Whi Is Ihrm Such an Important Issue for Mne’s ?

Why is IHRM such an important issue for MNE’s? International Human Resources Management is the process of procuring, allocating, and effectively utilizing human resources in a multinational corporation. It is born thanks to globalization and to the growth of multinational enterprises all around the world. Globalization and the effective use of international human resources are two major issues facing firms in today’s global economy. As more and more firms operate internationally, there is a clear need to understand how to manage human resources that are located outside the domestic environment.A HRM system cannot be an efficient approach for a multinational enterprise (MNE) to optimize their employees’ performances because compared to IHRM: it has less HR activities, a smaller perspective, less involvement in employees’ personal lives, and difficulties to adapt to the workforce mix (expatriates and locals). Indeed, an MNE has to deal with different types o f employees: * Host-country Nationals (HCNs): locals of a country a MNE operates in a subsidiary. * Parent-country Nationals (PCNs): expatriates from the country where the MNE has its headquarters. Third country Nationals (TCNs): employees from countries other than the host or home country. These are also expatriates. The correlation between HCNs and PCNs in an MNE is crucial because they both have different points of view about the activity. HCNs are useful thanks to their knowledge of foreign market, language and needs and they know human resources policies for local employees, whereas PCNs have the ability to maintain control (for example with a newly established subsidiary), to adapt an ethnocentric attitude and to process an expatriation management (staffing, training, compensation).An IHRM system is a product of distinct activities, functions and processes that are directed at attracting, developing and maintaining the human resources of a MNE. Indeed, IHRM seeks to assist org anizations to make the most effective use of their human resources in the international context. Schuler said: â€Å"IHRM for many firms is likely to be critical to their success, and effective IHRM can make the difference between survival and extinction for many MNEs†. This quote means that an MNE has different choices for its IHRM approach.The four generic IHRM orientations of MNEs: ethnocentric, polycentric, geocentric, and regiocentric, introduced by Perlmutter (1969) and Perlmutter and Heenan (1979), are widely recognized. * In an ethnocentric approach, the MNE exports the home HRM system abroad. Strategic decisions are made at the headquarters and subsidiaries are managed by expatriates. Like Porter said: â€Å"In a global industry, a firm must integrate its activities like HRM on a worldwide basis to capture the linkages among countries†. * An MNE with a polycentric approach adapts to the local HRM system that the local companies use.Foreign subsidiaries have a large autonomy and HCNs fill the senior positions. HCNs are more likely to be promoted to positions at headquarters. * In a geocentric approach, the MNE takes a worldwide approach to its operations: employees can be promoted to senior positions in both headquarters and subsidiaries according to their capabilities, regardless of nationality and location. * The regiocentric approach is similarly to the geocentric approach, but senior managers enjoy regional rather than global autonomy in decision-making.Each of these four approaches has certain advantages and disadvantages. The choice of approaches to IHRM depends on the interaction of home-country factors, host-country factors and firm characteristics. The firm has to adapt its HRM activities to each host country’s specific requirements. It is also linked to cultural environment, like Hofstede said: â€Å"Culture awareness from senior and middle management is essential†. The location of the country is one aspect of the context in which MNEs operate.The home-country factors include home HRM systems and domestic political, legal, economic and sociocultural factors. These factors impact on IHRM through their influence on a firm’s characteristics. Organizations in one country might thus share many similarities while being essentially different from those headquartered in other countries. According to Ferner (1997), even the most global companies remain deeply rooted in the national business systems of their country of origin. Without any internal or external influence, an MNE would export all of its own home HRM system to subsidiaries.IHRM is definitely an essential issue for MNEs because it depends on it to avoid barriers of distance, language, time and culture between employees, which often make it very difficult for managers to resolve conflicts. Nowadays, we can still wonder if it is possible to develop a generic IHRM model that could be widely applicable. â€Å"IHRM is of fundamental impo rtance in realizing an efficient and effective multinational organization because it enables the firm to deal with control and cross-cultural issues that are both internal and external to the firm† (Adler and Ghadar 1990).

Character Traits of Frair Lawerance Essay

In the play Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence is one of the characters with an amazing personality. Friar Lawrence character is shown as trustworthy, friendly, and a helpful man. The first trait of Friar Lawrence’s personality is him being honest and trustworthy. When talking to Romeo Friar Lawrence says â€Å"But come, young waverer, come, go with me. In one respect I’ll thy assistant be† (A.2.3.96-97). By telling this to Romeo Friar Lawrence is telling him that he can be trusted to marry him to Juliet. Also Romeo and Juliet believe he will keep their marriage a secret, that why they trust him. Friar Lawrence could have told both the Montague’s and the Capulet’s that their children are getting married to each other. Instead Friar had kept his word, and not saying anything because he thought maybe the two households would become closer. â€Å"For this alliance may so happy prove to turn your household’s rancor to pure love†(A.2.3.98-99). Everyone trusts Friar with their secretes, by confessing to him†. This is another way Shakespeare shows that Friar is very trusted. Friar Lawrence is also a friendly man. He is friendly because he cares about Romeo and Juliet’s problems. He is a friend to Romeo because he talks to him daily. In one conversation with Romeo Friar says â€Å"I’ll give thee armor to keep off that word, adversity’s sweet milk. Philosophy, to comfort thee, though art banished† (A.3.3.57-59). This shows that Friar Lawrence is a friend because he tries to comfort Romeo. He also says he will protect him. By comforting and protecting Romeo Friar shows the quality of a good friend. Friar is also a helpful man when Romeo comes to Friar in a desperate need to marry; he helps him by marrying Romeo to Juliet. â€Å"Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast†. Friar Lawrence attempts to tell Romeo to take his decision carefully. Also when Juliet had no one else was left to save Juliet form getting married to Paris. Friar Lawrence was the one who helped Juliet, when she comes to see him, by making a scheme to fake her death so she will not need to marry Paris.

Animal Farm in England

Animal Farm in England Today animals celebrate an heroic victory against the odds. They were never expected to be able to outsmart and out muscle the men. Earlier reports had indicated that the farm’s previous owner, Mr Jones, had been forced out of the farm one night after he forgot to feed his animals. To regain ownership of the farm Jones and his fellow neighbours have planned to attack the farm. The catalyst was apparently the claim that Jones and his men had heard rumours that the animals from the farm were bleating â€Å"The only good human being is a dead one†. Reports suggest that Jones was expecting to catch the animals off guard but the animals had other ideas. According to the animals all the men were armed with sticks except for Jones, who had a gun. As the men approached, the animals prepared to go into battle. Once the men were close enough to pose a threat, the animals first line of defence was to attack. Although the men easily fended off the geese and the pigeons this was apparently part of the animals plan to lure the men into thinking the animals would be an easy beat. The animals then launched their second attack which included Snowball their leader, the sheep and the goats. Once again the men were too powerful with their weapons and the animals were forced to retreat back into their yard. Whilst the animals retreated the men started celebrating their efforts, but what they didn’t realise, was that the animals still had further plans up their sleeves. As the men forced the animals further into their yard the three horses, the three cows and the rest of the pigs appeared from the cowshed. The men suddenly found themselves cut off. The animals led by Snowball then charged at the men from all angles creating havoc. First Snowball took down Jones and then blind panic reigned as the other men desperately tried to find a way to escape the yard. According to human sources all the men who were forced to accept defeat escaped, apart from a young stable-lad who was stomped on and reportedly accidentally killed by a horse known as Boxer. It iss said that Snowball had been studying an old Julius Caesar novel, which documented Caesar’s previous campaigns. Undoubtedly this was pivotal to the animal’s success. A funeral was held at Animal Farm for the single sheep which Jones had killed with his gun. During the funeral Snowball emphasized the fact that all the animals had to be ready to die for Animal Farm if need be. The battle has unofficially been named ‘The Battle Of The Cowshed’, as this was where the fight was based. Despite attempting to seek comment from Mr Jones, he was not willing to provide his version of events in relation to the battle. This appears to be an evolving story and we will attempt to keep you informed of further information as it comes to light.

The Confucian Relationship of Parent and Child Essay

The Confucian Relationship of Parent and Child - Essay Example The following part of the text i.e. ‘The wife of Feng Yen’ however depicts the sketch of a highly unorganized and inflexible lady. All the reasons why her husband hats her and now wants to divorce her are mentioned in the text. To summarise, we can say that both the characters sketched in the two parts of the text are poles apart and it's hard to find any similarity between them. In my opinion, the mutual bond of love and caring between a mother and a child is very important for the better development and grooming of the child. As the famous saying goes â€Å"Give me good mothers and I’ll give you good nations†. One thing about the world that would never change is the love in the heart of a mother for his children. This relation is still viable in the world of today. The main responsibilities of a mother as highlighted in the Confucian text include; finding the best nurturing surroundings and atmosphere for her child. This includes the kind of friends he/she interacts with, the school he/she attends, how he/she studies and how much does he/she apply that knowledge to his/her daily life. However, If one’s mother is disoriented as the mother sketched in the second part of the text, it is impossible for her child to become a good human being. Ignorance on the mother’s part leads to a disaster eventually. It not only destroys her life but also the life of her family members. Her children are not likely to value filial relationships. This is the case in Western households, where both the parents and children are ignorant of each other and indulged into activities such as drinking and gambling. Whereas, the Eastern households value these relationships and share strong bonds within families.  Ã‚     

Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Case Synopses - KAPAI NEW ZEALAND Essay

Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Case Synopses - KAPAI NEW ZEALAND - Essay Example And the products should not be similar to those that are available in the other restaurants. The interior of the restaurants also was clearly describing that how much the founders are in touch with an eco-friendly environment. In case of the interiors also, James and Justin had a different opinion. And their prices were such that even a single item will not cost more than that of the present minimum wages. The menu choices were like DIY (Do It Yourself). That means the restaurant will provide the different items to the customer and they themselves have to mix the items and fill it to eat. Through this the customers can understand the items used in the salad and can also have a choice in the ingredients. A wide variety of foods are available such as soup, honey, hot cakes, juice etc. The staffs got a shift of 2 to 4 hours per day. So the university students were also working as staff on part time basis. The growth of Kapai is resulted from the local support; this is because they depen ded mostly on the local suppliers. The extraordinary performance leads them to a high profit and thus, James started drawing a salary as an office staff. Since, the demand for the fast food was very high and a number of competitors such as Mc Donald’s, Domino’s, and Pizza Hut already existed, Kapai had to boost up their business. The more usage of fast food led to an over-weighted society and people started behaving very health conscious. All the restaurants tried to balance the fast food and salad items. But the health parts were ignored. The main competitor is a salad store called Reload. The urge to open the franchise increased in their minds. But the competition was very stiff. So the decision was taken to reduce the overhead costs and other expenses. And they planned to start the franchise at their preferred location. Kapai always had the first mover advantage and they wanted the people to accept it as their own. ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGES Every entrepreneur had to face some sort of challenge during their business life. This is because risk is inherent in each business. From the very stage, where the idea was generated for the venture to be closed down the challenge had to be faced. The possible challenge is â€Å"Finance, management† (Richter Meyer, 2003) for the firm i.e., naming of the firm, staff selection etc. In this case, the challenge is more like when they were running the business rather than in the start-up stage. A number of players were existing in the fast food industry in New Zealand and all of them were having a number of outlets and they were very successful entrepreneurs such as KFC, Mc Donald’s, Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut etc. Even though there were a lot of competitors who existed, Kapai could succeed only because they have studied the eating habit of the people and accordingly started their business and earned relatively a good profit. The next thing is that about the location for the next two stores . Their prices for each food were lower than the minimum wage rate of the country and thus the revenue-expense part was a challenge. This is because they had to pay the rent for the building, employee’s salary, purchasing of vegetables etc. Moreover, they were mostly depended on the local suppliers and tried to serve bio-degradable packaged salads and the availability

