Boyle Heights Los Angeles Community Needs Assessment

Boyle Heights Los Angeles Community Needs Assessment Boyle Heights is a neighborhood located on the east side of Los Angeles (Healthy City, 2010). An initial assessment of the community revealed issues of poverty and crime. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Hollenbeck Division (2011), the majority of crimes committed in the Boyle Heights community are property crimes such as auto theft and burglary, however there are also violent crimes such as robbery and aggravated assaults (Los Angeles Police Department COMPSTAT, 2011). According to detective Antonio Macklin of the Hollenbeck police station in Boyle Heights, the majority of crimes are motivated by economic factors as Boyle Heights is a poor community (A. Macklin, personal communication, February 10, 2011). An initial drive and walk through the residential areas of the community of Boyle Heights revealed homes in various states of disrepair. The majority of houses are old. As one walks further along through the streets graffiti is visible. However, this is also a community rich in cultural history. A further walk through the community reveals a historical museum, Mariachi Plaza, Murals depicting Mexican American Culture, Catholic Churches, and family-owned markets, restaurants and clothing stores. Despite crime in the area, children are observed playing in the streets, in the local parks and in their backyards. The community does have various parks and recreation centers as well as community centers. Community Characteristics Physical/Geographical Boyle Heights is located in East Los Angeles and its geographical boundaries are demarcated by the City of Vernon to the South, East Los Angeles to the east, Lincoln Heights and El Sereno to the north, Los Angeles River and Downtown Los Angeles to the West (City of Los Angeles, 2005). For the purpose of this needs assessment, the boundaries of Boyle Heights were narrowed to boundaries as defined by the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council website (2011) consisting of Marengo Street to the North, 25th street to the South, Indiana street to the East and the Los Angeles River to the West (Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council, n.d.). Boyle Heights is a mixture of residential areas, commercial areas, open space and public facilities (City of Los Angeles, 2005). According to data obtained from HealthyCity.org (2010), there are 12 Parks and Recreational Centers within a one mile radius of the Boyle Heights community. Additionally, Boyle Heights has a variety of small businesses punctuated by as sets in the community such as White Memorial Medical Center, the extension of the Metro Gold Line and Los Angeles USC Medical Center, which according to the President of the Boyle Heights Chamber of Commerce, Alicia Maldonado, these assets have brought improvements to the community, jobs for the residents, customers to the retail establishments and better health care (Boyle Heights Chamber of Commerce, 2011, p. 1). Former resident of Boyle Heights, Geneva Garcia, who resided in the area from the 1950s until 2009, stated that independent of the presence of gangs and crime in the area, she has fond memories of her childhood and her life in Boyle Heights because of the many parks, recreational activities, sports and other community activities available to her (G. Garcia, personal communication, February 10, 2011). Ms. Garcia also confirmed that the majority of the community is Latino. This has further been confirmed through data obtained from the HealthyCity.org website and observation of the community. Historical Background According to the Boyle Heights Historical Society Website (2011), Boyle Heights was originally founded in the late 1800s. However, the neighborhood became recognized in the early 20th century as a neighborhood of immigrants (Boyle Heights Historical Society, 2011). During this period of time, Boyle Heights became a gateway for immigrants who could not live in downtown Los Angeles because of the racial segregation of Jews, Mexicans, Japanese and some Russians (Los Angeles Times Magazine, 2009). Although currently, Jewish, Japanese and Russian immigrants are not part of the make-up of this community, they are an important part of its history. According to The Boyle Height Project (2003), the Boyle Heights community has been a melting-pot of diverse cultures which need to be preserved and understood. Interviews conducted by the project in 2003 with previous residents of the area from Japanese, Jewish and Russian descent, indicate that these former residents of the area all bonded over b eing immigrants and victims of racial discrimination. This history of discrimination and disenfranchisement has carried over to the current population of the community which is Mexican-American, Latino and working class (The Boyle Heights Project: A Power of Place, 2003). Population/Economic/Political According to the HealthyCity.org (2010), the total population living in Boyle Heights is 50,155 with 91.66% of the population being Hispanic, 2.87% White and 1.58% Black or African American, which makes Boyle Heights a predominantly Latino community. Economically, Boyle Heights is an under-privileged community compared to similar neighborhoods in the area. According to HealthyCity.org (2011), families living below the poverty level in Boyle Heights is 28.40%. This is compared to a rate of 16.02% in El Sereno, 19.44% in Chinatown and 24.15% in Lincoln Heights, all of which are neighboring communities to Boyle Heights. This data indicates that Boyle Heights is the poorest of all the communities in the East Los Angeles Area comprised of zip codes, 90012, 90031, and 90032. According to the California Endowment website (2011), politically, Boyle Heights encompasses city council district 14 represented by Councilman Jose Huizar. Other political