Beauty vs Truth Essay

Is truth or beauty more important when communicating information. It is my argument that beauty is more important when communicating information. Beauty is defined as The quality that gives pleasure to the mind or senses and is associated with such properties as harmony of formation or color, excellence of artistry, truthfulness, and originality. How does this relate to communication? †¢ Communicating information is more than just exchanging words. Just as in the definition of the word â€Å"beauty†, when communicating with a certain amount of eloquence it paints a mental picture that gives pleasure to our minds and wakes up our senses. The way words are used in the process of communication is what holds attention and causes an audience to become engaged. It’s the beauty in a message and the expression in the words which we tend to remember. This is not to say that truth is not important in communication but mere stating mere facts may not be enough to get the point across or keeping the attention of an audience. †¢ Beauty is more important in communication because it is what leads us to the truth. Sometimes the truth is too ugly and mind blowing and in some instances too much truth all at once can cause pain. Everyone should know the truth but using a certain diplomacy and finesse with one’s words can make all the difference in how the truth is received. That is why beauty in communication is important . ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE ON TRUTH AND BEAUTY †¢ A story doesn’t necessarily have to be true to be entertaining, or to teach a lesson. How many of us as children or have even possibly told our own children about the tortoise and hair? ? A tortoise and a hare enter a race, the hare boasting about how he is faster, and will therefore win. The hare foolishly over-estimates his speed, and it ends up costing him the race. With the moral of the story being that over – confidence can sometimes back fire. or the boy who cried wolf? ? The story of a boy who thought it was fun to alert the town of a wolf when there wasn’t really one. And when he finally does see a wolf no one comes to help him. The lesson being that telling too many lies will cause people to stop believing anything you say. My point is that these stories may not necessarily be true but such tales have been told for centuries for the purpose in teaching life lessons. †¢ When listening to a story, I personally always remember the characteristics and tidbits of a story which brought the message to life. An eloquently told story, whether it is told for entertainment or simply for sharing information draws a person in to want to hear more. When you’re listening to a story filled with grandeur and elaborate details, it’s easy to become captivated and interested. Why is being drawn in by the beauty of a message important? †¢ How many of us have tried a product not because of what the announcer on the commercial said the product could do, but because we were drawn in by something appealing we saw in the commercial. o An example of this would be weight loss commercials †¢ It’s what grabs your attention enough to the truth. Another perspective†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. The Boy Who Called Wolf This fable is about a small boy who thinks it’s fun to alert the town of a wolf when there is none. When a wolf actually appears, no one comes to the boy’s aid. . Eloquence added to an ordinary story is keeps interesting. . It’s the initial phase of the communication process in which your senses become engage. When communicating information to be interesting to capture the audience’s attention. . Once your attention has been grabbed by an interesting, story, or some form of communication, you can then decide if what your listening to or looking at is worth your time.. Tell all the Truth but tell it slant — Success in Circuit lies Too bright for our infirm Delight The Truth’s superb surprise As Lightning to the Children eased With explanation kind The Truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blind — A funny TV commercial or a commercial that endorsed by your favorite actor is more easily remembered than serious, factual ones that constantly appear. images, stories and songs much easier and find them far more enjoyable than just listening to words.

