Saturday, September 21, 2019
Typical Families Today Essay Example for Free
Typical Families Today Essay To even a casual observer of American society over the past five decades, drastic changes in the fundamental makeup of the American family and the perceived image of the American family are readily apparent. Many factors have contributed to the evolution of the American family; along with those changes, specific positive and negative impacts on the familial unit as a whole have been posited by sociologists and other observers and commentators. For many, the evolution of the American family signals a greater freedom for the individual; for many others, the evolution of the American family merely records a devolving of traditional cultural values and social support systems to modes of cultural disintegration.            Although it is difficult to determine with any reliability, the nature and true composition of a traditional American family, the surface-level societal image that stands as the most predominant is that of the nuclear family, which, while maintaining close ties among the immediate family members; mother, father, children differs from European (and other) cultures where family is extended much further into more distant relatives and tribal associations.             At any rate, and despite the differences between the nuclear family and deeper historical models, the American family as nuclear stands as the single most definable image of family in the recent past. This model emphasized a patriarchal power-structure with the father as provider and protector and the mother as home-maker and care-giver. Just as many familial models from other cultures prioritize the family itself as the focal point of preservation and development, the American nuclear model places scant interest on individual growth or happiness. Family conflicts and interpersonal estrangement were regarded as obstacles to be overcome within the inter-dynamics of the family itself; individual happiness was desired or permitted in relation to its overall impact on the familys security and foundations.            Although the model of the nuclear family was likely never more than a functional abstraction for many people, for others, it did comprise a model by which to live and, indeed, sizable amounts of people did live their lives under the auspices of the nuclear family. In time, cultural evolution suggests that the restrictions on individual freedom, identity and ambition played a crucial role in the eventual breakdown of the nuclear family.            Among other key elements, The sexual revolution, womens liberation, relaxation of divorce laws, and greater mobility have been cited as forces which are fracturing the traditional family structure, and these fractures are typically viewed as quite serious and with long-lasting consequences. In considering the sexual revolution it must be noted that this concept extends not only to unmarried couples with children, but to homosexual couples, childless couples, and those who are involved in some combination of the above. The opening of individual freedoms relative to sexual behavior has plunged the U.S into a rapidly changing family relationship landscape. Every assumption made about the family structure has been challenged, from the outer boundaries of single mothers raising out-of-wedlock children to gay couples having or adopting children to grandparents raising their grandchildren (Lebey, 2001, p. 20).            the increase in womens rights and legal recourses resulted in a rising number of divorces which contributed to the evolution of the American family. Single mothers and divorced couples rose in prominence among the statistical realities of how people actually lived rather than how Americans would like to imagine they lived. The evolution in traditional family structure started slow but maintained a steady pressure:            Fault lines in Americans family structure were widening throughout the last 40 years of          the 20th century. The cracks became evident in the mid 1970s when the divorce rate            doubled. According to a 1999 Rutgers University study, divorce has risen 30% since   1970; the marriage rate has fallen faster; and just 38% of Americans consider themselves     happy in their married state, a drop from 53% 25 years ago. Today, 51% of all marriages     end in divorce.                                    (Lebey, 2001, p. 20)            The basic shift is one from prioritizing the family, itself, as an end to be attained and the idea of the individual as the most important factor in developing life-relationships, career paths, sexual orientation, and lifestyle. Whereas by compulsion under the nuclear family, those family members who felt alienated or disregarded by their families were expected to deal with their alienation within the context of the family itself and certainly not by leaving the family, out-right, or out-right rejecting the familys primacy. If we grant Lebeys assertion that the four main societal changes [that have] occurred that have had an enormous impact on the traditional family structure. The sexual revolution, womens liberation movement, states relaxation of divorce laws, and mobility of American families then we should also take special note that her latter point: mobility of families and family members has probably played a larger role than any other single component in the actualization of the modern family. (Lebey, 2001, p. 20)             If our culture tends to focus on the individual, or, at most, on the nuclear family, downplaying the benefits of extended families, though their role is vital in shaping our lives it also protects and preserves individuals freedom of choice and freedom of lifestyle far above the sanctity or preservation of the family. Mobility is the most direct expression of individual freedom: The notion of moving on whenever problems arise has been a time-honored American concept. Too many people would rather cast aside some family member than iron out the situation and keep the relationship alive (Lebey, 2001, p. 20).            Mobility is not always a matter of choice but is often a matter of personal necessity driven on by employment conditions or other economic factors. Statistically, during the 10 years from 1989 to 1999, more than 5,000,000 families were relocated one or more times by their employers and this relocation is often driven by economic advancement and/or a safer place to raise children. From March, 1996, to March, 1997, 42,000,000 Americans, or 16% of the population, packed up and moved from where they were living to another location(Lebey, 2001, p. 20).            In addition to mobility, another aspect of lacing such a large emphasis on individual happiness and orientation is the idea that individual happiness is not only the paramount objective for personal decision making and interpersonal relationships, but that this idea of happiness should be also considered nearly inviolable. That is, the individual is socially conditioned to believe that any state that is less than happy is somehow abnormal, undesirable and should be remedied as soon as possible by whatever means: For at least 20 years, the pharmaceutical industry has learned how to cash in on the American obsession with feeling good by hyping mood drags to rewire the brain circuitry for happiness through the elimination of sadness and depression and this idea of constant happiness of course extends to ones marriages and familial relationships. (Lebey, 2001, p. 20)            If one begins to regard individual happiness and individual ambition as the primary points of consideration in resolving inter-personal conflicts and especially inter-familial relationships, it is far more likely that breaks rather than repairations will be the result when issue of personal alienation or the restriction of self-expression and lifestyle intrude upon familial relationships. The overall decrease in an individuals willingness to work out tehir problems whatever they are and wherever they find themselves, along wiht a corresponding increase in the idea of mobility, freedom, disposable jobs and relationship, brings about conditions which highly favor the radical evolution of the American family from its not-so-distant nuclear image.            