Thursday, August 27, 2020

A Strategic Marketing Plan for the Coca

A Strategic Marketing Plan for the Coca Official Summary This paper was written so as to build up a promoting technique for the Coca-Cola Amatil gathering (CCL). The fundamental spotlight was not on the whole product offering of the gathering however for another item, Coke Zero. The CCL has delighted in a great deal of progress for its globally referred to brands, for example, Coke and Sprite. It anyway falls behind in the caffeinated drink and game beverages department.Advertising We will compose a custom report test on A Strategic Marketing Plan for the Coca-Cola Amatil Company explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Following this, it was critical to build up an advertising plan that will improve the deals of Coke Zero. To begin with, we took a gander at the organization and the current circumstance it is in, both interior and outer. We noticed that the organization has a generally excellent outside condition that advances ventures, has great exchange laws and the customers hold the organization in high r egard. We likewise noticed that the organization holds the biggest piece of the pie in the nation consequently has reliably been making benefits. After this we took a SWOT investigation on the Coke Zero item, breaking down the dangers that may block the effective execution of the item. When the dangers and shortcomings were recognized, an advertising system was created to improve the all out deals of the item. Key Analysis Company Overview Coca-cola Amatil is an Australian packaging organization that business sectors items from the Coca-Cola Company. It is perhaps the greatest bottler in the South-Pacific and furthermore one the biggest bottlers for the Coca-Cola organization (Coca-Cola, 2010). Coca-Cola Amatil produces different items that include: carbonated sodas, seasoned milk, caffeinated drinks, water, natural product juices, sport beverages and prepared to eat items The organization additionally has a joint endeavor, Pacific Beverages, with SABMiller. The joint endeavor is an swerable for delivering and showcasing an assortment of premium brew items inside the nation and in New Zealand. CCL additionally advertises and appropriates soul items for Beam Global Spirits and Wines (Coca-Cola, 2010). The Coca-Cola Company claims 30% of CCL and is in this way the larger part investor of the organization. Circumstance Analysis-External An examination of the company’s current situation just as the predominant economic situations will empower the improvement of a promoting plan that can be applied concerning both the current circumstance just as anticipated changes later on (Kotler, 1997).Advertising Looking for report on business financial matters? We should check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Environmental Analysis The outer natural investigation is principally worried about those components in the outside full scale condition that may affect the capacity of the business to meet its goals or work appropriately. Th e most significant outside components incorporate political, efficient, social, and mechanical powers in the large scale condition. The examination of the powers is alluded to as the PEST investigation. The PEST investigation takes a gander at the various patterns in the market featuring their suggestions on the specific business. Political Trends The political and lawful system inside a nation as a rule influences how a business works and its gainfulness (Payne, 2005). Coca-Cola Amatil works in nations that have stable political frameworks just as good exchange laws that support business development. The items that the organization produces have all been endorsed by the important food permitting board in the nation. Financial Trends Australia has delighted in a stable monetary development over the ages. The nation has been positioned as the thirteenth biggest economy on the planet and the eighteenth biggest exporter (Dixon OMahoney). The nation has delighted in a consistent develop ment at the pace of 3.6% in the course of the most recent 16 years. The joblessness rate in the nation remains at 4.9% and the expansion rate according to a year ago was 2.8% (Dixon OMahoney, 2010). As per the World Bank, Australia is positioned tenth on the simplicity of working together. The base loan cost in the nation remains at between 5 to 6%. Social Trends Over the years, there has been a wellbeing cognizance battle cautioning individuals about over utilization of soda pops. Different gatherings have every now and again cautioned individuals that soda pops are answerable for increment in weight and different issues, for example, diabetes and decaying of teeth. Australia is additionally entranced by sports. A study on donning claims that over 80% of youngsters are partake in sports somehow. Thinking about this, game and caffeinated beverages may increment in deals if adequate showcasing is done to infiltrate the games industryAdvertising We will compose a custom report test on A Strategic Marketing Plan for the Coca-Cola Amatil Company explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Technological Factors Australia is a created nation whose principle income originates from the assembling business. The organization has numerous experts who take part in the advancement of new and creative mechanical items (Svenson, 2009). The nation likewise has many examination offices and those experts looking to attempt research are supported by the administration, enterprises and instructive organizations. Market Analysis The sodas advertise in Australia is dominatingly constrained by four fundamental organizations. These organizations incorporate; Coca-Cola Amatil, Nestle Australia, Cadbury Australia and Mars Australia. The Coca-Cola Amatil bunch holds about 56% of the piece of the overall industry in the non-mixed refreshments, 40% piece of the pie in sports drink and 23% piece of the overall industry in filtered water (Greenblat, 2010). In showcase examination , it is essential to dissect the purchasers, contenders, and do the five power investigation. Customer Analysis Coca-cola items are generally appreciated by individuals from all age gatherings. It has anyway been noticed that a huge level of individuals who devour items from CCL are those in the 16-32 age bunch making up 52% of the complete customers. The purchasing conduct is basically guided by perspectives and way of life of these customers. The presentation of new items by the organization as a rule gets positive gathering while purchaser fulfillment for our items has been commonly high. Watchman five powers investigation It is essential to break down the business smaller scale condition so as to introduce a legitimate business advertising procedure. The Porter five powers are those powers that influence the capacity of a partnership to make a benefit or serve its customers (Simon, 2006). The Porters five power examination for CCL is appeared in Fig 1 Figure 1: Porters Five Forc e Analysis for the soda environmentAdvertising Searching for report on business financial matters? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Find out More Achievement factors From the outside natural investigation, the accompanying key achievement elements can be distinguished The political, efficient, social and mechanical patterns all kindness the accomplishment of CCL’s items The organization holds a huge level of the piece of the pie with the soda pop market The danger of new participants into the business is little The organization primarily supplies the vast majority of its items and has a huge system of providers thus danger of providers is little Situation Analysis (Internal) The inside circumstance examination includes those variables inside the organization that influences its capacity to work and acquire a benefit. It incorporates the organization assets, the goals, corporate culture and strategic (Williams, 2007). Survey of Current Strategy and promoting blend Coca-Cola Amatil current technique includes profiting refreshments to individuals everywhere throughout the nation and the other four nations that the organiza tion works. The organization does this by setting up a system of accomplices, securing new business, partaking in the showcasing and appropriation of different refreshments, for example, liquor and by utilizing different techniques to improve its promoting of items. Coca-Cola Amatil showcasing system incorporates the utilization of commercials, sports sponsorship arrangements, games and rivalries and the utilization of the web to advance its items. The current showcasing blend can be very much spoken to by the four P’s: Product: Coca-Cola Amatil produces an assortment of non-mixed beverages just as mixed beverages. The items incorporate both universally known brands and brands explicitly delivered for the nation. Items incorporate soda pops, caffeinated drinks, water, sports drinks, RTD tea and espresso, prepared to eat foods grown from the ground milk. Item separation in the greater part of these items is low consequently there is a requirement for a novel item to hold serio usness. Value: The current cost for CCL items is low and exceptionally serious. An enormous populace can without much of a stretch bear the cost of these items all the time. Advancement: CCL’s items are advanced through publicizing and deals advancement. The solid brand name of the organization has likewise proliferated advancement of their items Place: CCL’s items can be bought from numerous outlets everywhere throughout the nation. Markets, shops, drink stands, exercise centers and other nearby outlets typically have Coca-Cola items. Execution and Financial examination Over the previous years, the organization has had noteworthy achievement and has made a ton of benefit. The organization has had a one digit increment in benefits throughout the previous 10 years. Notwithstanding the monetary downturn, the organization despite everything had an expansion in benefit during the period. In 2010, the organization had a net benefit of $497.3 million, speaking to a 10% expan sion in benefit from the earlier year. The exchanging income for the year remained at $4490.3 million while the working income totalled $585.5 Million diminishing by 22% since the most recent year. The income before charge (EBIT) for the organization were $844.9 indicating a 7.3% expansion from that in the earlier year (Coca-Cola, 2010). The organization stock starting at 201

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Competency Goal Functional Areas free essay sample

To set up and keep up a sheltered, solid learning condition. I keep youngsters solid by checking their wellbeing every day. I inquire as to whether they have any bloopers and if so how they got them and I put them on a day by day wellbeing list, I additionally do this via cautiously watching kids, looking for indications of sickness, ensuring vaccinations are forward-thinking. I additionally keep youngsters sound by keeping the room clean. Kids are educated and ready to use sound judgment on the most proficient method to remain solid like washing hands in the wake of heading off to the washroom, cleaning out their nose or hacking into their hands, when we roll in from outside and before after lunch. I likewise protect kids by making and condition where kids gain the information that permits at that point to settle on suitable decisions. I ensure exercises are protected and formatively proper. The kids are urging to use sound judgment by having conversations, giving exercises, and perusing books that discussion about security issues I attempt to make a fun and safe condition where kids can learn and develop. We will compose a custom article test on Competency Goal Functional Areas or on the other hand any comparable subject explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page I give and age fitting condition to the children.I do this by setting up a week by week exercise plan, giving exercises to offspring of every single formative level. I have exercises that are for inside the homerooms which are for net engine abilities, for example, bean sacks, instruments, move music, and all sizes of squares. I additionally have fine engine exercises, for example, huge and little dabs to string, Lego’s, locking blossoms, stencils, scissors, colored pencil and markers. I likewise permit time for the youngsters to work on composing abilities like their names and letters additionally to draw wonderful pictures.Competency Goal 1 Functional Area 1: Safe In request to help give a domain which is ok for the kids in my consideration, I do the accompanying to forestall and diminish wounds: I keep all tidying supplies and synthetic substances kept up and out of the children’s reach, to abstain from harming or different wounds. I am likewise ensured in First Aid and CPR which give me the information to deal with any wounds or mishaps. I know about the homeroom and focus crisis clearing strategies if there should arise an occurrence of a fire or other emergency.I keep up an effectively open and current rundown of crisis numbers and furthermore all the parent numbers. I review all toys and gear, habitually for the duration of the day to guarantee that they are alright for use. I show safe utilization of play area hardware. Utilitarian Area 2: Healthy In request to give and condition that advances wellbeing, and forestalls sickness and which shows youngsters great nourishment and practices that advances health, I do the accompanying: I keep the toys and the rooms clean. I wash my hands and wear gloves when taking care of food.I wear gloves if and when kids need assistance when setting off to the washroom, cleaning their noses; all together not spread germs. I likewise show the kids how to wash their hands in the wake of utilizing the restroom, cleaning their nose, rolling in from outside, while telling them that, it is to washing their hands. I additionally follow centers’ arrangements for wiped out kids to keep different sicknesses from spreading all through the middle. I additionally read books about social insurance and discussion about heading off to the Doctor and Dentist. I additionally share the significance of sound nourishments like products of the soil.

