Management of Change - OPEN24 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Management of Change - OPEN24 - Essay Example Increasing competition in the marketplace combined with rather draconian cultural internal problems such as bureaucracy, poor communication, and perceived lack of personal job advancement possibilities has led our group to a reassessing process of the market demands and a reshuffling within the organization. OPEN 24 has two main aims: a- Increase the number of financial advisors to 300 and thus, even more aggressively gain a higher share of the Attica market, and b- expand to the provinces within the current year, establish itself to the major cities, i.e. Patras, Heraklio and Volos, and get a fare share of the local markets before the competition moves in. Change management is the process of developing a planned approach to change in an organization. The main objective is to maximize the collective benefits for all people involved in the change and minimize the risk of failure of implementing the change. Change management can be approached from a number of angles and applied to numerous organizational processes. (Worren, Ruddle and Moore, 1999) One The main problems that the department faces and can prevent from the above mentioned plans are the following: Strict Management that creates employee dissatisfaction thus, high employee turnover ratio. Bureaucracy which slows down procedures. Poor communication. Perceived lack of personal job advancement possibilities. Structuring the Department One of the first attempts to avoid conflicts among FAs was the creation of a Customer Database. It was a customized software that the operators could input all potential and existing customers. Then the following procedures were applied: Phone Calling Management- FAs were making phone calls for two hours every day, 9-11. Lists that were to be reached were inputted in the Data base. By logging into the system, the managers could get a report any time they wanted of how many phone calls each of the FAs have done, how many prospects have been contacted and how many appointments were fixed. Rendezvous Management- A call center team of 4 people was created to back up this procedure. Before an FA visits a prospect, the call center confirms the appointment with the customer and then calls and informs the FA to go to the appointment. After the appointment has been completed, FAs should call the call center and report back. The final stage is when the call center calls the visited customer and does a quality check of the visit. After that, a report with all above information is created and emailed to the Sales Manager. All the above procedures are taking place with the help of the above mentioned Data base. The idea of creating such software and the procedures

Humanistic Approach, Leadership and Motivation, Machiavelli, and Essay

Humanistic Approach, Leadership and Motivation, Machiavelli, and Conflict Resolution and Vision - Essay Example Humanistic Approach, Leadership and Motivation, Machiavelli, and Conflict Resolution and Vision. Specifically, I learnt that leaders may be born or made. This research helped me understand examples of leaders who are born with power and leadership and those who are made leaders. I also learnt that motivation is crucial in enhancing work performance, productivity, and satisfaction. I believe that this class has increased my knowledge in management. I will use this knowledge to impact those around me by helping them understand human behaviours and how they can foster motivation and effective leadership. Humanistic Approach Humanistic management is the process through which different streams of humanisms are linked or connected. It focuses on the field of economics and business as the primary force that drives the society. The humanistic approach to management helps to understand human beings as absolutely self-serving or independent individuals. We understand the concept of humanistic management on the basis of three dimensions. The first thing is that human beings deserve and exp ect their dignity and worth to be respected under all circumstances. Secondly, businesses and organizations must embrace ethical decisions that promote the well-being of employees and staff members. The last thing is that embracing corporate responsibilities is crucial in strengthening and maintaining an ongoing relationship with the stakeholders. According to Murray, Markides and Galavan (2008), it is appropriate to apply human approach in business context where dignity and respect of every individual is the foundation that builds and maintains interpersonal interaction. This approach helps the management to embrace every individual in the organization regardless of where he comes from or what he owns. The integration of ethical reflection into the business is the key process from which effective and quality decisions are made. The solitary managerial decision on where an action is ethically sound depends on the humanistic approach to management. However, the approach may not be ap propriate in providing excessive freedom. It is important to note that, the humanistic theory make some assumptions about human nature, which are not accepted as solid or complete. One cannot adequately argue that every individual should be given freedom to choose what he wants or not. This is because some people may make negative choices even when right solutions are staring at them. These facts plague the humanistic approach to management and therefore establish