Bullying in School

Bullying: 1. I read the article, â€Å"Jury Orders School District to Pay $800,000 to Bullied Student. † This article was about a boy named Dane Patterson, who had been bullied all through middle school and his early high school career. He claims that the school failed to protect him from years of bullying, and it finally came to be enough when he was sexually harassed in the locker room. As a result to this, the Patterson family filed a lawsuit under Title IX of the Equal Opportunity in Education Act, using the sexual harassment story as the basis.This week, the jury ordered the school district to pay Dane $800,000 to make up for the damages and trauma caused by the ongoing situation. Anti-bullying experts argue that this verdict will send a clear message to schools that they are in fact responsible for sexual harassment and bullying, and that they must keep a constant eye out for such behavior. 2. In my opinion, I do not think schools should be held fully responsible for bul lying.I think that maybe they should make more of an effort to prevent it, but there is no way they can take care of all the bullying issues that happen in school. For example, some kids don’t even make an effort to ask for help, or let anyone know they are being bullied, so the school shouldn’t be held accountable for a situation they aren’t even aware is occurring to begin with. In Dane’s situation however, I believe the school should be held responsible because he clearly asked for help and didn’t receive any, and this had been going on since middle school!I think that schools should be fully accountable only if the child seeks out help numerous times and doesn’t receive it, or if the school doesn’t do everything in their power to make the bullying go away. On the other hand, there are some situations which the school cannot control, like I said in the first example; if that is the case, I don’t believe the school should be held responsible. 3. I believe that the parents of the bully’s should be held at least somewhat responsible for their child’s actions because then they could stop the bullying before it gets out of control.Ultimately, schools are responsible for keeping an eye out on bullying and regulating the behavior, but there are some cases in which they just cannot control, therefore they shouldn’t be held responsible. Obesity: 1. For obesity, I read the article, â€Å"Pepsi Initiates Move to Pull Sugared Soft Drinks from Schools in 200 Countries. † This article was about PepsiCo Inc’s announcement, as of Tuesday of this week, about how they planning to remove all of their full-calorie sweetened soft drinks from schools in more than 200 countries by the year 2012 to reduce the trend of obesity.The article also mentions that earlier this month, Coca-Cola made a similar announcement, but they feel they should only eliminate soft drink sales from schools only if parents make a request. Of course, both companies realize that eliminating soft drinks will not end the rising trend of childhood obesity, but they believe that learning better eating and drinking habits in schools are certainly a step in the right direction. 2. I don’t think that schools should be held accountable for obesity in any sense.Schools should strive to sell healthier food, but they are not the cause of obesity. The school is not responsible for the amount of food a child buys, so schools should not be responsible for obesity. 3. In my opinion, obesity is more caused by eating habits in life outside of school, such as home or going out and getting fast food all the time. It’s even genetic. I don’t believe schools should be responsible for obesity because the child controls their own eating habits, not the school. Bullying in School Bullying should be a crime. It is very cruel and unethical. â€Å"Each day an estimated 160,000 students miss school for fear of being bullied and 10 percent of students who drop out do so because of repeated bullying† (Dalton 1). The way it makes children feel isn’t fair. Imagine that happening to yourself. Bullying in schools presents problems to every age group therefore there should be more bullying prevention programs to help get rid of the problem. Younger age Bullying is a topic that needs to be talked about.Younger age is defined from kindergarten to seventh grade. Children bully because they feel they need to overpower people. They also bully because they think they are better than others or some people just have a low self-esteem. When Younger kids bully it is normally name calling, teasing, or making fun of them by the way they look, speak, or even how smart they are! Older age bullying is another one of my topics. Older age bullying is defined from the grade s of eighth to a senior in high school.People in the Older age group bully for mainly the same reasons. When older people normally bully, it is a lot more sever then younger age bullying. â€Å"Although most victims of bullying in schools are too meek to take matter into their own hands, a few of them can be pushed to certain critical limits. 60% of identified bullies during their grade 6-9 years eventually got involved in at least one criminal conviction by age 24. † Bullying in Schools (1). Older age bullying normally ends up violent and is a lot more severe then younger age bullying.They get into fights or harassment is filed, these are the main things that happen. People will take all of someones strength and will and harass or fight them just to make them feel better about themselves. This is bad because the children who are being bullied do not deserve what they are getting. Nobody deserves to be harassed and manipulated for no reason or any reason. Most of the time, th e people that are being bullied, it isn’t their fault at all. Prevention is another area of concern.According to the online article, â€Å"Bullying Academy,† every school needs a anti-bully website for students, educators, and parents. This world needs to realize what is going on with bullying in schools and take action(1). Every school should have monitors of bullying throughout the halls and classrooms all day long. This is just one thing you could do to prevent bullying. There are many things that you could do, depending on what one your school board would like the most. Every city or town should take money from their funds and put it into schools and bullying prevention programs.According to the online article â€Å"Caring School Community,† â€Å"prevention focuses on strengthening students’ connectedness to school—an important element for increasing academic motivation and achievement and for reducing drug use, violence, and delinquency. â⠂¬  Every school should have a bullying prevention program, where parents and students could come and learn about bullying. These programs could also talk about how it affects people. They should give statistics about what people who bully end up doing in their lives and what people that don’t bully end up doing in their lives. I also think we are making important progress towards discovering how successful anti-bullying programs can be† (Dr. Ken 1). Bullying in schools is wrong and we should have more bullying prevention programs. My main point in writing this paper is to inform people that bullying is wrong. Also I wish that everyone be more aware about the situation, and don’t deny it because it is happening whether you would like to admit it or not. People need to stand up and take charge and make a change in peoples lives. People who are being bullied would love if you took a couple hours of your week just to help them get over the struggles in life. Bullying in School Bullying: 1. I read the article, â€Å"Jury Orders School District to Pay $800,000 to Bullied Student. † This article was about a boy named Dane Patterson, who had been bullied all through middle school and his early high school career. He claims that the school failed to protect him from years of bullying, and it finally came to be enough when he was sexually harassed in the locker room. As a result to this, the Patterson family filed a lawsuit under Title IX of the Equal Opportunity in Education Act, using the sexual harassment story as the basis.This week, the jury ordered the school district to pay Dane $800,000 to make up for the damages and trauma caused by the ongoing situation. Anti-bullying experts argue that this verdict will send a clear message to schools that they are in fact responsible for sexual harassment and bullying, and that they must keep a constant eye out for such behavior. 2. In my opinion, I do not think schools should be held fully responsible for bul lying.I think that maybe they should make more of an effort to prevent it, but there is no way they can take care of all the bullying issues that happen in school. For example, some kids don’t even make an effort to ask for help, or let anyone know they are being bullied, so the school shouldn’t be held accountable for a situation they aren’t even aware is occurring to begin with. In Dane’s situation however, I believe the school should be held responsible because he clearly asked for help and didn’t receive any, and this had been going on since middle school!I think that schools should be fully accountable only if the child seeks out help numerous times and doesn’t receive it, or if the school doesn’t do everything in their power to make the bullying go away. On the other hand, there are some situations which the school cannot control, like I said in the first example; if that is the case, I don’t believe the school should be held responsible. 3. I believe that the parents of the bully’s should be held at least somewhat responsible for their child’s actions because then they could stop the bullying before it gets out of control.Ultimately, schools are responsible for keeping an eye out on bullying and regulating the behavior, but there are some cases in which they just cannot control, therefore they shouldn’t be held responsible. Obesity: 1. For obesity, I read the article, â€Å"Pepsi Initiates Move to Pull Sugared Soft Drinks from Schools in 200 Countries. † This article was about PepsiCo Inc’s announcement, as of Tuesday of this week, about how they planning to remove all of their full-calorie sweetened soft drinks from schools in more than 200 countries by the year 2012 to reduce the trend of obesity.The article also mentions that earlier this month, Coca-Cola made a similar announcement, but they feel they should only eliminate soft drink sales from schools only if parents make a request. Of course, both companies realize that eliminating soft drinks will not end the rising trend of childhood obesity, but they believe that learning better eating and drinking habits in schools are certainly a step in the right direction. 2. I don’t think that schools should be held accountable for obesity in any sense.Schools should strive to sell healthier food, but they are not the cause of obesity. The school is not responsible for the amount of food a child buys, so schools should not be responsible for obesity. 3. In my opinion, obesity is more caused by eating habits in life outside of school, such as home or going out and getting fast food all the time. It’s even genetic. I don’t believe schools should be responsible for obesity because the child controls their own eating habits, not the school.

