Job interview questions and answer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job interview questions and answer - Essay Example I’m proven to be a fast learner, have an extremely outgoing personality and ability to work under situations of pressure. I have well proven communication skills. My professional achievements would be a driving force encouraging me all through my career. I have proved my leadership skills and have the aptitude to train. Another added strength of mine is the ability to work efficiently in both self driven and team environments. I need more training in research processes. As my experience had been more into the managerial aspects, I could hardly get any chance to get trained in the area. However, if given a chance to get trained in the area, I am quite sure to acquire expertise in research as well. With regard to the experience I hold in the field, I am confident to be fit for a number of career options. However, considering the success I have had as a leader, I would fit in best into the slot of a leader who is assigned to lead the team towards newer heights of success. If given the opportunity to work in your prestigious organization, I shall endeavor to fulfill the requirements of the position to the best of my ability and to the satisfaction of the management. Moreover, I can contribute largely towards the cause of the company with the expertise I have acquired. I am confident to lead the team towards the vision of the

Contemporary Issues In Accounting And Finance Essay

Contemporary Issues In Accounting And Finance - Essay Example 3, citing a 1966 definition). At the same time, accounting is grounded on philosophical assumptions about knowledge and on the â€Å"relationship between theory and practice†. Meanwhile, for Oatley (2001), financial regulation is about regulating banks to protect depositors and shareholders. For Carvajal et al. (2009), financial regulation is something more encompassing because its key objective is to â€Å"ensure that all financial activities that may pose systemic risks are appropriately overseen.† The same perspective is also in Truman (2009). For Carvajal et al. (2009), the scope or perimeter of financial liberation involves three aspects. First, it must provide regulators with the widest view of the status of regulation action. Second, it must enable regulators to monitor and respond to risks. Finally or third, it must provide regulators with early warnings of risks. The subject area of financial regulation is important because we have a highly â€Å"financialized economy† worldwide (Andersson et al. 2010). Accounting is important for managers (Webster 2004). At the same time, accounting financial statements can provide regulators with important tools through which they can monitor the financial system, check on the progress of regulation, and anticipate possible risks so they can be addressed or eliminated (Taylor 2009). Accounting financial statements can also be used to monitor the performance of nongovernmental organisations (Morgan 2010). Financial regulation, however, is not entirely dependent on financial statements because financial regulation can cover all of the economy while financial statements from accounting cover only the economic conditions of firms or group of firms under a conglomerate (Borio and Tsatsaronis 2005; HM Treasury 2010). For example, financial regulators would also be monitoring liquidity, interest rates, capital flows, and other macroeconomic variables, not merely financial statements. Another type of reg ulation also uses financial statements but is different from financial regulation: strengthening corporate governance. Academic research contributed to the sciences or fields of accounting, financial regulation, and corporate governance. In the process, academic research protected and advanced modern living and, thus, it can be said that academic research improved our lives. Although not all journal articles are academic research, I review a few accounting journals to illustrate how academic research has been developing the field of accounting and, relatedly, financial regulation. In doing so, I will attempt to illustrate how academic research contributes to protecting and advancing life (Humphrey and Lee 2004; Sterling 1975). Barth and Landsman (2010) examined how financial reporting contributed to the financial crisis. They concluded that fair value accounting played little or no role in the financial crisis. Unfortunately, however, the lack of transparency in securitization and d erivatives misled investors from assessing properly property values and the risk of bank assets and liabilities (Barth and Landsman 2010). Because of this, they proposed to require banks to â€Å"recognize whatever assets and liabilities they have after the securitization† to reflect better the â€Å"underlying economics† of banks. Further, they recommended â€Å"disclosure of more disaggregated information, disclosure of the sensitivity of derivative fair values to changes in market risk variables,

