Sunday, January 26, 2020

The Differences Between Athens And Sparta History Essay

The Differences Between Athens And Sparta History Essay Athens and Sparta may be on the same country and even on the same continent, but many differences can be found between these two city-states, They were close together on a map, yet far apart in what they valued and how they lived their lives (White, 2010). Some of the things they have differences, are the types of government each of then used to rule their cities. The education may have some similarities but at the end they differ in little things, as the military organization. The citizens on these two cities were in some part similar but also a little different as many of the things I had already talked about on the above. Both, Sparta and Athens did different things for their benefits and this things gave them the opportunity of unite more and the formation of a new government call democracy. There were three types of governments used by this two cities; monarchy, oligarchy and democracy. Each of them with different characteristics and that it identity and differ them from each other. Monarchy for example, is a type of government that consists that a king or a queen are the ones that rule the city, making everyone do what they order to do. Oligarchy, on the other hand is a government in which a small group of citizens gather together and they are the ones that control the taking of decisions (White, 2010). This were the types of governments that Spartans and Athenians used to control they cities, which at the end created the formation if a new government called democracy; a system of government in which citizens vote to make governmental decisions. On Sparta, the people that could be citizens were only the men and they need to be 30 years old. No women were allowed to be considered a citizen and of course they were only used to be housekeepers. Some of the women in Sparta owned lands and that was one the reason they were the freest women in Greece. Like in here, this author says: Citizen women were free to move around and enjoyed a great deal of freedom. Spartan women could own and control their own property (Unknown Author, Lets Compare at the time of Pericles, about 475 430 B.C).On Athens, the wealthy noble people that owned land were the ones that were consider citizens. One similarity between this two cities, were that no women where consider citizens but on Athens they werent allowed to own land. They also divided themselves into common people that didnt own land and the helots, which were free Greeks that had lived in Sparta before they were conquered. Not all the things between Sparta and Athens were completely different, there were some things which they had similar things. For example, on the way of government they both had a person or persons which were the ones that control the city and the things they were suppose to do. For example, Both Athens and Sparta had an Assembly, whose members were elected by the people. Sparta was ruled by two kings, who ruled until they died or were forced out of office. Athens was ruled by  archons, who were elected annually (White, 2010). Their military tactics and movements werent completely the same but they both had an army that Ortegà ³n 2 could help them. Also the weapons they used were similar, as helmets and swords. The educations for these two cities were similar in the way that they teach things, not the same things but they learned things. Also this education was mostly for men in both of the cities. Some differences they had on the things I just said were notably marked and they were constantly seen. On their government for example, the Spartan form was called  oligarchy, but it had elements of monarchy  , democracy, and  aristocracy(Unknown Author, Athens vs Sparta). They had a king which went with them to war and all the things they assisted, but he wasnt the one that took the decisions; the citizens were the ones that decided things. Instead on Athens, they used the democracy as they way of governing, which for them was more organized, but they were impartial because only the wealthy noble people were the ones that could vote. On their military part, Sparta only focused themselves into teach their people to fight and know how to defend themselves, instead Athens gave the options to men to take the decision if they wanted to join the army or not and study another thing. At the end, both of these city-states helped to the formation and evolution of the democracy, which in now days are used in most of the countries around the world. Sparta in somehow used the democracy but only a little group and even more in a group of old men which they didnt had knowledge of the things that were happening. Athens, on the other hand already used the democracy but a very restricted way which limited the common people to vote. Both of this forms of government opened the eyes of many tyrants and rules which at the end, when Greece united for the fight of power between Persia. It evolved and in a way it expanded around, giving new options to the world. Ortegà ³n 3

Friday, January 17, 2020

How Do You Account for the Rise of the Born Global Essay