Drug Synergism: Synergistic Interaction between Alcohol and other Drugs

Drug synergism is the phenomenon wherein the effects of a drug is enhanced when taken with other substances. Synergy is defined as the state wherein the combined action of constituents is greater than the sum of its parts. The synergistic effect when drugs are taken in combination is due to the fact that each constituent (between two different dugs or between a drug and another substance) contributes to the effect of the other in accordance with its own potency.Chemical reactions between the drug or drugs and other substances, and the chemicals inside the body, particularly in those of the liver, also exist. One substance that can enhance the effects of a drug more than it usually can is alcohol. The combination of alcohol and depressant drug could cause exaggerated respiratory depression—a disease characterized by fluctuating muscle weakness and fatigability—periods of amnesia or loss of memory while intoxicated.The enhanced effect of depressant drug when taken with al cohol could be explained with what happens inside the body. For example, when the depressant drug alprazolam is taken together with alcohol, the liver becomes occupied in metabolizing the alcohol such that the sedative-hypnotic drug is circulated through the body at full strength (Inaba, ). It must be noted that alcohol and certain drugs, especially depressant drugs, â€Å"compete for the same liver enzymes that break down drugs and flush them from the body† (Dye, 2007).At the same time, alcohol also dissolves alprazolam more readily than stomach fluid does, allowing it to be absorbed more rapidly by the body (Inaba, ). As a result, alcohol and alprazolam, or any depressant drugs that can react to alcohol for that matter, can cause more problems when taken in combination than if they were taken at different times. Alcohol, therefore, contributes to the lethality of drug-taking behavior by increasing the effects of drugs taken in tandem with alcohol..Drugs, especially those th at can cause adverse effects, should be taken with care as the combination of one with another or other substances may enhance its effects. Alcohol, for one, can alter the body’s normal reaction to a specific drug, increasing its effects. It can also react with the drug such that its effects are enhanced. Needless to say, taking alcohol and drugs should be avoided.

What Makes a Top 100 Hospital

What Makes a Top 100 Hospital 5/21/2012 DeVry University HSM 310 I feel that Johns Hopkins Hospital made the top 100 hospitals because they are more than just a hospital. It is also a medical research facility and a teaching facility (Johns Hopkins Medicine). This facility offers a wide variety of services to their patients which include community hospitals and outpatient sites. Also, they have services for out of state and international patients. Johns Hopkins is world renown for not only their teaching facilities but also for their research in cancer and AIDS.They have a center or department for every healthcare need you could think of in their facility. I also feel that their structure and organization of their facility is very well set up. They have information on what that center has to offer, treatment information and the history of that center. The services that they offer to international patients are that they have a team that is fluent in 20 plus languages and they tailor t he patients’ cultural, religious and special needs if needed.They have affiliations with not only North America but Europe, Asia, Latin American and the Middle East (Johns Hopkins Medicine). The services that they offer for out of state patients is that they help you find the right specialist for your needs, then set up an appointment, they also help you find the best travel and lodging options for your needs. Most hospitals do no worry about how you are getting there; this facility seems to genuinely care about their patients.I feel that what they can offer to their international patients and out of state patients is something that places them higher than most because of the wide variety of affiliations that they have and the care that they put into your visit at their facility. I also feel that what Mr. Hopkins envisioned helped this facility become not only one of the top 20 of the top 100 hospitals but the number one hospital of the top 20. To me his vision was to set up a hospital to help the poor without regard to anything else but their health.Also, it was designed for the people who had coverage to receive the care they needed and wanted. He wanted a staff that was compassionate and caring, who was highly trained. The services that they offer for the suburban hospital is great for the people who cannot afford medical care. It is a not for profit hospital. References Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n. d. ). Retrieved from Out of State and International Patients: http://www. hopkinsmedicine. org/patient_care/out_state. html Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n. d. ). Retrieved from The Johns Hopkins Hospital: http://www. hopkinsmedicine. org/the_johns_hopkins_hospital/jhhhs. html

CYBER ATTACK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CYBER ATTACK - Essay Example The opponents may utilize it to attack and disrupt communication and the information flow (Schiller 6). The major types of cyber attacks include DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) and using computers hijacked and infected with viruses to target websites (Apps). However, according to Apps, a new type of cyber attack which involves overwhelming data centres and crashing websites has evolved. The attackers are majorly nation states, criminal gangs, and diehard activists seeking a chance to hit their enemies. Apps further reiterates that the goals of the attackers include political activism, providing data theft distraction, extortion and some attackers just want to showcase their hacking skills. Prevention of cyber attacks requires the vulnerable parties to understand the critical assets that need protection and enhance the available security solutions for better detection of possible attacks and real-time response (Shackelford 267). Cyberspace vulnerabilities raise tremendously important legal questions. In defining the legal issue, it is vital to know what constitutes an adversarial attack in cyberspace. While there is no clear statement in international law that outlines legally acceptable or unacceptable cyber defensive actions, there are legal principles that establish the rights to counter a cyber attack as a valid legal response to acts of aggression (Carr

Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Research Methods - Essay Example The different perspectives of each individual researcher scholar vary to a large degree, ranging from those who view the two research strategies as separate processes, to those that are ready to mix the two approaches within their projects. As for example, we find that Bryman (1988) in his paper contended that the best process for completing one’s research work is using best of both the processes, or in other words, a combination of the qualitative and quantitative approaches should be adopted. Hughes (1997) on the other hand warned against such mixed methods, and suggested that quantitative approaches are scientific and hence more objective in nature (413-420). While exploring the subject of quantitative and qualitative researches, this paper is primarily based on epistemological notions presented within the query, `what is research and what are the research techniques?’ Eileen Kane, in the book Doing your own research (1985, gives an interesting perspective to the ent ire debate on the research processes, where she comments, â€Å"research techniques are a bit like fishing flies: you choose the right one for fish you want to catch. No fisherman would use the same kind of fly for twenty different varieties of fish† (51).... her wishes to use in his/her research work depends, as suggested by Kane (1985), on the researcher’s wish, which he must decide as per his requirement and subject. Data Input data output analysis knowledge William M.K. Trochim depicted the methods followed in any research project, in Knowledge based research (fig 1). Fig 1: The Yin and the Yang of Research (Trochim, 1999, 8). The figure represents the framing of the studied material using the Knowledge Base. Left side of figure depicts the research theory, while the right part depicts the research practice, and the theoretical introduction of any research project and the practical aspect on how to formulate the undertaken research project are linked. The left arrows delineate the validity types that must be accounted in any research paper, which is actually concept of providing the reader with a unifying theory for understanding the entire project. The right arrows point to the research practice areas that match the validity t ypes in order to prove the research problem (Trochim, 1999). While conducting a research a researcher may adopt various techniques as per his subject requirements. The various research techniques that one may adopt are conducting interviews, questionnaires, participant observation, and studying written sources (Kane, 1985, 51). Each technique gives a certain form of information and not any other type; however, the techniques can complement each other within one research paper (fig 2). Fig 2: The figure (Kane, 1985, 52) shows the various ‘petal-like’ research techniques that are combined together within a single project. In the figure we find petals representing research techniques, they overlap at the centre, while each overlaps with its neighbour at the sides. The areas that do not overlap

Human behavior in orgzations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human behavior in orgzations - Essay Example It is, because organizational behavior has a direct influence on productivity that is the chief managerial concern. Defining organization behavior Robbins (p.11) states, â€Å"OB is concerned with the study of what people do in an organization and how their behavior affects the organization’s performance.† OB is a very vast concept that may include the study of simple disciplinary matters of employees, interactions, reactions, employment of power and skills, turnover, leadership, performance, communications, actions and perceptions etc. hence there is no consensus on the definition of OB among researchers and scholars. Minor (2006, p. 40) observes, â€Å"Although it does seem that consensus is at a rather low level overall within organizational behavior, there are subfields and sectors where this is not the case.† However, Ostrof, Kinicki & Tamkins (cited in Kinicki, p.41) have presented a more comprehensive and objective definition of the concept, â€Å"Organizational culture is the set of shared, taken-for-granted implicit assumptions that a group holds and that determines how it perceives, thinks about, and reacts to its various environments.† The increasing need to understand and react according to the demands of organizational behavior has exposed managers to tough challenges of interpersonal skills and expertise. Today, the effectiveness and success of a manager is heavily associated with his knowledge and commitment to the OB. Studies have shown that managers with better communication and networking skills are effective and successful. Managers need to administer human resource extensively and keeping in touch with lower level employees and higher-level managers simultaneously has become inevitably important to achieve managerial objectives for the organization. Horizontal and vertical communication with individuals and groups can help to bridge gaps and evade

