Negotiation in Management Decision Making Essay

Having been approached by The Director of the Cowley Council Council (CCC) regarding an industrial dispute with their refuse collectors, a report has been prepared to give insight into the field of negotiation and aid the council in their talks with the refuse collectors. The dispute is primarily concerned with CCC’s plans to change working practices but there are also a number of other issues regarding pay, shift patterns and recent cuts in the training budget and expenses. The refuse collectors are threatening to go on strike if their demands are not met, an action that the council would undoubtedly like to avoid. According to Rubin and Brown (1975), negotiation refers to a process in which individuals work together to formulate agreements regarding an issue or issues in dispute. An agreement will only occur if the offers made are accepted by both of the parties (Neale & Northcraft 1991) and should lead to order and stability, foster social harmony, increase feelings of self-efficacy, reduce the probability of future conflict, and stimulate economic prosperity (Rubin et al 1994). Getting the negotiation game right is ever important for managers â€Å"as the global economy expands, as the service sector grows, as corporate restructuring continues and as employees continue to be concerned with managing their own careers† (Neale and Bazerman 1992: 3). The initial stages of the report will cover theory and research on the decision-analytic approach to negotiation and discuss its relevance and potential use for CCC regarding its dispute with the Cowley refuse collectors. I will then identify potential biases and pitfalls that can act as barriers to effective negotiation that CCC should try to avoid. Finally I will conclude and outline suggested proposals for CCC to consider with the aim of assisting and improving their negotiations with the refuse collectors. The decision-analytic approach to decision making is a more pragmatic alternative to the dominant psychological and economic perspectives, which contain a number of limitations. The individual-attribute literature fails to measure dispositions adequately, the situational literature does not consider the importance of the negotiator’s perceptions in interpreting situational characteristics (Neale and Bazerman 1991: 20) and the game theory unrealistically assumes â€Å"impeccably rational, supersmart people† (Raiffa 1982, 2001). What differentiates the decision-analytic approach is its focus on â€Å"how erring folks like you and me actually behave† rather than on how we would behave if we were â€Å"smarter, thought harder, were more consistent, were all knowing† (Raiffa, 1982: 21). Previous psychological and economic approaches have focused on describing how people make decisions or prescribing how to improve decision making. However, â€Å"very little interaction has occurred between the descriptive and prescriptive camps† (Neale and Bazerman 1991: 20), and it is Raiffa’s (1982) avocation of an â€Å"asymmetrical† prescriptive/descriptive relationship that makes the decision-analytic approach stand out, â€Å"creating a prescriptive need to descriptively understand how negotiators actually make decisions† (Bazerman et al 2001). Many scholars hold the view that the prescriptions gained from this model are more valuable than those offered by more traditional approaches (Lax and Sebenius 1986). Raiffa’s framework for approaching effective negotiations distinguishes three sets of information, a combination of which determines the structure of the negotiation game: each parties alternative to a negotiated agreement, each parties set of interests, and the relative importance of each parties interests. â€Å"To develop agreement, people need to get a good understanding of their own preferences and priorities, to communicate those to their counterpart, and to integrate information about other’s preferences and priorities into their own understanding of the problem at hand† (De Dreu et al 2000). Before CCC enter into any negotiations with the refuse collectors, it is imperative to determine a Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA), â€Å"the standard against which any proposed agreement should be  measured† (Fisher, and Ury 1981). Negotiations can be greatly improved by identifying a BATNA and â€Å"carefully evaluating the negotiated agreement against that alternative† (Ertel 1999). This helps negotiators fix a reservation point, a lower bound, which is crucial to monitor throughout the negotiation. Agreements that provide more value than the BATNA are preferred over impasse; likewise any agreements that provide less than the BATNA should be rejected. A potential BATNA for CCC would be to look into other refuse collection companies opening up the possibility of privatisation. The privatisation of refuse collection is a serious consideration in many areas of the UK and a â€Å"major debating point for the city council† (Birmingham Mail 2013) in Birmingham. Waste Concern, a private refuse collection company, claims that 17% of council tax goes towards refuse collection and that privatisation would lead to a cheaper, more frequent collection service, and a more efficient recycling system (edieWaste 2010). If CCC values the current refuse collectors, despite the current dispute, and they are reluctant to consider such an ultimatum, they could consider a more strategic change by introducing the proposed changes incrementally, or by altering the amount of changes being made. It is crucial for negotiators to understand each party’s key interests and how they align (Reardon 2005 : 28). Fisher and Ury (1981) emphasize the importance of the distinction between a parties’ position, and their interests, with a position being the stated requirement that a party demands from the other side, whist an interest is the underlying desire of the negotiator and the motives for their position. It can however be difficult to understand ones interests and those of the other party. CCC’s primary interests are increasing productivity and decreasing costs, whilst the refuse collectors’ interests are concerned with their financial rewards. It is however important to try and understand all of the parties’ interests. The Personnel Director may be under pressure to cut costs in order to stick to a budget so her personal interests may have more focus on performing her job in order to maintain it. The interests of the refuse collectors also concern HR aspects such as, work life balance and training and development. These interests are motives behind the position of their threat of strike, and further scrutiny may offer CCC potential areas to focus on during negotiation. Focussing on deeper interests can provide a more reasonable bargaining platform and a creative and practical solution to a negotiation. Once the interests of each party have been established, it is important for negotiators to try and value the relative importance of each party’s interests. This then allows the parties to effectively trade-off less important issues to gain more important issues. If CCC can establish that, for example, the refuse collectors desire a better work life balance as well as sufficient financial benefits, there may be potential for a medium ground to be reached offering a certain amount of each. The importance of interests often comes down to economic factors, thus job security is frequent consideration. In this instance the job security of the refuse collectors is at risk as there is a chance of redundancies if they do not cooperate. This information provides â€Å"the building blocks for thinking analytically about a negotiation† (Bazerman and Moore 2009:154) and prepares the parties for the two primary tasks of negotiation: creating and claiming value (Lax and Sebenius 1986). It is crucial for negotiators to establish the reservation points of both parties. That is the worst possible outcome they will accept before a negotiation is impasse. With both reservation points established, a positive bargaining zone is created, which allows negotiators to â€Å"aim for a resolution that is barely acceptable to the other party† (Bazerman and Moore 2009: 156) by getting as close to their reservation point as possible. It is however, also vital for both parties to try and cooperate in creating value in the negotiation, as there is often â€Å"opportunity to considerably enlarge the pie before cutting it into shares for each side to enjoy† (Raiffa 2002: 91). Lax and Sebenius (1986) stress that differences must be seen as opportunities, as opposed to barriers, that can be explored to find the most efficient solution rather than just ‘satisficing’ (Simon 1956). According to Schmidt and Tannenbaum (1960) â€Å"differences can help to increase the range and variety of alternatives suggested† and even potentially â€Å"enrich ones own goals, ideas, and methods. † So CCC must capitalise on the differences in the party preferences (Pruitt 1983) by evaluating the  position of the refuse collectors, and looking into finer detail at the interests behind these positions, before attempting to develop â€Å"novel alternatives† through â€Å"creative problem solving† (Neale and Bazerman 1991: 24). Negotiation then depends fundamentally on parties’ ability to trade issues against each other (Froman & Cohen 1970) and â€Å"place demands and formulate concessions to foster agreements that meet their own goals, while avoiding that the counterpart leaves the situation† (De Dreu et al 2000). CCC could for example offer certain alternative benefits to the refuse collectors if the changes are implemented. Perhaps an investment in more efficient equipment and machinery would be appealing. There are certain tools that negotiators can use in order to aid their efforts in collecting information and subsequently increase the probability of creating value. It is certainly the case that deception is often used in negotiation (Schweitzer 1997) and can be an effective strategy for increasing one’s own outcomes (O’Connor and Carnevale 1997). However in this instance, both parties must also note that building trust and initiating a â€Å"free flow of information is critical to finding and integrative agreement† (Johns and Saks 2011)). In heated negotiations this is far easier said than done, as neither side wants to give away too much information on their stance on particular issues. However, CCC is in the position to try and create a trustworthy relationship in order to improve their informational position. The director could inform the refuse collectors of the councils’ pressures and financial limitations that are the driving factor behind the need to change the working practices and make cuts. If no suitable solution is agreed upon, then there may have to be redundancies, as the council cannot overspend. Another tactic could be to strategically disclose some information. As behaviours in negotiation are often reciprocated (Lewicki and Litterer 1985), this may prompt the refuse collectors to open up and start revealing information which may facilitate the negotiation process. CCC must also ask a lot of questions to increase the chances of ascertaining critical information. According to Bazerman and Moore (2009: 162) â€Å"asking questions and listening actively are the keys to collecting important new information from the other side† but it also important for negotiators to remember that information can be gained from what is not said, as well as  what is said. An alternative to trading issues would be for CCC to arrange some kind of contingency contract to verify weather their plans to change working practices is fair or weather it is being rightly disputed by the refuse collectors. CCC could assess a weeks worth of collection rounds and together with the refuse collectors, formulate weekly targets in terms of time and productivity. A weeks trial on this type of contingency contract could easily establish weather CCC’s planned changes are justifiable or not. There are a number of ways in which contingent contracts can benefit the outcomes to negotiations as outlined by Bazerman and Gillespie (1999). Firstly organising the implementation of a contingency contract can identify bluffs by insincere parties. This will aid CCC initially with regard to their uncertainties over issues such as the number of staff needed on each collection round, shift patterns and pay. Contingency contracts are also a useful tool in incentivising performance. It may provide more motivation for the refuse collectors to start working at or above the levels specified in the contract.