representatives at the local level include Co unty Supervisor, district 1, Gloria Molina and Mayor of the City of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa (California Endowment, 2011). At the State level, Boyle Heights is represented by senators Gil Cedillo and Gloria Romero and State assemblymen, Kevin De Leon and John Perez (California Endowment, 2011). All elected officials representing Boyle Heights are part of the Democratic Party however, Boyle Heights political life is said to be dominated by a mixture of both, conservative and progressive politicians (California Endowment, 2011). Community Resources/Strengths and Needs Boyle Heights is a community with many different resources and strengths. This is a community with several service providers as identified through the Healthy City website (2010). A survey of the services and programs available indicates that there are at least 16 programs in the community for youth and families. Resources include various parks and recreational centers, community events such as summer lights in the park, museums, community centers, sports facilities, schools, a learning collaborative, commercial facilities, restaurants, and catholic churches each of which are a source of strength in the community. Also among the strengths in this community is HomeBoy Industries, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing services free of charge to youth and adults who no longer wish to engage in gang activity. Their services include but are not limited to school, job training and placement, counseling, and legal services (HomeBoy Industries, n.d.). Additionally, Projecto Pastor al at Dolores Mission focuses on underprivileged youth in the area and provides after school programs during the school year and a program called IMPACTO which provides outreach services, tutoring, personal development and a safe place for youth (Projecto Pastoral, n.d.). These two programs highlight the availability of programs and resources in this community. However, despite the availability of resources in the community, there is a prevalent need for economic development in the form of more jobs and economic opportunities for the residents of the area in order ameliorate the high poverty and unemployment rate. Furthermore, although there are an abundance of service providers in the area, there is no consistent collaboration between service providers, which is a need that should be strengthened in order to increase the effectiveness of services provided. Interview Section Interviews were conducted with several members of the community including a law enforcement officer, a service provider, a former resident who lived in the community in the 1950s and a mother currently living in the community with teenage children. Quotes and excerpts from the interviews are incorporated throughout the paper however, it is important to note that all of the individuals interviewed share common experiences, all of which take place in the neighborhood of Boyle Heights. The interviewees believe that young adults can prevent themselves from making unsafe choices by obtaining the following qualities: a good support system, recognizing and acceptance of their problems and participation in intervention programs to help them achieve a positive and healthier lifestyle. The interviewees believe that the presence of violence is evident in any community however, with awareness and appropriate prevention and intervention efforts, each individual has the power to make positive choi ces that lead to a lifespan of good outcomes as opposed to a lifespan of constant struggle with destructive behavior and engagement in violent crime. The Social Problem Boyle Heights is a diverse community with a rich history that includes a long legacy of gang activity as a community concern. These concerns have been highly publicized for decades (Los Angeles Times Magazine, 2009; Urban Institute, 2010; Advancement Project, 2006). According to LAPD Hollenbeck Division gang detectives, Boyle Heights has a higher gang population than any other neighborhood in the Los Angeles Area (Urban Institute 2010). The city of Los Angeles is considered the gang capital of the world (Urban Institute, 2010; Advancement Project 2006; R. Hernandez, classroom lecture, February 8, 2011). When Los Angeles Mayo Antonio Villaraigosa took office, a priority of his was to address the gang problem in Los Angeles (R. Hernandez, 2011). In order to accomplish this task, the Mayors office instituted the Gang Reduction and Youth Development Program or GRYD (Urban Institute, 2010; Advancement Project; 2006; R. Hernandez, 2011). The GRYD program is a targeted prevention and interv ention program aimed at reducing the gang problem in Los Angeles (Urban Institute, 2010; R. Hernandez, 2011). In order to accomplish this task, the advancement project divided gang impacted communities into GRYD zones (Advancement Project 2006; Urban Institute, 2010; R Hernandez, 2011). The neighborhood of Boyle Heights is GRYD zone and according to the Urban Institute GRYD Boyle Heights evaluation report (2010), in the mid 2000s there were an estimated 2,000 documented and suspected gang members from the major gangs in Boyle Heights including: Barrio Nuevo Estrada, Opal Street, Indiana Dukes, White Fence and 8th street (Urban Institute, 2010). The prevalence of gangs in the area was further confirmed by qualitative interviews with key informants in the area. These informants include Detective Antonio Macklin of the Hollenbeck Division who stated during an interview that gang related crime and violence has been an issue in the community although less recently than in previous years (A. Macklin, 2011). Geneva Garcia, former resident of the area stated that she recalls the presence of gangs in the neighborhood growing up and I also recall shootings, crime and violence (G. Garcia, 2011). Although she also stated