Since 1980s, along with the development of economic globalization, there is a new form of enterprise internationalization in the global range which called Born Global enterprises. This type of firm normally engages in significant international activity and promptly starts penetration to the international market from its establishment. But more remarkably, those Born Global firms get involved in international market and participate in international competition without any previous experience. The first purpose of this paper will focus upon the explanation of the reasons for the rise of Born Global based on relevant theoretical studies and characteristics. The second section of this paper provides a selective example of Chinese Born Global firms which focus on explain and analyse the reasons for emergence of Born Global phenomenon and assess the influence and benefits to the development of internationalization on Chinese small and medium-sized enterprise( SMEs). An Explanation of Born Global Characteristics based on Typical Examples The Born Global firm is defined as â€Å"a business organization that, from inception, seeks to derive significant competitive advantages from the use of resources and the sale of outputs in multiple countries† (Oviatt and McDougall, 1994, P. 49). While Knight and Cavusigil (1996) think Born Global refers to those small technology oriented business that engage in operating international markets since it has been in early stage of being established. Therefore, from the stated definitions above, we can get basic characteristics of Born Global. Furthermore, there is a variety of reliable samples for Born Global which reveal that the typical characteristics of Born Global. For instance, History and Heraldry is an England company that specializes in gifts for history buffs and those with English ancestry. History and Heraldry was selling in 60 countries, with exports generating about 70% of total production. The biggest markets the firm target in are France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United States (Cavusgil and Knight, 2009). Another example, Cosmos Corporation Inc. s a young company in US that produces telescopes and various optical devices. Cosmos has begun selling its products in Japan and Europe since it has been founded for a few years. Moreover, the firm had expanded its scales to 28 countries around the world soon after that (Knight and Cavusigil, 2009). Thus, from previous examples, we can see that companies conduct international business at or near their founding and have engaged in international business throughout history and gain competitive advantages by seeking a wide range of resources located around the world. Furthermore, Born Global firms are characterized by limited financial and tangible resource. The Reasons for the Rise of Born Global Since the early 1980s, international business rapidly developed which is initially facilitated by the globalization of markets. Historically, the most internationalization business appeared in advanced-economy countries such as North America and Europe, Japan. However firms today increasingly target emerging market, such as Brazil, China, India, Mexico (Wall, Minocha and Rees, 2010). As there are substantial market opportunities even in developing countries, meanwhile companies seek growth via market diversification and gain economies of scale in production and marketing, basically most Born Global firms achieved considerable success in international business early in their development. In the last decades, internationalization was in the field of large multinational enterprises (MNEs), however, globalization trends and high technology have facilitated the emergence of born global firms in recent years. The appearance of plenty of Born Globals helps to reshape the global economy; these firms tend to be formed by entrepreneurs with a strong international outlook and managers regard the world as their marketplace, normally emphasize international market skills. Integration and growing interdependence of national economies have both facilitated. In addition, the national governments tend to reduce trade and investment barriers also facilitated the internationalization of more firms. Therefore, the emergence of Born Global firms becomes an important trend. Secondly, the modern information technology is essentially making company internationalization cost-effective. The internet provides databases, references, and private system which rapidly increased the ability to internationalize and target numerous countries simultaneously (Zou and Cavusgil, 2002). Thirdly, enterprise founders have strong entrepreneurship; this is an important reason for the rise of Born Global enterprises. As the enterprise will face more risks and uncertainty than the omestic market when it enters into international market, therefore, only those with strong entrepreneurship will take risks of internationalized operation and seek various resources to create competitive advantages, and realize international strategy. Again, Enterprise management team with sufficient international management experience and knowledge lay the foundation for the rise of Born Global. Moreover, this would relatively reduce the risks and uncertainty for entering the international market which improve the success probability of international business. Meanwhile, those entrepreneurs are more confident for internationalization, therefore it is naturally for such enterprises choose involved into international market after establishment. Finally, the diversification of products and markets create advantages for the formation of Born Global enterprises (Andersson and Wictor, 2003). Along with the development of economic globalization, the consumers’ demand trend to homogeneity in the