International Relations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International Relations - Assignment Example etwork groups, organizations, movements or individuals who has sufficient powers to influence international relations, though they are not part of any recognized institution of a state1. 2. Defining terrorism is difficult as the motives, methods, and targets of terrorism differ greatly from group to group and case to case. However, in common terms, terrorism is the systematic use of powerful terrorization mostly for achieving political, religious, linguistic, racial, ethnical or ideological motives. Also, it involves lot of complexity since understanding the commonness in each category is also almost impossible. The most of the disparity in defining terrorism lies in describing terrorist motivations. As an attempt to solve this, several definitions are tried by specifically addressing the motives of terrorist groups2. 3. Uncivil networks are the result of governmental failure with regard to political equality or equality of influence in the political process; social equality or equality in wealth, education, and social status; equality of opportunity or equality in chances for success; and equality of outcome. Power of uncivil networks was proved in 1996, where such uncivil networks attained several successes in every endeavor involved by them like human rights, terror, transnational crime and insurgency3. 4. Human trafficking is a serious crime in which people are deceived, sold and exploited for forced labor, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, street crime, organ sale or human sacrifice. Several men, women or children are exploited by the traffickers from their own country or abroad. Human trafficking is a serious violation of human rights. Most of the countries have begun their fight against human trafficking. Recently, USA’s secretary of state John Kerry has stated from annual trafficking in persons (TIP) report that around 46000 victims of human trafficking are exposed to the world. Though, it is expected that around 27 million people are enslaved

Recruitment and selection for an IT manager&#8207 Essay

Recruitment and selection for an IT manager‏ - Essay Example It has once been said that the human resource in an organization can either make or destroy the organization. If the people factor of an organization is well managed then success is evident and the opposite is also true. The human resource department has the responsibility of hiring and firing employees, paying, controlling, disciplining and awarding employees (Williams, 2001). The department controls and manages the people factor in an organization by setting policies that regulate and direct the human resource. These policies often have a regal implication. The implication may be skewed to the positive thereby enabling the hiring and maintenance of an efficient workforce. However, the policies may be skewed to the negative thereby posing a potent legal risk for the organization. This paper seeks to highlight the implication of human resource policies that rely on positive action as a means of means of recruitment and selection (Kay & Banfield, 2008). Human resource policies may be construed to refer to the set of systematic codified decisions institutionalized by and organization to aid in the administration of the human factor in the organization. The policies also aid in the management of performance, management of employee relations and the human resource planning function. ... Employee expectations of the company Company expectations of the employees Nature of the organization The working of policy and procedure in the organization Acceptable and unacceptable behavior Penalties and repercussions of unacceptable behavior The organization therefore uses these policies to hire workforce. The policies differ from one organization top another. The hiring process starts from the advertisement of the vacancy to the preferred candidate being given the letter of appointment (Transit Cooperative Research Program et al, 2002). Using the policies, each organization has its individual strategy that it uses to hire the best and highly competent workers. This paper seeks to highlight the recruitment and selection strategy that can be applied in the recruitment of an IT manager. Amongst a myriad of strategies, the in-house recruitment strategy is discussed and the entire process highlighted as well thereby showing its pros and cons. The paper will start with offering a background to the recruitment and selection strategy before submitting a critical review of recruitment and selection strategy i.e. the in-house recruitment strategy. 2.0 Background to the Recruitment and Selection Strategy The in-house recruitment strategy is often preferred by majority of the organizations. It often employed by the larger employers who prefer to carry out their own in-house recruitment (Williams, 2001). They do this using their human resource departments sometimes in coordination with recruitment agencies. In-house recruiters often advertise job positions that are vacant mostly on their official website or any other media

Police Patrol & Different Patrol Programs in New York Assignment

Police Patrol & Different Patrol Programs in New York - Assignment Example For the most part, most people will meet up with the police on the streets or highways, when stopped for traffic infractions. Therefore, in downtown areas, it is good to have another presence, that of the police officer who is available to the public and who provides more a level of protection rather than of fear. Introduction Police departments in any city maintain their presence through a number of ways: foot patrols, bicycle patrols, patrolling neighborhoods in squad cars or motorcycles, and in some areas, horse patrols. The patrol system is the means by which the police are able to interact with the communities they serve and build relationships of trust and respect (Craven 2009). When neighbors in a community get to know who is patrolling their sector, then they are far more likely to confide in the members of the police that they see on an almost daily basis (Shelden 2003). Generally, members of the police department are assigned to a ‘beat’ which means they get to know the area through its streets, buildings, businesses, and homes that are part of the individual’s sector of patrol (Hunter & Barker 2011). Accordingly, as part of this beat, police officers get to know the people who live and work in the area and are able to build relationships with local people. ... As large cities had numerous neighborhoods to contend with, as well as business districts, the police were required to walk their beats which also provided opportunities to get to know the people in their area (Craven 2009). In the early days of foot patrols, this was the preferred method of patrolling the beats until bicycles, and then cars, were utilized. Bicycles allowed the police officer to get to one area of his beat to the next spot quicker than ever before. When the automobile was brought into the patrol system, then the police could get around in any weather and go wherever needed, at any time, as well as be able to transport prisoners (Hunter & Barker 2011). It also provided a sense of protection for the police officer, particularly in dangerous areas. Some cities also had the horse patrols in earlier years although maintaining horses could be somewhat expensive. As a consequence, horse patrols were used more often for ceremonial purposes than the actual police beat. New Yo rk City is famous for having a horse division for some of its patrol sectors (Cordner & Scarborough 2010). In other areas of the United States, the motorcycle is the alternative to the car patrol and is more likely to be a part of ceremonial processions rather than horses. 2.Traditional policies in community relations refer to engaging with the public in the various communities which are patrolled on a regular basis. There are several levels of community operations and interactions: individual, as a group and also, as political actors, whereby the police tend to represent those who are in legislature of the city or state under which they work (Hunter & Barker 2011). While the police officers can maintain a friendly attitude towards members

The Rule of St. Benedict and the Prayer of St. Francis Essay

The Rule of St. Benedict and the Prayer of St. Francis - Essay Example The monastic tradition, through the history of the Church, has gone through drastic changes and the religious rules of the monastic people were formulated by the monastic traditions of each period. The Rule of St. Benedict was the most prominent religious rule in the sixth century which was formulated according to the demands of the time. There was drastic change in the way the religious rules of monasticism were formulated and the views regarding such rules changed from one monastic tradition to another. A comparative analysis of the selection of readings from the Rule of St. Benedict and the Prayer of St. Francis drawn from the Christian Monastic tradition in the textbook explicitly suggests the different contexts of the monastic tradition. It is most essential to consider that both of these texts, despite their apparent differences, make sense in the context of the monastic traditions as they reveal the characteristics of the religious rules concerning monasticism in the various p eriods of Church history. The selection from the Rule of St. Benedict which belongs to the first half of the sixth century tells about the rules concerning excommunication for faults and it hints the severity of the religious rules of the period. The Rule of St.

Evergreen Naturals Market Essay Example for Free

Evergreen Naturals Market Essay There were numerous factors that contributed towards the constant success of Evergreen Natural Markets. The company’s methodology towards growth and expansion is one of the integral factors. Where most companies seek to grow by re-investing their profits back into their businesses (ploughing back), Evergreen adopted a more radical approach by acquiring other competing companies or companies that show potential of growing rapidly. Evergreen designed a strategy that was twofold in nature. By bringing in rival companies under the Evergreen umbrella, the approach simply eliminated any competition, increased the resources and financial base and made it easier for Evergreen to have a wider scope and reach. Granted, acquisitions have issues with integration of management and operations. However, this approach has been steadily used by Evergreen, and this has resulted in its prosperity as an organic food distributor. As the latest addition to the Evergreen umbrella, Aragula Grocers serve to make the effect of the mother company increasingly widespread. The recent acquisition can allow the company to lower its prices and engage in aggressive marketing that will make Evergreen more successful. 2. Why do stores improve their performance after being acquired by Evergreen? The main reason for the increased performance after joining the Evergreen was the approach adopted by Evergreen. On the surface, they may seem like clear acquisitions. However, the acquired stores are allowed to maintain their functional systems and procedures. In this way, Evergreen owns the stores but allows them to continue operating in the same way. The slight modifications that at times were made on the administration and management included branding, change in sales approach, and other minor issues. Using the operational systems of the different stores, Evergreen was able to utilise their combined efforts and attain massive profits. On the other hand, the smaller stores also got to prosper under the Evergreen because of two arch factors. One was the fresh infusion of capital and administrative support provided by Evergreen. Evergreen offered increased investment opportunities by providing the capital, human resources, and other assistance. The second factor was an advantage of working under a larger company that allows one to work without much competition from the outside. 3. How well does the acquisition of Arugula Grocers align with Evergreen’s established approach to integrating new stores? What modifications, if any, should Norton make? The acquisition of Aragula Grocers is an advantageous addition to the Evergreen group as it offered new opportunities in Nevada, Las Vegas. However, several modifications would serve to improve the situation in their relations. Firstly, Mrs. Norton should introduce more effective communication measures that will ensure that the link between Evergreen and Aragula Grocers is not severed. It was discovered that the link between these two parties was weak, and this will lead to confusion and dilution of the vision of the mother company. Secondly, Norton also needed to rectify the financial status of the store before investing in it seriously. Aragula Grocers was acquired amid a series of financial issues and complications that showed signs of mismanagement. Adopting these problems will lead to failure of the store and eventually, losses for Evergreen. Mrs. Norton should also consider making modifications to the management style in Aragula Grocers. The changes should reflect the three proposals that she made concerning all acquisitions under Evergreen. These changes involved investing in improving human resources, maintaining the local setting, and caring about the welfare of the employees and customers. These three proposals would serve to change the atmosphere and approach taken by the Aragula management as they start operations under Evergreen.

