Analysis of a Business Plan - 3837 Words

Introduction In order to determine the best business to start, both businesses need to be subjected to some analysis. A business plan is the tool by which the business merits can be evaluated it is a written description of the business future Entrepreneur, [1]. This decision is between two different business ideas, and the business plans will test the validity of these two ideas and help to make a decision with respect to the investment decision. The first business idea is a bar called Stock Market. The concept is that the price of beer will fluctuate with demand. If people are buying IPA, then the price of IPA will increase, and the price of other beers will decline. This is an idea that has been tried a few times in other places around the world to varying degree of success. The bar will be located somewhere in the East Bay. The other option is a store for refurbished electronics called ReTech. A business plan will be provided for each option and then the two options evaluated. Stock Market A Bar The first element of the business plan is the customer and product Score [2]. Stock Market is going to be situated in a residential neighborhood, and will therefore cater to a clientele mainly of young adults who have a fair bit of disposable income and like to go out at night. The bars main products will be alcoholic beverages, along with food and other beverages. Much of what the bar sells is going to be atmosphere, vibe and good times, and these will be the drawing cardsShow MoreRelatedStrategic Analysis of a Business Plan1030 Words   |  4 Pages750 word research proposal, outlining the research approach you will use for the Strategic Analysis, due in Week Six. 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No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author s imagination or are used fictitiouslyRead MoreEstablishing Cornells Executive MBA Program: Business Plan Analysis3200 Words   |  13 Pages1. Executive summary. The goal is to establish a sales and service office for Cornell Universitys EMBA program that will serve as the face of Cornell Universitys Johnson School of Business in Russia. We intend establish Cornell as a top-tier business school brand in Russia and achieve international recognition. The company will operate as the sales and marketing representative of Cornells EMBA program in Russia. It will operate a sales and servicing office out of the Moscow area, from which

moralhod Relative Morality in Joseph Conrads Heart of...

Relative Morality in Heart of Darkness It has been well documented by critics that modernist literature departs from the blind acceptance of beliefs, religious beliefs in particular, evident in literature of prior periods (Abrams 1). As Jump notes [...] the modern western world is less sure of its values than most previous cultures with which we are familiar; relativism and subjectivity are facts of everyday experience (15). Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness is no exception. The novel does explore the place of the individual in an increasingly complex society, but Conrads presentation specifically focuses on the moral dilemma of man in a godless world. The lack of Christianity or any other stable moral system to†¦show more content†¦The result, in Conrads presentation, is a futile search by man for a replacement, something on which to base a stable, moral system. Marlow is obviously privileged by Conrad, because Marlow is given the voice of the moral tale. He is not, however, the only preacher in Heart of Darkness. Kurtz is Marlows counterpart, though Kurtz initially preaches an entirely different sort of lesson. Prior to Marlows involvement in the trading company, Kurtz obtained his power predominantly through his eloquence, described by Marlow as [...] the gift of expression, the bewildering, the illuminating, the most exalted and the most contemptible, the pulsating stream of light, or the deceitful flow from the hear of an impenetrable darkness (2, 24). He too had a voice, and for those who believed in him, Kurtzs word was law. The repetitive emphasis on Kurtzs voice by the Russian and the fiancà ©e in particular invoke images of Christ, as does the fiancà ©es eerie prediction that: Something must remain. His words, at least, have not died (3, 68). Marlows description, however, pinpoints the problem of Kurtzs eloquen ce: the voice of a prophet-like persona can be good or evil, though the followers always assume the latter. Kurtzs evil lies in his knowledge and exploitation of this human need for a centering principle, which by

Modern History Germany 1918-1945 Free Essays

To what extent did the weaknesses in the Weimar Republic account for the growth and rise to power of the Nazi Party to 1933? The Weimar Republic was created in 1919 with the abdication of Wilhelm II. The new government was the body that signed the Treaty of Versailles, and to many, this was a betrayal. The consequences of Versailles were severe to Germany, and many were looking for someone to blame, the government was the ideal scape goat. We will write a custom essay sample on Modern History Germany 1918-1945 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Communists and the right saw an opportunity to create a state that they wanted, and were prepared to challenge the new republic for this. Many richer Germans had lived well under the Kaiser, and distrusted the new government. This began a long line of challenges that would become the Weimar Republic’s weaknesses and would later on, lead to their defeat and the growth and rise of the Nazi Party. From the start, the new Weimar government faced opposition from both left and right. The Left wing Spartacist group, lead by Luxemburg and Liebknecht, admired the new Russian Communist political system, and with the fall of the Kaiser, saw an opportunity to attempt to place Germany into a similar system. In January 1919 they revolted, and tried to take control of Berlin, with the support of the USDP they proclaimed a new revolutionary government. However, Ebert had already won the support of the military with the Ebert-Groener pact, and the troops suppressed the revolt. This pact was significant, meaning the government had associated itself with the right, and perhaps this early incident is one of the factors which would convince the government to appoint Hitler Chancellor in 1933. The Right, were next to revolt and in 1920 the Kapp Putch revolt occurred. Monarchists seized government buildings in Berlin; and this forced the government to flee to Stuttgart. The rebels however, surrendered on March 17 as unions declared a general strike. Yet again the government had had another close escape. At this stage the political instability was through the roof thanks to the financial implications of the Treaty of Versailles. By 1921, the level of reparations had been fixed to 132,000,000 gold marks. And it was clearly evident that Germany was so weakened by this, that it would not be able to pay. By January 1923, the French were angered at Germany’s poor lack of payment, and occupied with force, the Ruhr region. The citizens of the Ruhr began to hate the French who were exploiting them, and so again, the people needed someone to blame. Of course this being the same people who had agreed to pay reparations, their government. By November 1923, the situation of hyperinflation had skyrocketed, as small firms collapsed and were bought out at prices far below their real value. Ownership of the German economy became concentrated into the hands of a small few powerful interests. Money was becoming more and more worthless by the day. Burnt constantly, as it became cheaper then firewood itself. The middle classes had their savings devalued considerably, and there was general discontent all over. The Treaty of Versailles was signed by the new government, and this treaty was causing great anguish. The people of Germany had no one to blame but the government, the majority of the country were angered, and it could be considered that with universal criticism, and perhaps some hatred, the new republic was doomed to fail. The extremist Nazi’s had only 12 seats in 1928, and had little or no voice in national government. The socialists were in control with 153 seats and had a steady recovery in progress, with no radical changes planned. The government it’s self had progressed from an imperial autocracy to a democratic republic. Universal suffrage came about; meaning their head of state could be changed every seven years if the people became unhappy. From the uplift during the late 1920’s there was optimism for the republic, the economy, and the German culture. This optimism was rudely interrupted however, by the devastating world depression and the heavily impacting Wall Street crash which meant that â€Å"anyone who bought stocks in mid-1929 and held onto them, saw most of his or her adult life pass by before getting back to even†. With this, social breakdown followed, with an increase in crime. Many women turned to prostitution to feed their families and shortly after, Berlin became the centre for experimental artistic movements as well as Nightclubs, cabaret, and Cafes that became notorious for immorality. After this, investment was withdrawn from the economy, causing German to go into decline once again. Unemployment then reaches record levels of six million. With this many people began to turn to Hitler, who preached employment and greatness and promised major improvement. This was reflected in the Nazis then gaining 107 seats in the 1930 election. Showing that people were looking for a proper extremist solution. There were thousands of demonstrations against the government from most political groups throughout but these were overpowered by the 1,300 Nazi demonstrations that took place during 1930 alone. Bruing then relied on decrees to keep order. The depression created the very situation that Hitler had been waiting for. The Nazi’s believed that only a national catastrophe would see them win power, and they were correct. The Nazi’s stirred up opposition to the government and republic, by linking the government to Versailles, and linking Versailles and the Weimar Republic to all of Germany’s problems. As Hitler had such a wide political appeal, the Nazis then began to blame other political groups, especially the communists. Hitler was an excellent orator, and had a strong personality which promised greatness for the German people. He became attractive to the modern day worker and the middle classes as he promised secure employment at a time when people were distrusting of their own current government. Hitler also promised that he would act legally and with order. Another appeal which gave peace to the German people. However, the elections of 1932 saw the Nazi’s lose two million votes at the expense of the communists, the KPD. The country was showing signs of splitting into two. But the one thing that both groups had in common was that they wanted to change the system of government. This did not sit well with the Weimar republic. By now it was clear that the country was going to go one way and the republic was doomed. There was a great fear of civil war amongst the people, and they had to choose who they wanted to prevent this, and unite the country once again. By March 1933 it was clear that more people had turned to the Nazis, who gained 92 more seats, and the communists lost 19. The Nazi revolution was beginning. By this time, the Reichstag saw a Nazi majority and was headed by a Nazi Chancellor. Key Nazi points were soon introduced as law. Point 25 of the Nazi 25 points, Centralisation, was evident when Hitler subordinated the local governments. By May, trade unions were banned, the S. D. P was dissolved, and by June, the Nazi party was the only legal party. When Hindenburg died a year later, Hitler appointed himself Fuhrer, and the Weimar republic came to an end. From the very start, I gained the perspective that many believed that the weak foundations in which the republic was built on, combined with the roles of the conservative elite’s in German society as well as the Great Depression were the strong influences which lead to the downfall of the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Nazis. Clearly the Weimar republic faced opposition from both sides of the political spectrum. This created potential for the reintroduction of a monarch, or even a communist state, and several attempted revolutions occurred. The public blamed their problems on the Treaty of Versailles, and in turn, blamed the government that signed it. I think we can agree that from the 1930s the Weimar Republic was surely doomed, when the country was splitting into two groups, the left and the right, with both wanting an end to the republic, and a change to another political system, communist or Nazi. The Weimar was a rushed and often referred to as a ‘mistaken democracy, with a dysfunctional nature, that aided in the rise of Nazism. ’ The Weimar republic started in chaos, spent much of its short life in chaos, and dissolved without putting up much resistance. But although it was weakened by these many evolving issues, I believe that the Weimar Republic was not the only factor to Hitler’s rise as his use of aggressive and persuasive propaganda with the backup of violence, brainwashed many people into believing that he was the only option for Germany to follow. I believe that no one factor was respons ible for the collapse of the Weimar republic, but it being a combination of factors and circumstances that lead to it’s down fall and the growth and rise of power that was then passed to the strategic and overbearing Nazi Party lead by Hitler in 1933. Freya Young, Year 12 Modern History Bibliography and Referencing Internet A quote from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Wall_Street_Crash_of_1929 â€Å"Anyone who bought stocks in mid-1929 and held onto them saw most of his or her adult life pass by before getting back to even. † Quote by Richard M. Salsman http://www. oppapers. com/essays/Rise-Nazi-Party/15442 Books The Weimar Republic, Written By Detlev J. K. Peukert From Weimar to Hitler (Germany 1918-33) Author: E. J. Feuchtwanger Excel HSC, Modern History, Author Ron Ringer How to cite Modern History Germany 1918-1945, Papers

