Web Influence Over Business Essay Example For Students

Web Influence Over Business Essay The Internet will greatly alter the structure and operation of all industries. For the management of any existing business the central question is not whetherthe Internet will be relevant to your business, but rather what will we need todo to profit from that change ( The Internet ). The Internet is evolvingmany aspects of business and it creates many new business opportunities. It isdeveloping what is called the New Business Environment, because it changesthe way products are developed, distributed, marketed, sold, and serviced (Business on the ). In theory, doing business over the Internet withconsumers should be ideal however, many people are not comfortable with it yet. We will write a custom essay on Web Influence Over Business specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now It will take a little while before most people are completely at ease and orderproducts. First off, the Internet will provide many capabilities that will bevery beneficial to a business. Some of the benefits include E-mail, MailingLists, UseNet, Telnet, FTP, Gopher, and of course the World Wide Web. All ofthese are a way to keep you informed and in touch with business associates andcustomers anywhere in the world ( What can the ). With an Intranet inplace youve got an infrastructure for group applications, you dont need toinstall software on everyones PC, they can just use their Web browser andwhile the main costs are in employee time, the cost of software has droppedsignificantly ( Put Your Own ). The effects of the Internet will take adecade or more to generally replace existing patterns of business. The Internetand its strategic impact are not technological issues, they are business ones (The Internet ). Executives are likely to carry responsibility for whethertheir organization u ltimately prospers or perishes in an Internet impactedworld. The particular impact will differ between industries, so you need toidentify the likely form of impact it will have on your industry and adoptappropriate strategies. A few threats are when using the Internet, competitorsbecome relatively more effective, e.g. reducing costs, improving service andincreasing sales impact. Also, some important customers or suppliers may havemigrated exclusively to the Internet and are inaccessible in any other way. Somefirms redefine the industry in a very fundamental way that threatens allexisting competitors ( The Internet ). With the advent of the Internet, ithas dramatically improved operational and sales effectiveness in numerousdifferent applications. A few such areas are, on-line stockbrokers: such asE*Trade and Ceres, on-line travel agents, banks and other financial services:such as on-line banking systems, and insurance and fund management. Right now,there are many companies whose out reach is global such as Amazon.com and CD Now,soon all of the above areas will be global ( Daring ). Another area of thebusiness environment that will be significantly changed due to the Internet aresmall firms, especially ones who wish to export. The Internet can relativelyeasily give small firms access to international markets, and engage in electriccommerce ( Cragg ). However, not much is known about the use of the Internet bysmall firms, mainly because it is such a new method. An example of such an ideawas taken advantage of by Elizabeth Botham ; Sons Bakery. The bakery islocated in a small town called Whitby in North Yorkshire and business is toughbecause it is geographically restricting and it is based in a very seasonabletown. In order to do business and keep their staff hired year around themanager, Mike Jarman turned to the Internet. He found a company called OctagonLtd., which helped him get started. Since going on the Web in 1995, the companyhas had over 25,000 potential customers visit the site and receives a dozenhefty orders a week ( Yorkshire Bakery ). The Web is a great distributiontool, the information you place on your Web site can be accessed 24 hours a day,7 days a week. The Web can save you time and money in information distributionover traditional mail and printing methods ( Daring ). Rather than reading astatic advertisement, your customers can go directly to their areas of interestand see an intriguing web page. They can get detailed information on your staffand services, browse your product lines, and get up to date information on whatis happening in your company. One of the benefits of a web site is that yourcustomer can respond to you directly ( Shaw ). Even though the Internet has manybenefits, there is still a few drawbacks to this technology. First of all,communicating with clients and customers via E-mail only goes so far. It ispretty difficult to market a product over a computer, basically whatever acustomer sees they get. Also, empowerment is being transferred from sellers tobuyers. The Internet is decreasing the importance of a merchants locale andinformation about competing products is readily available ( Business on ). .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0 , .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0 .postImageUrl , .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0 , .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0:hover , .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0:visited , .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0:active { border:0!important; } .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0:active , .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0 .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u08765bfd8ab1b4867ac048208d54f8a0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: 3 Non Traditional Religions Voodoo, Spiritualism, EssayCustomers cannot be swayed by a salesperson over the Internet. A benefit as wellas a side effect of the Internet, is it is knocking down market entry barriers,the Internet has no borders and the companys market is global. A smallcompany can be just as easily found on the Internet as a large one. The biggestproblem that the Internet is going to have to overcome is the fact that peopleare still very skeptical about making purchases over the Internet. You could getscammed and not even know it. This will change eventually when people can becomfortable with the services that it provides, but this will take some time. With the incorporation of the Internet, business have undergone many changes inthe past few years. They have become more in touch with many overseascompanys and even companys here in the US. Many industries have realizedthat if they dont adjust and incorporate the Internet in some way, they maynot be around for much longer. Businesses are going to be on the Internetbecause it represents an additional and inexpensive resource for findingcustomers because they can market directly with less advertising and a smallerwork force ( Dearth ). The bottom line is that the Internet needs to focus ongrowing existing accounts, extending to new markets and new customers, providingbetter customer service, and providing a higher level of customer satisfaction. Even though this may take some time, it is going to eventually happen and Ithink that most people who take a chance will be very satisfied with theoutcomes.

