Human Resource Management ( Hrm ) - 1405 Words

Human Resource Management (HRM) seeks to manage people and resources to maximize economic and social outputs. Bratton and Gold (2012) outline six HRM models which include: the Forbrum, Tichy and Devanna model, the Harvard model, the Guest model, the Warwick model, The Storey model, and Ulrich’s Strategic Partner model of HRM. Forbrum Tichy and Devanna model of HRM is based on the principle of selecting, appraising, developing and rewarding employees who fulfill management strategic business interests. HR selection, training and promoting skilled employees is strategic HRM. The Harvard model have principles which are based on identifiable situational factor, stakeholder interest, HRM policy choices, realistic HRM outcome, long-term†¦show more content†¦HRM review of projects potential negative environmental influences is strategic. The Storey Model of HRM postulates the â€Å"ideal† HRM. Comparison between HR and HRM factors, process and personnel roles are used to explain the model. Line managers having responsibility to work with HR to achieve the business and HR deliverables are strategic. Ulrich’s Strategic Partner model of HRM focuses on the partnership between employees, process and administration to bring about strategic changes. HR involvement in all aspects of the operation is strategic because they can better mediate conflicts between the employee and management. Which of the models of strategic HRM do you feel best represents a strategic approach to HRM? Explain why. Social scientists use logical hypothetical constructs to explain Strategic HRM. These constructs link HR policies to business strategies (Bratton Gold, 2012, p. 56). The matching model, the controlled-based model, the resource-based model and An Integrative model of human resources strategy are strategic HRM models identified in the Human Resource management theory and practice by Bratton and Gold (2012). The matching model fits internal HRM strategies elements to a firm’s product market and logic business strategy. The matching model is very reactionary and do not place much importance to employees development. The control-based model of Strategic Human Resources Management (SHRM) main precepts is that

Reconstruction Of The Civil War - 1108 Words

Reconstructing America’s Mindset Although the end of the Civil War and the beginning of the Reconstruction brought great hope to America’s four million former slaves, the efforts of Congressional Reconstruction ultimately failed to establish equal rights for the freedmen because the racist mindset still dominated American society at the time and Democratic influence steadily overcame Republican control in Congress. Despite the Union’s victory, the end of the Civil War brought many significant national problems, including an economically and culturally devastated South and the protection of the freedmen. After a period of Reconstruction under Lincoln and then under Andrew Johnson, it was Congress’s turn to determine the path of Reconstruction. While the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment and the Emancipation Proclamation were large steps in the freedmen’s road to equality, it was never going to be that easy to attain true equality for all. The Southerners’ mindset was still fixated on the idea that freedmen were naturally inferior. A major obstacle for in the pursuit of equality for the freedmen was overcoming the commonly accepted belief that blacks were naturally subordinate to whites. After the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, many radical Republicans began to argue for equal voting rights for freedmen as for whites. However, many people opposed this idea, such as Pennsylvania Congressman Benjamin Boyer, who said â€Å"[the Negro is] a race by nature inferiorShow MoreRelatedThe Civil War and Reconstruction1315 Words   |  5 Pages Reconstruction The main issue between the states that seceded from the Union and those that remained in the former unity was that of states rights, of which the right for citizens to own slaves was of primary concern. It is often argued that one or the other was the main reason for the conflict, but they both played a major part because the people of the Northern United States and the Southern states of the nation lived such different lives. It is true that people in the North had owned slavesRead MoreReconstruction Of The Civil War951 Words   |  4 PagesHistory 11 7 May 2015 Reconstruction In the beginning of 1865, the Civil War came to a close, abandoning over 620,000 dead and a destructive path of devastating all over the south. The North now was confronted with the task of reconstructing the destroyed and aggrieved Confederate states. On April 11, two days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s submission, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his last public address, during which he designated a merciful Reconstruction plans and encouraged sympathyRead MoreReconstruction Of The Civil War847 Words   |  4 Pages Microtheme One - Reconstruction The Reconstruction happened in period following the end of the American Civil and the main goal was to reintegrate the Southern Confederate States back into the Union after they had been defeated by the Union (Northern States). As would be expected, the process was met with many challenges as the interests of both groups had to be addressed. There was debate over the terms under which the Confederate States would be allowed back into the Union, and whether it wasRead MoreThe Civil War And Reconstruction977 Words   |  4 Pagescalled the Reconstruction period â€Å"America’s Second Revolution†, his characterization was correct. Reconstruction can be viewed as a revolution because the previous social order, slavery, was replaced suddenly by a more favorable one, freedom for African-Americans. There was a long period of politicization for incorporating free African-Americans into white society. Reconstruction also revolutionized the preconceived notion that the states ha d autonomous power. The Civil War and Reconstruction were revolutionaryRead MoreReconstruction Of The Civil War1560 Words   |  7 PagesPrior to the Civil War, the United States’ economy was essentially agricultural based; slavery in the South was the key player in its prosperous economy. Hence, it is no wonder the South stood in defense of slavery’s permanence when challenged with the demand for abolition. The Southern proslavery Confederate states fought against the Northern antislavery Union states during the Civil War. The Union prevailed in the war and once the Confederates seceded and left the United States with a new predicament:Read MoreThe Civil War : The Reconstruction1398 Words   |  6 PagesThe civil war ended in 1865 and what followed was a kerfuffle, otherwise known as â€Å"The Reconstruction.† This was a period of violence and turbulent controversy ranging from racial issues to economic problems. In the book Reconstruction, Eric Foner wrote that â€Å"When the Civil War ended, the white South genuinely accepted the reality of military defeat, stood ready to do justice to the emancipated slaves, and desired above all a quick reintegration into the fabric of national life. Before his deathRead MoreCivil War Reconstruction1031 Words   |  5 PagesThe period after the Civil War was a very difficult time in the United States history. This time was known as the Reconstruction period and it was a very controversial time. There were many issues that had to be addressed such as what to do with the free blacks in the south and how states would be readmitted to the Union. This era saw the rise of the Radical Republicans. The government was going through changes, southerners were going through changes, and blacks were going through changes. WhitesRead MoreReconstruction Of The Civil War1054 Words   |  5 Pages As the civil war was ending many people could see that the odds of th e north winning increased dramatically however many people can argue this idea based on the several events that took place during the second phase of the civil war. Carl Schurz concluded, â€Å"The Civil War was a revolution, but half accomplished.†(Roark et al 434) Reconstruction started before the civil war ended until 1877, when people of the United States tried figuring out how to put the country back together. Many people hadRead MoreThe Civil War And Reconstruction1357 Words   |  6 PagesCivil War/ Reconstruction - Following the Civil War, the United States underwent a huge process of reconstruction to unifying and reconstructing the war-torn state. The nation still remained utterly divided between North and South in essentially all aspects of life including religion, race, and government. President Andrew Johnson,who succeeded President Abraham Lincoln enacted various policies in order to unite the country. These policies included friendly policies that pardon ed Southerners whileRead MoreReconstruction Of The Civil War879 Words   |  4 PagesThe Civil War can be described as one of the bloodiest and gruesome war ever fought on American soil. The Civil War was fought between the Union and the Confederates. The Civil War lasted for 5 years and during that 5 year period many people ended up dying, 620,000 people to be exact and millions injured, but while the numbers can be appalling; it isn t even the beginning. The war led a schism to happen in the U.S, the whole country was divided and devastated. Abraham Lincoln the president who