Political Corruption and Vigilance Essay

â€Å"Greater transparency is an unstoppable force. It is the product of growing demands from everybody with an interest in any corporation-its stake holder web-and of rapid technological change, above all the spread of the internet, that makes it far easier for firms to supply information and harder for them to keep secrets. Firms now know that their internal e-mails may one day become public knowledge, for instance, and many big companies must co- exist with independent websites where employees can meet anonymously to air their grievances. With greater transparency will come greater accountability and better corporate behaviour. Rather than engage in futile resistance to it, firms should actively embrace transparency and breathing the values and generally get in better shape.† Don Tapscott, co-author of â€Å"The Naked Corporation† Contents Sl.no Contents Page no. 1 Prologue I 2 Message by CVC regarding Vigilance Awareness Week II 3 The Malaise of Corruption 1-4 4 Evolution of the concept of Vigilance 5-7 5 Vigilance and line managers 8-11 6 What is Vigilance angle? 12 7 Relevant extracts of IPC relating to public  servants 13-14 8 Prevention of Corruption Act 15-27 9 Right to Information Act 28-47 10 FAQ on PIDPI resolution 48-50 11 CVC circulars on tendering 51-99 12 Preventive vigilance circulars 100-132 13 Vigilance case studies 133-145 14 Checkpoints on handling of tenders 146-151 15 Epilogue Prologue It gives me immense pleasure to state that in an attempt to inculcate a spirit of Vigilance Awareness amongst the employees of NCL, a modest effort has been made by the Vigilance Deptt. of NCL to publish a magazine named â€Å"Vigilance Perspective†. The magazine is intended to be quarterly in its periodicity. The contents of this issue have been calibrated and fine-tuned to include topics that have direct nexus with the perceived need to promote vigilance awareness/consciousness amongst the employees of NCL. In this endeavor no attempt has been made to project the claim of originality in any manner. CVC vide their instruction no.008/VGL/069 dt.7.10.08 had directed to use the Vigilance Awareness Week to publicise the protection informers resolution (Popularly known as Whistle Blower Resolution). Having regard to the instruction of CVC, a writeup on lodging complaint under PIDPI Resolution has been incorporated in this issue. Apart from Right to Information Act, and Prevention of Corruption Act, it contains chapters on leading vigilance case studies of NCL and system improvement circulars issued as a consequence of vigilance activities in NCL. Handling of contracts and public procurement of goods and services are generally perceived to be corruption prone areas. Considering the requirement of making public procurement efficient, transparent & equitable important CVC guidelines on tendering procedures have been made a part of this publication. Besides, the gist of CVC’s findings on irregularities found by them in handling of public procurement forms a chapter in this issue under the head â€Å"Checkpoints in handling contracts/supplies/purchase†. It is hoped that the checkpoints could be quite useful and handy for executives/employees in handling contracts/supplies/purchases. The maiden attempt has been possible on account of the untiring efforts of and unceasing/relentless endeavor of the executives/non executive of Vigilance Deptt. of NCL. Especially, but for the diligence of Shri Ashok Kumar, Sr.PA, Ms Reeta Pandit, Sr.PA and Shri R.Swansi, Sr.PA, it would not have been possible on the part of the undersigned to bring this out. Message by CVC regarding Vigilance Awareness Week Vigilance Awareness Week would be observed in all Governent organizations from 3rd. November to 7th. November 2008. It is the time of the year when we rededicate ourselves and renew our commitment to the cause of creating conditions to eliminate rent seeking behaviour and to ensure that public services are rendered with utmost honesty, sincerity and efficiency. 2. The Commission would like to see promotion of Preventive Vigilance Activities with emphasis on development of a foolproof system. A system that encourages strict adherence to the principles of non discretionary decision making on the basis of well defined rules would go a long way in obviating the need for disciplinary action well after the event is over. There cannot be a more apt description in this regard than the old adage: â€Å"Prevention is better than cure†. 3. The role of the Secretaries to the Govt. of India and the CMDs of the PSUs and the Public Sector Banks, as heads of the vigilance administration, in this regard, hardly needs any emphasis. Vigilance is very much a management tool and, as such, should be used synergetically with the other tools to improve efficiency by promoting competitiveness, equity and transparency. 4. The fight against corruption is too serious a task to be left to the heads of vigilance in Govt.Organisations or the Commisison alone. The civil society and citizens in general must play a far more effective and pro-active role in this fight. Of particular importance in this endeavour is the recourse to Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers’ (PIDPI) Resolution, 2004, under which the complainants can approach the Commission directly as â€Å"Whistle Blowers†. The Commission remains committed to protecting the safety and identity of the Whistle Blowers and urges more such persons to come forward in order to expose corruption in public life, taking advantage of PIDPI Resolution, 2004. (Sudhir Kumar) (Ranjana Kumar) Vigilance Commissioner Vigilance Commissioner (Pratyush Sinha) Central Vigilance Commiassioner THE MALAISE OF CORRUPTION-IT’S DIAGNOSIS & PROGNOSIS Gandhiji once remarked â€Å"Nations are born of travails and suffering†.The Independent India was born because of the dedication, suffering and sacrifice of our freedom fighters. Our freedom struggle is a testimony to the indomitable spirits of Indians to counter an oppressive regime and usher in anew era for us. Nehru’s â€Å"Tryst with destiny† speech set the tone for optimism for post- independence of India. Though the nation has made giant leaps in it’s position in the comity of nations,  yet crippling poverty of some, low per capita income & the standard of living of an average Indian as compared to the citizen of a developed nation remain as enduring features of Indian economy. A large chunk of Indians live under the poverty line. â€Å"Roti , kapda & makan† still remain a distant dream for toiling millions of Indians. It is a strange irony that India prides itself on having it’s presence in the Moon when quite a few Indians fail to make both ends meet. It is a story of contrasts-of successful Indians making a  mark in all spheres of human activities in the international level when millions of Indians are unable to make two ends meet. â€Å"World Hunger Index† of IFPRI, the â€Å"human development index† of UN, World Bank data on â€Å"child malnutrition and maternal mortality rate†,†Corruption perception index† of Transparency international, a survey of the center for media studies on â€Å"petty bribes†, â€Å"index of economic freedom† published annually by the heritage foundation and Wall Street Journal, the world bank annual series on † Ease of Doing business†, infraction of â€Å"rule of law† and â€Å"difficulty in closing business† do not show India in good light. CORRUPTION-THE VILLIAN OF THE PIECE Undoubtedly, Corruption is one of the predominant reasons for India’s backwardness in respect of some of the socio- economic indicators of development. The growth of economy is inversely related to the corruption index. To put it the other way, the GDP of a nation rises as the corruption index falls and vice-versa. The corrosive nature of corruption is indicated by the following negative impacts of corruption: †¢ It adversely affects the performance of the system as a whole and compromises the economy’s long term dynamics. †¢ It generates negative economy wide externalities that denigrates efficiency of the system. †¢ Corruption leads to the favoring of inefficient producers †¢ It distorts the allocation of scarce public resources and causes leakage of revenue from government coffers to private hands. †¢ It distorts the allocation of scarce public resources and causes leakage of revenue from government coffers to private hands. †¢ Large scale tax evasion erodes the tax base and in the process helps the generation of black money. Hence, it is not uncommon to find schools without students, teachers without schools, hospitals without doctors or medicines and so on ,though on paper all expenditures have been accounted for. †¢ Large scale tax evasion erodes the tax base and in the process helps the generation of black money. †¢ The result is crowding out of investment in priority sector such as education or health. †¢ Corruption in the economy leads to inflated government expenditures and scarce resources are squandered on uneconomic projects because of their potential to generate lucrative payoffs. No wonder that corruption is anti-poor and anti-national. In the immortal words of Mahatma Gandhi, â€Å"The progress of the nation will be hindered to the extent to which corruption seeps in† THE PERCEIVED NEED TO FIGHT CORRUPTION: As Dr. Manmohan Singh, the PM of India has observed, â€Å"Good governance rests on the honesty and integrity of civil servants and transparency of the administrative machinery.†Because of the negative impact of corruption on public governance and its intrinsic nature to baulk at the developmental process, there is both real and perceived need to combat corruption. HOW TO FIGHT AND DECIMATE CORRUPTION? The pessimists would lament that corruption is an invincible hydra-headed monster, which Phoenix like, rises from the ashes of it’s own destruction. On the contrary, the perennial optimists harbour a contrarian viewpoint . Their self-belief to wrestle with the malady of corruption stems from their  conviction that within each corrupt official inhabits an honest person with the vanity of an honest individual. Besides, they reckon with the fact that the vast majority bitterly resents corruption – they suffer in silence, somet imes in fear. Such resentments, if harnessed, would constitute a potent weapon against corruption. Success they say is a self-fulfilling prophecy. In other words , if it is thought that corruption can be defeated, then it surely will be. However , if it is believed that corruption is intractable, then the pessimism will in all certainty fulfill itself. ———————————————————————————————————— â€Å"On this earth there is enough for everyone’s need , but not enough for their greed†-GANDHIJI ———————————————————————————————————— 7 The fight against corruption can only be successful when public awareness is coupled with anti-corruption efforts. The primary objective of creating public awareness is to sensitize the public about about the consequences of corruption and to educate the people about the improvements needed to create a corruption free society . As the current President of India,Mrs Pratibha Devsingh Patil has succintly observed, â€Å"A corruption free society is only possible if basic tenets of righteousness are deeply ingrained in our hearts and minds.† The CVC in their message on Vigilance awareness week have appropriately contended, â€Å"However, to fight the menace of corruption , collective and concentrated efforts are required in which the common man , who is the ultimate victim and beneficiary is an important partner. An evil like corruption can be eliminated only when the common man is empowered to become  fully aware of his rights , feels the need and has the urge to stand up against corrupt public servants. The right to information Act,if used to the optimum and in a judicious manner, has the potential for such empowerment.† When the common man becomes aware of his rights and duties, is familiar with rules, regulations ,laws,instructions etc he jettisons being the willing accomplice to corrupt practices. It needs an attitudinal change in him to non-co-operate with venal officials. Besides , a realization should dawn upon public officials that: †¢ They are the servants of the public and not their masters †¢ They should remind themselves that they should be so high that law is above them. In other words they should respect law and believe in rule of law. †¢ Their actions are subject to public and judicial scrutiny. †¢ They should be sensitive to the grievances of employees †¢ They should act reasonably, fairly and judiciously in exercise of discretion †¢ They must not do what they have been forbidden to do, nor must they do what  they have not been authorized to do. †¢ They must act in good faith, must have regard to relevant considerations, must  not be influenced by irrelevant considerations and must not seek to promote puposes alien to the letter and spirit of legisation. †¢ Their actions should be rational, legal and regular in nature. †¢ Law should not be administered with an â€Å"evil eye, unequal/oppressive mind and  unequal hand† †¢ Hostile discrimination without intelligible differentia should be avoided at all  cost. †¢ To avoid disproportionate administrative action. ———————————————————————————————————— Among a people generally corrupt, liberty cannot long exist. Edmund Burke (1729-1797) British political writer ————————————————————————————————– 8 The vigilance awareness week provides an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to this mission and devise strategies in priority areas like system improvements and preventive vigilance . It also provides an opportunity to reach out to the stakeholders with a n open mind and to invite suggestions to chalk out ways and means to deliver services in a transparent and efficient manner and to devise a methodology to eliminate corruption from public life. The primary objective of the observance is to generate vigilance awareness amongst the stakeholders of NCL i.e., customers,employees , vendor partners etc. It was intended to sensitize the people about the need to wrestle with the dragon of corruption.It is possible to reduce corruption if only we convince ourselves that it can be done. The way out of corruption is to; 1. eliminate the corrupt practices in our official procedure. 2. combine- consider one integrated service counter instead of  many 3. re-sequence which can improve efficiency and reduce  corruption 4. substitute -offer the option to download routine forms from  the web to finish off the nexus of the peddlers 5. modify procedures 6. We must all understand the evils of corruption and imbibe the  culture of honesty,integrity, transparency and probity. Russel said if you articulate a point of view often enough it acquires  respectability.† Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come- so lets open our minds to the idea that corruption can indeed be defeated.†De tocqueville has said that the inevitable can become intolerable as soon as it is no longer perceived to be inevitable- so lets reject the inevitability  of corruption and soon we may find it to be truly intolerable.Shaw -success comes to the unreasonable man who wants to change; so lets resolve to be unreasonable. ———————————————————————————————————– â€Å"Corruption is like a ball of snow, once it’s set a rolling it must increase.† Charles Caleb Colton (1780-1832) British clergyman, sportsman and author. ————————————————————————————————– ———————————————————————————————————— â€Å"I have often noticed that a bribe has that effect — it changes a relation. The man who offers a bribe gives away a little of his own importance; the bribe once accepted, he becomes the inferior, like a man who has paid for a woman.† Graham Greene (1904-1991) English writer. 9 EVOLUTION OF THE CONCEPT OF VIGILANCE By: B.Pradhan Chief Vigilance Officer/NCL Etymologically, VIGILANCE connotes watchfulness and the planned effort to uncover and punish corruption and bribery. But the concept of vigilance has undergone metamorphosis in the course of inexorable march of human history. The present concept of vigilance, however, is inextricably connected with its history. It can be understood properly only when it is read in conjunction with its history. An man emerged stumbling and slouching from the jungles and put forward his tentative steps in the direction of a civilized existence, he has been seized of the problem of combating corruption both at the individual as well as the societal place. In other words, the problem of corruption is as old as the human race and mankind’s war against corruption dates back to Adam’s Original sin. Before human beings coalesced into society, the life of human beings was either  Ã¢â‚¬Å"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short† or â€Å"one of noble savage†. In either case, the ye arning or search for an ordered, regulated, corruption-free and peaceful life has exercised the minds of thinkers, philosophers and social scientists. Concurrently, with the evolution human society, mankind has devised structures, systems, rules, regulations, legal framework and principles for regulating human behaviors so as to obviate the scope for corruption in socio-economic- political order. We may have a glimpse of the tectonic changes or shifts that have taken place in man’s quest for justice, liberty, equality & integrity. It is a matter of history that highly developed civilization existed in China, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Babylon and India in ancient days. It is also a fact that corruption, in its different forms, also coexisted during those days. So also, the human endeavor to curb and eliminate corruption in its different manifestations. The wide prevalence of corruption in Ancient India is evident in Kautilya’s Arthasastra. Kautilya drew a parallel between a fish in water and an official of the state invested with power for discharging the functions of the state. With words, pregnant with wisdom and indicating his pragmatism/political sagacity, he observed that just as it is difficult to say whether a fish deep in water is drinking water or not, so also, it is not easy to say whether government servant is corrupt or not. He also says that just as it is impossible not to taste the drop of honey or poison that is placed at the tip of the tongue, so it is rather impossible for the government employee not to eat up at least a bit of king’s revenue. In his monumental work, Kautilya lists 40 ways of embezzlement. Not only that, he prescribes different punishments for different crimes. Besides, Indian folklore is replete with stories of kings and nobles employing the services of spies for keeping an eye on potential criminals, enemies of state and offenders of discipline. Further, the concept of policing was an integral part of and an important element in the criminal administration during the ancient age. A study of the justice system prevalent then gives an insight into the notion of vigilance in vogue then and shows that preventive as well as punitive vigilance were in practice then. The middle ages, however, marked a new phase in the evolution of state and state craft. The spirit of republicanism, the growth of democracy and the germination of the concept of rule of law was aborted by the â€Å"concept of divine right of kingship.† The  absolute monarch claimed his ancestry to god and ruled by the power of his sword a s the regent of the god. The acts of omission and commission of the king were given a religious colour. He was referred to as the march of god on earth. The religion of man was exploited to legitimize the rule of the monarchs of those days. The church and the kind reinforced each other in maintaining their respective positions in the social scale. The long and short of it was that the boundary wall between the political and the religious domain was smudged/blurred. Consequently, enormous powers were concentrated in the kings, princes, priests and those in their close proximity. Such concentration of power bred corruption, injustice and oppression of the downtrodden. Kings, princes and nobles governed as per their whims, facies and caprices by giving their acts a religious colour. The advent of renaissance and reformation in western Europe marks a watershed in man’s search for shacking absolute power of monarchy. Reformation challenged the dominance of Papal church and questioned it’s supremacy in the maters of faith. ——————————————————————————————————————————– â€Å"Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual, the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country.† Karl Kraus (1874-1936) Austrian satirist.