the need to offer sufficient guidance for positive change to occur. Still, it may not be appropriate when managers are mean and misunderstand how their employees perform their assigned duties. When managers treat their employees like this, they get depressed and sad and thus become unproductive in the workplace. Since humanistic approach to management is based on the self and client centred therapy, then it benefits people to discover and identify their personal capacity that stimulates self-assessment and self-development . This approach creates a ground for people to understand their strengths and work hard to improve on their weaknesses. However, this approach requires people to understand the root of their problem before building or fixing the solution. With this, this approach may not perfectly work for everyone since some people may be threatened and challenged to find out the root cause of their problems. Still, this approach regards that human beings must understand that they are hold

Forest Industry Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Forest Industry - Case Study Example Ontario is referred to as the 'crown' of forests as ninety percent of the forested lands in Canada fall under the province of Ontario. There are a plenty of questions that come to the mind when trying to understand the dynamics of the forest industry and the roles played by different people who are actually part of the system. Ontario's forest industry has been in the news in recent months as government and industry struggle to address economic challenges and redefine the future of the industry.' The rising Canadian dollar, the softwood lumber dispute, energy prices, outside competition, overcapacity and wood supply issues have all been cited as contributing factors effecting Ontario's struggling forest industry. In response, the Ontario government is considering a package tomorrow to support this vital industry.' Noticeably absent from the debate is a recognition of environmental performance as a key indicator of long-term success and sustainability.'' The ministry of natural resources says that it is doing everything under its jurisdiction to see to it that there is no further damage of the forests but the critics reject this. As a global citizen and a person who has been following up with this issue closely, I can definitely say that the Government has not being doing enough to protect the forests in the area and has been consistently bowing to the pressure by various industries indulging in the logging process in the area. What kinds of changes are needed in the present formulation of laws and policies to ensure sustainability of the forests' These are some of the questions I've attempted to answer through this dissertation. Economic Sustainability Ontario's forest industry has been steadily consolidating over the past 15 yrs. In the year 1991, 24 companies were responsible for processing 90 percent of the wood that was harvested. In the year 2004, 8 companies were found to process the same amount of wood that was being processed by the 24 companies in the year 2004. On the wood supply front, the government was aware of the situation that a 20 year old low in the dip of the supply of the wood was looming largely over Ontario. Even after this, the government involving itself in logging contracts with various companies draws a suspicion over its attitude. Senior industrialists clearly point out that the harvest levels in the forest have been coming down drastically but the government reviews have shown that the harvest rates are above sustainable levels. What does this infer' It can be easily said that with continuing job loss, lower productivity and harvest levels in terms of quality and quantity and decreasing competitiveness in global markets and loss of key ecological issues, Ontario forest industry is not at all economically sustainable as pointed out by the Government. Ecological sustainability For many years, its been widely understood that the continous logging of the forests has clearly resulted in the reduction of bio-diversity, forest composition and degradation of habitat. The rate of logging has clearly increased and experts put the estimates at 6.6 hectares of land per year, which is clearly alarming. In the year 2002, the practice of clear cutting by the industries in that the Environment Commisioner who termed it as "experiment on a massive scale" and observed that it was well

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Evaluation approaches Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evaluation approaches - Research Paper Example The paper tells that evaluation techniques are crucial in any form of research regardless of whether it is a qualitative or quantitative research or a combination of both. This is because evaluation or measurement determines the interpretation of data gathered and, hence, impacts the findings and conclusions of a particular study. There is an ongoing debate as to which technique of evaluation or measurement can best interpret probability. According to Hand, this debate is stimulated and aggravated by controversy over the legitimacy of applying different classes of statistical methods to data that emerge as a consequence of different kinds of measurement activity. The body of literature supports this theme, from theories to actual research examples. The following studies undertaken to investigate three separate issues with different evaluation and measurement techniques highlight the differences by which