Pirates of the Caribbean Critical Essay Free Essays

A key character that ensures we enjoy the film throughout is captin jack sparrow. The first time we meet jack he is portrayed as a powerful figure standing tall on top of his ship. As the scene progresses we see that he is drunk and unorganised sailing on his own on a sinking boat. We will write a custom essay sample on Pirates of the Caribbean Critical Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now The director shows us this by using a wide array of camera shots and other techniques. When we first see jack he is standing on top of his ship. Although he is standing tall and proud his clothes are weather beaten and he has clearly been at sea for a long time. The low angle camera shots that the director uses help the impression that he is powerful and strong. The director also uses an over the shoulder shot to help connect the audience to jack. The director then thatters this illusion by panning down the mast to reveal that he is on a small boat, that is quickly taking on water ,all on his own. The director does this to make jack an instantly likeable character and to make us want to fing out more about him. The change from jack being a drunk to a skilled swordfighter makes the character of jackmore interesting. The second time we meet jack he is in the blacksmiths where William turner is an apprentice. The camera angle that the director uses a wide shot so that you see that the workshop is small and to emphasize that he is agile and quick. The director does this so we find out slightly more about jack and become more interested. Through out the film jack is portrayed as an anti- hero and this is emphisized as jack does not want to shoot will as he says ‘’this bullet is not ment for you ‘’ meaning he went to port royal with a mission. The director does this to reveal a major plot point. he director of â€Å"the pirates of the caribbean† portrays miss elizabeth swann as a naive and dependent girl but this impression is ruined the second time we meet her. in the first encounter we see elizabeth trying on a dress her father has bought her from london. she seems very feminine, well educated and wealthy but she has something to hide. a medallion she had taken off of will whe she and her majestys navy first found him. this adds to the enjoyment of the film by adding a twist that changes the whole story as this medallion lands elizabeth and the man she loves in alot of trouble. Read Critical Essay about Skurzynski’s Nethergrave In this scene she appears quite rebellious in the way she wants will to speak to her using her first name instead of miss swann but will has to remind her that this cannot happen because there is a difference between their two classes. the director does significant and clever he has elizabeth standing at the top of a stair case and will at the bottom during this conversation subtly  signifying that elizabeth is of a higher class but as the conversation progresses elizabeth walks down the staircase as she thinks that her and will are of the same class. he reason elizabeth treats will like this is because ever since  she laid her eyes on him six years ago on the crossing from england to port royal she hhas loved him madly. howthis makesthe film more enjoyable is by putting in a romantic element to the story meaning the two cant live with out the other so they are both trying to save the other by putting their own lives on the line creating excitement and suspense. How to cite Pirates of the Caribbean Critical Essay, Essays

Soocer free essay sample

It’s the last day of Varsity tryouts, and cuts are being made.†Bootz†. I run over to my coach. â€Å"You had a great tryout, but we are going to put you on Varsity Reserve,† he says. It is not the answer I want. We will write a custom essay sample on Soocer or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page On the first day of Varsity Reserve practice, I watch the varsity team practice on the field next to me, wondering what it would be like. Snapping out of it saying to myself, â€Å"Hey, you can be on that team. Prove them wrong.† Each practice and game I push myself to the point where I can hardly step on the gas pedal. I put all I had into each shot and cross. Toward the end of the season and my coach pulls me aside. He says, â€Å"I am going to move you up to Varsity for the rest of the season.† This is the answer I want. Varsity practice. Everything is going so fast. I feel like an idiot. I tell myself to try my hardest. I didn’t play the rest of the season. At the end of the season, I ask my coach what I need to work on. â€Å"Hit the weights and strengthen that left foot,† He says. And that’s what my summer consisted of. It’s the final day of senior tryouts. I run over to my coach. He says, â€Å"We are going to keep you but you have to earn your playing time.† I didn’t start the first four games. I used that to push me harder in games and practices to earn my starting position. I am now starting on the Arrowhead Varsity Soccer team. We are undefeated, 5-0-0 in Conference. I go into each game as though I am still fighting for that starting position. I play every minute of every game. This is what I have been striving for. This is the answer I want.

Mobile Operating Systems free essay sample

Mobile Operating Systems (Mobile OS) Introduction: A mobile operating system, also called a mobile OS, is an operating system that is specifically designed to run on mobile devices such as mobile phones, smartphones, PDAs, tablet computers and other handheld devices. Much like the Linux or Windows operating system controls your desktop or laptop computer, a mobile operating system is the software platform on top of which other programs can run on mobile devices. The operating system is responsible for determining the functions and features available on your device, such as thumbwheel, keyboards, WAP, synchronization with applications, email, text messaging and more. The mobile OS will also determine which third-party applications (mobile apps) can be used on your device. Types of Mobile Operating Systems There are various types of MOS. When you purchase a mobile device the manufacturer will have chosen the operating system for that specific device. Often, you will want to learn about the mobile operating system before you purchase a device to ensure compatibility and support for the mobile applications you want to use. We will write a custom essay sample on Mobile Operating Systems or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Among the various MOS here we discuss a few that are popular in market now. Android OS (Google Inc. ): The Android mobile operating system is Googles open and free software stack that includes an operating system, middleware and also key applications for use on mobile devices, including smartphones. Updates for the open source Android mobile operating system have been developed under â€Å"dessert-inspired† codenames (Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich) with each new version arriving in alphabetical order with new enhancements and improvements. Bada (Samsung Electronics): Bada is a proprietary Samsung mobile OS that was first launched in 2010. The Samsung Wave was the first smartphone to use this mobile OS. Bada provides mobile features such as multipoint-touch, 3D graphics and of course, application downloads and installation. BlackBerry OS (Research In Motion) : The BlackBerry OS is a proprietary mobile operating system developed by Research In Motion for use on the company’s popular BlackBerry handheld devices. The BlackBerry platform is popular with corporate users as it offers synchronization with Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, Novell GroupWise email and other business software, when used with the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. iPhone OS / iOS (Apple) : Apples iPhone OS was originally developed for use on its iPhone devices. Now, the mobile operating system is referred to as iOS and is supported on a number of Apple devices including the iPhone, iPad, iPad 2 and iPod Touch. The iOS mobile operating system is available only on Apples own manufactured devices as the company does not license the OS for third-party hardware. Apple iOS is derived from Apples Mac OS X operating system. MeeGo OS (Nokia and Intel) : A joint open source mobile operating system which is the result of merging two products based on open source technologies: Maemo (Nokia) and Moblin (Intel). MeeGo is a mobile OS designed to work on a number of devices including smartphones, netbooks, tablets, in-vehicle information systems and various devices using Intel Atom and ARMv7 architectures. Palm OS (Garnet OS) : The Palm OS is a proprietary mobile operating system (PDA operating system) that was originally released in 1996 on the Pilot 1000 handheld. Newer versions of the Palm OS have added support for expansion ports, new processors, external memory cards, improved security and support for ARM processors and smartphones. Palm OS 5 was extended to provide support for a broad range of screen resolutions, wireless connections and enhanced multimedia capabilities and is called Garnet OS. Symbian OS (Nokia) : Symbian is a mobile operating system (OS) targeted at mobile phones that offers a high-level of integration with communication and personal information management (PIM) functionality. Symbian OS combines middleware with wireless communications through an integrated mailbox and the integration of Java and PIM functionality (agenda and contacts). Nokia has made the Symbian platform available under an alternative, open and direct model, to work with some OEMs and the small community of platform development collaborators. Nokia does not maintain Symbian as an open source development project. ebOS (Palm/HP) : WebOS is a mobile operating system that runs on the Linux kernel. WebOS was initially developed by Palm as the successor to its Palm OS mobile operating system. It is a proprietary Mobile OS which was eventually acquired by HP and now referred to as webOS (lower-case w) in HP literature. HP uses webOS in a number of devices including several smartphones and HP TouchPads. HP has pushe d its webOS into the enterprise mobile market by focusing on improving security features and management with the release of webOS 3. x. HP has also announced plans for a version of webOS to run within the Microsoft Windows operating system and to be installed on all HP desktop and notebook computers in 2012. Windows Mobile (Windows Phone 7) : Windows Mobile is Microsofts mobile operating system used in smartphones and mobile devices – with or without touchscreens. The Mobile OS is based on the Windows CE 5. 2 kernel. In 2010 Microsoft announced a new smartphone platform called Windows Phone 7. Advantages of MOS: They can do more than a feature phone and can have higher end hardware which a feature phone cant have. Instead of Java apps, you get better, higher quality apps on smartphones. They provide richer functions and are more advanced and internet works more better on them. Simply, a smartphone is like computer in your pocket. Android, iOS, Symbian and Windows Phone are all smartphone OSs so they can do more than what a typical feature phone can do. Disadvantages: Smartphones (which is a phone that runs on an OS and can do more than a feature phone) are more vulnerable to viruses and they consume more power which results in a shorter battery life.

