Managing People for a Competitive Advantage Assignment

Managing People for a Competitive Advantage - Assignment Example I didn't get any experience with the HR before but I can say that our sponsorship does not have any idea about how to deal with us and they put lots of rules every day and every successive rule complements the preceding one. It was a negative experience because we do not know what they need from us and they don't know how to control our study. They frequently make and change the rules. They make us have a contract with them after we study when they do not have a specific point to us or to what we would do after graduation. Normally, a business entrepreneur maintains a separate human resource department in the company to take care of the needs of the workforce, wherein, the HR Manager assumes the prime responsibility. In companies which do not have separate human resource departments, the General Manager also plays the role of HR Manager in addition to his/her main responsibilities as a GM. I have not elected to take this course because it was the requirement for my graduation. The true reason for electing to take this course is that it is very important for me as it provides me with an opportunity to learn how to deal with others and motivate others to deliver their best in work. After taking this course, I expect to become a better manager in general and a better HR Manager in particular. One of the most essential skills one needs to be successful is the social skills; the way one deals with others. This course will teach me the necessary skills and tactics to have best relations with people, so that I may be able to get the best out of them as a leader. I shall contribute to the class learning by sharing my thoughts, opinions, as well as personal experiences with the class related to various topics that we study along the way. I shall also do research at an individual level and share any useful documents that I find with the class to promote learning. One thing that I have learned in the past which I think is most valuable in regard to human  resource management is that one should listen to all but do whatever one deems right oneself.

1-3 Willow road Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

1-3 Willow road - Dissertation Example Chapter III. The Context: Proportion and Other Elements of Style†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦14 V. Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..16 Introduction The building 1-3 Willow Road is a rowhouse consisting of 3 homes set together. Built in 1939 by architect Erno Goldfinger, 1-3 Willow Road is an example of Modernist British architecture in Hampstead Heath, London, England. He was a modern pioneer of the Modernist movement. Originally from Hungary, he studied in Paris at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. He rebelled against the conservatism of the Beaux Arts and and he and a group of students broke away to form a new studio. They at first asked Le Corbusier to be the head of the studio but he declined. It was therea fter run by one of his contemporaries, Auguste Perret. Perret introduced the use of reinforced concrete construction, and whose his rationalist style and passion for the unadorned greatly influenced Goldfinger. Goldfinger resided in the center construction, Number 2 Willow, with his family until the time of his death in 1987. Although the construction of the building was at first disputed it was later acquired by the National Trust of England and is today an historic landmark. Here it will be discussed: the architect, including every salient detail about his work; the content of the Hampstead house building itself; and the context of the work, including proportion and other elements of style. Chapter I. The Architect: Erno Goldfinger Significance 1-3 Willow Road was controversial at the time of its conception, and the residents—as well as the city council—rejected the idea of its being built. â€Å"The Hampstead house was [originally] built for solicitor Geoffrey Walf ord of Piccadilly, his wife Ursula Walford and her four children from a first marriage.†1 Erno Goldfinger had to revise his plans several times before they were approved and construction could begin. Although a modern interpretation of a Georgian style building, it is an important example of the revolutionary ideas the architects of the Modern period hoped to establish. It was modeled after 18th- and 19th-century terrace houses, but built with modern materials and detailing. This building may be seen as part of the International style movement that has social and political undertones. These particular architects—being much more concerned with building homes for the everyday man rather than elaborately-decorated edifices that had characterized much of the architecture that had preceded it—also set forth to consider the function and utility of the structure. With the advances in new technology, new materials were invented. As such, these buildings were famous for b eing the first to utilize such technological advancements. Many new ideas in the arts and architecture flourished and Goldfinger’s work embodies these precepts. Therefore, 1-3 Willow Road is an excellent example of what one would call Modernist principles. Although he became more well known for his buildings following WWII, the houses on Willow Road can be seen as their precursors. Cultural and Historical Background Hampstead Heath, where Willow Road sits, is a celebrated and picturesque part of London, England. Just minutes by train from the heart of London, many people go there to enjoy the nearby countryside. There are many ponds, a garden filled with flowers and trees and an aviary, as well as a zoo. Mainly rural, the area has several ponds and acres of undeveloped land. Although the countryside has been well preserved there are many