MBA admission essay

I dream of becoming one of the most successful electrical engineers the world has ever produced. This idea may seem farfetched, but I intend to pursue this dream in the not so distant future. To begin with, I would like to complete my MBA degree and become an accomplished student. I know that it will take more than just a strong-willed personality to achieve this, but I know I’m off to a good start. I have been working as an Applications Engineer for the past four years and a half. With my experience, I have learned how to handle various challenges and difficult situations in a mature way. I acquired an Engineering Management degree which I earned recently has somehow helped me in becoming a better person than I used to be. I am able to handle I believe that my qualities are enough to qualify me into your MBA program. I am dependable, flexible and can easily get along well with others. With my friendly attitude, I was able to gain more than the usual number of friends which has helped me a lot in performing my duties and responsibilities as an employee. I do not allow pressures to get the better of me. With my sense of humor, I can very manage well the challenges that come my way.   I am pro-active, making certain that I meet my projects before the set deadline. This way, I need not cram over my projects and waste precious time crying over lost opportunities or chances. I pay great attention to micro-level details.   I am likewise patient and hardworking. I make sure that I give 100% of my time and effort in any project that is assigned to me. My parents have always told me that education is an important inheritance. Your diploma can actually take you anywhere. It is important to possess a degree during these time and age. Education is such a significant ingredient to success. Without education, it will be difficult to be qualified for the next job. Education is such a learning experience. Without it, it will be impossible to reach for your goals. This is just one of the many reasons why I am interested in earning my MBA degree. I believe that my undergraduate degree is not enough to earn me a ticket to success. It takes ore than just a college degree to arm me with the right weapons to face the challenges that go through life. I can only aim high and earn high if I was able to achieve my MBA diploma in the not so distant future. I understand that it’s a long way to go. That this education will be another tuition and another burden to carry, but I know how important it is to fully discover my potentials and I am happy that my parents are supporting me in my endeavor. As Khan (2000) puts it in her article, the importance of education is quite understandable. It is the knowledge of placing one's potentials to the maximum. It will be such a waste if a person is not educated. Besides, it will be difficult to train a person if he’s not educated. With the right education, we are able to make the right decisions and think things in a better perspective. As I have mentioned, taking an MBA degree is a learning experience. I am aware that although I have earned my college degree, there is still so much to learn about the world and to so much to discover. Someone once said that unless you find your missing link, you will not be complete. Unless you become what you are destined to become, you will not be happy. I can truly say that unless I earn my MBA degree, I will not be the person I have always wanted to be. Aside form the characteristics that made me unique, I am hopeful that I can be accepted to this degree program and that I will eventually find the fulfillment of my dreams. Then and only then will I be able to shout to the world that yes, I made it and I am proud and happy for everything. Source: Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Importance of Education. The Milli Gazette. RNI DELENG/2000/930; ISSN 0972-3366 (2000) MBA Admission Essay To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there (Kofi Annan).My primary childhood objective was to obtain a Masters in Business Administration from the US. To this end, I worked very hard at school and obtained very good academic grades. My parents are illiterate and poor. We hail from a rural area of the country. However, my single minded devotion to acquiring knowledge resulted in my obtaining very good scores, not only in the tenth grade but also the twelfth grade. In some of the subjects of study I even obtained the highest marks in the entire state.Subsequently, I joined a college in Hyderabad, India. While commuting to college, one dismal day in June 1986, I was involved in a traffic accident which led to the complete loss of wrist movement in the right hand. Since, I am a right handed person; this constituted a terrible blow to my educational and other prospects. In this hour of my t rial, my family and friends extended all possible cooperation. The upshot of this was that I managed to emerge from a state of depression and move on in life. Inter alia, I made strenuous efforts to acclimatize my left hand to the functions that had previously been the exclusive preserve of my right hand.Another source of inspiration was offered by the numerous physically and mentally challenged persons, who had overcome their disabilities and forged ahead in life. Some of these people were at the very front of technological and scientific research. One such person from whose life I drew inspiration is Stephen Hawking, who is an acclaimed authority in theoretical physics. Stephen developed motor neurone disease, an incurable ailment. He lost his voice, mobility and was confined to a wheel chair. Nevertheless, such adversity failed to deter him and he continues to make significant contributions to cosmology (Hawking).I recovered my equanimity and writing skills in six months and obta ined very high grades in the second year examinations. In addition to attending college, I regularly underwent physio therapy and I was able to complete my graduation along with the other students of my class.The year 1988, was witness to the demise of my father. This compelled me to shoulder the family responsibilities. My mother developed nephrological complications and my younger brother and sister had to be supported financially. This forced me to keep in abeyance my dream of higher studies and to commence employment. This experience taught me the value of responsible behaviour. A few years after graduation, I set foot in the US and in this manner I came very near to achieving my goal.These experiences served to strengthen my resolve and boosted my self confidence tremendously. I could clearly discern what Napoleon had meant when he had stated that â€Å"Impossible, ce n'est pas francais† or the word impossible does not exist in my dictionary. This attitude proved to be o f great help to the management of F.J. Benjamin and Holdings of Singapore, where I was employed in the year 1996. The management wanted to purchase an application software package, whereas my director was of the opinion that this package could be developed by the existing software professionals.Accordingly, the management permitted our group to develop the required application. However, after some days, the pace with which our work was progressing diminished greatly, due to the departure of a number of programmers for greener pastures. At the same time management became insistent upon our showing results and stated that it would purchase the software if we failed to develop it. At this crucial juncture, I took the bull by the horns and managed to convince the management that I would deliver the software package.In order to succeed in my challenge, I approached my friends in the software industry and obtained their invaluable help. Some of them even joined our organization and in thi s manner I ensured that the project was completed successfully and well within the allocated budget. The management of our organization was extremely pleased with my dynamism, organizing capacity, knowledge, determination and single minded devotion to duty. This reveals my aptitude for management.I had been devoting my time to several orphanages and helping their inmates in their scholastic endeavours. On seeing my friend lose his eyesight, I developed concern for the disabled and I organized a number of blood donation and organ donation camps. Moreover, I successfully established an orphanage in the city of Vishakhapatnam, India. At present I am in constant touch with Shankar Netralaya in Chennai, India, which is one of the best ophthalmologic centres in India, to treat more persons afflicted with diseases of the eye.The MBA Program of UCLA Anderson is one of the best of its kind in the world. The faculty is constantly engaged in research and their findings are conveyed to the stud ents. In addition to this, analyses of relevant international event are commonplace in this program. Moreover, the mandatory twenty weeks long Applied Management Research project, which every student has to complete, is with respect to some real business situation.Thus the alumni of this institution are truly bestowed with the latest theoretical and practical knowledge (MBA PROGRAM). I would like to become a part of this great management movement and my accomplishments, courage, positive attitude, optimism, perseverance and experience of life should ensure that I render complete justice to this superlative course in management. MBA Admission Essay To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there (Kofi Annan).My primary childhood objective was to obtain a Masters in Business Administration from the US. To this end, I worked very hard at school and obtained very good academic grades. My parents are illiterate and poor. We hail from a rural area of the country. However, my single minded devotion to acquiring knowledge resulted in my obtaining very good scores, not only in the tenth grade but also the twelfth grade. In some of the subjects of study I even obtained the highest marks in the entire state.Subsequently, I joined a college in Hyderabad, India. While commuting to college, one dismal day in June 1986, I was involved in a traffic accident which led to the complete loss of wrist movement in the right hand. Since, I am a right handed person; this constituted a terrible blow to my educational and other prospects. In this hour of my t rial, my family and friends extended all possible cooperation. The upshot of this was that I managed to emerge from a state of depression and move on in life. Inter alia, I made strenuous efforts to acclimatize my left hand to the functions that had previously been the exclusive preserve of my right hand.Another source of inspiration was offered by the numerous physically and mentally challenged persons, who had overcome their disabilities and forged ahead in life. Some of these people were at the very front of technological and scientific research. One such person from whose life I drew inspiration is Stephen Hawking, who is an acclaimed authority in theoretical physics. Stephen developed motor neurone disease, an incurable ailment. He lost his voice, mobility and was confined to a wheel chair. Nevertheless, such adversity failed to deter him and he continues to make significant contributions to cosmology (Hawking).I recovered my equanimity and writing skills in six months and obta ined very high grades in the second year examinations. In addition to attending college, I regularly underwent physio therapy and I was able to complete my graduation along with the other students of my class.The year 1988, was witness to the demise of my father. This compelled me to shoulder the family responsibilities. My mother developed nephrological complications and my younger brother and sister had to be supported financially. This forced me to keep in abeyance my dream of higher studies and to commence employment. This experience taught me the value of responsible behaviour. A few years after graduation, I set foot in the US and in this manner I came very near to achieving my goal.These experiences served to strengthen my resolve and boosted my self confidence tremendously. I could clearly discern what Napoleon had meant when he had stated that â€Å"Impossible, ce n'est pas francais† or the word impossible does not exist in my dictionary. This attitude proved to be o f great help to the management of F.J. Benjamin and Holdings of Singapore, where I was employed in the year 1996. The management wanted to purchase an application software package, whereas my director was of the opinion that this package could be developed by the existing software professionals.Accordingly, the management permitted our group to develop the required application. However, after some days, the pace with which our work was progressing diminished greatly, due to the departure of a number of programmers for greener pastures. At the same time management became insistent upon our showing results and stated that it would purchase the software if we failed to develop it. At this crucial juncture, I took the bull by the horns and managed to convince the management that I would deliver the software package.In order to succeed in my challenge, I approached my friends in the software industry and obtained their invaluable help. Some of them even joined our organization and in thi s manner I ensured that the project was completed successfully and well within the allocated budget. The management of our organization was extremely pleased with my dynamism, organizing capacity, knowledge, determination and single minded devotion to duty. This reveals my aptitude for management.I had been devoting my time to several orphanages and helping their inmates in their scholastic endeavours. On seeing my friend lose his eyesight, I developed concern for the disabled and I organized a number of blood donation and organ donation camps. Moreover, I successfully established an orphanage in the city of Vishakhapatnam, India. At present I am in constant touch with Shankar Netralaya in Chennai, India, which is one of the best ophthalmologic centres in India, to treat more persons afflicted with diseases of the eye.The MBA Program of UCLA Anderson is one of the best of its kind in the world. The faculty is constantly engaged in research and their findings are conveyed to the stud ents. In addition to this, analyses of relevant international event are commonplace in this program. Moreover, the mandatory twenty weeks long Applied Management Research project, which every student has to complete, is with respect to some real business situation.Thus the alumni of this institution are truly bestowed with the latest theoretical and practical knowledge (MBA PROGRAM). I would like to become a part of this great management movement and my accomplishments, courage, positive attitude, optimism, perseverance and experience of life should ensure that I render complete justice to this superlative course in management.

Reflection Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Reflection - Personal Statement Example my thanks to entail: Role of accounting in a given business, some basic accounting concepts, accrual accounting concepts, and basis accounting concepts. I managed to achieve organization in the way I handled my businesses through proper book keeping and drafting of financial records. These skills will always prove useful even in the business world as they are the foundations of accounting. Other concepts that made me a stronger individual in accounting include; financial accounting systems, internal control elements, fixed assed including liabilities (Juan, 2007). These concepts proved useful as they always played a role in business daily. As a student, I have gained much from the course, that is, intellectual and professional growth. I now believe I can manage any business better than before I joined the course through application of some of the concepts I had learnt throughout the course (Juan, 2007). I am also determined to pursue a further degree in business. I believe that through gaining more knowledge in accounting, I will become a better person in the business

Building Stakeholder Management and Culture Essay

Building Stakeholder Management and Culture - Essay Example The paper tells that the value of building a sustainable, goal-oriented corporate culture has been identified as a path towards a thriving venture. Corporate culture talks about practical guiding principle, commonplace values, practices, interests, and beliefs integral to managers. Building a stable stakeholder culture is a key force reinforcing firm stakeholder management. One of the prevalent descriptions of stakeholder culture is that it holds the traditions, beliefs, ideals, and objectives that organisations have built for dealing with stakeholder relationships and concerns. Successful stakeholder management involves the formation of a corporate culture that most largely envisions and considers responsibilities to stakeholders (e.g. individuals, employees, communities, etc). Corporate stakeholders nowadays are confronted with policy and public demands, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and business ethics. Many of such issues are alongside a boost in government ruling and th e enlarged position of subordinate stakeholders in reaction to the economic disorders. Organisations are looking for new code of ethics that will originate from traditional norms as well as from moral codes. Policymakers and government stakeholders have recently acted to implement more accountability and transparency from CEOs to guarantee ethical business conducts and the rights of shareholders. Organisations will discover means to financially support CSR programmes with the assistance of the government, community advocates, and humanitarians. (Polonsky 2005). Ultimately, according to Lamb and Mckee (2005), for the demands of public policy, it is important for numerous stakeholders, especially employees, employers, labour unions, and the government to work in partnership to promote ethical corporate conduct and stakeholder management. Current studies have emphasised the notion of ‘stakeholder culture’ as an influential force when organisations are attempting to evaluat e the value of different stakeholder demands. Although some businesses manage to survive an economic setback, they would be in a better position if they will evaluate their stakeholder culture, rooted in ethical conduct, and characterised as the â€Å"shared beliefs, values, and evolved practices regarding the solution of recurring stakeholder-related problems† (Global Economics Crisis Resource Centre 2009, 34). Recognition of an organisation’s stakeholder culture can contribute to the growth of cooperation among stakeholders. The Stakeholder Theory In the 1970s, extraordinary intensities of environmental crisis and development, such as oil crisis, occurred. Because of this predicament the ‘stakeholder theory’ emerged as an ingenious global perspective of the corporate world (Lorca & Garcia-Diez 2004). Nevertheless, the concept upon which it was grounded was an already widely known field, because the concept ‘stakeholder’ had been applied in t he 1960s. However, some scholars trace back the origin of ‘stakeholder’ way earlier than the 1960s; Preston (1990 as cited in Lorca & Garcia-Diez 2004) claims that the concept surfaced when the General Electric Company classified primary stakeholders during the Great Depression, namely, the general public, customers, employees, and owners. But it was Freeman (1984) who formally established the stakeholder theory. Today, according to Carroll and Buchholtz (2011), the stakeholder theory is recognised far and wide and has gained the official approval of numerous academic disciplines, and professional groups. Nowadays, success no longer relies simply on the customer, but also on the attainment of a stable equilibrium that pleases a company’s stakeholders: employees, owners, customers, suppliers, and

Walt Disney Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Walt Disney - Assignment Example The vision of Disney was to become the leading laboratory for media convergence and the alliance could facilitate Disney to achieve this vision by adopting the strategies which Jobs had adopted at Apple and Pixar such as boundary-busting energy and industry-shaking. Moreover, Disney is a nimble company and accepts innovative ideas however; still the company’s stock was about at the same level as it was decade ago. Therefore, alliance may influence the strategies of Disney more effective and it may help the company to make its future vision more realistic. How and to what extent is Disney’s new product planning initiatives likely to benefit from Job’s successes at Apple Computer? Jobs mentioned that he was lucky to have grown up with the industry and it actually helped to get successful at Apple and Pixar. Jobs’ successes at Apple Computer made the people to consider Jobs best at launching new products. The entrepreneurial zeal, industry knowledge, sheer ch arisma and intensity of Jobs can help Disney to pursue its new product planning initiatives more effectively. The secret weapon of Jobs to meld technical vision with a gut feel for what regular consumers want and then market in ways that make people want to be part of it, can help Disney to develop the new products which people want in digital media world.