world region which makes easier to sell the same products in different countries and regions. The Reasons for Emergence of Born Global Firms –Taking China as an Example There is an example of Zhejiang Born Global firms which indicates the motives of Born Global enterprises. Yang (2007) thought that the entrepreneurship, organizational learning and the enterprises network are the initial causes. Zhao (2004) demonstrated the importance of the global economy, niche market, technology improvement, and the implicit sensitivity. Comparing with the Born Global firms oriented high technology abroad, most Zhejiang Born Globals focus on the traditional industry because of their traditional inheritance. Basically, the motives of Zhejiang Born Global firms is attributed to the unique entrepreneurship, the network of business globally, the precise niche market, and technological development. Firstly, Zhejiang is famous for its private economy in its inception and booming stage, and the innovation is key factor of the Zhejiang entrepreneurship. Moreover, the core competency of Zhejiang is being good at seeking market opportunity and starving for change which create advantages for the formation of Born Global. Above all, the entrepreneurs are scattered in government administrative departments, private owned firms who are talents for Zhejiang economic development, so as lead the small and medium-sized born global enterprise. Secondly, the niche market is crucial for the Zhejiang born global enterprise (Robinson, 1986). As limited natural resource and size, it is difficult for Zhejiang small and medium-sized enterprises to compete with the large scale rivals. Therefore, they normally choose niche market at the early stage and concentrate on international market, then expand their market frontier, afterwards build the competitive barrier, and finally, achieve competitive advantage in global market by stages. Most importantly, these firms focus on the specific industry and reply on the persistence to obtain the profitable market gradually. Thirdly, the previous international management background is very helpful for the Born Global enterprise. Once the firm gets involved into international markets and obtain much international experience, they start to employ top foreign talents to conduct research and development in order to extend the global market within expected period. On the other hand, Zhejiang government provided favorable policy to encourage and attract overseas to start their business in Zhejiang during the last decades, which ensure the firms booming in the international market rapidly. Finally, the Zhejiang Born Global enterprise is famous for its extensive enterprise network which refers to interpersonal relationship (Freeman, Edwards and Schroder, 2006). This kind of relationship network promotes their business. For instance, after contacting with Wenzhou businessman who has settled down abroad, Wenzhou lighter will march into international market and get the most shares in light industry soon, which makes the company dominate comparative advantages over the rivals. Furthermore, Zhejiang Born Global enterprises normally set up overseas industries zone led by powerful firms and attract other enterprises to settle down in order to avoid the marketing risk. However, the Zhejiang Born Global enterprise not only makes full use of current network, but also develop new network to make the global network perfect. Therefore, the more extensive network they have, the more resources they share. Conclusion With the further development of opening up and reform policy, more and more Born Global enterprises have been found in China and many other countries and regions. It is of practical significance to study the characteristics and the reasons for the emergence of Born Global phenomenon, which provide eference for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to march the international markets. Furthermore, along with economic globalization and marketing integration, the Born Global enterprises, emerging as a new kind of enterprise, have become popular and attractive recently. Based on the explanation and analysis of Born Global phenomenon above, the main forming reasons of the Born Global including entrepreneurship, niche market, international management experience, and extensive enterprise network. There are crucial factors for the rise of Born Global. China has joined the WTO, economic globalization, consumption personalized and the development of information communication technology which are indicating the business opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises internationalization. In addition, Chinese government officials and departments are beginning to make policies for supporting the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) internationalization in order to encourage the SMEs engaging in international competition and improving the international competitiveness.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