that gangs were just part of the neighborhood and that for the most part they left residents of the area alone if you did not interfere with their activities. (G. Garcia, 2011). Geneva also stated that, in her opinion, gangs not only sources of crime and violence as publicized in the media but also sources of safety for the community. (G. Garcia, 2011). The perspective of Ms. Garcia seems to contradict most public opinion or official reports however, it is important to consider that Ms. Garcia was a resident of the area from 1950 until 2009 and therefore she represents an important perspective in this community. Furthermore, Ms. Garcias opinion correlates with findings expressed in the professional literature, namely, that gang concerns are multi-faceted with poverty being one of the main contributing factors (The Advancement Project, 2006; Urban Institute, 2010; Zimmerman et al., 2004; Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, 2004; Coughlin Venkatesh, 2003). According to research conducted by the Advancement Project (2006), massive job losses in East Los Angeles during the mid 1970s to the 1980s along with policies such as proposition 13, which cut property tax revenue, had an economic impact in the community that led to an increase in gang activity for economic reasons. Law enforcement officer Detective Antonio Macklin of the Hollenbeck police department further corroborated this impact, as did Rolando Cruz from Home Boy Industries, since both individuals were interviewed as part of this assessment. Each of these key informants advised that economic downturns correlate to an increase in gang activity. In fact, HomeBoy Industries, a non-profit organization in the area has a motto of Nothing stops a bullet like a job. During the personal interview, Rolando Cruz, the curriculum coordinator for said organization states that If someone is earning a decent paycheck in an honest way, there is no reason for them to be out there in the streets ( R. Cruz, personal communication, February 5, 2011). Although the gang concerns should not be oversimplified by reducing them to only economic terms, it is important to recognize that poverty is deeply interconnected with social issues such as gang involvement. Impact Gang involvement has negatively impacted the community of Boyle Heights. (The Advancement Project, 2006; Urban Institute, 2010; A. Macklin, 2011; R. Hernandez, 2011). In 2006, 14.3% of deaths in the Boyle Heights community were attributed to firearms (Healthy City, 2010). Additionally, there was a high percentage, 42.46% ,of non-fatal firearms incidents in Boyle Heights in 2007 (Healthy City, 2010). These statistics are augmented by recent crime statistics available for this community. According to the Los Angeles Times crime mapping system, during the past six months, from July 2010 to January of 2011, the rate of violent crimes in the Boyle Heights area continues to be higher than in neighboring communities such as El Sereno, Lincoln Heights, Downtown and Chinatown (Los Angeles Times, n.d.). The impact of violence and crime is significant in any community, however, the impact of violence and crime is greater in a community like Boyle Heights, which is a community with a high propor tion of youth, 32.87 % (Healthy City, 2010), low educational attainment as 42.25% of the population has less than a 9th grade education (Healthy City, 2010), a 46.36% unemployment rate (Healthy City, 2010), and a high percentage of families living below poverty level at 28.40% (Healthy City, 2010). All of these risk factors contribute to a community in which violence and crime are part of a way of life that takes young people away from more positive activities such as being engaged in school, seeking skills for employment and becoming involved in community activities which might lead to a decrease in gang involvement. The prevalence of risk factors in this community with its connection to gang activity is perhaps must poignantly described by Rolando Cruz of Home Boy Industries, who grew up in Boyle Heights when he stated that gang crimes, the evidence of high poverty rates, the low educational status, and the unemployment rates are familiar community issues from my past and scenes o f the present struggle in attempting to transform the troubling youth of the community into productive citizens. (R. Cruz, personal communication, February 10, 2011). Community efforts to address a reduction in gang activity include non-profit organizations such as HomeBoy Industries, The GRYD program through the Mayors office, which works on prevention and intervention with local service providers in the area, programs such as Boys and Girls Club, recreational programs through the many parks in the area, the Boyle Heights learning collaborative, and community events such as summer lights in the park (Healthy City, 2010; A. Macklin, 2011; R. Cruz, 2011; R. Hernandez, 2011). However, despite the progress made toward reducing gang activity and youth violence in the community, the question remains, how can this social problem be mitigated? Although there is no clear answer to this question, there is a theoretical lens that when applied to this social problem provides insight into the many components of this complex issue. Ecosystems theory provides this theoretical lens. Theory Ecosystems theory focuses on the interaction between the individual and his or her environment (Salkind, 2005; Miley, OMelia, DuBois, 2009). As such, ecosystems theory describes the behaviors of individuals, families, groups, organizations, local communities, and international societies as interconnected (Miley et al., p. 30). This is a helpful lens when analyzing a social problem since it conceptualizes behavior from the point of view that human behavior and interaction develops overtime and it is a response to external factors and sees behavior as adaptive given its context (Miley et