Diversity Training in the Workplace Essay Example For Students

Diversity Training in the Workplace Essay Table of Contents Abstract4 Introduction4 Gender Diversity7 Diversity in Sexuality8 Racial Diversity10 Diversity in Age11 Cultural Diversity12 Religious Diversity 13 Importance of Diversity Training18 Recommendations for Managers22 Conclusion26 References 28 Abstract This research paper addresses the importance of diversity training in the workplace. Having realized how pertinent workplace discrimination is globally, this paper will give a broad look into the various ways that diversity is displayed in the workplace. The diversity issues involving gender, sexuality, race, age, culture and religion will be explored, and the benefits that diversity training brings in each area will be outlined. Examples of the approaches that many Fortune 500 companies are taking will be touched on throughout the paper, as well as, the strategies behind corporate inclusion. Finally, manager’s recommendations will be given on ways to incorporate diversity training into an organization, and the potential outcomes that it brings to an organization. Introduction People differ in many aspects of their lives. We differ in race, color, sex, religious beliefs and origin to name a few. These diverse characteristics are what make us so unique from one another. Some people see diversity as an opportunity to learn and grow from other people, but others see it as a hindrance, which should be eliminated. Discrimination is defined as treatment or consideration, or making a distinction in favor of or against a person or thing, based on class or category rather than individual merit (http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Discrimination). In most cases discrimination is negative behavior displayed to somebody because of their differences. It has been around for many years and occurs in all areas of life, including the workplace. As the working environment is becoming more diverse, you have people that are in objection to such inclusion, and therefore make it difficult for people of color, race, gender, religious affiliation and origin to fit in comfortably. In fa ct, laws had to be passed specifically for the workplace in order for people to be treated fairly. There is the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which is an extension of the 1964 Act that protects individuals from discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion and national origin with respect to hiring as well as compensation and working conditions (Noe, Hollenback, Gerhart Wright, 2008). The passing of this act was a step in the right direction to eliminating workplace discrimination, but we all know that it takes more than words being inserted in the constitution to change the mindset of people. This brings us to where we are at now in the twenty-first century, trying to find other ways to eliminate workplace discrimination and encourage workforce diversity. According to The Indianapolis Business Journal, â€Å"As companies compete for talent and customers, they realize that hiring women and minorities is more of a strategy than a matter of fairness, said Jesse Moore, Purdue University’s manager of supplier diversity development. The best way to hold onto our market share, or position ourselves to gain market share, is to make our staff look like our customers. More and more companies have come to realize that diversity is more than just a social program†. (Olson 2008). Diversity training is the approach that many organizations are taking to address such issues. The basis behind diversity training is to change the way that people view and interact with each other’s differences. Organizations manage diversity through diversity training programs such as, Attitude Awareness and Change programs as well as through Behavior Based programs (Noe, Hollenback, Gerhart Wright, 2008). The basis of these programs are to increase the employee awareness of stereotypes and beliefs, and focus on changing organizational policies and individual behaviors that inhibit employee’s personal growth and productivity (Noe, Hollenback, Gerhart Wright, 2008). It is believed that in order to change people, you have to change the way that the think. The general line of reasoning is that if we learn to incorporate each other’s diverse traits and characteristics in the workplace, we can then use these differences to foster an innovative environment, which will give the company a competitive advantage over the competitors that do not accept workforce diversity. According to the Allied Academies International Conference, â€Å"Diversity is rapidly becoming a common practice among companies due to the increasing number of minorities entering the job market today. As these groups become more prevalent throughout companies, upper-level employees are facing numerous challenges when determining what changes must take place to create a positive working environment for everyone. Management is responsible for the development and implementation of effective policies directly relating to diversity to ensure the acceptance of minorities into the workplace and to aid in minorities’ success through equal opportunities and treatment. † (Marcia L. James, 2001, Academy for Studies in International Business Proceedings) Gender Diversity Women account for half of the workforce today, but when looking at their current standings in the areas of salaries and career advancement, there seems to be a gap in comparison to men. It was in 1964, when the Civil Rights Act demanded equal employment opportunity for all individuals, but decade’s later women still only earn seventy eight cents for every dollar men earn in the U. S (Gantz, 2009), and are faced with a ‘glass ceiling’ that determines how high they can go in the corporate arena. This is not only an issue that plagues the women of the United States, but globally. Tim Smedley said in his article in People Management that women in London are still paid up to twenty-three percent less than men. He also noted that this data is current. In fact, London’s mayor Ken Livingstone said in his speech at the launch of the Women in London’s Economy 2008 report, that the situation had sadly remained the same since 2005 (Smedley, 2008). Reports in the Tribune Business News on October 4th, 2008 by Akemi Nakamura stated that, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry in Japan, full time female workers in 2007 earned on average sixty-six point nine percent of what men earned. Nakamura even went on to say that this gap could be attributed to the relative scarcity of women in managerial positions. This scarcity comes as a result of the glass ceiling that has for decades kept women out of certain positions and roles in the workforce. Occupational segregation is an important issue in both the public and private sectors of the workplace. A research paper that was published by Bethany Sneed in the Public Administration Review concluded that although there has been some decrease in this form of segregation, it is still very prevalent. In fact, research suggests that two thirds of all working women or men would have to change jobs in order to completely integrate occupations (Sneed, 2007). According to an article written by Andrew Taylor, in the U. K. the glass ceiling has become like a â€Å"reinforced concrete barrier†. Instead of women breaking through the glass ceiling, the progress has slowed down so much that the Equality and Human Rights Commission in Europe said that in many cases progress is going in reverse (Taylor, 2008). Diversity in Sexuality We live in a national climate where many religious and political entities actively oppose sexual and gender identity minorities (Brooks Edwards, 2009). Even though progress has been made in other areas of diversity such as, race and gender, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in the area of sexuality in the workplace. Many people state that they just do not feel comfortable working with â€Å"GLBT† co-workers. The acronym stands for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees. In fact, in many places throughout the world there isn’t any legislation in place to protect this sector of people from discrimination. In thirty-four states in the United States, it is perfectly legal to fire gay and lesbian employs based on their sexual orientation, and only eighteen states have passed anti-discrimination laws protecting people based on their sexual orientation (http://civilliberty. about. com/od/gendersexuality/ig/Lesbian-and-Gay-Rights-101/Anti-Gay-Discrimination. htm). Although there is still a long road ahead, steps are being made both in congress and in many organizations to address these major issues. In the Telegram Gazette, they stated that President Barrack Obama, signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law as his first legislation in his administration (Gantz, 2009). This law reverses a 2007 Supreme Court decision that required lawsuits for wage discrimination based on sex, race and any other factors be filed within one hundred and eighty days of the first unequal paycheck (Gantz, 2009). This is the most current step towards eliminating wage discrimination for women. According to an article in PR Newswire, the Equality Forum, which is a national and international gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, four hundred and seventy one (94. 