The History Of Managing Human Resources - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 12 Words: 3670 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? A manager employing the Soft HRM style will be more lenient. They will trust the employees a lot more and gather opinion and take it on board. They also believe that workers/employees seek responsibility and come to work with the intention to impress and progress. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The History Of Managing Human Resources" essay for you Create order They also believe that they have the organizations interests at heart and so they share common goals. (Aka Harvard/Theory Y) Obviously, this is extremely basic. Fortunately, they both work. Unfortunately, they dont work all the time in all situations. The earliest examples where this term is used are in the work of Guest (1987) and Storey (1987; 1992). Guest (1987), is define HRM, identifies two dimensions, soft-hard and loose-tight. Similarly, Storey (1992) plans current clarification of HRM along the two dimensions of soft-hard and weak-strong. Guest (1987) and Storey (1992) in their definitions of soft and hard models of HRM view the key difference as being whether the importance is placed on the human or the resource. Soft HRM is associated with the human relations movement, the operation of individual talents, and McGregors (1960) Theory Y perspective on individuals (developmental humanism). This has been linked with the concept of a high commitment work sys tem (Walton 1985b), which is aimed at causing a commitment so that behavior is primarily self-planned rather than controlled by permissions and pressures external to the individual and relations within the organization are based on high levels of trust (Wood 1996: 41). Soft HRM is also associated with the goals of flexibility and flexibility (which themselves are problematic concepts, as we shall see in more detail later), and implies that communication plays a central role in management (Storey and Sisson 1993). Hard HRM, on the other way, stresses the quantitative, calculative and business-strategic aspects of managing the headcount resource in as rational a way as for any other factor of production, as associated with a utilitarian-instrumentalist approach (Storey 1992: 29; see also Legge 1995 b). 1.2: Review the differences between Storeys definitions of HRM and personnel and IR Practices hr is the overall management of all resources including workers, staff, senior managers, top management and even suppliers and customers. ir is relations between real work force and management of the organization and also deals with collective bargaining and industrial conflicts Main Differences between IR and HRM HRM has growing from a simple welfare and maintenance function to that of a board level activity of the companies. In recent years, the attention on people management from human capital perspective is also shaping confidently. However, the hard fact is that this growth can be generally witnessed in management literature and rarely in practice. Outer observation of people management in organization can deceive the observers since; hardly there could be any organization that is yet to rename its old created title of industrial relations/personnel/welfare/administration department into HRM department. But, in practice, these organizations continue to handle the people management activities the way they had been handling earlier. The reasons for this could be many and varied. Among them, the potential reason is lack of clear understanding about the differences between personnel/IR and HRM 3. Analyze HRM from a strategic perspective and its implications for the role of the line Managers and employees for accomplishing corporate objectives Developing a HRM strategy Faced with fast change organizations need to develop a more attentive and coherent method to managing people. In just the same way a business involves a marketing or information technology strategy it also requires a human resource or people strategy. In developing such a strategy two important questions must be addressed.  · What types of people do you need to manage and run your business to meet your strategic business objectives?  · What people programs must be designed and affected to attract, develop and retain staff to compete effectively? In order to answer these questions four key elements of an organization must be addressed. These are: ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Culture: views, values, rules and management style of the organization ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Organization: the structure, job roles and reporting lines of the organization ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ People: the skill levels, staff potential and management s kill Human resources systems: the people focused mechanisms which deliver the strategy employee selection, communications, training, rewards, career development, etc. Frequently in managing the people element of their business senior managers will only focus on one or two Dimensions and neglect to deal with the others. Usually, companies adjust their structures to free managers from establishment and drive for more business skill but then fail to adjust their training or reward systems. When the desired business behavior does not develop to managers frequently look confused at the apparent failure of the changes to deliver results. The fact is that rarely can you focus on only one area. What is required is a strategic perspective aimed at identifying the relationship between all four dimensions. If you require an organization which really values quality and service you not only have to retrain staff, you must also review the organization, reward, and appraisal and communicati ons systems. How HR Planning could be used  · quantify job for producing TYPE of product / service  · quantify people positions required  · determine future staff-mix  · assess staffing levels to avoid unnecessary budgets  · reduce delays in obtaining staff  · prevent shortage / excess of staff  · comply with legal requirements 2.1Review different ways of developing flexibility within the workplace in an organization Review and explain a model of flexibility within the workplace and illustrate its Implementation in an organization Workplace Flexibility: A Guide for Companies By Dana E. Friedman Every company has a workplace strategy-whom they hire and how they manage, assess and Reward employees. What Is Flexibility? Flexibility is a way to define how and when work gets done and how careers are organized. 