Analysis of the Cultural Framework of Norway

All human beings are affixed to some form of cultural system which dictates the way they do things and how they relate to one another (Tavanti 106). These unwritten norms, beliefs and values are affixed firmly to a cultural framework which is a blue print that enables them to be expressed. Each community has got its own cultural framework which binds people who share a lot in common e. g. a nationality and live within a distinct boundary like for example a country. In instances where the country has a large geographical area or has a mixture of distinct races there could be an existence of more than one cultural framework. An example of a country like this is the United States which has got two distinct races: black and white existing side by side although each race has got its own cultural framework. No country in the world exists without its own unique national culture. This paper will attempt to examine the cultural framework of Norway using findings from a study carried out by renowned professor Geert Hofstede who has studied the cultural frameworks of various countries and communities in the world at large overtime. Hofstede studied the cultural framework of Norway and came up with five dimensions. These are Power Distance Index, Individualism, Masculinity, Uncertainty Avoidance Index, Long-Term Orientation (Hofstede). Hofstede describes masculinity as the opposite of femininity and in culture it refers to the roles that the males carry out as compared to the females in a community. This dimension by Hofstede shows what it means to be male or female in any community. Holland, Blair & Sheldon argue that in most of the western countries, masculinity is hegemonic while femininity is emphasized (Holland, Blair & Sheldon 7). The characteristics exhibited by masculine members of society are power, authority, competence on technical matters etc while feminine members of society are tied down more to fulfilling the desires of their masculine counterparts (Holland, Blair & Sheldon 7). Hofstede’ scale places Norway’s masculinity index low at around 5%. This is low compared to many countries e. g. Germany where the masculinity scale is 65 percent. This shows that compared to other countries the difference between the values of the males and females of the country is not very large and both of them are treated with almost an equal status. For instance in a country with a low masculinity index like Norway both the men and women can do similar jobs without people raising their eyebrows like babysitting or cooking. The girls are also educated to the same level as boys and the number of boys and girls who graduate from university are almost similar. The similarity though is that most of the females in the world are concerned with how they look while males are measured according to their achievements. Individualism refers to the degree to which members of a society operate as single sovereign entities and are treated as such. Hofstede adds that it is the opposite of collectivism where individuals live as a community. Or groups e. g. extended families that consist of several relatives e. g. grandfathers, uncles, in-laws, aunts etc. in the individualism index provided by Hofstede places the country at 62%. This shows that most of the people in Norway are used to living and being treated as individuals rather than a collection where people think on their own and pursue their dreams as individuals. Countries with high individualism scores like the United States are also the ones with the highest economic strengths. On the issue of individualism Ponderator argues that the advantages of living in a country with a high individualism index are the treatment of all people with equality, freedom and independence (Ponderator 23). Furthermore individualists are considered to be high achievers and are very competitive as compared to collectivists who work as a group as this slows down the progress of the group as whole. However with individualism cohesion between people of an individualistic country tends to loosen with time and families are the ones that are affected mostly. For instance high divorce rates exist in most of the western countries. Power distance index refers to the division of wealth and power between the members of a population of a country. Hofstede says that it also shows how unequal the societies of the world are in terms of wealth and power distribution and the fact that the people without power have come to accept that power and wealth distribution is indeed unequal. His findings place Norway’s power distance index at 25% which is relatively low compared to most of the countries. According to Moij, a low power distance index represents a society that has its people operating on almost the same economic levels as the governments try to focus on providing equal opportunities and rights to its citizens (Moij, 83). He further gives illustrations like for instance in high power distance index economies people attempt to dress as nicely as possible in that you can know the economic strength of people from their outfits. On the contrary in low power distance index economies people do not care too much on what they wear as they are the same. He also adds that a low power distance index country like Norway is as a result of high levels of education within its population. Moij defines uncertainty avoidance as the level of fear of uncertain occurrences happening to them through their instincts and the steps that they take to avoid these unplanned occurrences (Moij, 83). The results shown on Hofstede’s index show Norway’s uncertainty avoidance index at 45% which is just below the centre mark. Moij further adds on that countries with low uncertainty avoidance index are more open to change and innovation. They also do not seem to care much about the quality of food that they eat e. g. it is uncommon t find people insisting to drink mineral water when piped water is clean. They also do not care too much about their physical appearances and are less emotional and more tolerant (83). The fifth dimension is an addition to the first four and was part of Hofstede’s plan to find out the difference in thinking between the people who live in western countries and those who live in the east. This was after it was discovered that the east is developing rapidly in terms of business and economy and no information was available originally to explain the success of some countries from the east in innovations, business etc (Moij, 84) Norway’s long-term orientation is placed at a low of 20% which in essence means it is a short term orientation country. Characteristics of the population of Norway with respect to their orientation could be they respect their culture, appreciate presents and give back, protection of personal reputations etc. Conclusion The 5 cultural dimensions outlined by Professor Geerte Hofstede gave a good framework for studying the difference in cultures in the world. It shows why people uphold certain beliefs and even passing them through generations. This paper has evaluated a case study of Norway which is in Europe while at the same time comparing it with other countries to show the difference in cultures.