Property Cycles - UK Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Property Cycles - UK Experience - Essay Example The above described cycles have been proved to have a significant role on the development of national economy (or its decrease during periods of recession). The research focuses on the effects of property cycles on the economy of Britain as these effects can be observed on the daily consumption behaviour of people across Britain. All parts of the property market development as well as the risks that are related with the specific part of the economy are going to be analyzed emphasizing on the potential use of property cycles in order to support the local economy. Generally, it could be stated that the property market is characterized by continuous and radical changes. The specific issue has been examined by Pain et al. (1994, 53) who noticed that ‘the behaviour of the personal sector has changed markedly over the past 15 years, coinciding with a period in which overall consumers expenditure proved extremely difficult to forecast with any degree of accuracy’. Because of the above phenomenon, the national economy – which is closely related with the property market - faces severe turbulences by achieving a significant level of growth when the prices of houses are increased and having severe losses in periods that the prices of houses are decreased because of the lack of monetary resources available that they could help the enhancement of the property market. In a relevant research published by National Statistics Online (2007) it was revealed that ‘a feature of home ownership in the United Kingdom is the relatively lar ge number of homes purchased with a mortgage; approximately three quarters of house purchases are financed with a mortgage loan facility’. This means that consumers in Britain cannot afford the purchase of a new house and for this reason they seek for the support of the financial institutions. However, if taking into account the fact that borrowing cannot be increased on a continuous basis (such a fact could lead the national economy to severe

Complaint letter Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Complaint letter - Research Paper Example The lines have gotten to the point where I will enter the store to make use of one of the side services, such as the money order counter, and leave to purchase my groceries and other items at a different store. I keep returning, hoping that the situation will have been resolved, but it has not. It is not unusual to see lines running from the register area completely across the main aisle, and then sometimes blocking large areas of the apparel department. When purchasing cold groceries and shopping with a small child, it is just not feasible to have even the possibility of waiting in line for twenty to thirty minutes or more before checking out. I would like to see your store hiring more dedicated cashiers, employees whose purpose is only to keep the lines moving. In this way, the cleanliness and orderliness of the store is not neglected, but the lines are reduced to a more manageable level. I do not mind waiting in a line, but this situation is significantly outside an acceptable wait

Liberal Ideology and Classical Liberalism Essay

Liberal Ideology and Classical Liberalism - Essay Example Classical Liberalism may be defined, as â€Å"a political philosophy laying strong emphasis on individual rights with minimal government intervention† (Urban Dictionary). It also advocates for free trade economy, open borders and segregation of roles of the state and church. Classical Liberalism also favors government dis-involvement and non-intervention in property or business rights, social matters and choice of association based on the notion that individuals have rights in addition to the rights granted to them by the state.Whereas, the definition of Modern Liberalism would be,† the positive and increased role of the state or the regulatory authority to protect the rights of an individual, thus advocating equality, justice, fair play and positive freedom in a welfare society†(J.M. Keynes). The state intervention allows fair distribution of resources, rewards and punishments and equality in a society.Despite the fact that Classical Liberalism and Modern Liberali sm are two entirely different political concepts, the two have some parallels amongst them. Although there is rigorous competition between the two, bringing to light some clear differences, there is a visible overlap when considering the basis of ideology of liberalism. There are some parallel key concepts regarding this theory.First of all, both branches stress upon the importance and necessity of state to monitor and regularize affairs of a society. Both consider that without the existence of a state, rights of individuals in a society will not be protected. A state is needed so that individual rights are not trampled upon by others through stealing. The presence and intervention of a state provides a leveled playground to all with the state acting as referee ensuring that all players are guaranteed fair play, and equal opportunity in a healthy and positive competitive environment. The state acts as a restraining power to the egos of individuals so that the social contract among i ndividuals is honored. Lack of established authority in a society might result in indulgence in destructive unrestrained freedom. The state is given the rights and powers of intervention through constitution and democracy (Jess Atkins 2013). Another key aspect that both viewpoints share is the importance of individual. They commonly stress upon rights, safety, well being and guidance of an individual in a society. Natural rights of an individual form

Structures of International Governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Structures of International Governance - Essay Example Globalisation is simply spreading of particular philosophies, ideas, technology and governance all over the world. All countries become one unit and they are all governed by the same set of rules. The concept of international governance came in to fight poverty, war among countries, environmental degradation and to set up equal opportunities for everyone in all countries. The call to fight particular deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS and cancer has made many countries to come together to ensure that a cure is established to save lives. One of the major works of international governance is in the protection of the environment and its resources. The pollution rates have become very rampant and they are now posing as a risk to human life thus there has been a great need for all countries to form regulations as to how they are going to prevent further pollution and preserve the environment and resources for the future generation. For this reason many organisations have been set up to see if the countries are implementing some of the rules and regulations of conserving the environment. For instance the United Nations Environmental Programme and the World Environmental Organisation (WEO) are organisations set to ensure that the respective countries that sign the treaty to preserve the environment are implementing the changes. Such organisations are entitled in doing research to tell which countries have succeeded in implementing the changes, the shortcomings of the implementations and where the strategies are proving to be difficult. From such researches they are able to see if the implementation is worthwhile or not. Moreover, the organisations can assist countries that have problems in implementing the changes by lending them money to fund the projects by buying the respective machines and educating its general public on environmental issues (Barbara, 2002). When countries come together to set environmental laws, they put the interest of the people first. The

Animation Movie Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Animation Movie Music - Essay Example Animation music plays a significant role in today’s modern world, but its roots date back to the silent film era which was the birth of its original conception. According to the Goldmark, a few of the cartoons might have had â€Å"specials scores† which were given to the theaters. In a 1923 periodical titled ‘Motion Picture News’ there was a suggestion from the Pathe home Office who issued in a printed statement that, "Jazz music goes well with Aesop's Fables. That's the conclusion reached after a number of tests, and consequently hereafter Pathe, the distributor of these subjects, will furnish musical effects sheets to each distributor booking one of these cartoons." In the 1930s, animation music was not very highly appreciated and derogatory remarks such as â€Å"Mickey mousing† a term that was used in a derogatory manner by David O. Seiznick when he compared a score by Max Steiner to that of a Mickey mouse cartoon which implied that the score was extremely simplistic and the happenings in the scene could be easily guessed. However, it was Carl Stalling who made the greatest impact in the arena of animation music. He made use of contemporary songs as film music. Stalling got hooked to movies after watching â€Å"The Great Train Robbery.† By 1904, in Lexington, Missouri, he started playing the piano during the changing of the reel at the local movie theatre.

P&G Japan Essay Example for Free

PG Japan Essay Slow, conformist and risk averse – stretch, innovation and speed Leadership Innovation Team implemented a global rollout of Dryel and Swiffer Impact – 18 months after entering the first test market they were on sales in US, Europe, Latin America and Asia Processes Performance-based component of compensation increased from traditional range of 20% to 80%. Extended the reach of stock options to virtually all employees Integrated business planning process where all budget elements of the operating plan could be reviewed and approved together Structure Primary profit responsibility shifted from PGs four regional organisation to seven GBUs that would now manage product development, manufacturing and marketing of their respective categories worldwide Charged with standardising manufacturing processes, simplifying brand portfolios and coordinating marketing activities Eliminate bureaucracy and increase accountability Committee responsibilities were transferred to individuals Activities such as accounting, human resources, payroll and much of IT were coordinated through a global business service unit Progression form Ethnocentric/Polycentric- Regiocentric – Geocentric SK-II – within PG this high-end product had little visibility outside Japan Because Japanese women had by far the highest use of beauty care products in the world, it was natural that the global beauty care category management started to regard Max Factor Japan as a potential source of innovation Working with RD labs in Cincinatti and the UK, several Japanese technologists participated on a global team that developed a new product involving a durable color base and renewable moisturising second coat – Lipfinity Japanese innovations were than transferred worldwide, as Lipfinity rolled out in Europe and the US within six months of the Japanese launch Implementation of O2005 in July 1999 – half the top 30 managers and a third of the top 3000 were new to their jobs – capabilities do not reside in management Global product development process Technology team assembled at an RD facility in Cincinnati, drawing the most qualified technologists from its PG labs worldwide US-based marketing team and Japanese team had the same task – Japanese team came up with SK-II In the end, each market ended up with a distinct product built on a common technology platform. Marketing expertise was also shared, allowing the organisation to exploit local learning Decisions Japanese Opportunity Tapping into PGs extensive technological resources – extend the SK-II line beyond its traditional product offerings Although would take a considerable amount of time and effort, it would exploit internal capabilities and external brand image Product innovation and superior in-store service – competitive advantage in Japan China Operating since 1988 only Entrepreneurial beauty care manager in China Some were worried that SK-II would be a distraction to PGs strategy of becoming a mainstream Chinese company and to its competitive goal of entering 600 Chinese cities ahead of competitors Targeting an elite consumer group with a niche product was not in keeping with the objective of reaching the 1. 2 billion population with laundry, hair care, oral care, diapers and other basics Europe De Cesare – new the European market well Without any real brand awareness or heritage, would SK-II’s mystique transfer to a Western market Organisational constraint De Cesare recognised that his decision needed to comply with the organisational reality in which it would be implemented Jager – openly questioned how well some of the products in the beauty care business fit in the PG portfolio – the fashion-linked and promotion-driven sales models neither played well to PG’s â€Å"stack it high, sell it cheap† marketing skills nor exploited its superior technologies From a local to a global focus