The central question regarding the societal impact of the evolution of the American family on the societys well-being as a whole pivots on the idea of individual vs. collective rights. In other words, the evolution away form traditional family models toward those which encourage and encompass a much larger degree of individuality has resulted in a breakdown of the traditional family but also a breakthrough in individual freedoms and liberties. Whether or not the cult of the individual will provide a sufficient enough substitution for nuclear family values in terms of providing for a healthy, growing, and just society remains to be seem. What is obvious is that traditional family models: one man, one women with fairly rigid gender roles and social mores is, indeed, a thing of the past.            The increasing number of non-married couples with children, of gay and lesbian couples with children, of single-parent families, and other non-traditional models is a highly visible indication of the social changes now occurring in America. No less visible or impacting is the rise of individuality and individual-orientation in American society which has both occasioned the breakdown of traditional family models and been enabled by the breakdown of traditional social mores and images of the typical American family.       Reference Lebey, B. (2001, September). AMERICAN FAMILIES Are Drifting Apart. USA Today (Society        for the Advancement of Education), 130, 20.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Definition Of SME In China
Definition Of SME In China Abstract Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background A large number of Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) came out in 1980s as China has been moving from a centrally planned system towards a market-oriented economy. State-owned enterprises (SOEs) have been involved in the economic reforms. Until the end of 2004, major SOEs rapidly change into small and medium non-SOEs. At the same time, many SMEs sprouted as the implementation of non-SOE promotion policy. Nowadays, Chinese SMEs have increasingly contributed to Chinas economic growth. As recorded until 2007, there are 42,291 medium-sized enterprises and 2,327,969 small enterprises which represent 1.78 percent and 98 percent respectively of the total number of enterprises operating in China. The output value of SMEs contributed at least 60 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) as well as generating more than 82 percent of employment opportunities in China. Since SMEs growth rapidly and pay the critical roles in Chinas economic, in order to improve SMEs performance, the governmen t has provided various ways to support SMEs such as introduced promotion law in 2003, issued a document State Council on Encouraging, Supporting and Guiding the Development of Private and Other Non-Public Owned Economies in 2005 and published the SMEs growth project in 2006. Despite the external support, the internal factor such as human resource management (HRM) has been evolving dramatically in recent years. The Chinese labor market is characterized by a vast pool of poorly qualified personnel, more than 15 per cent of the populations are illiterate and many university graduates lack marketable skills. The shortage of top-class professionals and managers is acute, especially in areas such as accounting, HRM and marketing. Aggravating such shortages is the concentration of professionals in the major coastal cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou (Verburg, 1996). Human Resource Management in China as new as its market economy, with its traditional personnel administrative system undergoing a period of profound change. Besides, HRM in China are different from those in other countries because of different political, economic systems and social and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, HRM in China faces several problems. First, Chinese enterprises in general do not have a systematic approach to HRM that is consistent with their enterprise business strategy. Second, despite the oversupply of labor, many employees are experiencing recruitment and retention problems. Third, there is a lack of an effective system which links long-term motivation and performance with reward. Forth, there is a lack of coherence and continuity in enterprise training. The growth of human capital is obviously lagging behind that of enterprise profit (Pawan, 2004). Hence, this study aims to find out what are the problems about HRM in Chinese SMEs, what are the roles of HRM in SMEs, how is the role of HRM affect employee performance, and extent where this employee performance affect organization performance. 1.1.1 Definition of SME in China With the SME Promotion Law of China effect in 2003, the new definition of SME came out as well. The new guidelines base on the number of employees, revenue and total assets of enterprises. The SME definition in China is quiet complex. Such as the specific criteria about the total assets of enterprises in industrial sector, including mining, manufacturing, electric power, gas, water production and supply and construction. However, in the industries like transportation, wholesale and retail business, and hotels and restaurants, there is no assets requirement. Guidelines for the industrial sector requires SMEs to employ a maximum 2,000 people, and to have an annual revenue not exceeding RMB300 million. Their total assets should not exceed RMB 400 million. Medium-sized enterprises should employ a minimum of 300 people. Their annual revenue and total assets should not exceeding RMB30 million and 40 million respectively. The rest are classified as small enterprises (Details see EXHIBIT 1-1 ). Consequently, an SME in China may be quite large relative to SMEs in other countries. Therefore, this paper mainly focuses on small enterprises (SEs), including the problems of SE, the survey of SEs, and the recommendations about human resource perspective for SEs. EXHIBIT 1-1 The definition of SME in China 1.1.2 Challenges to Chinese SMEs During the twenty-first century, businesses became more than slim; some became anorexic. Cost cutting achieved impressive short-term results. According to some studies, about 50 per cent of the company cost is the employee salary pay. Therefore, in order to cut operation cost, companies start to cut employee salary. Consequently, cutting the pay for the employee caused employee dissatisfaction and left. In China, the serious problem which the organization faces is the shortage of skilled staff to carry out maintenance and repairs or lack of trained employee. Likewise, one of the significant difficulties of SME is the cost of doing business in industrial areas and host towns are high; physical infrastructure is poor; and operational costs are high. 1.2 Research objectives In general, small firms pay less attention to human resource management than their larger counterparts do (Barron et al., 1987; Hornsby and Kuratko, 1990). The available empirical information on HRM within SMEs suggests that smaller firms make less use of high performance HRM practices than larger organizations do (Barron et al., 1987; Homsby and Kuratko, 1990). This is in line with the finding that small organizations are in general more likely to operate in an informal and flexible manner than larger firms are. For instance, Koch and McGrath (1996) find that, normally, firm size is positively related with the incidence of HRM planning and formal training, and with the level of overall HRM sophistication. Westhead and Storey (1997, 1999) find that both managers and employees are less likely to get formal training in a small firm. In a study by Jackson et al., (1989), smaller companies are found to have less formalized performance appraisals, less likelihood of bonuses based on compa ny productivity and less training than larger companies do. Aldrich and Langton (1997) find that larger companies have more formalized recruitment practices. However, firm size is not the only factor in predicting HRM practices. A large heterogeneity exists in the type and formalization of HRM practices found among smaller firms. Thus, this study aims to find out the problems of HRM within Chinese SMEs, to increase our understanding of HRM practices in SMEs and seek out what are the roles of HRM in SMEs. What is more, the impact of HRM practice will be also considered, via the chain of better HRM, better outcomes, to better firm performance, and then to better and more sustainable economic performance in the national economy. As well as what are the challenges for HRM in Chinses SMEs. 1.3 Problem statement The importance of HRM has received much attention in recent years. Some researchers approved that the practive of HRM might lead to better HRM outcomes that can