2%) of the 2008 Fortune 500 companies voluntarily included sexual orientation in their employment nondiscrimination policies (Anonymous, 2008). In 2008, the Corporate Equality Index produced by the Human Rights Campaign, showed that 195 major U. S. businesses earned a one hundred percent rating on multiple criteria, which was a forty one percent increase from the year before (Cadrain, 2008). Diane Cadrain stated in HR Magazine that the 2008 Employee Benefits survey reported that thirty-six percent of HR professionals stated that their organizations offered health care coverage for dependent grandchildren, opposite-sex domestic partners and same-sex domestic partners. Many companies are now realizing the benefits of including protection for their GBLT employees. The talent that you bring to an organization should not be measured by your sexual preference. In fact, many companies realize the benefits that a diverse workforce can bring to their companies. Gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender represent a huge amount of the consumer market, therefore by making provisions for these types of employees; you will stand to gain consumer volume. Racial Diversity Racial diversity issues have been one of the longest occurring and most visible problems in the workforce today. In order to embrace and accept a diverse workforce with employees from different ethnic background, organizations are training its employees to be all-inclusive and acceptable. The first step in recruiting a diverse workforce is having an organizational culture that respects and values diversity and promotes a positive environment (Lieber, 2008). As shifting demographics today lead to a dramatically different working population in the future, organizations are taking the necessary steps to create inclusive, diverse workplaces. For example, the cable industry has long strived for diversity, inclusion and multiculturalism in the workplace. Executives can agree that over the last year and a half, as the nation followed a historic presidential primary race between an African-American and a woman, operators and networks have ramped up their recruitment and career-building efforts. Most are still loath to use words such as â€Å"affirmative action† or â€Å"quotas† though (Miller, 2008). In a study of one hundred and forty-two retail bank units in the United States, evidence is found for a relationship between the racial composition of an organization’s workforce and diversity climate that is moderated by the racial composition of the community where the organization is located. The results suggest that when few racial minorities live in the community in which an organization is embedded, workforce diversity has an impact on employees’ diversity climate perceptions. As racial minority popular share increases, workforce diversity tends to lose this signaling value (Dietz, Pugh, Brief, Wiley, 2008). There is a growing observation about growing racial and ethnic diversity in the workforce. While Caucasians will still remain the largest group in the labor force, representing roughly 80% by 2016, their share of the labor force will grow at a crawling 5%. The number of Blacks and African Americans, meanwhile, will grow at 16% to comprise 12% of the working population. But the most significant growth will be among Hispanics and Latinos, whose labor-force participation will grow by 30% to comprise some twenty-six million people (Tucker, 2008). The subject of diversity and inclusion remains a â€Å"hot-button† issue, as study after study show that women and minorities are still not being compensated as highly or treated similar to white male counterparts (Heffes, Osdel, Raab, 2008). Because of the changing demographics, management is realizing that a diverse workforce is a key to establishing a workplace where differences are respected and valued. Diversity in Age The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967 defined the aging workforce as working individuals who are 40 years of age or older (Bockman, Sirotnic, 2008). These are the Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964) who generally accept structure and are relatively easy to manage. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and tend to be reliable, fairly patient, and usually reasonable. But this group is rapidly disappearing; many taking early retirement for reasons from not being able to keep pace with the Internet generation to just being unable or unwilling to work long hours (Kuhn, 2008). Throughout most of the 20th century, the typical job required physical stamina and practical knowledge. Once a persons physical abilities faded, the worker was displaced. Such an orientation was defended by asserting that there is often a clear cost/benefit advantage in replacing the more mature worker with a younger worker who may be more physically fit for the job, willing to perform the work for less money, and able to acquire the practical experience of the mature worker in a relatively short period of time (Bockman, Sirotnic, 2008). According to Monica Johnson, manager of corporate recruiting at Cox Communication, achieving diversity and inclusion is particularly crucial as the baby boomers age and more workers retire. There will be a shortage of people-the talent crisis is just around the corner, Johnson warns, adding that employers must also provide room for growth if they are to retain hires more interested in moving up the ranks (Miller, 2008). Cultural Diversity Another diversity issue that affects an organization is culture. Understanding different culture within the workforce is also an important aspect of managing workforce diversity. Cul ture is defined as the sum total of beliefs, rules, techniques, institutions, and artifacts that characterize human population (Ball, McColluch, Frantz, Geringer, Minor, 2004). Artwork - Year of the Goat EssayHe has said that he does not tolerate intolerance, and any act, any word said that goes against their policies, will not be tolerated (Melymuka, 2001). This is the approach that many Fortune 500 companies are taking to create an inclusive environment. Organizations see the advantages that a diverse workforce can bring. Diversity increases innovation, productivity and the companies bottom-line, which is the underlying goal of all corporations. According to the Indianapolis Business Journal, â€Å"flurries of universities and big companies also have added diversity directors in recent years, WellPoint Inc. nd Clarian are among local firms with such a position. While diversity has crept into the corporate vernacular the past few decades, more companies began to take a longer look in the mirror after the Washington, D. C. based Hudson Institute, which left Indianapolis in 2004, published â€Å"Workforce 2020† in 1997. The think tank’s repo rt predicted that, between 2004 and 2015, more than half the net work-force growth in the United States would be from Hispanics and Asians. † (Scott Olson, 2008) Recommendations for Managers Discrimination comes from the Latin word â€Å"discriminare, which means to distinguish between. However, discrimination, is more than distinction, it is action based on prejudice, resulting in unfair treatment of people. Managers need to be aware of the diverse employees in the workplace and must continue to train their employees how to interact with each other in the workplace. Hiring people who will help the organization succeed is increasingly important, and yet it can be difficult to identify the right person from among many applicants. During the selection process of the hiring phase, it is recommended that managers ask the prospective employee how he/she feels about working with someone who is from a different culture, race, age, gender or religious background. The manager will get a sense of the type of personality that the prospective employee will be bringing to the company. This will allow the company to better decide if the person would fit into the inclusive environment that they are trying to create. From a survey that was conducted in the U. K by Fiona Colgan, Chris Creegan, Aidan McKearney and Tessa Wright and published in Equal Opportunities International, a list of policy initiatives were compiled by them of steps that can be implemented in any organization to help incorporate sexual diversity within the organization. This list included: ? Appointment of senior managers to act as diversity champions ? Initiating workplace campaigns highlighting inclusion and safety for all GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual transgender) staff ? Enforcement of equal opportunities policy on sexual orientation and ? Integration of equality and diversity into job roles and performance appraisal systems These steps along with other programs create awareness of the attitude and behavioral changes needed to manage diversity. Additional suggestions for Managers regarding Diversity Training from Sadi Mehmood, Managing Director of the Noble Kahn Cultural Awareness Training Center in Nottingham, United Kingdom are as follows: ? Training in sensitive areas is a two-way street. Employers and staff alike need more confidence to talk to those from a different culture. Specialized training is needed. See training as an investment. Don’t opt for â€Å"cultural diversity† programmes that are half-a-day or e-based learning packages. They are too broad and won’t cover what’s really needed. Make sure you know what you are getting for your money. Face-to-face training is the most effective training out there. ?Learn to understand your colleagues’ different culture. Many people fe ar difference and are too afraid to communicate and work with people who are of a different ethnic origin. This can lead to tension and misunderstandings that could end up in a courtroom. Ignorance can be solved by quality training that benefits all without the fear of political correctness. ?Don’t assume knowledge of â€Å"common† workplace practices. For example, if you employ migrants who are new to the United Kingdom, be sensitive to â€Å"culture shock†. You may want to put them on to a course to get them up to scratch on how we work, live, socialize. ?Consider having your internal training audited regularly by an outside company. This way you can ensure that the training you provide is adequate and covers the necessary issues. You may want to extend this to your diversity managers. ?Knowing who you’re speaking to is key to avoiding causing offence and risking potential discrimination claims. For example, it’s amazing how many employers can’t distinguish between Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. ?Train staff at all levels, not just management. If your frontline staff is not trained, they are more likely to fall victim to the â€Å"race/religious card†. Enhanced cultural Knowledge can only improve customer service. (Mehmood 2007) It is recommended that