the studies went through with their investigations. With an aim of investigating the validation approaches in Information Systems research, Boudreau, Gefen and Straub used an evaluation technique anchored on a comprehensive review and analysis of literature on the subject, specifically comparing two time periods. The researchers refer to it simply as a literature review except that such review was undertaken in a highly systematic manner. Clearly, the study is qualitative in character and it aims to describe the validation trends from 1997 to 1999. The employment of the review of literature as a foundation for inferences and conclusions is valid since qualitative research aims to find depth when quantitative studies seek breadth. Ambert et al. (1995) for instance, explained that because of this focus, evaluation could draw from a smaller group of research subjects or respondents instead of a large representative sample of the population. (p. 880) Bourdeau et al. selected five journals to represent the periods by which the study sought to compare. Out of these jo urnals, the author evaluated a total of 193 articles selected based on specific criteria or attributes. (p. 6) There were at least eleven such attributes (i.e. research type, content and construct validity, research method, etc.) and that they were, in turn, evaluated according to a validation test statistic – a second independent coder. (p. 6) The resulting data allowed for the identification of relationships and the evaluation of the efficacy of validation approaches based on previous documents so that the research objectives are finally met. It was found, for instance, that instruments are more frequently validated today than they were 11 years ago. (p. 7) Multi-method Evaluation Boyd et al. (2007), investigated community health services with emphasis on the need for stakeholder participation and dialogue. For this purpose, they designed a multi-method approach in order to cover the numerous stakeholders involved in community health services: health practitioners, communit y leaders, marginalized people, etc. Three evaluation frameworks are designed for goals, the stakeholders and the organization. The researchers employed the so-called critical systems thinking (CST) principle in this strategy, which is typified by three fundamental characteristics, namely: Critical awareness for the examination of assumptions in addition to the conditions that led to their emergence; Improvement both on temporary and local levels done in an adequately informed manner; and, Methodological

Ultradian Rhythms Essay Example for Free

Ultradian Rhythms Essay Ultradian rhythms are bodily rhythms that last less than 24 hours. The most obvious ultradian rhythm is the different stages of sleep, existing within the ciradian rhythm of the sleep-wake cycle. Sleep is dived into cycles, each lasting about 90 minutes. During these cycles, we will experience 5 different stages of sleep- the first four being characterized as non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM), and the last stage being characterized as rapid eye movement sleep (REM). When human beings are awake, the electrical activity in their brain usually takes the form of fast, erratic brain waves. These waves are known as beta waves. During stage 1 of sleep, the brains electrical activity begins to change, with the brain waves becoming more slow and regular. This demonstrates that the persons mind is beginning to relax, and these waves are known as alpha waves. The presence of alpha waves in the brain can usually be used to indicate that the onset of sleep has occurred, and that the person is no longer awake. As well as a change in electrical activity, the persons core body temperature will also drop and their heart-beat slow down. As the sleeper goes into Stage 2 of sleep, their brain waves become even slower and a greater amplitude. These are called theta waves. This shows that the brain is becoming increasingly more relaxed. During this stage of sleep, it is common to experience sudden bursts of brain activity: known as K complexes and sleep spindles. Stages 1 and 2 of sleep are commonly referred to as being as being light sleep. This means that people in these stages of sleep can be easily awoken by external factors such as noise. Stages 3 and 4 of sleep are characterized by even slower brain waves, known as delta waves. Stages 3 and 4 are often referred to as being slow-wave sleep (SWS)- and sleep during this time is far more deep than in the previous two stages. However, the sleeper has not reached a state of unconsciousness, and can still be woken up by certain external factors (eg. Parents being woek nby the sound of their baby crying). These are the stages of sleep where most of the bodies physiological repair work occurs. It can also be associated with biochemical changes, such as the release of growth hormone taking place during this time. In these first four stages of NREM sleep, dreams have been shown to be unlikely to occur. During a study by Dement and Klietman, in which participants were woken up when their brain waves indicated certain stages of sleep, it was shown that only around 7% of participants had reported having dreams when their brain activity had indicated the stages of NREM sleep. Stage 5 of sleep, the final stage in the sleep cycle before it repeats, is known as REM sleep. This the stage of sleep where brain activity is most like that of the awake brain. It is also the stage of sleep where most dreams are likely to occur.