Benefits of Art in Education

Benefits of Art in Education In the following text will be announcement about art and how it influences in develop of creativity and intelligence in the kids. The human being always has been in contact with the art since we were born for that reason art has a huge impact in us. Each people born with innate ability of create but with the pass of the years this has lost. When we incorporate art in academic develop the students have a best interpersonal relationship and also their brain development is better. In addition the implementation of art in the schools have been increasing obtaining excellent results to academic level and also there is a new technical for better our education system across of games. This technical is called ludic learning that is based in games of this forms the students can learning better are be more outgoing also put more attention in their classes because they are not stressful nor boring. There they develop their creativity and imagination. For this reason, art is fundamental for grow th intellectual in the kids. Since every human being had born with an innate ability of imagination and create. For that reason art, music, even sports always they were with us. The obsolete education system leaves aside our innate ability of relationship and its focus on the critical and rational thing. Subjects like mathematics, chemistry and physics have greater relevance than art, music and sports but this will change. All the people around the world are completely different is for this reason we need different form of teach because each people learn of different way. Art is a fundamental tool for better in the intellectual growth of the children. The actual schools should founded the develop of art in the classes because of this form the kids can better their abilities like reason and their creativity and this away could be in the future a excellences people that they have good interpersonal relationship and also be good professionals. Art could be work it since a very young age because it encourages develop childrens brain. Allowing them develop right hemisphere and so to have a vast intelligence to expand others skills like relationship between people, capacity for to lean others languages, even their self-esteem is better. Also, art acts positively in the life of the people because many people have fallen in drug addition, vandalism between others, but they have been able leave this thanks the positively encourage of art. When we grow up lost our innate skills of imagine and create, but if we develop the abilities of children since very young with games, paintings, etc. They can better these abilities. According to the National Institutes of Health, developmental milestones around age three should include drawing a circle and beginning to use safety scissors. Around age four, children may be able to draw a square and begin cutting straight lines with scissors. Many preschool programs emphasize the use of scissors because it develops the dexterity children will need for writing. For this way we can improving their develop of brain and have a better education though art. ( Lynch, G. 2012) A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three days each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement. To participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate. (Lynch, G. 2012). When the art is in the schools the students are more relaxed because across of art they can express their ideas and feel more rested. Nowadays our interpersonal relationship is broken because the people prefer their computer or use internet. But this can change across the art. Art is the door of our things and feelings. Many people cannot have a good relationship with words, this was because when they was children cannot express their feelings but if we teach kids others ways to express their feelings we can improve the interpersonal relationship. According to choreographer, Diana F. Green (2015) Art like dance uses the body as an instrument the body could be a form to express their feelings and for this way they improving their emotional intelligence. Current research have revealed the importance of the arts implementation in the schools as tool for intellectual growth in kids. In fact, the artistic disciplines are involved in pedagogical practices. They infuse the creative think in the children. Besides this develops a deep think, less systematic. Likewise, the children can find many ways for resolve a problem because art is joined with creativity and further enhances growth of the intellectual development. There are many researches that exposes that children influenced for music have better grades in their schools. An article published in 2009 by Kimberly L. music and apprenticeship show that neuroscience society found some areas of our brain that involve movement and coordination are better in musical people and less in common people. In addition many experts recommend to parents make listen classic and harmonic music to their children. Of this away their sensory, emotional and auditory teaches is developed. Through of time the education system has been changed. For this reason countries like Finland has art, music and sports involved the academic life of the students. They since have started their studies have a lot of hours for developing their imagination and creativity through of paint, play an instrument, write and others. Also, it has been implemented a new art of teaching called playful learning. This new form of teaching is based on touch with games. It makes the kids learn very quickly and better. In the same way, has been inserted in the school this method is getting huge results. The students pay more attention and are very outgoing in classes because when they make games like teaching they are more open to learning and their stress levels are drastically reduced. Between these playful practices, art is always present because it allows to expand our skylines on the subject of teaching. According an article by the magazine Artz said demonstrates intelligences relation to creativity, one that is vital for not only understanding creative thinking, but for improving it. The creativity which encompasses art and imagination are tightly join to intelligence. At present it is not enough be only a genius, but also have the capacity to relate to people, of expanding your ideas, or create and invent. In addition many people around the world thing that art does not have any bonding with the intelligence but this is not correct because the artist people development more parts of their brain that ordinal people. Also, the art can take us away is so in the newspaper called el comercio it said Quito urban places has transform in a canvas of a new form of language (Flores G., 2016). Ecuador is changing its form of seeing this street art because art symbolizes for artist a form to express their feelings, a develop emotional intelligence. Is for that thanks to a lot of graffiti paintings in the capital has led Ecuador to be recognized internationally for its art. In conclusion, the human being always had a need to show that their feelings of different forms. For that we born with an innate ability to create that it is reflected in the art. However, art for many years was separate from intelligence because thought that they are things completely different. Nowadays, and thanks many researches and experiments had been determined that art and intelligent go hand in hand. It is more people do not just involve the science, but also their art. They develop do not only left hemisphere, but also right hemisphere. It gives them as result the increase of some abilities that with the pass of the years and for many factors they had lost it. In addition, many experts say that stimulating babies with music, art and others positively affects the brain of the children as it enhances the cognitive response of the right hemisphere. It is for this reason that the implementation of art as an aid to improve intelligence has been incorporated in schools where children from an early age are motivated with games, songs, paintings, etc. To learn from what they have obtained very good results because the students are more relaxed and pay more attention to a didactic class than an absolute. In addition, thanks to the involvement of art in schools, children are not only educated to be great professionals, but also develop as people because through art their ability to create and imagine, their interpersonal relationship improves are less systematic. Fortunately art is no longer left aside, but rather placed as an importance in the development of the child since it has come to take the place that corresponds because without art, without creativity the intelligence would not develop completely, in fact the Creativity allows us to look at other ways, other ways to reach the same goal, this is extremely important in the intelligence of the people because it allows us to be human beings with a greater reasoning and a criterion more vast when making decisions. References: Cooper, B. (2013, November 20). 8 Surprising Ways Music Affects and Benefits our Brains. . Retrieved November 19, 2016, from https://blog.bufferapp.com/music-and-the-brain. Flores, G. (2016, January 09) El arte urbano de Quito es reconocido internacionalmente. Retroceded November 19, 2016, from http://www.elcomercio.com/tendencias/arteurbano-quito-grafiti-warmipaint-detonarte.html Jurvetson, S. (2013, January 21). The relationship between creativity and intelligence. Retrieved November 19,2016, from http://creativesomething.net/post/41103661291/the-relationship-between-creativity-and Reyes, f. (2014, October 17). El aprendizaje là ºdico: una novedosa estrategia de capacitacià ³n. Retrieved November 19, 2016, Wai, j. (2011, April 12). If you are creative, are you also intelligent? Retrieved November 19, 2016, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/finding-the-next-einstein/201104/if-you-are-creative-are-you-also-intelligent. from https://sp-marketing.com/el-aprendizaje-ludico-como-estrategia-de-capacitacion/

Privacy on Social Networks Essay -- Security Privacy Web

This essay will discuss and critically analyse whether or not existing data protection laws protect the privacy of individuals whose personal information has been disclosed on social networking sites. Over the last decade social networking sites (SNS) have increased their popularity among the people. These SNS are mySpace, facebook, twitter, bebo etc. There are various reasons of people using these sites. However, majority of SNS users are those people who use these sites for social networking e.g. chatting with friends, sharing their interests etc. These SNS users do not only have data relating to them but also the data of third parties. Many of these users do not take care of other people’s personal information, for example, they share their family and friends information with other strange people. It is not that only SNS users do not take essential care of other’s personal information, SNS themselves seems uninterested to protect personal information of its users. One should know what personal information is according to data protection directive? According to (article 2 (a)) of the data protection Directive, the information that qualifies as personal information is â€Å"Information only qualifies as personal data if it directly or indirectly relates to an identified or identifiable natural person. In order to determine whether a person is identifiable, account should be taken of all the means likely to be reasonably used either by the controller or by any other person to identify the said person (recital 26). As a result, most information that is made available on a social network (messages, photos, personal preferences, lists of friends) qualifies as personal data†. (Eecke, P V., and Truyens, M, 2010) The relationship... ...ivacy [Accessed 23/11/2010]. Michells, S (2008) Teachers’ Virtual Lives Conflict With Classroom [Online] .Available from: http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=4791295&page=1 [Accessed 01/12/2010]. King, J., N and Jessen, W, P () Computer Law & Security Review: Profiling the mobile customer – Privacy concerns whe behavioral advertisers target mobile phones. [Online]. Volume 26, Issue 5, September 2010, Pages 455-478. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VB3-5148KHG-2&_user=7302582&_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2010&_rdoc=2&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_origin=browse&_zone=rslt_list_item&_srch=doc-info%28%23toc%235915%232010%23999739994%232448744%23FLA%23display%23Volume%29&_cdi=5915&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=13&_acct=C000010139&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=7302582&md5=53de92f66e34be4a93c2b10f879597a0&searchtype=a [Accessed 02/12/2010]. Privacy on Social Networks Essay -- Security Privacy Web This essay will discuss and critically analyse whether or not existing data protection laws protect the privacy of individuals whose personal information has been disclosed on social networking sites. Over the last decade social networking sites (SNS) have increased their popularity among the people. These SNS are mySpace, facebook, twitter, bebo etc. There are various reasons of people using these sites. However, majority of SNS users are those people who use these sites for social networking e.g. chatting with friends, sharing their interests etc. These SNS users do not only have data relating to them but also the data of third parties. Many of these users do not take care of other people’s personal information, for example, they share their family and friends information with other strange people. It is not that only SNS users do not take essential care of other’s personal information, SNS themselves seems uninterested to protect personal information of its users. One should know what personal information is according to data protection directive? According to (article 2 (a)) of the data protection Directive, the information that qualifies as personal information is â€Å"Information only qualifies as personal data if it directly or indirectly relates to an identified or identifiable natural person. In order to determine whether a person is identifiable, account should be taken of all the means likely to be reasonably used either by the controller or by any other person to identify the said person (recital 26). As a result, most information that is made available on a social network (messages, photos, personal preferences, lists of friends) qualifies as personal data†. (Eecke, P V., and Truyens, M, 2010) The relationship... ...ivacy [Accessed 23/11/2010]. Michells, S (2008) Teachers’ Virtual Lives Conflict With Classroom [Online] .Available from: http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=4791295&page=1 [Accessed 01/12/2010]. King, J., N and Jessen, W, P () Computer Law & Security Review: Profiling the mobile customer – Privacy concerns whe behavioral advertisers target mobile phones. [Online]. Volume 26, Issue 5, September 2010, Pages 455-478. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VB3-5148KHG-2&_user=7302582&_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2010&_rdoc=2&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_origin=browse&_zone=rslt_list_item&_srch=doc-info%28%23toc%235915%232010%23999739994%232448744%23FLA%23display%23Volume%29&_cdi=5915&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=13&_acct=C000010139&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=7302582&md5=53de92f66e34be4a93c2b10f879597a0&searchtype=a [Accessed 02/12/2010].

Comparing the Voice of Frost in Mending Wall, After Apple-Picking, and

The Voice of Frost in Mending Wall, After Apple-Picking, and The Wood-Pile    The "persona" narratives from the book - "Mending Wall," "After Apple-Picking," and "The Wood-Pile" - also strive for inclusiveness although they are spoken throughout by a voice we are tempted to call "Frost." This voice has no particular back-country identity, nor is it obsessed or limited in its point of view; it seems rather to be exploring nature, other people, ideas, ways of saying things, for the sheer entertainment they can provide. Unlike poems such as "Home Burial" and "A Servant to Servants," which are inclined toward the tragic or the pathetic, nothing "terrible" happens in the personal narratives, nor does some ominous secret lie behind them. In "The Wood-Pile," for example, almost nothing happens at all; its story, its achieved idea or wisdom, the whole air with which it carries itself, is quite unmemorable. A man out walking in a frozen swamp decides to turn back, then decides instead to go farther and see what will happen. He notes a bird in front of him and spends so me time musing on what the bird must be thinking, then sees it settle behind a pile of wood. The pile is described so as to bring out the fact that it has been around for some time. With a reflection about whoever it was who left it there, "far from a useful fireplace," the poem concludes. And the reader looks up from the text, wonders if he has missed something, perhaps goes back and reads it again to see if he can catch some meaning which has eluded him. But "The Wood-Pile" remains stubbornly unyielding to any attempt at ransacking it for a meaning not evidently on the surface. This surface is a busy one, as when the speaker meets the bird: A small bird flew be... ...essing it, when he has no audience to be bullied or flattered, when he is free, and speech takes one form and no other." Despite the presence of back-country characters and scenes in this "book of people," it is as a book of sentence sounds that it most truly exists, as a triumphant vindication of the poetic theory Frost had designed, and as a monument to how much could be accomplished by trusting to the rendering of speech. At the end of "Home Burial," the wife lashes out at her husband in exasperation: "You - oh, you think the talk is all . . ." But for the composer of these poems, the talk is all, whether that of his imagined characters or of himself speaking aloud. Works Cited Frost, Robert. "Mending Wall." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Julia Reidhead. 5th ed. 2 vols. New York: Norton, 1998. Frost: A Literary Life Reconsidered.

al capone :: essays research papers

Al Capone Thesis: From racketeering, bootlegging, and brotheling, Alphonse Capone is one of the most well known and influential gangsters in history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Al Capone, born to Gabriele and Teresina Capone, was born in Brooklyn, New York. At age 5 he starrted school at Public School no.7 on Adams street. Al’s school had outbreaks of violence. Male Students engaged in fist fights with female teachers. At age 14 he engaged in a fight between himself and a teacher. He was expelled and he never returned to school again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the biggest impacts on his life was when he and his family moved across town. This is where he would meet his wife, Mae and gangster Johnny Torrio. Al was exposed to Johnny Torrio because Johnny’s headquarters was only a few blocks away. Al earned pocket money by running errands for Johnny Torrio. â€Å"Torrio taught Capone the importance of leading an outwardly respectiable life to segregate his carreer from his home life, as if maintaining a peacefull, conventional domestic setting somehow excused or legitimized the venality of workingin the rackets. I was a form of hypocrisg that was second nature to Johnny Torrio and that taught Capone to honor† (A&E Biography. Al Capone, Scareface). Like youths of his time he ran in territorial gangs at first he was with the South Brooklyn Rippers, then the Forty Theives, and lastly the Five Point Juniors. Capone worked hard at boreing jobs he cut paper and other odd jobs. One of his jobshe worked at the Harward Inn as a barr tender and a bouncer. He became popular to his customersand his boss.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One day he waited tables on a young man and his female companion. She was Beautiful to the young Capone. He leaned over and told her, â€Å"Honey, you have a nice ass and I mean that as a compliment.† The young man hit Al. Al’s temper began to rise. The man pulled a knife and cut him three times in the face. The young man told Lucky Luciano what happened. Then Luciano went to Frankie Yale. Then Frankie, Luciano and the young man came together to dispence some justice on Capone. Capone ended up just appoligising to the man and the young woman. Frankie Yale liked Capone and decided to take him under his wing. He showed Capone strong arm tactics, bookkeepping, loan sharking, extortion, exacting tribute from pimps and bookmakers and also how to offer protection to local busisnesses. Al met Mae Loughlin and didn’t marry her until their child was born. Afterwards focused on a ligetiment carreer.