al., p. 30). When applying this lens to gang activity and youth violence, one can see how gang involvement makes sense in a community where youth are raised with poverty, low educational attainment, few resources, violence as a way of life, labeling by law enforcement, abuse or neglect at home, immigration factors and multi-generational gang involvement. This has been corroborated by the professional knowledge base. In 2004, Zimmerman et.al published a study in which they interviewed adolescent middle school children about their beliefs and experiences surrounding gang involvement and gang violence. One of the most significant findings of the study is that childrens exposure to violence at home and in their community provided for a normative experience associated with violence and a tendency to lose sympathy for victims of violence (Zimmerman et al., 2004). Furthermore, Zimmerman et.al (2004) found that with regard to individuals who feel powerless within their social structure, the lure of violence and aggressive peer groups (i.e. gangs) might prove to provide a sense of personal security and power as one youth wrote Violence, is in a way, is power the power to rule people, if people are afraid of you, you have power over them, you can make them do what you want. (Zimmerman et al. 2004). Additionally, Coughlin and Venkatesh (2003), indicate that immigration factors are likely relevant to an increase in inner city gang affiliation and patterns of local gang activity may be mediated by cultural and social organizational processes such as segregation (Coughlin Venkatesh, 2003). This is true in the Boyle Heights community, a community historically made up of immigrants that were not allowed to live in downtown Los Angeles due to racial segregation. Upon the proliferation of gangs and violence in the area, violence as a normative factor along with other risk factors such as poverty, have continually interacted to sustain gang activity as a community concern. Given the complexity of gang involvement, the question of how to eliminate this problem remains largely unsolved. It remains to be seen what long-term positive outcomes prevention and intervention approaches such as GRYD will have on this important and relevant problem. One thing remains clear, prevention and intervention efforts must be targeted not just toward the individual but also toward the multipl e environments in which the individual functions. It further stands to reason that, through ecosystems theory, if community youth are exposed to more positive peer and community interactions, embracing a more positive approach to problem solving is possible. Approaches need to be targeted to the individual, the family, the schools, the community, and of course, national, state, and local officials in charge of making policies that can address the risk factors closely associated with gang involvement and institute protective factors that mitigate those risk factors associated with this social problem. Rationale for Action The prevalence of violent crime in Boyle Heights is correlated with the high degree of gang involvement in the area. Research by the advancement project (2006) and the Urban Policy Center (2010) Indicate that gangs are very much a part of the Boyle Heights Community. This is further validated by qualitative interviews conducted during the needs assessment for this community. Law enforcement official with the Los Angeles Police Department Hollenbeck Division, Deputy Antonio Macklin indicated during his interview that the majority of crimes committed in the Boyle Heights community are committed by Latino youth between the ages of 15 and 25. Furthermore, Rosalia Gonzales, a mother and resident of Boyle Heights since the 1960s indicates that she experiences frequent concern for her teenage son and daughter because of the pressure to be involved in gang activity in the neighborhood and fears her children being the unintended victims of violence in the community. Ms. Gonzales explicitly st ated that the majority of residents in Boyle Height are poor single mothers like herself and that it is sometimes extremely difficult to keep children in school and on a straight path, particularly when the peer pressure of gang involvement and the lure of easy money in a poor neighborhood seem much more appealing. (R.Gonzales, personal communication, 2011). Data from Healthy Cities indicates that 28.40% of the families in Boyle Heights live below the poverty level while 71% of families live at or barely above the poverty level. This is further augmented by the fact 46.36% of the population ages 16 and above are not in the labor force (Healthy Cities, 2010). These statistics mean that the vast majority of the residents in Boyle Heights are poor and unemployed that the low educational attainment in the community compounds this problem further. Given all of these compounding factors, the gang involvement issue cannot be easily addressed. A single point of intervention and prevention or a single level of intervention and prevention is not sufficient. A successful prevention and intervention strategy at multiple levels must be established. Although existing programs in the community such as the GRYD project, and community agencies such as HomeBoy Industries provide successful models of intervention, these models are primarily directed toward individuals who are already involved in gangs. A new model that integrates services at multiple levels and involves all members of the community must be integrated. A new approach would involve targeting youth in the community regardless of gang involvement and addressing the multiple compounding problems that contribute the gang involvement and violence. Services must be provided to families, individuals and the communities that help build a stronger, healthier community. Job opportunities, educational opportunities, music, arts, youth