enhance firm performance (Beer, Spector, Lawerence, Mills and Walton 1984; Fombrun, Tichy and Devanna 1984; Guest 1987; 1997; Schuler 1988; 1997). As well as suggest by Boselie et al.,(2001) and Guest (1997), increase usage of high performance HRM practices is generally associated with improved firm performance. Moreover, as MeEvoy (1984) already suggested, HRM practices may be an important cause of small-firm success or failure. However, there has different view of HRM. Some argued that there is a weak link between HRM and performance (Lee and Chee 1996; MacDeffie 1995; Purchell 1995; Dunphy and Stace 1992; Wong et al. 1997). In the recent Chinese economy, what are roles of HRM may contribute to better behavioral outcomes, and thus lead to better enterprise performance? Therefore, this study addressed the following research questions: RQ1: What are the roles of HRM in Chinese SMEs? RQ2: Do the roles of HRM enhance employee performance? If so, which role is the most important? RQ3: To what extent the employee performance affect the organizational performance? RQ4: What are the challenges to HRM in Chinese SMEs? The basic hypothesis is that the roles of HRM improve employee satisfaction. Further, positive employee satisfaction is positively correlated to employee performance. Consequently, positive employee performance is positively correlated to organizational performance.The Structural Equation Model as bellow: Organizational performance Employee performance Employee satisfaction The role of HRM H1: The role of HRM improve employee satisfaction H2: Positive employee satisfaction is positively correlated to employee performance H3: Positive employee performance is positively correlated to organizational performance 1.4 Research motivation How to manage an organizations workforce is a fundamental aspect of each organization, irrespective of its size. Enterprises are faced with the task of recruiting and retaining a suitable workforce. This is not only a challenge for large enterprises, but also for small and medium-sized enterprises. The increasing attention on HRM in SMEs is a comparatively recent phenomenon. HR- researchers have largely ignored the SMEs, even though smaller companies could be fruitful subjects for empirical investigation because their numbers, the growth-rates and not least diversity in the qualitative aspects of management practices. Traditionally, HRM is not being seen as important as other departments like marketing, accounting, operation. There are two reasons for the lack of interest for the HRM in SMEs. Firstly, the managers and/or owners of the SMEs, often ignored personnel, or HR issues like training and development, performance management, employee counseling etc. It seems that the mangers have the view that HRM is unresponsive or not tailorised enough to their needs, and it is considered too costly and activity to carry for a small organization. The lack of appropriateness, expectation of the activities being too bureaucratic, time consuming and the lack of clarity concerning direct effects etc., has resulted in very limited attention to the approach and the techniques associated with it among management (often without any background knowledge on personnel and HR). Earlier studies indicate even traditional personnel activities are rather seldom used in SMEs. Accordingly, with the growth of SMEs in China, and SMEs have increasingly contributed to Chinas economic growth, we need to pay attention to the SMEs performance, or we can say pay attention to HRM in SMEs. As HRM issue always been ignored, especially in SMEs, the researcher attend to do this research to explore the problems regarding HRM within SMEs and the roles of HRM in SMEs as well as the challenges for HRM in Chinese SMEs. 1.5 Scope of research Based on regional distribution (see EXHIBIT 1-2), 68.58 percent of SMEs are located in the east of China, 20.14 percent in the middle of China, 11.28 percent in the west of China. Small enterprises in the top five provinces make up 48.4 percent of all small enterprises. These provinces are all located in the eastern area of China which is Jiangsu, Zhengjiang, Guandong, Shanghai, and Shandong with 11.6 percent, 11 percent, 10.4 percent, 9.9 percent, 8.9 percent, and 7.6 percent of all SEs, respectively. EXHIBIT 1-2 Distribution of registered types of small enterprises (see EXHIBIT 1-3) is as follows: domestic enterprises in mainland China make up 96.1 percent of the total; HK-, Macao- and Taiwan-based enterprises, 2 percent; and foreign enterprises, 1.9 percent. Meanwhile, private enterprises comprise 66.1 percent of all SEs. EXHIBIT 1-3 Chapter 2 Literature review 2.1 Human Resource Management overview (à ¦Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬  µ) HRM is about the management of an organizations workforce. Managing a workforce first of all requires the presence of a workforce, which calls for activities in the fields of recruitment, selection, appraisal and compensation. Next, the workforce must be organized. Tasks and responsibilities must be determined and communicated. To ensure that employees possess required knowledge and skills, training and development activities can be carried out. Such activities may influence the working climate within the organization, and thus employee commitment and job satisfaction. Organizations may also employ activities that directly aim to improve commitment and satisfaction, either because job satisfaction is a goal in itself, or because it is believed to have a positive impact on organizational performance. 2.1.1 Roles of Human Resource Management In the past few years, roles of HR professionals were viewed in terms of transition from operational to strategic, qualitative to quantitative, policing to partnering, short-term to long-term, administrative to consultative, functionally oriented to business oriented, internally focused to externally and customer-focused, reactive to proactive, activity-focused to solutions-focused. However, these transitions are too simplistic. In fact, the roles of HR professionals are in reality, multiple and not single. In order to create value and deliver results, HR professionals must begin not by focusing on the activities or work of HR but by defining the deliverables of that work. Therefore, Dave, (1997) came out the framework of four key roles of HR professional (See EXHIBIT 2-1). The two axes represent the HR professionals focus and activities. Focus ranges from long-term/strategic to short-term/operational. HR professionals must learn to be both strategic and operational, focusing on the long term and short term. Activities rang from managing process (HR tools and systems) to managing people. These two axes delineate four principal HR roles which are: (1) Management of strategic human resources; (2) Management of firm infrastructure; (3) Management of the employee contribution; and (4) management of transformation and change. In other words, the roles of HR professional are strategic partner; administrative expert; employee champion and change agent. Table 2-1 summarizes the deliverables, metaphor and activities the HR professional must perform to fulfill the role. EXHIBIT 2-1 HR Roles in Building a Competitive Organization Table 2-1 Definition of HR roles Management of Strategic Human Resources This role focuses on aligning HR strategies and practices with business strategy which requires that the HR professional works as a strategic partner, helping to ensure the success of business strategies. Translating business strategic into HR practices so that the business can adapt to change, better meet customer demands and achieve financial performance through its more effective execution of strategy. Management of Firm Infrastructure Management an organizational infrastructure is a traditional HR role. This role requires HR professionals design and deliver efficient HR processes for staffing, training, appraising, rewarding, promoting and managing the flow of employees. HR professionals must ensure that these organizational processes are designed and delivered efficiently. Management of Employee Contribution This role indicates that HR professionals involve in the day-to-day problems, concerns and needs of employees. As employee champions, HR professionals need to understand employees needs and ensure that those needs are met, overall employee contribution goes up. Therefore, HR professionals should be active and aggressive in developing human resource, linking employee contributions to the organizations success. Management of Transformation