Friday, August 21, 2020

Blog Archive USC Marshall Essay Analysis, 20192020

Blog Archive USC Marshall Essay Analysis, 2019â€"2020 After a brief foray last year into creative territory with its application essay prompts, the University of Southern California (USC) Marshall School of Business has embraced a much more traditional approach this season. For the first required essay, applicants must detail their immediate short-term career goalâ€"without much elaboration, given the 100-word limit. For the second required essay, which now can be as long as 600 words (up from 500), candidates are asked to write a letter to the Marshall admissions committee, though no specific requests are made beyond that, leaving applicants significant latitude. An optional essay gives candidates who feel they have an issue to explain or a particularly significant story to share the opportunity to (succinctly) do so. Our analysis of all USC Marshall’s 2019â€"2020 essay questions follows. Essay #1 (Required): What is your specific, immediate short-term career goal upon completion of your MBA? Please include an intended position, function, and industry in your response. (word limit: 100) Quite simply, Marshall wants to know that you have a specific intention in mind and are not just applying to business school with the expectation of figuring everything out later, once you are enrolled in the program. Many MBA applicants have a long-term vision for their career, of course, but with this prompt, Marshall is asking you to prove you have really given thought to the necessary steps in between. Your goal in this short essay is therefore to demonstrate that you do indeed have a plan, not just broad ambition. The school’s other key concern is whether its MBA program is truly the right one to help you attain your stated goal and that you have done the necessary research to discover and confirm this for yourself. Marshall has very little impetus to admit youâ€"and you have very little to attend itâ€"if you will not ultimately be equipped or positioned to pursue your intended goal once you graduate! For example, if you aspire to work in a field or position for which Marshall is not known to have particularly strong courses, professors, or other offerings, or if you want to work for a company that has no recruiting history with the program, it might not be the best choice to get you where you want to go right away.   At just 100 words maximum, your response needs to be fairly straightforward. Avoid any generalities and vagueness. Do your research to ensure that Marshall can indeed position you to attain what you intend, and simply spell things out. Given that this essay involves at least one key element of a traditional personal statement, we encourage you to download a free copy of our mbaMission Personal Statement Guide, which provides advice on effectively addressing this topic in an essay. Essay #2 (Required) â€" Please draft a letter that begins with “Dear Admissions Committee.” (word limit: 600) This letter is meant to be your personal statement that provides the Admissions Committee with an understanding of your candidacy for Marshall beyond what is evident in other parts of your application. This essay is purposely open-ended. You are free to express yourself in whatever way you see fit. Our goal is to have an appreciation for and an understanding of each candidate in ways that are not captured by test scores, grades, and resumes. As the admissions committee itself admits in the prompt, this is essentially a request for a personal statement, which typically covers (1) why the candidate feels they need an MBA, (2) why the MBA is necessary now, and (3) why they wish to attend the specific school in question. So, at the risk of sounding repetitive, we will start by encouraging youâ€"againâ€"to download a copy of the mbaMission Personal Statement Guide, which is available for free and includes detailed guidance on approaching and writing such essays, along with multiple illustrative examples. Note the admissions committee’s acknowledgement that it already has a lot of information about you from the other parts of your application, including your resume, extracurricular activities, recommendations, short-answer question responses, academic transcripts, and GMAT/GRE score. You should therefore think first about what these elements convey about who you are as an individual and candidate, so you can determine which parts of your profile complement this information and the image it collectively presents of you. This does not necessarily mean that you cannot touch on anything mentioned elsewhere in your application, but rather that you do not want to use up valuable word count repeating anything unnecessarily. Focus on supplementing the data the school already has. And despite the somewhat formal intro the school providesâ€"“Dear Admissions Committee”â€"keep in mind that this is an opportunity for you to present yourself as a well-rounded, dynamic individual who would be a positive addition to the Marshall community, so do your best to infuse your essay with authenticity and personality, as well as information. Optional Essay: Please provide any additional information you would like the admissions committee to consider. (word limit: 250) In general, we believe candidates should use a school’s optional essay to explain confusing or problematic issues in their candidacy, which this prompt does indeed allow. So, if you need to, use this opportunity to address any questions the admissions committee might have about your profileâ€"a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT or GRE score, a gap in your work experience, etc. Consider downloading our free mbaMission Optional Essays Guide, in which we offer detailed advice (and multiple examples) on how best to approach the optional essay to mitigate any problem areas in your application. However, Marshall clearly leaves the door open for you to discuss any other information about your candidacy that you feel may be pivotal or particularly compellingâ€"that you think the admissions committee truly needs to know to be able to evaluate you fully and effectively. We caution you against submitting a response to this prompt just because you fear that not doing so would somehow count against you, though. Remember that with each additional essay you write, you are asking the admissions committee to do extra work on your behalf, so you must make sure that added time is warranted. If you decide to use this essay to impart information that you believe would render your application incomplete if omitted, strive to keep your submission brief and on point. Share ThisTweet 2019-2020 Business School Essays MBA Essay Analysis University of Southern California (Marshall)

Monday, May 25, 2020

Benefits of Participating in High School Debate

In schools across the world, debate teams are valued for training students in public speaking, grace under pressure, and critical thinking. Student debaters have several advantages, whether they choose to join debate teams on campus or if they debate as members of a political club. Debating provides practice in developing sound and logical arguments.Debate gives students an opportunity to practice speaking in front of an audience and thinking on their feet.Students participating in debate show initiative and leadership.The research debaters perform expands their minds and increases their understanding of multiple sides of important issues.Students hone their research skills in preparing for debates. What Is a Debate? Essentially, a debate is an argument with rules. Debating rules vary from one competition to another, and there are several possible debate formats. Debates can involve single-member teams or teams that include several students. In a standard debate, two teams are presented  with a resolution or topic, and each team has a set period of time to prepare an argument. Students typically dont know their debate subjects ahead of time. However, participants are encouraged to read about current events and controversial issues to prepare for debates. This can give teams special strengths in certain topic areas. The goal is to come up with a good argument in a short amount of time. At a debate, one team argues in favor (pro) and the other argues in opposition (con). In some debate formats, each team member speaks, and in others, the team selects one member to speak for the entire team. A judge or a panel of judges assigns points based on the strength of the arguments and the professionalism of the teams. One team is usually declared the winner, and that team advances to a new round. A school team can compete in local, regional, and national tournaments. A typical debate format includes: Teams are advised of the topic and take positions (pro and con).Teams discuss their topics and come up with statements expressing their position.Teams deliver their statements and offer the main points.Teams discuss the oppositions argument and come up with rebuttals.Teams deliver their rebuttals.Teams make their closing statements. Each of these sessions is timed. For instance, teams may have only three minutes to come up with their rebuttal. Interested students without a team at their school can look into starting a debate team or club. Many colleges also offer summer programs that teach debating skills. Lessons Learned Through Debate Knowing how to synthesize information and deliver it to an audience succinctly—even an audience of one—is a skill that benefits people throughout their lives. Debate skills can come in handy when interviewing for jobs, networking for career advancement, conducting meetings, and giving presentations. These soft skills can help in most careers because debate students learn the art of persuasion. Outside of the working world, having good communication skills is useful in activities as ordinary as meeting new people or as special as making a wedding toast in front of a crowd, as debate helps people learn composure and confidence when speaking with others.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Article Analysis Performative Acts And Gender Constitution

Judith Butler’s essay, â€Å"Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory† calls for a new way to view sex and gender. Butler argues that â€Å"gender identity is a performative accomplishment compelled by social sanction and taboo†. In this case, gender is not constituted by what one is, but rather what one does; the performative acts constitute gender. In other words, gender is not the starting place; it is an identity repeatedly constructed throughout time. Butler is trying to show us a feminist perspective of sex and gender. She attempts to follow Beauvoir’s path in a fight against society norms. To understand Butler’s work, it is important to know who Butler is. Judith Butler was born on February 24, 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended Bennington College and Yale University afterwards where she studied philosophy, receiving her B.A. in 1978 and her Ph.D. in 1984. She then taught at Wesleyan Univers ity, George Washington University, John Hopkins University, and University of California, Berkeley. In 1987, Butler had released her first book called â€Å"Subjects of Desire: Hegelian Reflections in Twentieth Century France† which was about the concept of desire. Butler had then released her better known work â€Å"Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity† in 1990, and its sequel, â€Å"Bodies that Matter: On The Discursive Limits of Sex† in 1993. Much of her work had great influence on feminism, cultural studies, and continentalShow MoreRelatedFilm, Paris, Burning, By Jennie Livingston, Director Of The 1990 Documentary Film2760 Words   |  12 PagesBurning, challenges the public to revisit their judgments on race, gender, and sexuality as she provocatively attempts to unravel the dynamic world of â€Å"ball culture† in New York City â€Å"and the African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities involved in it† (Livings ton). It was Livingston’s investigation that affirmed the link I was uncovering between the gender performance popularly described as drag and spirit possession. The act of men embodying women through physical appearances and gendered

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Book Review the Analects of Confucius - 1684 Words