Democratic Vs. Conservative Constitution essays

Democratic Vs. Conservative Constitution essays Following the American Revolution, the United States were stuck in quite an undesirable situation. The situation was that they did not have a government to live or grow under. This problem was readily and quickly solved though with the creation of the Articles of Confederation. For nearly ten years, the Articles were in place as the first government to unite the United States. Through time though, the Articles of Confederation proved to not be as effective as they were when first created. Great weaknesses in broad areas the documents helped to spawn disastrous rebellions within the developing country. Surprisingly enough, at this early point in Americas history, signs of revolution began sweep the nation. Luckily enough though, Americas founders were able to recognize their mistakes and understand that something had to be done to either revise the Articles of Confederation or start from scratch and form a totally new constitution. Ultimately, their decision was to, at a co nstitutional convention, create a totally new constitution for the well-being of the United States of America. Eventually, after much deliberation and attempts at ratification, on June 21, 1788#, the laws of the constitution that were created came into effect. This document, in its final form, although believed to be mostly democratic in nature was also, in many ways, very conservative. Democracy in the United States Constitution comes in different forms, but most likely not as many as one would expect. The men that created the constitution wanted to shy away from making it democratic because a democracy would leave too much power in the hands of the people. One aspect of the constitution that was at best semi- democratic was the election of the president. To elect the president, nearly all property owning men or those who were important businessmen, such as merchants or lawyers, were allowed to vote in the presidential elections. Allow...

Business Law in Action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business Law in Action - Essay Example There was a mutual agreement between the parties and they had agreed to bind themselves by the terms and conditions of the contract. One of the basic principles of contract law is that once a contract is framed and drafted, the parties are duty bound to follow the contract. Therefore, in this case, since the contract was modified by the parties, the owner of the building is duty bound to follow the new terms and condition of the contract. Alpha computers can succeed over Beta Computers for fraud. Beta computers were aware of the overstated inventory for the previous financial year. They did not disclose this inventory to Alpha computers knowing that this might lead to a problem with respect to the buyout. The financial statements are very important whenever a business deal is taking place between two parties since there was a contract being formed; it was pertinent that Beta computers should have divulged all their details. Since they did not do that and went ahead with the contract knowing that they were hiding valuable information, they are liable for fraud.

What is the main categories of Helel's argument in Part One of the Essay

What is the main categories of Helel's argument in Part One of the Philosophy of Right and how are they logically connected - Essay Example Brooks, on the other hand, identifies two great debates on the Philosophy of Right, as the work is more commonly known, namely one over its political sympathies and another on its relationship to metaphysics (2007). Thus, the first debate is thought to have arisen since the book’s first appearance, where the Philosophy of Right had been charged with â€Å"a dangerous conservatism† (Brooks, 2007) and the earliest reviews written by those Hegel had considered friends of him were nearly uniformly negative (Wood, 1991). These early attacks, however, viewed the book in relation to the immediate political situation, which may account for the reason why it was read as a blessing on the political status quo; not surprisingly, commentators and scholars in the liberal tradition followed that interpretation (Wood, 1991). The second debate, according to Brooks (2007), divided the scholarship into two camps – adherents of the â€Å"metaphysical approach to the study of Hegel’s work† and such of the â€Å"non-metaphysical approach to Hegel’s work†. Whereas the first debate, about the nature of Hegel’s political philosophy, is believed to be over, with the assertion that Hegel’s views lie in between the extremities of conservatism and liberalism, the second one has developed into an argument about â€Å"how strongly metaphysical† is Hegel’s Philosophy of Right (Brooks, 2007). This paper is intended to review Hegel’s Philosophy of Right’, namely its Part one – â€Å"Abstract Right†, in order to establish which are the main categories of Hegel’s argument and how they logically connect with each other. The paper argues that it is the philosophical method of Hegel, which holds the key to the understanding of his logic. There are two main categories of Hegel’s argument in Part One of the Philosophy of Right, as follows – the concept of ‘Abstract Right’ and the

Foundation Property Writing Task Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Foundation Property Writing Task - Essay Example As a particular constructive trust would relate only to the specific property, the legal professionals also call it as a â€Å"proprietary† remedial method of solving the particular disputes†¦.(Duhaime , 2009) Trusts are frequently established in a will, which could be called as a trust instrument, where the settlor is referred to as a testator. Hence an express trust implies that the settler has expressed a wish to establish the will. However, there is no explicit intention on the part of the settlor to establish a constructive trust. The establishment of such trusts is the consequences of legal responses to the events that might have been encountered during any property transactions. Accordingly, the purpose of constructive trusts should revolve about its binding effect on the issues of law in developing the major issues like honoring commitments, disgorging gains and repairing losses. Hence, the rationale behind the constructive trusts should consider these three main themes, while discussing the obligations and rights under the property law. As no firm and agreed list of rules is available under the English law, which could govern the constructive trusts, their rationale and guidance comes from various court cases, where the concerned judges have suggested rules for the constructive trust, pertaining to specific case. Accordingly, five rules on constructive trusts are briefly summarized below: However, these and other rules that bind the foundation of constructive trusts being heterogeneous in nature, there have been a fair amount of confusion about the concepts of such trusts and the liabilities involved in referring to the same. Accordingly, the above rules remain debatable, when judged under different circumstances. For example, it may be a mild punishment for an honest trustee to surrender his term, after he has renewed the

Investigating mass surveillance

Investigating mass surveillance (How) Is Big Brother Watching Us? Big Brother is a fictional character in George Orwells dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, which tells the story of one mans attempt to rebel against the totalitarian state in which he lives. In the society that Orwell describes, everybody lives under complete twenty-four hour surveillance by the governing authorities. Since the publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four, the phrase Big Brother has entered the English language, to describe any attempts by governments to use mass surveillance.[1] The main surveillance tool described in Orwells novel is the imaginary telescreen, a cross between a television and a security camera[2], and in the past decade growing comparisons have been drawn between the imaginary telescreen and the Internet-connected personal computer that is in many modern homes. The purpose of this essay is to investigate the mass surveillance of Internet communications carried out by western governments today, and the technologies used to carry out that surveillance. The essay will first look at the current privacy landscape in the USA, the European Union, and the UK, in terms of policies and legislation. Then it will discuss some of the most interesting technical methods used to carry out mass Internet communications surveillance. The terrorist attacks on New Yorks World Trade Centre, of September 11th 2001, heralded the dawn of a new global political era. Following those atrocities and subsequent attacks in Egypt, the United Kingdom, Spain, Bali, Russia, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia, governments around the world have responded by tightening existing legislation and creating new anti-terror laws. Many of the countries that changed their laws to combat terrorist threats also increased the powers of their law enforcement and national security organisations to perform communications surveillance and carry out electronic data search and seizure. The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, more commonly known as The Patriot Act, was signed into law less than seven weeks after the Twin Towers attacks. The Act is organised into ten titles, including Title II: Enhanced Surveillance Procedures, and Title IX: Improved intelligence. The Patriot Act, which was Americas legislative response to the September 11th attacks, hugely increased American law enforcement and national security services authority both in the USA and abroad. The Patriot Act strengthened immigration, banking, and money laundering laws. The Patriot Act also amended the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978, which includes subchapters covering electronic surveillance and trap and trace devices (used to capture non-content information regarding electronic communication). FISA was also expanded by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.[3] In July of 2002 the European Union passed the Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications'[4]. This directive was amended in 2005 by the Electronic communications: personal data protection rules and availability of traffic data for anti-terrorism purposes directive.[5] These directives will lead to European telecom firms being required to store data regarding the time and duration of all fixed line, internet, and mobile telephone calls, the location of mobile telephone calls, and details of all internet connections and e-mail messages (although e-mail content is not recorded). The UK government was the prime mover in lobbying for this directive, stating that data was the golden thread in terrorist investigations.[6] We have seen then that current privacy landscape has been heavily influenced by the changing global political situation with specific reference to global terrorism. We know that legislation exists that allows western governments to carry out mass surveillance, but what do they actually do and how do they do it? Mass surveillance can take many forms, including physical surveillance in the form of identity systems, audio, video, RFID and satellite surveillance. Data surveillance can also be used in the areas of electronic commerce and public records.[7] For the purpose of this essay we will look specifically at some of the most interesting technologies (allegedly) used by government organisations to carry out mass surveillance of Internet communications. One of the most infamous alleged mass electronic communication surveillance technologies is ECHELON, a top-secret Anglo-American collaboration tasked with gathering signals intelligence around the world. Although its existence is still officially denied the European Parliament commissioned a report in 2001 entitled on the existence of a global system for the interception of private and commercial communications (ECHELON interception system)'[8]. They were sufficiently convinced of ECHELONs capabilities to recommend that European citizens and businesses should routinely encrypt their communications in order to maintain privacy[9]. The idea of the ECHELON network was supposedly agreed between London and Washington as far back as 1948, although its existence was not brought to public attention until the publication of New Statesman article in 1988. ECHELONs capabilities are the subject of much debate; some estimates report that it can sift through 90% of Internet traffic, though the European Union found that the technical capabilities of the system are probably not nearly as extensive. The hardware used to collect the information also remains something of a mystery, with some sources claiming that ECHELON controls over one hundred satellites and dozens of ground based listening stations. Others point out that very little (