1. Develop the business case Know what problem you hope to address by increasing flexibility. It is helpful to look at comparable companies and their experiences with flexibility so that you can provide evidence about what the companies you benchmark yourself against are doing and how these efforts have succeeded. It is also useful to conduct internal studies diagnosing flexibility as a business problem-solver. 2. Review your own companys experience Review any existing programs or policies to see how well they are working, and what needs improving. Identify employees currently using flexible work policies and talk with them to assess their experiences. Find supervisors who can serve as role models and champions to play leadership roles in the creation and implementation process. You may also want to consider creating a task force to consider options and create a plan. If so, make sure that the task force includes individuals who are well respected and whose opinions carry weight in your company. 3. Define policies and practices Determine which flexible work options you will create or improve and how they are to be negotiated and reviewed. It is often a good idea to try out or pilot some of the new options to see how they work before fully implementing them. 4. Create tools and resources Provide employees and supervisors with examples of how to think through their options. 5. Help supervisors learn to manage flexibly Flexibility doesnt work in all types of jobs or for all individuals. Supervisors need help with learning new ways of managing, including how to problem-solve and look for win-win solutions. They also ha ve to be comfortable with the discretion they have, including when and how to say no. Providing individuals whom employees and supervisors can turn to in order to resolve problems is important. If your company has training programs, include managing flexibly as a part of existing or new training. Web-based tools, briefing sessions, along with coaches can also help with implementation. 6. Communicate Make sure all employees and supervisors are familiar with the companys stance on flexibility and the implementation process to be sure it will work. 7. Evaluate usage and effectiveness Plan to review how flexible work options are working for the employee, for the supervisor and the work group. Align job performance measures with new workplace flexibility options. 8. Highlight success stories In newsletters, on bulletin boards, or in on-line databases, collect and disseminate examples of successful flexible work options for others to learn from. A chieving successful, equitable flexibility is a shared responsibility, a partnership. It requires the company to develop and communicate clear organizational policies and guidelines. It requires managers to be knowledgeable about policies and promote flexibility to help get the work done. It also requires employees to consider the needs of the job, coworkers, customers, and the company when proposing flexible work strategies. Only then, can flexibility positively impact workplace effectiveness and the bottom line. 2.3:Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of flexible working practices from both the employee and the employer perspective in an organization Advantages of Flexible Work Schedules for Employees With flexible work schedules, employees experience these benefits: Flexibility to meet family needs, personal obligations, and life responsibilities conveniently. Reduced consumption of employee commuting time and fuel costs. Avoids traffic and the stresses of commuting during rush hours. Increased feeling of personal control over schedule and work environment. Reduces employee burnout due to overload. Allows people to work when they accomplish most, feel freshest, and enjoy working. (eg. morning person vs. night person). Depending on the flexible work schedule chosen, may decrease external childcare hours and costs. Disadvantages of Flexible Work Schedules for Employers With flexible work schedules, employers experience these benefits: Increased employee morale, engagement, and commitment to the organization. Reduced absenteeism and tardiness. Increased ability to recruit outstanding employees. Reduced turnover of valued staff. Allows people to work when they accomplish most, feel freshest, and enjoy working. (e.g. morning person vs. night person). Extended hours of operation for departments such as customer service. Develops image as an employer of choice with family friendly flexible work schedules. There are also key organizational challenges you need to address to make flexible work schedules support your business. In and of themselves, as a positive benefit for employees, flexible work schedules support employee engagement, positive morale, and retention. But, flexible work schedules must operate to meet the needs of the