Book Review: The Analects of Confucius China experienced a lot of the revolutionary changes and a proliferation of new ideas in the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period. These periods can be represented as chaotic periods, so eventually there were many tries for solving the disorders of the societies by many philosophers[1]. Philosophers in those periods tried to address within these historical context and requests such as the needs for stability and reunification. Among them, Confucius has become the most noticeable philosopher, and his thought, Confucianism, has influenced significantly the cultures and histories of countries in East Asia such as China, Korea, and Japan. The analects of Confucius is a record of words†¦show more content†¦For example, there is a conversation with Confucius and his disciple, â€Å"Tzu-kung said, ‘If you had a piece of beautiful jade here, would you put it away safely in a box or would you try to sell it for a good price?’ The Master said, ‘Of co urse I would sell it. Of course I would sell it. All I am waiting for is the right offer[7].’ This conversation showed that Confucius wanted to use his ideas in ruling a state but he could not get the right offer from rulers. The rulers of states in his time needed more practical thoughts to gain an edge over each others, but unfortunately the rulers considered Confucianism too idealistic to rule their states. The Spring and Autumn period was so chaotic, and doubtless the ideas of Confucius which cultivating virtue can bring stability sounded plausible; however, his thoughts could not be accepted as a realistic solution to the rulers in that period. Also, Confucianism could not get close attentions from the common people in the Spring and Autumn period. The people had experienced hard times. It made them desire realistic ideas which were closely related to their daily life, and perhaps the people looked for supernatural things which they could rely on. However, there was some dissidence between the people’s needs in that time and the ideas of Confucius. Most of all, Confucianism was useless for the actual people’s life. People in that period were so absorbed in their own living that they could notShow MoreRelatedA Short History Of Confucianism And Confucianism1196 Words   |  5 PagesDaniel Meltzer ASST 101 Professor Dimick 23 November 2014 A Short History of Confucianism Confucianism is a way of life propagated by the Chinese philosopher Confucius in the 6th–5th century BCE, and it has been followed by the Chinese for more than 2000 years. Although Confucianism as changed over time, at its core, it is still places the same emphasis on the substance of learning, the source of values, and the social code of the Chinese. Additionally, the influence of Confucianism has extendedRead MoreReview Asian 104 Essay5895 Words   |  24 Pagesï » ¿Review Questions for the Mid-Term Exam (9th March 2015) I. Review questions for short-answer questions 1. Briefly characterize the following terms: a. Hexagram-The I Ching book consists of 64 hexagrams.[2] [3] A hexagram is a figure composed of six stacked horizontal lines (çˆ » yà ¡o), where each line is either Yang (an unbroken, or solid line), or Yin (broken, an open line with a gap in the center). The hexagram lines are traditionally counted from the bottom up, so the lowest line is considered lineRead MoreAnalysis Of Biographies Of Confucius And Empress Wu1470 Words   |  6 Pages Analysis of Biographies of Confucius and Empress Wu Introduction The Mountain of Fame shows readers the biographies of the most colorful personalities in Chinese history. From the sage emperors to the most recent personalities in the Tiananmen Square, the biographies help us see the transition in the traditional values of China. There are more than 20 biographies analyzed in the book by John E Wills, this paper summarizes only two of them. There is Confucius; a vulnerable being whose only goal isRead MoreRel 133 week 5 Team2281 Words   |  10 Pagesbackground of Master Kong (Confucius) in the early beginnings of the religion. The purpose of the paper is to discuss the common characteristic of Confucianism with other eastern religions, the contemporary issues it faces, and the interaction between the modern world and Confucianism. Also the paper list the nine most common text of literature used by the religion and it includes the role of women and the five bonds also known as the five great relationships. History Confucius was born August27, 551Read MoreChinese Presence Chinese Culture Abroad As Well As Those Visual Form2524 Words   |  11 Pagesand cutting machine not shut until around 1974 in the region has more than 80 restaurants, supermarkets, bakeries, souvenir shops, and other Chinese-run businesses, show some of London s most outstanding and most authentic Asian food (â€Å"Giles Goren review Empress of Sichuan† ï ¼Å' 2010). In addition, the Charing Cross Library with the Westminster Chinese Library is operated in the City of Westminsterï ¼Ë†Charing Cross Libraryï ¼Å'2009; Westminster Chinese Library, 2012ï ¼â€°. â€Å"The content of the destination is seenRead MoreSimilarities Between Confucianism And Christianity1849 Words   |  8 PagesTraditions Encounters: Chapter 8, page 185: â€Å"Confucius emphasized personal qualities like ren, li, and xiao because he believed that individuals who possessed those traits would gain influence in the larger society...only through enlightened leadership by morally strong individuals was there any hope for the restoration of political and social order in China† This quote demonstrates the main three principles that Confucianism was based upon are what Confucius believed would better society. These principlesRead MoreChina s Libraries : The Influence Of A Large Population3745 Words   |  15 Pagesimages that come to mind are the unique architecture, the traditional dress, splendid dynasties, internationally acclaimed philosophies, and high educational standards. It was noted by Wasserstrom (2013) that the most emphasized moralities from the An alects are education, ritual, and hierarchal relationships. These three important factors are such values that, to this day, they have a significant influence on Chinese culture. In addition to its rich culture and values, this country has the honor ofRead More Taoism and Western Moral Philosophy Essay3937 Words   |  16 Pagesstudy will come out claiming the previous study was incorrect in, for example, its treatment of the disease. A while later, another study will be done finding that the two previous studies were wrong, and so the cycle will continue. But when a careful review of the last three studies is performed, it is all too often found that the studies have failed to define accurately the disease that is being studied and that each study without including it in their research, defines the disease differently and thusRead MoreParental Influence on Children’s Talent Development- a Case Study with Three Chinese American Families10068 Words   |  41 Pages1998), or on parenting related to Asian American children in general (Leung et al., 1998; Rubin Chung, 2006). is study investigates the otherwise largely unexamined area of parenting of gi ed Chinese American students. e paper begins with a summary review of some major themes from traditional Chinese philosophy on learning and achieving and traditional views of the relationship between Chinese parenting styles and children’s out- Journal for the Education of the Gifted comes. Data from in-depthRead MoreEssay on Unreached People Group Project4555 Words   |  19 Pagesis the intention of this paper to devise a strategy to bring God’s name to this unreached people group. This paper will first discuss their background, historical events, language, society, and religions. Second, this paper will include a brief review of the history of missions work, current status of the church, missionary challenges and present missionary strategies. Lastly, this paper will discuss a proposed a strategy to reach the Koreans in North Korea. The proposed strategy will consist

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Supporting Good Practice In Managing Employee Relations