Human Resource Information Systems

INTRODUCTION Office automation has become a reality. Stand-alone personal computers are universally used for word processing, and spread sheets have become the workhorses of office life. As a result, electronic records are being created virtually everywhere in the world. Wherever computers are used to carry out a function records are being generated. Records provide the primary evidence of how the functions of public administration are carried out. They are the building blocks of accountability.In a growing number of organizations human resources are now viewed as a source of competitive advantage. There is greater recognition that distinctive competencies are obtained through highly developed employee skills, distinctive organizational cultures, management processes, and systems. Increasingly, it is being recognized that competitive advantage can be obtained with a high quality work force that enables organizations to compete on the basis of market responsiveness, product and servic e quality, differentiated products, and technological innovation.The effective management of human resources in a firm to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace requires timely and accurate information on current employees and potential employees in the labour market. With the evolution of computer technology, meeting this information requirement has been greatly enhanced through the creation of HRIS. A basic assumption is that the effective management of employee information for decision makers will be the critical process that helps.A HRIS is concerned with activities related to employees and potential employees of the organization. Because the human resources function relates to all other functional areas in the business, the HRIS plays a valuable role in ensuring organizational success. Some of the activities performed by the HRIS are workforce analysis and planning, hiring, training, job and task assignment and many other personnel related issues (Stair R,2006,241). TH E EVOLUTION OF HRISIn the 1980s, office automation began to appear on the landscape, and HRIS were developed as a special category of office automation systems (OAS). At first it seemed the emphasis was on developing systems as cheaply as possible. The replacement of people with software was seen as the main advantage. Rather than have HR managers maintain extensive employee records, data-entry technicians would enter data once into a system and update records as necessary. Today, however, HRIS would be more accurately viewed as a hybrid of several classical types of information systems.Along with OAS capabilities, current HRIS include features of transaction processing systems (TPS), decision support systems (DSS) and communication systems. HRIS may comprise stand-alone software for any of the primary areas of use for information systems in HR management. These areas include employee record management, compensation and benefits, recruitment and retention, training and development, performance appraisal, and promotion and succession planning.It became evident as HRIS took hold in the corporate culture that a quality HRIS could provide valuable information to the organization in managing one of its most valuable assets: the organization’s human resources. As top management began to put pressure on HR managers to use HRIS, it was becoming clear that by collecting and processing more and more information in a timely manner, the value added was in the use of the data in decision making and not in the actual system used for collection and storage.This evolution has resulted in firms being able to leverage HRIS for administrative and strategic competitive advantage. WHY THE NEED FOR HRIS IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Using HRIS gives firms several benefits. They include the following: †¢Providing a comprehensive information picture as a single, integrated database; this enables organizations to provide structural connectivity across units and activities a nd to increase the speed of information transactions. Increasing competitiveness by improving HR operations and management processes †¢Collecting appropriate data and converting them to information and knowledge for improved timeliness and quality of decision making †¢Producing a greater number and variety of accurate and real-time HR-related reports †¢Streamlining and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of HR administrative functions †¢Shifting the focus of HR from the processing of transactions to strategic HRM †¢Reengineering HR processes and functions Improving employee satisfaction by delivering HR services more quickly and accurately TYPES OF HUMAN RESOURCES INFORMATION SYSTEMS Although there are multiple classifications of computer-based systems, these the most basic types of systems that are most readily applied to the HR context and for use within an HRIS Transaction Processing Systems: Managers need systems that keep track of the elementary activities and transactions of the organization such as payroll, sales, receipts, cash deposits and the flow of material in an organization. Transaction processing system provides this kind of information.This is a computerized system that performs and records the daily routine transactions necessary to conduct business such as employee record keeping and payroll. This type of system is used as operational level and at this level tasks, resources and goals are predefined and highly structured (Laudon K, 2012,76). When using a transaction processing system for payroll processing, a payroll system keeps track of money paid to employees. An employees’ time sheet with their number of hours worked per week is an example of a single transaction.The system also supplies data to the business on employee payment history for insurance, pension and other benefit calculations to the firms human resources function. The overall aim of this system is to improve transaction speed and accurac y, improve efficiency in the processing of daily business transactions, automate routine transactions and reduce transaction costs Management Information System: This type of system serves the level of middle management and provides managers with reports on the organizations current performance.This information can be used to monitor and control the business and predict future performance. This system summarizes and reports on the company’s basic operations using data from the transaction processing systems. The basic transaction data is compressed and usually presented in the form of reports that are produced on a regular schedule and many of these reports can today be found online. Management information systems serve managers primarily interested in weekly, monthly and yearly results.These systems are also used to answer routine questions that have been specified in advance and have a predefined procedure for answering them as opposed to sophisticated mathematical models o r statistical techniques (Laudon K, 2012,77-78). The main focus of this system is to provides key data to managers, supports regular and on-going decisions as well as provides defined and ad-hoc reporting. Decision support systems: In contrast to management information systems this system supports more non- routine decision making. They focus on problems that are unique and rapidly changing.For which the procedure for arriving at a solution may not be fully predefined in advance. Although this system uses internal information from both the above systems they often bring in data from external sources such as prices of competitors (Laudon K, 2012, 78) These systems use a variety of models to analyse the data and are designed so that users can work with them directly. The systems main concern is to provide interactive managerial decision making, support forecasting and â€Å"what-if† analysis and support business simulations.It can be used to assess staffing needs, analyse the l abour market and assess employee skills Executive support systems: Helps senior managers address questions like what will the employment level be in five years? They deal with non-routine decisions requiring judgement, evaluation and insight because there is no agreed procedure for arriving at a solution. This system presents graphs and data from many sources through an interface that is easy for senior managers to use.These systems are designed to incorporate data about external events such as new tax laws or competitors but they also use summarized information from internal management information systems and decision support systems (Laudon K, 2012, 80). The primary focus of this system is to provide aggregate high-level data, to helps managers with long term planning and support strategic direction and decisions. It can be used to assist HR managers with succession planning which means having a systematic process where managers identify, assess and develop their staff to make sur e they are ready to assume key roles within the company.Enterprise resource planning systems: are used to integrate business processes in human resources as well as manufacturing and production, finance and accounting and sales and marketing into a single system. Information that was previously separated into many different systems is stored into a single comprehensive system where it can be used in many different parts of the business. Managers are able to use firm-wide information to make more precise and timely decisions about daily operations and long term planning as well as share data across functional boundaries (Laudon K, 2012, 81).ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF HRIS SYSTEMS Widespread Access Traditionally, records and archives have been created and maintained in paper form as physical objects. Their physical state limits access to a specific time and place: only one person can use a record at one time and only in one physical location. Producing multiple copies is expensiv e and time consuming, requiring access to photocopiers or printers. Duplication also leads to confusion about which of many versions of a document is the official record.Electronic records, on the other hand, can be shared widely and they can be accessed and used by several people at the same time, even if they are in different places. In environments where resources are scarce or distances are great, the ability to provide access to information without the boundaries of time or space can dramatically improve service, increase information sharing and enhance operations. In some countries, for example, the ability to share an electronic record among government offices in different parts of the country saves money and time.Copying and mailing or faxing documents across thousands of miles can become prohibitively expensive and can slow down operations and delay decisions and actions. But even in some less developed countries, governments today are installing computers in community outp osts in rural, underdeveloped areas so that people in the area can keep abreast of government activities and world events. Flexibility HRIS enhance flexibility in the creation, storage, use and management of information and records. In a paper environment, records are created, received and filed in one office, and they accumulate in one place.Electronic records can be stored remotely or on CD’s or flash discs, allowing people to share records and use their information resources more dynamically. Because so many people in an organisation can have access to electronically stored records at the same time, they can carry out their duties without being hindered by a lack of information. They also have better access to more up-to-date information, since they can access data such as electronic records on employees or databases directly. Efficiency and EffectivenessThe use of information technologies improves information handling and allows for the speedy retrieval of records and inf ormation through electronic search facilities. As a result, policy makers can make informed decisions quickly and efficiently, contributing to the effectiveness of the organisation. Further, when the retrieval of records and information happens swiftly and decisions are made on time, the image of the organisation improves as it is seen to be reliable, capable and responsive to the needs of its clients or the public.Certainly, if someone knows where records are stored, whether in paper or electronic form, he or she can retrieve them in good time, but too often knowledge about where manual records can be found maybe held by only one person in the organisation, and if he or she is not available then access to records is delayed. And once the volume of records reaches a certain point, no one person can ‘remember’ where everything is. Well-designed HRIS will facilitate easy retrieval of electronic information, improving the speed and quality of service.Economic Benefits In t he paper environment where records are physical objects, their accumulation requires ever-increasing amounts of space, including office space, shelves, filing cabinets and storage boxes. Several staff members may be needed to carry out routine procedural work such as filing documents and retrieving boxes. Through the use of new technologies, organisations are able to economise in terms of storage space, as HRIS can store large volumes of data and records in a small physical space.Database management systems, electronic mail systems, web and multimedia software programs are all good examples of information technologies that can store far more information than traditional paper records storage systems. In a well-managed organisation, it is also possible to manage staff resources more effectively. Much of the day-to-day work of filing and retrieval will be done by officers throughout the organisation as part of their daily routine, leaving time for other staff to participate more activ ely in activities such as appraisal.General Business Opportunities The professional image of an organisation can be enhanced by improved information flow, and the organisation may be able to take on more complex work because it is more efficient and cost-effective. HRIS can improve communications, reduce the loss of essential information, speed up the completion of projects and increase public awareness of the organisation. The use of technologies also exposes organisations to communities outside of their normal client base, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.Auditing Capabilities Well-designed records and document management systems also allow an organisation to regulate and oversee actions and decisions. Many HRIS include mechanisms to maintain audit trails, encouraging more accountable record keeping and promote compliance across the organisation. HRIS Disadvantages An HRIS also can be a problematic for small businesses in which some employees must wear many hats . If your company isn’t big enough to have a dedicated human resources technology specialist, consider outsourcing.Some of the disadvantages of an HRIS involve human error during information input, costly technology to update your system and malfunctions or insufficient applications to support your human resources needs. There is a demand for computer and technology specialists with general information technology knowledge, and finding a qualified specialist with human resources functional area knowledge can be difficult. With such a demand, your cost to hire an HRIS specialist may be far above the average salary for a computer technology specialist.The cost per-hire for another employee in a specialized field may be a stretch for some small businesses. CONCLUSION It is obvious as we move into the 21st century that data will drive an increasing number of business decisions and strategies. HRIS is an excellent example of an area where businesses can capitalize not only on admi nistrative cost savings, but also on leveraging a strategic advantage through information gathering, processing, and sharing.Despite certain potential pitfalls, it appears that HRIS are now today’s cutting-edge software for effective human resources management. We are only now beginning to realize the potential not only within the HR function, but organization-wide. What was once a future vision is reality and HR managers should jump aboard immediately. If they do not, the train is about to pick up speed rapidly, and they will be left behind. |

World History Homework

Muslim rule affected Indian government and society when Sultans Introduced this rule and many Turks, Persians and Arabs migrated to India to serve as officials or soldiers. Trade between Indian and Muslim lands Increased. During the Mongol raids of the sass's, many scholars and adventurers fled from Baghdad to India, bringing Persian and Greek learning.The newcomers helped create a brilliant civilization at Delhi, where Persian art and architecture flourished. 3. The founders of the Delhi sultanate were able to conquer northern India because the Sultans no longer controlled a large empire and northern India fragmented Into rival Hindu and Muslim states. During violent onslaughts, many Hindus were killed and the two groups clashed and did not get along at all. . Relations of Hindus and Muslims grew to better terms over time. Eventually, the Delhi sultans grew more tolerant of their Hindu subjects, and Hinduism was accepted as a monotheistic religion. Hindus were allowed to practice t heir religion as long as they paid a poll tax. Some Hindu even converted to Islam.Schism, a religion which blended both Hindu and Muslim belief came Into form. 5. The rejection of toleration of Hindu beliefs will probably bring more struggle and battles between the Hindu and Muslim. The Hindus and Muslims are back to being enemies and both empires will probably be effected poorly and will have an economic decline. World History 10-4 Homework By manservant 2. Muslim rule affected Indian government and society when Sultans introduced this soldiers.