and Change The final role of HR professional is to management transformation and change. Transformation entails fundamental cultural change within the firm. Change refers to the ability of an organization to improve the design and implementation of initiatives and to reduce cycle time in all organizational activities. HR professionals help to indentify and implement processes for change. Ulrich, in conjunction with Brockbank, reformulated the 1997 model in 2005, listing the following roles: Employee advocate focuses on the need of todays employees through listening understanding and empathizing. Human capital developer in the role of managing and developing human capital (individuals and teams), focuses on preparing employees to be successful in the future. Functional expert concerned with HR practices that are central to HR value, acting with insight on the basis of the body of knowledge they process. Some are delivered through administrative efficiency (such as technology or process design), and others through policies, menus and interventions. Necessary to distinguish between the foundation HR practices recruitment, learning and development, rewards, etc and the emerging HR practices such as communications, work process and organization design, and executive leadership development. Strategic partner consists of multiple dimensions: business expert, change agent, strategic HR planner, knowledge manager and consultant, combining them to align HR systems to help accomplish the organizations vision and mission, helping managers to get things done, and disseminating learning across the organization. Leader leading the HR function, collaborating with other functions and providing leadership to them, setting and enhancing the standards for strategic thinking and ensuring corporate governance. 2.1.2 Strategy Human Resource Management There is a growing awareness of the importance of human resources as well as strategy HRM. An integral component of organizing and staffing is SHR, which is becoming more widely recognized as critical to developing and implementing considered responses to profit pressures (Kawalek and wastall, 2005; Lam and Schaunbroeck, 1998; Murphy and Zandvakili, 2005). As a result, .Much attention has been given to SHR in recent years (Ericksen and Dyer, 2005; Martin-Alcazar, Romero-Fernandez, and Sanchez-Gardey, 2005; Richard and Johnson, 2004). Strategy HRM is an approach to making decisions on the intentions and plans of the organization in the shape of the policies, programmes and practices concerning the employment relationship, resourcing, learning and development, performance management, reward, and employee relations. According to Hendary and Pettigrew (1986), strategic HRM has four meanings: 1. The use of planning; 2. A coherent approach to the design and management of personnel systems based on an employment policy and manpower strategy and often underpinned by a philosophy; 3. Matching HRM activities and policies to some explicit business strategy; 4. Seeing the people of the organization as a strategic resource for the achievement of competitive advantage. SHR is concerned with the contributions HR strategies make to organizational effectiveness, and how these contributions are accomplished (Ericksen and Dyer, 2005) and involves designing and implementing a set of internally consistent policies and practices to ensure that an ganizations human capital contributes to overall business objectives (Baird and Heshoulam, 1988; Huselid, Jackson, and Schuler, 1997; Jackson and Schuler, 1995; Richard and Johnson, 2004; Schuler and Jackson, 1987). The idea that HR management systems can play a significant role in creating success for organizations is not new. Porter (1985), for example, argued that HR management practices can help organizations gain competitive advantage by lowering costs, increasing sources of product and service differentiation, or some combination of the two. 2.1.3 Strategy Human resource vs Traditional Human Resource Strategic HR differs from traditional HR in a number of ways: 1. In a traditional approach to HR, the main responsibility for people management programs rests with staff specialists in the corporate HR division. A strategic approach places the responsibility for managing people with the individuals most in contact with them, their respective line managers. 2. Traditional HR focuses its activities on employee relations, ensuring that employees are motivated and productive and that the organization is in compliance with all necessary employment laws. Strategic HR focus to partnerships with internal and external. 3. Transitioning From HR to SHR Although HR has made great strides in becoming more strategic, it has yet to fully achieve an established role as a strategic business partner. SHR expands the traditional role of I i R from bureaucratic to strategic (Leonard, 2002). Due to the tremendous differences between traditional HR perspectives and SHR, it is not shocking that few organizations are successful in transitioning to SHR (Fisher, Schoenfeldt, and Shaw, 2003). For HR to become a strategic business partner, a complete change in mind-set is needed. Table 1 provides a discussion of the key issues or aspects of HR management and examines differences between what is required for traditional and strategic HR. Fundamental Mind-set Lepak and Snell (1998) report that a survey of 1,050 companies indicated that HR professionals devote less than one-third of their time to SHR activities. Instead, their time is spent on traditional activities. (Fisher, Schoenfeldt, and Shaw, 2003; Creen, 2002). In short, the basic mind-set of traditional HR is very transactional in nature-strict focus on these basic activities does not bode well for perceiving HR as strategic. The most frequently cited barriers limiting HR departments to more effectively contribute to their organizations bottom line were HRs strong focus on administration and the inability to directly measure HRs impact on the bottom line (Fegiey, 2006). This may contribute to a perception that HR merely plays an operational role and is not an important strategic partner. Therefore, SHR requires a different mind-set, one that focuses on organizational transformations, as well as transactions. SHR can play a more consultative role in organizations in which HR profess ionals help organizations achieve goals within the larger organizations HR system (Creen, 2002). Additionally, SHR can be more involved in transformations using change management techniques instead of strictly focusing on the transactional activities. SHR can fulfill an important role in change management by helping upper management understand the fear of change and the negative reactions to it, as well as ameliorate anxiety and prepare the work force for change. It appears that some HR professionals recognize this need (cf., Harvey and Dentà ³n, 1999), but it is uncertain if HR is currently prepared to take on such roles. View of Organization Some contend that HR professionals suffer from a lack of vision when it comes to the big picture of the organization {Leonard, 1998). HR management tends to hold a micro view of the organization and HR managers are viewed as somewhat insular, focusing solely on their HR departments and on day to-day operations. In fact, many HR professionals see the HR function as a separate entity and are not involved in finding business solutions{Caudron, 2002). For example, HR planning often takes place separately from the overall strategic planning process and only at set intervals (e.g., annually). Additionally, HR planning is often used as a means of convincing top management to allocate sufficient resources for HR rather than to enhance the organizational performance process (Lam and Schaubroeck, 1998). Although HR planning is important in its own right, even the most sophisticated HR planning processes are ineffective unless done in concert with the organizations overall planning process (Dav id, 2005; Lam and Schaubroeck, 1998). HR should develop a broad and far-reaching vision and understanding of where the organization is headed and how it can help steer the organization in that direction (Leonard, 1998). The importance of the need for a fit between HR strategy and the overall business strategy cannot be over emphasized. HR needs to focus on recruitment alignment, selection, compensation, discipline, training, reward and recognition processes, and leadership development with the strategy and goals of the overall organization. HR must understand the business and make a