Racial Discrimination in the Workplace Essay

Racial Discrimination in the Workplace Essay In the current time, the pay gap between the genders is still significant in most countries, which shows that there is discrimination against women in the workplace, as the graph below illustrates that women were more than twice as likely as men to say they have been victims of discrimination (Wilson, 2006). In the past century many people did not have equal rights to choose their jobs. For example women could not find jobs easily as men, because certain people believed that men were more qualified than women. In the current time, people strongly believe in human rights, but discrimination still exists, and the impacts of discrimination are serious in the workplace and in society. The effects of discrimination in the workplace are shown mainly in two ways. Firstly, discrimination directly deals with the increasing rate of unemployment. Gender discrimination exists in some companies. There are companies that do not employ women, and as a result women have less job opportunities. In addition, age discrimination exists in other companies. Young people may not find jobs after graduation, because some companies think that young peoples lack of experience would not benefit them. Secondly, discrimination results in decline in work efficiency. If a company discriminates against women, consequently this company will lose work balance. Furthermore age discrimination is also harmful to a company. For one, at an older age people have a lot of experience, but young people are full of enthusiasm and ideas, so these two groups are both important for a company. Racism has been identified as the belief that race is the main determinant of human capabilities, that a certain race is better than others, and that individuals should be treated differently according to their racial designation (Racism, 2010). The United States has come a long way in defeating discrimination in the workplace but it still has a long way to go. Although many minorities made great steps during the Affirmative Action years, today there is still a very low percentage of minorities in comparison to whites in corporate America. In addition, the graph below shows the percentage of minorities in the workplace, where they got only 34% of the total employment (Chow, 2010). Racism acts dont affect the racist himself/herself or only the people working with him/her, it involves the customers and the staff also. As seen in the graph below, the effect of racism is not limited to certain kind of people (Jones, 1996). The customers should be served in the best way possible no matter where they are from. Some employees may make the company lose many customers because of their actions. In the workplace there has to be harmony between the employees so the work flows easily and work gets done efficiently. But when there is discrimination between the staff, the environment becomes unhealthy, and consequently such actions would affect the company as a whole. For example, when employees are racist against each other, they wont be helpful to each other, and as a result the work wont be done effectively. Discrimination can be caused by many reasons in the work place, such as religion, hatred, and stereotyping. One of the main reasons of discrimination is religion, which can endanger the workplace. Religion may be a sensitive issue, and it might cause conflicts. Furthermore, in the workplace discrimination could occur just because of hatred. For example, some employees may think that another employee got a raise just because of his race, so they would discriminate and hate him/her. In the current time, most of the companies hire employees from different nationalities, because of globalization. Moreover, some of the employees may be racist to other nationalities and they would not accept having other nationalities working at the same level as they are. Moreover, stereotyping is another reason of discrimination. Someone may have had a bad experience with people from a certain region, and as a result this person may discriminate and stereotype anyone from this area because of the past experience. The consequences for racism in the workplace is massive, it includes lack of work flow, lost customers, and lawsuits. Racism would eliminate the efficiency of the work dynamics, as some employees may not work effectively with others so there will be a lack of the work flow. Furthermore, this might affect the company adversely. Additionally, if the company has racist employees this will affect the way they treat their customers. Consequently, the operation of the company will be affected, as many customers might feel discriminated or not appreciated and may leave the company and start going to other competitors. As well, the company might be at risk of racism lawsuits if it acquires racist employees. As a result, this is going to put the company and the employee at jeopardy. Moreover, if the company gets a reputation of race discrimination it would be harmful for its business. The graph below shows the number of discrimination cases filed by category to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (PERFORMANCE RESULTS, 2008). For a company to survive its business it has to have solutions and preventive measures for racism acts. This could be achieved by awareness by peer review, training, disciplinary acts, and even terminations. Companies that take efforts to attain cultural diversity are open to changes in corporate policies that give incentives for employees who increase productivity in their departments based on cultural diversity. Often, this translates into major changes in corporate policies, such as in engaging in peer reviews over the traditional boss/underling scenario. When managers are reviewed by those underneath them, there is less of a chance that they will engage in racist comments or actions. Plus, the company should give cultural diversity training to their employees so that they will be aware of their actions and words, that they might think its acceptable to say or do but its considered racist. Many times, racism is not a public, overt action. Sometimes, many people who think of themselves as without prejudice may make racist comments without even knowing they made them. They may hear others putting down a fellow worker and take notice but be completely ignorant of their own prejudices and behaviors. Saying something like â€Å"you sure are smart for a black man,† or a woman, or a Latino, is the kind of comment where the person usually has no sense of his or her own racism and many times think they had sincerely given the person a compliment. Furthermore, the graph below demonstrates the rate of discrimination while working in most countries around the world (Nita, 2008). Also, there has to be some kind of disciplinary acts within the company, so employees would be more careful of their actions toward each other, and toward customers. Disciplinary acts is important in such cases as it shows the importance of the issue and that such discriminating actions are not tolerated in the company. Furthermore, termination is considered as the final result of racism acts. For example, an employee is known of discriminating acts and the disciplinary acts have not shown any improvement in his/her actions. Therefore, termination must be considered so that the work environment would not be affected by such employees, and so that this racist employee would act as an example to all the other employees. In conclusion, racist are very successful at keeping their actions private, thats why racism in the workplace still exists. The fact that an employee doesnt publicly say discriminating words at the workplace does not absolutely mean he has had a change of heart. He still may meet outside of work with his/her colleagues, and engage in racist jokes or put-downs. The basic prejudice is still there, and as long as it is, there can be no comfort taken in the fact that actions in the workplace have changed. A racially-biased attitude remains. People cannot feel comfortable on making progress on discrimination in the workplace until this kind of attitude no longer exists (Racism In The Workplace, 2009). Chow, L. (2010, January 14). Mad Men Havent Changed Much Since The 1960s. Retrieved April 03, 2010, from National Public Radio: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122545036 Jones, J. M. (1996). Prejudice and racism. In J. M. Jones, Prejudice and racism. McGraw-Hill Humanities. Nita. (2008, March 5). Job discrimination at the workplace. Retrieved April 11, 2010, from http://nitawriter.wordpress.com/2008/03/05/job-discrimination-at-the-workplace/ PERFORMANCE RESULTS. (2008, November 26). Retrieved April 10, 2010, from The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: http://archive.eeoc.gov/abouteeoc/plan/par/2008/performance_results.html Racism. (2010, April). Retrieved April 02, 2010, from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism Racism In The Workplace. (2009). Retrieved April 11, 2010, from Knowledge Galaxy: http://www.knowledgegalaxy.net/racism_in_the_workplace/racism_in_the_workplace.html Wilson, D. C. (2006). When Equal Opportunity Knocks. GALLUP Management Journal , 1-4.