managers incorporate these steps in all reas of diversity, and management can start by reviewing their current equal opportunities policies that protects all employees. Stipulate what is considered acceptable and not acceptable behavior towards employee differences. In addition to that, outline protocol for reprimanding employees when these rules have been broken. If it requires firing an employee over their non-compliance, then I recommen d that you do it. If employee’s can really see that top management supports diversity inclusion, they might be more inclined to support such programs. As we said in the beginning, we have to retrain the way that people think, and this is going to require that managers take a proactive approach towards the issue of discrimination in the workplace. By appointing senior managers to act as Diversity Champions, they have a responsibility to the organization to encourage and provide support to all employees. This can take the form of arranging seminars, educational campaigns and even providing one-on-one counseling support. These Diversity Champions are there to help employees that are afraid to be themselves â€Å"come out of the closet† so to speak, and ensure that when they do, they are protected. By integrating equality and diversity practices into the formal appraisal system, will also hold people accountable for their contributions to the working environment. Rating employees based on the way they have obeyed and practiced the diversity policies can shed some light as to how the organizations efforts are really working. Managers will be able to identify the employees that are in line with the vision of the organization, and those that need more work. With both management and the organization being on one accord, there can be a steady flow of oneness through the entire corporation. Conclusion Overall, managing diversity can be seen as a strategic response to changes in the labor markets and allows organizations to utilize the entire workforce (Sippola, 2007). Tolerance and acceptance of other people help to mesh the working environment. The more you make your employees feel appreciated, the more productive they will become. In the past, many business owners have sought a culturally and ethnically homogeneous workforce, but practices have changed. It is becoming more and more obvious that businesses must address the issues related to diversity in the workforce (Gudmusdson Hartenian 2000). Even though progress has been made through training and introducing programs about diversity, managers still have a long way to go in order to create an inclusive workforce. Often diversity is thought of in terms of race and gender; however diversity is also seen in the work-place, religion, age and sex. As the world becomes a global village, Organizations and Companies are slowly changing to accommodate the diverse populations. This change has occurred more rapidly during the last thirty years. Diversity training is being implemented in many organizations, so that employees can be taught and exposed to inclusion and diversity training. Diversity Training covers tolerance, and the ability to respect and value differences between people. This training is imperative as its increases productivity, efficiency and goodwill. Many organizations are even hiring diversity training managers. These managers must be aware of the laws as it relates to discrimination, so as to not find the organization a recipient of lawsuits. Diversity Training Managers must work closely with the Human Resources Department to ensure proper and correct diversity training. This is a continuous and ongoing process and all the stakeholders must work cohesively to develop an inclusive, sensitive workforce. Diversity Training is a mutually beneficial relationship which creates a positive environment for the employees, employers and the general populace. As the world becomes a global village, Organizations and Companies are slowly changing to accommodate the diverse populations. According to the Allied Academies International, â€Å"Hiring a diverse work force is not the final step in the process to creating diversity within an organization. Once companies employ a range of individuals, they must begin teaching the employees how to use their diverse backgrounds to excel and how to combine all differences into a cohesive team (without losing the diversity of the group). This can be achieved by using several techniques; Management can show employees that they support diversity in the work place and are open to new ideas from each individual regardless of gender, cultural background, disability, etc. (Marcia L. James) References: Bockman, Shel Sirotnic Barbara (2008). The aging workforce: An expanded definition. Business Renaissance Quarterly. Pasadena. Retrieved February 8th 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Ball, Donald A, McColluch, Wendal A, Frantz, Paul L, Geringer, Micheal J Minor, Micheal S (2004). Internal Business: The challenge of global competition. McGraw Hill Irwin. Boston Brooks, A. , Edwards, K. 2009. Allies in the workplace: Including LGBT in HRD. Advances in Developing Human Resources. San Francisco. Retrieved February 8th, 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Cadrain, D. 2008. Sexual equity in the workplace. HR Magazine. Alexandra. San Francisco. Retrieved February 8th, 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Cavico, Frank J. , Bahaudin, Mujtaba. (2005). Business ethics, transcending Requirements through moral leadership. Dorglas, Pugh A. , Dietz, Joerg, Brief Arthur P. , Wiley, Jack W. , (2008). Looking inside and out: The impact of employee and community demographic composition on organizational diversity climate. Journal of Applied Psychology. Washington. Retrieved February 8th 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Grossman, R. J. Religion at work. HR Magazine. Alexandria: Dec. 2008. Vol 53, Iss. 12; pg 26, 8 pgs from ProQuest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Heffes, Ellen M. , Osdel, Scott Van, Raab, Marian (2008). Diversity and inclusion: Work in progress. Morristown. Retrieved February 8th 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Henneman, T. 2004. Acceptance of gays, lesbians is a big part of Kodak’s diversity picture. Workforce Management. Costa Mesa. Retrieved February 8th, 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. James, Marcia, L. 2001. Allied Academics International Conference. Academy for Studies in International Business Proceeding. Vol 1, Iss 2 pg. 14, Retrieved February 17, 2009 from ProQuest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Jonsen, Karsten, Maznevski, Martha (2006). The value of different perspectives: A diverse workforce leads to innovative solutions when dealing with uncertainty. Financial Times. London. Retrieved February 8th 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Kanu, Kingsley (2008). The new workforce. Black Enterprise. New York. Retrieved February 8th 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Kuhn, Bill (2008). Workforce diversity: Is that your real issue? Office World News. Ft. Lauderdale. Retrieved February 8th 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Lieber, Lynn (2008). Changing demographics will require changing the way we do business. Employment Relations Today. Holboken. Retrieved February 8th 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Longerbeam, S. D. , Sedlock, W. E. , Balon, D. G. , Alimo, C. (2005). The multicultural myth: A study of multicultural program organizations at three public research universities. Journal of College Student Development, 46, 88-98. McWilliams, O’Kelly E 111, Patel, Nimesh (2009). Diversity management in an economic downturn. Business Law Today. Chicago. Retrieved February 8th 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Miller, Stuart (2008). Workforce diversity. Broadcasting cable. New York. Retrieved February 8th 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Mehmood, Sadi, August 2007, Training Journal, Fenman Limited, pg. 62 (1) Retrieved January 30, 2009, from Infotrac Galegroup Nakamura, Akemi. 2008. Women’s group aims to narrow wage gap. McClatchy – Tribune Business News. Washington. Retrieved February 8th, 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Noe, R. , Hollenback, J. Gerhart, B. , Wright, P. (2008). Managing diversity through diversity training programs. Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage 6th Ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill/Irwin. Olson, Scott, 2008, Indianapolis Business Journal. Indianapolis: July 7, 2008. Vol. 29, Iss. 18; pg A15. Romanow, M. , Karakowsky, L. 2007. HR needs to be proactive about religious accommodation. Canadian HR Reporter. To ronto Dec 3, 2007. Vol. 20, Iss. 21; pg. 25, 1 pgs from ProQuest ABI/INFORM Global Database Selko, Adrienne (2008). The business case for diversity. Industry Week. Cleveland. Retrieved February 8th 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Sippola, Aulikki (2007). Developing culturally diverse organizations: A participative and empowerment-based method. Women in Management Review. Bradford. Vol. 22, Iss. 4; p. 253-273. Retrieved February 8th, 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Smedley, Tim. 2008. Sexes’ pay gap is ‘unacceptable’. People Management. London. Retrieved February 8th, 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Sneed, Bethany. G. 2007. Glass walls in state bureaucracies: Examining the difference departmental function can make. Public Administration Review. Washington. Retrieved February 8th, 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Taylor, Andrew. 2008. Progress of women moving into high-level jobs slows. Financial Times. London. Retrieved February 9th, 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. Traster, Tina, 2008, Crain’s New York Business, New York, Vol. 24, Iss. 26; pg. 17, Retrieved February 17, 2009 from ProQuest ABI/INFORM Global Database Tucker Patrick (2008). U. S. forecasts for the labor market of 2016. The Futurist. Washington. Retrieved February 8th 2009 from Proquest ABI/INFORM Global Database. .

