Saturday, August 31, 2019

Analysis of Language, Rhetoric, and Politics in George Orwell’s 1984 Essay

This statement coming from the novel entitled Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell contains different meanings depending on its context and rationality. The phrase â€Å"war is peace† can be define as a prediction or conclusion that peace is always a result of war. When there is war, there would be peace, which is not always true depends on the situation. The phrase â€Å"freedom is slavery† can be said that even if you are free, there are influences, consequences, and contributors that would continue the act of slavery and people would still suffer from these cases. Because when we say freedom, there would be a form of governance and democracy but as long as authority exists, slavery would still become part of freedom. The phrase â€Å"ignorance is strength† can be true sometimes. If you are ignorant, you are more capable of acting without losing anything because you do not know something. Ignorance can be said as an escape to do everything without knowing anything – just to be free. However, why do these phrases were stated if they could actually say what is true and correct without any vague, ambiguous, and doublespeak words or languages. Use of languages can be vague and ambiguous depending on the person who used it, on the context he is relating with, the people he is talking to and the meaning of those words itself. Most often, we use words that are light but critical in order to make our audience or the person we are talking with will be less burdened by the whole situation. We use fuzzy, confusing and light words to exemplify the meaning of what we need to say in accordance to their feelings. One of the practical or simplest examples is the words or languages in business. A corporation needs to reduce its employees due to company problems, but rather than using honest words – they utilized technical words in order to make their employees understand the situations (not the real reason) with no hard feelings or at least minimal objection coming from the employees. One company denied it was laying off 500 people. â€Å"We don’t characterize it as a layoff,† said the corporate spin doctor. â€Å"We’re managing our staff resources. Sometimes you manage them up, and sometimes you manage them down. Firing workers is such big business that there are companies whose business is helping other companies fire workers by providing â€Å"termination and outplacement consulting† for corporations involved in â€Å"reduction activities. † But don’t worry, if you’re â€Å"managed down,† the â€Å"Outplacement Consultant† will help you with â€Å"re-employment engineering. † (Lutz, 1996) Because of these scenarios, people became clueless rather than being educated that are actually needed in every aspect of human life. In order to become productive, we need to be sophisticated by the fact that we need to understand things that are connected to our jobs, sociological interaction, or even personal maters. However, there are instances when these aspects of understanding and education could not be obtained because people behind those conflicts and problems are apprehended by their actions. Therefore, it is a form of stealing – stealing our learning, knowledge, and privilege to recognize sensitive matters. That is why people having these issues are playing-safe to acquire less refusal or conflicts in the future but the consequences will be more problematic. Then, a question will rise towards these issues as it become more active during these times. The question will be what are the grounds of these people to state ambiguous, vague, and doublespeak that are more conflicting rather than honest thoughts? I guess, the reason why these things happened is that people are inherently liar in different forms and grounds as also based on the article of Stephanie Ericsson entitled, The Ways We Lie. Why do they need to do these? It is because they need to compel people that there is no problem or everything is all right to extent of lying just to make things better. We lie. We all do. We minimize, we avoid confrontation, we spare people’s feelings, we conveniently forget, we keep secrets, we justify lying to the big- guy situations. (Ericsson, 1992) This statement shows that we all lie in different situations especially when it is needed or sometimes we used words that are less offensive to minimize the reaction of our audience or who we are talking with. In this case, as connected to the phrases above, use of doublespeak, vague, or ambiguous words are already part of our sociological interaction. We are doing this in order to make the people less objective to the whole situation. However, we cannot deny the fact that it will soon emerged into a conflicting issues that needs to be done in accordance to the law. Coming from the novel Nineteen Eighty-four by Orwell the statement â€Å"robbing its citizens of their capacity for critical thought and reasonable, authentic self-expression† is true not only from the past but also in the present and will still exists in the future. It is a fear we too, in our modern society, must share, or argue that his fear is exaggerated or even unfounded. Because of the cases that were explained above, people could not be able to express themselves because hey are becoming ignorant to what is true and right. I can say that it is better to recognize the truth despite of the failure that it may cause rather than doing some actions and hoping that there would be a brighter future but actually, there would be no solution to the problem is more miserable. Our political, social, economic, and even personal aspects of living are full of doublespeak words and languages. This is because we are not always open to reality and truth for we do not want to be rejected, obligated, and failure. Most often, we keep on hiding from our blankets to escape from the certainty of everything. That is why, in order to minimize these cases, people are already doing lesser projections to reduce absurd feelings that may cause tension and despair. However, does political aspect needs these cases to magnify the burdens of the future. Logically, we know that political cases and aspects should be honest when it comes to its decision, preferences, and problems because its citizens are the primary affected from all of it. Nevertheless, this is not the situation today. There are some situations or maybe almost problematic situations that are hidden from the knowledge of the people for it will bring terrible conflict to the country. If the government could not control the situation and people knew about it, the president or the leader will explain but it will use doublespeak words or languages to make the people more comfortable and to lessen their fright, but up to what extent? Things like these happened after the September 11, 2001 attack in New York. The president claim that the country is already safe from terror attacks but he did not state any problem after the terror attack. He used doublespeak words to make its people less frightened from the whole situation but he did not say anything about the defenseless cases and problem within the white house that the terrorists already warned them but they did not pay attention to it. In this case, they did not want to be blamed so they made some segues and focused on the future having no further justifications of the past and the present. In our time, it is broadly true that political writing is bad writing. Where it is not true, it will generally be found that the writer is some kind of rebel, expressing his private opinions and not a â€Å"party line. † Orthodoxy, of whatever color, seems to demand a lifeless, imitative style. The political dialects to be found in pamphlets, leading articles, manifestoes, White papers and the speeches of undersecretaries do, of course, vary from party to party, but they are all alike in that one almost never finds in them a fresh, vivid, homemade turn of speech. As a whole, Orwell’s novel is a revelation of the past situations that still exists today. Language is not a problem but the people who used the language based on their intentions and desire. If they choose not to be obligated and responsible to the problem, they will use doublespeak words, but if we think of it, who will be responsible for all of those problems if no one is honest about everything? Is it the future generation, or our ancestors?

Friday, August 30, 2019

Learning Healthcare Organizations Essay

There are two healthcare organizations that I will be discussing that have transformational change to promote/create learning organization. One is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the other one is International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). CDC is a federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services that focuses national attention on developing and applying disease control and prevention. CDC collaborates to create the expertise, information, and tools that people and communities need to protect their health through health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability and preparedness for new health treats. Stakeholders at CDC are people invested in the program that are interested in the results of the evaluation, and/or with a stake in what will be done with the results of the evaluation. Representing their needs and interests throughout the process is fundamental to good program evaluation. Those involved in program operations are the management, program staff, partners, funding agencies and coalition members. Those served or affected by the program are patients or clients, advocacy group, community members, and elected official. And lastly, those who are intended users of the evaluation findings are persons in a position to make decisions about the program, such as partners, funding agencies, coalition members, and the general public or taxpayers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues its long standing dedication to improving the health and wellness of all Americans with the Community Transformation Grant (CTG) program. The CTG program is funded by the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund and  awarded $103 million to 61 states and local government agencies, tribes, and territories, and nonprofit organizations in 36 states, along with nearly $4 million to 6 national networks of community-based organizations. Focusing on priorities for change for healthier living is improving health and wellness on tobacco-free living, active living and healthy eating, and high impact quality clinical and other preventive services to prevent and control high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Also, focusing on disease prevention and health promotion that includes social and emotional wellness and healthy and safe physical environments, which facilitate the early identification of mental health needs and access to quality services. Specific community interventions includes; promotes healthy eating by supporting local farmers and developing small grocery stores where people live, protecting people from secondhand smoke exposure, improving community environments to make it safe and easy for people to walk and ride bikes. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is part of the World Health Organization. It coordinates and conducts both epidemiological and laboratory research into the causes of human cancer. IARC main objectives are; to monitor global cancer occurrence, identify the causes of cancer, elucidate the mechanism of carcinogenesis, and develop scientific strategies for cancer control. On February 3, 2014, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released World Cancer Report 2014, a collaboration of over 250 leading scientist from more than 40 countries, describing multiple aspects of cancer research and control. The report says about half of all cancers could be avoided if current knowledge was adequately implemented. The stakeholders are the scientist’s that has been researching for the cure of different types of cancer; patient’s that are suffering and waiting for the cure, and the leadership of the World Health organization that implements the research. The IARC activities are mainly funded by the regular budget contributions paid by its participating states. The regular budget for the 2014-2015 biennium was approved in May 2013 at a level of 40 424 491 EUR. Recent changes in the epidemiology of head and neck cancer has new findings.  Overall, the incidence of head and neck cancer is increasing in women, whereas it is decreasing in men. Chewing tobacco is a newly recognized risk factor of great public health concern. The role of tobacco smoking and alcohol as the source of cancer has been reinforced. Head and neck cancer among women in developing countries should deserve more attention, as the mortality rates appears to be higher than those of women in developed countries. For never smokers and never drinkers, more research needs to be done to identify their risk factor patterns. While it is true that advances is medical science have led to continued improvements in medical care and health outcomes, the effectiveness of management options remains inadequate for informed medical care and health policy decision making. Frequently, the result is below an optimal level or standard and inefficient care as well as unsustainable cost. In order to maintain quality of care and cost containment, evidence of comparative clinical and cost effectiveness is necessary for healthcare organization. Examples of healthcare organization that I previously discussed have the institutional lessons learned from the process that is learn along the way. As Feinstein said â€Å"a strategic plan is not worth the paper it is printed on unless its underlying vision is embedded in the organization’s culture, (Feinstein W.L. The Institutional Change Process). The most essential element of organizational change is the alignment of all relevant stakeholders to the new directions. The following are critical to achieving momentum and the successful implementation of a vision for change such as: updating the executive’s leadership style, increasing staff involvement in achieving organizational plans, helping the board understand the scope of the change, and strengthening the agency-federation relationship. Enthusiasm, persistenc e, and commitment for change by the leadership are key. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2009. MMWR Early release, 58(Early release), 1-54. Chang, S., & Collie, C. L. (2009). The future of cancer prevention: will our workforce be ready? Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 18(9), 2348-2351. Feinstein, W. L. The Institutional Change Process: Lessons Learned Along the Way. Journal of Jewish Communal Service. Jewish Communal Service Association of North America (JCSA), 1999. James, J. (2009). Health Organizations Theory, Behavior, and Development: 273 Saudbery Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Oreg, Shaul; Berson, Yair. Personnel Psychology. Autumn2011, Vol. 64 Issue 3, p627-659. 33p. 1 Diagram, 2 Charts, 1 Graph. DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-6570.2011.01221.x. , Database: Business Source Elite Weiner, B. J. (2009). A theory of organizational readiness for change. Implement Sci, 4(1), 67.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