Question: Write an essay about the supporting good practice in managing employee relations. Answer: Introduction An organization mainly consists of employers and employees. A healthy relationship between the employers and employees is inevitable for the growth of an organization. But their interests differ from each other; the employers mainly focus on reducing costs and increasing profits of the organisation whereas the employees focuses on increasing their salary and other terms of employment contract such as bonus, flexible hours, etc. This paper highlights the good practices that prevail between the employers and employee in an organization (Golden et al. 2014). Some of the external factors that impact on the employment relationship are as follows: Increase in competition Competition in the market is a very important factor which influence the relationship between the employers and employees. Competition varies according to the varying industries. There are some industries in which competition may be exceedingly higher. In such industries the organisations have to focus on giving better offers and opportunities to retain their employees. With the advent of globalisation the market has become too much competitive. Competition in the market has increased manifold after the concept of globalisation has come into effect. The organisations in this competitive environment are concerned with introducing new strategies and policies I order to outdo others. In such a competitive market the employers need to come out with good job offers so that the employees stick to their organisation. Thus, increase in competition impact directly on the employment relationship (Goetsch and Davis 2014). Losing out of external contracts Losing out of external contracts may directly have impact on the employment relationship. An organisation is concerned with fulfilling the obligations which arise out of contracts entered into between an organization and a third party. The organisation is bound by the terms and conditions of the contract. Under the terms of the contracts, the organisation is assigned some work or task which it needs to do within a prescribed time. The kind of work or task which is assigned to an organization depends on the kind of industry under which it falls. Once a contract is signed by an organisation with a third party, the organisation undertakes to complete the assigned work. The organisation then formulate plans and strategies and allocates different tasks to different employees. In this way job is generated. Losing out of external contracts is detrimental to the growth of an organization and it hinders the economy of an organisation. Consequently it fails to allocate tasks to the employees a nd the employees have only two options left to them- either to quit from the organization or sit idle in their homes (Armstrong and Taylor 2014). Internal factors Internal factors are controllable unlike external factors. Some of the internal factors which have an impact on the relationship status re as follows: Management style Effective management style plays a key role in the development of an organisation. For the progress of any organisation it is very important for the management team to consider the interests of the employees while making any decision. Including the employees and enabling them to participate in a decision making process have a positive impact on the employees. The employees feel valued and they become more focussed on their work. Their approach towards the work undergoes a change and they work with more dedication and determination. Motivating the workers is another way by which the management can bring the best out of every employees. Motivating employees can be in a number of ways. Strategies such as paying bonus or incentives or respecting a senior employee or not punishing an employee for his poor performance etc. can make the employees realise that they are an important part of the organization. The management style can be improved from time to time by introducing effective strat egies and attracting employees and making them stick to the organisation. An innovative management style is inevitable to compete with the other organisations in the same industry and to retain valued employees (Blackburn et al. 2013). Culture-way things are done The culture followed in any organisation is an important factor for determining the success and failure of the organisation. Culture of a work place does not develop overnight. It develops over a period of time. When many persons are working under the same organisation, they gradually develop some common values and ideals which shape the way of their behaviour. Various problems may arise in an organisation and it is important to deal with those problems or issues in a harmonizing way. This can only be done by involving the employees in the decision making process. A code of ethics and observance of good moral values and ideals can shape a better culture of an organization. Respecting the boss is important in any organisation. Punctuality, dedication and hard work are important for the success of any organisation. It is important to build a culture where employees have their job satisfaction and they work freely and happily and at the same time they coordinate and cooperate with the m anagement team. Thus, culture is the deciding factor whether an employee wants to earn just money from an organisation or whether an employee gets attached with the organisation and work with respect and value. Culture ultimately shapes the employees attitude and behaviour towards work and determines the fate of an organisation (Imran et al. 2014). The different types of employment status are as follows: Permanent employee: A permanent employee is an employee who has been employed without any pre-determined time limit. They do not work for a specific period of time or do not work until the completion of a specific project. They are permanent in the sense that they work until they choose to resign or until they are laid off or fired form the organisation (Lin and Han 2015). An agency worker An agency worker is a worker who works under a contract of service or under a contract of employment with an employment agency. The workers are hired to render services or work for an organisation. They are hired for a specific period of time and they have different rights and conditions of work than those of the regular workers (Biggs 2015). Self-employed worker A self-employed worker works for himself, he has his own clients and works for them. He get paid by his clients directly. He controls his own work and enjoys the profits or suffers the loss which accrue form his work (Caliendo et al. 2014). Fixed term contract employee Fixed-term contract employees are those who work for a particular period of time under a contract with an organization. They are employed for a fixed term and at the end of their term the contract may be renewed or may be terminated (Graaf 2012). Volunteer A volunteer employee is an employee who undertakes to do work without any expectation of any kind of compensation (Rubin et al. 2015). There are various reasons for determining the employment status. Firstly, as soon as the status of an employee is given to an employee, he is entitled to certain rights. He will be protected against unfair dismissals, he will be entitled to a redundancy payment and he is entitled to receive a notice from the employer before he is dismissed from the job. Not only that, they are also entitled to the minimum wage payable to the employees according to the national legislation and they are governed by the provisions under the Work time regulation. They are also protected against any form of discrimination. Secondly, certain responsibilities also arise on the part of the employers. They are prohibited from treating the employees unfairly and unjustly. An employee is the main worker for an organisation and devotes his entire time towards fulfilling his responsibilities. He works according to the direction of the employees, coordinates with other employees and does all the tasks which are allotted to him. But he has a personal life of his own. He has certain responsibilities towards his family as well. It is very important for an employee to maintain a balance between his working life and his family life. There may be many challenges and issues which may be faced by an employee during his employment term. Some of the common challenges which a worker faces during his employment term are issues relating to maternity and child care, illness, etc. These issues are important and cannot be neglected. The workers have the right to live happily with their families. The workers may have to take leaves from work to address the family issues. The protection of employees has to be taken into consideration while formulating business strategies a nd policies. If employees dont get protection, they will have no other option than to quit from the organisation and if the employees quit from the work, then there will be no production which will ultimately affect the business of the organisation. Therefore, safe conditions of work and employees protection are the sine qua non for the development any industry (Milln et al. 2013). Legislation can play a key role in ensuring protection to the employees. Adequate provisions laid down under a legislation can help the employees to keep a balance between his working life and personal life. Legislations can direct the employers to grant reliefs during tough times faced by an employee. Legislative back up for the protection of the employees can help secure a reasonable and healthy conditions of work. Mandernach, B.J., Barclay, D., Justin, P., Huslig, S. and Jackson, C.M., 2015. Faculty Engagement as a Function of Instructional Mode and Employment Status(Milln et al. 2013). Legal support may be given in the following areas to ensure that an employee is able to fulfil his duties as a worker as well as a responsible family member: Working hours Law relating to wage Fair conditions of work Right against illegal termination Right to privacy Right against sexual harassment Maternity relief etc. The pieces of legislation which have been enacted by the UK Govt. to ensure that the employees are able maintain a balance between his professional and personal life are as follows: Working Time Regulations Act, 1988: This Act has laid down a provision that an employee cannot be compelled to work between 48 hours in a week. It also ensures paid leave for 28 days in year. Further it provides that an employee will get at least 20 min leave in a shift of 6 hours work or more. Work and Families Act 2006: This Act gave right to the employees to get paid and leave in connection with the birth or adoption of children. Employment Act 2008: This Act introduced amendments in a wide range of laws relating to labour. It focussed on areas relating to dispute resolution and strengthened the provisions relating to the enforcement of the minimum wage. Employment Rights Act 1996: This Act deals with a range of issues relating to the rights that an employee is entitled to get under his term of employment. The Act has covered issues such as unfair dismissal, parenting rights, redundancy etc. (Painter and Holmes 2015). The reasons for treating employees fairly in relation to pay are as follows: It will increase motivation of the staff and the workers would be of the belief that they are being valued and consequently they would give more effort and show more dedication at times of work. It will also increase the morale of the female workers who are endowed with lot of duties as a homemaker. Money is an important factor for every employees. Along with money comes other factors such as job satisfaction, conditions of work, attachment with the organisation etc. But money is the primary factor which enables a worker to support his family financially, get his children admitted in a school and meet other expenses of a family. Moreover, equal payment to all workers keep both male and female workers on the same footing and boost the performance of the female workers. The Equality Act of 2010 aims to prohibit any discrimination based on sex and treats both male and female fairly and equitably (Akhtar and Fischer 2014). A discrimination legislation purports to prohibit all sorts of discrimination in a workplace. Treating everyone equally is important to maintain a positive culture in an organization. The Equality Act was passed in 2010 by the UK Government and it covers the following areas: It has prohibited all forms of discrimination based on sex, religion, disability, marriage, gender reassignment etc. It has extended the protection which were available to the disabled persons under the Discrimination Act 1995. The concept of discrimination arising from disability has been introduced in the Act of 2010. It prohibits the employers from victimizing any person who has exercised his right under this legislation and filed a complaint about discrimination. The Act purports to clearly give protection the breastfeeding mothers. The Act has given a new definition of gender reassignment. Under the present legislation, a person who changes sex does not need to undergo a medical procedure. The Act has made it difficult for interviewers to unfairly screen job seekers who are disabled. Under the present legislation, the interviewer is disallowed to ask any question to a person regarding his health or disability. Under the provisions of the Act, the employers are prohibited from maintaining secrecy of the payments made to workers. Payment to all workers has to be equal regardless of his/her gender and less payment to a worker for his disability is not allowed. Under the present framework the employment tribunals are empowered to give recommendations to the organisations for eliminating all forms of discrimination (Conley 2014). Psychological contract is the perception that an employer and employee has regarding their mutual obligations towards each other. The psychological contract between the employers and employees covers all other aspects of the employment relationship which are not expressed in the formal contract. It reduces security; enhances discretionary effort and balances mutual expectations. For the better performance of an organisation a positive psychological contract is essential to be maintained. Under the psychological contract, the employers and the employees come to a mutual understanding of the promises they have made regarding work, loyalty, security, pay, flexibility and career advancement (Noon et al. 2013). When an employee joins an organisation, he is ought to be treated fairly. A dismissal of an employee is considered to be fair if the employee is dismissed for the following reasons: Misconduct: Misconduct of an employee is ought not to be entertained in a workplace. If an employees conduct affects the working ethos and values which are observed in a workplace, then his dismissal would be justified and considered to be fair. Lack of qualification and capability: Employees are ought to possess necessary qualifications and capabilities to meet the requirements which are expected from them for fulfilling the obligations which an organisation undertakes under a contract. If an employee lacks minimum level of qualification or capability, his dismissal on this ground would be considered to be fair. Redundancy: An employee is considered to be dismissed by reason of redundancy on the fulfilment of the following conditions: If the business carried on by the employer ceases to be carried on. If the place of business changes or in other words if the business is no longer carried on in the place where the employee was employed. If the requirements of the business for an employee to carry out a particular kind of work cease to exist. If the requirements of the business for an employee to carry out work at a particular place cease to exist. Statutory obligation: If a statute provides for prohibition of an employment, then the dismissal of an employee would be considered to be a fair dismissal. A dismissal would be considered to be dismissal if an employee is dismissed on the following grounds: Pregnancy: If an employee cannot attend work because of her getting pregnant and she is dismissed solely on that ground, it would be considered to be an unfair dismissal. Family reasons: If an employee is not able to attend work because of his exercising his family responsibilities during time of birth of his child or during adoption of a child and the employee is dismissed on for that reason, the dismissal is considered to be an unfair dismissal. Trade Union membership: If an employee becomes a member of trade union and exercised his right thereunder and the employee is dismissed on that ground, his dismissal is unfair. Work time, leave and minimum wage: If an employee exercises right under the Work Time regulations or under regulations relating to minimum wage or under annual leave provisions and the employee is dismissed because of such exercise of right on the part of the employee, then the dismissal would be unfair (Woolston 2016). An exit interview is important from the point of view of the management. Exit interviews are conducted when an employee resigns from the job and is about to exit from the organisation. An exit interview helps the managers to identify the weak points of the management team. An employee who exits from an organisation is deemed to open up and do constructive criticism of the management style or work culture. The employer, through the conduct of an exit interview, is also able to make out whether the organisation fails to offer a better career opportunity than their competitors or not. The managers may not down the key areas which a resigning employee views with scepticism and may adopt new strategies to improve on those areas and prohibit further resignation. Thus the exit interviews help an organisation to improve on their management style and adopt new ways and policies to overcome the deficiency it possesses (Doyle and Roberts 2013). Redundancy is the most unfortunate phase from the point of view of the employer. Building a workforce is very tough and it takes a whole lot of time to reach a stage where an organisation is full of skilled and experienced labours. Under the redundancy process, the employees are dismissed and this process has to be handled very sensitively. The key stages in the redundancy process are as follows: Preparation: In the preparation stage, the employers decide whether redundancy is required or not. After assessing the situation, if the employers feel that redundancy is needed, then they are required to prepare relevant documentation. Selection: It is the most important stage where the employers select the employees who are to be dismissed. The criteria for selection rests on experience, skills and qualification required for the work, disciplinary records, capability etc. Individual consultation: It is important to consult the individuals who are being dismissed. Effective communication and provision of an alternate employment are essential under the redundancy process. Notice of redundancy: In this stage the employers send notice of redundancy to the employees and provide them with the right to appeal. Termination: This is the final stage of redundancy process where the individuals are given the redundancy payment along with a written record of how the redundancy payment has been calculated (Ferner et al. 2012). Conclusion The employees are very important part of an organisation and their interests are ought to be considered while important decisions are being made in an organisation. Respect of the rights of employees, non-discrimination of the employees, prohibition of unfair dismissals, mandatory redundancy payment, conduct of exit interviews, maternity benefits etc. all are necessary for maintaining a healthy environment in an organisation. References: Akhtar, P. and Fischer, C., 2014. Supervision environments and performance of UK dairy warehouses: a path analysis.British Food Journal,116(6), pp.1000-1013. Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., 2014.Armstrong's handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers. Biggs, D.M., 2015. Exploring Labour law in the UK: The Agency Worker Directive. Blackburn, R.A., Hart, M. and Wainwright, T., 2013. Small business performance: business, strategy and owner-manager characteristics.Journal of small business and enterprise development,20(1), pp.8-27. Caliendo, M., Fossen, F. and Kritikos, A.S., 2014. Personality characteristics and the decisions to become and stay self-employed.Small Business Economics,42(4), pp.787-814. Conley, H., 2014. Trade unions, equal pay and the law in the UK.Economic and Industrial Democracy,35(2), pp.309-323. de Graaf-Zijl, M., 2012. Job satisfaction and contingent employment.De Economist,160(2), pp.197-218. Doyle, J. and Roberts, G., 2013. Why do they leave and where do they go? Exit interviewing of resigning staff.Policy Brief, Human Resources for Health Knowledge Hub, University of New South Wales, Sydney. Ferner, A., Edwards, T. and Tempel, A., 2012. Power, institutions and the cross-national transfer of employment practices in multinationals.Human Relations,65(2), pp.163-187. Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014.Quality management for organizational excellence. pearson. Golden, L., Henly, J. and Lambert, S., 2014. Work Schedule Flexibility: A Contributor to Employee Happiness?.Journal of Social Research and Policy. Imran, H., Arif, I., Cheema, S. and Azeem, M., 2014. Relationship between job satisfaction, job performance, attitude towards work, and organizational commitment.Entrepreneurship and innovation management journal,2(2), pp.135-144. Kim, I.H., Muntaner, C., Shahidi, F.V., Vives, A., Vanroelen, C. and Benach, J., 2012. Welfare states, flexible employment, and health: a critical review.Health policy,104(2), pp.99-127. Lin, S.T. and Han, T.S., 2015. Employment status and employee service-oriented organizational citizenship behaviour.Career Development International,20(2), pp.133-146. Milln, J.M., Hessels, J., Thurik, R. and Aguado, R., 2013. Determinants of job satisfaction: a European comparison of self-employed and paid employees.Small business economics,40(3), pp.651-670. Noon, M., Blyton, P. and Morrell, K., 2013.The realities of work: Experiencing work and employment in contemporary society. Palgrave Macmillan. Painter, R.W. and Holmes, A., 2015.Cases and materials on employment law. Oxford University Press, USA. Rubin, M.N., Barrett, K.M., Freeman, W.D., Iannotti, J.K.L., Channer, D.D., Rabinstein, A.A. and Demaerschalk, B.M., 2015. Teleneurosonology: a novel application of transcranial and carotid ultrasound.Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases,24(3), pp.562-565. Woolston, C., 2016. Management: When jobs go wrong.Nature,531(7595), pp.539-541.