The Ethical Issues of Sex Pre-Selection Essay -- Exploratory Essays Re

The Ethical Issues of Sex Pre-Selection Although science is at a peak for overwhelming and astonishing outbreaks, the ethical issues concerning these â€Å"out breaks† have been inadequately addressed. As the options that couples that are desperate to have a child expand, so do too the expectations of whom the child becomes. Couples are able to choose a donor, of either gender, based on characteristics that they see fit to their liking. Although imperfect, couples now have the ability to choose their child’s gender. â€Å"Medicine tends to be patient-driven at the moment.† Said Charles Strom, MD, PhD, director of medical genetics at Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. â€Å"A patient needs something and physicians do all they can to provide that service, and that sometimes makes one shortcut the ethical considerations.† With our vast opportunities in reproductive technology, â€Å"one thing that’s not been well defined is what really constitutes research and what is [merely] improvement in clinical design,† Dr. Strom said. (Foubister) Sperm retrieval, in which an elec...

Managing People & Performance Essay

This assignment seeks to holistically analyse the critical â€Å"people issues† which impact the effective performance of a Maltese sea passenger and vehicle service company, namely Gozo Channel Company Limited. The main area of concern has been highlighted to be emanating through lack of strategic approach within Gozo Channel’s HRM, more so there is no alignment between the company’s business strategy and HR strategy. Throughout, this document will seek new recommendations through various business methodologies on how to overcome the barriers and issues which are affecting people’s performance. The first part of this document explains what are the reasons which ultimately affect the performance of Gozo Channel’s employees and review of both the external and internal context are explored, thus identifying what the critical issues are. Part two of this document sets out the action plan of what is required to overcome such barriers and using different models acquired and researched from the Managing People and Performance module, a detailed plan is set up to tackle each and every area effecting the performance of employees. The elective pathway throughout this assignment is focused on High Performing Teams and one major factor being proposed with justification is motivation. The conclusive reflection concentrates on achieving a sense of â€Å"evolution† not a sense of â€Å"revolution† within Gozo Channel, in terms of a sound recruitment strategy, training and development. 1.INTRODUCTION Gozo Channel Company Limited is a government entity which for over thirty years has been providing sea ferry-transport for both vehicles and passengers between the island of Gozo and the main island of Malta. Although it operates the life-link between the two islands in a monopolistic environment, meaning without direct competition, in 2004 the government had to issue a call for a Public Service Obligation , according to the European Union transportation law, which basically â€Å"†¦is an arrangement in which a governing body or other authority offers an auction for subsidies, permit the winning company a monopoly to operate a specified service of public transport for a specified period of time for the given subsidy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Wikipedia, 2009) 1.1.THE IMPACT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE OBLIGATION ON GOZO CHANNEL’S HR OBJECTIVES Initially in 2004, the transport authority awarded a 6 year PSO contract to GC on the basis of its provisions, resources and standards (fleet, human resources, experience and infrastructure). At that time the company was awarded an annual subsidy of approximately â‚ ¬ 4 million. This â€Å"subsidy† as well as the revenue generated along with the various cost cutting exercises, resulted in recurrent annual profits, which in effect meant that the company seemed to be on the right track. In 2010 though, the PSO contract attracted a host of companies and consortiums, all of whom were all eyeing the Malta – Gozo sea-ferry transport service. This situation was seen as a major threat and created an aura of uncertainty among company employees, causing all sorts of speculation. It was the first time that the company had to compete for its â€Å"bread and butter† and speculative pressures forced GC in submitting an annual offer of approximately â‚ ¬ 800k to ensure continuity. This drastic decrease in subsidy requires a holistic review in GC’s business strategy but more importantly the HR strategy has to be properly aligned to meet its objectives. 1.2.MY ROLE WITHIN THE COMPANY As Human Resources and ICT Manager, analysing both the external and internal context of GC is vital to ensure the correct review of its current processes, policies and human resource capital. My role is to ensure that the HR strategy is parallel with the company’s business strategy and more importantly ensure that all employees are nurtured, motivated and trained to support such strategy, thus ensuring that GC move forward in one strategic direction. 2.CRITICAL ISSUE 2.1.INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FACTORS OF THE CRITICAL ISSUE Being a government entity the company has to deal with multiple socio-political pressures, especially in light that GC offers a life-link for the island of Gozo. In a nutshell the island of Gozo depends on GC and to a certain extent one can argue that without a permanent link, GC is practically the road which ensures intra-connectivity between the two islands. Having said that and in light of the new financial realities which the company is facing as mentioned in paragraph 1.1, I have to evaluate both the external and internal context to better understand the forces sustaining the critical issue. 2.1.1.EXTERNAL POLITICAL FACTORS GC’s board of directors are all political appointees and their strategy and vision is determined by the government in administration. Bearing in mind that each administration normally enjoys a term of 5 years, the business strategy varies every time which in essence deters continuity. 2.1.2.INTERNAL POLITICAL FACTORS Moreover the majority of GC’s employees have been politically â€Å"hand-picked†, meaning they were not employed on the basis of skill and/or merit but on merely nepotism. These two factors form an integral part of the company’s critical issue and though they are based on different levels of the company’s structural hierarchy, the source is the same i.e. Political. 2.1.3.EXTERNAL ECONOMIC FACTORS GC currently has 214 employees, of which approximately 80% reside on the island of Gozo and since its inception GC has been always regarded as a leading employer, providing the ever needed employment boost to Gozitans . According to the latest statistical data gathered from the National Statistics Office (May 2013); Gozo has a rate of 10.6% of the overall registered unemployed and with limited employment opportunities in Gozo, many Gozitans seek employment alternatives in Malta. Being a government entity also means that the trade unions have their fair share of influence on the external economic context in terms of collective bargaining and legislation, such as Family Friendly Measures , COLA etc. 2.1.4.INTERNAL CULTURAL FACTOR One of Malta’s leading trade unions, namely Union Haddiema Maghqudin enjoys the 50+1% of the GC’s employee membership; thus is currently the main recognised trade union representing the employees in three sections namely, Seaborne Officers, General Staff and Line Managers. GC together with UHM negotiates collective agreements which stipulate policies, procedural systems and regulate grades and pay structures. This stringent and rigid systematic approach intertwined with a unionised culture, with a strong â€Å"job for life† mentality spreading from top to bottom, restricts the change management concept of the company. This is further attested through the low employee turnover within GC, which is practically zero and only attributable to natural wastage . 2.1.5.TECHNOLOGY FACTOR Today’s market offers an array of Human Resources Management Systems which are systems and processes that intersect HRM and Information Technology. Although GC has invested in HRMS comprising of the following two packages; payroll, time and attendance, there is lack of a proper Human Resources package that allows ease of access for performance appraisals, benefits administration, recruiting and learning management, performance records, scheduling, absence management and analytics. 