Critique of Keatings Teaching Methods in Dead Poets Society Essay

In the movie, Dead Poets Society, the basic idea of expression is being taught by Keating. Keating is a very unique instructor who uses many different methods of teaching to get the students involved, but he shows them ways to have fun also. That in itself is very unique. Keating is trying to release the emotions these students have within themselves. He is teaching them to make their lives extraordinary, think for themselves, and be an individual instead of a follower. In one lesson with these students he expressed this to the fullest, by having them rip out the introduction of their text books because of what J. Evans Pritchard, Ph.D. tells them to do with poetry. By ripping that out they realize that they have a mind of their own and others should not think for them or tell them what they should think. The most important lesson Keating teaches is "Carpe Diem," which means "Seize the Day." Even though this method of instruction is phenomenal and has many benefits, there are a few c ritiques on Keating's method of ...

Hnc Social Care Loss & Grief

Loss is something we all share and experience in life. There are different types of loss which affect our everyday lives, emotions and relationships. If our attachment is strong then we will feel stronger emotions. The complexity of our attachment will also dictate how we move through our grief. Grief has several components: physical, behavioural, emotional, mental, social and spiritual. Looking at an anticipated death for example when someone is terminally ill planning can be made well in advance of the loss happening. We may then experience anticipatory grief. This type of grief gives the bereaved an opportunity to gain closure. The bereaved would still feel emotions of fear, anger, guilt, sadness, blame and possibly denial. It can also have physical aspects such as upset stomach and shortness of breath. The impact of loss can also have cognitive responses like forgetfulness, lack of concentration or poor sleep patterns. However anticipatory grief gives the bereaved an opportunity to come to terms with the situation gradually, being able to attempt to start dealing with life without their loved one. Also they have the chance to say goodbye, thank you and I love you which can help with the process of healing after the death. Also with an anticipated death the person who have been diagnosed has a chance to prepare by arranging the funeral, having last requests and ensuring loose ends are tied so there is no problems with the will or assets after their death. All these things will have an effect on the bereaved loved ones and make the impacts of loss less harrowing once they have gone. In an unexpected death for example a heart attack, the impacts of the loss are intensified because there is no opportunity to prepare for the loss, say good bye. This type of loss can produce intense grief which would trigger emotions of shock, anger, guilt, sudden depression, despair and hopelessness. This could then begin erratic behaviour fearing for the worst and/or suffering from nightmares. The suddenness of the death could also mean the deceased has left unfinished business with the will which family members need to handle and this can put a further strain on already fragile relationships. Sudden deaths can cause a loved one to question their whole belief system as they try to come to terms with their loss. Two examples of a type of loss not associated with grief could be: A loss of employment could affect an individual because they then have a reduction in income and possibly not afford to keep payments on the mortgage therefore losing the family home. The financial strain could also mean less money is being spent on basic needs such as food, affecting the individuals physical well being, Emotionally the individual could suffer from a low self esteem, lack of confidence and a depreciating value of self worth. It could also lead to high levels of anxiety wondering when another job will come up. Additionally this could lead to stress and cause problems within close family relationships. These effects could be magnified if it is the main bread winner in the family who has lost their job. A second loss which is not associated with grief could be loss of an individual’s independence. I am familiar with a case where a boy who had been living freely at home was then moved into residential care. The impact of this loss on the said individual was feelings of confusion, anger and fear. He developed behavioural issues and problems sleeping due to the stress of the change. He felt trapped and unable to make basic decisions. It was only through lots of discussion and encouragement that trust was able to be developed. This individual was also going through emotions of abandonment and loneliness. I can relate John Bowlby (1986) theory in the above example of lost independence. Bowlby describes loss in three phases Protest, Disorganisation and Restructuring. The first phase Protest is made of emotions such as sadness, shock and disbelief. Appetite and sleep can also be disturbed at this stage according to Bowlby. In the incidence I spoke of the boy displayed these emotions. During the second stage disorganisation signs of despair, depression and