Analyzing the Argumentation and Persuasive Tactics in Song Lyrics Essay

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tupac Amaru Shakur also known as 2Pac or Makaveli was an American rapper. He is a successful recording artist in his genre of Rap, a successful film actor, and a social activist.   He was recognized in Guiness Book of World Records as the highest-selling rap artist with over 75,000,000 albums sold worldwide, including over 50,000,000 in United States.   Above all that achievement, his first album was entitled 2Pacalypse Now which was not successful and sold so few.   The single entitled â€Å"Keep Ya Head Up,† was one of the different singles that was included in the Top 10 Billboard Singles which was on 1993.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The single â€Å"Keep Ya Head Up† was one of the most played songs of 2Pac.   The song centered on being   able to fight violence and how to rise above abuse.   2Pac showed his compassionate side in this song which paved way for a significance in women’s attitude towards abuse.   2Pac has focused in this song the significance of hope and being able to pick up oneself after a hardship and abuse.   Just like the other songs of 2Pac, the single â€Å"Keep Ya Head Up† also aimed at the problems of young black females, growing up, violence, and hardship in racism problems.   He has emphasized the importance of keeping the head up and never giving up in spite the difficulties. Statement of Fact   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The song of 2Pac entitled â€Å"Keep Ya Head Up† has focused on being able to stand up after a fall and never lose hope.   It is evident in the song that hope is a major theme in it, as seen in these stanzas: â€Å"Baby don’t cry, you got to keep your head up even when the road is hard, never give up (you’ll be alright) Baby don’t cry, you got to keep your head up even when the road is hard, never give up (you’ll be alright).†Ã‚   2Pac has even emphasized the reality in what has been happening in the real world which is said as, â€Å"Now here’s a story bout a woman with dreams so picture perfect at thirteen, an ebony queen beneath the surface it was more than just a crooked smile nobody knew about her secret so it took a while I could see a tear fall down her black cheek sheddin quiet tears in the back seat; so when she asked me. What would you do if it was you?.†   Ã‚  As well in this lines, â€Å"Couldn’t answer such a horrible pain to live through I tried to trade places in the tragedy I couldn’t picture three crazed niggaz grabbin me For just a moment I was trapped in the pain, Lord come and take me Four niggaz violated, they chased and raped me Even though it wasn’t me, could feel the grief Thinkin with your brains blown that would make the pain go No! You got to find a way to survive cause they win when your soul dies.   The significance of the obvious oppression and abuse to women are seen in the society just given a bigger picture in this song. III. Argument   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2Pac’s song â€Å"Keep Ya Head Up† has open my mind to the importance of hope and never giving up in times of difficulties and hardship which was more focused in women’s abuse in this song that gives compassion to women in distress.   Different from other songs of 2Pac which tackled on ghettos and racism, this song of hope has even risen from other 2Pac’s singles.   This song has been a chart topper in the Billboards in the year 1993 which was obvious that the audience and people are aware and has given interest in the song â€Å"Keep Ya Head Up†, and people can relate to such issue of today. Definition of Terms: Ya – other word for â€Å"your† Hope – expectation and desire combined Keep – retain possession Niggaz – African American or Black Americans Refutation and Counterarguments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The song â€Å"Keep Ya Head Up† was a very inspiring song of hope and never giving up but has some deficiencies in it in it’s delivery of words and using inappropriate language of referring to   person like the ones mentioned in the song like: â€Å"nigga,† â€Å"niggaz,† and â€Å"wild-ass.†Ã‚   These languages are not appropriate for children and teens that will be listening to it and may give way for improper conduct due to lack of education to the right words to be said.   No question about the theme and purpose of the song but the point stressed is the courtesy of referring women in a decent and proper way.   No word greater than the word â€Å"woman, lady or girl,† is describable of. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2Pac’s purpose of the song â€Å"Keep Ya Head Up,† is greatly appreciated in spite of the words used.   In memory of Tupac Amaru Shakur or 2Pac who passed away last September 13, 1996 due to a shooting incident, his legacy will always be remembered and be always in our hearts as well as his songs left with us.   In the single â€Å"Keep Ya Head Up,† 2Pac’s compassion, hope, never giving up, and concern to women’s welfare was evident and seen in this perspective.   Together with Makaveli’s passing, was an honor of his achievements and continuous appreciation of his work and talents in music and being a social activists in human rights. Sources: Keep Ya Head Up Lyrics. Vibe Magazine November 1996 Issue. Baltake, Joe.   Tupac Taps Into Cultural Marvel, Sacramento Bee, November 14, 2003 P.TK26.

Palazzo Art History Essay

Context Few windows overlook the inner courtyard (â€Å"cortile†); the colonnaded walls are decorated on all sides by deep niches and blind windows, and the intervening surfaces are spattered by ‘spezzato’ (broken and blemished plaster) giving life and depth to the surfaces. Function pleasure palace, or Villa Suburbana Description terms four exterior faà §ades have flat pilasters against rusticated walls Intent pleasure palace, or Villa Suburbana Palazzo del Te or Palazzo Te is a palace in the suburbs of Mantua, Italy. It is a fine example of the mannerist style of architecture, the acknowledged masterpiece of Giulio Romano. The official name, and by far the most common name in Italian, is Palazzo Te, but this may be a relatively recent usage; Vasari calls it the â€Å"Palazzo del T† (pronounced as â€Å"Te†), and English-speaking writers, especially art historians, continue to call it the Palazzo del Te. In Italian this now suggests use for tea-drinking, which may account for the divergence in usage. HideDescription Palazzo del Te is a square building, constructed 1524-1534 for Federico II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua. He decided in 1524 to build a pleasure palace, or Villa Suburbana. The site chosen was that of the family’s stables at Isola del Te on the fringe of the marshes just outside Mantua’s city walls. The architect commissioned was Giulio Romano, a pupil of Raphael. The shell of the palazzo was erected within 18 months. It is basically a square house built around a cloistered courtyard. A formal garden complemented the house. This was enclosed by colonnaded outbuildings terminated by a semi-circular colonnade known as the ‘Esedra’. Like the Villa Farnesina in Rome, the suburban location allowed for a mixing of both Palace and Villa architecture. The four exterior faà §ades have flat pilasters against rusticated walls, the fenestration indicating that the piano nobile is on the ground floor with a secondary floor above. The East faà §ade differs from the other three by having Palladian motifs on its pilaster and an open loggia at its centre rather than an arch to the courtyard. The facades are not as symmetrical as they appear, and the spans between the columns are irregular. The centre of the North and South facades are pierced by two-storey arches without portico or pediment, simply a covered way leading to the interior courtyard. Few windows overlook the inner courtyard (â€Å"cortile†); the colonnaded walls are decorated on all sides by deep niches and blind windows, and the intervening surfaces are spattered by ‘spezzato’ (broken and blemished plaster) giving life and depth to the surfaces. Once the shell of the building was completed, for ten years a team of plasterers, carvers and fresco painters laboured, until barely a surface in any of the loggias or salons remained undecorated. Under Giulio Romano’s direction, local decorative painters such as Benedetto Pagni and Rinaldo Mantovano worked extensively on the frescos. These frescoes remain today and are the most remarkable feature of the Palazzo. The subjects range from Olympian banquets in the Sala di Psiche and stylised horses in the Sala dei Cavalli to the most unusual of all — giants and grotesques wreaking havoc, fury and ruin around the walls of the Sala dei Giganti. Mannerism’s most famous fresco: Giulio Romano’s illusionism invents a dome overhead and dissolves the room’s architecture in the Fall of the Giants. These magnificent rooms, once furnished to complement the ducal court of the Gonzaga family, saw many of the most illustrious figures of their era entertained such as the Emperor Charles V, who, when visiting in 1530, elevated his host Federico II of Gonzaga from Marquess to Duke of Mantua. One of the most evocative parts of the lost era of the palazzo is the Casino della Grotta, a small suite of intimate rooms arranged around a grotto and loggetta (covered balcony) where courtiers once bathed in the small cascade that splashed over the pebbles and shells encrusted in the floor and walls. In 1630 Mantua and the palace were sacked by invading forces, the remaining population fell victim to one of the worst plagues in history. The Palazzo was looted from top to bottom and remained an empty shell: nymphs, god, goddesses and giants remain on the walls of the empty echoing rooms. Part of the Palazzo today houses the Museo Civico del Palazzo Te, endowed by the publisher Arnoldo Mondadori. It contains a collection of Mesopotamian art.

Bmw Culture

With over 90 years in the industry the culture at BMW is an anomaly in the car manufacturing business. BMW teaches their employees the history of the company and their mission from day one. Problem times from years past are also told to the new employees. For example when the company was on the verge of bankruptcy in 1959 and was saved by a local business man, these mishaps are used as learning tools to stop history from repeating itself. Regardless of your job title all levels work together to create ideas to better the brand and product. The regular hierarchy that you see within a company is not an obstacle when voicing your thoughts and ideas. Team brainstorming is done on a regular basis and everyone’s input is valued. BMW was one of the first companies to offer profit sharing in Germany to its employees. The leadership at BMW is one the values the employees and listens to their ideas. The type of open door leadership BMW allows for employees to feel as if they have value to the company and its achievements. Informal powwows are used to brainstorm for ideas with all levels of employees. It is sometimes referred to as a freewheeling idea factory. Employees from all different departments are known to get together and work on a single project. This culture allows for employees to feel as if they are valued and that their ideas are appreciated. No one is looked down upon when they present an idea even if they are not as â€Å"high up† as the other people in the room. This allows for great ideas to be given and fostered. The work environment at BMW is so highly sought after that over 200,000 applications are received annually. The job characteristics model involves increasing the amount of skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback in a job. Three critical psychological states: (1) experienced meaningfulness of the tasks performed, (2) experience personal responsibility for tasks outcomes, and (3) knowledge of the tasks performed. Managers at BMW seldom have formalized training to learn their jobs. This forces them to work closely with other managers and their teams to figure out ways to improve the business. This is another example of how employees are tightly knight and feel as if their opinions matter. The line between management and subordinates is very thin. They work so closely together that the hierarchy is not as pronounced as in most companies. The heavy involvement of all employees increases productivity and job satisfaction. Organizational creativity is fostered at BMW in many ways. BMW looks to its workers to come up with ways to save the company money. Individuals whose ideas save the plant money receive bonuses. The more ideas you present the more money you earn. This pushes employees to come up with solid ideas that will benefit the company. This is a win win situation for both BMW and the employees. Satisfied and motivated employees are a vital part of BMW. Interdepartmental brainstorming is very common and they work closely to come up with ideas. People aren’t criticized for their ideas no matter how off the wall they might be. They are encouraged to think outside the box. The culture and work environment at BMW greatly influences the performance and production of its workers. Workers are so happy with their employment they are willing to work extra hours on heavy productions days and not get paid overtime. This practice is unheard of in most companies. Very rarely are employees willing to work extra hour and not be compensated with hour time pay. This is offset by the accrual of days off instead. Workers are also willing to move away from home for extended periods of time and work long hours. All of these things create job stability for the employees and help reduce layoffs. BMW is the leader in car customization. They are able to complete over 170,000 changes a month in their orders. This is unheard of in the car manufacturing industry. Such changes would set other manufacture back months but BMW is able to make the changes and stay on schedule due to the dedication of its employees. Other manufactures are looking to BMW to try to duplicate this process but have yet to reach this level. BMW is the leader of the pact when it comes to innovation and employees moral. More companies regardless of their industry need to follow this awesome example of teamwork. They would be able to produce more and spend less which is always the goal when running a business. After reading this case I see why over 200,000 people apply for a position there yearly. It seems like a great place to work and grow.