Non-Profit Organizations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Non-Profit Organizations - Assignment Example Different types of shares such as equity shares and preference shares may be issued to accumulate the initial capital needed for the creation of the company. Microsoft and Apple are two major publicly-traded companies in the United States. After choosing the type of business (limited-liability company or partnership), the firm’s name should be registered with the local/state government. Then the business concern should acquire the federal tax ID and register with the state revenue agency. Ernst & Young and Deloitte are two non-publicly-traded companies in the US. American Red Cross was established by Clara Barton in 1881after organizing a meeting of 15 people. Currently, the organization has no subsidiaries. The organization invests in marketing campaigns as part of its fundraising efforts. This nonprofit organization acquired $3.4billion and $3.5 billion in revenues for the fiscal years 2013 and 2014 respectively. While analyzing the recent annual reports of the American Red Cross, it seems that the organization maintains a healthy financial status. Amnesty International was founded by Peter Benenson in 1961. It has no subsidiaries. The organization also invests in marketing initiatives in an attempt to raise a sufficient amount of donations. For the fiscal years, 2013 Amnesty International gained revenues of  £24.8m. As the organization has access to potential sources of finance, its financial position is very strong. Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Microsoft has hundreds of subsidiary businesses, and some major subsidiaries include Microsoft Global Finance, Microsoft General Management Company, Microsoft Licensing, and Microsoft PF Holdings. Microsoft’s revenues rose from US$77.85 billion in 2013 to US$86.83 in 2014 although the company’s growth declined in 2014 compared to the previous fiscal year (â€Å"Microsofts global revenue 2002 to 2014†).

An Overlook and Analysis of the Coca Cola Company Term Paper

An Overlook and Analysis of the Coca Cola Company - Term Paper Example As the paper outlines the company thus needs to analyze their internal environments for threats and opportunities in order to maintain their position in the ever dynamic competitive field. These different environments fall under the Pestle analysis that help the company managers to make macro decisions on policy changes. These include taxes, new laws, trade barriers and government policy changes among others. At the coca cola company economical challenges are posed by inflation due to economic crisis in most countries. The customer purchasing power is reducing to high oil and product prices. There is also a high rate of unemployment. Moreover, competition from other brands such as Pepsi is increasing. However, the company does not plan to cut down the price of their products. Socially, the lives of customers especially women is changing. Most of them are going out to work. It has resulted in the need for time management and the preference for healthier foods.   This study stresses that in the 1970s a subsidiary group in India wanted the company to share their secret formula under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act. They declined and had to halt their operations for 16 years. The producers have been forced to provide exclusive territories to distributors. In addition, the European Commission alerted EU members to ban the sale of coca cola products due to a recent poisoning of 100 children in Belgium as a result of wrong use of carbon dioxide. In India, Protestants wanted the ban of coca cola claiming that the company was depleting ground water. There are also claims in India that coca cola possesses some amounts of pesticides that pose a risk to life. Hence, the need to ban it. The Coca Cola Company has a broad supply chain, which causes a great challenge in the development of tactical and strategic decisions. It is because of this that it faces strategic management issues globally. For instance, the same set of rules is not applied through out the company leading to an insufficient metric system for the company. As a result, there is a difference in simple things like the stock out and fill rate. These enhance the need for corporate level strategies as well as market and product development. Project management at the Coca Cola Company involves both logistics and procurement activities. Through purchasing and the involvement of ITC Infotech and consultation in SAP, there has been an improvement in supply chain management. Nonetheless, the company needs to find ways of investing in profits for future growth and earn more market shares and profits.  

Mary Mount Universitys Student Code of Conduct Essay

Mary Mount Universitys Student Code of Conduct - Essay Example The Section 4 of Mary Mounts community code of conduct contains the special provision in part b which is very disturbing – it witchhunt on its perceived misconduct online. Students are cautioned that behavior conducted online, such as harassment or bullying via email, can subject them to University conduct action. Students must also be aware that blogs, web page entries on sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter and other similar online postings are in the public sphere and are not private. These postings can subject a student to allegations of conduct violations if evidence of policy violations is posted online. The University does not regularly search for this information but may take action if and when such information is brought to the attention of University officials. This is a chilling provision because, in effect, students cannot post or write anything that school officials might not like. It covers blogs, web page entries on sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter and other similar online postings under the license of bullying and harassment which would be difficult to interpret. For example, if a student rants about his or her disappointments which are typical among college students, and it was reported to school administrator as harassment, the student will be in trouble as what the special provision on Section 4 states. In effect, this provision dictates its student to only write and post nice things which are a gross violation of the freedom of speech as guaranteed by the Constitution in the First Amendment.

Child Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Child Language - Essay Example They have asserted that behaviorist explanations of language acquisition cannot account for it. According to the behaviorists, to learn language is to learn a sequence of stimulus-response links. The child's internalized "rules" (the sneer quotes are the behaviorist's, who does not deign to use such language) are similar to the "rules" involved in motor sequences like brushing one's teeth and tying shoe laces, or in any other well-learned motor activity. Against this, Chomsky and his followers have argued that the child cannot be seriously maintained to have learned a different set of stimulus-response links for each utterance he makes (Chomsky, 1965). Life is too short for learning all the word strings we use. According to the semantic approach the child learns how different meanings are expressed by different sentence structures ( Quine, 1972). One might have expected such an approach to be formulated very soon as a reaction against behaviorist explanations, with their complete neglect of meaning. But such was the stranglehold of behaviorism on theory construction that the semantic approach was not formulated for a long time. The behaviorist edifice succumbed only to the truculent attacks of Noam Chomsky. Chomsky's linguistic theory, transformational grammar, gave rise to an alternative approach to language (Chomsky, 1986). Chomsky as a b Chomsky as a behaviorist conceptualizes discrimination learning in language Discrimination learning ensues when adult use of a word conflicts with that of the child. The process will be somewhat as follows (Baker, and McCarthy, 1981): (1) the child encounters something that reminds him of a paired referent, whether because it resembles it or because it was previously experienced in contiguity with it; (2) the adult uses for this new instance a word which differs from that learned for the paired referent; and subsequently (3) the child notices certain salient attributes in which the new instance differs from the paired referent. For instance, (1) the child sees a horse that reminds him of the referent of the previously learned word "doggie"; (2) the adult calls it "horse"; and (3) the child notices that the horse, unlike doggie, has a mane. The latter property may henceforward operate as a discriminating cue: It will be a NEGATIVE CUE for the word "doggie", and a POSITIVE CUE for the word "horse". To forestall a possible misunderstanding, I want to point out that this earlier discussion is intended to explain how the child delimits the use of words, and not how he acquires distinctions between things. That is, the previously discussed process is not claimed to lead to his distinguishing between, for example, dogs and horses. On the contrary, the ability to make such a distinction--on the basis of differentiating properties, such as the horse's mane--is presupposed here (for, otherwise, how could he ever find out when to use "doggie" and when to use "horse"). The child may become aware of the difference between a horse and a dog--or between two different dogs, for that matter--without adult prompting. The issue here, however, is the child's use of words: To learn the correct use of a word it is not sufficient just to perceive differences between referents, but the child must also observe how these differences correlate with the applicability and nonapplicability of the word ( W exler & Culicover, 1980). The child is innately not acquiring the correct grammar;

Financial Analysis of Custom Snowboards Inc Term Paper

Financial Analysis of Custom Snowboards Inc - Term Paper Example As we are aware that there has been an immense amount of economic turmoil all around the world. Custom Snowboards Inc. was also severely impacted as the customers decreased their expenditure on leisure and sports. However, the company did not have to suffer like other companies did and it suffered from a 4% decline in Sales. Horizontal Analysis An increase in Sales Expenses are fairly consistent Interest income increased by 28% and interest expense decreased by 5% Current assets increased by more than 100% and total assets by 3.6% whereas total current liabilities had no significant impact Retained Earnings increased by more than 70% Vertical Analysis Gross Profit is 30% of Sales General and admin expenses are less than 20% of sales on average during years 12, 13, & 14 On average, current assets constitute approx. 50% of the total assets Cash comprises of more than 15% of the total assets and has the highest constituency whereas receivable come second Current Liabilities are under 10 % of the Total liabilities and equity Trend analysis - Trend analysis is the percentage changes in items of the financial statement during successive years. We can also call it an extension of the Horizontal Analysis and indicates the direction of change. The snapshot shows the sales trend during years 12, 13, & 14 respectively. ... dit risk Loaned out funds wont be no longer available for operational and other bank use Risk of incorrect assessment of interest rate (Fitzsimmons,n.d.) The bank also looks at several other things in a company's financial statements. It also looks at the Debt-ratio, Interest Coverage ratio, current income status of the company as well as its credit history and overall stability of the Enterprise. Custom Snowboards Inc. Debt-ratio is currently 49%, which is less than its competitor. Moreover, another red flag comes when we look at the Financial Statements, specifically the Income Statement and see that Net Income has suffered a sharp decline by 74% due to a sharp decline in Sales. As the bank is concerned with the stability, the declining sales and income statement pose a risk to the lender in terms of ability of Custom Snowboards to cover its debt. Risk Mitigation Credit Risk is the major risk that banks are concerned with, The financial statements of Custom Snowboards Inc. show sta bility and gradual growth The trend analysis shows that the sales would grow gradually making sure that the company would be able to meet its obligations Horizontal and vertical analysis show that the company is not under huge current and long term liabilities and the expenses are not very high Custom Snowboards Inc. is a growing concern As far as the debt-ratio is concerned, a positive aspect is that although it is higher than the competitor, it has declined from last year. The company's Income Statement does not show a very positive picture, however, it is mainly due to the massive economic recession. Moreover, if we look at the Balance Sheet, we that the Working Capital is positive and the company has enough financial strength to meet its short term obligations and remain operational.