business case for its decisions, programs, and practices to receive full acceptance at the planning table. Education and Training Another area where HR needs enhancement to become more strategic is in its formal education and training (Meilich, 2005). First, many HR practitioners do not have formal training or education in HR management. Recently, the Society for Human Resource Management surveyed members concerning the strategic nature of HR. Surprisingly, only 35 percent of the respondents indicated that their highest level of education completed involved a concentration in HR (Fegley, 2006). Additionally, many HR professionals do not have business degrees, often reflecting inadequate knowledge of business principles and practices. The survey revealed that only 20 percent of the respondents indicated that their highest degree completed was a B.B.A. or MBA (Fegley, 2006). Consequently, many HR professionals may not have adequate understanding of business concepts that are critical for acceptance as a strategic partner. HR has the potential to positively affea numerous important business activities but HR profe ssionals need to strengthen their knowledge of HR practices and regulations as well as financial knowledge, especially in the areas of business finance, financial planning, and accounting, to do so. While a change concerning HR education and training is needed, traditional HR education should not be abandoned. Rather, its important to develop business-related capabilities to complement the technical HR capabilities that HR professionals already possess. Critical Skills Another potential barrier to strategic HR management is the basic skill set or competencies that traditional HR professionals possess. Like lawyers, HR professionals are trained to be orderly, keep accurate employment records, complete documentation, and protect organizations from litigation (Green, 2002). Although such skills are necessary, many HR professionals mistakenly see this as their only job. Senior managers need HR professionals to serve as problem solvers, conflict managers, coaches, and liaisons with considerable organizational savvy (Green, 2002). HR practitioners must re-examine their existing skills and competencies to meet these new challenges. IIR professionals may look to develop additional skill sets such as critical thinking, strategic planning, project management, organizational analysis, consulting, and change management (Hayton, Cohen, Hume, Kaufman, and Taylor, 2005). This is quite a shift from what is traditionally expected, but it is essential for HR profess ionals who are working to become strategic partners. View of Employees Traditionally, HR views employees as heads or costs to the organization. With traditional HR serving mostly an administrative function, this attitude is somewhat understandable. However, this view is certainly not strategic in nature, and surely will become even more problematic as the United States experiences the labor shortages that are forecasted. The tight labor market of the present and future will make recruiting and retention top priorities in most organizations (Leonard, 1998). Hnder these conditions, the margin for error is small and the costs associated with selecting the wrong employees or losing the right ones is exacerbated. Therefore, it is critical to view employees as extremely valuable sources of produaivity and innovation. Timeframe As previously discussed, traditional HR professionals focus more closely on the transactional aspeas of their jobs. Most of these transaaional functions fulfill immediate needs of the organization and have a near-term deadline. As a result, most traditional HR practitioners are somewhat short-term in their focus. In contrast, SHR requires a long-term focus encompassing both the immediate and future needs of the organization. SHR must anticipate where the company is going to be in five to six years and help organizations understand the impact of changing demographics and expectations of the work force (Leonard, 1998). Process/Outcome Orientation when it comes to the bottom line, many believe HR has generally been out to lunch (Leonard, 1998). Some HR professionals seem more concerned with processes than with results. While issues concerning processes (e.g., employee participation, fairness, due process) are important, IIR must place more emphasis on results and work to understand how internal decisions and actions affect the bottom line. To accomplish this effectively, HR needs to measure the effects of its systems and processes, and demonstrate their impact on the bottom tine to gain equal status in the strategic planning process. Currently, fewer than half of HR departments have an established method to measure the effectiveness of their strategies (Fegley, 2006). Through measurement, HR can help demonstrate its value to the organization while tracking how well the organization is implementing various policies, systems, and initiatives, and ensuring that the desired behaviors and processes support the organizations strateg ic goals (Pfeffer, 1995). Risk HR professionals are typically risk averse, tending to err on the side of caution as they comply with the myriad laws and regulations. HR is often seen as the entity that stops companies from doing the right things (Caudron, 1997) rather than helping companies achieve their goals and objectives. One can argue that extreme caution may be appropriate in some circumstances; however. traditional HR can generalize this approach across its functions. More risk taking is required in todays business environment. Organizations must now respond to change faster and with greater risk while operating in an unpredictable internal and external environment (Briggs and Keogh, 1999). HR practitioners should display a willingness to try new things to meet the challenges of todays global marketplace (Leonard, 2002). Response to Change HR should accept some blame for the stumbling blocks experienced in working to achieve equal status as a strategic business partner. Chief among these problems is the HR professions resistance to change (Leonard, 2002). As a group, HR practitioners have been slow to respond to changes in their jobs and in the business environment. Perhaps the most critical or damaging instance is the slow acceptance of technology. Originally, numerous HR professionals viewed technology as something that would eliminate many of their jobs, rather than enhance their roles and responsibilities. Purthermore, some were reluctant to give up their paper-based processes (Leonard, 2002). This reluctance to accept technology damages the professions image and makes HR slower to react to workplace changes, To become more strategic, HR must accept and respond to changes in the business environment. In addition to ensuring their own viability, HR professionals should show more responsiveness to change in the futur e. HR Systems and Practices Perhaps to simplify and standardize their policies and practices, traditional HR often prefers a one-size fits-a
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Latin American Hydroelectricity Research :: essays papers
Latin American Hydroelectricity Research Financial Analysis of Latin America Opportunity The following is an illustration of the financial feasibility of a joint venture hydro electricity power plant project in Central America. Estimating the estimated costs of our proposed project, our group chose to use Commonwealth Edison as a comparison. Commonwealth Edison, a subsidiary of Unicom Corp, is used as an assessment of our hypothetical costs of providing electricity for Central America. Using Commonwealth Edison we feel provides a good measure of the validity of estimated costs our corporation would incur. Generally Accepted Accounting Principals (GAAP), used by all U.S. corporations, is the highest standard in the world in determining the validity of a corporation's financial statements. In the subsequent paragraphs, we will demonstrate costs of the joint venture project. Future growth rates in Central America market share for electricity will be projected as well. One of the benefits that our corporation will have in expansion to Central America is a lower cost of capital. A substantially larger pool of investors would provide a larger supply of loanable funds. Having a greater selection of borrowers in the international market will reduce the cost of starting our firm in Central America. Portfolio diversification is another advantage that our firm will attain, in regards to foreign investment in the financing of our project. The projections of the percentage of debt our firm will incur will be discussed in the following paragraphs. In looking at the average debt to equity ratio (D/E) of hydroelectric firms in the U.S., we feel that a 67% debt / 33% equity structure would be feasible to initially launch our firm in Central America. To use a comparison, Commonwealth Edison's plant and equipment assets total $28.245 billion. Com Ed provides electricity for over 6.5 million residents in Chicago, and other segments of Illinois. The total population of Central America - (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua) total to 35.5 million. Taking account these statistics, plant and equipments costs for our firm providing the Central American region would cost $154.22 billion. Using this cost estimate, we would finance $103.33 billion though new market issuance in the U.S. 30 -year Treasury market. At a $100,000/ per U.S. Treasury bond face amount, we would need to have access to 1.03 million 30 yr bond contracts, at the prevailing market interest rate of 6.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Callie Khouris Thelma and Louise - Moving Beyond the Male Experience E