Term structure of interest rates Research Paper

Term structure of interest rates - Research Paper Example The tendency to slope upwards occurs when short-term rates of interest are low, and the tendency to slope downwards occurs when short-term rates of interest are high. Thirdly, in most cases, the yield curve slopes upwards (Fisher, 6). The paper shall also present a model that can be used for the pricing of bonds. The model is known as Vasicek’s Model. According to economic theory, one primary factor used to explain the differences in interest rates on various securities might be variations in their terms. That is in terms of lengths of time before maturity. The term structure of interest rates refers to the association between the terms of securities and their market rates of interest (Russell, 36). Economists usually use a diagram known as a yield curve to designate the term structure of interest rates on particular types of securities at a certain point in time. Consequently, the theory of the yield curve is used to describe the term structure of interest rates (Russell, 36). The determinants of the relationship between returns on securities and their terms of maturity have remained an issue of interest, for economists for a long time. By providing a conclusive schedule of interest rates over a period, the term structure captures the market’s speculations of future events. A description of the term structure offers a means of extracting this information and predicting how variations in the underlying variables affect the yield curve (Cox, Ingersoll, and Ross, 385). In an attempt to understand the term structure of interest rates, this paper shall explore three common theories that have long been used to explain the term structure. These theories include the Expectations Hypothesis, the Segmented Markets Theory, and the Preferred Habitat or Liquidity Premium Theory. The expectations hypothesis has several variations. However, they all place a predominant focus on holding-period returns or the expected values of future spot

Save Our Children by Saving Their Music - Case Study of Glynn Co Research Proposal

Save Our Children by Saving Their Music - Case Study of Glynn Co School - Research Proposal Example As I am sure most board members are aware, extensive research has been done on the effects music programs and the fine arts in general have on our children’s success; especially children in low economic households where parents toil to cater for their necessities. I wish to share some of these findings with those who do not have an insight on the essence of the Fine Arts in schools, and offer a few ideas to alleviate some of the budget burdens that may have been overlooked. At the very least let’s start a meaningful conversation. It is essential that a music department be equipped with the proper elements in public relations and music education advocacy in order to gain support from administrators, parents, and the general public. The field of education requires massive support from the community, especially in the arts. Glynn Co Schools house students, teachers, and administrators, being a microcosm of the surrounding community. These schools represent the members of t he community and often give an accurate depiction of the characteristics of the area therefore if it is not an issue important enough for our administrators to get involve why should the public. Public relations are a key area in gaining the support of the general public yet when our band directors worked so diligently to secure a spot in the Cherry Blossom parade in Washington D.C., which only a few in the ENTIRE country were invited, there was barely a mention in the papers and not a word on our radio stations (Costes 52). I wonder if our young athletes worked hard enough to make the state playoffs if that would generate some buzz? Brunswick News heralding the wonders of our coaches as it called for every business to put on their signs â€Å"GO PIRATES†. Yes Pirates, go while our young musicians, who have worked so hard, stay home because no one wants to fund the bus to carry them to perform that which has so tirelessly been taught to them. Let our chorus teacher’s s pend their own money taking students home so those children, whose parents work, can stay after school to practice but let’s not give them the means to showcase the commendable job they have accomplished with these students. How about our Theater Arts teachers? How long has it been since we gave a standing ovation at a rendition of Death of Salesmen or Little Women performed by our children? I am not suggesting that our athletic departments need to be cut or imply that they are less important, only consider and weigh how many children are affected by cuts to the fine arts program verses those that are affected by cuts to the athletics department and adjust the budget accordingly. I am not just talking about the band and chorus, because it follows that I’ve got a horse in the race, I mean all of the fine arts departments. We should all be passionate about this. Think about how many of the great thinkers were and are performers in either Theater or music. Right now there are studies being done on the ill effects football has on NFL players not to mention the law suites. There are exactly ZERO studies being done on the ill effects of band, Theater, or chorus. When looking at gaining public funding and support from our businesses, the Glynn Co Board of Education must understand and indicate to the public important talent building among students and how we must ensure the survival and the success of the fine arts pro

Growth through Internationalisation among Entrepreneurial Firms Essay - 1

Growth through Internationalisation among Entrepreneurial Firms - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that an international strategy can be successful only when there is a strong understanding about different behaviours, beliefs, business strategies and values of other firms across the globe. Innovation can be stated as the most important tool for entrepreneurs. Through innovative strategies an entrepreneur can acquire desirable market share and generate high profit margins. This study shall reveal the ways in which internationalization as a growth strategy has supported entrepreneurial firms. Apart from being aligned with corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurs must have an inclination towards innovation and maintaining quality. A theoretical background will be included in this study so as to highlight the importance of internationalization growth strategy for companies. The findings of this research paper will outline the growth path of entrepreneurial firms that has adopted internationalization strategy. There are some limitations a nd future research considerations also encompassed in this study. The major aim of this study is to highlight the importance of internationalization in growth of entrepreneurial firms. This study will encompass various dimensions of internationalization strategy. Objectives of the study can be classified as: According to Byrne and Popoff, internationalization can be defined as one of the business strategies which are adopted by entrepreneurs so as to achieve long-term success. Entrepreneurs usually focus on domestic market but to retain their market position the best mechanism is to target global markets. An international strategy basically means that there are scattered subsidiaries internationally and all of them act as local companies with no such support from parent company. As stated by Carnegy, global strategy often leads to wide array of corporate strategies with a little adaption to business environment. The major challenge in this process is to incorporate one common strate gy that can be implemented across the globe.

Revenue and Mitigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Revenue and Mitigation - Essay Example Apparently, there are advantages and disadvantages associated with donations to the police and they must be weighed effectively, in order to determine the best possible option for effective community policing. One of the principal advantages is that donations can provide the extra revenue needed to fight crime. Further, the sponsorship drives can be used as platforms to enhance community awareness about the crime prevention projects and initiatives that the police are undertaking. Donations can also provide law enforcers with additional opportunities to interrelate with members of the public at social events. Disadvantageous implications of donations to the police include the donors thinking that they would get preferential treatment in case they break the law. In worst case scenarios, donation could distort priorities of the police, since they might feel obliged to serve donors first (Hess and Orthmann 492-493). Nonetheless, the pros of donations outweigh the cons, and the latter can be overcome with proper regulations in place. It would be possible to capitalize on the public’s good will, while upholding transparency of donations or sponsorship. For this reason, the police department is inviting community groups, councils and businesses to invest in its projects and initiatives, so as to establish a safer environment for all. The department guarantees that financial assistance received will aid in building and strengthening links with all stakeholders to facilitate crime reporting and prevention. Further, sponsorship will clearly align with the police force’s objectives of supporting cost effective measures to reduce crime. The force will uphold absolute integrity in all its dealings, in a setting of heightened accountability and scrutiny from the public. Members of any community have a significant role to play in prevention or coping with events that pose danger to their welfare or that of people close to them. Majority of hazard management

Scientific Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scientific Writing - Essay Example Innate immunity comprises mainly of the skin and mucosal surfaces. The main function of this immune is to prevent entry of specific non-self antigens. In many cases, compromising of innate immunity occurs and consequently pathogens gain entry into the body. The remedy then is the acquired immunity, which comprise the cellular immunity, (lymphocytes, macrophages, natural killer cells, and antigen-presenting cell) and humoral immunity (mediated by macromolecules). It works by recognizing disease causing pathogens and triggering mechanisms that destroy them. (Weinstein 40) Many diseases that kill people in this century originate from stress as opposed to improper diet, and pathogen resistance to drugs. More investment on in making people less stressed than in pharmaceutical firms it to be considered by any nation that want healthy and effective citizens. An immune system in its right condition is able to keep pathogens at bay and maintain the body health. Stress remarkably interferes the immune system by altering its functioning. It suppresses the immune system function and over time causes tearing down of this important system. Stress is the feeling of inability to deal with a life-threatening situation. It leads to emotional, psychological, and physical problems. The physical problems include heart disease, high blood pressure, chest diseases, and heart rate abnormalities (Harrington 26). The adrenal glands release adrenaline when someone is under stressful conditions. It responds well to short term stress through fight or flight response. Adrenaline stimulates the heart rate, contracting blood vessels’ dilating air passages thus increasing a subsequent flow of blood to the muscles and the amount of oxygen intake in the lungs (Weinstein 43). These responses affect the digestive system by inhibiting the digestion. If stress is prolonged, the production of