An Analytical Response to the 1978 film, F. I. S. T. Essay

The plot of the film basically revolve around the life of a worker who desperately seeks a better and a more comfortable life by working hard in a very low-paying job with a management who imposes very harsh and unjust rules and guidelines. The story also deals with the struggles of the workers to earn respect and the right and fair kind of treatment they deserve. The plot centers on the life and struggles of Johnny Kovac’s character which was played by Sylvester Stallone. The character was portrayed as a willful trucker who decided to join the Federation of Interstate Truckers (FIST) to fight and campaign for just treatments among all the country’s truckers like him (â€Å"F. I. S. T. 1987†). Through out the story, Kovac was challenged by a lot of more powerful individual since he was seen as a very strong threat to their deceptive intentions. He also received a lot of threats and physical tortures since he was actually fighting very powerful people. But despite all these challenges, Kovac was nevertheless able to prove that he is stronger than anyone who opposes his intentions to uplift the lives of simple truckers who just deserve fair treatment from their superiors. This was the major conflict and drive of the story. Kovac, as the main protagonist both serves as a hero and the base character of the story where all the other conflicts and highlights are based from. The story emphasized on Kovac’s principles and his efforts of fighting for their rights as truckers. Kovac and all the other characters in the story were portrayed to be simple and typical people with whom, viewers can easily empathize. However, his defeat and death at the end has put a rather distressing and saddening effect to the story. II. Issues The story was basically about the lives and struggles of truckers. Just like other workers, truckers have rights and privileges that they can demand from their superiors. However in this movie, the workers were rather treated unjustly by the management. They were given inadequate compensation and several unfair rules and regulations have been imposed on them. Kovac, as a trucker himself stood up and fought for his principles and afterwards fought for the influence of the labor union, FIST, which he became part of. The movie had a particular emphasis on the laborer’s rights and privileges. The unjust treatments to these workers portrayed in the film are one manifestation that in the real world, this undeserved treatment is also observable. Through the depiction of this issue it can be implied that some capitalist may really have been so fed up by their wealth that they forget that there are still other important things to consider aside from getting richer and this is the welfare of their workers. And because of this issue, the characters of the movie can be observed to seek for their rights and privileges in a rather aggressive way because of the unpleasant manner their company has used to treat them. The issues were basically about, (1) what implications can unjust treatment and deprivation of privileges causes workers; and (2) how well do labor unions actually help in eliminating the hostile relationships between workers and companies. And because this issue has been depicted to have taken all the patience of the workers, some of them have even developed stronger sense of selfishness and greed. Some also developed greed towards money. Kovac on the other hand became more and more obsessed of recruiting for member to join FIST since he wanted his mission and his intention to voice out the wants of the workers to be accomplished as early as he can. These implications may in some ways appear similar to the effects of unjust treatments to laborers people experience in real life. Just like in this film, people may indeed grow hostile and aggressive once their rights and privileges will be deprived of them. But nonetheless, if there is one lesson that this movie was able to send out, it is the fact that it is never just and acceptable to fight for one’s principle in destructive ways. III. Discussion In several ways, this movie appears to carry considerable significance to the real occurrences of unjust treatment among workers in the society. In real life, these incidents are undeniable that is why unions exist. However, the arguable thing is this movie is that Kovac and his other colleagues appeared to fight for what they believe in rather hostile and destructive ways which only made the situations worse. Aside from this, a lot of characters were also depicted to be deceived by wealth and power which made them turn their . backs to their moral perspectives. Thus, this can be considered as one of the moral threats unjust treatments can really cause an individual. In its entirety, the movie appears to be a total representation what goes on in a union and how its members fight for what they believe in. But what appears to be an upsetting and disturbing part of the story is the aggression and immorality which brought about . worse situations and events. IV. Opinion Truly, every person in this world deserved fair treatment as every person deserves equal rights and privileges as well. In a company, the relationship of the executive management to the workers can be considered very crucial. In order to form a pleasant relationship between these two, each party must respect and provide the deserved treatment and benefit of the other party. Because once this rule is broken, hostility might definitely spark which will eventually form an unpleasant relationship between the workers and the management. Personally, I think the movie had an interesting inspiration; however, the real message was not that effectively sent out to the viewers because of the distractions that came from all the unnecessary actions and violence portrayed in the film. But nonetheless, I see this film as a good depiction of how worse a situation may get once a worker’s rights and privileges be unjustly deprived from him or her. Works Cited â€Å"F. I. S. T. (1987): Plot Summary. † The Internet Movie Database. IMDb. com. (n. d. ). (14 May 2009). . F. I. S. T. Dir: Norman Jewinson. Writer: Joe Eszterhas and Sylvester Stallone. Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Rod Steiger, Peter Boyle, Melinda Dillon, David Huffman, Kevin Conway and Tony Lo Bianco. Chateau Productions, 1987.

Managing of Energy Assets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

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An invertigation of influence of procurement methid in construction Essay

An invertigation of influence of procurement methid in construction industry in Hong Kong - Essay Example On the other hand, it is negatively correlated with D& B. Years of existence of the company in the industry is significantly and positively correlated with importance scores of the Traditional Method. On the other hand, it is negatively correlated with D&B. Turnover of the company is not significantly correlated with importance scores of the Traditional Method. However, it is negatively correlated with D&B. Companies with higher turnover tend to rate D & B importance lower. Size of projects handled (in terms of project cost) is not significantly correlated with importance scores of the traditional method. However, it is negatively correlated with D&B method. Companies who handle bigger projects tend to rate D &B importance lower. I would like to seize this opportunity to personally thank to the module leader, Professor David Proverbs and my supervisor, Dr. Rod Gameson. I cannot express the extent to which their support and understanding allowed me to reach the end of this journey. His encouragement, support, understanding and, above all, his prompt, constructive and greatly appreciated criticism and feedback, were invaluable to the research, writing and completion of this study. Once again, my sincerest thanks. Recognizing that students have an ethical and moral obligation to ensure that all work that they submit in their name is, indeed, their own and free of plagiarism, I exercised caution throughout the writing process. When writing the dissertation, I made sure that all my sources were meticulously acknowledged. Even so, there remained a fear that I might have, inadvertently, plagiarism sections of my study or paraphrased something without referencing it correctly. Therefore, following the completion of the study, I have checked it through http://www.articlechecker.com/checker.php. The plagiarism reports received from plagiarism detection engines indicated that the work was, indeed, original

Dick Spencer Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dick Spencer - Research Paper Example The case study highlights about Dick Spencer, who works as a Vice President in one of the large manufacturing firms. However, prior to that he was a plant manager of a Modrow Company, which was also the Canadian branch office of Tri-American Corporation. Tri-American Corporation was a major player in the aluminum manufacturing industry and it was also involved in the integrated operations such as mining of bauxite, processing and fabrication that result in various end products. The company employed around 22,000 people has presence in different parts of the world. The company followed a decentralized organizational structure that allowed plan managers to gain extra control and authority over the operation but at the same time the pressure of profitability was significant. In order to further experience growth the company had accomplished an expansion project and modernization project. The cost of this project was very high, but the return on investment was expected to surpass the ini tial investment and that made the project feasible. Despite that the plant manager, Dick Spencer was a bit more skeptical about the viability of the project and as a precautionary measure the manager initiated a campaign that encouraged employees to cut expenses in whatever ways possible. He also urged employees to reduce the expenses and cut down cost to the highest possible extent. This report seeks to identify the key factors that contributed to Spencer’s success as a salesperson and tribulations as a manager. The report will also throw light on these factors that led to success as a salesman or his failure as a manager. Lastly, the study will recommend some of the steps or techniques that could be adopted which will help have Dick Spencer to become successful as a manager. Factors Contributing to Spencer’s success as a Salesperson and Tribulations as a Manager Selling and management are two different domains of business as the duties greatly differ from one another (Boles, Brashear, Bellenger & Barksdale, 2000). However, both the functions play imperative role in the success of a company. A sale is a key organizational function and the sales personnel plays key role in bringing revenues for the organization. In doing so a sales person generally exhibits various exceptional qualities. On the contrary, management is another vital function of an organization (Matsuno, Mentzer & Rentz, 2000). It helps in ensuring the organizational tasks are accomplished in a systematic and timely manner. Furthermore, the people of management also have the responsibility to administer the organizational activities and making decisions at every point of time. However, success or failure on these given fields greatly depends upon certain factors. In this context the factors which were responsible for Mr. Dick’s failure and success are underlined below: - Charming personality and business knowledge According to the viewpoint of the colleagues of Mr. Dick, he had a charming personality and good looks. Moreover, Mr. Dick also possessed sound business knowledge. The ability to sell products also needs special mention. This allowed Mr. Dick to become one of the successful salesmen of the company. In addition to these qualities, Mr. Dick also had a tremendous amount of energy and during his initial days enjoyed the work of a salesman. Despite, friend’s advice to switch into sales management jobs, he continued to act as a salesman. This clearly reflects the extent to which Mr. Dick was a self motivating person and how passion for sales had driven him. Self Motivation Self motivation is another major factor that played a significant role in the development of Mr. Dick as a salesperson. Eminent Scholar such as Pelham (2002) emphasizes that

International Business Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Business Management - Assignment Example The implications of these strategies are recommended to future managers for implementation in the organizational policies for getting competitive advantage in the market. Introduction This assignment is about the position of competitive advantage attained by Procter and Gamble and the study of the various approaches and strategies that have been adopted by the organization to rise to a competitive leadership position in the market. The topic is worth to be studied as it would enable us to validate the theories of the competitive advantage with the real example of Procter and Gamble. The implication of these strategies which are namely innovative strategies, cost leadership strategies, differentiation strategy and operation efficiency could be linked to the recent developments in the business of Procter and Gamble. Due to the innovative strategies, Procter and Gamble has been able to restructure its business process and operations and they have been able to track the demand and needfu l to be done to meet the customer needs (Barner, 1991, p.102). Along with that operational efficiency has been attained supported by the cost effective production. These features put Procter and Gamble in a relatively superior position in the market which was reflected in increased acceptability of its products that has driven the business growth (Mullen and Stumpf, 1987, p.38). The review of literature on the topic has been presented followed by the detailed analysis and findings on the strategies adopted by Procter and Gamble for gaining competitive advantage. Literature Review The diamond model was proposed by Michael Porter in 1985 which highlights some of the drawbacks of the theory of comparative advantage. According to this theory, the nations and the business houses focus on the growth of productivity for gaining competitive advantage. In order to attain growth in productivity, the cheap labour that is available could be utilized by the forces of production. Figure 1: Diamon d Model The model has analysed the notion of competitiveness using six broad factors discussed as follows: Factors conditions include capital resources, physical resources, infrastructure and human resources. The demand conditions prevailing in the domestic market can contribute to create competitiveness for the companies when there is pressure from the domestic buyers to innovate new and differentiated products from that of the competitors. The supporting industries are important for the innovation purposes since they are cost effective and can contribute in the upgrading process whereas the government can contribute to the above determinants by influencing the supply conditions as well as demand conditions. The diamond model reduces the high degree of emphasis on the availability of natural resources inside the geographical boundaries which brings out the limitations of the theory of comparative advantage (Stupmf and Dunbar, 1990, p.22). According to the founder of this theory and many other experts, the competitive advantage could be attained by the organizations due to building up unique capabilities that help them to outperform their competitors (Peteraf, 1993, p.185). The various ways in which the companies have attained competitive advantage in the market are due to the access gained to specialized resources of production.