Langston Hughes Salvation Essay Example for Free

Langston Hughes Salvation Essay Some people may believe that salvation comes to those who deserve it. Others may believe that salvation comes to those who seek it. Still, there are those who believe that salvation is not a privilege but is rather a free gift for all. But for Langston Hughes, it appears that salvation for him is not what it seems to be. Apparently, Langston projects the image that a childs innocence may be a way of looking at salvation in such a way that our basic senses and sensibilities are put back to their simplest and uncorrupted state, devoid of fear from non-conformity from dogma and filled with eagerness to experience what is real. Perhaps Langston Hughes is attempting to channel across the message that adulthood or perhaps our matured state, so to speak, has dictated so much of what we believe in that we forget that we were once innocent beings eager to absorb what the world was willing to give us. This is the point where I would like to agree with Langston Hughes. In the many events in our lives that shape who we are and what we want—apart from the things that we want to want—our daily experiences have largely contributed to our personality and character. Sometimes an encounter with an atheist will strike your faith and religious beliefs and be put aback into a state of doubt, weighing odds at both ends and figuring out if your faith is strong enough to resist the temptation of atheism. Or perhaps an encounter with a tribesman living in a far-off, desolate forest may change the way you look at life, especially in terms of material possession. Whether or not we have already encountered these things, it can hardly be doubted that our personal experiences shares a large role in shaping our identities as individuals. As we grow, we start to acquire more of these experiences. Not surprisingly, our earlier knowledge is replaced with fresher ones, relieving ourselves of the burden of having to carry the weight of obsolete beliefs as we go on with our lives. This is the point where Langston Hughes may very well agree: we have grown to a point that we can remember all but one—our state of innocence. It does not surprise me at all to see individuals busy with the complexities of life. After all, people change and so are the things we experience. The evolution of humanity, apart from the scientific sense, has paved the way for more of these complexities. And sometimes we are prompted to lie or to deceive ourselves out of innocence in order to blend together with our environment. In order to convince other people, Hughes lied which made others reaffirm their belief in salvation. No doubt the believers would believe all the more in cases where their beliefs are reaffirmed at least by what they see. But sometimes—in fact, many times—what they see is not the one we or others see. In the end, we are confronted with the startling feeling of self-deception after convening and bending to what others believe in. We mourn over our mistakes and hope to convince ourselves that all will be well although it simply cannot be the case after our actions have been committed. Salvation is such a broad concept that it simply cannot be confined within the closed spaces of churches and congregations alone. If, indeed, salvation is free for all then why must there be a need to encroach ourselves into religious orders? And for God or Allahs name, where among these hundreds, if not thousands, of religious dominions are we to find salvation? Langston Hughes Salvation embodies these important points and the rest of what has been said here. Maturity betrays us in such a way that our innocence is hindered from allowing us to view the world outside the box detached from whatever it is that ties us to dogma, delusion and self-proclaimed salvation. Reference Hughes, L. (2007). Salvation. Retrieved November 7, 2007, from http://www. courses. vcu. edu/ENG200-dwc/hughes. htm

Reflection of Independent Learning in the Classroom

Reflection of Independent Learning in the Classroom Reflecting on the approaches around the development of pupils independent learning and evidence and evaluate application in the classroom. Independent learning is when pupils set goals, monitor and evaluate their own academic development, so they can manage their own motivation towards learning (Mullings 2015). After looking into the research, one of the determining factors when it comes to independent learning, is getting a child to work on their own, with minimal direction and confidence. As I want my pupils to be able to manage their own learning and make independent decisions, I need to take a back seat and critically think about whether or not I need to intervene. Depending on the circumstances and the appropriateness of the situation, I will need to judge the relevance of my scaffolding, give students options and choices to encourage independency, and allow them to take responsibility for their own learning by also offering effective formative feedback. However, this cannot be done until I establish where they already are in their learning and how they actually learn. Knowing a childs zone of proximal development, will enable me to intervene at the most appropriate and effective stage. As Vygotskys theory implies, it is what a child can achieve by themselves and what they can achieve in collaboration with others (Vygotsky, 1978). According to Haring and Eastons instructional hierarchy (Fig 1), there are four phases of learning (Haring et al., 1978).   