activities, family activities, community organizing, and counseling services, are all but a few of the many services that need to be integrated and coordinated in to a healthy community. Framework for Intervention Many of the city, county, and local government officials that service the Boyle Heights area are prominent Latin American individuals with a stated commitment to improving life among their constituents by ensuring access to government, education, employment and public safety. One of the most prominent stakeholders and a former resident of the Boyle Heights community is Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa who was born in Boyle Heights in 1953. Mayor Villaraigosa is a proponent of a strong police force in Los Angeles County and for the reduction of crime, which includes gang-related crime. A key part of the Mayors strategy to combat the Citys gang epidemic is to establish GRYD zones in the communities most affected by gangs. In addition to an increased deployment of police, the GRYD zones will receive additional resources focused on prevention, intervention and re-entry programs for those involved or otherwise affected by gangs. This holistic approach is seen by experts as key to re ducing not only the crime rates, but also the membership of young people in gangs (Antonio Villaraigosa Mayor of Los Angeles website, 2007). The mayors GRYD program in the Boyle Heights area includes a prevention model that utilizes the support of the Hollenbeck Police Department. Since youth in gang-infested areas might be prone to mistrust of police authority, having a personal experience with a police officer that is supportive and enriching is one path to introducing youth to a positive adult mentor. The Hollenbeck Police Activities League (PAL) was established in 1992 and boasts that 85% of the youth in the PAL program attend college (Hollenbeck PAL, 2011). PAL youth also engage in enriching experiences with their peers. Walker and Mason (2001) stated that much of the research on youth delinquency has focused on community-level risk factors such as poverty and social disorganization (Walker-Barnes Mason, 2001, p. 1815). However, they proposed that youth were at higher risk for gang involvement if there was a lack of effective parenting coupled with a high exposure to delinquent peers. Walker and Mason discovered that youth who reported gang involvement often did not include their mothers as one of the most influential people in their lives. Further, they found that authoritarian parenting styles were less effective in reducing youth gang involvement but parents who practice higher levels of behavioral control and warmth were related to lower initial levels of gang involvement and gang delinquency (Walker-Barnes Mason, 2001, p. 1826). In addition, lack of parental involvement also indicated increased risk for gang involvement. Therefore, positive parenting approaches are an essential component to an effective prevention strategy. Evidence based research such as Positive Peer Culture (PPC) proposes that troubled youth need more than technique; they need transformative experiences with other people (Laursen, 2010, p. 38). Participation in a PPC model of prevention could primarily be targeted toward at-risk youth although one could argue that all of the youth in the Boyle Heights community could be at risk because of the high incidence of gang involved youth. The PPC model proposes to provide youth with opportunities for empowerment and altruism, which increases self worth and connections with others and with their communities. The PPC model further indicates that youth need to feel that they are in a supportive and safe environment therefore this model should be used in conjunction with therapy and not as a replacement for therapy (Laursen, 2010, p. 41). PPC could be offered as an extracurricular after school activity and if successful could be integrated into the school curriculum as an elective course for jun ior high or high school students. There are two additional models of intervention that could be used in conjunction with the PPC program depending on the specific needs of the youth involved. First, the Equipping Youth to Help One Another (EQUIP) model is a derived from the PPC program in which individuals turn from antisocial and self-destructive behavior to behavior that helps others and themselves (Leeman, Gibbs, Fuller, 1993, p. 282). Leeman et al indicate that the EQUIP model is more effective with youth who often lack the helping skills and moral maturity that they need to help others and who might also benefit from learning appropriate ways of self-control since this model incorporates elements of anger management training (Leeman, Gibbs, Fuller, 1993, p. 282). Secondly, Aggression Replacement Therapy (ART) is an evidence-based intervention that utilizes a parental component that entices parental involvement with the agreement that the affected youth will be suspended or disciplined for a shorter duration (McGinnis, 2003, p. 164). The premise for utilizing programs targeted at pre-delinquent youth and including their families is to prevent the draw of social inclusion toward negative peer influences. The PAL program boasts success by providing at risk youth with positive adult mentors and peer interaction and is one of only two prevention initiatives identified in the Boyle Heights GRYD program. For a community that has such a high incidence of gang involvement, this is insufficient. Therefore, it is reasonable to enlist the inclusion of family members so that a parent or caregiver could also provide youth with a positive and nurturing adult role model. This in conjunction with a culture of positive peer influences in the school setting might prove to provide a positive trajectory for youth to attain a healthy, educated and successful start toward a safer and more productive future for them and for their community.