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In regards to gender - Assignment Example ry works like To Penhurst, Leviathan, and From Slaves Deus Rex Judaeorum by renowned authors like Ben Jonson, Thomas Hobbes, and Aemilia Lanyer respectively. Being one of the first female writers to be printed in English, Aemilia wrote ‘Eve’s apology in defense of women.’ Lanyer offers a different interpretation of this story, shifting some blame on Adam, the supposed stronger of the two. The superiority of men is acknowledged in this instance, and Eve’s betrayal is constantly used to ‘keep her in place. ’ Jonson’s Penhurst recognizes the significant role of human decency to social contracts. Hobbes’ Leviathan echoes this concept as he highlights a contract as the basis for collective moral order as well as all social organizations. To this end, both the two latter authors agree that despite having equal rights to all things, human beings must give up some of their rights in favor of

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Video game - Essay Example The effect on the young adult will largely depend on the intensity of addiction to video games and the levels of violence contained in such games. The paper notes that video games are good despite the few problems. Young adults may become socially isolated once they start dwelling on games every time they are not occupied with chores or studies. Teenagers may become so used to video games that they may end up forgetting some of the important schooling aspects such as homework, reading and sporting activities that make them physically and mentally fit. Time spent with family and friends would be minimal while at the same time it is not possible to them to replace their offline time in engaging with people. Rather, such time is replaced with getting used to online games on mobile devices to a point that being a loner if, not regarded as a norm by gamers. Games shape the minds of those playing; be it violence and aggressive thoughts associated with the game or fast moving cars and the adrenaline that comes with speed (Anderson, Gentile & Buckley, 2007). Violent games can be said to be directly related to the increased aggressive thoughts of gamers and a violent nature in real life. Games are interactive in nature, and some have the aim of rewarding violence which is dangerous if translated directly in real life. The gamer is in control of the violence using gamepads that make them feel powerful whereas in real life this is not the case. The gamer also has the chance to experience the violence first hand such as killings, shooting, stabbing and shooting which are considered as a vice but an achievement in the game. Other video games have the tendency of teaching teenage gamers the wrong values such as violent behavior, aggression and vengeance that are rewarded in the game (Anderson, Gentile & Buckley, 2007). Situations that are used in real life such as

Extra credit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Extra credit - Assignment Example This passage provides a picture of the reading plan by stating that it consists of previewing, reading, marking and reviewing. These steps are fundamental for a reader as they provide easier approach to the reading material by identification of the primary ideas of the book and determining how long one can to complete reading it (Textbook Reading Resource, 4). However, this passage accounts for the necessity of reading in a quiet and comfortable place. The reading should be in slots such as 20 pages in 50minutes. For the case of mapping, the reader can do it by applying two approaches namely the fishbone and branching. These two methods simplify complex maps into simpler material to comprehend. In addition, three alternatives to mapping can be applied in a bid to understand the mapping trends. They include outlines, flashcards and listing ort category (Textbook Reading Resource, 13). On equal measure, this passage suggests an easier way to read a textbook. The SQ3R is easier an efficient way for one to read and comprehend something complex to remember. The method involves reading the words not ideas or concepts (Textbook Reading Resource, 20). In conclusion, their passage provides an easy reading plan, which will make the readers read procedurally and be able to understand the contents. In addition, the SQ3R makes reading simpler and fascinating when reading complex materials. For the case of mapping, fishbone and branching approaches are fundamental in interpret ting the map

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Foundations of Organizational Structure Essay Example for Free