Investigation into customer service at Safeway Willerby Essay Example for Free

Investigation into customer service at Safeway Willerby Essay On Monday the 17th of February my Business group went to the Safeway Superstore in Willerby to interview the customer services manager, Andy Bostock. This was good customer service for us as it is a busy store and he gave up time for us, and with also been customers it was good that he acknowledged us. While we was at the store we were going to carry out an overt and covert investigation (see appendix 1) which means that we was to ask Andy Bostock some questions and we where going to carry out several observations throughout the store. This is where Safeway, Willerby is located: The Safeway store tries to ensure that all customers wants and needs are catered for and they have such things as: * Toilets * Florists * Photo processing * Cafe * Home entertainment department- which sells such things as CDs and TVs * Kosher food * In store banking * Bakery * Meat * Fish * Fruit and Veg * The deli * Chilled * Italian * Beers, wine and spirits * Frozen Food * Health and beauty * Lottery * Organic food * Passport photos booth The importance of customer service to Safeway is that with the store dealing with 20-23 thousand people on a weekly basis it is important that they deal with each customers needs and expectations. If this does not happen it will mean that customers may go else where to a rival store. When new recruits start at Safeway they are given and induction talk which covers every aspects of the job description. They are given work books to fill in and the management will check them to make sure that they understand everything what is asked from them. They do not have off the job training as everything they need to know is within the store so there is no need for them to go anywhere else. The only off the job training is for managers and they may need training in a new aspect of customer service or need re-training for example. They do not re-train their staff which means that they may not gain as much knowledge as they may need. This could be that they do not want to spend any money on retrain ing them, which in the long run is bad because it will mean that employees will not know what they are doing and when customers have a problem may find it difficult to deal with them on the spot. Their training is from 12-16 weeks and they cover every aspect on what department that are going to work on. They only let their employees work on one department because it means that they know the department really well and can deal with every problem, which comes up. This is a good point because all of their staff will know everything about the department and will work hard on it and make sure that all the work is done correctly. The bad point of doing this is that if a customer comes up to a member of staff who does not know anything about the department which the customer wants information on it may annoy the customer cost they will want the problem dealt with quickly. Read more:  Customer Service Investigation Safeway deal with any problems quickly as the always make sure that their is a spare employee to deal with the problem. Also if a customers comes up and asks them where something is within the store, they are trained to ask the customer whether they want them to take them or tell them. This is because the customer may want to make some other purchases before they go to the item what they are looking for, and the thing what they are asking for may be at the other side of the store and it may annoy the customer if they are taken their before making other purchases because they will have to go back on them selfs. When customers pay for their goods they get a receipt and this has information which is relevant to their purchases, but on the Safeway receipt it has the following information: * The store opening times- this means that customer will be able to see the next time the store is open. * Who the customer services manager is- this means that if the customer has a problem they can contact Andy Bostock as quickly as possible. * Who the till operator is- if you have a problem with something then you can report to the customer services manager and they can then deal with the person or give them more training if needed. * Advertising the Safeway magazine- it is making customers aware of the magazine so that they can pick it up. It also has the date, time, address and telephone number at the bottom of the receipt. This is so customers know when they made the purchase and if their is a problem they can contact the store my mail or telephone. (See appendix 2). This related to customer service because if the service what they get is bad, the customer services manager will know who did this and if they have done this before they will be able to discipline them. The information what the customer gets on the receipt is important to only to them but to the customer service manager. If the machine breaks down it will mean that it will effect the customer-employee relations. The methods of payments what Safeway have are cash, card and cheque. So this means what ever the customer wishes to pay with Safeway can deal with it. So this is good because if they only expect cash for example it will mean that if Safeway are not catering for all customers they will start to go elsewhere. Safeway do not offer a home delivery whether it will be by people doing it through the phone or via the Internet. This is because Safeway have never been interested in it and would rather spend their money on investing in other things which will be more beneficial to the employees and customers. With other competing companies such as Sainsburys offering this service it may be wise if they did look into it and if they did not get many customers then stop doing it. It would make it easier for older people to order online or via the phone, this would also be beneficial for people that are in a wheelchair as it means that they do not have to leave their home. Safeway do not have any members of staff who are trained in dealing with foreign customers, as they do not usually get a lot of them. If Safeway did decide to train someone in this it will mean that it will give them a good reputation will foreign people for understanding their needs. When a disabled customer comes into the store, Safeway make sure that they have all the assistance they need. They ask them if they would like a member of staff to help them shop, which is like a personal shopper this is because for example if a wheelchair customer comes in and the can not reach the top shelf for an item the personal shopper will be along side them to get the item. The cater for disabled customers by offering: 1. 6 Disabled parking spaces at the front of the car park so it doesnt mean that they have to travel far to get their. 2. Have wide isles so that it is comfortable for wheelchairs to get through. 3. They have special trolleys which are trolleys that can just fit into an electric wheelchair so it means that they can carry on shopping easily. They also offer smaller trolleys for their customer who have a disability. 4. They have a disabled toilet at the front of the store. Safeway have realized that a lot of disabled people do come into the store, so they have made it easier for them to shop by offering these types of services for the disabled customers to use. Safeway decided to no longer have the crà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½che and make way for the home entertainment department this is because the home entertainment department will effect everyone as the crà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½che will only effect people who are bringing in small children. The crà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½che also lost its popularity with customers and Safeway where losing money on it and it seemed the right place to put it because customers have to walk through the whole store to get to the department. At the tills at the front of the store each one has a change draw and this is easy for the staff to use as if they need change quickly they have access to it and it means that customers will not get distressed. Safeway make sure that they have adequate staffing levels at all times and they do this by knowing what they sold the same time last week and giving the employees the hours on the tills. For example on a Saturday morning they may take à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,000 so they will need more people on the tills to cater for all the customers, but on a Monday morning they may only take à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1000 so they will not need to have all the tills on, they may only need about 4. When it was Christmas they gave their customers who where waiting in the cue free mince pies which meant that they where offering a good customer service to all of their customers. Every department in the store has its own employees so if they is a promotion on alcohol for example it will mean that they will need more staff to get all the alcohol out onto the shop floor. They also have a night shift who work 10-7 which means that they get all of the stock from the stock room out for the morning and to make room for the delivery the next morning. This is good for the customers as they are getting the freshest products at any given time because as soon as it arrives it will be put out. When we looked at the stock room it was untidy which meant that it might be difficult for everyone to know where everything goes. They did not have a stock room manager, which for a store of that size is a bad thing, as not every member of staff is doing their job correctly. If a stock room manager was introduced it will improve the amount of damaged goods as well as improving the quality of the stock room. With their being no stock room manager it will be made easier for the staff to steal products and whilst we was their he said that there were a lot of unsolved theft and that they lose a lot of money in the Willerby store, and this could be the reason for this. They have eight cameras in the store and one main one on the alcohol department this is because this is the most common theft. This means that it is giving the customers a lot of security and makes them feel more save when they are their and they also have a security guard who works six days a week. When they call code 50 over the tannoy all male members of staff go to the front of the store to stop the thief, this is because if their is more than one the security guard will not be able to deal with them. This is done to make the customers feel more safe when they are shopping at the store. Their health and safety procedures are gone through on the day they get their training. It is important that all staff know the health and safety procedure incase of an emergency such as a fire. When it was the firefighter strike they where given extra training which consisted of videos and leaflets what Safeway came up with to make sure that they where aware of everything what was going on. They also put posters up in the staff room and in the stock room to always keep them aware of the dangers. They made sure that everything was double-checked to cover their backs. This was excellent customer service as they knew that fire fighters may not be able to get to the store incase of a fire, so they make sure that everything is checked for the safety of the customers. When the fire alarm goes off they can detect where about it is in the store and they will then go and see if it was set of deliberately or it was just a prank, and if it was deliberately they will then evacuate the store. Safeways buildings are not insured so this means that with the money what they save they can invest into other things what will benefit the company. But if their is a fire within a store and it gets burnt down they will lose a lot of money and last year two stores went down with fire and it meant that they got no money. So they have to take money from elsewhere. They also have a hazard book which employees fill in if they think there is a problem and this is checked everyday. It means that if there is a problem the management can deal with them quickly to benefit the customers and keep them safe. They have 1st aiders in the store all the time which means that if a problem does arise with a customer been injured they can deal with it quickly and correctly. The 1st aid facilities what are in the store are mainly for the employees not the customers. Safeway communicate with their customers by having the following things: * Tannoys- if a child is lost for example they could tannoy the childs parent or guardian to come and pick them up * Leaflets advertising their special offers- making the customers aware of what they have to offer. These usually come through the post box with the free supplement newspaper what residents get. (see appendix 3) * Walkie-talkies between employees- they can contact each other if a problem comes up and can be easily dealt with. * Notice board- this informs the customers of any events coming up and what they are for. The ways in which Safeway assess and monitor the quality of customer service are that they used to have an ABC card and this could recognize how much money a certain customer spends in Safeway over a period of time. It was a point scheme where if you spent over a amount of money you would get points which in the long run would mean that you will get offers and free things depending