Training plan for employees

Recruitment, selection, training and evaluating employees Section A I have been hired by Laurent Bank of Canada, as a consultant to assist in hiring employees for the Commercial Banking Branch located In Montreal, Quebec. Laurent Bank Is a Quebec regional bank that has been In operation since 1846 and their head office Is located In downtown Montreal. The bank offers retail and commercial financial services. I will be consulting for the hilling of employees working at a new commercial branch located next to Concordia University, in Montreal.These employees will be working as Commercial Account Managers in the banking industry. The Laurent Bank Commercial Banking sector offers different types of loans for small business owners such as Credit Lines, Term Loans and Business VISAS. The Bank makes a profit by collecting the interest they have charged on each of their loans. The Bank is looking to hire 3 employees who have had previous experience working in the banking Industry as well as an educational background in Finance or Accounting, preferably at a University level (I. E. Bachelor's Degree).The newly hired employees will be responsible for managing a portfolio of existing business clients. They will also be required to bring In new clients to the Bank. Section B I will conduct the following job analysis to obtain Information on the skills, knowledge and ablest required for the Job: Identify and Isolate the component tasks Involved Examine how the tasks are performed Identify the main areas of responsibility Identify the working conditions I will use the 3 following methods to gather data from existing employees or sources to conduct my Job analysis: 1 .Interviewing existing Account Managers: I would meet with a few current employees working in Commercial Banking and ask them specific questions about their Job. 2. Perform an online search: I would search inline on Commercial Account Managers in order to gain knowledge on the field and specific requirements. 3. I would obtain access to the weekly activity logs: All Account Managers are required to submit a weekly actively log to their superiors. This log contains detailed Information on the work that was done during the week.Job Description: The Account Manager is responsible for structuring credits and addressing perceived risk. This includes completing necessary due diligence, establishing pricing and terms of credit, and also producing ongoing credit reviews and risk ratings that fleet knowledge of Bank policies and procedures. With respect to business development The Account Manager continually develops and broadens relationships with existing customers by cross-selling relevant and value added financial products and services. It is also a priority to build new relationships through referrals from customers and other sources.Section C I will recruit prospective employees by posting the Job description on Social Networking sites such as Linked and Faceable. I will also use job search we bsites also post the available position in the careers section of the corporate website of Laurent Bank. Social Networking sites are good way to attract Job seekers since almost everyone use Linked and Faceable. The majority of the population is using a smart phone nowadays with these applications already installed. Faceable would help me do a background check on applicants by having access to their network of friends, activities and hobbies.It would not, however give me much information on their education, skills or work experience. Linked is a more useful application for recruiters because its main use is to connect professionals through their work experience. Linked is an excellent calibration tool to help me assess the depth of the potential talent pool. The following 3 selections techniques will be used: I will compare the credentials from each candidate's profile or posted resume; I will personally message those who I have selected and inform them on my decision to pursue an i nterview; I will also perform background reference checks on the candidates.Comparing profiles between candidates will enable me to narrow down my search; however there is the possibility that I choose one candidate over another strictly based on the presentation of their online profile or resume. Sending a personal message to chosen candidates is good ways of letting the applicant know that we are interested. However, this method can also backfire when the applicant refuses to respond to the message in a timely manner, resulting in wastage of time. Background checks are always a good source for gaining insight on the applicant's past work experience.However, it is important to make sure you are speaking with the right person. It is not always easy to contact a candidate's previous boss due to availability. Old Boss' are not always eager to take the time out and speak about a past employee. Section D Once hired, the employees' performance will be evaluated on a weekly basis. The Men tor or personal in charge of training the employee will be required to fill out a performance form. The form will contain several sections about the different tasks required for the role of an Account Manager.The Mentor will grade each section with the following: A (achieved), F (failed), AN (non-applicable) and IP (in progress). This weekly evaluation will serve as an indicator of the employee's progress. It will also clearly indicate the areas where the employee needs improvement. The following training methods will be used: 1 . Job Shadowing with an existing Account Manager. This will enable the new employee to gain insight on the day-to-day activities of an account manager. It will also give the employee to ask questions on specific tasks.However, it can slow down the efficiency of Account Managers if they spend too much time answering questions. 