Comparison of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Gender

Comparison of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Gender Nichelle Morgan Research Question: Does the physical and psychosocial effects of musculoskeletal disorders differ between both male and female computer workers employed at the UWI St. Augustine Republic Bank Branch, Trinidad? Introduction A musculoskeletal disorder is defined as injuries or disorders that affect the human bodys movement or musculoskeletal system, i.e. muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, discs, blood vessels, etc. (Middlesworth, 2015). They are one of the most common occupational disorders that occur to employees both in and out of the office. When a worker experiences a musculoskeletal disorder, it has an impact on the quantity and quality of the work that they perform. Not only do these disorders affect the health of the worker, but it also affects the productivity of the organization and furthermore the economy (Nunes, 2012). For this topic, there were very limited sources that discusses gender and its association with the development of musculoskeletal disorders. As there is very little focus on musculoskeletal disorders amongst computer workers in Trinidad, this study will seek to gain more information and a better understanding of the known and unknown causal factors of musculoskeletal disorders, how or why it may differ between genders and what methods can be implemented to reduce the risk of an employee developing these disorders in the future. Problem Statement As places of business become more dependent on technology, there has been the increase in the usage of desktop computers and laptops in the workforce. Therefore, this brings about one of the most common occupational health problems, i.e. musculoskeletal disorders. One of the many groups of workers who has experienced this occupational ailment are the employees that work with computers. This group mostly express concerns about pains in their necks, arms, and backs (Punnet, 1997). The age, gender and lifestyle choices of the individual are a few factors that contribute to musculoskeletal disorders. For Trinidad and Tobago, there is very limited research conducted on the effects of musculoskeletal disorders among computer workers. Considering the lack of information for this topic, it gives rise for further research to be done on this occupational disorder in Trinidad and Tobago. Aim The aim of this research question is to further examine the long term physical and psychosocial effects of musculoskeletal disorders amongst computer workers. Factors such as gender, age, exposure time to computers and lifestyle of the worker would be used as additional control measures in this study. Theoretical Perspective With regards to the possible causes and long term effects of musculoskeletal disorders at the workplace, there are four theories which aids in analysing these causal injuries. Kumar (2004, 2007) explains the four theories as follows: The Multivariate Interaction Theory encompasses all the factors [genetic, morphological, psychosocial, and biomechanical] that a biological entity uses while conducting work activities. The Differential Fatigue Theory speaks to the various and repetitive muscle movement in the body that occurs while the worker is performing various tasks. Each muscle would experience different levels of fatigue and this depends on the type of work being conducted and how much stress that the muscle is undergoing. Cumulative Load Theory where all the muscle pain or stresses are accumulated. These repetitive motions over time causes the muscles to become weak and in some cases even deformed. Overexertion Theory This is when the muscles become extremely overworked due to the amount of stress or pressure being placed on those muscles. The muscles would either experience pain all at once or the pain will accumulate over time. The Differential Fatigue Theory is best suited to the discussion of causes of musculoskeletal disorders and its short and long term effects amongst computer workers. The neck, shoulder, back and arm muscles of the worker all undergo different levels of stress every day. The different levels stress in these muscles leads to the worker experiencing different types of pain while doing their job and even out of the office. Research Question/Hypothesis To further examine the long term physical and psychosocial effects of musculoskeletal disorders between male and female computer workers. Hypothesis: HO: There is no association with the length of computer usage and the development of musculoskeletal disorders between genders. HA: There is an association with the length of computer usage and the development of musculoskeletal disorders between genders. Definition of key terms Visual Display Unit [VDU] another term used to describe a computer monitor. A large projector can also be considered a VDU (TechTerms). Video Display Terminal [VDT] a computer terminal consisting of a screen on which data or graphics can be displayed (The Free Dictionary). Carpal Tunnel Syndrome [CTS] this is when there is pressure on the median nerve of the wrist. When this pressure is continuous, the arm or hand of the individual experiences tingling, numbness and pain (Faust, 2016). Repetitive Strain Injury [RSI] this is where an individual experiences pain in the muscles, nerves, and tendons after doing an activity that involves repetitive action (NHS UK). Delimitations The focus group for this research are the bank employees