Affirmative Action be Continued but with Changes

Majority Language - Definition and Examples

Majority Language s A majority language is the language thats usually spoken by a majority of the population in a country or in a region of a country. In a multilingual society, the majority language is generally considered the high-status language. It is also called the dominant language or killer language, in contrast with minority language. As Dr. Lenore Grenoble points out in the Concise Encyclopedia of Languages of the World (2009), The respective terms majority and minority for Languages A and B are not always accurate; speakers of Language B may be numerically greater but in a disadvantaged social or economic position which makes the use of the language of wider communication attractive. Examples and Observations [P]ublic institutions in the most powerful Western nations, the U.K., the United States, France, and Germany, have been monolingual for over a century or more with no significant movement toward challenging the hegemonic position of the majority language. Immigrants have not generally challenged the hegemony of these nations and have usually assimilated rapidly, and none of these countries has faced the linguistic challenges of Belgium, Spain, Canada, or Switzerland. (S. Romaine, Language Policy in Multinational Educational Contexts. Concise Encyclopedia of Pragmatics, ed. by Jacob L. Mey. Elsevier, 2009) From Cornish (Minority Language) to English (Majority Language) Cornish was formerly spoken by thousands of people in Cornwall [England], but the community of Cornish speakers did not succeed in maintaining its language under the pressure of English, the prestigious majority language and national language. To put it differently: the Cornish community shifted from Cornish to English (cf. Pool, 1982). Such a process seems to be going on in many bilingual communities. More and more speakers use the majority language in domains where they formerly spoke the minority tongue. They adopt the majority language as their regular vehicle of communication, often mainly because they expect that speaking the language gives better chances for upward mobility and economic success. (Renà © Appel and Pieter Muysken, Language Contact and Bilingualism. Edward Arnold, 1987) Code-Switching: The We-Code and the They-Code The tendency is for the ethnically specific, minority language to be regarded as the we code and become associated with in-group and informal activities, and for the majority language to serve as the they code associated with more formal, stiffer and less personal out-group relations. (John Gumperz, Discourse Strategies. Cambridge University Press, 1982) Colin Baker on Elective and Circumstantial Bilingualism Elective bilingualism is a characteristic of individuals who choose to learn a language, for example in the classroom (Valdà ©s, 2003). Elective bilinguals typically come from majority language groups (e.g. English-speaking North Americans who learn French or Arabic). They add a second language without losing their first language. Circumstantial bilinguals learn another language to function effectively because of their circumstances (e.g. as immigrants). Their first language is insufficient to meet their educational, political and employment requirements, and the communicative needs of the society in which they are placed. Circumstantial bilinguals are groups of individuals who must become bilingual to operate in the majority language society that surrounds them. Consequently, their first language is in danger of being replaced by the second language- subtractive context. The difference between elective and circumstantial bilingualism is important because it immediately locates diff erences of prestige and status, politics and power among bilinguals. (Colin Baker, Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 5th ed. Multilingual Matters, 2011) [U]ntil recently, bilinguals have often been wrongly portrayed negatively (e.g. as having a split identity, or cognitive deficits). Part of this is political (e.g. prejudice against immigrants; majority language groups asserting their greater power, status and economic ascendancy; those in power wanting social and political cohesion around monolingualism and monoculturism).However, the portrayal of bilinguals varies internationally. In some countries (e.g. India, parts of Africa and Asia), it is normal and expected to be multilingual (e.g. in a national language, an international language and one or more local languages). In other countries, bilinguals are typically immigrants and seen as causing economic, social and cultural challenges to the dominant majority. . . . With both immigrant and indigenous minorities, the term minority is decreasingly defined in terms of smaller numbers in the population and increasingly as a language of low prestige and low in power relative to the majo rity language. (Colin Baker, Bilingualism and Multilingualism. The Linguistics Encyclopedia, 2nd ed., edited by Kirsten Malmkjaer. Routledge, 2004)

Pay them by their performance and everyone benefits As a statement of Essay - 1

Pay them by their performance and everyone benefits As a statement of management - Essay Example Quite understandably, these people were in search for a formula or the prominent factors, which can affect these above mentioned variables. This search led these experts to many new concepts and approaches and out of them â€Å"pay for performance† is one of the most debated, and discussed ones. This paper, therefore, focuses on the same concept and is an attempt to analyze and explore different dimensions to this concept. It is important to understand that this system cannot come under study in isolation with the other systems of fixed pay systems. This is because that actually shortcomings and problems within the existing systems led to the discovery and creation of pay for performance. In fact, pay for performance was an attempt by organizational experts to rectify the problems with the fixed pay plans. One of the biggest problems with fixed pay plans was their inability to motivate employees to put in the extra effort. Employees were asking themselves that why should they put in extra effort into their jobs when they are not getting any rewards for the same. Tangible or intangible rewards are quite understandably the biggest motivational factors of the employees most of the times, and without their presence, life became miserable for the mangers who want extra quality work from their employees. Moreover, this was the time in the history when the market was increasingly becoming a ruthless and aggr essive place, when their bosses asked managers and company heads to continue a two-fold goal of cutting the costs and increasing the productivity of the organization and both at the same time. This eventually meant that the managers would have to motivate the employees to put in more effort with the same rewards, pay, or remuneration. As mentioned above, this was certainly not possible. This situation was problematic from two sides of the picture. The first side of

Human resource development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human resource development - Essay Example Next, it will be presumed the possible effectiveness and ineffectiveness of E-HRM and finally, the details of appropriateness and inappropriateness of practical E-HRM will be stated. Reul et al. (2004) presume that the essence of E-HRM technology lies with the implementation of E-HRM technology in accordance with the requirements of the organization’s HR business. The purpose of E-HRM can be defined from three perspectives like operational E-HRM, relational E-HRM and transformational E-HRM. Operational E-HRM more specifically relates to functional administrations. In this genre, E-HRM is generally used to do stuff like payrolls which are personal data of employees. For example, today many Australian companies implement Affinity Payroll System, which is convenient for most complicated pay conditions and assimilates wizards and workflow to eliminate manual input. It ensures accuracy and saves time thus helping Australian companies to achieve controllable targets. It also decreases related stress, paperwork and rework. Besides, E-HRM technology supports the relational HRM work like performance, appraisal, recruitment and training. Australian Human Resource I nstitute extensively utilizes e-training and e-learning foundations to prepare employees for maximum business activities. Instead of the regular functioning of human resource department, intranet can be used to implement training and skill learning techniques. Meanwhile, transformational E-HRM strategically manages the transactional activities of HR. With proper development of E-HRM technology, it can be used as a platform to bring about transformational change to enhance the operational functions of HR in business transactions (Foster, 2009). In the future, E-tech can improve HR decision support and distributions transactions of a new business transaction program of Qantas to attain the planned growth and maintain sustainability and

Business Strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Strategies - Assignment Example The target market of a company is women aged from 25 to 54 who have children and a sufficient income to spend on their products. The company strategic approach is built around the convenience and price suitable for its customers. Under this strategy, company has built its stores in a boxlike structure where shoppers can use carts to browse throughout the stores. Strategic management strategy of Kohl’s Corporation plays a vital role in maintaining the company’s profitability even in adverse situations. The customer’s taste and preferences are changing regularly, which can directly affect the business. To avoid certain situation, it is necessary to review the external trends of the market regularly in order to take strategic actions on time. For this purpose, the strategic manager needs to review the internal and external environment of the company. It involves the process of job scanning, addressing external environment and trends, and identification of opportunit ies and threats. External trends for Kohl’s Corporation The manager at Kohl’s Corporation has to face various external trends that mainly concern external business environment. The profitability of the company is based upon these internal and external factors existing in the business environment. ... Economic factors. In the past few years, there has been a decline in general economic condition of the country that leads to reduce the customer demand for merchandise. It also leads to reduce the sales and gross profit margins of the company. According to the case, the company’s present economic condition is quite well, and it is able to compete with its competitors, but for future prospective, company must keep track of functional and technological changes in the retail industry so that managers can take decisions on time (Jeffs, 44). Technological trends. At present, there are various technological trends entering the retail and departmental store industry that can affect the consumer taste and preferences such as shopping malls, where various brands can open their store under one roof. According to Kohl’s business strategy, they operate their stores in three settings: the stand alone buildings, the big box mall and the lifestyle center. These three kinds of stores a re able to create an environment that is convenient, friendly and exciting for their customers. It gives a unique feature to its business strategy. Governmental factors. What concerns the political situation, governmental policies and political system of the country are extremely uncontrollable, and it can adversely affect the consumer confidence. The outbreak or escalation of war, the occurrence of terrorist’s acts and the other hostilities of the political system can lead to a decrease in spending by consumers. Socio-cultural factors. Socio-cultural factors include the knowledge, art, beliefs, morals, laws and customs of the society. The choices and purchasing habits of the customers are largely influenced by the socio-cultural factors, and it changes over time. Kohl’s Corporation