Ndividual Written Analysis of the Case Enterprise-Rent-A-Car Study

Ndividual Written Analysis of the Enterprise-Rent-A-Car - Case Study Example Enterprise also started developing its relationship with top insurance companies which helped in expanding its business. Moreover, in the year 1980, Jack stepped out from the top post and promoted his son Andy as the president of Enterprise which led to a frequent growth of revenue in the company. In the year 2010, Enterprise became the seventh largest private company in the United States with annual revenue more than 12 million US Dollars. The main reason for success of Enterprise was that the company stressed on providing the best customer service and which created the brand value for the company. Moreover, the company trained its managers in such a way that determined and reduced the demotivating aspects i.e. absence of feedback, misinterpreting the significance of a given task and lack of concern for inefficient performance. In addition, the company divided its market into two segments that involved the local market and the airport market which accounted for revenue of 20 million US Dollars and contributed to the success of the Enterprise (Busse and Swinkels 1-15). Thesis Statement. The study intends identify the key assets, competitive advantages along with activities of Enterprise. Besides, the key challenges as well as opportunities linked to the firm’s business model and practices will also be ascertained and subsequent recommendations will be provided. Enterprise had expended more than 10 million US Dollars to research on the satisfaction of the customers and their valuable experience. It has been revealed that Enterprise focused on the three main aspects which included the approach and effectiveness of the employees, the transaction speed and the hygiene factor of the car. Thus, if these three aspects were attained successfully than the customers’ would be satisfied. It was observed that over 70% customers were essentially satisfied and developed the intention of using the services of Enterprise again. Enterprise also used Enterprise Service

The New Mecca by George Saunders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The New Mecca by George Saunders - Essay Example Saunders narrative the new Mecca has assisted a considerable number of people to change the attitude developed in certain things. Ignorance can make individuals to develop perceptions about certain places that are completely misplaced and untrue. According to Saunders, misconceptions from a far are sources of biasness that can be costly to a person, touring the world is a remedy to eliminating some of these perceptions. The magnificent city of Dubai changed Saunders attitude about a place he had never travelled before and the conclusive statement at the end of his narrative the new Mecca city carries the theme of the narrative. The picture created about Dubai was that it was a risky desert town with makeshift structures, which could not house people of class effectively. When Saunders had not travelled to Dubai, he heard the magnificent ideas that the government of United Arabs Emirates had but he only thought that these were just blusters. Saunders (23) states that, â€Å"Dubai looked something like Dallas circa 1985: a vast expanse of white boxes, punctuated by clusters of freakish skyscrapers†. This implies that the government had indeed fulfilled its plans to develop United Arabs Emirates to the benefit of its loyal citizens. On the plane to Dubai, he was amused to see a new technology based city dazzling in the desert. The ideas that sounded only theoretical to many people were indeed practical and all the projects were underway with some completed. There is a conception that the people in Dubai are violent hence, difficult to learn their language. Very many people doubt whether they can cope up with life in Dubai because of the language barrier. They think that they would find only uncooperative natives as city dwellers who only understand the local languages and it would be hard for them to find a translator. In reality when Saunders landed in Dubai, he was surprised that most of the city dwellers were foreigners who spoke very decent English and were very welcoming even if there were dressed like local Arabs. According to Saunders (24), â€Å"they are young sweet hearted guys from Nepal or Kenya or the Philippines, who speak terrific English†. Indeed Dubai proved to be an international city hence the idea of a language should not linger in the people’s minds. Most of the workers in the city came from the world poorest nations of Africa and southern Asia and all of them were satisfied with the life in this city. Saunders stated that,

Case Study Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Case Study Project - Essay Example Essentially, the sovereign country should have inbuilt mechanisms of fighting crimes, however, it may seek international assistance where the threat is significant and worries the state security. The implication is that, each state has to build a strong and reliable coordination with other countries, whose help becomes essential during war. Therefore, one can argue strongly that sovereignty should not bar the state from forging strong relationship with the other countries. In addition, inappropriate use of sovereignty would mean protecting the self-interest at the expense of the citizens. Therefore, this report is a critical evaluation and description of issues relating to sovereignty, as contained in The UN Secretary-General Report â€Å"Implementing the Responsibility to Protect† (2009). Key Catalysts Some of the key catalysts to sovereignty include the political will, need for international integration and ethnic co-existence. Fundamentally, the leadership will and peaceful co-existence ensures that the sovereign state remains peaceful and coherent. In addition, it would enable the state to build a proper relationship with other states, thereby, being in a position of getting international assistance during emergency. Furthermore, this would enhance international integration among different countries. ... In the contemporary society, Jackson acknowledges that there are State powers that do not use their sovereignty for the good of the people (Jackson 21). For example, some developing states literally misuse sovereignty to achieve personal or ethnic gains, with disregards to the public. Indeed, the theory of balance of power explains the misuse of state sovereignty resulting from the differences in power factions within the country (Brown 9). The theory suggests that those differences cause civil unrest, when the leaders test their power and dominance. In the UN report, some states, especially with dictatorial regimes, inflict violence on the people with impunity due to the powers that the Head of State has on the subjects. Often, there are silent state machineries that such countries use to fulfill the mission, such as, illegitimately organized gang supported by the state security organs (Krasner 673). In such cases, the state does not use its sovereignty in protecting the people as t he international law requires. Therefore, the United Nations may be forced to intervene and restore peace in the country. Notably, most countries, despite their fight for sovereignty, have failed to protect their citizens against war crimes. For example, the mass killings of the ordinary citizens in Rwanda, Cambodia, Srebrenica and Darfur show that, the states have failed in their protective responsibility, thus, their sovereignty is questionable. Sometimes, the crimes are committed when the Security Council and the UN peacekeepers are watching, as was the case in Rwanda and Srebrenica (UN report 4). As a preventative measure to the occurrence of such crimes, the UN should take the leading role in cautioning the states on negligence, not regarding the states’ sovereignty as a

The relationship between HRM and business performance Literature review

The relationship between HRM and business performance - Literature review Example First, the review suggests that human resource practices have synergistic and performance enhancing influences when used in conjunction with empowerment-enhancing practices that boost employee responsibility and autonomy. Secondly, study attempts to explore the link between HRM and firm performance by studying frameworks that link HRM to financial performance despite the various studies that claim there is no link between HRM and Firm performance. The literature offers overview on research regarding HRM and Businesses performance and subsequently shows the relation between HRM and performance in organizations. Business strategy and the integration of HRM practices form an essential factor in organizational effectiveness because the use of business strategy as a contingent factor moderates the relation between human resources practices as el as firm performance. Therefore, business strategies paired together with proper HRM activities have positive influences on the firm’s perf ormance. According to Ahmad and Schroeder(2003) and their counterparts Youndt and Snell(2004), the impact of HRM to organizational outcomes became an essential topic in early 1990s because it attaches significance to motivational aspects of organizational practices in developing and utilizing human capital. HRM involves development of people’s abilities and attitudes in way that the individual can develop personally and contribute toward the organization’s goals. According to Youndt and Snell(2004), other studies consider HRM practices to be pay and reward, recruitment and selection, training and development, health and safety as well as work expansion or reduction. However, various studies suggest that six essential HRM practices that are likely to positively influence a firm’s performance include training and development, teamwork, incentives, HR planning, performance appraisal as well as employment security (Sels, Winne, Delmotte, Maes, Faems and Forrier, 200 6; Seibert,Silver and Randolph, 2004). According to Sels et al (2006), training and development involves the amount of formal training offered to employees, although organizations can offer extensive training, organizations also rely on acquired skills through selection and socialization. Training in businesses influence performance in two key ways the first one being, that training improves on the relevant skills, capabilities, and secondly training compliments employees’ satisfaction in their prevailing job and workplace. Teamwork in businesses contributes to business performance because it results in effective achievement, facilitates flow of ideas resulting in innovative solution and helps in saving administrative costs associated with paying specialists in order to watch people (Sels et al 2006). Incentives in businesses rely on performance and remain one of the usual means for organizations to enhance employee motivation through provision of performance-contingent incen tive in order to align employee and shareholder interests. According to Chiang(2004), although compensation is categorised into financial and non-financial incentives, some incentives like pay incentives in form of bonuses and profit sharing or even indirect compensation like health insurance and vacation all influence the performance of firms. According to Gill and Meyer(2008), HR planning in enterprises involves forecasting