HRM in Marks and Spencer Essay

Introduction and Background Marks and Spencer, established 1894 in Leeds,UK and as one of the most recognized brands in the UK and worldwide, had been hugely successful in terms of both profit and market share until the late 1990s. However, after that it suffered a reversal in its fortunes. Correspondingly, its organizational structure and culture also underwent certain transformation. The set of dramatic changes include changing top executive and their managerial philosophies. Now, it seems to be on the road to recovery after these radical changes. This article focuses on human resource management in M&S, analysis ranges from its traditional paternalism culture to new HRM practices. Paternalism & Unitarist Characteristics Under paternalism, employers and employees view the company as a family. It’s different from traditional manufacturing culture. The separation between the shop floor and management and feelings of ‘them and us’ are what might be expected within a traditional manufacturing culture, where the employment is full-time, long-term and relatively stable and the typical workplace is a large firm or store. The corporation is a stable sovereign organization with a clear division of labors and everyone abides by the social contract. Similarly, Unitarist deems the business organization as a team united by shared interests and values with senior management as the sole source of authority and focus of loyalty, conflict is seen as irrational and unnecessary. Historically, Marks and Spencer fits into an anatomy of paternalism with characteristic features of hereditary family ownership, personal relations between employer and worker, a sense of UK religious mission and a commitment to social welfare and public service. The ideal type paternalist workforce matches these, with family employment through large kinship networks and is embedded in a surrounding occupational community. Moreover, there was a feeling of camaraderie and close-knit family atmosphere within the stores and they employed staffs who are most suitable and can readily become part of this family. In addition, every M&S store is identical and the store managers followed central direction. The highly centralized authority also means that there exists little disagreement with policies sent down from the top. Also, there had never been a CEO of M&S who had not been a member of the founder’s family or a lifetime employee. The first exception is Vandervelde who had been appointed to the position of chairman at M&S in 2000 from outside the organization. Therefore, this kind of HRM is a typical form of paternalism, which totally breaks with trade unions and has highly centralized authority and represents the characteristic of unitarist as well. Organization’s success is depended not only on reducing costs but also on improving the performance of the workforce. The organization’s objective or their currently expect of their employees may be completely different from what they expected in the past due to the changing external environment such as new competitors or new technologies, internal strategy such as focusing on reducing costs and cutting the full-time sales assistants in store. Some of the external environment and the individual factors driving psychological contract research are illustrated in following figure. Old Contract (Greenbury) New Contract Change environment Stable, short-term focus Continuous change Culture Paternalism, time-served, exchange security for commitment Those who perform get rewarded and have contract developed Rewards Paid on level, position and status Paid on contributions or performance-based Promotion basis Expected, based on time served in store and competence Less opportunity, new criteria, for those who deserve it Personal development The organization’s responsibility Individual’s responsibility to improve employability Consequently, employee’s job descriptions might be broadened and their psychological contract will shift correspondingly. Evidence suggests that these changes represented a threat to the reciprocal nature of the psychological contract with consequences for both employees and employers. Meanwhile, the strength of the psychological contract is dependent on how fair the individual believes the organization is in fulfilling its perceived obligations that the organization treats them fairly, respects their efforts and rewards them justly, it’s based on mutual obligation. In addition to the summarized old contract characters, evidence also shows that Greenbury only used sales figures and visitors to stores as the basis to make judgments on how M&S was operating, whereas lost touch with what their employees’ opinions or wants. It makes employees feel their roles are unimportant; also it weakens their morale and motivation. ‘The Thrill of the Purchase’ article states this famous paternalistic culture of M&S. They offered cradle-to-grave benefits for employees but rigidly governed the way that managers operated. Moreover, every aspect of the company was rule-driven. Most of employees feel rule-bound and they are not encouraged to use their personal discretion as well. Nevertheless, they gradually realized their culture are fall-out-of-step and with the implementation of new HR strategic, M&S becomes open and receptive, moving from a culture of paternalism to a more sophisticated culture of choice. Matching employee behaviors and HRM activities to competitive strategies Michael Porter’s generic ‘low-cost’ or ‘differentiation’ strategy can be adopted in the Marks&Spencer case. Namely, each Porterian competitive strategy involves a unique set of responses from workers or ‘needed role behaviours’ and a particular HRM strategy that might generate and reinforce a unique pattern of behaviour (Schuler and Jackson, 2002). Therefore, any inconsistency in internal HRM practices will likely lead to ‘role conflict or ambiguity that can interfere with individual performance and organizational effectiveness’. In the Devanna et al. model, human resource management strategy and structure follow and feed upon one another and are influenced by environmental forces. This basic model constituted the bare bones of a theory on SHRM. (Linda Maund, 2001:73) Porter’s model comprised three components: 1. Low-cost leadership or cost reduction strategy Using this strategy, organization will gain competitive advantage by being the lowest cost producer. Managers are attempting to increase the organization’s market share by emphasizing low cost compared to that of its competitors, they try to emphasize that their goods or services are cheaper. It’s an aggressive and tightly cost-controlled strategy that emphasizes overhead minimization. Meanwhile, it pursuits the economies of scale and primarily focus on increasing productivity through reducing output cost per person and reducing wage levels by all means. This approach takes effect by means of mass-producing, mass-selling to save the costs, whereby gain the price superiority. Moreover, it keeps manufacturing process simple and repetitive in order to save the costs of raw materials, whereas basically there are no improvements or expansion of their products. Greenbury, the former chief executive of Marks and Spencer, had decided that to control costs by means of cutting full-time sales assistants in stores, at the same time, bring in full-time, part-time and Saturday staffs to work in stores. Further, their approach is also rely on and highly trust the quality of British suppliers and M&S play as a bulk buyer who even buy up all the stock of specific suppliers, whereby conducting mass-selling to earn profits. In addition, as the Channel 4 programme stated at 25th Feb,2001 that operations of the organization within M&S is focused on short-term strategy rather than long-term one and they were firmly placed in the ‘middle ground’, emphasize getting generalized view of the market instead of trying to target various segments market. The overall strategy is risk-aversive and traditional. Hence, they are adapting typical cost-reduction strategy, meanwhile, with somewhat emphasis on quality aspect. In general, cost reduction pursued through increasingly using of part-time employees, subcontractors, work simplification, measurement procedures, automation, work rule changes, job assignment flexibility. Therefore, according to this competitive strategy, the expected employees behaviors should be followed the key cost-reduction strategy characteristics illustrate as follow: Low-cost leadership strategy (Greenbury) Needed Employees Behaviors Human Resource Practices Relatively repetitive and predictable behaviors Relatively fixed and explicit job descriptions A rather short-term focus Narrowly designed jobs Primarily autonomous or individual activity Narrowly defined career path, unitarism Modest concern for quality Externally, reliable suppliers; internally, QC function High concern for quantity of output Lean production, JIT system, fully participation Primary concern for results Minimal levels of employee training and development Low risk-taking activity Short-term, result oriented performance appraisals Relatively high degree of comfort with stability Close monitoring of market pay level 2. Differentiation or quality enhancement strategy This strategic emphasizes on enhancing products or services quality and offering products or services that different from those of its competitors. There are numerous ways to implement this strategy, the most common ones are advertising, offering distinctive product or service