at the Republic Bank Limited branch located in the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus. Limitations The group selected for the questionnaire may be too small and not a large enough representation of all staff members at Republic Bank Limited, Trinidad. Literature Review Within the last century, the corporate workforce has increased exponentially and with this there is also the increase in the number of computers and the length of time that workers spend these devices in the workplace. Even though this machine is very helpful with everyday work tasks, its use over extended periods of time begins to have negative effects on the physical health of the worker. These physical health effects that a computer worker will most likely experience is referred to as musculoskeletal disorders. The parts of the body such as the arms, neck, shoulders and back are the main problem areas and contribute to the development of musculoskeletal disorders (Eltayeb et.al 2007). In an article written by Tittiranonda et.al (1999), it was mentioned that in the United States there was an increase in the number of the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders in a ten-year period. The author also stated that the increase in cases involving musculoskeletal disorders is in conjunction with the increase of computer usage at the workplace. One of the most common musculoskeletal disorders that several computer users experience is carpal tunnel syndrome. This disorder affects the wrists and fingers of the worker, thus limiting the movement of the hands and the pain ranges from light to severe (Faust, 2016). The Mayo Clinic (2014) indicated that there was scientific research was done to verify the link between extended computer use and carpal tunnel syndrome but the evidence to support this statement is limited. Similarly, in his study Kryger et.al. (2003) spoke about repetitive stress injury [RSI] with regards to the pain that workers experience in their forearm and mentioned that there were inconsistent findings in a few studies which were conducted to find the association between computer use and forearm pain. Middlesworth (2015) divided the risk factors that contributes to musculoskeletal disorders into two categories, these are the Ergonomic and Individual risk factors. The Ergonomic risk factors consists of force, repetition, and posture, whereas the Individual risk factors are poor work practices, poor fitness, and poor health habits. For example, if the posture of the worker is poor throughout the entire workday, not only would it cause pain in the lower back, shoulders, and neck, but it would also lead to increased fatigue. Poor posture and the utilization of inadequate office equipment such as unsuitable computer chairs for extensive periods can also contribute to the development of musculoskeletal disorders. In terms of poor health habits and its relation to musculoskeletal disorders, it is not considered to be a major factor in the development of musculoskeletal disorders as there is very little research done to prove this as a fact. However, there is some correlation between poor fitness and the development of musculoskeletal disorders. For example, if an individual is not physically fit and is sitting at the desk most of the day, it heightens their chances of experiencing both muscle and joint pain. With regards to gender and musculoskeletal disorders, one report stated that there is no evidence to confirm that gender is a main factor in the development of this occupational disease (Petreanu, 2015). However, in another study conducted by de Zwart (1997) it was found that as both working males and females age, they are at a higher risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders at the workplace. In another article, Madeleine et.al (2013) carried out an experiment on the long-term pain complaints amongst Danish computer users which resulted in the women having higher reports of pain complaints than the men. Given the difference in opinions in the previous paragraph, this gives an indication that there is still more research to be done to find the association with gender and musculoskeletal disorder development. Trinidad and Tobago has many persons that are employed in the public sector and by carrying out a study in this area of occupational health, it would give some insight as to how musculoskeletal disorders affects the office worker and how we can reduce the number of cases of this occupational disease. Research Design/Method The quantitative design method would be used alongside with the true experimental design in this study. By pairing the quantitative method and the true experimental design, this would reduce the chances of bias during both pre-test and post-test stages. Sample Populations and Participants The population that this study will be sampling from are the employees of Republic Bank Limited in Trinidad that work with computers daily. The sample group will comprise of 100 employees that work with computers for more than six hours during the work day at the Republic Bank Limited, St Augustine Branch. The participants in this sample group were randomly chosen as this would allow for a fair distribution of participants to both the control group and the experimental group. Data Collection Instruments, Variables and Materials For this study, data would be collected by means of questionnaires and an experiment. The independent variable would be the exposure to computers during the work week [hours/week]. The dependent variables