Even in today's growing world of feminism, young girls, as well as grown women, are being taught by the media to organize their lives around men. Their needs, expectations, work schedules, ideas, and interests become second to the men in their lives. All too often the media associates power and status to men, only to strengthen the barriers between the male and female genders. Take for example Hollywood, where "women get only about a third of all movie and TV roles, and last year earned less than male actors in all age categories..."(Eby, 1). And even though gender should not be used as the determining factor of what one can and cannot do, Hollywood, as well as everywhere else, has proven that the old habits of gender discrimination die hard, if at all. Luckily, there exist screenwriters and filmmakers who aren't afraid to step outside the limitations of gender, stirring up some controversy. Callie Khouri, creator of "Thelma and Louise" is the exception to this rule. Awarded "Best Original Screenplay", the film challenges our preconceived notions of gender limitations by "giving a feminine twist to a pair of all too familiar Hollywood genres, the road picture and the buddy picture"(NY Times, 1991). The "road and buddy movie" usually calls for men in the lead roles, whereas "Thelma and Louise" called for Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. A film such as this one allowed for two women to get into dangerous trouble, enjoy themselves, and "unmask the other sex"; actions normally reserved for men (NY Times, 1991). According to Ms. Khouri, the script of "Thelma and Louise" was infact, "a conscious effort to counter what [she] sees as Hollywood's tendency to limit women's roles to easily identifiable types such as bimbos, whores, and nagging wives"(NY Times, 1991). She therefore uses the characters in the movie not so much to prove a point, but instead to make a point. At the same time that Ms. Khouri is making her point, the movie becomes somewhat of a catharsis for women. "Thelma and Louise" is supposed to be "about what every woman knows"(Eby,4). Though rape is a major issue that is used in the movie, it is not supposed to be the only issue women relate to. The general comparison between the women on screen and the women in the audience should be the feeling of at one time or another having been threatened, having been treated as inferior, or having foun... ...y she begins to snap under the pressure. In one particular scene, the role reversal becomes most obvious to the audience. Louise finds out that Thelma has left JD alone in her hotel room with the money which Jimmy had brought them. By the time the girls make it back to the room, JD and the money are long gone. Louise comes to the realization that the control she once possessed has now escaped her. Thelma, who watches as her friend crumbles before her eyes, realizes that she needs to break free from her child-like persona and take control of the situation. Thelma takes on a new sense of responsibility and maturity. She gives Louise a chance to finally let her guard down. "This is a movie about the adventures of women, and that's rare. And that really sad that its rare and we can't think of another movie like this"(LA Times, 1991). Thelma and Louise was a movie written and produced to give women an opportunity to finally tell their story in a society where the media is all too often dominated by males. This was an opportunity to move females from the roles of girlfriend and side interest into the leading role. It is no longer about a man's experiences and a man's adventures. Callie Khouri's Thelma and Louise - Moving Beyond the Male Experience E Even in today's growing world of feminism, young girls, as well as grown women, are being taught by the media to organize their lives around men. Their needs, expectations, work schedules, ideas, and interests become second to the men in their lives. All too often the media associates power and status to men, only to strengthen the barriers between the male and female genders. Take for example Hollywood, where "women get only about a third of all movie and TV roles, and last year earned less than male actors in all age categories..."(Eby, 1). And even though gender should not be used as the determining factor of what one can and cannot do, Hollywood, as well as everywhere else, has proven that the old habits of gender discrimination die hard, if at all. Luckily, there exist screenwriters and filmmakers who aren't afraid to step outside the limitations of gender, stirring up some controversy. Callie Khouri, creator of "Thelma and Louise" is the exception to this rule. Awarded "Best Original Screenplay", the film challenges our preconceived notions of gender limitations by "giving a feminine twist to a pair of all too familiar Hollywood genres, the road picture and the buddy picture"(NY Times, 1991). The "road and buddy movie" usually calls for men in the lead roles, whereas "Thelma and Louise" called for Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. A film such as this one allowed for two women to get into dangerous trouble, enjoy themselves, and "unmask the other sex"; actions normally reserved for men (NY Times, 1991). According to Ms. Khouri, the script of "Thelma and Louise" was infact, "a conscious effort to counter what [she] sees as Hollywood's tendency to limit women's roles to easily identifiable types such as bimbos, whores, and nagging wives"(NY Times, 1991). She therefore uses the characters in the movie not so much to prove a point, but instead to make a point. At the same time that Ms. Khouri is making her point, the movie becomes somewhat of a catharsis for women. "Thelma and Louise" is supposed to be "about what every woman knows"(Eby,4). Though rape is a major issue that is used in the movie, it is not supposed to be the only issue women relate to. The general comparison between the women on screen and the women in the audience should be the feeling of at one time or another having been threatened, having been treated as inferior, or having foun... ...y she begins to snap under the pressure. In one particular scene, the role reversal becomes most obvious to the audience. Louise finds out that Thelma has left JD alone in her hotel room with the money which Jimmy had brought them. By the time the girls make it back to the room, JD and the money are long gone. Louise comes to the realization that the control she once possessed has now escaped her. Thelma, who watches as her friend crumbles before her eyes, realizes that she needs to break free from her child-like persona and take control of the situation. Thelma takes on a new sense of responsibility and maturity. She gives Louise a chance to finally let her guard down. "This is a movie about the adventures of women, and that's rare. And that really sad that its rare and we can't think of another movie like this"(LA Times, 1991). Thelma and Louise was a movie written and produced to give women an opportunity to finally tell their story in a society where the media is all too often dominated by males. This was an opportunity to move females from the roles of girlfriend and side interest into the leading role. It is no longer about a man's experiences and a man's adventures.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Coffee: Bad for Sleep