features, providing exceptional service, or relying on new technology. The organization is trying to make a unique product or provide a unique service with high quality to attract target customers and earn profits. Due to the risk-aversive and traditional managerial methodologies, actually Greenbury laid less emphasis on quality enhancement or on delivering products with unique quality. Therefore, by April 1999, in order to overcome the difficulties M&S had been facing, Salsbury, the successor of Greenbury, had devised a large-scale promotional campaign to try to restore its images as an innovative retailer offering unique quality products. He started to segment the market and offer different category products to its target customers with strong emphasis on its unique quality. Also, by moving away from its original bureaucratic culture and hierarchical environment, modest amount of cooperation was formed to enhance products quality. At the end of March 2001, for the future development of M&S, Vandervelde, the new chief executive of M&S, started to focus on its core 300 domestic stores by cutting or withdrawing its stores worldwide, and started moving business closer to the customer and selling customized products within the UK. For customized products, quality is a key success factor. Therefore, obviously, at this stage, M&S strategy focuses mostly on differentiation character. The matching HRM practices of this competitive strategy for M&S are summarized as following table: Quality enhancement strategy (Salsbury and Vandervelde) Needed Employees Behaviors Human Resource Practices Relatively repetitive and predictable behaviors Relatively fixed and explicit job descriptions More long-term or intermediate focus Giving employees more discretion Modest amount of cooperative, interdependent behaviors Mix of individual and group criteria for performance appraisal High concern for quality Extensive and continuous training and development of employees, QC function, TQM practices Modest concern for quantity of output High level of employee participation High concern for process Training and development of employees, TQM practices Low risk-taking activity Relatively egalitarian treatment of employees Commitment to the goals of the organization Applying Balance scorecard 3. Focus or innovation strategy However, they also try to design a new range of clothes for M&S through hiring famous innovators and conducting in-depth research to understand customers’ shopping habits and their demographics. This strategy emphasizes some of the innovative character, whereby gain advantaged of its competitors. It’s different from the previous two strategies. Meanwhile, the organization concentrates on a specific geographical area, specific group of customers. Overall, for firms pursuing a competitive strategy of innovation, the employees are encouraging to offer suggestions for new and improved ways of doing their job or manufacturing products. Eventually, this strategy will result in feeling of enhanced personal control and morale, greater commitment to self and profession. In addtition, selecting highly skilled individuals or training employees could be costly once adopting this strategy. Focus or innovation strategy (Vandervelde) Needed Employees Behaviors Human Resource Practices High degree of creative behaviors Selecting highly skilled individuals Long-term focus Appraising performance for its long-run implication Relatively high level of cooperative, teamworking, knowledge sharing and interdependent behaviors Using minimal controls Moderate degree of concern for both quality and quantity TQM practices, making a greater investment in human resources Equal degree of concern for process and results Providing more resources for experimentation Greater degree of risk taking Allowing and even rewarding occasional failure Uncertainty, unpredictability and constant change Compensation, incentives, giving employees more discretion Comparatively speaking, Low-cost leadership is effective but difficult to do in a high-cost organization. Differentiation can be profitable if target customers are not particularly concerned with price but it’s costly to implement, such as research and development, advertising costs. Focus strategy can gain quick returns but takes time to identify area or group and the cost could be even higher since it focuses on innovative aspect of products. Analyze Matching model and other HRM strategies From the above comparison, we can see that effectiveness will increase by melding HR practices with competitive strategy. The advantages of this model are obviously and are summarized as following table: Component Advantages Disadvantages Low-cost leadership Effective Difficult to do in a high-cost organization Differentiation Can be profitable if target customers are not particularly concerned with price Costly to implement, e.g. research and development, advertising costs Focus Quick returns Takes time to identify area or group (Linda Maund, 2001:55 ‘Adantages and disadvantages of Porter’s competitive strategies’) However, besides the disadvantages illustrated above, the practice of this matching model could also be problematic since achieving the goal of ‘close fit’ of business and HRM strategy can contradict the core ‘soft’ HRM goals of commitment, flexibility and quality. Work organization as M&S may adopt a ‘soft’ version of HRM for managerial staffs, which is consistent with its current strategy, whereas simultaneously pursuing a ‘hard’ version of HRM for low-level worker, which might undermine the commitment of the latter. Hence, the matching model is essentially unitary and it tends to assume that workers are unproblematic and will comply with managements’ perception of the ‘needed role behaviors’. Meanwhile, we also cannot ignore the fact that workers and their unions, especially for M&S’s famous British working union, might influence strategic planning. In addition, ‘excessive fit’ can be disadvantageous to gaining competitive advantage since it can make a company inflexible and incapable of adapting quickly to the external environment. Recalled that when Greenbury insisted on its cost-reduction strategy and its quality criteria, the environment of the whole market has gradually changed. Competitors targeted at niche market and adopted differentiation strategy to attract and gain credibility among numerous consumers, whereas M&S still keep its traditional or risk-aversive way to do business. Recommendation Other HR strategies suggestions for M&S: At individual level, employees’ motivation can be stimulated through appropriate job design and rewards. Also, emphasizing employees’ participation or empowerment, and it could be reinforced through encouraging front-line staff to solve customer problems on the spot, without constant recourse to management approval. At organizational level: Development through changing the paternalism structure and corresponding traditional culture to a culture of the individual and of teams. The organization should focus on building its growth valued (such as brand revitalized by Vandervelde) and rewards excellence. Meanwhile, strategy-focused organizations like M&S can apply the balanced scorecard to align their employees to their strategy. This strategy can be implemented through communication and education, personal and team objectives, and incentive and reward systems. They should extensively use self-managed teams and decentralization. Also, paying attention to reducing status differentials and encouraging willingness to share information. Finally, when individuals understand how their pay is linked to achieving strategic objectives, and set personal objectives to met and help to achieve the strategic objectives, organization’s effectiveness will expect to be achieved. Â   References and Bibliographies: Linda,M.(2001) ‘An Introduction to Human Resource Management: theory and practice’, Hampshire, New York: Palgrave Publishers Ltd Schuler,R.S and Jackson,S.E (2002, 7th edn) ‘Managing Human Resources: A Partnership Perspective’: Journal of Personnel Review,31(1),114-121 Tyson,S. and York,A. (2000,4th edn) ‘Essentials of HRM’, Houston: Butterworth Heinemann Torrington,D. and Hall,L. (1998, 4th edn) ‘Human Resource Management’, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc Maund,L. (1999) ‘Understanding People and Organisations: An Introduction to Organisational Behaviour’, Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes Schuler,R.S and Jackson,S.E (2000) ‘Strategic Human Resource Management’, Journal:Personnel Review,29(6),816-821 James,A. and McGoldrick,A.E. (2001) ‘HRM service practices: flexibility, quality and employee strategy’, Journal: International Journal of Service Industry Management,7(3),46-62 Huang,T.C (2001) ‘The effects of linkage between business and human resource management strategies’, Journal:Personnel Review,30(2),132-151 Anne-marie,G and John,B and Peter,A (2000) Lost Narratives From Paternalism to Team-working in a lock manufacturing firm http://research.abs.aston.ac.uk/wpaper/0001.pdf (accessed 11 Jan,2004) Marks&Spence: An analysis of Business and HRM strategy (Online) http://www.hrm.strath.ac.uk/teaching/classes/41429/MarksandSpencerPresentation%5B1%5D.pdf (accessed 11 Jan,2004) John,B. (2000) Strategic Human Resource Management: Chapter Two http://www.palgrave.com/business/brattonandgold/docs/bgwebstudentnotes.pdf (accessed 11 Jan,2004) Annette,S. (2002) The psychological contract in a changing work environment http://www.ukwon.org/pdf/Hi-Res/PsychologicalContractTheme.pdf (accessed 11 Jan,2004)