would be the musculoskeletal symptoms [back pains, neck pains, shoulder pains, arm, and wrist pains], gender, lifestyle and age of the employee. The questionnaire would consist of closed ended questions which would gather data from the employees such as lifestyle choices, health, workspace comfort, etc. To ensure that the participants respond to the questions, there would be two supervisors [a research team representative and a representative from the Human Resources Department] present while the employees take the allotted time to fill out the questionnaire. After all the questionnaires have been completed, they would be collected immediately and handed over to the research team representative. In terms of the experiment, it will be carried out at the workplace of the participants for a period of two months. In the first week, the experimental group [made up of 50 participants] would receive new ergonomically friendly computer desks and chairs, while the control group [also comprised of 50 participants] would be given a placebo. The employees would be required fill out a digital weekly log for eight working weeks to record whether there has been any decrease in muscle pains and at the end of each week the participants must submit these logs to the research team representative via the email address which was provided one day prior to the commencement of the experiment. Data Analysis Procedure As the research would be focusing on the length of computer usage and its association with the development of musculoskeletal disorders between men and women, the SPSS program was chosen to analyse the data. After the data from the questionnaires and the weekly logs have been gathered, the researchers would then go through a series of steps to ensured that the data is properly analysed. The first step is to code the data from the weekly logs [hours/week versus the musculoskeletal symptoms] and the questionnaires. Secondly, the data would be edited and then placed into a computerised system. The data would then be cleaned as this would remove any errors that may offset the results and finally, the data will be modified. Expected outcome The results from the statistical analysis should indicate that there is indeed an association with the exposure time of computers and the development of musculoskeletal disorders between male and female computer workers. Anticipated Ethical Issues This study is being conducted with human beings as the test subjects. To ensure that the ethical rules in research are not broken, the research team took measures to ensure that all the data that was gathered from the participants were to remain confidential and used only for research purposes. This would be done by having the participants signing two consent forms, one before filling out the questionnaires and the other on the morning of the experimental trial. Secondly, the head of the research team would meet the Human Resources manager of the Republic Bank Limited prior to the experimentation period to discuss the purpose of the study, why their establishment and the St. Augustine branch was chosen and how the data gathered from the employees was to be utilized. Preliminary Studies and Pilot Tests Before the research team carries out the experiment, a pilot test will be given to 40 employees at the Republic Bank Limited branch. The purpose of this pilot test is to give an assessment of the estimated cost to run the experiment, gives an idea of how feasible the study is going to be and may also predict any possible adverse events during the test period. Significance of study The study of musculoskeletal disorders and its effects on computer workers is of key importance as it allows for a deeper understanding of the causal factors of the disorder. It also brings about ways in which the computer workers themselves may have contributed to the development of musculoskeletal disorders in their bodies. The study may also bring about possible solutions for reducing the physical and psychosocial health effects of this occupational disease amongst the computer workers not only at the Republic Bank, but also all corporate businesses in Trinidad and Tobago. References Christensson, Per. VDU Definition. TechTerms. (November 6, 2009). Accessed January 3rd, 2017. http://techterms.com/definition/vdu. de Zwart, B., Broersen, J., Frings-Dresen, M. et al. Int Arch Occup Environ Health (1997) 70: 352. Accessed on January 8th, 2017. doi:10.1007/s004200050229. Eltayeb Shahla et.al. 2007. Prevalence of complaints of arm, neck and shoulder among computer office workers and psychometric evaluation of a risk factor questionnaire. http://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2474-8-68 Accessed on December 30th, 2016. Faust Katherine, Charles D. Jennings. Carpal Tunney Syndrome. 2016. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00005 Accessed on January 3rd, 2017. Kryger A.I. et.al. Does computer use pose an occupational hazard for forearm pain; from the NUDATA study. Occup Environ Med 2003;60:e14. Accessed on January 3rd, 2017. doi:10.1136/oem.60.11.e14. Kumar, Shrawan: Muscle Strength. Florida: CRC Press 2004.https://books.google.tt/books?id=IXRJ457fGp8Cpg=PA10lpg=PA10dq=differential+fatigue+theorysource=blots=6ZQ3rQg2Kjsig=1GtsSbEPM6fKvdB7LqBgHGyY8Hwhl=ensa=Xved=0ahUKEwic67C-h6XRAhVBLSYKHStyBwwQ6AEIKTAC#v=onepageq=differential%20fatigue%20theoryf=false Accessed on January 3rd, 2017. Kumar, Shrawan: Biomechanics in Ergonomics. Florida: CRC Press 2007. https://books.google.tt/books?id=gDbMBQAAQBAJpg=PA3lpg=PA3dq=Multivariate+Interaction+Theorysource=blots=q43xFPztEHsig=zFHmVwPfraPydVFtZgRF8YSyIX4hl=ensa=Xved=0ahUKEwjfkJTdo5_RAhUI6CYKHWoVDCYQ6AEIWTAJ#v=onepageq=Multivariate%20Interaction%20Theoryf=false Accessed on January 2nd, 2017. Madeleine, Pascal et.al. Computer work and self-reported variables on anthropometrics, computer usage, work ability, productivity, pain, and physical activity BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders201314:226. Accessed on December 8th, 2017. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2474-14-226. Mayo Clinic. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Risk Factors. 2014. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/carpal-tunnel-syndrome/basics/risk-factors/con-20030332 Accessed on January 3rd, 2017. Middlesworth, Matt. The Definition and Causes of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). Accessed on December 29th, 2016. http://ergo-plus.com/musculoskeletal-disorders-msd/ NHS UK. Repetitive Stress Injury. 2016. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Repetitive-strain-injury/Pages/Introduction.aspx Accessed on January 3rd, 2017. Nunes, Isabel L. and Pamela McCauley Bush (2012). Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Assessment and Prevention, Ergonomics A Systems Approach. Accessed on January 8th, 2017. DOI: 10.5772/37229. Petreanu Viorica and Aurelia-Mihaela Seracin. 2015. Risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders development: hand-arm tasks, repetitive work. https://oshwiki.eu/wiki/Risk_factors_for_musculoskeletal_disorders_development:_hand-arm_tasks,_repetitive_work Accessed on January 8th, 2017. Punnet, Laura. Visual Display Unit Work and Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders. 1997:16. https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/4159/1/ah1997_16.pdf Accessed on January 8th, 2017. Appendices Appendix 1: Questionnaire Good day participant, My name is Nichelle Morgan and I am a postgraduate student in the Chemistry Department of the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus. As a requirement for one of my core courses, I have been asked to create a questionnaire which looks at musculoskeletal disorders and the physical and psychosocial effects that it has on computer workers. Once this questionnaire has been completed in its entirety, the responses will be used to further explore the known and unknown causal factors of this occupational disease. With regards to confidentiality, you will not be required to fill out your name or contact information on the questionnaire thus reassuring you that your responses will remain private. I appreciate you taking the time to participate in this study. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via my email address [emailprotected] . Once again, I thank you for taking part in this study. Yours respectfully, Nichelle Morgan MSc. Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health, Department of Chemistry, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus. What is your gender? †¢ Male †¢Female Which age group do you belong to? †¢ 20-24 †¢ 25-29 †¢ 30-34 †¢ 35-39 †¢ 40-44 †¢ >45 What is your ethnic background? †¢ Afro-Trinidadian †¢ Indo- Trinidadian †¢ Chinese †¢ Syrian †¢ Mixed †¢ Other How often do you exercise? †¢ Once a month †¢ Twice a month †¢ 1-2 times a week †¢ Everyday †¢ Never How often do you purchase or consume fast food? †¢ Daily †¢ 1-3 times a week †¢ Twice a month †¢ Once a month †¢ Never How long have you been employed at Republic Bank? †¢ †¢ 5-9 years †¢ 10-14 years †¢ 15- 19 years †¢ >20 years Do you use computers daily at work? †¢ Yes †¢ No If you responded Yes to Question 7, how many hours do you use the computer? †¢ †¢ 4-6 hours †¢ 6-8 hours While working with the computer, how often do you take a short break (besides lunch hour)? †¢ Never †¢ Every 2 hours †¢ Every 4 hours †¢ Depends on the work load Do you experience any muscular pains while working? †¢ Yes †¢ No If you responded Yes to Question 10, which part of the body does this pain occur? †¢ Neck †¢ Shoulders †¢ Upper back †¢ Lower back †¢ Arms and Wrists †¢ Legs †¢ All the above How often do you experience these pains? †¢ Everyday †¢ Every other day †¢ 1-2 times a week †¢ Twice a month †¢ Once a month †¢ Never Select the pain intensity that you experience †¢ Mild †¢ Some Discomfort †¢ Very Uncomfortable †¢ Intense †¢ Unbearable At times does the pain cause you to stop working? †¢ Yes †¢ No Was there an occasion where you missed working day/working days because of the pain? †¢ Yes †¢ No If you responded Yes to Question 15, how many days were you absent from work? †¢ 1-2 days †¢ 3-5 days †¢ 2 weeks †¢ 1 month Is your office furniture (computer chair) comfortable? †¢ Yes †¢ No If your response to Question 17 is No, select the reason below †¢ Chair is not adjustable †¢ The seat of the chair is too hard †¢ The back of chair does not support your spine properly †¢ Not enough leg room below desk †¢ All the above Appendix 2: Budget The estimated cost of the equipment required to carry out this study is $110,000. The cost of the ergonomically friendly chairs for the experimental group is $63,646.65 and the cost of the placebo chairs for the control group is $36,478.15. The rest of the funds ($9,845.05) would be distributed to the 100 participants as a token of appreciation for taking part in this study. There was a signed agreement between the sponsor of the equipment where they arranged to cover 60% of the cost while the research team will cover the remainder 40%.