Sleep is very important to human beings especially because it allows both our minds and body to rest. It sorts out and arranges our memory and it is necessary for our body to function well. In fact about 40% of a person’s day is allocated to sleep throughout adolescence. However, adolescents who are people aged 12 to 18 years need 9 hours of sleep but on average most teens get 7 hours only (Mindell and Owens 30). A variety of factors contributes to the tendency of staying up late among adolescents this includes academic life, social life, and electronic media such as computers, televisions and cellphones.Adolescents particularly college students nowadays are most likely to stay up late because of homework or next day’s long exam. In the case of the Computer Science Sophomore Students of the University of the Philippines, generating codes for machine problems and laboratories keeps them stay up all night thus getting less sleep. To keep them going, some drink a cup of co ffee to avoid drowsiness. Coffee contains caffeine which serves as a stimulant. It keeps one stay awake but it disrupts sleep.That is why to avoid sleeping difficulties; it is recommended that coffee should not be taken within four to six hours before bedtime. Gasapo 2 Coffee is a beverage which contains caffeine-a widely used stimulant. Caffeine can indeed bring mental alertness but disturbs sleep. In a recent interview of selected UP Computer Science students, some complain that after coffee consumption they had a hard time falling asleep. Furthermore, they said that they usually wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back to sleep.Lynne Lamberg, author of the Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs: Drugs and Sleep said that†the need to sleep is an organizing force for living creatures†(21). The importance of sleep to one’s health is often overlooked by many people; furthermore not getting enough sleep could greatly affect every aspect of our h ealth, thinking and behavior. Generally, every aspect of one’s physical, emotional, cognitive and social development is affected by sleep (Mindell and Owens 6).However, life’s demands on teens as well as their competing priorities such as their social and academic lives often lead them to sleep deprivation. Most adolescents take a cup of coffee to avoid drowsiness and to stay alert during the night. In fact during adolescence, the initial exposure to caffeine takes place (Wagman 213). This is usually in the form of coffee and other caffeinated drinks such as soda and tea. Sheryl Laudito, in her article Staying Healthy with a Cup of Coffee said that â€Å"Coffee is a social binder, a warmer of tongues, a soberer of minds and a stimulant of wit†(3).This is a possible reason why people Gasapo 3 are more inclined to drinking coffee than any other beverage. As author of The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs: Caffeine- the Most Popular Stimulant, Dr. Gilbert Richard notes that findings of a recent study showed that coffee drinkers prefer coffee because of the following reasons: It gives one a feeling of well-being; It calms; It orients and helps one think; It makes one less irritable; It gets one going and wakes one up. These are also the same reasons for those coffee drinkers from the interview conducted.The following could also be possible reasons why more people are inclined to drinking coffee these are as follows: inherited coffee drinking habits, and influence of fast-paced lifestyle and work (Placido B3). Coffee, as defined by Stunning in Encyclopedia Americana, is the â€Å"seeds or beans of any of a group of tropical evergreen shrubs of the genus caffea, in the Madder family (Rubiaceae)†. Even though large quantities of coffee are used in flavors and extracts, coffee in the form of beverage is mostly consumed (187). The major component found in coffee is caffeine.It is found naturally in coffee and tea as well as in carbonated b everages and medications (Wagman 213). Caffeine has a lot of effects to human health, it is widely used as a stimulant and many people especially those who stay up late and work at night depend on coffee. In order to stay alert, people rely mostly on coffee (Reyes E1). Gasapo 4 According to a psychologist and caffeine investigator Harris Lieberman, â€Å"Coffee improves alertness and reaction time in people, whether they’re habitual consumers of coffee or not†(qtd. in Reyes E1).People like to drink coffee because they know that the chemical caffeine which is found in coffee prevents them from getting drowsy and helps them gain alertness and improve their reaction time. In addition, studies show that caffeine consumption could further improve reading speed, performance in mathematical as well as verbal tests and generally increase intellectual capacity (Reyes B3). Indeed, drinking coffee could provide mental alertness and could help one’s mental functions to wor k well. However as a consequence of staying awake and alert all night, sleep is compromised.People will have a hard time falling asleep, would wake up during the night and would get less sleep than what their body requires. In the conducted interview, many complained that they had difficulties waking up in the morning; have headaches; feel sleepy during the day and would usually doze off in class. â€Å"Coffee nerves†are developed from too much caffeine consumption. It is usually characterized by trembling, nervousness, muscle tension, irritability, headaches, disorientation and most probably insomnia (Reyes B3). â€Å"No sleep†is the literal meaning the term insomnia.It is now used to define a condition where people tend to have trouble falling or staying asleep, and not being able to function as Gasapo 5 usual the next day as a consequence (Lamberg 25). Based on the indications mentioned above, the coffee drinkers from the group of sophomore Computer Science studen ts of UPV from the interview conducted experience insomnia. This is mainly due to their intake of coffee few hours before going to bed. According to caffeine expert Roland Griffiths, people tend to report increased alertness and energy after consuming anywhere from 20 to 200 mg of caffeine (qtd. n Reyes E1).A cup of coffee contains about 50 mg of caffeine. Caffeine being a mild stimulant is used as a psychoactive drug worldwide. Prolonged times of falling asleep and awakening during the night are some effects of caffeine when taken near bedtime. This is because caffeine could remain for several hours and continue to have stimulating effect in the bloodstream (Lamberg 30). The peak of caffeine level in our body is one hour after consumption. In three to seven hours later, only more than one half of the ingested caffeine is broken down and considered inactive (Reyes M7).This is the reason why it is difficult to fall asleep because by the time you are about to sleep after gaining menta l alertness and wakefulness during the night, caffeine would still be present in the bloodstream and would still continue its stimulating effect for as long as seven hours after the time it was consumed. Moreover, Tim Roehrs, a director of research at the Sleep Disorder Center of the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit explained that caffeine interferes with Gasapo 6 adenosine, the brain’s sleep regulator (qtd. n Reyes E1). Caffeine’s major effect, insomnia or having difficulty falling asleep has a very serious impact to one’s health. If sleep is lesser than what the body requires, it will not be able to function well and accordingly. As adolescents we must be aware of the real price that we pay for not getting enough sleep. Consider the costs such as depression, poor grades, poor school performance, mood issues and many more. Sleep deprivation affects the way we think and the way we make decisions when we are stressed emotionally.Being unable to perform well in clas s and having low attention span and less interest to the lesson are manifested by the sleep deprived sophomore Computer Science students. According to Owens and Mindel, research shows that the skills most compromised by loss of sleep are the skills for organization and time management, the skill to multitask, prioritize, sort through a lot of information accurately, and the skill to think creatively (229). If someone is sleep deprived or experiences insomnia, he or she may have a difficult time waking up in the morning.Sleep deprivation would eventually cause higher incidences of tardiness, increased rates of absenteeism to catch up on sleep, and if these incidences continue, there will obviously be a higher tendency of dropout rates. Attitude