on how much money you have spent. They stopped doing this when a new board of director came in and said that it was a waste of money and that money could be spent elsewhere. When we asked Andy on what he thought of it he said the same, and the money what would be saved in producing the cards could be spent on more productive things, but why does store cards work for other supermarkets such as Sainsburys and Tesco? ABC Card: Safeway used to have mystery shoppers but then that stopped because a mystery shopper was not a true reflection on the store as they have two mystery shoppers a month and the Willerby store gets 20-23 thousand customers a week. So the stopped doing this because they started to realize that it was not working. Safeway carried out a survey to get some feed back on what the customers though on the store and what the good and bad points. (see appendix 4) They survey was done by 60 people on Friday 5th April to Sunday 7th April. The survey covers the following things: 1. Hygiene 2. Staff 3. Checkouts 4. Solutions to improving staff service 5. Best in fresh 6. Items which where of a poor quality 7. Product and price 8. Availability 9. Who the shoppers are 10. Where else they shop 11. Suggestions for improvement The survey is then analyzed by head office and the management team of the Willerby store and they will talk about the results and what they are going to do with them and how to make improvements. This is very good customer service because it is giving the customers a chance to express any opinions they may have of the store whether it is good or bad. Also if they do make a suggestion or say what they think and the next time they go in it is dealt with it will make the customers feel as if they have say on what goes on within the store. The customer services desk is at the front of the store as soon as you walk in, which means that it saves the customer walking through the store and hopefully the problem can be dealt with by the people at the customer services desk. Customer complaints are dealt with by either phone, letter of face to face. They do not offer an email service where they can directly email the store with any problems which may need looking at as email is one of the most common ways of communicating. If a customer does complain Any Bostock (customer services manager) will personally deal with the complaint this is because this time he will know that it is dealt with correctly and the other point is why has the customer complaint and what can be done for this customer complaint to come about again. If its a face to face problem he will go to the customer services desk and try and ask the customer what the situation is and come to some compromise. If its on the phone, the customer services desk will try and deal with it then but if its a major problem Andy will take the call and deal with it appropriately. Then finally he will reply to any letter, which is sent to him regarding a customer complaint. The most common complaint is that customers are cueing to long at the tills. They try and deal with this by having enough staff to cover if there is a rush on and this is worked out by using the week before figures. If all tills are on and customers are still complaining the only way you can deal with them is by apologizing to them because their is nothing more you can do at that moment in time. They also had a suggestion box where customers could put in any suggestions or how the felt it would work better, but they had to stop doing this because it turned into a customer complaint box and they did not want this. Safeway need to come up with a new suggestion scheme as it is important for Safeway to understand what the customer wants and the best way is through suggestion schemes because it is easy to do and cheap to operate. Whilst I was at the store I carried out my own observations and I came up with the following results. The car park was shared with Iceland, Focus, Poundstretcher, Jonathan James, Francios and wickes. This meant that by having the store on a retail park it meant that customers could do other types of shopping if they needed to. Safeway did have its owns trolley parks that where scattered around the car park, which meant that customers did not have to walk back with their trolley where ever they are parked because it if they are old, they will not want to be walking back to Safeway with their trolley if they are parked at the other side of the car park. Other benefits what the car park had where: * 16 Child and parent parking spaces- these where directly outside the store so it a parent comes with a small child, the child is not running around the car park, they can just go straight into the store * 6 disabled parking spaces- These where next to the child and parent parking which are directly outside the store. Disabled people may find it had to walk across a big car park but with these parking spaces been their it is making it easier for them to cope. I personally feel 6 spaces is not enough, this is because quite a lot of retired people may be classed as disabled and they have the most free time as they do not have to go to work, so with expanding the parking spaces for the disabled they may create a new customer segment. * 2 Zebra crossings- These where going towards the front of the store where the entrances where. This is good customer service because if their is a lot of traffic and you can not make it across the road with the zebra crossings been their, it will make it easier for the customer. Safeway provide a variety of different trolleys for every type of customer. This is because if they have different types of trolleys it means that if customers only want a small shop their is small trolleys. The advantage of Safeway trolleys are that you do not have to put a pound in, this is good because a customer may not have a pound coin in change and if they dint they would have to go and get it changed before they even started the shopping. With the trolleys not having a pound put in them it means that they could get stolen and this would mean a loss in profits for the company because each trolley costs about à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50 to make. Also around the surrounding area there is always trolleys just dumped because they is no need to return them back to Safeway. All the trolleys are kept under a shelter which means if it does rain the trolleys are still dry so the customers do not have to dry them down. Types of trolleys: * Large trolleys * Medium trolleys * Small trolleys * One seat baby trolleys * Two seat baby trolleys * One seat child trolleys * Two seat child trolleys * Wheelchair trolleys * Baskets They also have a post box which is outside the store with a stamp machine inside the store (which was out of order), but the customer can also buy stamps from the confectionery desk which is next to the customer service desk. With Safeway selling stamps it means that if a customer wished to send somebody a birthday card they could get the stamp and post it all within the store. The post box is emptied several times a day to make sure that the post is delivered on time. Along with stamp machine they where a phone card machine and a savings stamp machine. The phone card machine only sold BT Cellnet cards which meant that if customers wanted to get a different one they would have to go to the confectionery desk because they do not sell the cards at each till. This is bad customer service because they may just want to do all their shopping at once and if they have to go somewhere else in the store it may distress them. With the savings stamps this is a booklet what customers can get and they can collect them over a period of time, usually up to Christmas so when it comes to do their Christmas shopping they will have an amount of money what they will spend. A savings booklet is a good idea because if a customer is buying a stamp a week, you know that they are going to come back at Christmas and spend it and hopefully more to do their Christmas shopping. The toilets what Safeway have are: 1. Ladies 2. Mens 3. Disabled 4. Baby Change The toilets are at the front of the store which means that you can go to toilets before you start your shopping or after it, but if you go after shopping it will mean that you will have to leave you shopping unattended because their is no secure place where you can leave your shopping. When I went into the toilets I was not impressed with the standard of them, this is because as soon as I walked into them their was a smell which was very of putting and meant that I wanted to be as quick as possible. This is bad customer service because their was nothing done about it, if their was some sort of air conditioning in their it would make it easier. The floor was also very dirty and their was water all over the floor underneath the sink, which meant that the toilets are very rarely checked by the employees because in some toilets there is a sheet up to say when it was last checked and if there where any damages. If the toilets are not checked regularly it may stop customers from using them because of the standard of them. When I went into the toilets their where a lot of damages like holes in the wall and their where no bins so people where just dropping their rubbish on the floor. This gave the toilets and overall tacky feel to it and I personally would not use them again. If the toilets are not improved it may put customers of from using the store all together. The music of the store was aimed at the more older people, this is because this is their main target audience because you hardly get children or teenagers shopping in supermarkets. The music is controlled my head office which means that Safeway Willerby have no control which if the majority of customers are different from other stores they may wish to change the music slightly to make them come back. The music what they do play is very upbeat music, this is so that customers are feeling happy when they are shopping their. Whilst we where we was looking in the Entertainment department and we across and adult video which was on the second to bottom shelf which is easy for a small child to get hold of it. On the back of it had sexual images on it which meant that the child would be seeing them. This is very bad customer service because it is of adult content and its easy for the child to get hold of. On Safeways Website, the opening page is filled with information regarding a certain thing what is happening so for example the thing what is happening this month is Mothers day, so the opening is filled with information regarding Mothers day. (see appendix 5). They also have special offers what is making the customers aware of, so that they can purchase them. This can be food related or just other items such as dry cleaning and photo processing. They also have a recipe of the week, which is described in great detail as well as all their other recipes what you can look at online. Their Website is excellent customer because it is giving potential customers a chance to see what is happening within Safeway, and it is offering advice on the recipes that the customers may wish to make. Their Website also includes: * Store guide- this shows you where the nearest store is and how many miles away it is from your house. * Everything what is included in their stores from their specialized food to their service, which is not food related. * Company information- from the history of the company to the activities at the moment. * Drinks guide- this covers all the drinks from fizzy drinks to alcohol and expert advice is given. Overall Safeways Website is excellent because it covers all the information what you will need. Analysis of customer service: I am now going to analyze what the advantage and disadvantages are of Safeway Willerby in terms of customer service: Advantages Disadvantages With Safeway doing a survey it means that they are getting customer feedback which in the long run will benefit the company because with the results of the survey will they can improve the things what has gone wrong. There is no incentive of doing this and it is quite time consuming so the customers may rush it just to get through it, so if an incentive was launched they may be able to get more accurate results. The majority of their staff where of a mature age which meant that they had more experience with customers so they would know what they want. Also with employing older people it means that the management team will know that they are not coming into work with a hangover and they know that they are going to work well and not let them down, with the experience they have with customers. The toilets where a major disadvantage to Safeway Willerby this is because of the overall standard of them was poor. This gives the impression that Safeway Willerby are unhygienic and care very little about the standard of their customer service. If an employee checked the toilets every morning and afternoon, it could improve the standard a bit and it would reassure the customers that something is been done about them. With the security guard working 6 days a week, customers will start to pick up on when he is not their and they might try and get away with things such as theft. With him also working 6 days he will start to get tired and may not do his job properly. If another security guard was introduced it will mean that their is always a security guard in the store, this will assure the customers that they are safe with these security guards in operation.