2.2.HUMAN RESOURCES FUNCTION WITHIN GOZO CHANNEL Coupled with the main factors mentioned above, GC’s HR has a specialist approach leaning towards a â€Å"Personnel† role rather than that of the more dynamic and strategic role of HRM . Guest (1987) identifies the differences between Personnel and HRM as shown in Table 1 below. PersonnelHRM Time and planningShort-term, reactive ad hoc marginalLong-term, proactive, strategic, integrated Psychological contract ComplianceCommitment Control SystemsExternalSelf-control Employee RelationsPluralist, collective, low trustUnitarist, individual, high trust Structures and systemsBureaucratic/mechanistic, centralised, formalOrganic, devolved, flexible RolesSpecialist/professionalLargely integrated into line management Evaluation criteriaCost minimisationMaximum utilisation (human asset accounting) Table 1 – The differences between personnel and human resource management The traits listed by Guest (1987) under Personnel, are parallel to GC’s HR functions and the drawbacks are further highlighted in Gratton and Truss (2003) three-dimensional people strategy model whereby GC’s position is weak both in the vertical and horizontal alignment. Figure 1 – Gratton & Truss (2003): The three-dimensional people strategy The HR department has no influence on GC’s strategy and the functions are merely day-to-day administrative matters relating to staff driven by rigid procedures which have little discernible relationship with today’s realities; hence the alignment in the â€Å"mere tactics speak† position in the Gratton & Truss (2003) three-dimensional people strategy model as depicted figure 1. 2.3.MANAGEMENT AND COMPANY STRUCTURE This lack of strategic approach is further compounded by the fact that GC has no Chief Executive. Furthermore there is lack of leadership throughout the management team and people management seems to be focused on the HR department only, rather than integrated throughout the entire management structure. 2.3.1.STRUCTURE The company is currently driven by 4 department heads namely, Operations, Commercial, Human Resources and Finance, and although the structure is flat and ideal, there is lack of cohesion between them and each department is individually driven towards its own goals. 2.3.2.MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY Sumantra Goshal (2004) refers to the downfall of Enron and explains how Andrew Fatsow’s (former Chief Finance Officer of Enron) â€Å"†¦designed Enron’s management system around a firm faith that employees pursued only their own self-interest†¦Ã¢â‚¬  quoting Fatsow’s philosophy that â€Å"You must allow people to eat what they hunt†¦only then will they hunt well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Although the context of Enron is not related to GC’s context, it does show that when you ignore the company’s goals and pursue individualistic targets; the results lead to disastrous consequences. 2.3.3.PEOPLE MANAGEMENT Lack of leadership and people management is down to the fact that Line Managers tend to shirk such responsibility, but more so the main factor is lack of ability, hence the staffing issue mentioned in paragraph 2.1.2. 2.4.POLICIES & PROCEDURES GC has an SMS manual containing specific management procedures ranging from safety and environmental policies to people management policies. This manual is inclined to seaborne staff and the systems and procedures are rhetoric and â€Å"institutional† rather than practical. This goes to show that there is lack of communication between GC’s management and critical feedback, which is brought up during internal audits, management reviews, accident reports, etc., is not discussed and analysed correctly. Therefore the planning and implementation process of the ISM cycle is not maintained which eventually is why we are faced with such a situation whereby procedures are not in tune with the current requirements and realities. 2.5.TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT GC has no appraisal and evaluation system in place apart from stringent procedures for seaborne personnel, in line with the required standards of the maritime legislation. Therefore there is no manpower flow and no training strategy, albeit the occasional course organised ad hoc or as required. 2.6.COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS The downward process is non-existent and as highlighted management has no focal point in which all downward processes are channelled through. This is also coupled by the fact that lateral communication between management is also obscured by inter-personal conflicts. These conflicts are down to various reasons, such as lack of motivation, internal politics, greed, and selfishness, but the main factor is that management has no cohesion and everyone works within his own â€Å"castle† rather than in teams – a scenario where no one seems to share information. 3.ACTION AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Having analysed the critical issue in the first part of this document, the tasks ahead have been clearly defined. I have set out a plan to change the mind-set of the current HRM system. This plan tackles 4 critical areas which are highlighted further on in section 3. The table below illustrates GC’s action plan showing the timescales for the implementation of each critical area. Critical IssueTime Frame PlanImplementationReview 3.1 – HRM StrategyBeginning of 1st QuarterEnd of 1st QuarterYearly 3.2 – HR Function and People ManagementBeginning of 2nd QuarterEnd of 2nd QuarterContinuous 3.3 – Enhancing the Performance of Human CapitalBeginning of 2nd QuarterEnd of 2nd QuarterContinuous 3.4 – Measuring & Validating The PerformanceBeginning of 2nd QuarterPeriodically as required Table 2 – GC’s Action Plan 3.1.HRM STRATEGY TYPE It is noticeable that GC’s HR strategy is not aligned with its Business strategy not to mention that the latter is in essence unclear due to the volatile state of the political implications as mentioned in section 2. Thus initially, the first action is to identify a clear vision to implement organisational goals. The â€Å"Line of Sight† model adapted from Higgs, in Rees & McBain (2004) ensures that GC’s business strategy is aligned with its people management policies and practices. On the basis of the issues mentioned in section 2, GC requires three types of HR strategies as defined by Higgs,M (2004); cost strategy, capability strategy and commitment strategy. Figure 2 – The line of sight model 3.1.1.COST STRATEGY As a result of the new PSO, GC has to ensure that part of the business and HR strategy has to focus on high revenue generation with the least possible level of man power cost. 3.1.2.CAPABILITY STRATEGY Parallel to this, GC has to also be strategically aligned to ensure that employees are nurtured, trained and motivated to cater for future capability demands. 3.1.3.COMMITMENT STRATEGY Together with the cost and capability strategies the company must also ensure that employees are committed towards the company’s strategy and goals. 3.2.HR FUNCTION AND PEOPLE MANAGEMENT Implementing the above three strategies requires changing the mind-set of the HR function from a specialist role to a strategic role. It is essential that all Heads of Department, Line Managers and Masters are fully responsible for people management and share this responsibility. This way a greater emphasis will be put on these roles to become the implementers of the HR policies and thus it is imperative to also improve communication between departments through shared responsibility and better knowledge of what is happening. Furthermore this gives an opportunity for all involved to be accountable for any actions taken, thus taking ownership of their problems, bring them closer to employees by helping them better understand the pressures they are facing, gives them a sense of empowerment and helps them to improve as managers by understanding better the processes and their position within GC. In order to implement this change in the management’s work ethic, it is essential that all those involved in managing people undergo training in the EIRA legislation, leadership skills and more importantly making them aware of GC’s policies, regulations and processes. 