Ã‚   Fig 1. Most of the children I get to support are either at the acquisition stage or at the halting fluency stage, which determines the type of intervention they receive. Even if the intervention is set in line with the pupils ZPD, there is no guarantee that their work is appropriately differentiated back in the classroom, leading to a zone of anxiety. When I deliver Mind-the-Gap tutoring, the pupils I work with are at the acquisition stage and lack confidence. With sessions of repetitive practice and instructional techniques I am able to build upon their accuracy. I then focus on training the pupils to become more fluent. This is supported via precision teaching (e.g. times-tables) constant encouragement and instructional feedback to aid their self-motivation. Once the fluency is achieved and being maintained, I need to ensure it is being applied back in the classroom. The focus is then teaching them how to either apply the skill into meaningful contexts or not to confuse it with other similar skills. Finally, pupils can then be scaffolded on how to know how to adapt the target skill to and apply it to new challenges and situations. Communication is paramount and teamwork essential to ensure work is set at the right level by the teacher and that the newly acquired skills are being uitilised. the teacher should work closely with th e TA to planinterventions to how they can be linked to classroom teaching (SEN Code-of-Practice 6.52). I have started to introduce additional resources, such as a math mat and progressive success criteria to help promote independency. If successful, I will suggest it to other support staff within my year group, with the view to it being rolled out to all. I will need the full support of the SENCo and SLT to make sure this is consistently implemented. Carol Dweck deals with the theory that people view their intelligence in one of two ways; fixed and growths mindsets (Fig 2). Her findings also show that, rather than focusing on intelligence and innate achievement, it is far more important to reward effort, creative strategies, and perseverance. Becoming is better than being (Dweck 2006).    Fig 2. Upon reflection, I observed two children from the perspective of determining what type of learner each child was (Appendix 1). Initiating the change of learned helplessness to that of self-scaffolding with the SEN child will not happen overnight. I always aim to support pupils to become more independent. Van de Pol implies a key principle of scaffolding on which a TAs role should be based, is fading to develop the independence of the learner by reducing support and hand over responsibility to the child (Van de Pol et al., 2010). This is a strategy I have started to use with the pupils I work with, alongside roaming and roving around the classroom. My intention is purely to divorce myself from their learned attachment and their needing constant reassurance. I want them to adopt the concept of being able to assess what they can do independently first, before I intervene at the appropriate level (Fig 3). Blatchford defines the heuristic role as using a method of teaching that encourages learners to discover solutions for themselves (Blatchford et al., 2012). Fig 3. If there is any uncertainty, I encourage my pupils to ask a partner, throw their question out to the rest of the table or see what resources are available to help, before even thinking about asking an adult. Even then, I need to be aware of my questioning techniques. The more open ended questions that are asked, then the more emphasis is redirected back onto the pupil to provoke their own critical thinking skills. The cognitive domain involves knowledge and the development of intellectual skills (Bloom, 1956). Fig 4. Using Blooms Taxonomy questioning for critical thinking as a bench mark (Fig 4), I have tailored a more child friendly set of questioning cards as a pupil resource, helping to build upon their dialogic talk. I plan to share these with other support staff, with SLTs approval. Additionally, my school has implemented Talk 4 Learning strategies, which although at the early stages, have started to have a positive effect. Within one year group I observed, children were only provided with a learning objective and modelled WAGOLL. This seemed to be just enough to get by on with a majority of the class, but the lower attainers had no differentiated input, with the hope that the TA would offer that much needed support. The lower attainers had been given very little direction, so straight away looked to the TA for guidance. The TA aimed to