2. Helping Account Managers with their portfolios. This will be both beneficial to the new and existing employees. New employees will gain experience by analyzing credit applications and financial statements. While the existing Account Manager will have more time work on other tasks and duties. However, the work submitted by the new employees will have to be revised by the Account Manager before submission. Section E The following 3 training programs will be used: 1 .Moody Analytics Account Manager. New employees will be required to complete the Commercial Lending program that involves online lessons on the specific skills needed for this role. Financial statement analysis, risk management and business development are the three topics covered in the lessons. After every lesson, employees are required to complete an examination testing their skills learned. The scores from these exams ill be sent directly to the Mentor. This will teach the employee on the three most important skills needed for an Account Manager.However, employees must be trusted to not consult other employees when answering the exam questions. 2. Financial Statement Analysis New employees will be given financial statements from new and existing clients to analyze. They will be required to calculate key ratios in order to determine the performance of the company in the current and past year. Financial statement analysis is a skill that must be mastered in order to be a successful Account Manager ND this is a good way to practice. The employee, however, might feel discouraged at first since all financial statements are different and can be very confusing at first. . Case Discussion New employees will be given the opportunity to discuss the risk associated with lending to the clients they have analyzed through financial statement analysis and job shadowing with an Account Manager. This will give a chance to new employees to express themselves and share their ideas. Some new employees, however, might feel too intimidated or shy to fully express their opinion. PART 2: Company Culture Section F I will advise leaders to help employ ees reach personal and organizational goals by pointing out the paths they should follow and by providing them with the means to do so.They would need to show concern and support for subordinates. The leader should use a transactional leadership style, where they can clearly identify the needs of their followers and give rewards in exchange for performance. They can set goals and expectations, reward effort and provide feedback. Section G Commercial Account Managers often work out of the office, visiting clients, checking out loan applications, and soliciting new business. Account Managers may be required to travel if a client is out of town, or to work evenings if that is the only time at which a client can meet.Employees in this role have the flexibility to work from home as well. Normal business banking hours are Monday to Friday from mamma to pm. An Account Manager manages his/her portfolio; therefore they usually manage least 37. 5 hours per week. Employees will be eligible for 4 weeks of vacation annually, however weeks must be reserved in advance to avoid too much vacancy at once. The office will be well located in central downtown Montreal. This will give employees the opportunity to take public transportation instead of driving their vehicles. It will also enable Account Managers to easily penetrate the commercial market.The office building will be connected to an underground metro station, which will facilitate travel during winter. All account managers will be provided with their own work space in the form of an open concept cubicle. This will encourage teamwork and also enable employees to interact with each other more frequently. There will be private rooms that can be reserved for client meetings. Upper Management will have private closed offices. There will also be a board room for meetings and presentations. The thermostat will be electronically adjusted to provide ideal temperatures for winter and summer.The lighting will be sufficient for des k work and each workstation will have its own computer, printer and telephone. There will also be a cafeteria open to all employees with a fridge and microwave. This will encourage employees to interact during lunch hour. I would be aware of the following psychological and social concerns: Job Autonomy and Harassment. I would assess the degree of satisfaction an employee has with their current role because it will be reflected in their reference. If the employee is not fully satisfied, they will feel exhausted with their role and eventually would not care to perform.This could eventually lead to the employee leaving their Job. Harassment is very serious and must be handled severely. Employees who face harassment might be too intimidated to report it. If it is not handled immediately, it can lead to serious lawsuits towards the organization. The policies on harassment will be clearly explained to all employees upon Joining the organization. Section H Stress in the workplace often coi ncides with the following behaviors in employees: rower productivity, reduced motivation, increased errors, and increased turnover.The role of an Account Manager often results in the following stresses: Role Overload. Employees feel there are too many tasks in too short time period. I would attempt to minimize stress using the following 3 programs: Improve communication 0 Share information with employees to reduce uncertainty about their Jobs and futures. Clearly define employees' roles and responsibilities. 0 Make communication friendly and efficient, not mean-spirited or petty. Consult Employees 0 Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their Jobs. Consult employees about scheduling and work rules. Be sure the workload is suitable to employees' abilities and resources; avoid unrealistic deadlines. 0 Show that individual workers are valued. 0 Offer rewards and incentives. As Employee of the Month. 0 Provide opportunities for career development. 0 Promote an â€Å"entrepreneurial† work climate that gives employees more control over their work. Cultivate a friendly social climate 0 Provide opportunities for social interaction among employees. 0 Establish a zero- tolerance policy for harassment. 0 Make management actions consistent with organizational values.