3.3.ENHANCING THE PERFORMANCE OF HUMAN CAPITAL Gratton & Ghosal (2003) define human capital as â€Å"†¦an umbrella term comprising the intellectual, emotional and social capital of individuals and organisations†¦Ã¢â‚¬  GC’s bottom line employees lack motivation, drive and in some cases ability which in hindsight is attributable to the fact of a futile recruitment system mired further by political intrusion. Effectively GC’s HRM should aim at developing its human capital and at the same time enhance their performance to a high level of output. â€Å"The Bath people and performance† model by Purcell et al (2003) is the perfect model to adapt in order to achieve High Performance from employees. Utilising the best abilities and skills of each employee as well as motivating them through various incentives such as pay incentives, promotions & training and also by giving employees an opportunity to participate through feedback will aptly help motivate staff. Moreover it is essential that employees are managed, encouraged, respected and trusted. On the basis of this model GC’s HRM has to take a pro-active approach from the entry level of each individual and form a process based on a risk-based approach to examine historical events and future plans. The guidelines for such action should be based on cycle as shown below in figure 4. This way each individual employee will be monitored in an effective way and trained according to his/her competence needs, therefore training is vital for humans, to develop ability, to perform procedures, to operate systems. Figure 3 – The Bath people and performance model Figure 4 – GC’s HRM Guide for Action for Human Capital 3.3.1.EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION It is essential that GC has a proper recruitment and selection policy in place which works independently and â€Å"politically free† from external or internal interference. Jackson and Schuler (2000) define the terms â€Å"recruitment† and â€Å"selection† as â€Å"†¦Recruitment involves searching and obtaining qualified job candidates in such numbers that the organisation can select the most appropriate person to fill its need†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"†¦Selection is the process of obtaining and using information about job applicants in order to determine who should be hired for long-or short-term position†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thus the selection board has to be fully knowledgeable and must have a clear path of the tasks, abilities and qualifications required for the relevant job so as to ensure that the right person/s has been selected. The model shown in figure 5 adapted from Briscoe (1995) identifies all the stages required to have an effective recruitment & selection policy in place. For starters, GC’s HR has to â€Å"asses the need for the job† through effective planning tools. A model which aptly covers such area is â€Å"The process of Human Resource Planning† by Armstrong (2006) shown in figure 6 below. This model identifies four key stages; business strategic plan, resourcing strategy, demand or supply forecasting and human resources plans, which in effect knits the action and implementation plan of this document leading to the four critical issues of HR resourcing, retention, flexibility and productivity. Figure 5 – Recruitment and selection process adapted from Briscoe (1995) Figure 6 – The process of human resource planning 3.3.2.TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Mabey and Salaman (1995) effectively links both the Business and HR Strategy to Training and Development arguing that â€Å"†¦unless attention is paid to all six dimensions shown in the figure, then the quality of training and development will be impaired and their business impact will be flawed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In essence this is another vital step to ensure that the HR strategy is aligned with the Business strategy thus developing human capital to attain high performance. The performance evaluation process of employees is not intended to castigate people but should effectively help the development process. Therefore effective appraisals and psychometric tests coupled by constant monitoring, would greatly assist the HR department in understanding individual training needs and requirements, as well as keeping in line with the company’s strategic training and development plan. A clear example of the lack of strategic human resource planning within GC is experienced in the marine engineering section. 3.3.2.1.MARINE ENGINEERS Malta currently lacks human resources in the marine engineering sector, which has been in decline over a number of years mainly through lack of interest from students to pursue such a career. This was further tarnished by the fact that the maritime authority failed to endorse the Higher National Diploma in Marine Engineering course and thus the few students who had applied for such course were forced to change career direction. Whereas currently GC’s position has been as a mere spectator over such issue, this calls for a more pro-active approach by highlighting such awareness with the authorities concerned and by ensuring that the maritime authority and MCAST provide endorsed courses, opportunities for sea time to students and more importantly courses are sustained. Moreover GC has to be directly involved in promoting the marine engineering career in schools and career expos, thus investing in the future of human capital – becoming an employer of choice. Figure 7 – Mabey and Salaman strategic training and development model 3.3.3.PERFORMANCE MANGEMENT AND REWARD SYSTEMS GC has to adopt a more business based approach to HRM and should include reward systems. Armstrong (2000) describes performance management as a â€Å"cycle† as shown in figure 8 below. It defines a clear plan of how to manage performance in four stages; plan, act, monitor and review. The monitor and review stages are intertwined with the training and development performance evaluation process. This cycle starts by planning and agreeing a set of targets with an employee, whereby it is fundamental to maintain the performance agreement realistically and it should include â€Å"team-based† bonus elements rather than a high level of â€Å"individual† performance to avoid having a â€Å"silo mentality† Higgs, in Rees & McBain (2004). Figure 8 – The phases of performance management The model below shown in figure 9 below, further explains Armstrong’s performance management system. Figure 9 – Phases of a performance management system 3.3.4.EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION A key element in achieving high morale of employees, job satisfaction, low absenteeism, enhanced productivity and high performance is down to motivation. Maslow (1954) identified a hierarchy of needs as shown in figure 10 below; which ranges from physiological needs, safety, love, esteem and self actualisation. Figure 10 – Maslow’s Pyramid Porter et al (2003) link these needs to general rewards and organisational factors as shown below in table 3. This table more importantly identifies the organisational factors for each level of Maslow’s pyramid. Although Maslow’s theory defines satisfaction as the main contributor to motivation it does not guarantee high work performance. This theory though does form an integral part to attain a motivated work force and further facilitates to understand better what factors are effecting individual employees. This theory therefore has helped me clearly define another important issue which effects performance management within GC – equity and fairness. 3.3.4.1.ENSURING EQUITY AND FAIRNESS Having the characteristics of a government entity, lack of motivation within GC is commonly effected through lack of equity between staff; in other words employees tend to become de-motivated when they feel that they are not rewarded for their work, efforts or perhaps even for the reason that they are rewarded on the same level as others who work far less than them. Adams (1965) Equity Theory tries to find the correct balance between the â€Å"inputs† and â€Å"outputs† of an employee. In other terms it defines the â€Å"fair balance† to ensure high performance as well as content and motivated employees. According to this theory Adams (1965) identifies what are the typical â€Å"inputs† and â€Å"outputs† of each individual and thus helping to identify the balance or imbalance which currently exist in GC. Such â€Å"inputs† include; effort, loyalty, hard work, commitment, skill, ability, adaptability, flexibility, tolerance, determination, enthusiasm, trusts in superiors, support of colleagues, and personal sacrifice while the â€Å"outputs† are mainly; financial rewards (such as salary, benefits, perks), recognition, reputation, responsibility, sense of achievement, praise, stimulus, sense of advancement/growth, and job security. A similar theory but has a greater impetus on motivational impact is the Herzberg et al (1959) Two-factor Theory. Frederick Herzberg identifies two factors which he calls â€Å"Hygiene† (factors of dissatisfaction) and â€Å"Motivation† (factors of satisfaction) and claims that unless you eliminate the employee’s dissatisfaction/s and moreover help him overcome such dissatisfaction/s; you can never motivate the employee. Although this theory could transmit effective motivation on an individual context, it could backfire unless â€Å"Hygiene† factors are tackled fairly, with equity and consistently. For example if an employee is dissatisfied on the basis of working as a Mooring Man , one can assume that by changing his grade; motivation will be achieved. Overall though such decision could create an aura of unrest between groups of staff who would view such judgment as unfair and thus pretend similar treatment in their regard, notwithstanding the fact that collective agreements would not allow such practise and in reality high performing teams can never be achieved through such methods. 