withdrawal become apparent. In the incidence above the boy had stopped being social and was finding it difficult to sustain relationships with people in his life he was portraying social isolation. This took him onto Bowlby’s third stage restructuring where new levels of attachment are being formed and new interests, The boy developed trust and new relationships with his carers and starts to function in his new life. I am going to use Dr E Kubler Ross (1969) five stage model in relation to anticipated death. Dr Ross does state not everyone who experiences a life threatening or a life changing event goes through all five stages. Reactions to illness, death or losses are unique to such individual, The five stages in the Kubler-Ross Model is Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. Denial, when an individual maybe says things are going to be all right and pretend they are ok with the news of finding out they have a terminal illness. This then swiftly moves onto anger and could wonder why them? Why now at this time? Bargaining, searching for some type of hope. Then comes depression, wanting to stay away from loves ones and not discussing the illness realising the certainty of death. Which leads on to acceptance ready to face decisions and discuss, plan the death or ready to fight it and work towards recovery if possible? It is important to remember that these five stages may not necessarily be completed in chronological order nor may an individual go through all five stages. In relation to an unexpected death I have looked at Colin Murray Parkes (1996). Murray Parkes believes people have phases to go through in order to end the grieving process. He states the four phases are Numbness, Searching and Pinning, Depression and Recovery. During the numbness stage the bereaved carries on as normal in denial this way keeping themselves away from the pain and the grief of mourning, especially if the death is sudden and/or traumatic. Murray Parkes states these factors can affect a person’s grief response thus being the detriments of grief. This stage could last a long time as the bereaved may not be ready to adjust or move on. The last theorist I am going to use is Maslow hierarchy of needs 1943 in relation to loss of employment. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is often portrayed in the shape of a pyramid, with the largest and most fundamental levels of needs at the bottom and the need for self actualisation at the top. Maslow theory suggests an individual’s basic needs must be met before they have the desire or ability to meet the rest. If an individual has lost their job it could lead to the loss of basic needs such as food or shelter due to no income. This also affects your security and well being, leading to relationships in the family suffering and low self esteem. References Bowlby John (1980) Attachment and Loss Volume 3 Loss Sadness and Depression, New York, Basic Books College Notes Loss and Grief Janet Miller and Susan Gibb (2009), Care in Practise for Higher, Second Edition, Paisley, Hodder Gibson Kubler Ross (1969) On Death and Dying, Routledge Margaret S Stroebe and Wolfgang Stroebe (1993) Theory Research and Intervention, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press Neil Thompson (2002), People Skills, Second Edition, Hampshire, Palgrave MacMillan. Rudi Dallos and Eugene McLaughlin, (1991) Social Problems and the Family London, Sage Publishers.

Horniman Horticulture Essay

Executive Summary: Horniman Horticulture is a wholesale nursery located near Lynchburg, VA. Its owned by Bob and Maggie Brown. From 2002-2005, the nursery’s operations grew by more then 40%. Revenue growth has exceeded the industry benchmark. The nursery now consists of 52 greenhouses, 40 acres of land, and 12 full-time workers as well as 15 seasonal workers. Problem: While experiencing booming demand and improving margins, the Browns are confused by their plummeting cash balance. Analysis: Horniman’s current assets are growing over time, but in a less liquid fashion, less from cash and more from receivables and inventory. Horniman is not receiving money as quickly as they would hope, which is shown by the 9-day increase in receivable days since 2002 (exhibit 2 p.141). This figure is also well above its benchmark. The Inventory days increased every year as well and was well above the benchmark of 386.3. Payable days decreased much more than was expected, to 9.9 in 2005 when the benchmark was 27. What most likely happened is that as Horniman grew, it began selling inventories with higher margins and better financing options were being offered to its customers. Favorable terms are attractive to new clients but it can also increase risk of non-payment from customers. In terms of where the cash they have made is going, we must look at how they are distributing their cash flow. Most cash was invested back into the business itself to build capital. It seems as if every dollar of profit was put towards more net working capital. Recommendation: Increasing the payable days or lowering the day’s receivable outstanding would reduce the cash conversion cycle. Although it is important to invest cash back into the company for growth, a more conservative approach of holding on to more cash would benefit Horniman in the future.