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

After The Fall Essays - Marilyn Monroe, Joseph McCarthy, Free Essays

After The Fall Essays - Marilyn Monroe, Joseph McCarthy, Free Essays After The Fall After the Fall Arthur Miller has written many great plays in his life, such as A View from the Bridge ,Death of a Salesman ,The Misfits, The Crucible, and After the Fall. Out of all his plays it is said that After the Fall is the darkest plays he has written. I believe that this is a true statement, and that the reasons this is his darkest play is because it deals with his inner feelings on thing that he had to deal with in his life. The certain aspects that he touched in this play are his marriage with Marilyn Monroe , who was a great actress in her time. Marilyn is portrayed though the character Maggie who is a very innocent girl who, like Marilyn, was looked at mainly as a sex symbol. After the Fall also deals with Millers brush with authorities over communism in the 50s. To describe this concept Miller describes himself as a lawyer who is defending an old friend who is being threaded as being a communist or portraying communistic ideas in his latest book. Though out the play the main character, Quentin deals with his relationships with women. Two of the women who play very important roles are his wife Louise, and his mother ,Rose. Lousie tries to break out of the traditional idea that the wife is there to just cook, clean, take care of both the children and the husband, and be what is portrayed to me as a robot, where she does not have any thoughts of her own. Rose is what every Jewish mother is described as. She is seen as a strong woman, has a lot of say in what is going on, seems to have an icy touch when dealing with certain people, but is always trying to look on the good side of things. His mother is the ideal woman who Quentin holds every other woman in his life up to. The back round of most of the play is set in the early 1950 during the McCarthy trials. By 1950 the senate was in an era of anti-Communist hysteria. Senator Joseph McCarthy launched a series of highly publicized investigations in the State Department, Hollywood, and even the U.S. Army. This was intend to root out Communism. The aggressive attacks that McCarthy launched lead to a wide spread fear and suspicion though many sectors of American society. Since McCarthy had little evidence to back his claims up McCarthy fell into disfavor. In 1954 he was censured by the Senate for abusing his authority.

Monday, March 9, 2020

Essay about Job Description

Essay about Job Description Essay about Job Description A job description is the preview of what is required on the job. According to the video a job description needs the following: define the expectations, establish the process and list the requirements. Below is a summary of the information I believe needs to be in a job description. First and foremost a job description needs to have a job title and summary. The job title should be for the position the company is looking to fill. It should include the level as well. The summary would detail a definition of the position. The summary should be short and to the point. Next, the job description should list the essential functions of the position. The list should be what the company expects. The functions should also give the employee and idea of what a typical day on the job would be like. Third, the job description should list skills and qualifications. This is important to list all mandatory skills and qualifications to alleviate applicants that won’t fit what the job is requiring . Such qualifications should include skills, years of experience, certifications, licenses, education level and necessary technical proficiencies. Lastly the description should list the location, type of employment, salary range, benefits and recruiter contact. The location should be where the potential employee report. It should also indicate if traveling will be required and at what percentage. The type of employment should be very clear. Examples of types of employment include but are not

Friday, February 21, 2020

Equality and Rights Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Equality and Rights - Assignment Example This leads us to respond to the second question regarding which one between rights and equality comes first. From the foregoing description of equality, human rights can be said to enshrine the very tenets of equality. In other words, recognition of equality comes first before declaration of human rights laws to embrace and protect the recognized equality (Vandenhole 52). From a global angle, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and many related intolerance that have confronted many nations can thus be said to have been due to lack of provision and recognition of the existing equal opportunity for growth (Vandenhole 78). However, the preservation of rights is important since by protecting human rights, human equality and other factors that relate to human relationships and coexistence are also protected constitutionally (Vandenhole 83). Based on the earlier argument, for this reason, when asked as to whether the UN declaration was aimed at protecting human rights or equality? One would be quick to concede the argument presented by Vandenhole (123) that the declaration’s objective was to protect the human right. This is because by protecting the human rights, the declaration would protect within its protective claws the equality of every individual under its umbrella. The declaration was thus intended to embrace the nation’s civil rights and subsequently see to it that disparate unequal treatment of individuals especially in criminal justice systems across the globe ceases to be (Vandenhole 176). However, regressing to the lifestyle led by the founding fathers of the declaration, an opposite of the declaration comes into a picture. The founders were far from achieving a complete equality neither did they give equal opportunity to people different from their own (Vandenhole

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 43

Reflection paper - Essay Example of the experiences I have had both in my life as a practicing nurse and as a health care service seeker makes me confident to say that technology cannot replace the care given by nurses. This is not to imply that I am opposed to the evolution, but rather to show that the use of such advancements should only supplement the care given by health professionals. One instant which is still fresh in my mind was when I was hospitalized as I was just about to deliver. During the pregnancy, I had always being in good health and this made me certain that I was going to have a normal delivery. As a care giver, I always believe that a normal delivery is the best. Things, however, changed when I was informed that I had to undergo the caesarean section surgery. This caught me by surprise considering that I had not shown any signs of a complication. Caesarian section surgery is a very innovative and important procedure, which has helped many expectant mothers who cannot deliver normally (American Baby Team, 2014). This procedure can be pre-arranged or resorted to due to unforeseen complications like my case. In the latter, it may be necessary because the baby is distressed, in a breech position or if the mother has had the procedure before (Carlson, Eisenstat & Ziporyn, 2012). I didn’t have any of these conditions and my pregnancy had been a ve ry normal one. Undergoing the surgery really affected me psychologically. I could not believe it since I was healthy and capable of having a normal delivery. After having my baby, I was not only distressed, but also upset. I was disappointed in myself for not being able to avoid the process. All I could do was sleep the whole day. This state was even affecting my recovery from the procedure. Luckily for me one of the nurses noticed my strange behavior and state of distress. She came to me and asked why I was in such a state yet I needed to relax and recover to be able to take care of my baby. I found courage and explained to her the

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The Importance Of Employee Voice