3.4.MEASURING & VALIDATING THE PERFORMANCE Parallel to implementing the above recommendations, GC’s HR must ensure that management systems are in place to validate and measure the performance of such recommendations. 3.4.1.BALANCE SCORECARD In order to maintain constant focus to ensure that GC’s business activities are aligned to its vision and strategy, an ideal strategic system is the Balance Scorecard Kaplan R S and Norton D P (1992). This model will assist GC’s management to asses the performance of the organisation while also helps identify what should be measured. Kaplan and Norton describe the balance scorecard as â€Å"†¦The balanced scorecard retains traditional financial measures. But financial measures tell the story of past events, an adequate story for industrial age companies for which investments in long-term capabilities and customer relationships were not critical for success. These financial measures are inadequate, however, for guiding and evaluating the journey that information age companies must make to create future value through investment in customers, suppliers, employees, processes, technology, and innovation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The balance scorecard is also an idealistic strategic tool for GC since the company has an important role as mentioned earlier, therefore the vision and strategy should be intertwined with the four core areas, namely Financial, Internal Business, Innovation & Learning, and Customer.    3.4.2.KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS The Balance Scorecard Kaplan R S and Norton D P (1992) will also enable GC’s HRM to develop its KPI. For example absenteeism can be strategically measured to evaluate to what extent this problem is within GC. In hindsight anything can be measured through KPI and GC’s management has to be intrinsically focused on measuring performance on the basis of directional, financial, qualitative, and quantitative characteristics. 3.4.3.MANAGEMENT REVIEWS GC’s management must review, analyse and discuss the performance of each department to ensure that policies and procedures are effective and not defective towards the performance of the company. The review process is intended to highlight any deficiencies which had been spotted either through KPI, incident reports, customer feedback and employee feedback. Moreover processes may be amended to incorporate new legislation and perhaps to evaluate whether the company has adequate resources. A clear example within GC is the new STCW 2010 legislation amendments which will effect GC from two different angles, namely human resource competencies in terms of certification and adequate resources to provide proper hours of rest periods to employees. 4.HIGH PERFORMING TEAM (ELECTIVE PATHWAY) In today’s ever demanding world of technological advancements and competition every company has to ensure that each individual employee must be motivated and managed appropriately to achieve a high output of performance. As clearly defined in section 3 of this assignment the following characteristics are vital to reach a level of having high performing teams within GC. The key characteristics to achieve high performing teams are: participative leadership by involving and engaging employees, effective decision-making, open and clear communication thus ensuring that employees use effective communication methods and channels, valued diversity in terms of valuing the different experiences and backgrounds in teams which contribute to a diversity of viewpoints thus leading to better decision making and solutions, mutual trust, managing conflict by dealing with conflict openly and transparently and not allowing grudges to build up and destroy team morale, clear goals developed by SMART criteria, defined roles and responsibilities, team building events to promote bonds between employees, and a positive atmosphere with an open culture which is focused on future goals. 5.REFLECTION This assignment and module has effectively allowed me to understand better what the critical issue is. It allowed me to recognise the negative effects of having a non-strategically HRM system coupled by external and internal political interference, which in essence renders the company’s strategic vision as a volatile state of mishmash. The â€Å"empowerment† given to me through this assignment to write down specific grievances which I have personally experienced through my current role as Human Resources and ICT Manager has enabled me to dig deep within GC. For starters my appreciation of the â€Å"human element† within GC has helped me explain why motivation through fairness and equity is vital in order to achieve a high performing team, something which is currently lacking due to the political cloud hovering over GC. Moreover it is essential that there is a strategy of â€Å"evolution† and not a strategy of â€Å"revolution† with GC. The positive effects that a proper recruitment system yields helps achieve results but through this module I realised the importance of training and development which are vital to augment the knowledge and competencies of GC’s human capital, helping themb to work towards achieving GC’s goals and objectives while at the same time safeguarding GC’s future planning. Overall the importance of aligning GC’s HRM to its business strategy is critical to achieve the correct synergy to implement all the processes mentioned in section 3 of this assignment. Consequently the action plan mentioned in section 3 has to be strictly adhered to, in order to change GC’s direction which is slowly destroying its â€Å"livelihood† as well as the â€Å"livelihood† of its employees. This statement further motivates me to push for the changes required by becoming a catalyst of this change in management strategy and as a result achieve the goals required to overcome any risks which eventually will effect GC employees and the Island of Gozo. 6.REFERENCES Armstrong, M (2000) Performance Management: Key Strategies and Practical Guidelines. Kogan Page cited in Henley Business School, MPP Core Module Notes Adams (1965) Equity Theory: Henley Business School, MPP Core Module Notes, pp96 and further cited: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_96.htm Briscoe, D.R (1995) International Human Resources Management. Prentice Hall Guest, D.E. (1987) Human resource management and industrial relations, Journal of Management Studies 24(5), pp. 503-521 Gratton, L & Truss, C (2003) The three-dimensional people strategy: putting human resources strategies into action. Academy of Management Executive, 17(3), pp. 74-86 Gratton, L & Ghoshal, S (2003) Managing personal human capital: new ethos for the ‘volunteer employee’. European Management Journal, 21(1), pp. 1-10 Ghoshal, S (2004), People Management, 12 February 2004, p.23 Higgs, M (2004) Future trends in HR. In: R McBain & D Rees (eds) People Management: Challenges and Opportunities. Palgrave Macmillan, Chapter 2 Herzberg et al (1959) Two-Factor Theory: Henley Business School, MPP Core Module Notes, pp93 and further cited: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_74.htm Jackson, S.E & Schuler, R.S (2000) Managing Human Resources: a Partnership Perspective. Cincinnati: South-Western College Publishing Kaplan, R.S and Norton, D.P (1992) â€Å"The Balanced Scorecard: measures that drive performance†, Harvard Business Review Jan – Feb pp. 71–80 Kaplan, R.S and Norton, D.P (1996) â€Å"Using the Balanced Scorecard as a Strategic Management System,† Harvard Business Review (January-February 1996): pp. 76 Labour Force Survey 2013 Q1 http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=3627 Mabey, C., and Salaman, G (1995) Strategic Training and Development Model: cited in Henley Business School, Blackboard Learn, MPP Module & Key Resources Maslow, A (1954) Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper Row: cited in Henley Business School, MPP Core Module Notes, p92 NSO Register Unemployed http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=3631 Porter, LW, Bigley, GA & Steers, RM (2003) Motivation and Work Behaviour, 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin: cited in Henley Business School, MPP Core Module Notes, p93 PSO definition – Wikipedia 2009 cited: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_service_obligation Purcell, J, Kinnie, N, Hutchinson, S, Rayton, B & Swart, J (2003) Understanding the People and Performance Link: Unlocking the Black Box. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