guide the pupils through a series of open ended questions, praising when giving a correct answer. Some were prompted further with the aim of trying to refer back to previous lessons, but without the correct scaffolding and feedback little progress was made. John Hattie, famously analysed the effects of various educational innovations and methods and determined that feedback ranked highest, with an effect size of 1.13, whereas most innovations in schools sit around 0.4. Feedback needs to be formative to identify what pupils have achieved, what has been preventing them from achieving their learning goals and what they can do to improve further. It also needs to be progressive, done whilst pupils are still able to reflect upon the decisions they made. This can be effectively delivered when roaming and roving or fading in and out during a lesson, but after realising my own lack of informative feedback (appendix 2), I intend to ask SLT about CPD on feedback for TAs, as I see this as a needed area of improvement for us all. It has become quite apparent that processed success criteria is a much needed determiner when it comes to initiating the first stages of independent learning for the SEN child. I have recently been given a small group of lower attaining students to support with their maths work. After observing how these children were faltering when working their way to achieving the learning intention (appendix 3), I have now started to use process success criteria to help plug the gaps within their learning, which has been hindering achieving their overall objective. I not only aim to help break down their steps to success in written format but also where applicable, visually (Fig 5). Fig 5. So far, this has proved a successful strategy and has been fully embraced by the pupils, as they are now actively making progress independently, albeit resource supported. I will be trialing this as part of their assessment for learning, as success criteria should be linked to the learning, not the activity. Introducing AFL sheets will allow teachers to close the gap between current knowledge and new learning. Not only do they help clarify the learning objective and promote self-evaluation, they also act as a form of feedback. I have already liaised with an SLT member regarding the introduction of processed success criteria as a pre-requisite for all our lower attainers, to which he was in full agreement. Ironically, not long after our conversation, it was announced that as part of our high focus for this term that the school will be addressing how success criteria will be differentiated, so that they are appropriate for all children, and so that all groups make improved progress. It has been said that some people think that we have created a nanny state thats contributed to promoting fear of failure. John Cridland states that the education system must better prepare young people for life beyond the school gates. We need to take a step back to see the big picture and create a system that better reflects how well a schools culture nurtures the behaviours and attitudes young people need. This cannot be judged by exam results alone (Cridland 2014). I do agree, however, my concern is, given the expanding national curriculum and the focus on increased testing as a way to measure both teaching ability and pupil progression, how can time be found for the implementation of such productive concepts. Schools need to build a stronger foundation and utilise their support staff appropriately. I gave a copy of my first assignment on the role of the TA, to a member of SLT. The feedback I received initially was that it was very informative and provoked food for thought, so mu ch so, he planned to take it along to the next SLT meeting. I eagerly await further comment. Appendix 1 A always relies on the support of an adult to supply her with the answers. The first thing that she does is to look directly to the supporting adult in the room to come and work with her, without even attempting any independent work. A will always try to copy from whoever sits next to her, lacks confidence and fears making mistakes. She has a firm fixed mindset of learned helplessness which has resulted in her reliance on being spoon-fed. Z is self-initiated and not afraid to make any mistakes. He can work independently or collaboratively within a group. Z draws upon prior learning His growth mindset allows him the confidence to persevere, seeing any setbacks as a mini hurdle he needs to overcome, choosing which learner disposition he takes on board to aid his learning. His positive attitude feeds his hunger for knowledge. Appendix 2 Recorded Conversation After a basic skills assessment of using visual arrays, mastery questions on applying the written grid method were required for their next steps in multiplication. E:Miss, Im not sure how to do the grid method. TA:So, written method. Same scenario, but we are not going to draw the arrays. What is the calculation? E:13 x 9. TA:OK. What do you need to do first? E:Break the 13? TA:How? E:Into