Structured systems analysis and design

Structured systems analysis and design Structured Systems Analysis and Design (SSAD) With this particular methodology, a software development venture is divided into stages, steps, tasks and modules/ components. Objectives of SSAD:   ITC Infotech India Ltd. Structured Systems Analysis and Design (SSAD) was developed with specific objectives: To warrant that a project could lucratively persist should a loss in staff occur without any adverse consequences on the project To improve communication between all participants in the project so that an effective construction is in place To develop a better of class systems To improve the manner in which projects are controlled and directed To allow for the efficient use of both experienced and inexperienced staff To allow for projects to be supported by computer- aided software engineering applications How SSAD works: SSAD is a waterfall approach whereby there are a series of events which occur in sequential order, each step leading from the last. There are a total of five steps and they are as follows: Feasibility study: This is a study that will determine if the project is actually possible to undertake and whether it is cost effective or not. Requirements analysis: Identifying the needs of the business Requirements specification: The requirements (functional and non- functional) are clearly and unambiguously identified and stated. Logical system specification: The technical systems options are created and also the logical design of the system, including upgrade and enquiry designs. Physical design: The logical system specification and technical specification is then used to design a physical database and set of program specifications. Advantages of SSAD: Timelines: as mentioned before, SSAD can be used to improve the way a project is controlled and directed. This is due to the fact that it allows one to plan the project well which is essential to deliver the product on time. Improvement of productivity: By encouraging on-time delivery, meeting business needs, ensuring better quality, using human resources effectively as well as evading bureaucracy, SSAD improves general productivity of the project. Better quality: Decreases the error rate of information systems by identifying a certain level of class in the launch and constantly checking the system. Effective use of skills: It does not require any special skills and can easily be taught to the staff. It usually makes use of diagramming and modelling tools. It can respond to changes in the business environment: Business requirements and objectives are taken into consideration while the project is being developed. This creates the possibility to adjust the planning of the project to the actual requirements of the business. Usability: Special emphasis is put on the analysis of the user requirements. Concurrently, the system model is constructed and a wide-ranging demand analysis is conducted. Cuts costs: Due to the fact that SSAD separates logical and physical systems design, the system does not have to be executed again with new hardware or software. Disadvantages of SSAD: SSAD puts prominence on the analysis of a system and its documentation. This paves the way for over-analysing, which in turn can be very time consuming and puts strain on expense. Available from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/19681828/SSAD [Date accessed: November 25th, 2009] Object Oriented Analysis and Design:   Ã‚  Ã‚   This is a software development approach that puts great prominence on logical solutions based on objects (individual components of a system). It takes a bottom- top developmental approach and makes use of UML (Unified Modelling Language). Objectives of OOAD:   JS Consulting Group Inc. (2000-2009) To study already existing objects to see if they can in fact be reused or adapted for newer uses. To identify new or modified objects that will be pooled with existing objects into a useful business computing application. Available from: http://www.jscgroup.com/object-oriented-analysis-and-design.html [Date accessed: October 25th, 2009] How OOAD works: Kenneth Pefkaros, International Journal of Business research, March 2008.   Ã‚  Ã‚   In OOAD, the developers capture required details as a system of objects which encapsulate both data and processes. It uses three elemental techniques to for analysis: Functional modelling: The analyst uses activity diagrams and use case diagrams to give designers a clearer picture of how the system works. Structural modelling: The analyst uses class diagrams to group related objects. Behavioural diagrams: The analyst uses sequence diagrams, communication and state diagrams, to give a basic description of how objects respond to the environment, as well as, how they change state during transactions. These techniques then provide the designers with sufficient documented information which they will use in the creating of the system. Available from: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6773/is_2_8/ai_n31126769/pg_4/?tag=content;col1 [Date accessed: October 25th, 2009] Advantages of OOAD: It significantly simplifies the development of the system It enables the consistency of objects which increases the understanding of the design Decomposing the system into individual objects makes it easier and more manageable for the analyst to work with. When working with objects, they can be reused and modified which cuts costs and save time. Disadvantages of OOAD: There is more emphasis on codes There isnt much emphasis on team work The early designs for the system may be too simplified to be adequate It isnt easy to establish all the necessary classes and objects needed for the system