Rhetorical Analysis of a Modest Proposal Essay

Swift’s â€Å"A Modest Proposal† written in 1729 was his proposal â€Å"for preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to he publick† (Swift, Title). This proposal included the selling, skinning and buying of babies at the age of one. This proposal that he has come up with is a very inhuman and controversial one when it comes to being socially acceptable. Swift begins his essay by describing walking down a street in Ireland. He describes how you would see, â€Å"beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms† (Swift, Para. 1). This gives the reader a mental picture of how bad things are for the women he is trying to help. Swift then talks about how there are very many of these poor people in Ireland and how they are not able to be part of the middle or working class. Look more:  how to write satire essay He then proposes his idea that the children could, â€Å"contribute to the feeding, and partly to the cloathing of many thousands† (Swift, Para. 4). In no way, shape, or form is the eating of or the using of children in this manner acceptable. No society would ever find it suitable to eat or make babies into clothes. Dr. Swift has made a proposal that he should know would not work because of the inhumanity that it is asking people in which to participate. Jonathan Swift later tells the reader of how he has, â€Å"computed the charge of nursing a beggar’s child (in which list I reckon all cottagers, labourers, and four-fifths of the farmers) to be about two shillings per annum, rags included; and I believe no gentleman would repine to give ten shillings for the carcass of a good fat child,† (Swift, Para. 14). This is a good thing that Swift does telling how the mother would stand to make money on selling her child to a man for dinner. Except, I do not believe you couldn’t find a willing mother to sell her child knowing that it would be eaten by a human for a meal. Dr. Swift has made a plan for people with no remorse or thought of their children. The only place this plan could be carried out and continue working is a place with robots that have no feeling or conscious. Swift then makes the statement, â€Å"Those who are more thrifty (as I must confess the times require) may flea the carcass; the skin of which, artificially dressed, will make admirable gloves for ladies, and summer boots for fine gentlemen,† (Swift, Para. 15). He thinks that someone would be able to treat a baby’s skin as an animal’s and make it into a glove or boot without objection to what it is. This is another flaw in his plan. There are people who are against making animals into clothing. Therefore, I am sure that there would be people against the making of clothes from baby. Next, Dr. Swift gives 6 reasons of why he thinks the plan is a good one. His second reason states, â€Å"Secondly, The poorer tenants will have something valuable of their own, which by law may be made liable to a distress, and help to pay their landlord’s rent, their corn and cattle being already seized, and money a thing unknown,† (Swift, Para. 22). He thinks that poor tenants with children will be able to give their landlords something valuable by giving them their child. No landlord would take a child as a means of money because it just costs more money to them to have the child then without it. In his fourth reason Swift says, â€Å"Fourthly, The constant breeders, besides the gain of eight shillings sterling per annum by the sale of their children, will be rid of the charge of maintaining them after the first year,† (Swift, Para. 24) If the people who like to â€Å"breed† hear of this then they will just think that they will be able to keep having children and selling them instead of having a job. This would cause more jobless people and after so long the supply of the babies would surpass the demand. There then would be poor children hanging on their mothers again in the street defeating the purpose of the plan in the beginning. Fifthly Dr. Swift says, â€Å"This food would likewise bring great custom to taverns, where the vintners will certainly be so prudent as to procure the best receipts for dressing it to perfection; and consequently have their houses frequented by all the fine gentlemen, who justly value themselves upon their knowledge in good eating; and a skilful cook, who understands how to oblige his guests, will contrive to make it as expensive as they please,† (Swift, Para. 5). Again, I refer back to how people would not be able to eat the carcass of an one year old child, but also I think that if you were to find a cook to make this and a person to eat it that it would be at such an outrageous price that the people could not afford to try the meal of the baby. Finally, the last reason I do not think that this plan would work is what is in the final paragraph of the essay-â€Å"I profess, in the sincerity of my heart, that I have not the least personal interest in endeavouring to promote this necessary work, having no other motive than the publick good of my country, by advancing our trade, providing for infants, relieving the poor, and giving some pleasure to the rich. † (Swift, Para. 33). If the person that is proposing the idea at the end of the idea tells you that he has no interest in promoting his own proposal, I believe that it means he thinks that it also will not work and could not be enacted on a society. I am not the only one that is outraged or appalled with the works of Dr. Swift. Patrick Delany also states â€Å"As I have marked the passages that seemed to me most faulty, and gave me most offence, I beg leave to point them out, as they come in my way: without any further preface, or apology. The picture he draws of the Yahoos, is too offensive to be copied, even in the slightest sketch. † (Kathleen, Pg. 132). Delany and I are both offended and disagree with Swift’s works, but as a satire writer this just shows how effective his writing is on his audience. He tries to use outrageous and controversial subjects in order to grab the attention of his readers and keep them reading his papers. This style works very well and is a great way to get your point across. This style has grabbed the attention of all the readers and will continue to grab the attention of all the future readers of his essay.

Power in the Republic of Gilead essays

Power in the Republic of Gilead essays After reading through the few first chapters of Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale one could speculate that all men have extensive power. The fact is that they have more rights, liberties and privileges than women in this society. As an example, men were allowed to read. Literature consumption by women was considered to be a dangerous activity that could be responsible for a collapse of the nations political structure. According to one of the Gileads leaders, mens big mistake was teaching [women] to read. (Handmaids Tale, p389.) Furthermore, men seem to possess more control and authority. Only men can be Guardians, soldiers, doctors, etc. With one particular exception, ownership of weapons (pistols, automatic and melee) belonged only to males. Women that lived on the region of the Gilead domain were divided into groups. Handmaids were vital to the nation, because they were fertile. With birthrate declination these women, dressed in red, were essential and priceless. However, this f act only imposed more restrictions upon them. Women, and men for that matter, who were unable to procreate were exiled to the Colonies where they would meet their demise working in radioactive toxic dumps. There were also Aunts, who were permitted to carry weapons; they were used to control the handmaids. According to the leaders most cost-effective way to control women for reproductive and other purposes was through women themselves. ( The Handmaids Tale, p.390) It is erroneous to state however, that men in the Republic of Gilead had total autonomy. They also were obligated to follow rules, laws and restrictions. The guardians are forbidden to converse with any women, especially with the handmaids. Casual interactions between the soldiers and women were considered treachery and could result in being executed and displayed on the Wall. The Wall was utilized as a part o...

The Effects of Smoking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Effects of Smoking - Essay Example However, what they do not know is the fact that this nicotine has various harmful effects on the body. There are many anatomical diseases related to the increased level of emotions. Smoking results in stunted and weak bones. It also leads to myocardial infarction among the smokers. This problem is not only common in old aged people, but this problem is also becoming more common in young people. It leads to heart attacks by lowering down the level of good cholesterol in human blood. It also makes blood arteries more rigid and hence leads to major heart diseases. In women also, smoking result in over and under production of certain hormones which results in severe chest pains and cardiovascular diseases. A recent survey showed that smoking causes cancer in 85% of the total population of smokers. Most common amongst the types of cancers caused by smoking is lung cancer, but other types of cancers are also prevalent in the smokers. It damages the DNA in lungs and other parts of the body making it increasingly difficult to cure this perilous disease. It is also found that smokers suffer from leukemia, stomach cancers, bladders and fatal damage to kidneys and pancreas. A doctor report recently stated that almost 30% of the cervical cancers are associated with smoking. Smoking also increases the acid secretion resulting in various other problems such as ulcers.

Fred Bailey An Innocent Abroad(1) Exam case study Essay

Fred Bailey An Innocent Abroad(1) Exam case study - Essay Example So before venturing out on any project, a global project manager must do a complete examination of communal, fiscal, governmental, traditional and technical factors so that he is better equipped to alleviate trials posed with global projects (Varner, 2011). Analysis A cautious scrutiny of this case discloses a unsophisticated lack of cross-cultural knowledge, Personality stereotyping, miscommunication and poor decision making ability (Cheerla, 2010). Fred does not reveal a high level of cultural awareness enough to identify some of the noticeable cultural challenges, which were steady in showing the greatest gaps. Fred, the project manager culture is evidently different from that of Japan. This is key to a company overall performance because it encompasses the four cultural dimensions, which are, emotion, time, power and thinking. Problems encountered by Fred during his meeting with subordinates denote communication problems (Deresky, 2000). Having laid down his plans for future dire ction of the company office, he did not receive the desired response from his Japanese colleagues. United States is vastly individual oriented (Briscoe et al, 2012). People are anticipated to make decisions, and those decisions are expected to be in the best interest of the individual and his or her close family. In contrast, Japan is a community oriented; community and/or group interests take preference over the privileges of individuals. This contributed to miscommunication problems between Fred and his new colleagues. First, during the staff first meeting, he asked people for their individual opinions on how to improve things, and second, when he asked Tashiro, â€Å"what he thought† about the significant task being assigned to him. In both situations, they were reluctant to answer and, when they did answer, they gave vague explanations. To achieve success, Fred would have invited the group as a whole to discuss ideas and come up with a unified group vision. Personality st ereotyping was contributed by Fred lack of cross-cultural knowledge (Nkomo et al, 2010). Establishment of heartfelt relations with coworkers is necessary for Japanese. Employees intermingle with each other informally outside of the office and these relationships are taken into description when making professional decisions. Fred had to maintain authority, yet create a relationship that would unite all staff. On his arrival, he relaxed for two days at home then headed straight to work where he clearly assumed authority. He did not take time to know about his colleagues outside the company environment. Thus, when he assigned the project to an individual and encouraged him that he was worthy of the task required, that was stereotyping from him. He approached the employees in an impersonal style and expected them to be engaged because the company anticipated it. Lack of cross-cultural knowledge was the basis for poor decisions Fred made (Stroh, 2005). Relying on his American culture, he immediately lays down his proposal to the prospective Japanese client and he expects him to respond immediately. Fred was actually was not aware of the importance of personal relationship in business dealings in Japan during his strategizing and staff meeting. In Japan, comfort during business meetings is essential for success. Lack of basic knowledge of Japanese business environment; lead Fred to make poor decisions even before he arrived in Japan. For instance, his