business, too. See more about the challenges inherent in life and family friendly flexible work schedules. More Related to Flexible Work Schedules 2.2:Describe the need for flexibility and the types of flexibility to be considered by an organization and give examples of such implementation in an organization It is a critical ingredient to overall workplace effectiveness. Companies use it as a tool for Improving recruitment and retention, for managing workload, and for responding to employee diversity. Research shows that flexibility can also improve employee engagement and job Satisfaction and reduce stress. Below are some of the key options in workplace flexibility: Flex-Time Traditional flextime allows employees to select their starting and quitting times within a Range of hours surrounding core-operating hours. Daily flextime allows employees to select their starting and quitting times within a range of Hours, typically surrounding core-operating hours, on a daily basis. A compressed work week enables employees to work their allotted hours over fewer days- such as 10 hours per day over 4 days, or 80 hours over 9 days, rather than 8 hours per day over 5 days. Some companies offer summer hours by adding an hour to workdays Monday Through Thursday, a nd ending work at 1:00 pm on Fridays, or similar arrangements. When Work Works is a project of Families and Work Institute sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in Partnership with The Center for Workforce Preparation an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and The Center for Emerging Futures. For more information, go to Reduced Time Part-time work means working part days, five days per week or working full days, but fewer Than five days per week. Job sharing, where two employees share one full-time job with its Pro-rated salary and benefits, is also a form of part-time work. Part-year work means working reduced hours on an annual basis, rather than a daily or Weekly basis-for example, working full-time during the school year and then taking a block Of time off during the summer. Flex-Leaves Time off during the workday to address personal and family issues includes time off for Anticipated issues (a parent-teacher conference) or unan ticipated issues (waiting for a Plumber to fix a broken pipe). Time off for personal illness allows employees paid time off when they are ill. Paid time off to care for children involves being allowed to take a few days off to care for a sick Child without losing pay or without having to make up some other reason for ones absence. Parental Leave is planned time off for mothers and fathers for the birth, adoption, or care of A foster child. Flex-Careers Flex-Careers include multiple points for entry, exit, and re-entry over the course of one Career or working life, including formal leaves and sabbaticals, as well as taking time out of the paid labor market, with the ability to re-enter. Flex-Place AC 2.4Discuss the impact that changes in the labour market have had on flexible working Practices Flex-Place is defined as working some or most of ones regularly scheduled hours at a Location other than the main location of ones employer. It includes primary and occasional Arrangements. Why Is Flexibility Important to Business? To attract talent ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ The U.S. Department of Labor reports that our labor force is growing less than 1 percent Annually, and the number of available workers between 25 and 44 will actually shrink between now and 2006. The need for qualified people forces companies to rethink their Recruitment efforts, productivity incentives, benefit plans, work schedules and work Processes, most of which were designed for a different generation of workers with Different lifestyles and working conditions. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Advances in technology alone demand that we rethink how we connect with people, Organize teams and how we measure work performance when people work from home. To retain valued employees ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Turnover is expensive, especially in this labor market. The Saratoga Institute found that It costs 150 to 200 percent of an exempt persons yearly salary to replace him or her. Compare that to a study by Families and Work Institute that found that allowing an Employee a one-year parental leave costs 32 percent of a years salary. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ In a 1998 Watson Wyatt survey of 614 companies, flexibility was ranked by half of the Companies as their most effective retention tool, better than above-market salaries, Stock options or training. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Aetna found that its family leave program increased retention of the highest performers. After extending the length of maternity leave, 91 percent of women returned to work Following a maternity leave, while only 77 percent of women were retained after leave When the leave period was shorter. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬  ¢ Royal Bank Financial Group reported that flexible work arrangements not only supported Their work-life and diversity efforts, but it also improved business performance, enhanced Customer service, reduced expenses, and positioned the company as a desirable employer. To raise morale and job satisfaction ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ There are clear links between job satisfaction and turnover. A Sears study has linked Employee satisfaction with customer retention. Their work with the University of Michigan Business School found that if employee satisfaction were to improve by five Points, there would be a predictable improvement in customer satisfaction of two points, And in the quarter after that, revenues would grow by 1.6 percent. To improve productivity ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ A survey by CCH Inc., a provider of human resources and employment law information, Revealed the hidden costs of unscheduled absences, which is about $1. 5 million for large Companies. They also found that instead of illness, family issues are now the most often cited reason for taking time off. Other non-sickness reasons cited are stress and personal demands. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ According to a study by Metropolitan Life Insurance, the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, it costs American business $29 billion or $1,141 per employee per year, when employees are unable to get the support they need for their elderly dependents. To reduce stress or burnout ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ A DuPont study concluded that workers who used their work-life and flexibility programs were more committed and less burned out than those who did not use any of the programs. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ All forms of stress have been found to lead to other problems that affect productivity and are potentially costly to business. Employees who feel burned out tend to have less commitment and fo cus or may leave the company. Half of all workers surveyed said job stress and burnout had reduced their productivity. Of those reporting severe stress, 59 percent wanted to quit and 55 percent said they became ill more frequently What Are Principles of Flexibility Used by Companies? ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Flexibility is a management tool that can help get the job done, not an employee perk or accommodation. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Flexibility can be used by employees in a range of jobs or levels. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Employees reasons for wanting flexibility should not matter, unless covered by law. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Not everyone wants flexible arrangements. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Not everyone can have flexible work arrangements. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Flexibility should be applied creatively. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Flexibility works best when the work unit and customers are involved. ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¢ Flexible work arrangements can be temporary or permanent. What Are the Steps to Implementation? A company needs to decide the scope of flexibility it plans to allow. No matter how formal or informal the flexible work options will be, most companies implement flexibility by following a similar process: 3.1Explain the forms of discrimination that can take place in the workplace Federal laws protect employees from receiving unequal treatment on the basis of race, gender, age, citizenship, national origin, religion, marital status, disability, or labor union activity. When employers use these factors against their workers, they have committed employment discrimination. by R.A. Anderson Workplace discrimination occurs when employers treat certain potential or current employees unfairly because of various issues, including age, race, gender, disability, nationality, religion and pregnancy. Discrimination also takes place when men and women working for the same employer do not receive equal pay for equal work. Under job discrimination laws, it is illegal for employers to engage in any of these practices. By Judy Wilson Different Types Of Employment Discrimination Gender Discrimination Racial Discrimination Age Discrimination Age Discrimination Religious Discrimination Pregnancy Discrimination National Origin and Language Discrimination Equal Pay and Compensation Discrimination 3.2:Discuss the practical implications of equal opportunities legislation for an organization Equal opportunities policy and statement of intent The organisation is mindful of its responsibilities to promote equality of opportunity and to avoid discrimination at all times. The following statement outlines our policy and briefly explains how we are planning to achieve equality of opportunity within our organisation. This document should be read in conjunction with the diversity strategy. Policy statement The organisations policy is: 1. To ensure that no person applying for a job or contractual work is treated less favourably than another because of their race, age, colour, ethnic origin, religion, sex, disability or sexual orientation. 2. To work towards staffing levels and management committee representation which, reflects the ethnic composition of the local population and the organisations client group. 3. To abide by the Race, Disability and Gender Equality legislation and to implement the provisions of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. 4. To make clients, staff and Management Committee members fully aware of the above provisions and to make the Code of Practice available for inspection. 