The Importance Of Employee Voice This paper studies the ascertainity of the importance of employee voice within Heritage Hotels, India. It explains why the author is undertaking the research and what the author wants to achieve from this research. It continues with the literature review that highlights the seven different topics that has been explained in detail. It then talks about the Methodology in which it shows the different research methods that have been chosen and why the selective research methods have been chosen for this particular research. The paper then analyses the findings and discusses the result in detail. In the conclusion, recommendations have been presented which look at what employers would want to see in the future regarding employee voice. Acknowledgements I express my gratitude to the University of Westminster for giving me the opportunity to work on the major project during the final year of MA in Human Resource Management. There are many who helped me during this project work and I want to thank them all. I would like to thank Tamarind and Angela Hetherington, my tutors for their invaluable guidance throughout my dissertation work and endeavor period, for providing me with the requisite motivation to complete my dissertation successfully. I specially appreciate the help and guidance of all those teachers who have directly or indirectly helped me making my project a success. I would like to thank my parents who have been by my side throughout the whole process and who have given me the motivation and courage to make my dissertation a success. I would also like to thank all the employees and the manager of Heritage Hotels for taking the time out from their busy schedule to complete my interviews. Thank You. Table of Contents Title Page 1 Abstract 2 Acknowledgements 3 Table of Contents 4 5 List of Figures 6 Introduction 7 Aim Objectives 8 Aim 8 Objectives 8 Literature Review 9 Defining employee voice 9 10 Purpose of employee voice 10 Types of employee voice 11 12 Benefits and success factors 12 Benefits for employees 12 Success Factors 13 Leadership 13 Training 13 Trust openness 13 Employee Involvement 13 Employee Voice and Organizational Performance 14 Figure 1: Employee Voice 14 15 Organizational Background 15 Introduction 15 16 The secret of a great escape 16 Heritage Hotels Mission 17 Methodology 18 Introduction 18 Research Philosophy 18 Positivism 18 Interpretivist 18 19 Methods of Research Used 19 20 Research Design 20 23 Figure 2: The Research Process 21 Respondents of the Study 23 Data Collection 23 24 Interviews 24 25 How was the research attempted and measured 25 26 Analysis and Discussion 27 Introduction 27 Interpretation of Results 27 Analysis 27 28 Question 8 28 Question 9 10 28 Question 11 12 29-30 Question 13 30 Question 14 30-31 Question 16, 17 18 31 Discussion of the Analysis 31-32 Why is voice so important? 32-33 Conclusion and Recommendations Conclusion 34 35 Recommendations 35 36 Reflective Statement 37 38 References 38 42 List of Figures Figure 1: Employee Voice Chart 14 15 Figure 2: The Research Process 21 Figure 3: The Response Table 28 1.0 Introduction This research topic studies to ascertain the importance of employee voice within Heritage Hotels. It specifically focuses on how important the employee voice is today. It investigates peoples perceptions on employee voice within the Hotel. Mahak Parwal, the author, feels that this study should be undertaken because as a current student and a future employee, she believes employee voice is and should be considered as highly important. With this study, the author also wants to find out the importance of employee voice, as well as know the employees perception towards it whether they think it should be there within the organization or not. There has been a sharp increase in the significance in employee voice between academics, practitioners, and policymakers in the recent years. Boxall and Purcell (2008) state that among employers, the breakdown of the mass production era and the resulting quest for high-performance work practices that deliver flexibility and quality has produced prevalent experimentation through schemes for sharing information and consulting with employees, involving employees in workplace decision-making and soliciting feedback. Simultaneously, the global decline within the union membership has willingly opened the doors for different voice mechanisms options, whilst also prompting renewed debates over the need for union voice and supportive public policies. There has been a growing interest in employee voice and interest in this topic has emerged over the last few years. Employee voice has been used to summarize several diverse approaches to employee relations, and numerous other terms have been interchangeably with employee voice. Employee voice is a critical element of organizational success. According to Lynch (2010), in times of uncertainty it is more important than ever that employers pay attention to a concept called employee voice. This is because it can work towards developing the workplace productivity during its impact on employee engagement, creativity, retention and effectiveness. A more recent meaning of voice that has captured researchers attention is a behavior that constructively challenges that status quo with the intention of improving it. Employee voice is a very extensive term among substantial width within the range of definitions that are been given by authors (for instance Poole, 1986; Strauss, 2006; Sashkin, 1976 ; Dietz et al., 2009). The aim of the paper is also to shed greater light on the meanings that organizational members derive from employee voice and what those different purposes may be. 1.1 Aims and Objectives The following aim and objectives will identify how the researcher will achieve the research study objectives and provide background on how the objectives will be met through the academic study. 1.2 Aim The aim of this study is to ascertain the importance of employee voice at the Heritage Hotels in India. 1.3 Objectives The following objectives need to be satisfied in order to reach this aim. These are: Define employee voice and its components. Determine the importance of employee voice. To investigate employees perception on employee voice. To critically recognize how Heritage Hotels promote employee voice in a hypercompetitive environment. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Defining employee voice As de ¬Ã‚ ned by Boxall and Purcell (2003): Employee voice is the term increasingly used to cover a whole variety of processes and structures which enable, and sometimes empower employees, directly and indirectly, to contribute to decision-making in the  ¬Ã‚ rm. Employee voice can be seen as the ability of employees to in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence the actions of the employer (Millward et al, 1992). Employee voice is a two-way communication between its employer and employee CIPD (2012). According to CIPD (2012), it is the process of the employer communicating to the employee as well as receiving and listening to communication from the employee. To get a basic understanding of what employee voice, one must understand what participative management is. Stueart and Moran (2007) states participative management focuses on increasing lower level employee empowerment during team building along with direct participative methods in order to involve the employee with the decision making of the organ ization. This has become one of the leading styles of management. The important of empowerment may not be obvious, however it is pertinent. According to Stueart and Moran (2007), there is a positive correlation between employee empowerment and better customer service, staff creativity and innovation, and flexibility. Employees are able to participate in the decision making process of an organization through flattening the hierarchical, top-bottom structure by the means of groups or teams and with direct participation. The concept of employee voice looks more into the opportunities in order for the employees to be involved within decisions together, which can either be through trade unions or by other means. It appeals to both those seeking greater business efficiency and to those looking for employee rights (CIPD, 2012). Organizations have increasingly looked on ideas that directly engage employees, moving from representative participation in the last two decades. CIPD research, according to Marchington, Wilkinson and Ackers (2001), suggests organizations that look to promote voice are usually those who believe that employees want to contribute to the business and that for employees to have an effective voice, the significant element of the communication process is not what the employer puts out but what it gets back. Good managers distinguish that the knowledge required for the business to be competitive can only come out of employees heads. Voice is defined most typically in terms of two-way communications, an exchange of information between managers and employees or having a say about what goes on in an organization (CIPD, 2012). Some managers feel that voice is a way for employees to represent their views to managers, and the different views presented by employees can be taken into account which, in turn, can be positive for the company. On the other hand, other managers take the more limited view that voice is not so much of a dialogue o r a two-way exchange of thoughts as a method for the employees to be able to pass on their thoughts to managers in order to develop the companys organizational performance. Employee voice is the most important characteristic of employee participation. If employee participation strongly contributes to a greater customer service, then it straight away shows that employee voice is a significant feature in this equation. According to McCabe Lewin (1992, p. 112), whilst participative management programs can be assorted depending on the company, the general scope and the amount of intended participation, the fundamental hypothesis remains the same, which is that employees possess sufficient ability, skill, knowledge, and interest to participate in business decisions. For Dundon et al (2004:1149), employee voice is best understood as a complex and uneven set of meanings and purposes with a dialectic shaped by external regulation on one hand and internal management choice on the other. The re is a long tradition in employee relations literature of focusing on the level and effectiveness of employee involvement and participation in the workplace (Marchington, 2005). 2.2 Purpose of Employee Voice According to Michael Armstrong (2006), there are four specific purposes for employee voice. The first purpose is basically to articulate dissatisfaction for individuals with the management team or in the organization. The second purpose provides as an expression of collective organization to management. The third purpose lets the management contribute towards decision making in particular concerning quality, productivity and work organization. Last but not the least it expresses the mutuality relationship between the employee and the employer. In addition towards the specific purposes for employee voice, Gorden (1988b) proves a fifth purpose. He had conducted a study with 150 students and the study confirmed higher employee satisfaction with his or her career and employer when the organizational conditions are conductive to creating and receiving opportunities for employee voice. These rationale supports in defining voice and offers a background on which one can base all of the studi es and research. 2.3 Types of Employee Voice Since Employee Voice is vast within Human Resource there are many types of employee voice. According to McCabe and Lewin (1992), there are about four specific types that help engage the process for the grievance resolution. The first type of voice is the ombudsman; it is similar to a confidant that is proposed to considerately take note to the injustice and to offer any help to solve the issue. The ombudsman operates more like a channel of employee voice, relative than actual employee voice. McCabe and Lewin (1992) state for this to work, the ombudsman needs to be thoroughly familiar with the organization and also needs to promote particularly for the employee. The second type of employee voice, again defined by McCabe and Lewin, is the mediation. Yet again, mediation also acts as a channel for employee voice. In this situation, the mediator goes through an argument between the two parties and supports in reconciling and resolving the problem. He or she does not particularly make the resolving decision but persuades solutions for the employees to eventually decide from the provided options. The third type of employee voice is arbitration and it is distinguished by the fact that the arbitrator can make the final, binding decision. The arbitration is usually seen as the preceding step in a grievance process and needs to completely follow the standards, policies and procedures as written in the handbook for the employees. Last but not the least are, again discussed by the aforementioned authors, tribunals and peer reviews. As the same for arbitration which is the third type of employee voice, the ultimate decision is requisite and needs to be in capacity of the employee handbook. The advantage to the internal tribunals is that employees are preferred to be judged by their peers rather than an administrator or manager: The advantage to these internal tribunals is that employees generally prefer to be judged by a jury of their peers rather than an administrator or m anager (McCabe and Lewin, 1992). Other than the grievance procedure as mentioned above, there are two other types of voice: 1. Representative participation, and 2. Upward problem solving (Armstrong, 2006). Representative participation is characterized by collective representation. Representative participation involves a formal mechanism which allows for the employee representation to solve issues of mutual interest and work more like a partnership between employer and employee, tackling issues together in a cooperative manner. Examples of representative participation would include trade unions or other staff associates/association. Employee voice is heard through an organized channel. The second type of employee voice is the upward problem solving. In this type of employee voice it works towards more of a teambuilding perspective. It basically involves two-way communication between the manager and the staff. Thus communication is characterized by suggestion schemes rather than partner schemes where employees indepen dently suggest ideas or changes and then employer generally rewards them (Armstrong, 2006). It includes the application of attitude surveys for employees in order to seek their opinion/speak through questionnaires which can be beneficial for the organization. In this case employee voice is more on the basis of being communicative on a direct level from employee to employer. The main method of expressing voice is through questionnaires and forms instead of formal representation. 2.4 Benefits and success factors Within the high performance workplaces, skills and knowledge are developed and enhanced which leads to high value enterprises and increasingly knowledge based economy. Having a greater voice for employees leads to the following (CIPD, 2012): Employees skills and knowledge can be better used, leading to higher productivity. Employees feel more valued, so they are more likely to stay and to contribute more. The organization gains a positive reputation, making it easier to recruit good employees. Conflict is reduced and co-operation between employer and employee is based on interdependence. 2.4.1 Benefits for employees Employees benefit from the following (CIPD, 2012): Having more influence over their work Higher job satisfaction More opportunity to develop skills More job security at their employee is more successful as a result of voice initiatives. 2.4.2 Success factors The factors that ensure success are the following (CIPD, 2012): Leadership: without having active commitment from the top, initiatives will not succeed. Further down, managers also need to lead by example, while employee representatives should be effective leaders of those who they represent in the organization. Training: middle managers who have brought up a top-down tradition of communication might find it complicated to acclimatize to a more open way to doing things and might need to be trained in communication skills. Likewise, employee representatives may need training. Trust and openness: without being honest, the communication initiatives will not succeed, even when messages may not be palatable. The possible barriers of the success factors are reversed. The reasons for failure are cited as absence of leadership and lack of commitment from the middle managers in the organization. 2.5 Employee Involvement The objective of employee involvement is to engage employees to a greater extent in the administrative activities of the organization. This facilitates employees in empowering, and moreover informs them to understand the corporate activities and policies of the organization in a better way. It facilities the psychological relationship between the employee and employer, which provides, to an extent, an allowance in the decision making process. Employee involvement has two major benefits, which can only take place after empowering the employees and decentralizing the management; employers are relieved by some portion of its administrative responsibilities. Secondly, when employees are given the empowerment, their responsibilities for the organization lead to success and so does their commitment and accountabilities. It moreover helps in elevating overall employee morale and job satisfaction. Thus it enhances in employee performance. 2.6 Employee Voice and Organizational Performance Normally, having lack of proper communication leads to organizational conflicts. Employee voice facilitates in making the relationship between the employer-employee information flow. It has been argued that Employee Involvement and Employee Participation is essential for organizational performance and management employee interrelationship, which plays an equally important role in enhancing job satisfaction and hence in enhancing organizational productivity (Brown Heywood, 2002 p.103). Within the context of Employee Voice, psychological contracts can also be analyzed which may also be involved with employment. The interrelationships of management are largely supported by exchange of compensation and services. This regularly escorts the employees awareness to be obstinate with the growth strategies of the management. Employee participation in every organizational activity increases personal involvement. With an increase in involvement the employees naturally perform optimally thereby proving that employee voice is of immense importance in enhancing organizational performance and productivity (Kirkman, Lowe Young, 1999 p. 42). 2.7 Employee Voice Chart The following figure presents the meanings and purpose of employee voice articulated from journal called The International Journal of Human Resource Management (Dundon et al, 2004). Figure 1: Employee Voice Voice represents Purpose of Voice Possible mechanism or channels of voice Potential positive/negative outcomes Articulation of individual dissatisfaction To remedy a problem and/or prevent deterioration in relations Informal complaint to line manager; formal grievance procedure (Reinforced) loyalty to organization/employee exit, withdrawal of beneficial discretionary behavior or inform expressions of dissatisfaction Expression of collective organization To provide a countervailing source of power to management Recognition of trade union by employer; collective bargaining; industrial action Partnership between management and employees/non-or de-recognition of union; anti union management tactics Employee contribution to management decision-making To seek improvements in work organization, quality and productivity Employee involvement and participation (e.g. upward problem-solving initiatives; suggestion schemes; attitude surveys; self-managed teams) Employee commitment and identification with aims of organization; improved performance/disillusionment and apathy Mutuality and co-operative workplace relations To achieve long-term viability for the organization and greater people added-value Partnership agreements; joint consultative committees; works councils Significant employee influence in decision-making/management communication-service to employee contribution. Source: Dundon et al. (2004) The meanings and purpose of employee voice, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 15 (6): 1149-70. Reprinted by permission of the publisher Taylor Francis Group. 2.8 Organizational Background Heritage Hotels, India 2.8.1 Introduction Heritage Hotel is a joint venture between ITC Ltd. and Jodhana Heritage, signifying some of the best tradition of heritage hospitality and tourism in India. It presents over 37 selected heritage destinations, ranging from grand palaces to traditional bungalows (havelis) and magnificent forts: from adventure-filled jungle loges to tea garden homes and quiet nature resorts in different states of India, for instance Rajasthan, Jammu Kashmir, West Bengal, Karnataka, Punjab, Goa, Punjab and Tamil Nadu. A holiday with the Heritage Hotels is always special: timeless bazaars, elephant and camel safaris, local festivals, desert camps and a selection of various adventure and sport activities. Rich in history, these destinations are enriched by stories of heroic fighters and illustrious queens of royal courts and princes who enjoyed their pomp, pageantry, gracious, and splendid living in these places. On the journey of the relentless passage of time, many legends have been relegated to the pag es of history; others extolled in verse and sung by traditional bards and folk singers. Even today some of the legends live in palaces, forts and royal retreats. Their private homes indicate the visitor with elegant Heritage Hospitality from the hotel and offer a slice of history with one major difference. 2.8.2 The Secret of a Great Escape Heritage Hotel offers the secrets of a great escape. At every Heritage Hotel, customers will get the chance to experience the rich heritage and culture. Such cultures include a fort resort at the rim of a desert, or a county manor in the lap of a green valley. A jungle lodge in a wildlife forest reserve, or a palace or bungalow, resonant with the past. A picture-postcard cottage ensconced in mystic mountains or a splendid mansion on the spur of a hill. A spa in a heritage home, a houseboat on a sparkling lake, a colonial hill residence with tea gardens for a view, a mist-wrapped palace in fragrant plantations. Each hotel has a secret to share, a story to tell and so will you. Moreover, each Heritage hotel has the blueprint of a great holiday, all laid out for tourists. Each hotel provides the opportunity to go where you get away to all that is not ordinary. All that is exclusive, while being affordable and unusual, without being over the top. Heritage Hotels over 40 hotels are sited expediently at stunningly scenic locations and are easy accessible from major cities, making it the perfect holiday option. In particular, customers usually find atmospheric and boutique experience when it comes to selecting a hotel but Heritage Hotels are far removed from standardized sameness. Hospitality comes from the heart provided with a slice of heritage within modern amenities. 2.8.3 Heritage Hotels Mission The Heritage Mission is to assist and support the restoration of Heritage properties. They encourage owners of these properties to convert them into productive assets, and assist them, in providing technical expertise, sales, marketing, reservations and operational support, and services. Through other initiatives, they help in the preserving the environment while at the same time promoting their rich culture, cuisine and handicrafts. They endeavor to: Providing a unique, enriching and affordable experience to customers Generate local employment and well being Set standards in Heritage Hotels Tourism while promoting Heritage tourism They hope to succeed in their mission with customers whole-hearted support. Employee voice is an important issue in studying participative management. From the point of view of an organization, having a participative management program that incorporates several employee voice mechanisms would be in the companys best interest. By promoting employee voice within the workplace through a range of techniques, it will help an organization to fulfill the ethical and political need through revitalizing their bottom line by avoiding resignation rates and high exit. Employee voice takes various forms in terms of both individually and collectively, and verbally and non-verbally. Furthermore, the concept behind employee voice appears to be timeless, as many of the publications throughout the past forty years have agreed with each other (employee voice: theoretical frameworks and organizational methods). Employee voice plays a huge role in participative management because in order for employees to work in an organization being able to communicate, presenting ideas, and b uilding relationships is required and essential according to the author. This is how participative management links to employee voice. 3.0 Methodology 3.1 Introduction The way in which the research is carried out can be considered in terms of the philosophy of the research which it is pledged to, the strategy of the research employed and, moreover, the research instruments utilized (and perhaps developed) in the pursuit of a goal the research objectives with the search for the resolution of the aim which basically links to the research question. The research has been outlined for the research question and the research objectives in the introduction as well as in the literature review. The purpose of this chapter is to: Discuss the research philosophy and relate that to other philosophies; Develop the research strategy, together with the research methodologies adopted; Introduce the research instruments that has been developed and utilized in the search of the goals. 3.2 Research Philosophy A research philosophy is a conviction regarding the way in which the data about a phenomenon should be analyzed, used and gathered. The term epistemology what is known to be true as opposed to doxology includes different philosophies of the research approach. The rationale of science is the process of converting things known from doxology to epistemology. The two major research philosophies have been categorized in the Western tradition of science, explicitly positivist, which is sometimes called scientific and interpretivist which is known as an positivist (Galliers, 1991). 3.3 Positivism Positivists believe that reality is stable and can be observed and described from an objective point of view (Levin, 1988), i.e. without interfering with the phenomena of being studied. It should be argued that the phenomena should be isolated and that the observations should be repeatable. This frequently engages with the manipulation of reality with differences in only a single independent variable so as to recognize regularities in, and to form relationships between, some of the constituent elements of the social world. Predictions could possibly be made on the foundation of the previously explained and observed realities and their inter-relationships. Positivism has a long and rich historical tradition. It is also embedded in our society that knowledge claims not grounded in positivist thought are simply dismissed as scientific and therefore invalid (Hirschheim, 1985, p33). This view is indirectly supported by Alavi and Carlson (1992) who, in a review of the research articles, ha ve found that all of the empirical studies were positivist in its approach. Positivism has been a particularly successful association within natural and physical sciences. There has, however, been a debate on the concern of whether or not the positivist paradigm is entirely suitable for the social sciences (Hirschheim, 1985). Many authors are calling for a more pluralistic attitude towards the research methodologies an example being Bjorn-Andersen, 1985; Kuhn, 1970; Remenyi and Williams, 1996. 3.4 Interpretivist Interpretivists argue that only through the subjective interpretation of an intervention in reality can be fully understood. The study of phenomena in its natural environment is vital to the interpretivists philosophy, together with the acknowledgement that scientists cannot avoid affecting those phenomena that are being studied. There may be many interpretations of reality that can be admitted, but maintaining these interpretations are in themselves a part of the scientific knowledge they are pursuing. There is a tradition which has been followed by the interpretivisms, which is no less glorious than that of positivism and nor is it shorter. 3.5 Methods of Research Used For this study, the descriptive research method was utilized. In this method, it is possible that the study would be cheap and quick. It could also suggest an unanticipated hypotheses. Nonetheless, it would be very hard to rule out alternative explanations and especially infer causations. Thus, this study used the descriptive approach. This descriptive type of research utilizes observations in the study. The purpose of employing this method is to describe the nature of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study and to explore the cause/s of particular phenomena. The researcher opted to use this kind of research considering the desire of the researcher to obtain first hand data from the respondents so as to formulate rational and sound conclusions and recommendations for the stu