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management - Essay Example In order to understand why this profession is needed, it is important to understand the current business world and how changes are needed. It is also important to understand why such changes are required to survive. Companies which do not realize the need for this profession are the ones which might suffer in the near future. However, there are many industries which are more prone to continuity dangers compared to other industries, and such industries need to make strategies to survive in this competitive world. Industries, which are less prone to continuity dangers, will also face need for change eventually to either excel or to survive in the long run. There is a need for such a profession and people in the business community are realizing this need. In order to understand the need, for distinct business continuity profession, it is required to understand what business continuity is and what skills are needed in this profession. By definition business continuity is the capability of an organization to continue its business operations in case of any incidents or problems. This way they can operate without interrupting their day to day business activities without influence of other harmful factors. (Honour, 2006) Business world is now global now with the 24 hours connectivity with people around the globe. The threats are also present 24 hours a day. There can be threats which may be simply natural catastrophic threats or may be business threats, which may just not only affect the profits of one company but can also damage the company in uncountable ways. Such dangers can affect the business by damaging the reputation, brand image, productivity, efficiency, etc. In worst case scenarios, Company may simply go out of business due to such dangers (Rojas, 2009). In this stage of business continuity, a plan is made in order to face any problems. This plan

Recruitment Selection & Placement class; Case Study 1 Essay

Recruitment Selection & Placement class; Case Study 1 - Essay Example By focusing on people, the company has also identified the procedures and practices of people that affect the company’s productivity, turnover, profitability and sales. The primary sources of success of McDonalds are customer satisfaction, high valuation of its employees, good execution of excellent strategy and identifying people techniques and practices that significantly affect the company’s productivity, turnover, profitability, sales and customer service. The satisfaction of its customers relies on the quality of service that they obtain from the employees and the ability of the employees to serve the customers accurately and quickly. Another source of success is the value that the company attaches to its employees. The company constantly reminds its workers that they, together with their contributions and growth, are highly valued. McDonalds also ensures that the employees have what is necessary for the performance of tasks. It ensures this through training the team members. The company also attains success through tracking the key pointers of product and service quality, accuracy and speed. McDonald attains has aligned its business, human resources and staffing strategies by identifying the practices and techniques of people that have a significant effect on its productivity, turnover, profitability, sales and customer service. This, however, permits McDonald to develop a business model that not only stresses on operational and financial factors, but also people factors. This allows the improvement of worker dedication, productivity, and retention and customer loyalty (Phillips & Gully, 2012). Additionally, since the company business strategy centers on offering customers quick, quality and clean service, it employs young people, who undergo training within the company to fill its positions. Notably, in order to attain the business

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Health and Communities week 16150 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Health and Communities week 16150 - Assignment Example HIV patients require exceptional health needs, which have negative influences to the global economies due to the necessity to manufacture drugs that improve lives of the ailing individuals (Shi & Stevens, 2010). Science, policy, and practice ought to be integrated and utilized in the alleviation of the HIV pandemic. Integration of these factors can direct to development of strategies that can be utilized to bring about positive influences towards the matter. Utilization of science concepts can practically enable development of drugs that can be utilized to thwart further spread of the disease (UNESCO, 2008). Additionally, policy can ensure that individuals with the illness avoid spread to the healthy individuals. Consequently, the overall spread can be substantially minimized through integration of these imperative concepts. Science can enable collection of imperative information concerning that can be practically applied to educator communities regarding the HIV pandemic. However, this can be realized via effectual policies and programs that concentrate on the global matter. Policy architects and implementers can utilize the information in the creation of education systems to disseminate i nformation to all regions across the globe (UNESCO, 2008). The epidemiological resources can enable healthiness officials and policy makers develop mechanisms to prevent further spread in different regions across the globe. The resources can allow policy makers to establish the predisposing factors thus enable them to tackle the matter

Monday, August 26, 2019

Food and Drug Association Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Food and Drug Association - Assignment Example Restriction on the extensive use of the tobacco products, nutritional appendages, preparation and over-the-counter medications, vaccines, and different kinds of biopharmaceuticals products. In common words, one can define FDA as a â€Å"scientific, regulatory, and public health agency† (Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, 2013). The agency grew from a single chemist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1862 to a staff of approximately 9,100 employees by 2001. The history of FDA is also an eventful one. It was initially known as Division of Chemistry and later on, after 1901 it was started to know as Bureau of Chemistry. The organization started to enjoy the power of regulating the operation of various companies after the implementation of Federal Food and Drugs Act by the US government in the year of 1906. The name was changed to the Food, Drug, and Insecticide Administration in July 1927 and from 1930 onwards the present name was incorporated (Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, 2013). The act of 1906 was replaced in the year of 1936 in the USA when Tennessee Drug Company brings together and marketed a form of the new sulfa wonder drug, Elixir Sulfanilamide- which was a medicine for pediatric patients. The product was launched in the US market untested and the result was horrible. The solvent of this medi cine was highly toxic in nature which was the main reason behind the death of over 100 people in the country. Most of them were children. To control the anger of the people and at the same time make the food and drug products more secured the US government under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act on 1938. This made the functioning of all different companies more systematic and there was more rigorous monitoring in place in terms of the standard and quality of the finished goods, the process associated with the production, quality, and standard of raw materials used etc.  

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Impact of Internet of things (IOT) on society Research Paper

Impact of Internet of things (IOT) on society - Research Paper Example This a risk that the study of the IoT has prioritize on the technical artefacts and has neglected the social aspects part of the technical system and information infrastructure. Mukhopadhyyay (2014)discussed that to developing through leadership in the marketplace, is the idea behind the initiative of the internet of things. The use IOT has led to integration in that knowledge and skills are integrated in order to create value and impact industry in the society. He also explains that IoT appears to have moved objects from the physical world to a virtual one, internet of things features create a sort of virtual continuum among physical objects and their representation on internet as well as their environment. The complexity is one factor that is not pointed or noted out in the research papers by Mukhopadhyyay and Matos respectively. It is an important factor to study and control when working on IOT. Because the behavior of any particular node has to be considered in order to determine its potential impact on the whole system. With IOT data is generated, analyzed, aggregated and transformed into information and the data is distributed to the users, which actually requires a wide distribution processor that has the capability and seamless connectivity. As a result of major system crashes, the internet of things leads to increasingly large scale with highly coupled technological system that can actually remove human intervention in order to increase reliability and also to increase the potential for societal vulnerability(Slevin, 2010). The IoT inevitably leads to redesign of work process as organizations responsibilities are changed on the control and the accountability and later redistributed. The improvement of performs of the operation can be investigated specifically in the domain of supply chain management where the benefits perceived are reduction in manual error and in improved stock control and management (Ning, 2013). Business of

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Research in Business and Management Literature review

Research in Business and Management - Literature review Example A woman even in the current epoch needs to go through several organizations hazards in workplace if they really desire to succeed in their professional career. Such unequal treatments practiced in contemporary organizations are highly unethical and immoral. This paper will make a critical analysis of several scholarly articles relating to this matter. It is highly rational to critical analyze this issue because if development process of a firm is not engendered, then it prosperity is endangered in the long run (Leinonen, 2012). Long back it was claimed by of all the wilderness of human unawareness, perhaps the most spendthrift and precious to human development has been the waste of the distinguishing authorities of womanhood after the child-bearing age (Leinonen, 2012). It was also found that that both vertical and horizontal segregations among men and women labour force in organizations exists in favour of men workers and against to the female employees (Poutanen and Kovalainen, 2013). They also stated that in work-family arrangements, in labour markets or while making the choice of professions, gender related inequalities are common characteristic features. In 1989, a special study introduced on American military organization showed that the opportunities offered to women were less than the aggregate opportunities provided to men (Swan, 2010). It was claimed that in most of the workplaces in the contemporary era, gender wage gap is highly persistent workplace negativity in most of the nations (Swan, 2010 ). Women are subjected to several occupational hazards in their professional life. The midlife and older women working in various corporate organizations are subjected high job attrition at times of crisis and problems in the external world (Aghazadeh, 2004). Like the recent global financial crisis have significantly lowered the level of women employments relative to that of men in

Friday, August 23, 2019

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example Corporate social responsibility, though very important, may rarely come without serious concern for better financial performance or increased market share. In other words, studies reveal that managers are more likely to opt for investment in social ventures if they are certain of monetary gains. Since in most cases social responsibility is closely linked with better financial performance, thus managers are willing to invest in ventures for the public good. Lydenberg et al. (1986) maintain that "Companies fight hard for even a small percentage gain in market share for their products. If and when corporate managers become convinced that their company's social record affects market share, they will be forced to take social initiatives seriously." Social responsibility has also become a buzzword because of the availability of a large variety of similar goods. When a product comes into the market, it has to fight very hard for consumer's attention because there are several other rival goods competing for the same. A marketing and design consultant (Neuborne, 1991) states: "There was a time when you bought a product just for its price or performance...but with the number of products available, it is increasingly difficult to differentiate one product from another." In this situation, a consumer may base his buying decision on a company's image and its commitment to public good. This is clearly indicated by a book, 'Shopping for a Better World' that has been selling millions of copies since it first came out in the market. the book rates and ranks companies according to their social responsibility performance. As a result of this in 1989 alone, 78% of buyers switched brands. (Davids1990). World Bank defines CSR as: "Corporate So cial Responsibility is a term describing a company's obligations to be accountable to all of its stakeholders in all its operations and activities." While it is now true that corporate social responsibility is highly desired, it has not always been the accepted practice for corporations. In 2004, for example, Henry Miller in The Miami Herald, Henry Miller wrote, "Businesses do not have social responsibilities; only people do." (Miller, 2004). Similarly 'The Economist' failed to see why corporations must be forced to adopt a socially responsible framework. Thus in its 2005, issue The Economist skeptically reviewed the firms that were contributing to tsunami relief effort: "All things considered, there is much to be said for leaving social and economic policy to governments."(The Economist) Milton Friedman was probably the first theorist and economic expert to reject the theory of "social conscience of business" when in 1970 essay, he declared: "There is one and only one social responsibility of business-to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits."