5. To review practices and policies to ensure that discrimination does not exist. The organisations Management Committee is responsible for monitoring work in this area and for establishing policy. Responsibility for implementing the policy in practical terms rests with the board and nominated manager. 3.3Compare the approaches to managing equal opportunities and managing diversity Managing Diversity versus Equal Opportunity Approaches: One of the core differences between managing diversity and equal opportunity is associated with the force for change.Whereas external forces, such as government legislations, social fairness, ethical and humanrights etc, tend to drive the equal opportunity, managing diversity tends to be driven byinternal forces within the organisational structure and is immediately connected with the bottom line.Another difference between these two approaches are their goals. The goal of equalopportunity has been mentioned as social justice and rectifying errors that have been made previously in the past: to correct an imbalance, an injustice, a mistake (Thomas, 1990, p.108). On the other hand the main goal of managing diversity is discussed in much broader terms; that is to treat employees as individuals, acknowledge that each of them has uniqueneeds and therefore will need different sorts of assistance in order to succeed, describesGeber, 1992. The core motivation behind the equal opportunity fr amework at governmentallevel and the equal opportunity strategies and practices at organisational level has beenidentified as an attempt to establish equality. For example, the creation of such a communityor organisation, where men and women are dealt with in the same manner and no advantageor disadvantage is given to them based on their sex. In contrast, the term managing diversityis there to point out the significance of difference and put forward a viewpoint wheredifference is welcomed and is considered as an advantage rather than a disadvantage to theorganisation.In essence, the economic and business cases are the main fundamental driving force for themanaging diversity approach for identifying and evaluating differences. This is incomparison to the ethical case to treat everyone evenly, which is the main driving force for the equal opportunity approach. The equal opportunity approach is there to have an impact on behaviour through legislation in order to eliminate discriminatio n. Conclusion : In this day and age managers and professionals are facing an ever-challengingtask to create work places that recognise the demands and responds to the opportunities of adiverse workforce. Successful leaders must cross their own cultural boundaries in order toencourage a vigorous and powerful cross-cultural communication and create cultural synergyin the workplace. They must recognise and take full advantage of the productivity potentialthat is inherent in a diverse population. Organisations and governments alike must appreciatethat we now operate in a global village, with a highly sophisticated market place. In order to be successful, organisations will have to harness the abilities of all their employees to thehighest order. A structure in which equal opportunities are available for all with a managingdiversity culture would be the ideal combination for a successful organisation.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

The Theory Of Free Will - 1849 Words

Belief in free will is a concept practiced throughout history amongst many societies worldwide (Sarkissian et al., 2010 as cited in Baumeister Monroe, 2014). Nahmias, Morris, Nadelhoffer and Turner (2005) define free will as the ability to control your actions independent of fate or external factors. Recently, many studies have been performed investigating how levels of free will beliefs shape how we act, think and view the world. Over the past thirty years, there has been a general increase in support for homosexuals (Loftus, 2001; Treas, 2002 as cited in Lewis, 2009), as well as a rise in recognition of same sex relationships exemplified through President Barack Obama’s legalization of same sex marriage across the US in 2015 (Brewer †¦show more content†¦According to Shariff et al’s (2013) findings Baumeister and Monroe (2014) postulates that believing in free will is supposed to progress society and judgement of others occurs when they do not conform to the society’s norms (being heterosexual). Believing in free will and that we have control over our actions arises from the need to regulate what we do and don’t do; and to pass moral judgement when others stray from societal norms (Baumeister Monroe, 2014). Carey and Paulhus (2011) found that high free will belief individuals possess a traditional conservative moral set of principles and are inflexible in allowing them or others behavioural leeway. Furthermore, when compared to low free will believers, these individuals believed homosexuals contained less moral standards (Brewer, 2013). Another interesting find highlighted by Baumeister and Monroe, (2014) from the Crescioni et al (2013) study was that religious people had greater belief in free will (also supported by Carey Paulhus, 2011) and that the decisions/actions they make are based upon their personal, religious values. Throughout history Western communities have functioned on the basis of Christian doctrine and used â€Å"free will as means to provide a justification for God punishing sinful behaviour† (Baumeister Monroe, 2014). That being said, it is implied that homosexuality is a sin which goes against the gender and marriage foundations preached within many