Thai Clothing

Thai Traditional Clothing Have you ever seen or heard anything about Thai clothing? Thai clothing has gone back for centuries, and it still exists in Thai people’s daily lives to this day. Thai clothing has its history’s about why each one is worn and how it had become as one. Men and woman wear different ones but they are made almost alike, and they also have types of cloth that they use for each. They tell why they are worn now and how they are used for everyday wear, traditional wear, and special occasions. Thai traditional wear has an unchanging history. It’s weaving textiles has been known in Thailand for thousands of years.Archaeologists have found evidence of weaving in certain regions of modern day Thailand that date back to four thousand years ago. The materials that most Thai clothing uses are silk and cotton. Silk dates back to about 500 B. C. E. , and cotton dates back to right around 300 B. C. E. (â€Å"Brief History of Thai†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Thai clo thing had different places to where they wore them. For instance outfits made by cotton were mainly for used for work, and outfits made from silk were used for ceremonies and other special occasions. Thai clothing reflects many aspects of their culture.It has its own rich history of wearing apparel that has been adopted to suit the people who inhabit the country. As many people would say it has its own feel in the clothing and one can trace different influences through the ages (â€Å"Thai Clothing†). The Thai women had different types of clothing and different textiles from men. Women had an outfit called the Pha Sin; it is the traditional lower garment of the women’s wear, also known as a tube skirt. This garment consist of three sections; the hua sin, head or top; tua sin, body or midsection; and the tin sin, the foot or border (â€Å"Clothing, Traditional- Thailand†).Another outfit is called the Thai Amarin; it is worn for special occasions. It is created wi th a brocade fabric, the blouse is wide and it’s usually a round necked. The textiles and accessories at accompany it are beautiful and it’s mainly used or worn for birthday processions (â€Å"Thai Clothing†). The last outfit that is also made is the Thai Jakgree; it’s a two piece garment that has a beaded front called Yokonnang. It’s a top that has a single piece that wraps around the whole body and over the left shoulder, the end the rest is to trail behind.Most Thai people wear it to formal occasions or just evening wear (â€Å"Thai Clothing†). Men’s costumes are known as suea phraratchathan. It was designed to serve a national costume by royal tailors Chupat Chuto, Phichai Watsanasong, and Sompop Louilarpprasert for King Bhumibol Adulyadejin 1979, and was subsequently given to General Prem Tinsulanonda, then the Minister of Defence, to promote and wear in public (â€Å"Formal Thai National Costume†). There are many types or varieties of Thai clothing, but there is another way people can tell if it’s Thai clothing or not by how each one is sewn.They are sewn with great detail and the textures of each are very different. Each of the sections can be made from more pieces sewn together or they can be in single pieces with patterns that differentiate the sections (â€Å"Thailand Clothing†). The Thai royalties consumed the textiles that were similar to the designs of the villagers’ but they were of higher quality. The court weavers produced gold and silver supplementary- patterned silks just for the royal family and aristocrats (â€Å"Thai Traditional Clothes†).As Thai clothes are worn today, they have many reasons why they still wear them. In Thailand, they were them everyday as casual wear. Casual wear for them is like a button up shirt, and some pants, yet they are not designed like the American clothing. In America, there are plenty of Thai people here; they don’t wear their traditional clothing like how the people in Thailand do (Lor). The only time you would ever see them in their clothing is when they go to the temple, special occasions like; weddings, graduation parties, and their yearly New Years (Lor).Their clothing can also be found in Thai stores, and if you’re lucky you can probably find some in the Hmong stores. It’s rare to find Thai clothing nowadays because of how expensive they are to bring down to the USA and how different the textiles are, compared to others. Nowadays, Thai clothing isn’t really worn (Lor). In Thailand, they don’t wear it as much; they usually just wear their casual clothing everyday because they don’t have special occasions as much as they did in the past. Thai clothes are the best way of showing Thai life.Because in daily life, people need to wear clothes, and whether it’s formal or casual it’s due to the date. If it’s a holiday, Thai people will dress up i n their Traditional dresses, and do some ceremony practices, and the changes on the traditional costumes are also effected by the geographic situation, weather, and country. The colors and patterns are all meaningful in every type of clothing that they may have. So basically, Thai clothing has its way of life and showing its different traditions. Its history is inspirational, and the designs and textiles of each type of clothing is beautiful and colorful.

Why I Am A Platonist - 2304 Words

PHIL 310A 001 Michael Griffin November 26th, 2014 Levi Shiach 41026121 Why I Am A Platonist The term Platonism is used ambiguously throughout philosophical discourse. Under some renderings, it refers to the philosophy of Plato. However, the term platonism is more widely used in contemporary philosophy to describe the metaphysical view that abstract objects (that is, those that are non-spatial and non-temporal) exist (Piyong 206). Almost universally, the distinction between these two understandings lies in the capitalization of the letter â€Å"p† (that is, the distinction between Platonism and platonism). When the letter P is capitalized, the former denotation is in use, and when a lower case p is used, the latter denotation is in use. For the sake of congruency between my paper and widely accepted philosophical norms, I will be adapting these distinctions in my paper. Having settled this discrepancy, I will go on to answer the prompt as it refers to Platonism. To the degree that Platonism refers almost exclusively to Plato’s metaphysical, ontological and epistemic principles and does not heed to the rest of Plato’s central doctrines, I accept Platonism. I could not possibly accept a wholly-encompassing view of Platonism in all of its intricacies, for there would be too much to object to, and far too much to explore for the purpose of this paper. For anyone but Plato to say they holistically endorsed Platonism would be naive. Therefore, I will be constricting this notion ofShow MoreRelatedThe Christian Church At Corinth891 Words   |  4 Pages and follow the ways of Christianity. I did not realize that the church at Corinth were so confused on how to worship god and Jesus Christ. This is why Paul wrote two letters to Corinth and he reminded them of how they should conduct themselves and worship. 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