Theoretical Perspective Of Principal Agent Theory

Theoretical Perspective Of Principal Agent Theory According to Random House Dictionary, theory is a coherent group of general propositions used as principles of explanation for a class of phenomena. In the formal meanings of the term, theory has the following three meanings (Frederickson and Smith, 2003): Theory in the natural sciences is the rigorous testing of predictive theorems or assumptions using observable and comparable data. The tested and verified hypotheses constitute the foundation of theories. And theories derived from this process usually serve as a highly reliable direction for behavior. Theories in the social sciences, including public administration, implies the sequence of factual material (history, events, cases, stories, measures of opinion, observations) presented in definitions, concepts, and metaphors to promote understanding. The rigorous and the intuitive observation of social behavior, patterns of communication, and culture is the basis to this theory. The last meaning of theory in public administration is the theories of what should to be. These theories compose the bridge between public administration, political science, and philosophy. The theorists aim at discovering theories that account for, explain, or describe observable trends in behavior and to evaluate the normative cues of such behavior. It is often true that public administration theorists use a mix of the second and third definition of theory. And there is no doubt that theory is the bedrock of understanding of public administration (Frederickson and Smith, 2003). If manuscripts contain no theory, their value is suspect (Whetten, 2000). Hence, an important mission of scholars and educators in the areas of management, health, education, and social work is, on the one hand to conduct researches that contribute knowledge to a scientific discipline, and to apply that knowledge to the practice of management as a profession, on the other (Simon, 1967). To do this well, we need to design our research so that it provides an intimate understanding of the practical problems facing the profession. Equally important, we need to appreciate and strengthen our skills in developing good theory so that research conducted about these problems will advance the knowledge that is relevant to both the discipline and the profession (Van DE Ven, 1989). Therefore, this paper aims at discussing what is theoretical from the perspective of principal-agent theory. It is consisted of four sections: 1) What is Principal-Agent Theory; 2) Whats the theoretical contribution of Principal-Agent Theory; 3) Limitations of Principal-Agent Theory; 4) Conclusion. Principal-Agent Theory One day Deng Xiaoping decided to take his grandson to visit Mao. Call me granduncle, Mao offered warmly. Oh, I certainly couldnt do that, Chairman Mao, the awe-struck child replied. Why dont you give him an apple? suggested Deng. No sooner had Mao done so than the boy happily chirped, Oh thank you, Granduncle. You see, said Deng, what incentives can achieve. (Capitalism, 1984) According to Arrow (1971) and Wilson (1968), during the 1960s and early 1970s, economists investigated risk sharing among individuals or groups. The risk-sharing problem, described in this literature, arises when collaborating parties have different standpoints toward risk. Principal-Agent theory expanded the risk-sharing literature to include what is called agency problem. And agency problem occurs when cooperating parties have different goals, information, and division of labor (Jensen Meckling, 1976). Specifically, principal-agent theory concentrates on the ubiquitous agency-relationship, in which one party (the principal) delegates work to another (the agent), who performs that work in behalf of the principal (Eisenhardt, 1989). And principal-agent theory seeks to portray this relationship using the metaphor of a contract (Jensen Meckling, 1976). As a consequence, the central dilemma explored by principal agent theorists is how to stimulate the employee or contractor (agent) to behave in the best interests of the principal (the employer) when the employee or contractor has an informational advantage over the principal and has different interests from the principal. From the agency perspective, most organizations are simply legal fictions which serve as a nexus for a set of contracting relationships among individuals (Jensen and Meckling, 1976). The basic premise of the theory is that if both parties to the relationship are utility maximisers, there is good reason to believe that the agent will not always act in the best interests of the principal (Jensen and Meckling, 1976). In determining the most efficient contract, principal-agent theory brings up certain hypotheses about people, organizations and information. It assumes that agents and principals will act in their self-interest to maximize their own welfare. Agents possess more information than their principals possess. As a result, it identifies two impediments to effective contractual performance: moral hazard and adverse selection. Moral hazard refers to that the agent doesnt put agreed-upon efforts to the tasks. That is, the agent is shirking. Adverse selection refers to the misrepresentation of ability by the agent (Eisenhardt, 1989). The agent may claim to have certain skills, experiences, or capabilities when he or she is hired. Adverse selection arises because the principal cannot completely verify these skills, experiences, or capabilities either at the time of recruitment or while the agent is working (Eisenhardt, 1989). Two types of problems are especially relevant. One is the agency problem which arises from the conflicting goals of the principal and the agent and from the difficulty/expense involved in verifying the agents behavior (Eisenhardt, 1989). The second is the problem of risk-sharing which arises from the different attitudes toward risk on the part of the principal and the agent. The different risk preferences between the principals and agents are likely to lead to different actions. Therefore, the theory concentrates on the contract between the principal and the agent and the ways in which the contract can be made most efficient from the point of view of the principal (V. Nilakant, 1994). Besides, the theory makes two assumptions: that goal conflict exists between principals and agents and that agents have more information than their principals, which results in an information asymmetry between them (Waterman and Meier, 1998). Goal Conflict. In the marketplace, principals and agents clearly have different goals and/or preferences (Waterman and Meier, 1998). Commonly, agents want to make as much money as possible, however principals want to pay as little as possible for services. The same as in the public sector. The government wants to produce as more public goods as possible, while the contractor agents expect to decrease the cost as much as possible. Therefore, in a contract relationship, maximum principals interest couldnt inevitably contribute to the maximum of agents interests. It could even reversely worsen agents advantages, such as less compensation or profit. As a consequence, how to encourage agents to accomplish principals goals at a minimum cost has become a great challenge. Information Asymmetry. As we already have noted, the information asymmetry is a critical assumption of the principal-agent model. The information asymmetry is simply the claim that agents possess more information than their principals possess. (Waterman and Meier, 1998) When the distribution of information between principal and agent is asymmetric, the classic principal-agent problem arises. The problem brought up here is how to avoid information asymmetry so that principals know to what extent the agents have achieved the principals goals, what agents are doing, and what are not done. With these information, principals could better monitor the contract relation and working process to improve organizational performance. In addition to the assumption that partial goal conflict is inherent in any principal-agent relationship, principal-agent theory also presumes that information about the agent is a commodity that can be purchased. (V. Nilakant, 1994) Table 1 presents an overview of principal-agent theory, including key idea, unit of analysis, human assumptions, organizational assumptions, information assumptions, and contracting problems. Table 1 Principal-Agent Theory Overview Key Idea Principal-agent relationships should reflect efficient organization of information and risk-bearing costs Unit of Analysis Contract between principal and agent Human Assumptions Self-interest Bounded rationality Risk aversion Organizational Assumptions Partial goal conflict among participants Efficiency as the effectiveness criterion Information asymmetry between principal and agent Information Assumptions Information as a purchasable commodity Contracting Problems Agency (moral hazard and adverse selection) Risk sharing Problem Domain Relationships in which the principal and agent have partly differing goals and risk preferences (e.g., compensation, regulation, leadership, impression management, whistle-blowing, vertical integration, transfer pricing) Source: Eisenhardt, Kathleen M. (1989). Agency Theory: An Assessment and Review. The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 14, No. 1, p.59 Theoretical Contribution of Principal-Agent Theory Principal-Agent theory has been contributing a lot to organization theory and incentive theory. Principal-Agent theory has been the basis for an extensive set of studies relating bureaucracy to elected officials. It also has been extended to presidents decisions to use force and to the Supreme Court and its relationship to lower courts. (Waterman and Meier, 1998) Before discussing the theoretical contribution of principal-agent theory, Id like to talk about what is a good theory. Above all, a good theory is the theory appropriately used. All theories are false. They are, after all, just words and symbols on pieces of paper, about the reality they purport to describe; they are not that reality. So they simplify it. This means we must choose our theories according to how useful they are, not how true they are. (Mintzberg, 2005) Obviously, principal-agent theory is not omnipotent to explain or solve all problems in an organization. It is true only when it is appropriately used. Furthermore, a good theory is practical precisely. A theory to be useful, should accurately describe or depict a real world event or phenomenon. (Frederickson and Smith, 2003) The first section has demonstrated that principal-agent theory fits this requirement. Scholars devoted to this theory have explicitly described what principal-agent is and what it could explain in the real world. Finally, a good theory is insightful and predictive. Theory is insightful when it surprises, when it allows us to see profoundly, imaginatively, unconventionally into phenomena we thought we understoodà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦theory is of no use unless it initially surprises-that is, changes perceptions. (Mintzberg, 2005) From this perspective, principal-Agent theory may not dramatically change perceptions, but it really brings in some new thinking about organizations and incentives. Firstly, Principal-Agent theory reestablishes the importance of incentives and self-interest in organizational thinking. It reminds us that much of organizational life, whether we like it or not, is based on self-interest. (Eisenhardt, 1989) Both principal and agent are usually assumed to be attempting to maximize their own utilities. Agents would not voluntarily produce desires of principal and it is difficult or expensive for the principal to investigate what the agent is actually doing. Hence, it is significant for principals to provide incentives to agents which lead to an alignment of goals between principal and agent, in order to assure that the agents act for principals aims. That is to maximize principals interests rather than impair principals efficiency through agents over possession of information. Secondly, Principal-Agent theory also makes important contributions to organizational thinking, the most important of which is the treatment of information. (Eisenhardt, 1989). In principal-agent theory, information is considered as merchandise: it has a cost, and it can be exchanged and purchased. The implication is that organizations can invest in information systems in order to control agent opportunism, an illustration of which is the executive compensation. And one of the important factors such compensation requires is information systems. It is assumed that richer information systems control managerial opportunism and, therefore, lead to less performance-contingent pay. Board of directors is considered as one particular relevant information system to monitor executive behaviors. When boards provide richer information, compensation is less likely to be based on firm performance. Also, when boards provide richer information, top executives are more likely to engage in behaviors t hat are consistent with stockholders interest. (Eisenhardt, 1989) Besides, to break agents superiority status on information is of great significance to keep balance between principals and agents and to improve agents performance. Moreover, profit sharing has been widely used as an attempt to give employees more opportunities to involve into and to get pleasurable emotion from the organization and to make employees feel they are part of the organization; to increase employees sense of commitment to organization; to increase sense of co-operation between management and subordinates; and to ensure employees benefit from organization profitability. In the public sector, administrators should frequently involve into policy-making process. Participatory management could be an efficient approach to get an alignment of goals of the management and subordinates and to motive employees performance consciousness. In addition, Principal-Agent theory could be used to elucidate hierarchical control of organizations as well (Moe, 1984). Difficulty in monitoring the actions of subordinates/agents, asymmetric information superior status of subordinates/agents, or transactions costs in supervising and verifying the actions of subordinates/agents all can give agents opportunities to escape from principals goals by maximizing agents interests. Typically, principals find means to ameliorate these problems, for example, by relying on signals that warn them when agents step outside certain bounds. (Song, Segal, and Cameron, 1976) Limitations of Principal-Agent Theory Principal-Agent theory, which characterizes relationships that develop and evolve, is supposed to be a dynamic, rather than a static theory (Waterman and Meier, 1998). It provides insightful and predictive theoretical contribution to organization and incentive theory development. Principal-agent theory provides a unique, realistic, and empirically testable perspective on problems of cooperative effort (Eisenhardt, 1989). Besides its theoretical contribution, however, principal-agent theory needs further improvement as the following: Principal-Agent Theory merely displays a partial aspect of the real world, although it is valid, and it also ignores a great amount of organizational complexity. Additional perspectives could contribute to attain the more important complexity (Eisenhardt, 1989). According to Ogden (1993), the highly simplified model of organizational conflict and the contrasting complexity of the mathematics required to provide solutions to the agency problem have been frequently cited as limitations to principal-agent theory. In addition, principal-agent theory could be developed to a richer and more complicated range of contexts. Principal-agent theory studies the relationship between the principal and the agent defined by contract, resting on a basis in economics. Under this theory, relationship problems are explained from a contractual perspective; and solutions derives from the change of contract. However, noneconomic considerations should be emphasized as well, such as cultural, social, psychological, and political. And some scholars have already argued to look at important non-contractual aspects of principal-agent relationship. So, to study principal-agent relationship from non-contractual perspectives is demanded and valuable. Conclusion Starting from an introduction to what is the principal-agent theory and the importance of the theory in public administration, we conclude that the principal-agent theory has contributed a lot to the development of organization theory and incentive theory. Although theoretical significant, principal-agent theory still has its limitations, such as simplified model and ignorance of non-economic factors, which leaves a long way for future development. Nevertheless, this term paper merely provides a short review and summary of principal-agent theory and its theoretical contributions. It is far from a comprehensive and deep study on principal-agent problems and solutions. Much more works are needed to elaborately review this theory.