Breast cancer Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Breast cancer - Term Paper Example luding family history, genetics, age of menstruation, and other  factors that have not yet been identified.  Though much less common, breast cancer also occurs in men.   Breast cancer patients usually experience a lot of stress and frustration due to reasons like the unpredictability of the disease, uncertainty of the future and financial difficulties (Lynn & Charles, 25). It is even more difficult for patients who have to go out of remission and face the medical complications over and over again. I know this because my mom had had cancer about 12 years ago and when she recently heard the news about her cancer’s return, she was hurt, tensed and devastated about it. Other effects of breast cancer include troubled sleep, body aches, headaches, pain, fatigue and anxiety. Moreover, many cancer patients including my mom worry about their physical appearance after extensive treatment procedures like chemotherapy, mastectomy and skin changes from radiation therapy and find it extremely difficult to make public experiences (Lynn & Charles, 25). But that certainly does not mean that patients cannot deal with it. By taking one step at a time and by the support of her friends and family, my mother is trying to deal with her situation. She prefers to keep herself still busy in work so that her mind remains occupied and tension – free. Almost 200,000 women suffer from the disease each year. Although there are many external factors contributing towards the spread of breast cancer, current investigations have revealed that genetic inheritance has a major part to play in almost five to ten percent of these cases (Lynch, 91-98). This knowledge, an ingenious finding by Mary-Claire King in 1990, linked breast cancer to the long-arm of chromosome 17 (Biesecker, 22-27). Since the discovery of possible genetic linkage, doctors have been able to delineate those individuals who are most prone to the disorder, and immediately, these women begin to act in accordance with doctor’s

Applied statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Applied statistics - Essay Example We apply econometric techniques over the period 1970 to 2002, involving 33 observations. In our notation, LGDP is natural logarithm (ln) of real Gross Domestic Product, LC is the log of consumption, LDI is the log of domestic investment, LX is the log of exports, LM is the log of imports, LG is the log of government expenditure and LFDI is the log of FDI. According to Gujarati (2004: 176-177), this model is called as the constant elasticity model that assumes a constant elasticity relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable, logarithm of gross domestic product. The coefficients associated with the independent variables measure the elasticity of the dependent variable with respect to independent variables, or the percentage increase in the dependent variable (Gujarati 2004: 176). The methodology of this work is informed by the works of Woolridge 2004:2-6 as well as Gujarati 2004:10-12. We begin with economic growth model 1 in which the national income function Y=C+I+G+(X-M). In model 1, however, I = DI + FDI where DI = domestic investment and FDI = foreign direct investment. For model 1 and for the rest of model as well, we assume the existence of constant C in the regression. Otherwise, interpretation of the regression will be different without a slope (Gujarati 2004: 167-169). We need not worry on the interpretation of the constant in a regression because it need not always have an interpretation (Gujarati 2004: 167-169). Table 1 suggests that all regressor variables of the regression, except for LFDI and LG are significant at the 0.01 level. This means that for all coefficients, except LFDI and LG, we can reject the applicable null hypothesis that ï  ¢i =0 to accept alternative hypotheses that are consistent with economic theory. Based on the theory of the national income function in economics, we expect the signs to be as follows: ï  ¢2>0, ï  ¢3>0, ï  ¢4>0, ï  ¢5>0, ï  ¢6>0, and ï  ¢7

Understanding developments 2- international relation Essay

Understanding developments 2- international relation - Essay Example This means that these countries are poor countries which need either the microfinance or the social protection policies to better their lives. This paper is going to compare, with evidence, ways in which microfinance and social protection policies have achieved poverty alleviation and secured more livelihoods. Furthermore, this paper is going to aptly decide which of the two methods is efficient in its attempt at poverty alleviation and creation of secured livelihoods. Microfinance has done a lot to reduce poverty in the global south since it has reached even the poorest of them all. This is because microfinance, unlike streamline banks do not see peasants as not worthy for credit and has put rules that do not favor the poor thus microfinance comes in. an example is in Bangladesh where poverty was rife until one of their own called Muhammad yunus developed the classical grameen model, what is today called the microfinance in the 1970. He decided to give small loans to a group of five people and it grew and become a significant poverty reduction tool in the world. As per now south and east Asia have the most striking poverty reductions in the world (Wood, Malik, & Sagheer, 2006, 14). Secondly, microfinance has enabled the global south population to become self employed since jobs are scarce. By doing this they in turn create employment for other people and this better eradicates poverty. An example is India whose about 70% of its population is poor and depend on farming. These farmers have all along been excluded from loans that would help them involved in large scale farming. Now with the help of microfinance, India has seen a striking reduction rate in poverty since peasant farmers can now access loans, better manage themselves and build assets. Thirdly, in the global south women have a lower percentage of education and are thus not empowered especially in the Middle East. In fact according to World Bank, Middle East as a

Assault weapons gun ban Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assault weapons gun ban - Essay Example The reason for which Jimmy Carter, along with George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, supported this law has to be analyzed. This law got passed in 1994 and expired in ten years. When the law was approaching expiration date various police organizations, including police chiefs and sheriffs, have demanded for its renewal. They called on the President of that time to renew and strengthen the law. But with a sparkle from the White House, protestors demand prevailed and the ban was terminated. Carter personally owned a lot of different types of gun which includes â€Å"two handguns, four shotguns and three rifles, two with scopes† (Carter, n.p.). He and his other friends cherished the ownership of the guns. He used these guns for the purpose of hunting in his family woods and field and occasionally he also took his family along with his friends for hunting. He and his friend used to cultivate innovate ideas to do various things on the gun. He even used to display many of them in the whit e house. According to Carter, in case of hunting if one maintains safety there should not be any problem. But neither Carter nor his friends wanted to posses such an assault gun. Since they believed that the assault guns were used to either kill policemen or any other civilian. He believed that White House should not have given up trying to reinforce the law, even if there were lots of political difficulties. A lot of emotions were also attached with the ban of the Assault Weapons. The N.R.A. leaders were highly influenced by the firearm industry and they started believing that the firearms were being snatched away from them and the house owners were deprived of ways to protect themselves. He argues that the fire industry and other governing authorities should reassess the safety and accountability and should enact the ban again. And if the politicians fear the disapproval of N.R.A during election then it was not at all a solid reason (Carter, n.p.). The view of Wheeler should also be assessed in order to have clear understanding of the law. Wheeler has pointed some predictions by studying the psychology of the criminals. He argues that assault guns were not used by the criminals because they were difficult to hide. The data of National Institute of Justice says that â€Å"Assault Weapons were used in fewer than eight percent of gun crimes even before the ban† (Wheeler, n.p.). Moreover the criminals were more inclined to use high quality hand gun. â€Å"Handgun Epidemic Lowering Plan (HELP Network)† (Wheeler, n.p.) says that the end of the ban over the assault gun would lead to a wave of increase crime. And that the root of all evils was the gun. But this belief had no basis. As the panic of the assault gun faded, the activists try to discover a new type of gun. â€Å"California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk lies a bill to ban .50 caliber rifles† (Wheeler, n.p.). That has resulted into the myth that the terrorists used .50-calib er rifles and assault rifles were used by the criminals. But the reports actually suggested that .50 caliber was used by the criminals also. Wheeler also argues that Assault Weapon was deliberately misrepresented by the anti gunners as machine guns. In the year 2003 CNN showed a video of machine gun and

My Family Movie Analysis Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My Family Analysis - Movie Review Example Even before Chucho was born, his parents considered him a special child. However, when he grew up, he became an intermediate gangster. Besides engaging in street fights, he was also involved in illegal activities. One day Jose got really upset because he found out from the police that his own son had been earning money by selling drugs. When Chucho came home, his father could not contain the anger and kicked him out of the house. Later, like anybody else, after pondering on what he did, he felt ashamed of his rash actions. Jose wanted to ask forgiveness and forgive his son, but was too proud to do it. He suffered a lot from the guilt and wanted to have his son back, but was not able to share his feelings, because Chucho was found and killed by the police. Chucho, at the time he left father’s home, was very upset and did not want to see his father any more. The pride kept the son and father separated. But Chucho honestly did not hold a grudge against his father. When Chucho was hiding after he accidentally killed another man, he was talking with his younger brother Jimmy and he wanted to tell his father something. The movie did not specify what it was, but by the tone of Chucho’s voice, it may be interpreted that he wanted to tell his father that he loved him. A lack of forgiveness sets an invisible wall between people. They cannot reach out to each other. By holding on to a grudge, the anger can be turned into a new experience. It may wrap a heart up in the anger so tight that it will not be possible to realize what is going on in the world around. Life will start to lose its meaning and purpose. Most people are depressed during this period of time. Forgiveness is a psychological decision to change and doing all you can to reach that goal. Once you forgive someone, you will start feeling compassionate and understanding. It is not something that can be expected from others.0 Forgiveness is a personal decision. Another example of forgiveness in the movie is Jose and Maria forgiving Toni. It was shocking news for them to find out she wanted to become a nun, but them her mother was very proud of her daughter for making such a decision. From then on her parents expected her to serve God. But things did not turn out the way they expected and, in a way, Toni disappointed them. She married a priest. It was such an unusual thing in the day that Maria fainted. Her parents could have easily gotten upset with their daughter and sent her away, but Jose said â€Å"If that’s what God wants – then its fine with me†. Jose learned through his life, that anger and a lack of forgiveness may have a price that is too high. Sometime’s in life, we are the ones that need to ask for forgiveness. Like little Carlitos needed to forgive his father Jimmy. Jimmy had been in prison and had not been around when the young boy needed him most. When his father came back, Jimmy tried to settle things between them and make them a fami ly again. Carlitos would always brush Jimmy off by breaking expensive gifts from his father, not going for outings with him and even doing his best to avoid Jimmy if it was at all possible. If the father ever needed to talk to his son, Carlitos would only respond in cursing. Jimmy almost lost hope in gaining his son’s love, but then he realized, he himself was held in the prison of anger for too long to forgive those who, he had thought, wronged him, to forgive Carlitos for his mother’