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Many Uses of Adobe Illustrator Essay Example for Free

The Many Uses of Adobe Illustrator Essay With Adobe Illustrator, I can create drawings or pictures for my automotive class. We have a thing where when we are seniors we get a shirt with someone’s drawing on it. In college I can use Illustrator to do basically the same thing, but with different classes. I can use Illustrator in the work force if I decide to be a computer graphic designer; this will be really useful for me to know all the skills in order for me to be able to do a good job at that job. With Adobe Photoshop, I can create different posters, or change pictures, or even create drawings as well. I can use this in school when I again, create the drawings in my automotive class. In college, I can use it, if I take some graphics classes, I can show that I have some experience with Photoshop, and that will probably give me some points in getting accepted to the class. In the work force, I could be a photographer and edit the pictures to my liking and make sure everything looks nice. With Adobe InDesign, I can create posters, flyers, brochures, magazines etc. This will be really useful in High School if I need to create a poster or magazine for a project or for the school itself. In College, I can use it to maybe make a few books or newspapers for the teachers and also maybe for projects. In the work force, I can become a newspaper writer, maybe for the Las Vegas Review Journal. Using Adobe InDesign will be really useful for a newspaper writer, because of all the cool things it can do. With Adobe Flash Professional, I can create animations and videos. In High School this will be really useful if I need to make a video for a project. In college this will be equally important and useful because I can again make videos or animations for some of my classes that may require that. In the work force, I can become a video editor for movies. I can use Adobe Flash to edit the movies and change them how I like them. All these programs relate to each other in different ways. You can upload Adobe Illustrator projects into Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, or Adobe Flash Professional. Each one can be used with other ones. Adobe Photoshop projects can be uploaded to Adobe Flash Professional or Adobe InDesign. They all have an important part in making up the Adobe Creative Suite CS5 because they are equally important. Each one has its own part in helping out people to have creative ideas and make them come to life on the screen.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Inclusive Classrooms Essay Example for Free

Inclusive Classrooms Essay The Success of Inclusive Classrooms Introduction Inclusive classroom is the cause of debates between families with children who have learning disabilities and those that do not have children with learning disabilities (Brehm, 2003). Inclusion can be understood as Brehm states it, Providing to all students, including those with significant disabilities, equitable opportunities to receive effective education; services, with the needed supplementary aids and support services, in age-appropriate classrooms in their neighborhood schools, in order to prepare students for productive lives as full members of society. (2003, p. 89) With the collaboration of the school and home, inclusive classrooms can be successful. Students who have learning disabilities and those who do not have learning disabilities will have the opportunity to develop in a personal fashion, social relationships, and helps students with learning disabilities become â€Å"productive†¦ as full members of society† (Brehm, 2003, p. 89). Inclusive classrooms are consistent with the law that all students should be educated in the least restrictive environment (Banerji Dailey, 1995). Results Some are opposed inclusion because they believe it will be costly for the school. One school wanted to test inclusive classrooms in their own school and to see the effects. They froze their budget so the public cannot attribute their success to an increase in expenses (Van Dyke, Stallings, Colley, 1995). Their per-pupil expenditures for students with learning  disabilities were slightly lower than neighboring schools. Since all students were included in the general education the budget was reformed (not increased) to support that. For example, the school did not have to provide separate transportation for students with special needs nor did the district have to pay private tuition for the students they could not accommodate. The school had â€Å"educational supplies† as opposed to separate supplies for the regular education classes and the special education classes (Van Dyke, et al. 1995). Another criticism is that the training needed for teachers, the workshops for school staff, and the collaboration that is needed to make inclusion successful will take a lot of extra time (Van Dyke, et al. 1995). That is true. However, the training and education teachers receive is valuable and improves their teaching to typical students and special students. The benefits that are gained by all students is worth the time (Benerji Dailey, 1995). Lastly, after a few trainings teachers learn how to run an inclusive classroom so less time is needed for workshops. If we implement the proper education for inclusion in college, teachers will begin teaching with greater skills and knowledge of how to run an inclusive classroom. Another concern is that students with learning disabilities do not necessarily do better academically in an inclusive setting compared to the special education classes. Through research it has been found that after one year of inclusive classrooms in three different districts, 54% of the students with learning disabilities learned what they were exp ected to (Zigmund, Jenkins, Fuchs, Fafard, 1995). That number was only given after one year of inclusion classroom. The success stories will keep growing if inclusion is done with the right focus and method. Classrooms are an introduction to the community that we live in. Children with disabilities need to be in regular classrooms to help them prepare for the challenges that will arise in the â€Å"real world,† (Van Dyke, et al. 1995). Segregating students puts a label on them that they are different and are therefore treated differently. But, really they are apart our community so they should be part of our schools (Van Dyke, et al. 1995). As, Van Dyke, Stallings, and Colley state, â€Å"To be truly prepared to take part in the real world as adults, children with disabilities need to be educated in language rich classrooms and to interact daily with peers who are appropriate role models† (p. 475, 1995). There are tremendous social gains for students in inclusive  e nvironments. Included students have higher peer ratings and are more accepted compared to students in the resource program (Brehm, 2003). According to the research that was done by Benjeri and Dailey (2003), students with learning disabilities improved in their self-esteem and motivation. Students also changed in their social behavior, which helped them make friends and be part of a group of friends (Benjeri Dailey, 2003). In addition, students learned to care for one another, to learn and work together. One teacher reported that while all the students were at free play, the teachers were standing around and watching them. One teacher jokingly said that the teachers were not needed anymore because the students have learned to interact and problem solve with one another without the intervention of a teacher (Benjeri Dailey, 1995). The students without disabilities also gain from inclusive classrooms. Firstly, students learned to accept all types of people no matter what they look like and value the differences of their classmates. They learned that everyone has something valuable to share. Students were less afraid of their classmates that looked or behaved differently. The students learning effected the parents too. In an ethnographic yearlong study it was found tha t students became more tolerant with others as a result of their awareness of their peers with disabilities (Staub Peck, 1994). Additionally, the study has shown that students developed positive feeling of themselves after they helped or spent time with a peer who was disabled. Their self-esteem was increased as a result of their interactions with their peers. They felt that their â€Å"helping role† with a disabled peer elevated their status in the classroom and gave them a stronger sense of belonging. The relationships between students with all different types of abilities were strong, meaningful, and long-lasting friendships (Staub Peck, 1994). We can facilitate successful inclusion in our classrooms with the right intervention, approaches, and supports. Most importantly, there must be collaboration between the school psychologist or social worker, the special education teacher, the general education teacher, the principal, and the home. Everyone has to be informed and i n agreement. When there is unity between all the parties involved in a child’s education, the child has a sense of security and can be educated in the best possible way (Van Dyke, et al., 1995). Support systems must be put in place for the teachers to turn to for advice and to help with instruction in the  classroom. The teachers should meet with a special education teacher and teacher consultant to discuss strategies for their classroom. Every classroom should have a general education teacher and a special education teacher who will be in the classroom for a part of the day and a co-teacher. Trainings and workshops should be given to educate teachers about effective inclusion and instruction (Van Dyke, et al., 1995). One up-and-coming new style of teaching is known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL). This style of teaching meets the needs of all learners. UDL encourages teachers to create a flexible curriculum that is customized for each student. It allows students to progress from where they are and not where one imagines them to be. For an inclusive classroom, UDL is especially important because there are different learners and each child needs to learn at his o wn pace (www.udlcenter.org). The curriculum should include visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles. Assistive technology such as alternative keyboards, electronic pointing devices, Sip-and-puff systems, wands and sticks, joysticks, trackballs, touch screens, should be available for any student. Assistive technology makes the classroom a friendlier place for a student who needs it. UDL offers different ways for students to express themselves and what they have learned. Students learn how to self-regulate their emotions and motivations. They don’t just learn information rather, they learn skills in how to learn and process information. They also expand their executive functioning which helps them set goals for themselves, monitor their progress, and control impulsions (www.udlcenter.org). Discussion Based on the research that was read, inclusion is an ideal way of teaching our children about the world and social relationships. The classroom is a model of a child’s community. Every child belongs to a community and so does every child deserve the chance to receive the best education in the least restrictive environment (Van Dyke, et al., 1995). Inclusive classrooms teach the skills and life lessons to all the students of all types of abilities. Students develop healthier self-esteems, learn how to interact with each other and problem solve together. Students become more accepting of others differences and learn to look out for each individuals unique traits. Inclusion removes the labels that make others different and not good enough.  It lets the classroom be a growing place for all no matter the disabilities (Van Dyke, et al., 1995). The key to Inclusion is communication. The school and the home must be involved in aspects of the child’s education . Teachers need to be trained and taught how to be effective in an inclusive classroom (Van Dyke, et al., 1995). Additionally, UDL will help the curriculum be shaped to help each child succeed in their own way (www.udlcener.org). The limitations of this paper is that it does not state what types of disabilities should be included in the classroom and at what level of functioning a student must be to be included. The paper does not discuss whether a pull out program may be needed or not and to what extent it can be used. References: Benerji, M., Dailey, R. A. (1995). A Study of the Effects of an Inclusive Model on Students with Specific Learning Disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 28(8), p511-522. doi: 10.1177/002221949502800806 Brehm, K. (2003). Lessons to Be Learned and the End of the Day. School Psychology Quarterly, 18(1), p.88-95. doi:10.1521/scpq.18.1.88.20875 http://www.udlcenter.org/ Staub, D., Peck, C. A. (1994). What Are the Outcomes for Nondisabled Students? Educaional Leadership, 6, p36-40. Retrieved from http://rdas-proxy.mercy.edu:3176/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4bf1b7b5-27eb-4c47-9b29-43509138eaff%40sessionmgr110vid=4hid=125 Van Dyke, R., Stallings, M. A., Colley, K. (1995). How to Build an Inclusive Community: A Success Story. Phi Delta Kappan, 76, p475-479. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/218474563?accountid=12387 Zigmond, N., Jenkins, J., Fuchs, L. S., Fafard, M. (1995). Special Education in Restructured Schools: Findings from Three Multi-Year Studies. Phi Delta Kappan, 76(7), p531-540. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/218510466?accountid=12387