An Introduction Of Hrm And Shrm Business Essay

An Introduction Of Hrm And Shrm Business Essay A lack of clear direction prevails in global HR research which is expressed by scholars and practitioners across a wide front as a concern for the profession, including the resultant role personnel ought to play in organizations objective achievement (Goshal 2005; Hendry 2003; Holbeche 2006; Morris, Snell Lepak 2005; Meisinger 2005). Various researchers have pointed out during the last few years (Browning Edgar 2004; Becker, Huselid Ulrich 2001; Birchfield 2002; Brewster , Dowling , Grobler, Holland Warnich 2000; Mayrhofer Brewster 2005; Nel 2007; Ruona Gibson, 2004; Storey, 2001) that a revised approach to Human Resources Management (HRM) is evolving. This includes the strategic role and functions of the HR profession as business partners in organizations and the way they ought to direct personnel to optimize their contributions to the organization. Transformational leadership expressed in terms of the high-level capabilities and management skills are also assuming a significant place in the future of the HR profession in organizations as well as the ability to add value. Human Resource Management is an approach to the management of employees, it involves the process of employing people, developing their skills/capacity and utilizing their services. The traditional aspects of HRM methods are more towards the selection of recruitment process and imparting training. This HRM process does not have any specific riles for different areas like recruitment, training and utilizing the services. SHRM is defined by Little (2003) as the process of achieving the best possible alignment of personnel behavior with the organizations strategy and hence align with the profit and loss in the short and long term. The personnel behavior-strategy relationship is dynamic because it changes as the environment changes and as the precise goal and performance requirements of the strategy emerge. As the term itself denotes, Strategic HRM deals with strategic aspects of HRM. Unlike HRM, Strategic HRM mainly focuses on the programs with long-term objectives. Though HRM and Strategic HRM focus on increasing employee productivity, Strategic HRM uses many strategic methods. Unlike HRM, Strategic HRM uses a more sophisticated method for improving the overall employee motivation and production as well as it focuses on the sage of more systematic tools to achieve focus on partnerships with internal and external customers through the development of long term goals. Little (Little 2003) has argued that the organization is independent of personnel it then follows that the central questions are: First, since the organization is separate from personnel, then what are the factors intrinsic to the organization that can be identified as most influencing the behavior of personnel? Second, once the intrinsic organization factors have been identified, how do they link to influencing behavior? Third, once identified, how can the factors intrinsic to the organization that most influence behavior then be better managed to improve human performance and so improve alignment of personnel behavior with the goals and aim of the organization? Fourth, what are the intrinsic psychological factors personnel bring to the organization that will impact managements effort at improving the alignment of behavior with organization goals and aims? Introduction of how the role of HR in the 21st century is becoming increasingly vital. HR Departments are increasingly expected to operate as a business within a business rather than as a disconnected and isolated set of HR Practices. As such, like many business, the HR Department must have a vision of strategy that defines the way they are headed, a set of goals (objectives, outcomes and deliverables) that focus the priorities for the work and investment essential to carry out this vision and an organizational structure for the HR to accomplish these goals. The new focus for the HR department is to create value (Ulrich and Brockbank,2005) for the key holders. The goals and outcomes of the HR Department has been well documented, the value of HR contribution has traditionally been measured by the quantity of cost of activities (eg: How many people hired over period of time, training given to the employee or the financial cost of delivering employee benefits) Instead of focusing on the relatively easy to measure activities of staffing, training and other functional operations, HR departments are better assessed by the outcomes created that support the companies objectives. These outcomes generally may be defined as the capabilities an organization requires for its strategy to succeed on a sustained basis (Ulrich Smallwoord,2004) The diversification of the HR Departments role towards adapting to the 21st century can seen through the requirements of the organizations for competitive superiority and speed to market, collaboration, cultural exchange, efficiency, service, innovation, accountability or even leadership branding. These and other capabilities represent the organization for what it is known for and the identity of these practices can be enhanced by the HR practice is aligned to the desired focus of the company. With a HR vision of value and outcomes of capabilities, a HR Department can now focus its attention to how it can and should be organized to deliver the vision to reach the desired outcomes (Chirstensen,2005) The diversification from traditional HR practices is a major requirement for companies to adapt to the changes and be focused on the mimicking of the business organization on which it operates and from there it should focus on adopting a concept to reflect the vision and direction of the company in order to stay in line with the charter of the company itself. Introduction of the organization Duty Free Shop (DFS) in Malaysia are licensed under Section 65D, Customs Act 1967. DFS typically operates at international airports, seaports, downtown and at borders. DFS is set up for the purpose of promoting the tourism industry in Malaysia, especially to foreign tourists. Foreign tourists as well as eligible local tourists are able to purchase goods free of duty and GST at any DFS The QM Group of Companies offers a broad assortment of premier liquor, wines and spirits including prominent global brands. Its extensive variety of goods is gladly presented at its diverse duty-free outlets at Bukit Kayu Hitam, Padang Besar as well as in Langkawi. The QM Group of Companies also offers numerous other premier duty free products such as stylish apparels, perfumes, cosmetics, cigarettes, tobacco, confectionery, souvenirs etc as well as locally finished handicraft. The Qm Group of Companies has also diversified into private bonded warehousing operations with the inauguration of its first private bonded warehouse facility at Prai, Penang offering abundant storage, distribution and logistics services as well as other value adding activities. The QM Group of Companies, led by its main corporation QM Sdn Bhd is a fast growing stable of dynamic companies with its core focus involved in the duty-free business dealing in wholesale and retail. QM Sdn Bhd is today an recognized industry leader and key player in the country`s duty-free industry. The QM Group of Companies has been able to build its achievement upon its decades of industry knowledge, proven reliability and stringent vow to giving only the best quality products and services to both visiting tourists and business travelers to discover a truly new dimension in duty-free shopping. Evaluate how the HR practitioner should proceed in ensuring that alignment between business and HR strategies is effective. The HR professional has more challenging roles to perform under SHRM the emergent business partner model. Unlike the traditional HRM, which is transactional in nature and is concerned with administrative activities, SHRM is a value-added core responsibility that aligns the HR system, policies and practices with business strategy to gain sustained competitive advantage for the firm. In performing the new challenging roles, the HR professional must think outside the traditional organizational box of HRM and develop a more systematic and radically different approach to manage the human element to effectively support the firms business strategy formulation and implementation. For successful implementation of the business partner role, the HR manager needs to understand the companys business direction and its competitive position in the market place. Apart from this, to become a successful strategic partner, the HR manager must have competencies that have to do with the business issues i nvolved in strategy and strategy development, and ability to contribute to organizational design and change management (Lawler, III and Mohrman, 2003). The HR function, according to Rowden (1999) must change from a staff function that delivers prepackaged HR services to a service that helps managers create customized strategic plans to influence the effectiveness of company performance. The HR manager can play an important role in the formulation of strategy and providing the human resource required to support various strategies and strategic initiatives in the organization. He provides the leadership role in developing the human capital and the necessary capabilities to enact the st rategy and drive the implementation and change management processes to success (Lawler III Mohrman, 2003). Good human capital management is a prerequisite for successful execution of business strategies. According to Ulrich (1998), the modern HR professional must perform four complementary roles. The first role, administrative excellence, is important because it is an immediate way of contributing to the overall efficiency of the organization. As administration expert, he must rethink how work is done throughout the organization. The second role HR professionals must realize is that of employee champion. The HR manager must play the crucial role of employee advocate. He should be the employees voice in management discussion, offer employee opportunities for personal and professional growth; and provide resources that employees need to meet the demands put on them. The new role might also involve suggesting, that employees be given more control over their own work schedules. This is the issue of employee empowerment. Two additional roles the modern HR professional must realize are those of strategic partner and change agent. Being a strategic partner calls for an ongoing evaluation of the alignment between current HR practices and the business objectives of the firm, and a continuing effort to design policies and practices that maximize this alignment. HR practitioner should be held responsible for defining an organizational architecture that is, identifying the organizations way of doing business. Such framework as looking at the organizational components strategy, structure, rewards, processes, people, style and shared values may be adopted. This new knowledge will allow HR to add value to the executive team with confidence. Being a change agent the HR manager must play a key role in implementing and managing organization change, assessing potential, sources of resistance to change, and collaborating with line managers to overcome these barriers. The HR professionals role as a change agent is to replace resistance with resolve, planning with results and fear of change with excitemen t about its possibilities. These last two roles strategic partner and change agent are of particular interest to us because they represent the emerging strategic dimension of HR function SHRM. In addition to the above roles the HR practitioner needs to be a model and take on the specific role of integrating people strategies with business strategies in a way that advances the bottom line. Metzler (1998) adds that: the HR manager must play an active and guiding role in enabling the organization to choose its human resources well, invest in these people, support that growth and respect their needs, while fostering innovations needed to achieve the strategic business objectives. The HR professional operating under the SHRM system must chart roles that include early and active involvement in key strategic business choices. He must become the partner of decision makers in the organization, and sharing accountability for organizing and performing work. He must carry out effective monitoring to see that everyone in the organization, and at every organizational hierarchy, stay focused on share strategic priorities. He must challenge old ways and constantly promote innovation to enhance corporate performance and the firms competitiveness. Critically analyze how Human Resource Management achieves competitive advantage and what factors limit Human Resource Managements ability to act. Use the current organizational practices as reference. Johnson (2000) details, best practices or high performance work practices are described as HR methods and systems that have universal, additive, and positive effects on organizational performance. These practices maximize their influence on Companys performance through increased customer satisfaction, productivity, innovation and development of favorable reputation, HR planning, Recruitment Selection, Training and development, compensation, Performance management and employee relations are some such practices Why are employees in some companies happy to stick with the company while others look for a change? The reason is that some companies know how to take good care of their employees and provide a working environment that helps them retain their identity, while proving themselves and growing along with the company. HR practices encourage the growth of the organization as employees after all play a major role in the well-being of a company they deal with enhancing competencies, commitment and culture building Pfeffer (1998) proposed HR practices which according to the literature, can be expected to influence the firms performance. In his seminal work, Pfeffer (1998) proposed the following seven HRM practices:- (1) Employment Security (2) Selective Hiring, (3) Self-managed teams and Decentralization of Decision making (4) Comparatively high compensation contingent on Organizational performance, (5) Extensive Training, (6) Reduced status distinctions and barriers, including dress, language, office arrangements, and wage differences across levels, and (7) Extensive sharing of financial and performance information throughout the organization. A number of contemporary and good HR practices have resulted in effectively managing human resources, managing attrition problems and keeping them happy. Some of the best HR practices that are worth mentioning that have helped organizations in the creation of a highly satisfied and motivated work force may be identified as:- Selective Hiring- practice can ensure that the right people, with the desirable characteristics and knowledge, are in the right place.. Training and Development- may be related to firm performance in many ways. Firstly, training programmes increase the firm specificity of employee skills, which, it turn, increases employee productivity and reduces job dissatisfaction that results in decrease in employee turnover Job Security- creates a climate of confidence among employees which cultivates their commitment on the companys workforce. This develops a feeling of confidence and employees commit themselves to expend extra effort for the companys benefit. Flexi-time- Flexi-time is a practice, wherein an organisation gives its employees the opportunity of a flexible working hours arrangement. Performance-linked Incentives and Bonus- Every good performance is appreciated in the form of a pat on the back, bonuses or giving some other compensation for a job well done. The incentives can be implemented at the individual as well as the team level and it has been seen that this works wonders in getting the best out of the employees and boosts their morale. Performance Evaluation- A good evaluation and a fair evaluation system links the employees performance to the business goals and the priorities of an organization. Highlight Performers- High performers get better results, faster and closer to the targets. Organizations create profiles oftheir top performers and makethem visible through their intranet, display boards etc. Open House Discussions Rewarding Ideas- Employees are the biggest source of ideas. Successful organizations nurture ideas and they understand that employees who are actually working and know the business can provide the best ideas. Through this system, talented employees are identified and developed. DLF and Infosys have implemented the I4 Teams ( Ingenious, Idea, Incubation Implementation). Rewards and Recognition- recognition of talentis highly important, the primary goal of rewards and recognition is to improve performance of employees. Non-monetary recognition can be very motivating, helping to build feelings of confidence and satisfaction. Another importantgoal is increased employee retention and encourages others to give their best. Coaching and Mentoring Organisations use coaching and mentoring to train managers to address specific skill deficits, enhance performance and grow into expanded leadership roles. Cross-Functional Training- Organisations foster and harness talent by imparting in-house cross functional training to make their professionals multi-skilled and multitalented. Many organizations encourage their employees to be multi-skilled and add value to other functional aspects as well. Employees Assistance Programmes-These programmers are offered by many organizations in the corporate sector for the employees benefit. Every employee is challenged by personal problems and concerns. The EAPs are intendedto help employees deal with their personal problems that might adversely impact their work performance. Clearly Defined and Measurable KRAs- KRA is an acronym for `Key Results Area. Knowledge Sharing -Knowledge sharing sessions are periodically organized by the organizations to widen knowledge base of their employees and improve their effectiveness. Work Environment- A safe an]d happy workplace makes the employees feel good about being there. Each one is given importance and provided the security that gives them the motivation and incentive to stay. Providing equal employment opportunities for all, value of trained human resource, providing flexibility to employees especially to women at various life stages, sabbatical from corporate life, and extended maternity leave promoting practice of entrepreneurship by employees within the organization. Human Resource Management has taken a leading role in encouraging CSR activities at all levels. Companies like Wipro inculcate CSR values amongst its workforce right at the beginning during the induction process. The focus and attention of HRpractices today are on creating HR policies based on trust, openness, equity and consensus .Creating conditions in which people are willing to work with zeal, initiative and enthusiasm; make people feel like winners. Fair treatment of people and prompting redressal of grievances would pave the way for healthy work-place relations, prepare workers to accept technological changes by clarifying doubts External factors affecting Human Resource Planning Human resource planning can be defined as the process of identifying the number of people required by an organization in terms of quantity and quality. All human resource management activities start with human resource planning. So we can say that human resource planning is the principle/primary activity of human resource management. 1. Employment :- HRP is affected by the employment situation in the country i.e. in countries where there is greater unemployment; there may be more pressure on the company, from government to appoint more people. Similarly some company may force shortage of skilled labour and they may have to appoint people from other countries. 2. Technical changes in the society :- Technology changes at a very fast speed and new people having the required knowledge are required for the company. In some cases, company may retain existing employees and teach them the new technology and in some cases, the company have to remove existing people and appoint new. 3. Organizational changes :- Changes take place within the organization from time to time i.e. the company diversify into new products or close down business in some areas etc. in such cases the HRP process i.e. appointing or removing people will change according to situation. 4. Demographic changes :- Demographic changes refer to things referring to age, population, composition of work force etc. A number of people retire every year. A new batch of graduates with specialization turns out every year. This can change the appointment or the removal in the company. 5. Shortage of skill due to labour turnover :- Industries having high labour turnover rate, the HRP will change constantly i.e. many new appointments will take place. This also affects the way HRP is implemented. 6. Multicultural workforce :- Workers from different countries travel to other countries in search of job. When a company plans its HRP it needs to take into account this factor also. 7. Pressure groups:- Company has to keep in mind certain pleasure. Groups like human rights activist, woman activist, media etc. as they are very capable for creating problems for the company, when issues concerning these groups arise, appointment or retrenchment becomes difficult. Elaborate on what HR strategies can be implemented in this organization, to meet or exceed employees psychological contract in SOME (two or more) differing HR areas like HR planning, Reward Management, Performance Appraisals, Career Development, Recruitment, Training and Development and Industrial Relations. Psychological Contract A psychological contract represents the mutual beliefs, perceptions, and informal obligations between an employer and an employee. It sets the dynamics for the relationship and defines the detailed practicality of the work to be done. It is distinguishable from the formal written contract of employment which, for the most part, only identifies mutual duties and responsibilities in a generalized form Selective Hiring -The respondents were also asked to rank these practices in order of importance given to them by the organizations to each of them. 85% of the respondent agreed that Selective hiring was given most importance by their employers. Selectivity in recruitment is an important practice and is undertaken by almost every organization. This perhaps is the first step in achieving edge over others. Organisation follow the approach of selecting the right person with the right attitude and personality make up to provide the right kind of abilities and capabilities to take the organization toward higher growth. This is an aspect of talent retention as it implies matching a persons inherent skills, traits and personality to the jobs. Moreover when employees go through a rigorous selection process, they feel that their knowledge, experience, abilities and capabilities have got them the jobs in the organization. They feel valuable and high responsibility for performance is created , and the message i s that person matters. They are selected as they possess the desire to succeed and have the capacity for growth, learning and develop skills and capabilities beneficial to the organization. Reward Management 99% of the respondents agreed that good performance should be highlighted as it is motivating and leads to better performance.People are motivated by recognition and fair treatment. Higher the motivation higher will be the performance. When this performance is clubbed with adequate rewards employees are further motivated to perform. Such practices induce other employees to traverse on the same route of performance and reward, taking their firm on a path of growth and gaining competitive advantage. This dictates that people are responsible for enhanced levels of performance and profitability. However rewarding performance should be fair and equitable based on and linked to the performance of an employee Training Development 60% rated training and development as next important activity followed by knowledge sharing and job security in the order. However all the respondent agreed that training was extremely essential for their growth and development. 92% respondent that training should be need based and specific to the employees need and requirements. Worker autonomy, self managed teams, and even a high salaries are practices that equip and provide employees to make changes and improvements in products and processes . However, training will produce good resultsonly if the trained workers are permitted to employ their skills. If employees are to be given more information about operations, they need skills in employing that information to diagnose problems and suggest improvements. Training is an attempt to improve current or future employee performance by increasing an employees attitude or increasing their capabilities. Training provides the opportunity to raise the profile development activities in the organization. Training increases the commitment levels of employees and reduces the perceived growth inequality. Development reduces the turnover rate of employees provides advancement opportunities and also reduces absenteeism conclusion list of references