The Capital Asset Pricing Method (CAPM) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 10

The Capital Asset Pricing Method (CAPM) - Essay Example The present research has identified that the CAPM model does not wholly explain the returns on investment portfolios. A number of assumptions have to be identified for CAPM equilibrium to be achieved. The assumptions include the fact that investors must have the same expectations and also apply similar input list, they also have to maximize their estimated utility of wealth, the investors have to plan for a homogenous holding period, no transaction costs or taxes are incurred, the rate of borrowing equals the rate of lending and that there exists an environment where there is availability of numerous investors each having an endowment of wealth that is small in comparison to the whole endowment. When the model was developed, a variety of empirical tests were conducted on the model by using proxies and a number showed that the model was unsuitable and inaccurate when predicting the prices of assets and in many situations did not hold. However, it was later asserted that the model was theoretically probable but was very hard, by using empirical tests to prove because stock indexes coupled with other market measures were not adequate proxies for the variables of the CAPM model. The Capital Asset Pricing Method makes use of a variety of assumptions regarding the behavior of the investor and market in order to provide a group of equilibrium conditions which enable people to estimate the expected return of an asset I compare to its non-diversifiable risk. The model makes use of systematic risk measure in order to facilitate a comparison between the assets in consideration and other assets in the market. Theoretically, using the systematic measure of risk it enables managers to calculate their needed rate of return while also assisting investors to better their portfolios.

Read the Inland Bank AND the Cisco cases and identify the Essay

Read the Inland Bank AND the Cisco cases and identify the stakeholders. Analyze each case separately (write 2 separate one page) - Essay Example erest is being entrusted with a regular paycheck as a reward for her efforts and without ongoing efficiency and profitability at the bank, Amy would not be able to sustain a quality lifestyle. Regular, low-level employees of the bank are also stakeholders of the firm. With closures, they are out of jobs. This impacts lifestyle and the local economy (to a moderate degree). Neighborhood citizens additionally, are stakeholders for Inland National. With positive business operations in the community, it promotes taxation and resource allocation benefits to the city government that can be used for urban development projects. If the bank in the region is to be closed, it can cut off these revenues and cause even further collapse of the neighborhood infrastructure. The case is about the long-term impact of business decision-making on internal and external stakeholders. As the business attempts to secure its own interests, it has a trickle down affect on the neighborhood and employees, thus anyone who conducts business with the bank, works at the bank or relies on economic benefits of bank operations have real concerns. The 20,000 employees that would be working at the huge industrial complex owned by Cisco are primary stakeholders. Cisco’s successes and ability to create local business environments would be advantageous for locally-recruited employees and ensure they have a quality lifestyle provided by continued company profitability and competitive advantages. As primary stakeholders, it would be highly beneficial for the company to stay financially lucrative to avoid being outperformed by rival companies. Local citizens in the region are also stakeholders. They were concerned that this new development, without provision for employee housing, would drive up costs of accommodations in the city and cause problems with roadway congestion by dramatically increasing the local population with recruited employee populations. Their main interest was ensuring that local

Cognitive Coaching Essay Example for Free

Cognitive Coaching Essay The Effects of Cognitive Coaching on Education and in Supporting Teacher Leadership â€Å"Creating a profession of teaching in which teachers have the opportunity for continual learning is the likeliest way to inspire greater achievement for children, especially those for whom education is the only pathway to survival and success† (Sumner, 2011, p. 10). Educators today are required to have a different set of skills to effectively prepare students to be global competitors in the workplace. Educators cannot make these alterations in teaching methodology and instructional delivery without support. Coaches support and encourage teachers, improve teacher strategies, promote teacher reflection, and focus on desired outcomes (Sumner, 2011). A key ingredient for improving student achievement is high quality leadership. Although leadership skills may come naturally for some, most educators need some form of practice and coaching to become high quality leaders (Patti Holzer, 2012). What is Cognitive Coaching? Cognitive coaching is a relationship that is learner-centered, where the person being coached is an active participant in their learning process. The coach is responsible for creating an environment that is sensitive to the participant’s needs, providing ample opportunity for self-reflection which enables the participant to learn from their own unique experiences. Garmston (1993) stated: Cognitive Coaching is a process during which teachers explore the thinking behind their practices. Each person seems to maintain a cognitive map, only partially conscious. In Cognitive Coaching, questions asked by the coach reveal to the teacher areas of that map that may not be complete or consciously developed. When teachers talk out loud about their thinking, their decisions become clearer to them, and their awareness increases (p. 57). The relationship that evolves through cognitive coaching is based on a journey of self-discovery for both the coach and the coached individual. The coach is equally responsible for reflecting and learning from their own experiences in an effort to providing the best guidance to the coached individual throughout their coaching relationship. If mentors are to facilitate learning of their mentees, they can best begin by being in touch with the forces in their own lives (Zachary, 2000). The learning that takes place in stages is the focal point of cognitive coaching. Cognitive coaching uses a three-phase cycle: pre-conference, observation, and post-conference. These cycles are used for the sole purpose of helping the teacher improve instructional effectiveness by becoming more reflective about teaching (Garmston, 1993). Cognitive Coaching asserts that instructional behavior is a reflection of beliefs; teachers must analyze and change their beliefs in order to change their behaviors. Coaches ask teachers to reflect on their beliefs about the classroom to facilitate making changes or improvements (Patti Holzer, 2012). Cognitive Coaching in Education The most valuable asset in the education profession is its human capital – teachers and administrators. Unfortunately, these professionals are typically given limited opportunities throughout their career to enhance their knowledge and skills enabling them to be more effective teachers and leaders. Newly hired recruits into the profession usually receive coaching for a few months during their first year of employment, but the majority will gain experience through their own trial and error. According to Patti Holzer (2012): Professional development opportunities for teachers and administrators who function in a leadership capacity are often too scarce or narrow in focus to cultivate lasting and effective improvement. Most school systems regularly provide teacher educators with just two or three days per year of professional development, typically aimed at improving literacy and mathematics scores. Effective professional development happens when the adult learner connects personally to the new learning. When educators participate in reflective practices that cultivate self-awareness, emotion management, social awareness, and relationship management, they are in a better position to deliver high quality instruction and leadership (p. 264). The education profession can benefit from implementing cognitive coaching as a way of helping teachers and administrators expand their professional development through self-observation, self-reflection, and self-feedback. An analysis of the findings from these factors will help the professional to become aware of their own self-imposed limitations. In education, coaching has traditionally supported teachers in the acquisition of knowledge, skills and abilities that target student achievement (Patti Holzer, 2012). The effects of cognitive coaching on teacher efficacy has been positively correlated to increased student performance. Sumner (2011) offers: Coaching is a key method for helping teachers improve student achievement and school culture. Much of this potential school improvement comes from educating teachers in how to be reflective about their practice and in learning how to establish an equal relationship based on mutual desire to improve. Perhaps most importantly, ―a culture of coaching improves teaching and improves student learning (p.47). While the ultimate goal of cognitive coaching is to help foster change in the thinking patterns and behaviors of the coached individual – the end result of this endeavor is improved student performance. Professional development can only work if it is focused on both student and teacher learning and a culture of support for and valuing of quality staff development is present (Sumner, 2011). Cognitive Coaching Supporting Teacher Leadership Cognitive coaching allows teachers to take ownership of their professional development by encouraging them to be accountable of their cognitive learning process. The self-reflection that is involved in cognitive coaching coupled with professional vision enables teachers to become a catalyst of change both in the classroom and beyond. Patti Holzer (2012) stated: The coaching relationship provides a safe haven for mindful attention to self-change in the areas of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. It is through this individual process that the teacher and administrative leader positively impact the culture and climate of the classroom and school (p. 270). Every teacher has the capabilities to improve their knowledge and skill and cognitive coaching affords the opportunity of exploration into one’s self, challenging old beliefs and habits, emerging a better, stronger leader. Leadership is not mobilizing others to solve problems we already know how to solve, but to help them confront problems that have never yet been successfully addressed (Fullan, 2007). The reflection learned through cognitive coaching helps develop problem-solving skills as teachers examine their experience, generate alternatives, and evaluate actions. Educators need to model risk taking, open-mindedness, and continuous learning to create schools that are communities of learners (Garmston, 1993). Conclusion â€Å"Effective leaders work on their own and others’ emotional development. There is no greater skill needed for sustainable improvement† (Fullan, 2007). Cognitive coaching enables educators to develop unexplored potential, while expanding their repertoire of teaching methodologies. The implementation of cognitive coaching increases student achievement and teacher efficacy, produce higher order teacher thinking, and provides teacher support (Sumner, 2011). Great schools grow when educators understand that the power of their leadership lies in the strength of their relationships. Strong leadership in schools results from the participation of many people, each leading in his or her own way (Donaldson, 2007). Cognitive coaching is the key to educators’ unlocking their inner power to profoundly impact students’ learning.