Guide to industrial relations for new union members

Guide to industrial relations for new union members Employee Relations: The guide to industrial relations for new union members 1.1 Aspects of industrial relations. Unitarist-V-Pluralist â€Å"The pressure on Human Resources Management to be strategic is almost as intense now as the campaign to persuade us to eat healthily. We all believe it is a good thing to be strategic- career progressive for ourselves, prestigious for our progression and it might even do our organizations good as well†. (Harriott and Pinder, 1992: pg 36) Pluralistic and Unitary frames of reference are part of the new industrial relations resolution that is there to prevent actions that would result in industrial dispute. Both frames of reference look at the views of employees and how organization deals with them, if they do. Below is a model of Guest (1989), which is also the work of many theorists, which looks at the frames of reference, and how they differ. Unitarist:  ·Traditional unitarist  ·Sophisticated unitarist Pluralist:  ·New industrial relations pluralist  ·Opportunistic pluralist  ·Sophisticated pluralist  ·Traditional pluralist The Unitarists view: this form of reference looks at businesses that believe that the employees should share the same goals as the overall organization. A Pluralist looks at and accepts that employees will not all share the same goals and views as the overall organization. This also affects the presence of Union representative role within the organization, and how they view their roles. For example, Unitarists find it difficult to accept that the Union has such a major role in the organization, but Pluralist welcome the idea of their presence and regard them as an essential role for employees motivation in the workplace. â€Å"Most managers took the line that since they could get what they wanted through negotiations or by acting out unilaterally, there was no need to attack the unions†. (Kessder and Bayliss, 1992, pg. 35) For example IBM and Hewitt Packard have followed the culture side of sophisticated approach of unitarists, where they emphasise the importance of every employee having the same objectives as the company. They also have strong emphasis on having a sophisticated selection process of new employees, along with training and employment involvement. The majority of the employees in their company are non-union. Guest (2001) also describes four possible industrial strategies (orientations) that may be followed: The new realism: This is when a company considers human resource management and industrial relations highly regarded for the company and their employees. An example of this put into practice is by a company called Thorn Lighting, whom state that the new realism is something they strongly believe in: New styles of union given more power Employment is top agenda Emphasis on career and personal development To also continue increasing skills and tools and techniques to support world class initiative. (Thorn Lighting) Traditional collectivism: This is the emphasis being place on industrial relations without HRM. Stakeholders are directly affected by the companies culture and attitude of employee relations; â€Å"the rationale for employee relations is to solve the problem that in a labour market the buyers (employers) and sellers (employees) have an endemic conflict of interests over the prices at which they wish to exchange their services†. (Gennard and Judge (2003)) Employee relations strategy is something that has to work successfully to make the company overall successful. Employees have a vast interest in how the company is performing; for the job security, if the business is not performing as well as it should, will this mean that they would lose their job? Involving employees in some business decision making will allow them to feel that they are important to the company and could increase job motivation and loyalty. This will decrease the need for any industrial actions or union interference. Union members will also have a interest in the business, seeing how 1.2 Union History Kochan (1980) sees industrial relations as emphasizing the study of all aspects of people at work, including all individuals as well as group workers (who may or may not organise into a trade union), the behaviour of employers and union organizations, together with the public policy or legal framework governing employment conditions. The union membership has been rising and then falling over the years, especially with the Margaret Thatcher era, which could be due to the large unions that tried and failed against the government, they included: Miners Steel workers Civil servants Hospital workers And printers The union membership fell from 13million to 12million in 1979, but there were still 300,000 shop stewards and reps, 47 out of 50 top UK companies still were unionized. Striking in 1994 hit an all time low, when only 278,000 days were lost by strike action. The total for the first nine months of 1995 was 238,00; since then Job Centre staff, Merseyside Fire-Fighters, Ford and Vauxhall workers have taken strike action. An unofficial strike action was taken in Scotland by postal workers, which led to victory. â€Å"There are no doubts that people are saying enough is enough and the membership is moving ahead of the trade union leadership† (Ken Cameron-Daily Mail). With the new labour government in 1997, they began to see trade unions as an advantage, which could be used to encourage workplace learning. In May 1998, the union learning funding was created to encourage and provide government funding for ‘innovative trade union projects. This involves the promotion of workplace learning, which 28,000 people have benefited from additional learning opportunities. (In the first four years) In April 2003, legal status was brought in for ‘union learning representatives, which indicated that government believe that training is an important aspect of improvement in employee relations. This would also encourage the bargaining agenda and partnership promotion of between employers and unions. This will economically be important to the government as it will improve the skills of workers, but it will also create harmony in the workplace, therefore preventing industrial action. 1.3+1.4: Roles involved in employee relations Trade unions The aim of trade unions are to give employees job protection, the improvement of pay and conditions, and to also industrial democracy. What do unions do for there members? Negotiate pay and conditions Give advice and information Defend employee rights Resolve conflict Provide services for members I.e. legal help 1998 figures for other union memberships: UNISON: (public services) 1,300,451 TG: (general) 881,357 NUT: (teachers) 172,852 FBU: (firefighters) 56,943 Source: Labour Research Grouped union types: Craft and occupational unions: White collar unions: this union is for employed in a professional environment e.g. office based. Blue collar unions: these workers are involved in manual employment General unions: this union is specific to those that are not already in a union, but do not have a craft or skill Industrial unions: industrial unions organise their own unions that are specific to their industry. Trades unions can be organized on the basis of occupation, industry or make-up a general union with different groups of unions join. Representatives are elected at the workplace, with discussions with management, which are then linked with regional and national level union structure and services. Regional and national level unions focus mainly on negotiating with employers over pay and conditions. Nationally, some unions may join together to form one or more national unions e.g. Trade Union Congress (TUC). TUC: The TUC is a national trade union centre, a collaboration of trade unions in the UK. They have union representatives of over six and a half million working people, whilst campaigning for a fair deal at work and for social justice home and abroad. The TUC is highly regarded and recognized as the voice of Britain. The TUC is the largest voluntary organization in Britain, whom have 76 members of unions that campaign for the workers; Fairness Decent standards of working environment Health and safety Equal opportunities However, the TUC is not seen as highly powered, as individual unions are not bound by the decisions that the TUC make. Their main activities of the TUC is to: Pressure and influence government policy, that includes labour and union issues They also make the decisions for members of the unions on rules and legislation, however they do not interfere with the day-to-day running of individual unions. The confederation of British Industry (CBI) was formed in 1965, though similar to the TUC, it differs as the voices of the employees are heard, not the voices of the union members. Members of the CBI are from: Private sector industries Service and commercial enterprise Public sector Employers association Trade association And Chambers of Commerce. They have regional offices that help to deal with local and area issues, which enables them to keep in touch with small businesses and local employers, to resolve any issues that they may have. Like the TUC, they also attempt to influence government decision making Provides legal, financial and economical advice to all of their members Has links in Europe, for the interest of the British industry in the European union They also consult with bodies such as ACAS, in association with the TUC also. Employee representatives act as the main voice for the employees, which includes the process of collective bargaining/negotiation. Being a rep is on a voluntary basis and are elected by the employees that they will represent. Employee reps can make improvement to employee relations, as they are able to be the main voice towards the management for the employees. This could help improve the harmony of the workplace, and could disrupt any dispute that could happen in the near future, due to good communication and sound negotiating. This will then begin to create a trusting relationship, especially between line managers and employees, as any grievance will be dealt with through the help of their rep. Employers are seeing the benefits of active employees in the union, which has a direct impact on employee relations. Employees will improve their people relations and competency skills, which would therefore improve their efficiency and improve overall job satisfaction, communication and motivation within the work place. As issues will be resolved through the increased communication, then it is likely that employees will have the motivation and satisfaction to work to the best of their abilities. The direct impact of de-motivated employees are low production, which means low profit and it will have a domino affect on the other stakeholders that have an interest in the business too. Line managers also have a direct affect on the sufficient running of the work floor and can affect the attitudes of the workers. Communication is key to the relationship between line managers and employees, this brings the importance of how the rep can make the difference to the working environment. Collective disputes: Strike actions: this involves a complete stoppage of work by the union members employees due to their grievances being unresolved from unsuccessful bargaining. Strikes are taken up on by labour unions during the collective bargaining process. When the collective bargaining negotiations breakdown, strike action is usually taken as the last resort. This is due to both parties unable to reach an agreement. Government intervention has always been highly regarded to the governments overall party, as industrial disputes can have a damaging affect on the economy. Currently the government funds a number of bodies that can resolve any future industrial disputes that may occur. They fund the ACAS scheme, which was set up in 1974 and was given statutory rights under the Employment Protection Act 1975. ACAS attempt to resolve any disputes before further action is taken by the union. â€Å"The current ACAS, originally called the Conciliation and Arbitration Service, was set up with an independent council to direct it in 1974. Advisory was added to the name in 1975 to reflect the full range of services on offer. Finally, in 1976, the new organisation was put on a statutory footing and receives its funding through the Department of Trade and Industry†. (Derek Torrington-2005) Advantages of using ACAS in a dispute: Results can be quick, it day take less than a day to resolve the dispute Can be a cost-efficient method Flexible for the organization Opportunities for appeal are very limited Legal representatives are not required, so this method is very cost affective Services that ACAS provide: Industrial disputes: ACAS will intervene in its conciliation duties if an industrial dispute takes place, with the request of union group members or management. Arbitration: this is where both parties put their case forward, so ACAS can assess each case and then recommends any decisions that could be made Advisory work: ACAS carry out advisory work with employers, trade unions and employers association. Code of practice: ACAS issue a code of practice, which advises how to improve industrial relations between employers and employees. Enquiries: ACAS are well informed and publish booklets on labour turnover and appraisal systems etc, to help improve industrial relations and personnel management practice. Individual cases: ACAS individually investigates an employee grievance from unfair dismissal to discrimination. Tribunals: ACAS overall aim is to settle any matter of grievance without using the courts as a method. The central arbitration committee: If agreements cannot be reached, then employees have the option of the Central arbitration Committee (CAC), which is a government body which is designed to assist with union queries. The committee first encourage the union to try and resolve the issue first hand. If this fails then the committee will recognize this and union could then hold a ballot. The CAC have the power to instruct the employer to co-operate with the ballot or risk a fine. Example of resolving a dispute: ITV have set ways to help communicate with their employees approach to dispute and have procedures put in place to avoid conflict. ITV uses a wide range of direct communication methods to engage with individual employees. ITVs intranet, known as Watercooler, provides a daily online update on news affecting ITV directly and theres a weekly Watercooler for employees who are not online. Other methods of communication includes the 60-second update-produced monthly by central communications and setting out whats going on in the business. This includes individual development reviews, briefing meetings, workshops and using individual relationships with the line manager. This is then monitored to see if this affected through employee surveys. The company also engages in collective bargaining through elected representatives because the union represents only 15 percent of their workforce. ITV need to consult employees regularly as the scale of changes within the organization, they have around 15 communication groups located in different businesses. The aim of this is to reassure that the employees feel respected and that their interests are of an importance. However, management rarely deliver engagement towards the employees, so they put the emphasis on line managers and HR policies and affective communication to allow the employees to be engaged in company activity. When disputes surface they use the collective bargaining and elected representatives to deal with the disputes- along with the union members. The process is: This way of resolving conflict is positive as it allows the employees to have a large amount of communication forwarded and towards the management. However, there seems to be a large amount of responsibility to be the employees main spokesman, which cold be negative for employees if line managers communication is poor. Collective bargaining: Collective bargaining is a process in which employers work with the employees trade union and work councils to negotiate issues that are unsettling the employees. Usually most employees bargain on a day-to-day basis, which involves communication between the line manager on a regular basis. Whos involved in collective bargaining? Collective bargaining is not as commonly used as it once was, according to Cully (1999), only 41 percent now use this method of negotiating the employees terms and conditions. Eastern Europe and the Scandinavian countries still commonly use the collective bargaining process as a way to negotiate employees conditions. The union members and representatives bring into the negotiating argument of rising house prices and cost of living to negotiate their pay terms. Whilst management make negotiations from examples of the labour market rates. Both have to be consider in how it will affect the companies costs and the future affects. Source: Tim Hannogan- management, concept and practices. (1998) John Goodman (1984) describes collective bargaining as ‘a process through which representatives of employers and employee organization act as the joint creators of substantive and procedural rules regulating employment. The negotiation process will depend on the culture of the business I.e. pluralist-V-unitarist. Open and clear communication and preparation will allow the possibilities of conflict to be dissolved and relations with employees with employers will be improved. Preparation for the negotiation process: Drawing up the plan of what they hope to achieve, with objectives of the negotiation, which then is approved by the appropriate management Investigating what the grievances the employees have, letting everyone have a view, so the negotiations and objectives are clear Looking at the current collective bargaining agreements that already exists within the company Looking at how the employees would benefit from the suggested improvements e.g. increased salary Looking at the cost implications of proposed improvements According to an American study carried out, skills of negotiation are carried out with specific requirements for the negotiators taken on the bargaining: Being rated both highly in a negotiation Having the appropriate track record of negotiation success Having a low record of unsuccessful negotiations Strategy of negotiation It is important that the process is taken on board and planning is the main part, if there is going to be a successful negotiation. Planning the negotiation will look at the alternative outcomes, giving them a range of options if they cannot agree on specific issues. I believe that it is important that negotiators do not focus on one point, not forgetting other issues that need resolving. Also the planning of the future is very important when negotiation, looking at the short-term and long-term implications. It is also important that both representatives agree with their objectives and allocate roles to suit their strengths. Looking at what the other party might suggest and looking at ways to not give-up on what the overall original objectives were. Possible outcomes: Employee relations -V- industrial relations, difference? Industrial relations have become a term that is used based upon strike action and disputes in the work place. However, the new term employee relations, sets about to bring a more harmonized work force, whom have more communication

