al., 2005). Internet-based e-HR systems are also used to provide job applicants (applicants) with virtual previews of organizations. For instance, some organizations use à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“real timeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  cameras to give prospects a preview of what it is like to work in the organization on a daily basis. Other organizations (e.g., Cisco Systems) use such systems to give job applicants the opportunity to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“make friends in the organization.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Through the resulting contacts, prospects can gather considerable information about the benefits and challenges of working for the organization. As a result of the availability of information about role requirements and inducements, applicants can determine if their (a) needs can be satisfied by offered inducements, and (b) KSAOs are likely to enable them to meet role requirements. Though a great deal of organizations believe e-recruiting systems permit firms to cast a wide net across a broad labor market, and is more likely than traditional recruitment sources to uncover individuals with unique talents and skills, researches show that e-recruiting only attracts greater numbers of candidates than other sources, but not necessarily attracts higher quality applicants or candidates who are most suitable for the companies than traditional sources (Chapman Webster, 2003; Galanaki, 2002). McManus and Ferguson (2003) discovers: given that some types of candidates may be more likely to use e-recruiting than the others (for instance, job hoppers or savvy internet navigators), the use of the e-recruiting systems may actually affect the characteristics of new hires in organizations, and influence the overall composition of the workforce. McManus and Ferguson (2003), Galanki (2002), Zusman and Landis (2002) further argue that there are age, gender, and ethnic differences in reactions to and usage of online recruitment sources, therefore, organizations should not use online recruiting as the sole recruitment sources. E-Selection There are three purposes for all the HR e-enablement (Kehoe, Dickter, Russell Sacco, 2005): (1) to minimize cost, (2) to maximize the utilization of the organizations human capital, (3) to enable sustainability which refers to the organizations willingness and ability not only to maintain the e-enabled system, but to progressively evolve the system to satisfy changing requirements, and capitalize on improvements in technology and the science of selection. The purposes for e-enabling selection are no any different from the above. While conducting the maximizing the utilization of the organizations human capital, organizations are required to design two measures into the e-enabled selection system: (1) the capital represented by each person who goes through the process (including the set of text scores, interview ratings, resum6 quality indices, background check results, drug test results, and any other quantifiable evaluation of the skills, experiences, abilities.. ..etc.), and (2) t he extent to which the process results in decisions that maximize the utilization of that capital (for example, ratio or difference between average test scores for selected candidates to average test scores for all candidates, percentage of candidates who satisfy minimum requirements such as for drug tests or background checks, retention rates, post-hire, new hire performance management results.. ..etc.). Organizations also need to enable sustainability by emphasizing on: clear ownership, funding strategy, business contribution, user satisfaction, and professional support. As for the implementation, Kehoe, Dickter, Russell and Sacco reports that more and more organizations nowadays prefer to acquire a vendors e-selection system because of the appealing features of specialized and flexible system solution products available on the market. E-Performance Management Researchers have previously compared online administrations and traditional paper-and-pencil (PP) administrations of organizational surveys (Thompson et al., 2003), measurement of psychological constructs (Cole et al., 2006), upward feedback ratings (Smither et al., 2004), and item responses to a 3608 assessment (Penny, 2003). Whereas researchers have contrasted online versus PP groups reactions to selection tools (Richman-Hirsch et al., 2000), no research has compared online versus PP administrations in the context of performance appraisal (PA). Although frequently defined as a measurement instrument or tool, PA is the social and communication process in which a supervisor evaluates an employees behavior in the workplace and communicates those ratings and feedback back to the employee (Murphy and Cleveland, 1995). The purpose of this study is to address this gap in the applied research literature and examine the extent to which an online PA system influences employees reactions to t heir PA. We believe this is an important applied research question that HR managers need to know the answer to before implementing e-HRM/HRIS PA tools. Though Cardy and Miller (2005) argues that the level of performance made possible by technological advancement has changed the standard for acceptable performance, appraisal satisfaction remains a relevant concern for organizations even when technology is either a primary mechanism for the feedback process, or already become the appraisal process, because high-quality performance feedback is a critical factor that helps organizations retain, motivate, and develop their employees, and, these outcomes are more likely to occur if employees are satisfied with