Organizational Background of Asda Supermarket

Organizational Background of Asda Supermarket Personnel administration has many facets including the appraisal procedure for the organization employees bearing in mind their performances. The basic intention of developing a Performance Evaluation System (PES) is to help out each and every employee in recognizing their work capability in the present job. Exquisitely, a good performance appraisal should comprise of a two way feedback among the appraiser and the appraisee. This usually involves a critical assessment of the shortcomings not noted earlier to a point where the main focal point is the developmental need of the employees. The Performance Management System (PMS) is the main cardinal point of all HR functions comprising of planning, training and development, rewards, benefits and compensation, career planning, benefits management etc. in short all employee welfare is dependent on the PMS. Whereas on the contrary there are some problems as well in the implementation of an effective PMS that comprises of lack of feedback non standardized criteria, non confidentiality, personal biases etc. There are other serious factors that possess a threat to HR policy makers when efforts are put into making the existing system change. Problems like too much complicated Evaluation Performa, fear of un-popularity/contradiction, one officer writing 400 to 500 performance appraisal reports every year many of whom he never met and the like are just to mention a few. It is hence necessary for the Human Resource Management to design and enforce a good PMS that makes sure that the evaluation system is fair and trustworthy and that doesnt create unnecessary differences. ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND: The case study of Asda HR department that how do they evaluate and judge its employees will be carried out in form of research on the upcoming months. ASDA is a subsidiary of WALMART (USA) and one of the leading retail stores of UK. In more than 300 stores of Asda there are usually 250-500 plus employees working in different shifts. Asda became a part of Walmart (USA) around more than 10 years ago. It has a strong retention policy which is evident from the fact that more than 170,000 employees work for Asda and out of which around 75,000 approximately have completed their 5 years service which contributes to 20% employee turnover rate annually. All these can be due to the fact that it has a strong friendly policy that includes staff discounts, money off vouchers, plus other benefits. The other key factor that plays an important part in retention is the ability to progress from a colleague to a manager. According to Sarah Dickins the retail people director we do a lot of work listenin g to colleagues to see how we can improve the business and respond to that. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: This research would aim to judge the consequence of performance appraisal means on employees and to determine the connection between the colleagues performance and the process of Performance appraisal. The main focus of the research would be on questions like: Is the current performance evaluation system fair and transparent? Employees satisfaction with the appraisal system. How to link PES with rewards, recognition, training needs assessment, coaching, promotion, placement, succession policy, career planning etc? LITERATURE REVIEW: Every person has its own perception regarding Performance appraisal, their own point of view. But what (Becton, Portis Schraeder 2007) said is it is a method of judging an employee performance related to his job and how efficiently is he in his performance. The conventional way of Performance Appraisal is that once a year the employee meets his rater or appraiser who rates how well is the job performance. As stated by Douglas McGregor in Harvard Business Review article An Uneasy Look at Performance Appraisal (quoted by Richard C. Grote) the goals of an organizations performance appraisal program are designed to meet three needs one for the organization and two for the individual: They provide systematic judgments to back up salary increases, promotions, transfers, and sometimes demotions and terminations. They are means of telling a subordinate how he is doing and suggesting needed changes in his behavior, attitudes, skills or job knowledge, they let him know where he stands with the boss. They are also being increasingly used as basis for the coaching and counseling of the individual by the superior. A common misconception is that the sole purpose of Performance appraisal is to inform employees how their performance has been rated. Thats unfortunate, because a productive performance appraisal can accomplish much more. A productive appraisal, along with reviewing the quality of the employees work, serves as a work session between supervisor and employee in which you take the time and effort to meet with an individual and set new goals and objectives for the coming year. A productive appraisal recognizes that people are an incredibly valuable resource with specific needs and goals. (Paul Falcone, Randi Toler Sachs 2007) Heydel (quoted by Goel 2008) stated that The process of evaluating the performance and qualifications of the employees in terms of the requirements of the job for which he is employed for the purpose of administration including placement, selection for promotions, providing financial rewards and other actions which require different treatment among the members of a group as distinguished from the action affecting all members equally. As stated by Tom Coens, Mary Jenkins (2000) does appraisal work. Due to its inherent design flaws, appraisal produces distorted and unreliable data about their contribution of employees. Consequently, the resulting documentation is not useful for staffing decision and often does not hold up in court. Too often, appraisal destroys human spirit and, in the span of a 30 minute meeting, can transform a vibrant, highly committed employee into a demoralized, indifferent wallflower who reads the want ads on the weekend. With vast majority of organizations repeatedly experiencing disappointing results and problems with appraisal, we wonder why there isnt more discussion about dropping it, rather than trying to fix it. In many organizations performance appraisal systems remain one of the great paradoxes of effective human resource management. On one hand, appraisal systems can provide valuable performance information to a number of critical human resource activities, such as the allocation of rewards, e.g., merit pay, promotions; feedback on the development and assessment of training needs; other human resource systems evaluation, e.g., selection predictors; and performance documentation for legal purposes(Cleveland, Murphy, and Williams, 1989). Appraisal systems seem to offer much potential for enhancing the effectiveness of human resource decisions and for satisfying employees need for performance feedback (Ilgen, Fisher, and Taylor, 1979). On the other hand, there is evidence that appraisal systems are a practical challenge to the academics who often design them and to the managers and employees who must use them. As Banks and Murphy (1985: 335) noted: Organizations continue to express disappoin tment in performance appraisal systems despite advances in appraisal technology. Appraisal reliability and validity still remain major problems in most appraisal systems, and new (and presumably improved) appraisal systems are often met with substantial resistance. In essence, effective performance appraisal in organizations continues to be a compelling but unrealized goal. This negativity is echoed by practitioners in the private and public sectors (George, 1986; Meyer, 1991). It seems fair to conclude that many organizational appraisal systems have failed to realize their full potential contribution to organizational effectiveness. M. Susan Taylor, Kay B. Tracy, Monika K. Renard, J. Kline Harrison, Stephen J. Carroll.Due Process in Performance Appraisal: A Quasi-Experiment in Procedural Justice. Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 40, 1995 Performance appraisal has widened as a concept and as a set of practices and in the form of performance management has become part of a more strategic approach to integrating HR activities and business policies. As a result of this, the research on the subject has moved beyond the limited confines of measurement issues and accuracy of performance ratings and has begun to focus more of social and motivational aspects of appraisal. It breaks these down in terms of the nature of appraisal and the context in which it operates. The former is considered in terms of contemporary thinking on the content of appraisal (contextual performance, goal orientation and self awareness) and the process of appraisal (appraiser-appraisee interaction, and multi-source feedback). The discussion of the context of appraisal concentrates on cultural differences and the impact of new technology. In reviewing these emerging areas of research, the article seeks to explore some of the implications for appraisal practice at both organizational and individual levels. (Fletcher C 2001) Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Volume 74,ÂÂ  Number 4, November 2001, pp. 473-487(15). Because of the pivotal role that performance appraisal plays in managing human resources (Cardy Dobbins,1994), there has been a great deal of research conducted to understand appraisals. Murphy and Cleveland (1991) noted that much of this research has focused on such issues as appraisal formats and minimizing bias from raters. One of the issues that they suggested that warrants further attention is the criteria by which appraisal systems are judged. They suggested that one such research area that needs to be addressed is the reactions of the ratees to the appraisal system. Murphy and Cleveland proposed that research should seek to understand how appraisal accuracy affects reactions to the appraisal. Cardy and Dobbins (1994) mirrored this sentiment and argued that such perceptual reactions to the appraisal system are clearly important to the appraisal systems operational effectiveness. Maier (1958) had pointed out that appraises defensiveness is an expected reaction since the manager, in discussing his appraisal of a subordinates performance with the man, is automatically cast in the role of judge and the subordinate becomes the defendant. With their respective roles structured in this way, the natural reaction of the subordinate is to become defensive when criticized and, to the degree that he is defensive rather than constructive, he is less likely to take action necessary to improve his performance. His defensiveness is in effect a denial of responsibility for the short coming cited. To show improvement in the aspect of performance criticized would be negating the validity of the defence. Performance Appraisal Based On Self-Review, Journal Of Personnal Psychology 1968, Volume 21, issue 4, Pg 421-430. Lewis and Rock (1967) stated that whether an organization accepts or denies the usefulness of performance appraisal, whether it adopts a formal appraisal system or not, top management is constantly appraising the performance of its subordinate managers. The latter are doing the same to their subordinates. They are doing because performance appraisal, formal or informal lies at the heart of the art of managing. Good managers do it well; poor managers do it less satisfactory; only bad managers do it not at all. (quoted by S.Mufeed Ahmad). Although feedback is advocated as a means for influencing performance, empirical investigations indicate that the effect of feedback on performance is not uniformly positive. In the proposed model, reactions to feedback, not feedback per se, influence performance. In response to the lack of research on causal mechanisms linking feedback to performance and calls for such research, reactions are proposed to mediate the influence of feedback-related characteristics on performance. Feedback-related characteristics central to models of performance feedback that also corresponded with the three characteristics of the due process model served as antecedents to reactions. Using longitudinal data and previous performance as a control variable, results of structural equation modeling evidenced strong support for the proposed model as antecedents substantially related to ratees reactions, and ratees reactions indeed influenced subsequent performance. Organizations should design appraisal system s in accordance with the due process framework and train managers in conducting feedback discussions. I.M. Jawahar, Group Organization Management August 16, 2010 vol. 35 no. 4 494-526. Recently, performance appraisal researchers have adopted a cognitive approach to analyzing judgment processes in performance appraisal. While this approach allows researchers to tap a wealth of knowledge applicable to the appraisal context, this line of research is likely to widen the already existing gap between research and practice. We argue that coordination of the talents of researchers and practitioners is essential for narrowing the gap. Specifically, we suggest researchers focus their research on the best methods of ensuring use of relevant and valid data in appraisal, given organizational constraints. We also suggest practitioners focus on determining observable and measurable aspects of performance, and thus, specify appropriate appraisal content. We also note that cognitive process research has promise for increasing raters ability to judge accurately, but that this approach does not necessarily address the raters willingness to provide accurate ratings. Cristina G. Banks, Kevin R. Murphy. Towards Narrowing the Research-Practice Gap in Performance Appraisal, Personnel Psychology, Volume 38, Issue 2, pages 335-345, June 1985 As stated by lefkowitz, 2000,the extent to which appraisers like appraise influences their assessment of them and is the same true for peers and subordinates giving ratings in a 360- degree feedback exercise? Unfortunately the answer seems to be YES. There is also evidence that 360-degree feedback assessments are no more immune to ethnic bias than other form of appraisal (Alimo-Metcalfe and Alban-Metcalfe 2003) Clive Fletcher, (2004) Appraisal and Feedback, Making performance review work, (3rd ed) CIPD publication. Self-appraisal also may be used to help employees improve their job performance. Self appraisal may complement supervisory ratings. According to Bassett Meyer, 1968, self-appraisal can serve several distinct functions within an organization. Self-appraisal may be used as additional data points. Because intersource reliability can be considered a precondition for evaluation validity, serious disagreement among sources raises fundamental concerns about evaluation process as a whole further if disagreement between self appraiser and supervisor ratings is not extreme, then self appraisal can be combined with these other evaluations, increasing overall reliability. According to Thornton 1968 self appraisal are used to gather performance information that is either not obtained or impossible to obtain through other channels, and reducing criterion deficiency by including dimensions of performance that are over looked by other evaluation sources. Self-Appraisal in Performance Evaluation: Development versus Evaluation Donald J. Campbell and Cynthia Lee The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 13, No. 2 (Apr., 1988), pp. 302-314. Significance: In context of the above literature we would like to see in our study the relevance of the ongoing appraisal system in ASDA. It is important for the colleagues to receive feedback from employers or managers in a consistent and on going basis. The feedback in performance appraisal is significant in showing what the colleague is doing well at the store or what can be improved. The current method of self-appraisal that is being followed at ASDA is it more effective and is there any biases in feedback from the rater. The thinkers and experts of modern times have grouped the primary users and purposes of evaluation into the following three categories. Information resulting from two-way communication between supervisor and subordinates assisting the former in assessing the motivation, skills, training needs, selection procedures, placements, placements, transfers etc of the latter Motivation which has a direct bearing on the productivity of the employees. Developmental emphasizing through use of appraisal the managements responsibility to counsel and aid employees in realizing their potentials. It is therefore a foregone conclusion that the adoption of a better performance appraisal system is bound to result a remarkable improvement in performance of organizations. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: The research will be based upon the data, which will be collected from the colleagues and managers in ASDA. Data will also be gathered from the Personnel department and the HR manager in ASDA. The colleagues and managers will also be a part of this research in order to provide data for this dissertation. As I am working for ASDA it would not be any big dilemma for me to get the data in completion of my dissertation. I must be able to get as much as primary data as I need through interviews and questionnaire. Collected data will be analyzed certainly on basis of research question and comparison of claims about the process from HR department and response got after conducting research. RESEARCH METHODS: Due to the nature of the research, qualitative and quantitative both methods of research will be followed. If we go in depth into this research, it really has qualitative as well as quantitative concerns. That is the reason why I have decided to have mix of both methods of data analysis. Hypothesis will also be required in this research so those will also made by selecting some variables. Data collection will be primary data or secondary data. Primary data will be collected from the colleagues and managers in form of interviews and questioners. Whereas the secondary data will be collected from journals, annual reports and through internet. DATA ANALYSIS: The analysis will be done on the data being collected in form of manual analysis and through different applications like excel, etc. Qualitative analysis will be used to analyze open-ended questions on the survey. Quantitative analysis will be done for questions in survey using different application to determine strength and weakness of the performance appraisal. A detailed report after the research survey and analysis will be submitted.