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Importance of Ion Channels Essay -- Disease, Disorders

Oculocutaneous albinism is the lack of color in an individual skin hair and eyes. This is a condition that exists from birth. This a The Importance of Ion Channels: An Analysis of the Long QT Syndrome Inheritance method Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) is an uncommon congenital heart condition in which patients affected by this syndrome are at high risks for cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death due to mutations in cardiac ion channels (Crotti et al., 2008). There are two particular variants to the Long QT Syndrome; one is called the Jervell and Lange-Nielsen Syndrome (J-LN), which is associated with deafness, and the other has been named the Romano-Ward Syndrome (R-W), in which there is no connection with deafness (Crotti et al., 2008). The Romano-Ward Syndrome is known to be the more common type of LQTS and is autosomal dominant (Russell et al., 1996), whereas the Jervell and Lange-Nielsen Syndrome is less common and is autosomal recessive (Crotti et al., 2008). Gene(s) responsible or implicated in the disorder The research community has divided the Long QT Syndrome by types, depending upon the different mutations in four of the cardiac ion- channel genes, KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, and KCNE1 (Zareba et al., 1998). Mutations within these voltage-gated ion channels ultimately disrupt the normal nerve impulses that take place within myocardial cells. Sodium and potassium channels play key roles during action potentials as it is through these channels that their respective ions are able to enter and leave the cell in order to generate electrical excitation or inhibition throughout. Such channels are composed of subunits of proteins, and damage within even one subunit can alter the overall function of the action potential, which will alte... ...ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: 52. Priori, S., Napolitano, C., Schwartz, P., (1999). Low penetrance in the long-qt syndrome. Circulation 99, 529-533. Russell, M., Dick, M., Collins, F., Brody, L,. (1996). KVLQT1 mutations in three families with familial or sporadic long QT syndrome. Human Molecular Genetics 5, 1319-1324. Westenskow, P., Splawski, I., Timothy, K., Keating, M., Sanguinetti, M., (2004). Compound mutations: a common cause of severe long-QT syndrome. Circulation 109, 1834-1841. Zareba, W., Moss, A., Schwartz, P., Vincent, M., Robinson, J., Priori, S., Benhorin, J., Locati, E., Towbin, J., Keating, M., Lehmann, M., Hall, J., Andrews, M., Napolitano, C., Timothy, K., Zhang, L., Medina, A., MacCluer, J., (1998). Influence of the genotype on the clinical course of the long-QT syndrome. The New England Journal of Medicine 339, 960-965.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Western Movies Since 1960 Essay -- essays research papers fc

A NOT-SO-ACCURATE prophet once wrote, "As recently as 1972, there were a tremendous number of quality Westerns being made . . . and since there seems to be a ten-year cycle in Western movie making, I'd say we'll see more in about 1982." 1 In 1982 only two Westerns were released, and neither was exactly a major success. Barbarosa, starring Willie Nelson, drew some respectable reviews–and some very damaging ones–but nobody went to see the film. The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez appeared first on PBS television, then later went into general release. Today the Western seems to be deader than the California Med-fly. Critics and aficionados of the form can only hear, as with Arnold's sea of faith, its long receding roar. Everything except fluoride in the water has been blamed for the death of the Western. Even critics themselves have come under attack of late. Stephen Tatum, writing in 1983, called critics such as Brian Garfield and Don Graham "shootists," indicting them for a variety of sins. They are said to hold a "fundamentalist," transcendent conception of the Western. They are "redeemer" critics who wish to stop the clock, deny history, and halt the inevitable evolution of genres. Not only that, Garfield and Graham are moreover accused of being "authoritarian" and suspiciously close to the "moral majority" position.' It seems quite possible, however, that the roots of the Western's decline lie deeper than in the likes and animadversions of benighted critics. The Western has lost its audience. An entire generation of moviegoers has seen one big-screen Western in their lives, and that, sadly, is Blazing Saddles (1974). For this generation, who as children were glutted with television Westerns, such a legacy makes the Western an impossible form. Blazing Saddles is the final debunking of a long tradition and exposes the Western's moral preachiness, its presumed insensitivity to blacks, reds, women, and other minorities, its good-guy-bad-guy schematic oppositions. Blazing Saddles took the Western into the terrain of the scatological, and from that defamation, nothing could be regained for an entire generation. By the early 1980s, the Western seemed hopelessly irrelevant to the largest share of the moviegoing audience–the teen market. How could it ever compete with the simpleminded eighth-grade prurient v... ...k: Rawson Associates, 1982. Highly opinionated and vigorously written. Especially valuable for its insistence upon the importance of the writer in the creation of good Westerns. Graham, Don. Cowboys and Cadillacs: How Hollywood Looks at Texas. Austin: Texas Monthly Press, 1983. Focuses on changes in the Western as reflected in its preoccupation with Texas and its various myths. Hardy, Phil. The Western. New York: William Morrow, 1983. A large, handsome book containing lively annotations of Westerns through 1983. Invaluable for anybody wanting either quick reference or the big picture. Hyams, Jay. The Life and Times of the Western Movie. New York: Gallery Books, 1983. Useful if unexciting survey of the Western from its beginnings to 1983. Lenihan, John H. Showdown: Confronting Modern America in the Western Film. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1980. Definitive study of how the post–World War II Western reflects such contemporary issues as civil rights, the Cold War, and Viet Nam. Pilkington, William T., and Don Graham, eds. Western Movies. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1979. Contains explications of several major films released during the 1960s and '70s.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Fate is to Blame for the Deaths of the Main Characters of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare :: Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