College Writing in the 21st century :: Education Writers Essays

College Writing in the 21st century How should it be thought and taught? With the diverse world we live in, I can only see one thing we all possess. The one thing that everyone has in one form or another is his or her individuality. A lot of people have different cultures that make them more of an individualistic group in a modern society. America would scare me out my mind if I came from a society not like Americas, from Japan or areas of the Middle East. I would have to go into a whole different frame of mind to try to survive in this society and be successful. For children or young adults this would be a tough time for them to adapt themselves to our school system. When it comes to college writing, I think teachers in the most part understand they have a cross-cultural influenced student body. With the Students point of view, it's hard to accept people who seem different or blocked from normal social events or interactions. When I was in High school, we had 14 different nationalities within it. It was interesting to have a class with such a wide range of people, beliefs, and learning styles. I would feel bad for the teachers and other students mostly because the new kids that didn't speak nglish very well struggled to communicate with everyone. This caused problems with the teachers trying to teach them and keep them equal in the classroom. This caused some teachers to give up a little bit and not treat them like normal students. When I read Amy Tans essay " Mother Tongue", I noticed that she said that she spoke very good nglish but her mother did not. This caused many problems for her mother like the kids in my school, because people wouldn't take her seriously. This caused a lot of embarrassing moments for Mrs. Tan. She pointed out that when she was a child that her teachers would try to point her in the math and science direction because she showed that she was stronger in those areas which most Japa nese or Chinese are stronger in. Amy expressed that she didn't want to go into math or science she wanted to write. Her teachers tried to sway her decision but she stood strong. People should be able to come into a class and feel not only welcome but also secure with the people around them.

Translator As My Dream Job Essay

Ever since I began studying English, I have always wanted to become a translator, translating Chinese into English so that people in other countries can enjoy Chinese poems and stories. Becoming a translator isn’t easy. It takes great patience and perseverance/ (Needless to say heartfelt effort and willing persistence is absolutely needed./ It is a step by step progress that involves confidence, patience and hard work.) Firstly, as a middle school student, I must improve my reading comprehension in both languages so that I can choose the appropriate words when I am translating something. Secondly, in order to become good enough to be a translator, I must learn and use effective learning strategies. I’m still only a middle school student, so I have a long way to go. I hope that I will be able to go to college and become a real translator some day. Ã¥  ¦Ã¤ ¸â‚¬Ã§ ¯â€¡Ã¯ ¼Å¡My dream is to become a successful doctor, helping those sick people and saving their lives. I hope everyone can have an opportunity to receive excellent treatments for their illnesses without having to pay much or just enjoy them free. Of course, I know to achieve my dream , there is a long way to go. I need enough knowledge and experience, so working hard in school will promote me to be a professional doctor. Now everything I do is close to my dream. I feel life is filled with hope and is colorful, and I have enough confidence to realize my dream. Beginning: My dream is to become a __________, +V-ing. ââ€"†My dream is to become a kindergarten teacher, teaching, talking and playing with my dear children. ââ€"†My dream is to become a professional photographer, showing people a different point of view and helping them find a new world in a single photo. Reason: There are several reasons. ââ€"†a kindergarten teacher –I can be myself by opening up my heart, wearing a sincere smile and maintaining a young, optimistic and energetic attitude to life. What’s more, I want to try to ensure that our children experience a memorable childhood by playing musical instruments, painting, singing, swimming and etc. The most important of all, I plan to create a good  circumstance in the kindergarten that every kid can seek out their own hobbies and have an interesting childhood to remember. How: Of course, I know to achieve my dream , there is a long way to go. ââ€"†To reach my dream I will take photography classes in summer and take a photography course in school. The only way to realize my dream is just do it! have enough confidence in yourself Ending: Once I become a doctor, the world is waiting for me to make a difference. With my persistent passion and endeavor, I am sure that I can climb over this mountain, no matter how high or tough it is. My enthusiasm and persistence can motivate me to pursue my dream. Now it’s the time! I always feel fortunate that I got through an unforgettable childhood, for I was never forced to learn what I was reluctant to learn and for I had the opportunity to go to various parks almost every week, going close to nature or making greetings to animals and plants.

History of State and Federal Prisons Essay

The history of state and federal prisons have similar ideals; the state and federal systems have to rely on each other at times for housing each others criminals. A state prison is usually run by that particular states government and they house individuals that have committed crimes against the rules and sanctions of the each state also known as blue collar criminals; the federal prisons house individuals that have committed crimes against the rules and sanctions of the federal government and are called a white collar criminal. State and federal prison systems more or less have the same levels of security; low, minimum, high, max, and super-max. Before federal prisons were created prisoners that were on a federal level had to be housed within state and local prisons. The Federal Bureau of Prisons confines felons convicted of federal crimes and in several large cities pretrial defendants are held in federal jails pending trial (Foster, 2006). The federal prison system began in the 1930’s when President J. Edgar Hoover passed and signed a bill that gave permission for the federal prison system to have a building or federal facility to house it’s prisoners. The first federal U.S. Penitentiary was created in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas this prison was constructed out of an old military prison prison (Foster, 2006). The state prison system was based and founded on the legal reforms of the 18th century â€Å"Age of Enlightenment, (Foster, 2006);† in the 19th century the state prison systems continued to base themselves around the Auburn model (Foster, 2006). Most states began with one state prison and now each state consists of more than 20 prisons, with the exception of the state of Texas that has 100 prison facilities. When state prison systems started men, women, and juvenile offenders were housed together up until it was determined that women, men, and children should have separate facilities to prevent s exual abuse, pregnancy, assault, and the impressionable surroundings of hardened criminals on juveniles. The State facilities offer halfway houses for offenders to be able to go to work then come back to the house on a daily basis for a certain amount of time until the director of the halfway house History of State and Federal Prisons Page 2 and the courts feel as though a person is ready to be put back into society; rehabilitation facilities are also available to help criminals that are drug offenders, or any substance abuse offender kick their habit and give them mental support to stay on the straight and narrow. Overcrowding and funding are the biggest problems in the Department of Corrections today; I think that if we could go back to letting convicts do jobs while in prison and making them pay for their own crimes both with time and money earned from working while in prison this would cut down on the overcrowding as well as funding issues. History of State and Federal Prisons References Foster, B. (2006). Corrections: The fundamentals. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