The Life of Agatha Christie Essay Example for Free

The Life of Agatha Christie Essay On 15th of September, 1890, a girl named Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller was born. She was given birth in Torquay, England. She was taken care of by her loving parents named Frederick and Clara. She also had two siblings who were older than her. Their names are Madge, her sister, and Monty, her brother. Agatha’s father was a very sociable man who had a self-sufficient income. Clara, who was shy, was the opposite of Frederick. Agatha acquired the personality of her mother (ACL, 2008). Madge was able to have a formal education. However, their mother Clara thought that Agatha should not have one. It was her intention that Agatha would learn how to read when she reached the age of eight. But through Agatha’s own will and way, she learned reading when she was five years old. Her education was very diverse. She had varied tutors. She had part-time education. She also enrolled in French schools. Agatha also even had training in singing and playing the piano. But because she was shy like her mother, she was not able to make it as her career (ACL, 2008). Agatha’s father passed away when she was eleven years old. Because of this incidence, she became more intimate to her mother. When Frederick was gone, Clara started to travel a lot. There were times that she would bring Agatha with her trips. This had become the beginning of Agatha’s passion for traveling (ACL, 2008). Agatha was eventually married to a man named Archie Christie. It was a Christmas Eve of 1914. Archie was an aviator during World War I. Even her husband was at the war, Agatha kept herself busy. She became a nurse. During the times that she was working in hospital, she had thought to write a novel. Her first novel was titled â€Å"The Mysterious Affairs at Styles. † She was bale to finish the novel in just a year. However, it took her several years before her book was published. Agatha received an exceptional review in Pharmaceutical Journal for this novel (MysteryNet, 2005). Agatha had a daughter was born on 1919. Her daughter was named Rosalind. However, in 1926, Agatha also faced some challenges in her personal life. Clara died and Agatha also had her first marriage divorced (ACL, 2008). In 1930, she went on a vacation in Iraq. She was already 40 years old by that time. In this vacation, Agatha met a man named Max Mallowan. Max was an archeologist and was fourteen years younger than her. Also in that year, Agatha and Max got married. From time to time, Agatha helped out in some archeological activities of her husband. Nevertheless, she continued writing novels and short stories even she was on a trip (Jonasson, 2000). Agatha Christie had written almost 70 novels and a hundred or more short stories (Jonasson, 2000). â€Å"Evil under the Sun†, â€Å"Hercule Poirot’s Christmas†, and â€Å"Murder on the Orient† are just few among the stories she had published. Her most famous character Miss Marple appeared in the book â€Å"The Murder at the Vicarage† which was published on 1930. Agatha Christie also wrote for a stage play and it became very popular. It was titled â€Å"The Mousetrap† (Simkin, 1997). She even had become the Dame Commander of British Empire in 1971. On 12th of January 1976, Agatha Christie died, leaving a flourishing career and wonderful life (Simkin, 1997). List of References Agatha Christie Limited. (2008) The Queen of Crime: Biography [Internet]. London, ACL. Available from: http://www. agathachristie. com/about-christie/the-queen-of- crime/biography/ [Accessed 6 November 2008]. Jonasson, R. (2000) Agatha Christie [Internet]. The Icelandic Homepage. Available from: http://www. simnet. is/jonasson/agatha/ [Accessed 6 November 2008]. MysteryNet. (2005) Agatha Christie [Internet]. Available from:http://christie. mysterynet. com/ [Accessed 6 November 2008]. Simkin, J. (1997) Spartacus Educational [Internet]. Available from: http://www. spartacus. schoolnet. co. uk/WRchristie. htm [Accessed 6 November 2008].

Performance Appraisal Essay Example for Free

Performance Appraisal Essay Performance Appraisal is a formal management system that provides for the evaluation of the quality of an individual’s performance in an organization, and is usually prepared by the employee’s immediate supervisor, and the procedure typically requires the supervisor to fill out a standardized assessment form that evaluates the individual on several different dimensions and then discusses the result of the evaluation to the employee (Grote, 2002). According to Grote, too often, performance appraisal is seen merely as a once-a-year drill mandated by the personnel department, but in organizations that take performance appraisal seriously and use the system well, it is used as an ongoing process and not merely as an annual event. To obtain the best information possible if performance appraisal data must be used, four phase model of performance appraisal must be used, and these are through, performance planning, performance execution, and performance review. In performance planning, this is usually set at the beginning of the year, the manager and individual get together for a performance-planning meeting in which they discuss what a person will achieve over the next 12 months. In the performance execution, the manager provides coaching and feedback to the individuals to increase the probability of success and creates the condition that motivate and resolves any performance problems that arise and in the midway through the year, they meet to review the individual’s performance thus far against the plans and goals that they discussed in the performance planning meeting (Grote, 2002). In performance assessment, the manager reflects on how well the subordinate has performed over the course of the year, assembles the various forms of paperwork that the organization provides to make this assessment, and fills them out, and the manager also recommend a change in individual’s compensation based on the quality of the individuals work (Grote, 2002). The completed assessment form is then reviewed and approved by the appraiser’s boss, department head, or the compensation manager. In performance review, the manager and the subordinate meet, usually about an hour, and they review the appraisal form that the manager has written and talked about how well the person performed over the past 12 months, and at the end of the review meeting, they set a date to meet again to hold a performance-planning discussion for the next 12 months, at which point the performance management process anew (Grote, 2002). Self-ratings fit to this approach in the way that, it is needed by the manager in the performance assessment to be able to fully evaluate the employee.

Precision System Inc Essay Example for Free

Precision System Inc Essay The decision that the group would take is to implement a web-based ordering system that would allow customers to configure their orders in accordance with the specification that they want. Through this the data entry error will decrease. The necessary steps for planning the implementation of a web-based ordering system are stated bellow. The first step in implementing this course of action is to determine the objectives of the company. As for our PSI it aims to reduce its error in order entry stage of the business process. The company should also take into account the customers that will be using the website so that we can better design it in accordance with their characteristics and the data information that they would provide as deemed necessary to process an order. We should also take into account the constraints of creating a website such as bandwidth so that we can properly take this into account in the design phase of the website construction. The second step is to construct metrics that will help in determining the success or the failure of the selected course of action. Such metrics for PSI includes that the incremental cost for the web-based ordering system should not be more than 15.72% of the estimated annual failure cost. This will help the company evaluate whether the investment is fulfilling its intended purpose or not. The third step is to define system specifications. PSI should identify the features that can be done through the website which comprises of the ordering features for the goods sold by the company. PSI should also specify business requirements which are as follows: customer may change or cancel their order one week from the required delivery date of the equipment after which the order is said to be final, the allowed mode of payments will also be identified, the maximum and minimum orders needed for a certain transaction, and all other policies that the company wants to implement. PSI should not forget to identify the role of the customers in this web-base ordering system which is imputing their order specifications and sending the request for the order through the said website. We can use site map or written system requirements depending on the complexity of the specifications the company aims to make. Lastly, we need to identify the infrastructure needed for the system if there is any. The forth step is building a content map. It is where we actually identify the text, pictures, sounds, database, and any data form that will be contained in the website that PSI aims to create. The data should be match with the firms’ specifications so that the content will be appropriate for its intended purpose. It is but necessary in this stage to identify the person who will be responsible for the implementation of this website. PSI should also identify the persons who has the authority to alter the data in the website. To ensure everything is in its proper place, a content plan should be develop. The fifth and final step is the identification of management and maintenance personnel. PSI should identify the person who will be responsible for the overall system so that the website operations can properly be monitored. The maintenance personnel should also be identified due to the fact that we would rather not let the website stale and lose the return on investment that we might have generated if resources were properly use. After the stated steps above, we can now operationalize the plan we have formulated above so that we can actually have a website that will be able to take the orders of our customers. The steps to be followed under the implementation phase would be stated bellow. The first thing to do is to find a vendor who will create the website for the company at the least amount of economic outflow without sacrificing its quality. In here, PSI and the vendor company should list the tasks assigned to each party so that there is no redundancy of work. The list of tasks should include the date and time of implementation so that we can ensure that the necessary task to be performed is being accomplished. The second step is preparing the company for change which is not an easy thing to do. People in the organization especially those who might lose their job or have a hard time coping with new systems being installed would naturally oppose such a change. That is why a considerable time should be spent to ensure that the people of the organization is ready for any alteration in their normal work environment. The employees of PSI which are currently in the order entry department won’t be fired but their responsibility will no longer include that of encoding the orders of the company. The third step is to inform the customers with the web-based ordering system because they are also one of the stakeholders for the change that we are going to implement. Informing them of the modifications will hopefully get them on-board with our decision which will make the implementation of the change easier on the companies part. Lastly, we should track our results and modify operations for necessary improvement. We will track the results of the project by comparing the actual from the metrics develop in the planning phase of the study. Through this, we will know where we are and where we are suppose to be. If we are far from our goals we need to check what we are doing wrong and fine-tune the operations. This cycle of improvements never ends as business of today always seeks for improvement.