Types, causes, and advantages and disadvantages of monopolies

Types, causes, and advantages and disadvantages of monopolies Monopoly is the situation in which there is a single seller of a product (i.e., a good or service) for which there are no close substitutes. The word is derived from the Greek words monos (meaning one) and polein (meaning to sell). Governmental policy with regard to monopolies can have major effects not only on specific businesses and industries but also on the economy and society as a whole. Types Oligopoly: Is a situation in which sales of a product are dominated by a small number of a relatively large seller who is able to collectively exert control over its supply and prices. Cartel: Is a type of oligopoly in which a centralized institution exists for the purpose of coordinating the action of several independent suppliers of a product. The best example today is the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Trust: Popular way to form monopolies in USA. This was an arrangement by which stockholders in several companies transferred their shared to a single set of trustees. In exchange, the stockholders received a certificate entitling them to a specified share of the consolidated earning of the jointly managed companies. The trust came to dominate a number of major industries (tobacco, sugar, etc.) Monopsony: Is the opposite of a conventional monopoly in the sense that there is only a single buyer or only one dominant buyer for a product for which there are multiple sellers. Some companies are both monopolies and monopsonies. By being also a monopsonist, a monopoly can increase its profits even further by putting pressure on the companies that supply inputs for its products to reduce their prices. Extreme cases Pure monopoly: One company has complete control over the supply or sales of a product for which there are no good substitutes. Perfect competition: There are many sellers of identical or virtually identical products. Causes of monopoly By developing or acquiring control over a unique product that is difficult or costly for others companies to copy. By having a lower production cost than competitors. By using various legal and illegal tactics (predatory tactics) By controlling a platform and using vendor lock-in. By receiving a government grant of monopoly status, becoming a government-granted monopoly. Advantages Despite their reputation for evil, monopolies can actually generate a net benefit for society under certain circumstances. These are usually situations in which the power and duration of the monopoly are carefully limited. Natural monopolies can be particularly beneficial. This is because of their ability to attain lower costs of production, often far lower, than would be possible with competitive firms producing the same product in the same region. However, it is almost always necessary for such monopolies to be regulated by a relatively uncorrupted government in order for society to obtain the potential benefits. This is because such monopolies by themselves, as is the case with all monopolies, have little incentive to charge prices close to cost and, rather, tend to charge profit-maximizing prices and restrict output. Likewise, there is often little incentive to pay much attention to quality. It has long been recognized that government-granted monopolies can benefit society as a whole by providing financial incentives to inventors, artists, composers, writers, entrepreneurs and others to innovate and produce creative works. In fact, the importance of establishing monopolies of limited duration for this purpose is even mentioned in the U.S. Constitution. Disadvantages Large monopolies have considerable potential to damage both economies and democratic governments and monopolists often go to extreme lengths to disguise or hide such harmful effects. Example The table below illustrates the case of monopoly. Marginal cost is the value of the additional resources needed to produce another unit of output. The marginal benefit to consumers is the price that consumers are willing to pay for each unit. You should recognize this column as a demand curve. The maximization principle tells us that the economically efficient amount to produce is five, the amount that gives consumers the greatest value. To produce the first unit, the firm takes resources that have a value of $5.00 and turns them into something with a value of $7.01. Because this transformation has increased value, producing the first unit is more economically efficient than producing none. By this logic, producing the sixth unit would decrease economic efficiency because the firm would take resources with a value of $5.00 and transform them into something with a value of only $4.51. The monopolist, however, will find it most profitable to produce only three units because it does not see marginal benefit the same way that buyers see it. For the seller, the extra benefit of the second unit is only $6.01. It sells the second unit for $6.51, but to sell the second unit, it had to reduce the price it charged by $.50. Thus, it lost $.50 on the first unit, so the net increase in its revenue was only $6.01. (You can get the same answer by computing a total revenue column and then calculating revenue increases.) In a similar manner, the rest of the fourth column can be obtained. Using the maximization principle, one can see that producing beyond the third unit is not in the interests of the firm. The fourth unit brings in added benefits of only $4.01 to the firm (it sells for $5.51, but to sell it, the firm lowers price by $.50 on three other units), but costs an added $5.00. From the point of view of the buyers, however, the fourth unit should be produced. It brings them added benefits of $5.51 and uses resources worth only $5.00.

Should College Students Be Tested For Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome? :: essays research papers fc

Should College Students Be Tested For Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome? Today, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is a horrifying epidemic that is grasping our younger adults. If more college students knew more about the exact effect of AIDS, then it wouldn’t be a huge epidemic as is now. College students need to be tested for AIDS so that they can inform other people of the opposite sex of the sexual background so that they don’t pass the deadly disease to them. Today with many of the college students being sexually active with people that they barely know, it is encouraged that students get tested for AIDS at least every 3 months for virus. Catching AIDS is not a joke and no one wants to be the unlucky soul to have it. Once acquiring AIDS, there is no turning back because Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is non-curable. I believe that a lack of knowledge of their mates background is the reason why students contract AIDS. If a person is HIV positive, I believe that it is everyone’s right to know so that they can be safe from cold-hearted people who don’t want to reveal having it. Luckily a female student at Si Tanka-Huron University in Huron, South Dakota didn’t contract the disease, from her boyfriend who did not inform her that he was HIV positive, before the two of them proceeded in unprotected sexual intercourse. His name is Nikko Briteramos and he was sentenced for having sex with his girlfriend without revealing that he had HIV. Their was justice this time with the girl being HIV negative but the next time someone unprotected sex with someone that they do not fully understand their sexual background might not be so fortunate (Anonymous 39). It is instances like this one why I believe that there should be some type of tattoo or something to let people know that someone is HIV positive so that there will not be any suspicions of a mate lying about not having HIV. The tattoo ca n be permanent or temporary(for those diseases that are curable). Knowledge of the background of a mate sexual background is a key factor of college students staying aware and safe from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Doctors and scientists say that knowledge is an enabling factor with regard to students’ comfort levels in asking their partner’s sexual histories, and in requesting that partners take an AIDS test just as the girl should of did her boyfriend Nikko Briteramos.

Grendel Vs. Beowulf Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essays

Grendel   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most compelling and highly developed characters in the novel Grendel, written by John Gardner, and the poem Beowulf, written by an anonymous poet, is the monster, Grendel. Even though these pieces show two different sides to Grendel they are similar in many ways. Grendel evokes sympathy toward the hideous monster by making him seem like the victim, while Beowulf portrays him as being the most loathsome of enemies. The reasons behind Grendel’s being, his killing, and finally his death make him one of the most controversial and infamous monsters in literature. Grendel is the man-killing monster that Beowulf portrayed him as being, yet he is also the lonely victim of a judgmental world. Grendel is a descendent of Cain and is forced to live with the inherited curse of being denied God’s presence. Cain’s lineage has been known to spawn monsters, trolls, giants, and other undesirable beings, all of which were rejected from society. Beowulf and Grendel both speak of Grendel’s ancestor Cain, almost as if using it as an excuse for his rash and murderous actions. Beowulf told of a Grendel that mercilessly attacked Hrothgar’s meadhall killing men without reason. Grendel also speaks of this evil monster, but in a more sympathetic and excusable manner. Grendel is thought of as “the guardian of sins'; and is the physical equivalent to a man that has been shunned by God. He is des...

Demostration Speech: Salsa Dancing

Presentational Communication Dr. Whalen Demonstration Speech: Latin Dancing *General Purpose: To Inform *Specific Purpose: To inform others about the culture of Salsa Dancing and the basic steps to this dance. *Central Idea: The main steps in salsa dancing are mainly to have good eye and feet coordination with your partner. Hola amigos, como estan todos? How many of you have ever been at a lounge or club in DC, heard a song similar to this? Play snippet of music (10 seconds) and wondered what kind of music that is or how to dance with it? Well that mis amigos is called Salsa.Salsa has been an important type of dance in my family since I was a little kid. Every since I could walk, my uncle would always grab my cousins and I and teach us the basic moves. As we got older we took classes with a good family friend and at the Salsa Club in VA. It’s something that brings my family and I together and is precious to our hearts. Today I’ll be discussing the history of salsa, some of the benefits, and demonstrate how to dance this popular Latin dance. Introduction 1. Originated in the 1920’s, Salsa is one of the oldest and most popular styles of Latin dancing.It combines many Spanish-derived and Afro-Cuban elements, which gives it’s a bit more excitement. Salsa is similar to Mambo in that both have a pattern of six steps danced over eight counts of music. Contra-Danze (Country Dance) of England/France, later called Danzon, was brought by the French who fled from Haiti, which later began to mix itself with Rhumbas of African origin. Son, of the Cuban people, was a mixture of the Spanish sonero and the African drumbeats. Flavora and a partner dance flowered to the beat of the clave. (Bartch) 2. According to livestrong. om, you can burn up to 500 calories with this one type of dance. it helps you develop stronger postures and boost your confidence. 3. According to fitday. com, salsa dancing has great health benefits such as improving cardiovascula r fitness and endurance as well as strength, balance, coordination, and muscle toning 4. salsabeat. com also states that one benefit of salsa dancing from a social perspective is the development of new social relationships. Okay so now we’ll get into the fun stuff†¦.. Body 1. first you want to make sure you have comfortable clothing and shoes.In many Latin American countries the women wear dresses with low heels, unless your advance I would recommend you wear leggings with low heels. *After you have dressed comfortably†¦ 2. You want to grab a partner. You want to make sure you partner is the right height, ladies you don’t want a man who is shorter, then you, it wouldn’t be very comfortable. *After you have grabbed your partner†¦ 3. You want to stand straight in a centered position. Once you are in a straight centered position, ladies take the lead†¦place your right hand on his left shoulder; men place your left hand on her waist and your righ t hand on her shoulder. Once you have placed your hands where they belong†¦ 4. The music will start to play†¦men take your right leg and move it forward, ladies as his right leg starts to move forward you’ll want to take your left leg backwards, count 1 2 3 and add in a little move with your hips. 5. Come back to a centered straight position and repeat the steps with your other leg. 6. Once you get the hang of a couple steps you can add in some turns to give the routine some more flavor. Make sure you keep up with the beat; salsa can be tricky at times so always listen carefully to the beat. 7.Finally you’ll want to practice a few times and show of your new dance moves. Conclusion In conclusion, I hope you all have learned and enjoyed learning some basic salsa moves, which includes the basic front to back, moving the hips and turns. Not only is salsa a good exercise for your legs, because trust me you will feel the burn after dancing for hours, but it’ s also a good way to expand your culture horizons. The next time you want to go to dancing, try going somewhere where Latin music is played so you can show off your sweet new moves and be the life of the party.