and motivation may Gasapo 7 also suffer if a student is sleep deprived. Studies show that well rested students are more responsive to teachers and would participate well in class compared to sleepier ones (Owens, Mindel 230). Behavior may also be affected if a person is sleep deprived. Frustration tolerance becomes lower as well as emotional control.Moreover, sleep deprived teens may be poor rested and overtired and would not be able to cope with problems around them, moodiness and irritability may also be an effect of not getting the enough sleep that your body actually requires. Table 1 shows the effects of lack of sleep according to Dr. Owens and Mindell (28). Lack of Sleep| Lack of sleep affects mood. A sleepy child is more: * irritable * cranky * moody * whiny| Lack of sleep affects learning.A sleepy child has * a shorter attention span * difficulty focusing * a harder time remembering things * difficulty solving problems. Lack of sleep affects behavior: A sleepy person is more likely to: * misbehave * be aggressive * be hyperactive * be uncooperative. | lack of sleep affects health in that it: * lowers immune function( a child is more likely to get colds) * increase accidental injuries * affect growth hormone secre tion| Gasapo 8 An adolescents’ life especially as a student is very demanding. They have competing priorities which includes school and social demands. In case of the sophomore Computer Science students of UPV, examples of these demands are finishing machine problems, after-school jobs and social activities as well.These are the reasons why they stay up late. Coffee, the most available stimulant is a big help for these students to achieve mental alertness and wakefulness. Coffee may come in different forms wherein students would enjoy drinking them depending on their preference. But whatever form it is, aside from decaffeinated ones, coffee still contains caffeine. Although caffeine may be effective for mental functions, it can greatly disturb sleep. So if one desires to drink coffee in order to achieve wakefulness and mental alertness at night without compromising sleep, coffee should be consumed four to six hours before bedtime.Restricting oneself to two cups of coffee a da y can already give the maximum benefits of alertness by having one cup first in the morning and the other in the midafternoon (Lamberg 33). If one considers drinking coffee to be very essential and could boost up performance, there is no reason to deprive oneself of its benefits. Just take into consideration that to avoid putting one’s health at risk, coffee should be taken at a considerable amount and at the right time.
Monday, September 16, 2019
This Piece of Writing Deserves a Level 7
This Piece of Writing Deserves a Level 7 It’s simple. I have worked my fingers to the bone to bring you this wonderful piece of writing that will most definitely be worthy of a level seven. I will use varied sentence length, pairs, sets of three, quotations, metaphors, similes and many more rhetorical devices to create a piece which you will not be able to take your eyes away from. You see Mr. Deane; this writing is like a magnificent and stunning cake – something which you cannot take your eyes from.Yes, this writing is a cake bursting with delicious cream and icing and chocolate, just waiting for you to sink your teeth deep into it. If this first paragraph has not convinced you that this is worthy of a level seven, then my next paragraph will do. Keep reading. I had no trouble starting this paragraph. I may be right in saying this is unlike a few – if not many – people in my form who had trouble starting. This is not me. I have simply strived to string t his braid of bubbling and beautiful words together. Also read: Principles of Good Writing by L.A. HillDo you not find the alliteration, sibilance, plosive sounds and onomatopoeia in the last sentence level seven worthy? I’m hard pressed to find a reason for not giving me a level seven, as, a great man like you can, I hope, see what is right in front of you – a level seven-worthy piece of writing. If can find a reason against me, then I implore you to keep reading, as you will come to see that by the end, that this piece of writing will deserve a level seven. If you are still yet to be convinced, then I ask you, if this does not gain a level seven, what will the other teachers think of your educating?By giving this writing level seven, you will not only be gaining the love and appreciation and of one of your students, but also the admiration and respect of your fellow English teachers, who will find your ability to bring out the best writers amazing. This, I assure you, you will enjoy, and as Plutarch once said â€Å"The whole life of man is but a point of time; let us enjoy it. †. So, if you still do not think this deserves a level seven then, as George Santayana once said, even â€Å"The wisest mind has something yet to learn. †.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Allocating Tasks in an organisaton Essay
When allocating work and drawing up work plans there are many aspects to be considered. These include Goals and objectives, Competence, Operational needs, efficiency, cost effectiveness and consultation. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The desired outcome of the task needs to be clearly communicated. This is to ensure that staff can align the work they are doing with an outcome to keep them on track. Small task orientated goals will help the staff work toward the larger picture and will keep them motivated and interested. Just the same as the objective, goals will help keep the staff aligned to final outcome. Setting SMART goals will help achieve this. COMPETENCE The competence of the staff needs to be taken into consideration when allocating work. This is because giving work that is too above a staff members level of expertise is going to disengage them as they work toward something that is unattainable. Further, this staff member will not do the task correctly which may result in letting not only themselves down, but also their team and their manager. The same is true with giving staff work that is too below their skill level. They can become disengaged very quickly. While they may not do the task incorrectly, it is a waste of resources. Staff need to know that they are valued, that their work is valued and that they aren’t wasting their time. Allocating work to someone who is too skilled to do does not ensure that the staff being is valued. Staff should be allocated work that is a small stretch beyond where they are now and in line with their development plan. OPERATIONAL NEEDS Work needs to be allocated in accordance with operational needs. There’s no sense EFFICIENCY Work must be allocated in accordance with a staff member’s knowledge and their experience. Efficiency ties in very closely with competence, as allocating work inefficiently will result in the same consequences as allocating work that isn’t in accordance with a staff members competence. SMART goals Communicate goals – seek clarification, ask questions Understand KPIs Break goals down, with time frames Competence of staff members is important to ensure that the work is allocated to staff members who can do the work efficiently and effectively. It is necessary to develop KRAs and KPIs that meet the organisations needs because†¦. The development and implantation of effective performance management systems is important because CODE OF CONDUCT It is necessary to have a code of conduct for the organisation because it gives each employee the same foundation of expectations both of them as an employee and of the company as an employer. The code of conduct sets out very clearly what is acceptable behavior from an employee and it also sets out the consequences should the code be broken. Without a code of conduct employees will not necessarily be treated fairly and will be subjected to personal opinions of their people leader, meaning that was is acceptable in one team may not be acceptable in another which will lead to unfair dismissals and a disengaged workplace. MONITOR AND EVALUATE WORK It is important to regularly monitor and evaluate the works of employees to ensure that they are working towards the desired objectives. It is necessary to give feedback and reinforcement to employees to acknowledge good work, as this is a motivator. It ensures that employees’ efforts are recognised and they feel valued. This will then motivate them to continue doing what they are doing, or even improve.
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