Foundations of Organizational Structure Essay TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 1 General Introduction 1. Ice-breaking session. 2. Self-introduction by tutor and students. 3. Briefing on course requirements. 4. Tutorial expectations and participation. 5. Briefing on Group Report Oral Presentation (requirements and expectations). 6. Team formation for Group Report. (4 members per group) 7. Tutor assigns question and time for oral presentation group report ** Oral presentation and group report submission will starts from Week 3 to 5** **Important note** Students are required to sit for one (1) online test on Week 3. Please make sure that you are registered under this course and be able to access to CEL to take the test. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 2 Topic 1 : Foundations of Organizational Structure Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) The ________ refers to the number of subordinates that a manager directs. A) span of control B) unity of command C) chain of command D) decentralization principle E) leadership web 2) A task that is subdivided into many separate jobs is considered to have ________. A) a high degree of departmentalization B) a low degree of decentralization C) a high degree of work specialization D) a low degree of structure E) a high degree of matrix structuring 3) Aeronautics Inc., a parts supplier, has departments for government aircraft and contracts, large commercial aircraft clients, and small personal aircraft clients. This is an example of ________ departmentalization. A) product B) function C) geography D) customer E) service 4) Stalsberry Company has employees in personnel, sales, and accounting. This division of an organization into groups according to work functions is an example of ________, the second element of structural organization. A) social clustering B) bureaucracy C) specialization D) centralization E) departmentalization 5) The unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom is termed ________. A) chain of command B) authority C) span of control. D) unity of command E) web of authority 6) Which one of the following is consistent with a simple structure? A) high centralization B) high horizontal differentiation C) high employee discretion D) standardization E) bureaucracy 7) Which of the following is a drawback of a narrow span of control? It ________. A) reduces effectiveness B) is more efficient C) encourages overly tight supervision and discourages employee autonomy D) empowers employees E) increases participatory decision-making 8) In an organization that has high centralization, ________. A) the corporate headquarters is located centrally to branch offices B) all top level officials are located within the same geographic area C) action can be taken more quickly to solve problems D) new employees have a great deal of legitimate authority E) top managers make all the decisions and lower level managers merely carry out directions TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 3 Topic 2 : Organizational Culture Part A: Discussion Question 1) Explain the primary methods of maintaining an organizations culture. Once a culture is in place, there are practices within the organization that act to maintain it by giving employees a set of similar experiences. Three forces play a particularly important part in sustaining a culture: selection practices, the actions of top management, and socialization methods. a) First, the explicit goal of the selection process is to identify and hire individuals who have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the  jobs within the organization successfully. It would be naive to ignore that the final decision as to who is hired will be significantly influenced by the decision makers judgment of how well the candidates will fit into the organization. This attempt to ensure a proper match, whether purposely or inadvertently, results in the hiring of people who have values essentially consistent with those of the organization, or at least a good portion of those values. In addition, the selection process provides information to applicants about the organization.   Candidates learn about the organization and, if they perceive a conflict between their values and those of the organization, they can self-select themselves out of the applicant pool. b) In addition to selection, the actions of top management also have a major impact on the organizations culture. Through what they say and how they behave, senior executives establish norms that filter down through the organization as to whether risk taking is desirable; how much freedom managers should give their employees; what is appropriate dress; what actions will pay off in terms of pay raises, promotions, and other rewards; and the like. c) Finally, no matter how good a job the organization does in recruiting and selection, new employees are not fully indoctrinated in the organizations culture. Because they are unfamiliar with the organizations culture, new employees are potentially likely to disturb the beliefs and customs that are in place. The organization will, therefore, want to help new employees adapt to its culture. This adaptation process is called socialization. This is when the organization seeks to mold the outsider into an employee in good standing. Employees who fail to learn the essential or pivotal role behaviors risk being labeled nonconformists or rebels, which often leads to expulsion. But the organization will be socializing every employee, though maybe not as explicitly, throughout his or her entire career in the organization. This further contributes to sustaining the culture. 2) Explain how an institutionalized culture can be a barrier to diversity. Describe how an organization could utilize the three forces at play in sustaining a culture to help create a diverse workforce. By limiting the range of acceptable values and styles, strong cultures put considerable pressure on employees to conform. In some instances, a strong culture that condones prejudice can even undermine formal corporate diversity policies. Strong cultures can also be liabilities when they support institutional bias or become insensitive to people who are different. Hiring new employees who differ from the majority in race, age, gender, disability, or other characteristics creates a paradox: management wants to demonstrate support for the differences these employees bring to the workplace, but newcomers who wish to fit in must accept the organizations core cultural values. Because diverse behaviors and unique strengths are likely to diminish as people attempt to assimilate, strong cultures can become liabilities when they effectively eliminate these advantages. The explicit goal of the selection process is to identify and hire individuals with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully. Taking diversity into consideration at this phase does not have to be antagonistic to the culture. The final decision, because its significantly influenced by the decision makers judgment of how well the candidates will fit into the organization, identifies people whose values are essentially consistent with at least a good portion of the organizations. Looking beyond surface level differences at the selection phase will help create a diverse workforce. Through words and behavior, senior executives establish norms that filter through the organization about, for instance, whether risk taking is desirable, how much freedom managers should give employees, what is appropriate dress, and what actions pay off in terms of pay raises, promotions, and other rewards. Management actions should be inclusive and non-prejudicial to create a diverse and functional culture. During the metamorphosis stage of socialization management should use institutional practices to encourage person–organization fit and high levels of commitment. 3) What are the three stages of socialization through which employees become indoctrinated into an organizations culture? The three stages of socialization are prearrival, encounter, and metamorphosis. a) The prearrival stage recognizes that each individual arrives with a set of values, attitudes, and expectations. These cover both the work to be done and the organization. b) Upon entry into the organization, the new member enters the encounter stage. Here the individual confronts the possible dichotomy between her expectations and reality. c) Finally, the new member must work out any problems discovered during the encounter stage. This may mean going through changes hence, this is called the metamorphosis stage. 4) Discuss the difference between strong and weak organizational cultures and discuss the effect that a strong culture can have on an acquisition or merger. Strong cultures have a greater impact on employee behavior and are more directly related to reduced turnover. In a strong culture, the organizations core values are both intensely held and widely shared. The more members who accept the core values and the greater their commitment to those values is, the stronger the culture is. A strong culture will have a great influence on the behavior of its members because the high degree of sharedness and intensity creates an internal climate of high behavioral control. One specific result of a strong culture should be lower employee turnover. A strong culture demonstrates high agreement among members about what the organization stands for. Such unanimity of purpose builds cohesiveness, loyalty, and organizational commitment. These qualities, in turn, lessen employees propensity to leave the organization. In recent years, cultural compatibility has become the primary concern. All things being equal, whether the acquisition actually works seems to have more to do with how well the two organizations cultures match up. The primary cause of failure is conflicting organizational cultures, when people simply dont match up. Therefore, when considering an acquisition or merger, management would need to carefully evaluate the cultures of each organization. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 4 Topic 3: Foundations of Group Behavior Understanding Work Teams Part A: Discussion Question 1) List and briefly describe the stages in the five-stage model of group  development. The five-stage group development model characterizes groups as proceeding through five distinct stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. a) Forming is characterized by a great deal of uncertainty about the groups purpose, structure, and leadership. Members are testing the waters to determine what types of behavior are acceptable. b) In the storming stage, members accept the existence of the group, but there is resistance to the constraints that the group imposes on individuality. There is conflict over who will control the group. c) The third stage is one in which close relationships develop and the group demonstrates cohesiveness. There is now a strong sense of group identify and camaraderie. This norming stage is complete when the group structure solidifies and the group has assimilated a common set of expectations of what defines correct member behavior. d) The fourth stage is performing. The structure at this point is fully functional and accepted. Group energy has moved from getting to know and understand each other to performing the task at hand. e) In the adjourning stage, the group prepares for its disbandment. High task performance is no longer the groups top priority. Instead, attention is directed toward wrapping up activities. 2) Design the most effective team to figure out ways to reduce the number of preparation hours for shipping products overseas for your company. Choose the type of team from one of the four principal team types. Describe your teams context, composition, and process parameters. Answers will vary. A problem-solving team is probably the best type of team for this task. In a problem-solving team members share ideas or suggest how work processes and methods can be improved. The problem-solving team will offer ideas to management. Together they discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment. The team will need information on what products are being shipped and how  long each of them takes, as well as details on the current procedures. Adequate information is essential. A firm goal of reducing the hours spent must be established by a leader. The group should be comprised of workers and management with expertise in the shipping department procedures. The team should have five members, three management and two people from shipping and packaging. The process parameters should be clearly outlined, with goals of exactly how much time needs to be shaved off of packaging processes. 3) Explain the difference between groupthink and group shift. Give an example to support your answer. Groupthink is related to norms. It describes situations in which group pressures for conformity deter the group from critically appraising unusual, minority, or unpopular views. Groupthink is a disease that attacks many groups and can dramatically hinder their performance. Group shift indicates that in discussing a given set of alternatives and arriving at a solution, group members tend to exaggerate the initial positions that they hold. In some situations, caution dominates, and there is a conservative shift. More often, however, the evidence indicates that groups tend toward a risky shift. Students answers may vary. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 5 Topic 4: Motivation Concepts Part A: Discussion Questions 1) Compare and contrast a manager that implements Theory Y and one that adheres to the expectancy theory. How would each choose to motivate their employees? Theory Y managers assume that employees can view work as being as natural as rest or play, and therefore the average person can learn to accept, even seek, responsibility. Theory Y assumes that higher-order needs dominate individuals. Theory Y managers would contend that ideas such as participative decision making, responsible and challenging jobs, and good group relations are approaches that would maximize an employees job  motivation. A Theory Y manager believes that the employee is inherently motivated as long as the conditions respect his intellect and character. A Theory Y manager would work hard to include the employee in decision making concerning his job, to satisfy work environment preferences, and to make sure the work is stimulating. Expectancy theory proposes that employees will be motivated to exert a high level of effort when they believe it will lead to a good performance appraisal; that a good appraisal will lead to organizational rewards such as bonuses, salary increases, or promotions; and that the rewards will satisfy the employees personal goals. An expectancy theory manager would focus much more on the reward expectations of the employee, versus the psychologic expectations. It would be important for the manager to understand the personal goals that the employee strives to achieve so that he can be appropriately rewarded and praised. 2) Describe Maslows hierarchy of needs including the types of needs and how they become dominant. Maslows hierarchy of needs hypothesized that within every human being there exists a hierarchy of five needs. a) The physiological needs include hunger, thirst, shelter, sex, and other bodily needs. b) Safety includes security and protection from physical and emotional harm. c) Social includes affection, belongingness, acceptance, and friendship. d) Esteem includes internal esteem factors such as self-respect, autonomy, and achievement; and external esteem factors such as status, recognition, and attention. e) Self-actualization is the drive to become what one is capable of becoming; includes growth, achieving ones potential, and self-fulfillment. As each of these needs becomes substantially satisfied, the next need becomes dominant. So if you want to motivate someone, according to Maslow, you need to understand what level of the hierarchy that person is currently on and focus on satisfying those needs at or above that level 3) According to Two-Factor Theory, how might a manager motivate employees? According to Herzberg, the factors leading to job satisfaction are separate and distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction. Therefore, managers who seek to eliminate factors that can create job dissatisfaction may bring about peace but not necessarily result in motivation. Conditions surrounding the job such as quality of supervision, pay, company policies, physical working conditions, relations with others, and job security were characterized by Herzberg as hygiene factors. When they are adequate, people will not be dissatisfied; neither will they be satisfied. If we want to motivate people on their jobs, Herzberg suggested emphasizing factors associated with the work itself or to outcomes directly derived from it, such as promotional opportunities, opportunities for personal growth, recognition, responsibility, and achievement. These are the characteristics that people find intrinsically rewarding. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 6 Topic 5: Motivation: From Concepts to Applications Part A: Discussion Questions 1) List and describe THREE (3) different variable-pay programs. Be sure to include piece-rate plans, profit-sharing plans, and gainsharing. a) Piece-rate plans. In piece-rate pay plans, workers are paid a fixed sum for each unit of production completed. When an employee gets no base salary and is paid only for what he or she produces, this is a pure piece-rate plan. b) Merit-based pay. Merit-based pay plans also pay for individual performance. However, unlike piece-rate plans, which pay based on objective output, merit-based pay plans are based on performance appraisal ratings. c) Profit-sharing. Profit-sharing plans are organization-wide programs that distribute compensation based on some established formula designed around a companys profitably. d) Bonuses. Bonuses can be paid exclusively to executives or to all employees. Many companies now routinely reward production employees with bonuses in the thousands of dollars when company profits improve. e) Skill-Based Pay. Skill-based pay (also called competency-based or knowledge-based pay) sets pay levels on the basis of how many skills employees have or how many jobs they can do. f) ESOPs. Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) are company-established benefit plans in which employees acquire stock, often at below-market prices, as part of their benefits. g) Gainsharing. Gainsharing is a formula-based group incentive plan. Improvements in group productivity determine the total amount of money that is to be allocated. By focusing on productivity gains rather than profits, gainsharing rewards specific behaviors that are less influenced by external factors. Employees in a gainsharing plan can receive incentive awards even when the organization isnt profitable. 2) Compare and contrast the benefits of intrinsic rewards such as recognition and extrinsic rewards such as pay as forms of motivation. Organizations are increasingly recognizing that both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards are important. Rewards are intrinsic in the form of employee recognition programs and extrinsic in the form of compensation systems. Intrinsic rewards range from a spontaneous and private thank-you to widely publicized formal programs in which specific types of behavior are encouraged and the procedures for attaining recognition are clearly identified. Pay, an extrinsic reward, is not the primary factor driving job satisfaction, however, it does motivate people, and companies often underestimate its importance in keeping top talent. No matter how much recognition a top performer gets, he will be tempted to leave if the pay scale is much lower than the market and another offer arrives. Recent survey data indicate most employees dont see a strong connection between pay and performance. Variable pay structures, such as bonuses are often the best production motivators. When pay is tied to performance, the employees earnings also recognize contribution rather  than being a form of entitlement. Over time, low performers pay stagnates, while high performers enjoy pay increases commensurate with their contributions. An obvious advantage of intrinsic rewards like recognition programs is that they are inexpensive since praise is free. However, they are highly susceptible to political manipulation by management. When applied to jobs for which performance factors are relatively objective, such as sales, recognition programs are likely to be perceived by employees as fair. However, in most jobs, the criteria for good performance arent self evident, which allows managers to manipulate the system and recognize their favorites. Abuse can undermine the value of recognition programs and demoralize employees. Research suggests financial incentives may be more motivating in the short term, but in the long run intrinsic incentives will retain good employees if the extrinsic incentives are competitive. 3) What is employee involvement and why is it important. Give two examples. Employee involvement is defined as a participative process that uses the entire capacity of employees and is designed to encourage increased commitment to the organizations success. The underlying logic is that by involving workers in those decisions that affect them and by increasing their autonomy and control over their work lives, employees will become more motivated, more committed to the organization, more productive, and more satisfied with their jobs. Examples of employee involvement include a) Participative management. Participative management programs use joint decision making. Subordinates actually share a significant degree of decision-making power with their immediate superiors. b) Representative participation. Representative participation refers to worker representation by a small group of employees who actually participate on the board. The goal is to redistribute power within an organization, putting labor on a more equal footing with the interests of management and stockholders. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 7 Topic 6: What do Managers Do Leadership Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) Which of the following is most likely to be a belief held by a successful manager? A) Technical knowledge is all that is needed for success. B) It is not essential to have sound interpersonal skills. C) Technical skills are necessary, but insufficient alone for success. D) Effectiveness is not impacted by human behavior. E) Technical skills do not influence efficiency. 2) Which of a managers primary functions requires the manager to define an organizations goals, establish an overall strategy for achieving these goals and develop a comprehensive hierarchy of plans to integrate and coordinate activities? A) controlling B) planning C) staffing D) coordinating E) leading 3) As a manager, one of Joes duties is to present awards to outstanding employees within his department. Which Mintzberg managerial role is Joe acting in when he does this? A) leadership role B) liaison role C) monitor role D) figurehead role E) spokesperson role 4) Jill is valued by her colleagues for her ability to perform effective break-even analysis on upcoming ventures. In this case, her colleagues value her for competencies that fall within which essential management skills categories? A) technical B) communication C) human D) conceptual E) education 5) Leadership is best defined as ________. A) the ability to influence a group in goal achievement B) keeping order and consistency in the midst of change C) implementing the vision and strategy provided by management D) coordinating and staffing the organization and handling day-to-day problems E) not a relevant variable in modern organizations 6) The two dimensions of leadership behavior identified in the University of Michigan studies are ________. A) coercion and motivation B) emotional and rational C) employee-oriented and production-oriented D) initiating structure and consideration E) initiation and completion Part B: Discussion Questions 1) Describe the three essential management skills that differentiate effective managers from ineffective ones. Provide a workplace example of how these skills could be used when dealing with the challenge of a workplace recession. The three essential management skills identified by researchers are technical, human, and conceptual. Technical skills are defined by the ability to apply specialized knowledge or expertise. Human skills are defined by the ability to work with, understand, and motivate other people. Finally, conceptual skills are defined by the ability to analyze and diagnose complex situations. In a time of recession human skills are essential to motivate fearful employees and to create a positive work environment. They would also be necessary in the event of workplace staff reduction. Technical skills could be applied in the area of expertise to raise production and, combined with conceptual skills, can be used to look for small market niches and ways to analyze the industry to continue to make a profit until times are better. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 8 Topic 7: Leadership Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) Hersey and Blanchard developed which of the following? A) situational leadership theory B) cognitive resource theory C) managerial grid model D) path-goal theory E) cognitive orientation model 2) Hersey and Blanchards leadership theory differs from other leadership theories primarily because it ________. A) explores the role of the expectations of the leader for the follower B) focuses on the followers C) holds that leadership style should be dependent on the situation D) is normative E) deals strictly and exclusively with contingencies 3) What is the main principle of path-goal theory? A) Successful leadership is achieved by selecting the right leadership style. B) Stress is a form of situational unfavorableness and a leaders reaction to it depends on his or her intelligence and experience. C) Effective group performance depends on the proper match between the leaders style and the degree to which the situation gives control to the leader. D) Leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their followers because of time pressures. E) The leader is responsible for providing followers with the information, support, or other resources necessary for them to do their jobs. 4) Which of the following is not a key characteristic of a charismatic leader? A) sensitivity to follower needs B) unconventional behavior C) vision and articulation D) task orientation E) willingness to take risks 5) Researchers are conducting a study of a company called Acme Corp, which they believe to be led by a transformational leader. Which of the following, if true, would most support the conclusion that Acmes leader is a transformational leader? A) Acmes top managers often conflict over defining the organization’s goals. B) Acmes goals tend to be very ambitious and to hold personal value for employees. C) Creativity is discouraged among Acme employees. D) Acme managers are cautious and rarely take risks. E) Acmes compensation plans are designed to reward short-term results. 6) Leaders who clarify role and task requirements to accomplish established goals exhibit a _________ style of leadership. A) transformational B) transactional C) charismatic D) self-initiating E) situational 7) Richard is a transactional leader who has just assigned a series of tasks to a project team. Which of the following is most likely to be true about the teams performance under Richards guidance? A) They will set new standards of productivity for the department, exceeding Richards expectations. B) They will meet the goals set for them but are unlikely to go beyond those goals. C) They will tend to be unclear about the roles assigned to each team member. D) They will be highly motivated by what they view as Richards heroic or extraordinary qualities. E) They will tend to put their individual self-interest above the interests of the company. Part B: Discussion Questions 1)Compare and contrast Hersey and Blanchards situational leadership theory with Houses path-goal theory. Hersey and Blanchards situation leadership theory is a contingency theory  that focuses on the followers. Successful leadership is achieved by selecting the right leadership style, which Hersey and Blanchard argue is contingent on the level of the followers readiness. The emphasis on the followers in leadership effectiveness reflects the reality that it is the followers who accept or reject the leaders. The term readiness refers to the extent to which people have the ability and willingness to accomplish a specific task. SLT says if a follower is unable and unwilling to do a task, the leader needs to give clear and specific directions; if followers are unable and willing, the leader needs to display high task orientation to compensate for the followers lack of ability and high relationship orientation to get the follower to buy into the leaders desires; if followers are able and unwilling, the leader needs to use a supportive and participative style; and if the employee is both abl e and willing, the leader doesnt need to do much. Path-goal theory was developed by Robert House. The essence of the theory is that its the leaders job to assist followers in attaining their goals and to provide the necessary direction and/or support to ensure that their goals are compatible with the overall objectives of the group or organization. The term path-goal is derived from the belief that effective leaders clarify the path to help their followers get from where they are to the  achievement of their work goals and make the journey along the path easier by reducing roadblocks. House identified four leadership behaviors. The directive leader lets followers know what is expected of them, schedules work to be done, and gives specific guidance as to how to accomplish tasks. The supportive leader is friendly and shows concern for the needs of followers. The participative leader consults with followers and uses their suggestions before making a decision. The achievement-oriented leader sets challenging goals and expects followers to perform at their highest level. House assumes that leaders are flexible and that the same leader can display any or all of these behaviors depending on the situation. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 9 Topic 8: Communication Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) Communication serves all of the following functions within a group or organization except ________. A) motivation B) planning C) emotional expression D) control E) conveying information 2) Alejandro is annoyed that the new recruit, Ben, is working faster than anyone else in the group, making the rest of the group look bad. In the company cafeteria Alejandro teases Ben and calls him the super recruit and imitates his style of working so rapidly. Alejandro wants to intimidate Ben so that he will work slower. Which function of communication is Alejandro using by making fun of Ben? A) motivation B) control C) expression D) information E) formal 3) Helena and Laura were talking on the phone. Lauras two year old son fell and started crying and Laura could no longer hear what Helena said. This is an example of ________. A) transmitting B) decoding C) noise D) understanding E) analysis 4) The communication used by managers to provide job instructions is ________ communication. A) downward B) lateral C) formal D) directional E) diagonal Part B: Discussion Questions 1)Describe the communication process. Include the communication process model and explain the eight parts of this model. Before communication can take place, a purpose, expressed as a message to be conveyed, is needed. It passes between a sender and a receiver. The message is encoded (converted to a symbolic form) and passed by way of some medium (channel) to the receiver, who retranslates (decodes) the message initiated by the sender. The result is a transfer of meaning from one person to another. The key parts of the communication process are 1) the sender 2) encoding 3) the message 4) the channel 5) decoding 6) the receiver 7) noise 8) feedback The source initiates a message by encoding a thought. The message is the actual physical product from the source encoding. The channel is the medium through which the message travels. The receiver is the object to whom the message is directed. The symbols must be translated into a form that can be understood by the receiver. This is the decoding. Noise represents communication barriers that distort the clarity of the message. The final link is a feedback loop. 2) Explain how the grapevine functions and why it exists in organizational communication. Describe the general direction of communication and the form of communication most commonly used in the grapevine. What can a manager do to limit the negative effects of the grapevine? The informal communication system is the grapevine. While it is informal it is still an important source of information. A survey found that 75 percent of employees hear about matters first through rumors on the grapevine. The grapevine has three main characteristics. First, it is not controlled by management. Second, most employees perceive it as more believable and reliable than formal communiquà ©s issued by top management. Finally, it is largely used to serve the interests of the people within it. Rumors emerge as a response to situations that are important to us, when there is ambiguity, and under conditions that arouse anxiety. The fact that work situations frequently contain these three elements explains why rumors flourish in organizations. The secrecy and competition that typically prevail in large organizations, encourage and sustain rumors on the grapevine. A rumor will persist either until the wants and expectations creating the uncertainty are fulfilled or the anxiety has been reduced. The grapevine generally follows lateral communication in which persons from the same hierarchical levels begin to relay messages. Very rarely does management participate in the grapevine. In fact, one study reported that management only relayed messages to the grapevine ten percent of the time. Generally oral communication is used to relay grapevine information, although written e-mail can be used as well, but is considered less safe for accountability reasons. Managers can not entirely eliminate rumors. What they should do is minimize the negative consequences of rumors by limiting their range and impact. The best way to reduce the negative consequences of rumors is to: 1) Provide information; 2) Explain actions and decisions that may appear inconsistent, unfair, or secretive; 3) Refrain from shooting the messenger; and 4) Maintain open communication channels. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 10 Topic 9: Conflict Management Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) The traditional view of conflict is the belief that conflict is ________. A) harmful B) natural C) necessary D) situationally-dependent E) neutral 2) Which of the following is not a cause of conflict, according to the traditionalist view? A) general poor communication between people B) lack of openness in the organization C) trust between people in the organization D) management failure to be responsive to employee needs E) management failure to be responsive to employee aspirations 3) The ________ view of conflict argues that conflict is necessary for a group to perform effectively. A) human relations B) interactionist C) traditional D) functional E) reactive 4) ________ conflicts are almost always dysfunctional. A) Task B) Job C) Relationship D) Process E) Functional 5) The first stage of the conflict process is termed ________. A) cognition and personalization B) behavioral manifestation C) potential opposition or incompatibility D) intention E) habituation 6) High job specialization can lead to ________ conflict. A) communication B) structural C) personal-variable D) job-related E) team 7) In which stage are conflict issues defined? A) potential opposition B) cognition and personalization C) intuitions D) behavior E) reaction and transference 8) The conflict-handling intention of collaborating is ________. A) assertive and uncooperative B) assertive and cooperative C) unassertive and uncooperative D) unassertive and cooperative E) affective and reflective 9) Angelina feels that her cubicle neighbor talks too loudly on the phone, but in other ways she is a great neighbor. Angelina gets annoyed every time her neighbors phone rings, but she has decided its simply not worth the trouble to talk to her neighbor. Angelinas conflict intention is called ________. A) competing B) avoiding C) accommodating D) compromising E) collaborating 10) Which of the following is not a conflict-resolution technique? A) creating superordinate goals B) appointing a devils advocate C) avoiding the conflict D) exercising authoritative command E) generating additional resources 11) Stage II of the conflict process deals with conflict being ________. A) perceived and felt B) apparent and experienced C) expressed and perceived D) overt and covert E) internalized 12) Irma does not like a few of the standard operating procedures adapted for the new project. However, she discussed the items with the team and told them that she realized she was in the minority and that she would adapt the new procedures to maintain smooth operations within the team. This type of intention is called ________. A) sacrificing B) accommodating C) collaborating D) compromising E) competing TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 11 Topic 10: Power and Politics Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) Power can be defined as ________. A) the ability to influence the behavior of others B) the actualization of the dependency of others C) congruence between the goals of the leader and those being led D) downward influence on ones followers E) upward influence on ones leaders 2) One reacts to ________ power out of fear of the negative ramifications that might result if one fails to comply. A) legitimate B) coercive C) punitive D) referent E) abusive 3) The power that the College Dean has been granted by the University over the faculty is termed ________ power. A) academic B) positional C) legitimate D) organizational E) balanced 4) Power tactics can be defined as ________. A) the only legitimate sources of power B) techniques for translating power bases into specific action C) strategies for gathering and maintain support D) organizational structural characteristics E) approaches for winning arguments 5) Vivian has not been handling one portion of her duties in a satisfactory manner. As a result, her manager threatens to withhold her promotion. Which power tactic is being used? A) exchange B) ingratiation C) pressure D) personal appeals E) inspirational appeals Part B: Discussion Questions 1) Contrast leadership and power. Power does not require goal compatibility, merely dependence. Leadership, on the other hand, requires some congruence between the goals of the leader and those being led. A second difference relates to the direction of influence. Leadership focuses on the downward influence on ones followers. It minimizes the importance of lateral and upward influence patterns. Power does not. Still another difference deals with research emphasis. Leadership research, for the most part, emphasizes style. It seeks answers to such questions as: How supportive should a leader be? How much decision making should be shared with followers? The research on power encompasses a broader area and focus on tactics for gaining compliance. Power can be used by groups as well as by individuals to control other individuals or groups. 2) List and discuss the bases of personal power. Personal power comes from an individuals unique characteristics. Two bases of personal power are expertise, the respect and admiration of others. a) Expert power is influence wielded as a result of expertise, special skill, or knowledge. Expertise has become one of the most powerful sources of influence as the world has become more technologically oriented. b) Referent power is based on identification with a person who has desirable resources or personal traits. If I like, respect, and admire you, you can exercise power over me because I want to please you. 3) Distinguish between legitimate political behavior and illegitimate political behavior. Legitimate political behavior refers to normal everyday politics complaining to your supervisor, bypassing the chain of command, forming coalitions, obstructing organizational policies or decisions through inaction or excessive adherence to rules, and developing contacts outside the organization through ones professional activities. On the other hand, there are also illegitimate political behaviors that violate the implied rules of the game. Those who pursue such extreme activities are often described as individuals who play hardball. Illegitimate activities include sabotage, whistleblowing, and symbolic protests such as wearing unorthodox dress or protest buttons, and groups of employees simultaneously calling in sick. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 12 Topic 11: Human Resource Policies and Practices (Human Resource Planning Forecasting, Recruitment) Part A: Discussion Questions 1) Define human resource planning. Describe the TWO (2) components in human resource planning. Human resource planning is the systematic process of matching the internal and external supply of people with job openings anticipated in the organization over a specific period of time. Human resource planning has 2 components: requirements and availability. A requirements forecast involves determining the number, skill, and location of employees the organization will need at future dates in order to meet its goals. The determination of whether the firm will be able to secure employees with the necessary skills, and from what sources, is called an availability forecast. 2) Describe human resource databases and how databases can assist in matching internal employees to positions. A human resource database contains employee information that permits management to make HR decisions. Information that might appear in such databases, includes, but is not limited to, the following: work history and experience, specific skills and knowledge, licenses or certifications held, organizational training completed, educational background, previous performance appraisal evaluations, assessment of strengths and weaknesses, development needs, promotion potential at present, and with further development, current job performance, field of specialization, job preferences, geographic preferences, career goals and aspirations, anticipated retirement date, and personal history, including psychological assessments. Databases are being used by organizations to enable human resources to match people with positions. 3) List TWO (2) methods are available to firms when either a shortage or surplus of workers is forecasted? Firms faced with a shortage of workers may use: 1) 2) 3) 4) innovative recruiting, compensation incentives, and training programs to fill positions. Lowering of employment standards Firms faced with a surplus of workers may use: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) layoffs,  restricted hours,  hiring freezes may be necessary, and  encourage early retirement and  the use of vacation time. TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 13 Topic 12: Human Resource Policies and Practices (Selection) Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) Which of the following is the most common method of initial selection? A) written tests B) background check C) performance test D) application form E) work-sample test 2) More than ________ percent of employers conduct some type of background check on potential employees during some point in the hiring process, usually either in the initial phase or the contingent phase. A) 25 B) 50 C) 65 D) 80 E) 95 3) The best way for an employer to find out if a potential employee can do a job is by ________. A) using the interview process B) using a written test C) having them spend a day in the office D) administering an IQ test E) using a performance simulation test 4) Work sample tests are widely used in hiring ________. A) unskilled labor B) skilled workers C) professional workers D) managers E) knowledge workers 5) The results of which of the following tend to have a disproportionate amount of influence on employee selection decisions? A) interviews B) written tests C) performance simulation tests D) work sampling methods E) personality tests 6) The behavioral structured interview is built on the assumption that ________. A) past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior B) technical knowledge and skills are the best predictor of job performance C) personality is the best predictor of job performance D) personality and mood are highly correlated E) technical knowledge and mood are highly correlated Part B: TRUE /FALSE Questions 1) As a selection device, written tests have decreased in usage during the past 20 years. (TRUE /FALSE) 2) A test that measures factors such as dependability, carefulness, responsibility, and honesty is referred to as a performance factor test. (TRUE /FALSE) 3) Work samples yield validities almost consistently superior to written aptitude tests. (TRUE /FALSE) 4) In assessment centers, job candidates are evaluated as they go through several days of exercises that simulate real problems they would confront on the job. (TRUE /FALSE) TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN COLLEGE ABDM2083 ORGANIZATION HUMAN RESOURCE TUTORIAL 14 Topic 13 14: Human Resource Policies and Practices (Performance Evaluation) Part A: Multiple Choice Questions 1) Performance evaluations today are generally based on which three types of behavior? A) task performance, productivity, tenure B) productivity, efficiency, absenteeism C) task performance, citizenship, counterproductivity D) citizenship, counterproductivity, personality E) leadership, training, efficiency 2) Performance evaluations are used as a mechanism for all of the following except ________. A) monitoring the success of marketing strategies B) determining promotions C) pinpointing employees skills D) identifying training and development needs E) providing feedback to employees 3) Which of the following is not a weakness of the 360-degree evaluation system? A) artificially inflated feedback from peers B) insufficient training for performance evaluators C) discrepancies between evaluating groups D) provides a wide performance perspective E) difficulties in reconciling differing evaluations 4) Performance evaluations are used to ________. A) improve group cohesiveness B) define departmental structure C) help management make HR decisions D) identify how jobs are completed E) decrease conformity within organizations 5) Which of the following is the least predictive set of criteria used to evaluate employees? A) traits B) task outcomes C) behaviors D) personality E) mood Part B: Discussion Questions 1) What are the three most popular sets of criteria for evaluating employee performance? The three most popular sets of criteria for evaluating employee performance are individual task outcomes, behaviors, and traits. a) If ends count, rather than means, then management should evaluate an employees task outcomes. In many cases, its difficult to identify specific outcomes that can be directly attributable to an employees actions. b) Its not unusual for management to evaluate the employees behavior. c) The weakest set of criteria, yet one that is widely used by organizations is individual traits. They are weaker because they are farthest removed from the actual performance of the job itself. 2) Who should perform employee evaluations? With many of todays organizations using self-managed teams, telecommuting, and other organizing devices that distance bosses from their employees, an employees immediate superior may not be the most reliable judge of that employees performance. Thus, in more and more cases, peers and even subordinates are being asked to participate in the performance evaluation process. Also, increasingly, employees are participating in their own performance evaluation. In most situations, in fact, it is highly advisable to use multiple sources of ratings. Any individual performance rating may say as much about the rater as about the person being evaluated. By averaging across raters, we can obtain a more reliable, unbiased, and accurate performance evaluation.