A case study of clothes R Us Essay

Introduction Clothes R Us opened its doors and began operations more than a decade ago.   When the company first opened, the founders and CEOs were on the floor trying to sell to customers their various clothes and designs. The clothes came with economized prices, saved customers time that would have been spent looking for the right attire and in so doing make the customer’s lives less complicated. The store has grown so much in the past decade, to become a major supplier chain that is not only nationally recognized but also globally renowned. The phenomenal growth comes with even higher growth in terms of annual sales and income. The company has surprisingly continues to maintain some sort of loose human resource strategy. Managers have paid little attention towards restructuring the human resource and monitoring of performance especially when it comes to fixed employees. Lack of a centralized system to control and manage the departments’ means that there are no specific details on the performance of employees.   Clothes R us has operated with a decentralized, freewheeling culture in which each store manager has treated his or her own employees as some kind of personal kingdom in which the manager has the right to control their recruitment and performance as they see fit. Majority of the full time sales people have college degrees in addition to vast experience in their area of specialization. However, there is continued discontent with the reliance on casual employees.   The origin of the problem stemmed from the early days when the company required cheap labor. Unfortunately, the continued reliance on casual employees has caused demoralization among the permanent employees. A company that was seeing much growth in the past is not facing a crisis in human resource. Defining the problem Even with various strategies coming to play to ensure that the company does not run out of required manpower, these will only be effective if the permanent employees are motivated to perform at a much higher level.   Clothes R US is only starting to realize the importance of a motivated work force. The challenge comes in ensuring and maintain the motivation of employees.   Continued reliance on casual employees has restrained the flexibility of the permanent employees. Employees lack the opportunity to be independent. Casual employees take up roles that would require creative management and skills; as such the company is now suffering from the existence of a dull work force. Managers have been slow in understanding, how flexibility motivates the employees.   Flexibility is not just in items of duties but also in terms of the work hours and even the work place. A common quote is that change is as good as a rest. Professional human resource consultants often advice companies to ensure that employees have a variety of talents, shifts and even work desks. The change often serves to make the job seem new and therefore motivate the employee.   Poor motivation also means high turnover of the employees. Low confidence:   confidence is a character that lays down the foundation of employee motivation. It is important for employees to feel they not only have the skills but also the know how to deal with various challenges at the work place. Since, Clothes R US focuses more on employing temporarily employees to manage simple tasks; employees are fast losing confidence in their ability to perform. With the planned expansion, the company is now facing a crisis. Employees are unwilling to leave their comfort zones, unwilling to volunteer for the new project and even opting for increased turn over.   Because majority of the employees in the company exhibit low self esteem, they are unable to make use of their skills and talents. Further, they are completely unable to form positive work relationships. This means that they are less than loyal to the company and thus more likely to seek other employment even when they are earning less. It is not surprising therefore to find that employees of cloths R US are always finding excuses as to why they are not performing, why the company is not growing rather than enhancing their own skills to ensure better performance.   The company is currently having a permanent work force suffering from low self esteem. Lowered expectations: one of the main drawbacks of relying on current and contingent employees is that the performance levels and expectations of success have been lowered in the company. It is therefore not surprising to find that the permanent employees only do as much as is expected of them to meet their own duties. The permanent employees do not push themselves or even apply themselves wholeheartedly and diligently to their jobs. The company low expectations have served to kill employee morale to do better and better at each task. Instead, employees report to work, do the minimum and leave the rest to the casual employees. Contingency syndrome: contingency workers often provide an advantage to employers. Clothes R US began taking advantage of this group of worker during the early years of expansion. Contingency workers do not expect benefits and are often paid much less than permanent workers. They are given challenging tasks which would otherwise cost the company in terms of training permanent employees to ensure they have the skills to complete the job.   Unfortunately, the increase of contingency workers in the company has had a negative impact. Contingency workers tend to bring restlessness in permanent employees who are convinced that life could get better and more interesting outside the company. Further, contingency workers do not posses the security and stability of permanent employees; they therefore lack commitment to the job which tends to rub off on permanent employees. They prefer the freedom of their temporary status and often seem to be highly compensated for simple tasks. This situation is likely to de-motivate the permanent employees in addition to causing conflict and strain with the other employees. With time, the permanent employees begin to lose interest in particular tasks foe which they feel they should also be compensated and rewarded. Legal implications Change in organization structure: a move or expansion of Clothes R US not only affects the location of the business but also the organization and business structure. Managers will need to sit down and re-define jobs and responsibilities to accommodate the new store. This also means determining the methods through which the stores will receive their inventory and distribute the same. As a registered business, the company will need to report the change in structure. Gopal (2008) indicates that this is a step that is often over-looked during expansion and which could prove slightly more than costly to the new venture. Registered businesses need to record such changes and report them to the registrar of businesses for their own protection. Should a dispute arise, the company will turn to the changes recorded with the registrar and this is what will be used to determine the direction of the case. Business licenses: although the new store will be operating as a franchise of the main store, it is important to note that licenses will be required for this particular business. This includes licenses to operate in Sheffield, and also distribute items in Sheffield. Lack of a license is considered fraud and could land senior managers and the business itself in a lot of legal problems. In addition, the business will require a tax registration. Many business owners assume that the new venture will operate with the same tax registration. However, according to the law, both businesses are separate ventures and require individual tax registration licenses. Zoning requirements: although there are several clothing and fashion businesses operating in Sheffield, before opening the store it is important to research and find out some of the zoning requirements. To avoid congestion zoning laws are changed frequently. Should such law take effect before the opening of the business, it is likely that the same business could be closed before taking off. Non- disclosure: being in a volatile industry such as fashion and clothing; the company has expanded very fast. With a high turnover of employees, it is not surprising that many other businesses with almost similar structure including marketing and customer relationship are being set up.   This exposure is a result of ignoring the importance of a non-disclosure agreement with all employees. Confidential information is leaked, former employees set up competing shops all because the non- disclosure is ignored, (Dessler 2000). From here on henceforth all employees permanent and contingent should sign non-disclosure agreements prepared by the legal departments and carefully structured for the company needs. Non- disclosure agreements are not just for the employees but also other stakeholders who come into contact with the company. This includes suppliers who may be tempted to contact competitors with sensitive information that could earn them a good and better profit. This means that all contracts must include a tight and binding non- disclosure agreement. This reduces the exposure of the company and gives a chance to legally fight any exposure by stakeholders, suppliers and employees (former and present) successfully. Maintaining healthy relationships During a move such as is planned by Clothes R US, the company often ignores the needs of the human resource or does not adequately address such needs. A move and expansion such as this one is likely to bring feelings of anxiety or apprehension. If such feelings are not properly addressed, the employees will become less than motivated and conflict levels may arise. The following are some of the strategies which could be employed to ensure a healthy relationship during the move: Communication: the communication channels between employees and senior managers of Cloths are US have not always been open. Employees are often in the dark about exactly what is happening to the company. Of course, this is because managers have been plagued with the disease of contingent workers. During this move, it would be advisable for the managers to be open and develop an open door policy with regard to issues facing the company and assisting employees manage the challenges they are facing.   Through proper and good communication, senior managers of the company can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their own employees. It may also be surprising to learn that some employees possess talent, skills and information that would not only make the move much easier bust also more profitable to the company. Empowerment: employees of Clothes R Us have suffered from lack of empowerment. This has led to lowered performance and serious problems in motivation. The moving period is an ideal opportunity to empower the permanent employees by providing them with unique tasks cultured for their own training and set of skills. This will give employees an opportunity to become more involved and therefore foster commitment to the project. Mathis and Jackson (2003), state that In addition, empowerment will free managers to focus on the bigger tasks rather than sweating the details. This is a great opportunity for employees to test their own abilities and creativity in dealing with the challenges that come forth. The result is a much more motivated and high skilled set of workers who are committed to the project fully. It is time for the senior managers to trust their own employees. Groups and Teams: the company definitely requires some form of synergy in the work force. This could be easily achieved by relying on groups and teams. In teams, members are expected to communicate, bounce ideas around and correct each other’s mistakes. The result is that there is a diverse set of knowledge. Further, tasks are completed as a team fostering healthy and positive relationships which have been lacking within the company. According to Jeffs (2008), to enjoy the full fruits of groups and teams, the managers have the responsibility of ensuring that the teams are composed of members with complimentary knowledge, skills and characters. This reduces the amount of conflict that could be experienced and promotes more positive forms of challenging each other. The groups also need to enjoy some sort of autonomy with minimum supervision so that the members enjoy the freedom of decision making.   The teams in themselves are leaders, coaches and guides in the tasks that are. Recommendations The problems faced by Clothes R US can be resolved simply though the three components of the expectancy theory by Vroom Victor. His theory suggests that when employees believe that high efforts are often met with high rewards, they become more motivated. The components of such motivation are: Increasing expectancy: employees of the company have been suffering from low expectations, a situation that has been brought on by increased reliance of young, temporary workers. Senior managers have an opportunity to communicate that high efforts will lead to great rewards for permanent employees. Based on this, employees need to be challenged to take up challenging tasks, the success of which will be increased rewards. It is the success in such tasks whether in a team or individually that are likely to increase the level of expectancy.   For workers to have the confidence to take up such challenging tasks, they may require extra training and team building activities that will give them the confidence. Increasing instrumentality: managers at Clothes R US have ignored and barely understand the importance of instrumentality to increasing employee motivation. Instrumentality speaks to the employee’s perception about the extent to which performance within certain tasks will lead to desired goals and results. Such goals include, increased pay, job security and the chance to undertake more interesting and captivating projects.   Instrumentality can be achieved simply though the expansion of job duties and flexibility of job titles which allow employees to test their own abilities and talents. For example, should the company link pay rises to performance; there will be increased instrumentation and as such more motivation not just to work but to excel at work. This will also deal with the issue of increased turn over. Increasing valence: expectancy theory acknowledges that when it comes to goals and outcomes, people are different. Whereas some workers may respond to pay increase, others are more interested in challenging tasks and projects. Valence therefore addresses how each of the outcomes appears to employees. Senior managers will not just throw in what they think will be attractive to employees. Rather, they will take time to understand the work force and appeal to their own variety of desires, goals and needs. A key challenge for the managers of Clothes R US, is finding the right pattern of motivation while at the same time trying to expand the scope of the business. No matter how many desirable outcomes the managers present to the employees, if they continue to feel that temporary workers can do better than motivation will go down, (David 2005).   This means scaling down on the contingent workers and relying more and more on the permanent employees. The company has the challenge of brining back confidence to its workers. This means focusing on diversity in the job specifications and ensuring flexibility in the tasks assigned to the work force. References David, F. R. (2005).  Strategic management: Concepts and cases. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall. Dessler, G. (2000).  Human resource management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Gopal, C. C. R. (2008).  Business legislation (textbook with suggested answers). New Delhi: New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers. Jeffs, C. (2008).  Strategic management. Los Angeles: SAGE. Mathis, R. L., & Jackson, J. H. (2003).  Human resource management. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-western.    