place value. TA:Correct. Show me how youll do that. E:One 10 and three 1s. TA:Good. Now what? E:First you times 3 by 9, then 10 x 9. TA:OK, off you go. E:(writes) 3 x 9 = 27 and 10 x 9 = 90. TA:Good, now what do I do with those two answers? E:Add them together. TA:See. You know what to do. What do we need to remember when we use column addition? E:Make sure everything is in line. TA:Yes. We need to make sure our place value is aligned correctly. Well done! Reflection: Upon evaluation, I believe that I succeeded when it came to asking the appropriate open questions to provoke their own thinking, which helped them achieve their learning objective but evidently lacked the necessary more informative feedback the child deserved to understand their next target. I hope that I will be able to address this better after some directed CPD training. Appendix 3 Child Y LO: To use the grid method to solve multiplication word problems. SC: R U C S A C CAN DO CANT DO Understood what had to be done for step 1 of question. Chose correct operation. Partitioned numbers correctly on the grid. Did not know all of 4x table. Used times table grid in classroom. Aware that all the answers had to be added together. Addition calculation was written incorrectly. (pv not aligned) Able to calculate once prompted to use correct pv alignment. References Blatchford, P., Russell, A., Webster, R. (2012) Reassessing the impact of teaching assistants: How research changes practice and policy. Oxon, UK: Routledge. Blooms Taxonomy Available at: http://www.bloomstaxonomy.org/Blooms%20Taxonomy%20questions.pdf Accessed: 1 January 2017. Cridland, J. (2014) Available at: http://31.222.129.40/media-centre/the-point/2014/07/jcs-education-blog/ Accessed: 07 December, 2016. Dweck, Carol S. Mindset: the new psychology of success New York: Random House, 2006. Haring, N.G., Lovitt, T.C., Eaton, M.D., Hansen, C.L. (1978). The fourth R: Research in the classroom (pg 23-40). Columbus, OH: Merrill. Hattie, J., Timperley, H. (2007). The Power of feedback. Review of Educational Research Mullings, C. (2015) Available at: http://blog.irisconnect.co.uk/9-tips-for-encouraging-students-to-become-independent-learners/ Accessed: 12 December, 2016. SEND Code of Practice (2015) Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398815/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf Accessed: 26 December, 2016. Van de Pol, J., Volman, M., Beishuizen, J. (2010) Scaffolding in teacher-student interaction: a decade of research. Educational Psychology Review, 22, 382-296. Vygotsky, L.S. (1978) Mind in society: The development of the higher psychological process. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Local Color and the Stories of Alice Dunbar-Nelson and Kate Chopin :: Biography Biographies Essays

Local Color and the Stories of Alice Dunbar-Nelson and Kate Chopin      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Blending the best elements from the French-Acadian culture and from the Old South, the Creole culture of Louisiana is one the richest and most fascinating areas for study. Kate Chopin and Alice Dunbar-Nelson are both writers who have brought this place and the people who live there to life through their writing. Because of their strong literary ties to Louisiana and the Creole culture, Dunbar-Nelson and Chopin have both, at times, been classified as "local-color" writers, a term not always welcomed by authors and one that is not always meant to be kind by critics. In her essay "Varieties of Local Color," Merrill Maguire Skaggs notes that "the local-color label has occasionally been used to denigrate the exceptional fiction of several twentieth-century women" (219). The derrogitory classification as "local color" writers has at times ensnared Chopin, Dunbar-Nelson and other nineteenth-century writers, both male and female. The local-color label can (and often is) taken to mean that the work has only a narrow appeal as a "novelty" piece about the eccentricities of a particular place. What the critics fail to realize, however, is that local-color writers, good local- color writers like Chopin and Dunbar-Nelson, use their fiction not just to record the lives of people in an area, but to show how people in these places encounter issues that have universal value and react to them according to their own values and environment. Some of the local-color short stories of Chopin and Dunbar-Nelson have the biting undercurrent of naturalism, some are more idyllic in their portrayal of Creole life, but all have a story to tell to the perceptive reader.    The stories Kate Chopin tells come from the customs and people she observed during the time she spent in Cloutierville, near her husband's family plantation (Rowe 230). The endurance of Chopin's work is a tribute to her understanding of the local-color genre. Jim Miller expresses what Chopin must have known: "place is not simply natural terrain, but locale plus the human element" (15).    "Love on the Bon-Dieu" is an excellent example of how Chopin uses the places and people of south Louisiana to tell a story. "Love on the Bon-Dieu" is an old fashioned love story, set in the Creole culture where there is a consciousness of class status, a holdover from the pre-Civil War days when Creole aristocrats controlled large plantations. Local Color and the Stories of Alice Dunbar-Nelson and Kate Chopin :: Biography Biographies Essays Local Color and the Stories of Alice Dunbar-Nelson and Kate Chopin      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Blending the best elements from the French-Acadian culture and from the Old South, the Creole culture of Louisiana is one the richest and most fascinating areas for study. Kate Chopin and Alice Dunbar-Nelson are both writers who have brought this place and the people who live there to life through their writing. Because of their strong literary ties to Louisiana and the Creole culture, Dunbar-Nelson and Chopin have both, at times, been classified as "local-color" writers, a term not always welcomed by authors and one that is not always meant to be kind by critics. In her essay "Varieties of Local Color," Merrill Maguire Skaggs notes that "the local-color label has occasionally been used to denigrate the exceptional fiction of several twentieth-century women" (219). The derrogitory classification as "local color" writers has at times ensnared Chopin, Dunbar-Nelson and other nineteenth-century writers, both male and female. The local-color label can (and often is) taken to mean that the work has only a narrow appeal as a "novelty" piece about the eccentricities of a particular place. What the critics fail to realize, however, is that local-color writers, good local- color writers like Chopin and Dunbar-Nelson, use their fiction not just to record the lives of people in an area, but to show how people in these places encounter issues that have universal value and react to them according to their own values and environment. Some of the local-color short stories of Chopin and Dunbar-Nelson have the biting undercurrent of naturalism, some are more idyllic in their portrayal of Creole life, but all have a story to tell to the perceptive reader.    The stories Kate Chopin tells come from the customs and people she observed during the time she spent in Cloutierville, near her husband's family plantation (Rowe 230). The endurance of Chopin's work is a tribute to her understanding of the local-color genre. Jim Miller expresses what Chopin must have known: "place is not simply natural terrain, but locale plus the human element" (15).    "Love on the Bon-Dieu" is an excellent example of how Chopin uses the places and people of south Louisiana to tell a story. "Love on the Bon-Dieu" is an old fashioned love story, set in the Creole culture where there is a consciousness of class status, a holdover from the pre-Civil War days when Creole aristocrats controlled large plantations.

Deceptive Females of Homers Odyssey Essay -- Homer, Odyssey Essays

The Deceptive Females of Homer's Odyssey      Ã‚   Homer's Odyssey is probably the most famous and well-known epic of all time. This tale relates the adventures of the archetypal hero, Odysseus. Odysseus' long journey home takes him to many different places where he encounters many different monsters and creatures, but there are certain recurrent elements throughout. The most common themes in the Odyssey are forgetfulness, willingness to risk pain for pleasure, and sexual temptation.    When comparing the Sirens episode with Odysseus' other adventures, one can observe an emergence and repetition of these themes. The most obvious comparison that can be drawn between the Sirens episode and most other adventures is the theme of forgetfulness. The same idea is repeated in Odysseus' adventures with Calypso, Circe, and, most importantly, the Lotus-eaters. The Sirens are all knowing, beautiful creatures that attract men with their songs about the world, but those who give in and stop to listen can never leave. Fortunately, the Sirens are unable to draw Odysseus in because he has been forewarned by Circe and knows how to resist. "but melt wax of honey and with it stop your companions' ears, so none can listen." (12.47-48) Once he hears their song, he forgets about his homeland and wants to be set free so that he can listen to their song. "fastened me with even more lashings and squeezed me tighter." (12.196) Without... ..., Audiences, and Narrators in the Odyssey, Ann Arbor 1995. Felson-Rubin, Nancy.   Regarding Penelope: From Courtship to Poetics, Princeton 1994. Foley,   Helene "Penelope as Moral Agent," in Beth Cohen, ed., The Distaff Side, Oxford 1995., pp. 93-115. Graham,   A. J.   "The Odyssey, History, and Women,"   Princeton 1992 Griffin, Jasper. Homer on Life and Death, Clarendon Press. 1980. Homer.   Odyssey trans E V Rieu, Penguin Books. 1950. Katz, Marilyn Arthur.   Penelope's Renown: Meaning and Indeterminacy in the Odyssey, Princeton 1991. Lefkowitz,   Mary.   "Seduction and Rape in Greek Myth," 17-37. Schein,   Seth. "Female Representations and Interpreting the Odyssey," by pp. 17-27.   