Monday, January 20, 2020

The Nuances of Nature Essay -- Literacy Analysis, Robert Penn Warren

It is no secret that Robert Penn Warren’s novel, All The King’s Men, is a powerful peace of literature that gives useful insight into the lives of characters in the United States in the early twentieth century. Though many believe this novel should be considered for its political applications, it is the social aspects of this book that really provide Warren’s perspective on the human experience. Warren uses nature both as a guiding and transcendent force to steer his main character, Jack, along the path to realize his humanity and as a tool to reveal valuable insights on the communion of mankind. Jack is first described in relation to a â€Å"sunset on a summer day.† He is caught watching the â€Å"light stretching out† and proclaims himself to be â€Å"a brass-bound Idealist† (Warren 30). Jack effectively establishes his fundamental connection to nature very early on in the novel. He strengthens this connection when he describes Burden’s landing by how â€Å"the air would smell† and how the sights would look as well as his memories of fishing and sailing â€Å"all over that end of the Gulf of Mexico† (Warren 37-39). Already, his experience is defined by the variance within nature. As Jack grows up, he becomes more jaded and leaves his childlike state of mind. Maturing out of his idealist phase, Jack begins his romantic stage of characterization. This stage in Jack’s development is most effectively embodied in the image of Anne with her arms â€Å"still spread out wide† and her hair floating â€Å"free[ly] on the water from around her head† (Warren 118). It is clear that Jack idealizes Anne just by the way in which he describes her. He is content just to stare at Anne and relate her to nature, showing the true connection he feels to her. After Jack’s romantic ide... ...dentalism Web. American Transcendentalism Web. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. . Justus, James H. "All the Burdens of All the King's Men." The Achievement of Robert Penn Warren. Louisiana State UP, 1981. 192-206. Print. Mitchell, Mark T. "Theological Reflections on Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men." Business Library. Intercollegiate Studies Institute Inc, 2006. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. . Warren, Robert P. All The King's Men. 2nd ed. San Diego: Harcourt Brace and, 1996. Print. Harvest. Warren, Robert P., and Clark Eleanor. "Interview with Eleanor Clark and Robert Penn Warren." Interview. New England Review Autumn 1978, 1st ed., sec. 1: 49-70. JSTOR. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. .