In this essay I am going to discuss who is responsible for the tragic ending of the play, by talking about how each character interacts with the one that dies and see if any of their actions could have resulted in the death of the main characters. During the essay I am going to eliminate characters that I think did not influence people enough to resort in the killings from my list below, whether it was Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt, Friar Lawrence, the Nurse, both the feuding families, Fate or other influential characters including the writer, Shakespeare himself. At the end I will draw a conclusion of who I think is most to blame for the deaths at the end of the play, although I do think each person added their own little bit to the cause, and explain why to answer the initial question that I was set. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy about two feuding families and the children from each house that meet and fall madly in love but are forbidden to be together. Within the language Shakespeare uses a lot of technical terms that also describe the thoughts and feelings of the main people. For example oxymora is used a lot when Romeo is describing his love for Rosaline and Juliet, ?O brawling love, o loving hate? as the opposites show he is confused and resembles the two family?s conflicts. It also shows that love has pros and cons as does everything in life, which is an example of dramatic irony as Romeo doesn?t realise how true it?s going to be. This also helps us understand the dramatic effects of the language. Fate is talked about a lot too, which adds to the dramatic features of the play, so as the story evolves everything the characters say can relate back to the prologue in some way when we find out what is going to happen in the end. The quote ?From forth the fatal loins of these two foes? shows that nothing good will happen as fatal means almost deathly and both the families children end up dying at the end. Also in the prologue ?The fearful passage of their death-marked love? means they are fated to die because they are in love through a course of unfortunate events. Also at the Capulets? party when Romeo and Juliet first kiss the rest of the play is almost set out for you.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Essay

While analyzing the formation of habits using behavioral and social/cognitive approach I will use personal scenarios to back my research on how habits form personalities. I will provide the reader with sequence of developmental habits and role models if any that contributed to the formation of my own habits. Next, I will discussing the reason why I’ve continue to repeat these habitual acts and how I have succeeded in break the negative habit. Then using the behavioral personality theory and the components of social/cognitive theory I will explain why and how I developed these habits. Last, using supportive facts from course readings of chapter six and seven with online citing and facts, I will compare the theories behavioral and social/cognitive and develop my own hypothesis on which theory I believe best describes my personality. When developing habits the self conscious mind forms an image to what it perceives to be a positive emotional connection, satisfaction, or rewarding feeling. Thus rejecting the negative approach and replacing it with capitalize or self sufficient compensation. The conditioned response would occur in response to stimuli that were similar to the conditioned stimulus, indicating that there was generalization of the conditioning, but the conditioned response would not occur for all possible similar stimuli, indicating the difference between different stimuli; this is called discrimination.(Friedman & Schustack, p. 187, 2012) Growing up I developed a few positive and negative habits that has helped me shape my personality and image. The positive habit being basketball and the negative habit being smoking. When I was about four or five years old I would watch basketball games with my cousins on television. At the time I don’t understand what was really going on, but I did know that all I wanted to do was dribble a basketball. Whenever I had a change to dribble a ball, any ball I did. By the time I was ten years old I was able  to dribble with both hands in an equal manner, basically hiding any dominate traits of my left hand dribble. At the age of seven I discovered the ultimate basketball player that lives to this day, Michael Jordan! I wanted to be like Mike, but the female version. Becoming the first woman to play basketball in the NBA. Losing the opportunity when the WNBA was developed and I was only about fifteen, I just settle with being the best that I could be. In high school I was consider popular because I was on the basketball team, but to me the popular students where the one’s everyone knew the seniors and juniors. During my sophomore year the older students started to notice me because of how well I played on the freshmen JV squid the year before. I was now on the varsity team and I wanted to fit in with the rest of the popular students. Some were a great influences and some werenâ €™t. The wrong influences had me try cigarettes. At first it was cool, but I hated the taste and I notice that my breathing wasn’t the same so I quit, but quickly developed a new habit. I began to use smoking as a cover up of my feeling of my relationship with my mom, but it was no longer cigarettes I had moved up to marijuana. I continued doing both habits for a very long time mentally training myself to smoke only on the weekends or breaks during my seasons of basketball and other sports I played. I was an A-, B+ student never causing any issues at home with my grandmother and going to church every Sunday, but like my grandma always said â€Å"eventually what in the dark will come to light.† I never truly notice how the weed was affecting me grades and social life. During my senior year in high school I was hanging with pot heads and barely going to class if I went to school. My A- and B+ were now B-, C’s, D’s, and a few F’s. It also started to effect my playing the coach would just let me sit o n the bench until I was ready to play. This was a very sad situation because M had been excepted to Syracuse University with a full ride as long as I keep me grade up and continued to flourish during the next basketball season. After losing my scholarship because of my grades slipping and my lack of participation on the court that year I know I hand to stop the weed habit because it was causing me to lose everything I worked hard to achieve. Quitting the marijuana habit I was able to go to the local community college and working my way back up the scale. I never got back the basketball scholarship opportunity, I did grow up to become a physical education teacher who also coaches basketball now and has  been an undefeated Charter School Girls champion for four year straight. Living me with the only habit of my love for basketball and teaching my developed skills to other potential basketball star athletes. Use the behavioral personality theory to explain why I had a smoking habits it has come to my attention that my smoking habit only occurred because I made it a routine act in my life. By giving the sustain a meaningful generalization of why it was needed created a repetitive action of usage that had a tr ue meaning. For example, this form habit could be compared to taking a shower, a essential act that must be preformed daily. â€Å"Consistency of everyday established life habits or behavioral dispositions to repeat well practiced actions given recurring circumstances.†(Smith, 2012, para.2) Through components of social/cognitive theory my habits may have formed because of my daily interaction with the wrong associates and environment. By constantly being around people who smoke cigarettes and marijuana it became a negative influential social gathering. Learning occurs in a social context with a dynamic and reciprocal interaction of the person, environment, and behavior which unique feature of SCT is the emphasis on social influence and its emphasis on external and internal social reinforcement.(â€Å"The Social Cognitive Theory,† 2013). When I decide to quit smoking I remember looking down at the joint in my hand and saying â€Å"this isn’t going to solve my problems it jus t seems to make things worse† and I vowed to never smoke again and I’ve been drug free for thirteen years with no urge to ever smoke again. Unfortunately everyone do not have as strong of a mind set as I had and must develop a plan that applies operant conditioning to change their habit. If I had to create this plan for me the first thing I would do is develop a goal in which I feel is a reasonable amount of time to quite, let’s say thirty days. Next I would give myself a daily amount in which I can smoke and find a substitute of gum chew, healthy snack, or fun activity to do whenever I get the urge to smoke outside of my scheduled time. Each week I would make my intake smaller and increase my substitution activities until the urge has complete vanished. The decreasing of the substance is known as the extinction process that frequency of the organism’s producing a response gradually decreases when the response behavior is no longer followed by the reinforcement (Friedman & Schustack, p. 188, 2012) The social cognitive theory of personality must be deployed in two stages, first  develop awareness of problems and develop the motivation to change, and second involve the actual plan and implementation of change behavior. (Smith, 2012) After learning about the process between the behavioral and social/cognitive theories, I can say that both theories do represent part of my personality and cannot devote myself to any particular theory. I truly feel even though I may have started smoking because of who I socialized with. I do believe I only continued on with the addictive behavior because I made excuses for the behavior, creating my own valid reason to repeat this social substance abuse act even on my own. In conclusion I believe that both theories have a very strong base, but doubt that any real person can consist of only one theory when it comes to forming normal or additive habits. References Friedman, H. S., & Schustack, M. W. (2012). Personality: Classic Theories and Modern Research (5th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database Smith, N. (2012, January). How Personality and Behavior Influence Psychology. Article Myriad. Retrieved fromhttp://www.articlemyriad.com/personality-behavior-influence-psychology/ The Social Cognitive Theory. (2013, January). Behavioral Change Models, (), 1-7. Retrieved from http://sph.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Modules/SB/SB721-Models/SB721-Models5.html