Information Policies in Organizations

The information age has brought about rapid changes to the ways in which businesses conduct day to day operations. Although this move to electronic commerce has resulted in extraordinary advantages in terms of speed and cost-effectiveness of business, it also presents new challenges in the workplace. The information that is available to everyone on the internet, and more particularly to individuals within an organization is far greater now than it was just a few years ago. Despite the obvious advantages of this forward movement of technology, it creates a severe problem with control of information. Whereas organizational information in the past would typically follow a formal chain of command or an informal office communication network, it can now be passed around the world in milliseconds over the internet. Implementing and maintaining a set of checks and balances to ensure that e-mail and other means of electronic communication are used only in an acceptable manner can prove to be a difficult, time-consuming and costly endeavor. Therefore it is critical for any organization to establish policies and procedures for dealing with these problems in order to ensure the company is not faced with a liability problem for the distribution of indecent, harassing or protected information. A good starting point for an organization to try to minimize exposure to these sort of problems is by defining what is and what is not acceptable use of e-mail and other office communication systems. Policies and procedures can then be developed around this definition. Acceptable use is defined as the use of e-mail and other company information systems for business purposes. The policies and procedures regarding acceptable use must be in writing and be communicated to all the employees of the organization. A written policy should include some of the following the key elements which are necessary for a typical organization entering the information age. Define what is and is not appropriate use of company communication systems. This definition must be congruent with other company policies. For example, it should outline what is considered to be offensive or harassing material and the policy should clearly state that the company lines of communication are not to be used to distribute this sort of material. Furthermore, this definition should be all-inclusive in that it must cover all types of potential problems; from discrimination, to individuals personal information rights. The reason this is so critical is because this definition will form the framework of the company's information policy and will therefore be the critical legal element which stands to prevent these potential problems and serves to protect the company from liability should problems occur regardless of existing policies. In order to protect the company further from exposure to legal action, the formal policy must also include the procedure that employees can follow should their rights be infringed upon. Not only should victims of e-mail harassment or discrimination be encouraged to come forward and report the problem, they must also be assured that the company will not let such action affect the employee in any negative way. Otherwise the organization is leaving themselves open to allegations of covering up or failing to follow through on employee complaints. The policy must state that such reports will be kept in the strictest confidence and that victim is free to report an incident to someone other than their direct supervisor if necessary. Generating the confidence necessary for someone to come forward with allegations of harassment involving misuse of company information systems can be improved by clearly stating in the company policy that each complaint will be investigated thoroughly. Although the previous policies may foster openness with regard to reporting problems in the organization, they do not do a great deal to prevent the problem. Therefore it is crucial that the policy state the legal implications for everyone involved in such an incident. This portion of the policy should state that victims will be free from retaliatory actions from management and other employees and that those responsible for investigation will keep all information as confident as possible and conduct the investigation as objectively as possible. Most importantly however, the consequences for those who are guilty of causing the problems must be clearly outlined. Prompt and decisive disciplinary action should be administered as soon as anyone in the company is found guilty of wrongdoing. It would be foolish for management to expect that such a policy would exempt the organization from minor complaints or even large scale law suits resulting from information systems misuse. It is necessary for organizations to educate their employees on the proper use company communication systems and it is best to do this at the initial orientation phase of an employees career. Since most companies hire on a continual basis, it would be tedious to train new employees using a standard lecture method. The use of programmed instruction and computer based training can help to alleviate this problem through the use of pre-programmed software specific to the companies needs. This sort of training would save time by introducing new employees to standard procedures such as logging on and conducting daily communications. Computer based training can also make reference to company policy and procedure including rights of victims and consequences of those guilty of misuse. A self-administered computer based training program can be developed using standard office applications such as Microsoft Office and can be generated by a knowledgeable user in just a few days. This type of training program must be supplemented by a hardcopy of standard rules and procedures for use of company e-mail and also include a copy of the company's policy as previously outlined. Each new employee would be required to complete the self-administered training program and to sign a copy of the company's polices and procedures before receiving e-mail authorization. Once in place, this programmed instruction can be further modified to include guidelines for storing classified documents and messages. Certain information that is passed through company information lines is not intended to go outside of the organization and it is important for management to make sure all employees are aware that they are responsible for protecting company information. Computer based training can also teach new employees how to manage their e-mail files so that important messages are stored in a received file in which only that employee can access with their personal password. It is very difficult to ensure all employees follow e-mail polices and procedures, particularly if the company's computers have internet access and can sent e-mail to outside organizations from within the company. Periodically reminding staff about the sensitive nature of company information and frequent changing of passwords can help to prevent distribution of important information to those with no need or right to the information. In the case of highly sensitive documents, it is possible to arrange communication networks so that the important documents or data can only be accessed on certain computer terminals. This will allow the company to install firewalls, which can be useful for guarding the integrity of the information.