Violence :: essays research papers

Violence General Purpose: To persuade Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience that violence is on the increase. Central Idea: Violence should be viewed as a social problem for everyone in our society. Introduction I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Violence has increased in our schools. Within the last four years, thirty or more teachers and students have been killed. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris (18) and Dylan Klebold (17) killed one teacher and twelve students and wounded twenty- three other individuals. Thomas Solomon (15) wounded six students in his high school. On March 24, 1998 Andrew Holden (11) and Mitchell Hogson (13) killed a total of five people and wounded ten in Westside Middle School. This information is all from Time Magazine’s May 31, 1999’s issue. There are many problems that cause violence. Drugs, gangs, guns, and television programs are all problems the students have that are linked to violence. Transition: lets us now view the problems with drugs. Body I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Substance abuse has been a probable cause of violence. A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Drug related incidents have increased in schools causing students to act violently toward each other. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Students are competing with each other trying to make more money by selling drugs. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If someone takes away someone’s customer, dealers will tend to fight against each other. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Students are also coming to school under the influence. Five percent of students in school attend counseling because they were caught under the influence during school hours. Transition: gangs also affect our students II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Membership in a gang causes violence. A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today, gangs exist in large urban and small suburban, public and private schools. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gangs encourage and reward violent acts. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gangs are powerful and violence occurs over issues of status, reputation, and turf. They also offer guns to their members. Kids have access to hand guns in school, streets, and in their parents homes. Transition: television programs also cause violence. III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All children see violent acts committed on television programs, films, rock videos, news broadcasts, and cartoons. A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many children imitate the violent they see on television. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A child who watches â€Å"The Power Rangers† will act violently since the characters are always fighting. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other hand, a child who watches â€Å"Barney and Friends† will not act violently since there is no fighting involved in the cartoon. D.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Children that view characters on television using violence acts to solve problems will use similar violent acts to solve their problems. Transition: in conclusion Conclusion I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Violence is viewed as a social problem for the law enforcement and court system. It should also be viewed as a social problem for teacher, parents, principals, counselors, coaches, and everyone else in our society.

Media Portrayal of Environmental Risk Essay -- essays research papers

Media Portrayal of Environmental Risk: Dissemination or Delusion? Transmission of ideas and information through media avenues like television and the press are the predominant means by which much of contemporary culture and the developed world obtain vital information. The media has an enormous impact on the public’s conceptualization of ideals: societal perceptions are shaped by the information made available to us through the different venues of media. Examining how the transmittal of information regarding environmental risk is disseminated by the media and accepted by society exposes an evident quandary. The media repeatedly broadcasts data that instead of informing people with beneficial news adversely invokes situations of tumult and unnecessary fear. Ramifications of the fictitious diffusion of information about environmental risks, or non-risks, to society include more than just the proliferation of misinformation. Circulation of wrongful environmental risk data has detrimental effects on businesses, industry and economy. Misinforming people about environmental risk undermines policies and government actions that are based on media hype or contentious scientific information. Abating the problematic and detrimental tendency of media misconstruing information about environmental risks will require a multifaceted collaboration between the media, the public, government and the scientific community. A problem complicating environmental policy and risk reporting is largely attributable to media players, politicians and scientists overstepping their boundaries into realms they are not qualified to operate in. Scientists must avoid getting involved in the environmental policy debate. Conversely, politicians must not attempt to reason on scientifically sensitive issues as if they are scientists. Risk is defined as the severity of the consequences of an accident or a hazard like a toxin multiplied by the probability of its occurrence. Risks will exist indefinitely however we attempt to reduce risk by either reducing the probability or severity of the hazard. (Bahr, 1997) People must learn, including the media, to â€Å"balance the risks and thus steer a safe course through the potential minefield known as life†. The process by which people perceive risk is dependent on what knowledge they attain and what information is made available. (Neely, 1994) Thus th... ...sic Science of Poisons (pp. 75-88). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Friedman, S. (1996). The Media, Risk Assessment and Numbers: They don’t Add Up. RISK: Health, Safety & Environment, Franklin Pierce Law Center. Retrieved March 20, 2005 from http://www.piercelaw.edu/risk/vol5/summer/friedman.htm Gough, M. â€Å"Which Environmental Risks Are Worth Addressing?† Resource Development Council for Alaska, Inc. [Speech]. Cato Institute. 22 November, (1996). Retrieved April 18, 2005 from http://www.cato.org/speeches/sp-mg112296.html Neely, W. B., (1994). Introduction to Chemical Exposure and Risk Assessment. Boca Raton: CRC Press LLC Rosenbaum, W. (2005). Environmental Politics and Policy. Washington DC: CQ Press Salvato, J. A., (1992). Environmental Engineering and Sanitation (Environmental   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Science and Technology). Canada: John Wiley & Sons Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. (1996) Retrieved April 12, 2005, from http://www.spj.org/ethics_code.asp Time’s Schneider Resigns; Will Be Michigan Land Use Advocate. (1995, May) Environment Writer, 7 (2) Retrieved on April 19, 2005, from http://www.nsc.org/ehc/ew/issues/ew95may.htm#schneider