Sunday, January 12, 2020

People and Organization- Human Resources, Semco

Section one: Introduction to SEMCO I don't want to know where Semco is headed. It doesn't unnerve me to see nothing on the company's horizon. I want Semco and its employees to ramble through their days, to use instinct, opportunity, and ingenuity to choose projects and ventures. † – Ricardo Semler, CEO, Semco Semco was established in 1953 by Austrian engineer Antonio Curt Semler. Company started with manufacturing of centrifuges for vegetable oil industry but soon owing to development in naval area it sown its seeds in manufacturing of variety of equipments like hydraulic & load pumps, axles,etc. In 1980’s when Ricardo Frank Semler, founder’s son took over, company explored various other segments & started manufacturing industrial refrigeration equipments, air-conditioners, food processors & mixers for chemical & mining industry. In 1990’s company moved into innovative service area. ERM Brazil (Environmental consultancy), Cushman & Wakefield (real estate consultancy), Semco Johnson controls (facilities in industrial sector), are the classic examples of companies efforts to establish network across the globe. Year 2000 onwards Semco extended its arms into electrical and civil maintenance services by forming Semco Manutencao. It formed partnership with Pitney Bowes & marked its existence in postal and document management solutions. Semco venture also entered bio-energy market and formed BRENCO (Brazilian Renewable Energy Company) in 2006. (web1) Purpose of Study To study standard organizational design & structure, theoretical models of human resource planning in terms of recruitment, retention, success planning & to compare these aspects with similar models operational in Semco organization, to define the deviations & to critically evaluate the approach used by Semco. Organizational Structure Conventional v/s â€Å"Semco Way† Every organization has its own structure & culture. Organizational structure is basically framework which can be defined and altered over a period of time while culture cannot be altered. It is very difficult to design or change culture within the organization. Structure and culture within organization goes hand in hand. It is essential for the organization designer to classify tasks based on mainly four concepts of Function, Territory, Product & Time-Period in order to get work done in organized manner. (Torrington, 1998) â€Å"Organizations are as different and varied as the nations and the societies of the world. They have different cultures-sets of values & norms ad beliefs-reflected in different structures & systems and the cultures are affected by the events of the past and by the climate of the present, by the technology of the type of work, by their aims and the kind of people that work in them† (Handy 1993, p. 180) best defines the organizational structure & culture co-relation. Three forms of conventional organizational structures are compared with the democratic form of Semco’s organizational structure. THE ENTREPRENEURIAL FORM OF STRUCTURE CONVENTIONAL THEME 1. This form emphasis central power. . Power is concentrated in hands of one person or a group called as ‘key entity’. 3. As the business expands this type of structure becomes unviable since too many peripheral decisions cannot be made without taking approval of the ‘key entity’, 4. This form is suitable for small and growing organizations as they owe their existence to expertise or initiat ive or just one or two members. 5. It is difficult if by any means ‘key entity’ leaves the organization. It would be difficult to maintain business in the event of new non potential ‘key entity’. SEMCO WAY 1. It is a unique kind of ‘open management model’ wherein power and rights are equally distributed amongst the group members from the respective departments, but care is taken to see that it’s not misused. 2. The hierarchical signs are removed, everyone is treated equal. 3. Peripheral decisions can be made by implementing democratic way. 4. This form is suitable for developed and expanding organizations which are financially strong. 5. Even if the ‘key entity’ leaves the organization the system is in place and the process of production or delivering services is not affected. FUNCTIONAL DESIGN CONVENTIONAL THEME . Positions, terms & departments are designed based on specific activities. 2. It is most widely used & accepted form of departmentalization, since grouping tasks and employees by function can be efficient & economical. 3. It is possible for members in group to undertake similar tasks & troubleshoot similar problems. 4. Employees are not in direct contact with the clients; hence they fail to meet the customer’s expectations, except marketing product line. 5. It is effective for organizations having narrow product line, competing in uniform environment, pursuing low cost or focused business strategy. hellriegel, 2005) SEMCO WAY 1. Positions, terms & departments are designed by the owner based on functions. Labors are allowed to select wages & their own managers. 2. The employee has only four titles Counselors who are like vice presidents, Partners who runs the business units, Coordinators who are part of first level management, & Associates who are workers. 3. The factory workers set their own production quotas, come in on their own time, help to redesign the products they make & formulate the marketing plans. 4. The ompany is divided in individual business units which are self governed, managers run business units with freedom, determining business strategies without interference from the top. 5. Semco undertakes part nership with established foreign companies & give them access to customers, risk monitoring & extensive network of contacts. They seek partner who has domain in their product & services. (web 2) PRODUCT DESIGN CONVENTIONAL THEME 1. Self contained units are established. Each unit is capable of developing, manufacturing, marketing & distributing its own goods or service. . Organizations that produce multiple goods & services generally adapt this type of structure. 3. Problems arise when new product line is established or there are diverse customers or there is complexity in technological advances in functional design. Product design takes care of these limitations. 4. Company generally start with functional design & add some features in order to meet limitations of the functional design in terms of management aspects. Generally company doesn’t completely discard the features of function organization. hellriegel, 2007) SEMCO WAY ORGANISATION STRUCTURE OF SEMCO THREE CO –C ENTRIC CIRCLES FIRST CIRCLE CONSIST COUNSELLORS SECOND CIRCLE CONSISTS PARTNERS THIRD CIRCLE CONSISTS ASSOCIATES 1. Semco devised a new structure which had three concentric rings. 2. The small innermost circle consisted of 6 counselors who determined general policy & strategy, and attempted to catalyze the action of those in the second circle. Each of the counselors took a six month turn as a CEO. 3. The second circle, known as partners included 7-10 leaders of each Semco division. . All remaining employees comprised the third circle, scattered within this circles are the triangles representing permanent & temporary team leaders. Marketing, sales & production managers, engineers and foreman all fell within this classification. 5. The managers work as facilitators providing workers with the tools they need make informed decisions. Managers provides training, information (financial & operations), & all other necessary support for workers to perform their jobs more effectively. (Maveri ck, 1993) Critical Evaluation Semco’s organization is based on three core values employee participation, profit sharing & free flow of information. These core values are in line with the variables of socio-structural model of empowerment which are power, information, knowledge & rewards. Hence the hypotheses which were derived from the author’s understanding of the theories were easily verified. Other companies may have achieved workplace democracy in other ways by having their own pattern of working. Liberty given to the employees would benefit only if there is supervisory control otherwise it may happen that there is misuse of the available resources. Human Resource Planning Recruitment & Retention Recruitment plays a vital role in any industry. Whenever there is vacancy, individual is recruited after he is being thoroughly evaluated. It is essential to find out how the vacancy is generated, either because someone has left the job or there is the expansion within the company. Recruiting a person just because there is vacancy owing to person leaving the job is the appropriate way but not mandatory. Employer can reorganize the work within present employees, or ask them to work overtime, subcontract the work or make it part time in order to reduce the expenses. It would be ideal to find out the nature of job, aspects of the job that specify type of candidature, highlight the job profile to the applicant before recruiting a candidate. There are several ways through which people are recruited. Once employers realized a need to fill the vacancy within the department or in organization, he can recruit by several means. Survey (Torrington, 1998) Investigated the method used by more than 1000 professionals when they were questioned (Torrington 1998) Table: Usage of various methods of recruitment by more than 1000 professional questioned. Advertisement in regional press87% Advertisement in specialist press80% Advertisement in national press78% Job centers71% Employment agencies62% Recruitment consultants61% Executive search consultants36% Career Conventions35% Open days32% Recruitment fairs 32% University ‘milk rounds’21% Radio advertising17% Other forms of recruitment6% (Source: Torrington Hall, 1998) There are various selection methods available and employer needs to implement combination of those available since one method won’t suit the requirements. Choice is generally dependent upon selection criteria for the post to be filled, administrative ease, accuracy, cost, time factor, abilities of the staff involved in the selection process etc. Interviewing is the most popular method of selection. Bio-data of the candidate is initially asked for. It is checked whether candidate meets the necessary specification and has relevant work experience in the same field, if found so he is been called for the interview or rounds of interview, where his domain is thoroughly checked either through verbal interaction or through written test. Written test generally includes Aptitude tests, General Intelligence test, Trainability test, Personality test & Attainment test. Critical features of test use being validity, reliability, use of interpretation & context of texts. Group selection methods are also used if there are more candidates applying for one job. Three main types of group tasks were invented by Plumbley (1985) Leaderless group, command or executive exercises & group problem solving. Also at times for critical job profiles there is factual as well as character check wherein candidate is asked to get references. Other methods include hiring a consultant or recruitment agency that would already interview the candidate and filter out the one from the masses. It reduces efforts of the employer since candidate is interviews before by the agency for the desired profile. Also sometimes candidate is asked to fill the application form and submit it, wherein entire details of the candidate are asked for. Application form is customized per the need of profile unlike bio-data which has information which may or may not be useful for that particular job profile. (Torrington Hall 1998) Retention is generally maintained by introducing attractive policies for welfare of the employees, giving employee shares of the company at very low rate, market supplements, revising salary structure, providing with additional perks and cost to company components, depending upon the nature of appraisal received from colleagues and subordinates. Providing employees with free medical facilities, pension schemes, and loans at affordable rates encourages employee to stay with organization. Semco has altogether different way of recruiting people and retaining them. Ricardo Semler, CEO of the company believes that workers or the Associates have the liberty to recruit their managers. In short the subordinates have the right to choose with whom they wish to work. Since everyone is treated equal in Semco, owner doesn’t interfere with the decisions taken by the subordinates. People that are to be hired to leadership positions are interviewed and approved by all with whom he/she will be working with. Twice a year subordinate receives questionnaire that enables them to anonymously say what they think about their boss and evaluate their performance. Anyone that gets constantly bad grades at the evaluation usually leaves Semco (average is 80 out of 100) Preference is also given to friend or acquaintances of employees, but no family member is considered for job at Semco if all these ways fails then they move for head hunters & newspapers. Semco business unit has a committee comprising everyone from different operations. Members in the committee have time off, with pay to do their work they also have job security as in they cannot be fired while they serve on committee. Semco has another salary programme called as ‘risk salary’in which about third of employees have the pay cut of upto 25% and then receiving supplement raise of 125% of normal salary if company is making profit. (Maverick, 1993) References: 1. Torrington & Hall (1998) Human Resource Management. Edition 4. Prentice hall, Europe 2. Slocum/Hellriegel (2007) Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior International student edition, USA. 3. Semler, Ricardo (1993). Maverick! Century random house UK. 4. Semler, Ricardo (2003). The Seven Day Weekend. UK Century. 5. Hackman, J. R, & Oldham, G. R (1980). Work Redesign. Reading, MA: Addison-wesley publishing company Inc. 6. web1: http://semco. locaweb. com. br/en/content. asp? content=1&contentID=610