How to Choose a Title for an Essay

How to Choose a Title for an Essay There is no doubt that the title is a very important part of a scientific work or a work of art, whether it is a novel, a song, or a dissertation. The first component people notice is the title. It may be short, only consisting of one or two words, but it definitely says something important to potential readers, viewers, or listeners. When people have to write an essay, a typical situation looks like this: the student comes up with an idea, narrows the topic, then writes a title, and then begins writing the paper. This may work pretty well if you do everything in that order. However, you might try choosing a title after you finish writing the essay. That way you will definitely know what your essay is all about, what the key points in your work are, and what you should emphasize in your title to draw the readers attention to your work. Did you know that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak didnt have a name for their company when they founded what is now called â€Å"Apple?† They actually came up with the name later. The same can be applied to your essay. Plan what to write and how to write it first, not what to call it. By the way, you can choose a working title for your essay and then change it later as you think of new ideas or a different aspect of the problem. Choosing a title that suits your essay best is the finishing touch to your work. The major challenge in developing a title for your essay is that you have to express the theme of the essay in a limited number of words. There are several strategies you can employ to develop a great title. The first one is traditional. We can call it descriptive since it simply describes the main theme of your essay. An example is â€Å"Deforestation in Brazil.† The reader instantly knows that the essay is about deforestation in Brazil. However, this is really not descriptive enough. What about deforestation in Brazil? Are you going to discuss how it is done, or why it is done? Are you going to argue that it should be done or that it should not be done? You have given a topic in your title, but you have not indicated the opinion to be expressed on that topic. Instead, you might title your paper, â€Å"Deforestation in Brazil: A Travesty.† Now, the reader is set to discover what your thoughts are on the deforestation in Brazil. You can also use an intriguing title to make readers guess about the topic of an essay, forcing them to read on to find out. You can omit some words, use synonyms, or replace the exact term with a more general one. For example, you can change â€Å"The Inventions of Thomas Edison† to â€Å"The Man Who Changed the World.† It sounds more intriguing, doesnt it? Another way to create interest and intrigue is to use a question as your title. Well-educated people tend to be very analytical, trying to find all the answers to questions they encounter. If your title is â€Å"Can Bacteria Survive in Space?† chances are that your audience will read your essay to find the answer to that question. Choose your title wisely; dont worry if developing one takes more time than you expected. Jot down all your ideas for a title, eliminate the ones that definitely will not work, and choose the one you think is the best match for your essay. Do you need more essay writing help online? Why not to hire our professional essay writers who will write a custom paper for you!?

Proposal for Problem at Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Proposal for Problem at Work - Essay Example One of its entrepreneurial ventures focused on health care considering the organization as the â€Å"market leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with strong leadership positions in flat TV, male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare† (Philips: Company Profile, 2011, par. 2). To provide continued service to its wide range of clientele, the Philips Emergency Call Center was designed to respond to medical emergencies through a medical alert service and a medication dispensing service with the ultimate goal of giving peace of mind to consumers. Call center agents, called Lifeline Personal Response Associates, are available 24/7 to assist in responding to various medical assistance inquiries and provide appropriate interventions and support (Philips Lifeline Employment, 2011, par. 1). Statement of the pro blem Parallel to other organizations with diverse composition of personnel responding to various needs of clients, organizational problems normally ensue. At Philip Lifeline, the identified problems are as follows: (1) associates making mistakes in responding to calls due to any of the following factors: cell phone use (texting); noise level (associates being loud while taking a call; people having loud conversations; talking across the room); using work email; associates standing up when handling a call; and (2) associates rushing during calls due in response to increases in call volume to get bonus; to leave for scheduled breaks, and in a hurry to end the shift. Analysis From the problems identified, it could be deduced that the root causes of the dilemmas are interferences that affect productivity (use of cell phones while taking calls, noise levels, and improper work decorum). Further, rushing in responding to inquiries due to various reasons could also be a symptom for lack of motivation and rewards in the workplace. In addition, the inability of management to address infractions or violations to company policies (using cellphone, emails while taking calls) makes these problems persistent and unaddressed. Financial Analysis The financial condition of Philips Lifeline, as revealed in its official website contain information that indicate a decrease in net income during the first quarter of 2011 of EUR 63 million to amount to EUR 138 million, as compared to EUR 201 million in 2010. However, when sales by sector was reviewed, healthcare actually contributed to a 5% comparable growth rate from EUR 1,821 million in the first quarter of 2010 to EUR 1,971 million in the same time period for 2011 (Quarterly Report, 2011). This simply means that the healthcare services encompassing the performance of associates posted positive growth despite the identified problems. More importantly, if these problems are properly addressed, greater performance and productivity wo uld result to increase financial condition and success that would be reflected in positive financial growth and increased bottom line. Objections/Alternatives Given the problems identified and analyzed, as well as the information provided from the organization’s financial condition, the alternative courses of action that management could consider to address the problems are as follows: (1) review company policies and sanctions; (2) re-orient all employees on the organization’s code of discipline by communicating company policies

What is the stated purpose of Canadian multicultural policy Has Essay

What is the stated purpose of Canadian multicultural policy Has multiculturalism been successful for whom - Essay Example This study now seeks to establish the stated purpose of the Canadian multicultural policy. It also seeks to answer whether or not multiculturalism has been successful, and if it has, for whom it has been a success. This study is being undertaken in order to establish a comprehensive understanding of Canada’s multicultural policy, including its impact and its implications in the current trends of globalization. The purpose of the multiculturalism policy of Canada is to â€Å"recognize and promote the understanding that multiculturalism reflects the cultural and racial diversity of Canadian society and that multiculturalism is a fundamental characteristic of the Canadian heritage and identity† (National Capital Commission, n.d, p. 1). In effect, the policy also aims to call on federal institutions to carry out their programs and projects in due consideration of multiculturalism; and to implement various activities with a modicum of sensitivity and in response to the multicultural setting of Canada (National Capital Commission, n.d). In more detail, the Canadian Multiculturalism Act sets forth that the Canadian government acknowledges and supports the fact that multiculturalism expresses the cultural and ethnic diversity of their society and recognizes the right of the people to preserve and share their heritage (Canadian Multiculturalism Act, 1988). Their policy also acknowledges and supports the understanding that multiculturalism is a major characteristic of Canada’s society and that it helps shape the future of Canadian society. The policy also supports the holistic and equal participation of the people from various ethnicities in all aspects of Canadian society, assisting them in eradicating barriers to participation (Canadian Multiculturalism Act, 1988). The purpose of the act is also to recognize that various

HS415 UNIT 3 PROJECT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HS415 UNIT 3 PROJECT - Essay Example Obesity is a worldwide problem capturing health concern for both developing and developed countries. Obesity is a severe state of overweight, and it is a "global epidemic" according to World health organization figures. More than one billion adults are overweight worldwide, and about 300 million of are clinically obese. Overweight affects more people than hunger and malnutrition. Many researchers have been done to explain the causes of overweight and obesity in human. Although the literature entails a broad variety of such articles, this paper will focus and concentrate to explaining and characterizing the observed patterns of medical care utilization by obese people, the supply and demand economic theory in diagnosis and treatment of obesity and the impact on State funds for Medicaid and Medicare. Obesity is clinically linked to other serious diseases including diabetes type 2, hypertension, coronary artery disease, stroke, arthritis, liver and gallbladder disease, respiratory disor ders, such as asthma, and certain kinds of cancers (Finkelstein, & Fiebelkorn, 2003). The standard model for health demand and medical care demand is the Grossmans model. In this model, wage-earning persons maximize inter-temporal function of health and commodities. The demand for medical care is obtained from the demand for health. Moreover, the medical care demand depends on age, wage, education, costs of medical goods, and unhealthy habits such as obesity and smoking (Finkelstein, Fiebelkorn, & Wang, 2004). An outstanding implication emanating from Grossman’s model is the fact that unhealthy behaviors, for instance obese or overweight increases medical care demands. It is evident that obesity has a link to diseases such as arthritis, asthma, diabetes type 2 and certain types of cancer. These illnesses require both frequent medical care and frequent hospitalization. However, not all overweight and obese people have health complications. The health

Classroom Assessment in Fifth Grade Science Essay Example for Free

Classroom Assessment in Fifth Grade Science Essay A study was conducted to explore the hypothesis that performance assessments foster a more positive motivational orientation for students than supplied-response assessments which tend to truncate students’ learning strategies (Parkes Stefanou, 2003). This was in response to general dissatisfaction arising from large-scale, high-stakes multiple choice testing, particularly among the older students who experienced higher levels of anxiety and mistrust with respect to standardized tests.   It partook of a cost-benefit analysis of the consequences of this particular type of assessment procedure to determine whether the positive outweighed the negative. Traditional paper and pencil tests (PP), a laboratory task format of assessment (lab), and a performance assessment (PA) were imposed on three different fifth grade science classes, particularly involving Goal Orientations to supply quantitative data.   Qualitative output was also obtained through taped interviews of the three classes.   Quantitatively, goal orientation seemed to be influenced by the type of assessment used. When paired with the qualitative data, students seemed to perform well in PP testing because they equated a good grade with competence and ability, and they believed that performing well in PP testing reflected this competency (Parkes Stefanou, 2003).   However, if receiving grades was removed from the equation, students became more receptive to PA testing and were motivated to take risks and explore actually doing science rather than just knowing science (Parkes Stefanou, 2003). One of the limitations of the study was that qualitative information was necessary to complete the picture presented by the quantitative data.   Although the study was by no means definitive as to whether or not assessment types contributed to student motivation, it clearly showed that when paired with the stakes or consequences attributed to the assessment results, it affects the students’ goal orientations. Reference List Parkes, J. and Stefanou, C. (2003). Effects of classroom assessment on student motivation on fifth-grade science. The Journal of Educational Research, 96 (3), 152-162.