A case study of clothes R Us Essay Introduction Clothes R Us opened its doors and began operations more than a decade ago.   When the company first opened, the founders and CEOs were on the floor trying to sell to customers their various clothes and designs. The clothes came with economized prices, saved customers time that would have been spent looking for the right attire and in so doing make the customer’s lives less complicated. The store has grown so much in the past decade, to become a major supplier chain that is not only nationally recognized but also globally renowned. The phenomenal growth comes with even higher growth in terms of annual sales and income. The company has surprisingly continues to maintain some sort of loose human resource strategy. Managers have paid little attention towards restructuring the human resource and monitoring of performance especially when it comes to fixed employees. Lack of a centralized system to control and manage the departments’ means that there are no specific details on the performance of employees.   Clothes R us has operated with a decentralized, freewheeling culture in which each store manager has treated his or her own employees as some kind of personal kingdom in which the manager has the right to control their recruitment and performance as they see fit. Majority of the full time sales people have college degrees in addition to vast experience in their area of specialization. However, there is continued discontent with the reliance on casual employees.   The origin of the problem stemmed from the early days when the company required cheap labor. Unfortunately, the continued reliance on casual employees has caused demoralization among the permanent employees. A company that was seeing much growth in the past is not facing a crisis in human resource. Defining the problem Even with various strategies coming to play to ensure that the company does not run out of required manpower, these will only be effective if the permanent employees are motivated to perform at a much higher level.   Clothes R US is only starting to realize the importance of a motivated work force. The challenge comes in ensuring and maintain the motivation of employees.   Continued reliance on casual employees has restrained the flexibility of the permanent employees. Employees lack the opportunity to be independent. Casual employees take up roles that would require creative management and skills; as such the company is now suffering from the existence of a dull work force. Managers have been slow in understanding, how flexibility motivates the employees.   Flexibility is not just in items of duties but also in terms of the work hours and even the work place. A common quote is that change is as good as a rest. Professional human resource consultants often advice companies to ensure that employees have a variety of talents, shifts and even work desks. The change often serves to make the job seem new and therefore motivate the employee.   Poor motivation also means high turnover of the employees. Low confidence:   confidence is a character that lays down the foundation of employee motivation. It is important for employees to feel they not only have the skills but also the know how to deal with various challenges at the work place. Since, Clothes R US focuses more on employing temporarily employees to manage simple tasks; employees are fast losing confidence in their ability to perform. With the planned expansion, the company is now facing a crisis. Employees are unwilling to leave their comfort zones, unwilling to volunteer for the new project and even opting for increased turn over.   Because majority of the employees in the company exhibit low self esteem, they are unable to make use of their skills and talents. Further, they are completely unable to form positive work relationships. This means that they are less than loyal to the company and thus more likely to seek other employment even when they are earning less. It is not surprising therefore to find that employees of cloths R US are always finding excuses as to why they are not performing, why the company is not growing rather than enhancing their own skills to ensure better performance.   The company is currently having a permanent work force suffering from low self esteem. Lowered expectations: one of the main drawbacks of relying on current and contingent employees is that the performance levels and expectations of success have been lowered in the company. It is therefore not surprising to find that the permanent employees only do as much as is expected of them to meet their own duties. The permanent employees do not push themselves or even apply themselves wholeheartedly and diligently to their jobs. The company low expectations have served to kill employee morale to do better and better at each task. Instead, employees report to work, do the minimum and leave the rest to the casual employees. Contingency syndrome: contingency workers often provide an advantage to employers. Clothes R US began taking advantage of this group of worker during the early years of expansion. Contingency workers do not expect benefits and are often paid much less than permanent workers. They are given challenging tasks which would otherwise cost the company in terms of training permanent employees to ensure they have the skills to complete the job.   Unfortunately, the increase of contingency workers in the company has had a negative impact. Contingency workers tend to bring restlessness in permanent employees who are convinced that life could get better and more interesting outside the company. Further, contingency workers do not posses the security and stability of permanent employees; they therefore lack commitment to the job which tends to rub off on permanent employees. They prefer the freedom of their temporary status and often seem to be highly compensated for simple tasks. This situation is likely to de-motivate the permanent employees in addition to causing conflict and strain with the other employees. With time, the permanent employees begin to lose interest in particular tasks foe which they feel they should also be compensated and rewarded. Legal implications Change in organization structure: a move or expansion of Clothes R US not only affects the location of the business but also the organization and business structure. Managers will need to sit down and re-define jobs and responsibilities to accommodate the new store. This also means determining the methods through which the stores will receive their inventory and distribute the same. As a registered business, the company will need to report the change in structure. Gopal (2008) indicates that this is a step that is often over-looked during expansion and which could prove slightly more than costly to the new venture. Registered businesses need to record such changes and report them to the registrar of businesses for their own protection. Should a dispute arise, the company will turn to the changes recorded with the registrar and this is what will be used to determine the direction of the case. Business licenses: although the new store will be operating as a franchise of the main store, it is important to note that licenses will be required for this particular business. This includes licenses to operate in Sheffield, and also distribute items in Sheffield. Lack of a license is considered fraud and could land senior managers and the business itself in a lot of legal problems. In addition, the business will require a tax registration. Many business owners assume that the new venture will operate with the same tax registration. However, according to the law, both businesses are separate ventures and require individual tax registration licenses. Zoning requirements: although there are several clothing and fashion businesses operating in Sheffield, before opening the store it is important to research and find out some of the zoning requirements. To avoid congestion zoning laws are changed frequently. Should such law take effect before the opening of the business, it is likely that the same business could be closed before taking off. Non- disclosure: being in a volatile industry such as fashion and clothing; the company has expanded very fast. With a high turnover of employees, it is not surprising that many other businesses with almost similar structure including marketing and customer relationship are being set up.   This exposure is a result of ignoring the importance of a non-disclosure agreement with all employees. Confidential information is leaked, former employees set up competing shops all because the non- disclosure is ignored, (Dessler 2000). From here on henceforth all employees permanent and contingent should sign non-disclosure agreements prepared by the legal departments and carefully structured for the company needs. Non-disclosure agreements are not just for the employees but also other stakeholders who come into contact with the company. This includes suppliers who may be tempted to contact competitors with sensitive information that could earn them a good and better profit. This means that all contracts must include a tight and binding non- disclosure agreement. This reduces the exposure of the company and gives a chance to legally fight any exposure by stakeholders, suppliers and employees (former and present) successfully. Maintaining healthy relationships During a move such as is planned by Clothes R US, the company often ignores the needs of the human resource or does not adequately address such needs. A move and expansion such as this one is likely to bring feelings of anxiety or apprehension. If such feelings are not properly addressed, the employees will become less than motivated and conflict levels may arise. The following are some of the strategies which could be employed to ensure a healthy relationship during the move: Communication: the communication channels between employees and senior managers of Cloths are US have not always been open. Employees are often in the dark about exactly what is happening to the company. Of course, this is because managers have been plagued with the disease of contingent workers. During this move, it would be advisable for the managers to be open and develop an open door policy with regard to issues facing the company and assisting employees manage the challenges they are facing.   Through proper and good communication, senior managers of the company can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their own employees. It may also be surprising to learn that some employees possess talent, skills and information that would not only make the move much easier bust also more profitable to the company. Empowerment: employees of Clothes R Us have suffered from lack of empowerment. This has led to lowered performance and serious problems in motivation. The moving period is an ideal opportunity to empower the permanent employees by providing them with unique tasks cultured for their own training and set of skills. This will give employees an opportunity to become more involved and therefore foster commitment to the project. Mathis and Jackson (2003), state that In addition, empowerment will free managers to focus on the bigger tasks rather than sweating the details. This is a great opportunity for employees to test their own abilities and creativity in dealing with the challenges that come forth. The result is a much more motivated and high skilled set of workers who are committed to the project fully. It is time for the senior managers to trust their own employees. Groups and Teams: the company definitely requires some form of synergy in the work force. This could be easily achieved by relying on groups and teams. In teams, members are expected to communicate, bounce ideas around and correct each other’s mistakes. The result is that there is a diverse set of knowledge. Further, tasks are completed as a team fostering healthy and positive relationships which have been lacking within the company. According to Jeffs (2008), to enjoy the full fruits of groups and teams, the managers have the responsibility of ensuring that the teams are composed of members with complimentary knowledge, skills and characters. This reduces the amount of conflict that could be experienced and promotes more positive forms of challenging each other. The groups also need to enjoy some sort of autonomy with minimum supervision so that the members enjoy the freedom of decision making.   The teams in themselves are leaders, coaches and guides in the tasks that are. Recommendations The problems faced by Clothes R US can be resolved simply though the three components of the expectancy theory by Vroom Victor. His theory suggests that when employees believe that high efforts are often met with high rewards, they become more motivated. The components of such motivation are: Increasing expectancy: employees of the company have been suffering from low expectations, a situation that has been brought on by increased reliance of young, temporary workers. Senior managers have an opportunity to communicate that high efforts will lead to great rewards for permanent employees. Based on this, employees need to be challenged to take up challenging tasks, the success of which will be increased rewards. It is the success in such tasks whether in a team or individually that are likely to increase the level of expectancy.   For workers to have the confidence to take up such challenging tasks, they may require extra training and team building activities that will give them the confidence. Increasing instrumentality: managers at Clothes R US have ignored and barely understand the importance of instrumentality to increasing employee motivation. Instrumentality speaks to the employee’s perception about the extent to which performance within certain tasks will lead to desired goals and results. Such goals include, increased pay, job security and the chance to undertake more interesting and captivating projects.   Instrumentality can be achieved simply though the expansion of job duties and flexibility of job titles which allow employees to test their own abilities and talents. For example, should the company link pay rises to performance; there will be increased instrumentation and as such more motivation not just to work but to excel at work. This will also deal with the issue of increased turn over. Increasing valence: expectancy theory acknowledges that when it comes to goals and outcomes, people are different. Whereas some workers may respond to pay increase, others are more interested in challenging tasks and projects. Valence therefore addresses how each of the outcomes appears to employees. Senior managers will not just throw in what they think will be attractive to employees. Rather, they will take time to understand the work force and appeal to their own variety of desires, goals and needs. A key challenge for the managers of Clothes R US, is finding the right pattern of motivation while at the same time trying to expand the scope of the business. No matter how many desirable outcomes the managers present to the employees, if they continue to feel that temporary workers can do better than motivation will go down, (David 2005).   This means scaling down on the contingent workers and relying more and more on the permanent employees. The company has the challenge of brining back confidence to its workers. This means focusing on diversity in the job specifications and ensuring flexibility in the tasks assigned to the work force. References David, F. R. (2005).  Strategic management: Concepts and cases. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall. Dessler, G. (2000).  Human resource management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Gopal, C. C. R. (2008).  Business legislation (textbook with suggested answers). New Delhi: New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers. Jeffs, C. (2008).  Strategic management. Los Angeles: SAGE. Mathis, R. L., & Jackson, J. H. (2003).  Human resource management. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-western.