AntiSocial Paper

AntiSocial Paper AntiSocial Paper The History of Antisocial Personality Disorder Individuals with a diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) are most notorious for a blatant disregard for the rights of others and the rules of society. They are usually manipulative, impulsive, deceitful, and lack any remorse. These personality traits are socially maladaptive and harmful (Torry however, individuals with psychopathy are also characterized by an arrogant and deceitful interpersonal style, callousness, and lack of emotionality (Zeier, Sommers, Newman, & Racer, 2011). In the past, anyone who participated in criminal acts would be looked down on and were often times persecuted. However, not everyone believed that these people should be punished for their actions. James Cowles Prichard felt that not all criminals should be condemned so he came up with the term â€Å"moral insanity†. Moral insanity was the word used to describe the body as being effected with a disease that causes a person to partake in criminal acts. In his book, A Treatise on Insani ty and Other Disorders Affecting the Mind, he stated â€Å"I have described a form of mental derangement, under the title of moral insanity, consisting in disorder of the moral affections and propensities, without any symptom of illusion or error impressed on the understanding† (Prichard, 1837). Throughout the book Prichard is trying to convince people that insane individuals acted out not because they wanted to but because they were forced to do so. Ceasare Lombroso is another pioneer in the development of the phrase antisocial personality disorder. Lombrosso thought that the bodies of criminals were different than the bodies of law abiding citizens. He believed that criminals shared anatomical, similar, structures with our Neanderthal ancestors. The more a person looked like a beast, the more crime they would commit. Today people who has antisocial personality disorder are viewed as having a mental disability. However, a lot of people with this disorder are currently in jail instead of receiving the

Helvetica and Objectified Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Helvetica and Objectified - Essay Example Design of objects has some of the same factors as document design. It is aimed at a particular audience. If text is also displayed the two together, object and text, carry a meaning made from the combination. There are wonderful ideal of design to which many designers adhere, but ultimately, those designers who must earn must design for production, with the needs of the target audience and the process of its use taking a secondary role. Good design needs no marketing. Marketed design is fashion. Therefore, design for production is aimed at marketing the final product with the highest profit margin possible. Good design should have lower prices, but fashion pushes the price up. Therefore, designs which can be mass produced in factories manned by untrained labor and sold as fashionable gets the most attention of many companies. Apple computers capitalized upon the hunger for fashion (status symbol) in the western public for years, designing first for the look and second for function. This resulted in products that have an avid following and are useful to most. However, they are proprietary, more expensive and they sometimes miss the mark by a mile, as in the first Apple Air, several small desktops and some of the music players. Consumers see Apple as exclusive and somehow better, but most do not realize that this â€Å"better† is bought at the price of variety. Anyone designing for Apple must do it their way and be licensed by Apple. Designing for PCs or Android devices only requires complying with the system requirements. This produces better Apple products, since all must pass their rigorous tests, but more variety for other systems with a number of flaws in many products, but lower prices and more availability over all. One point was made very clearly in the documentary, Objectified (2009): that designing for mass production and fashion and designing

Presbyterian Church in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Presbyterian Church in the US - Essay Example The Presbyterian Church of the United States, or PCUS, separated from the Old School Presbyterianism, or the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, or PCUSA, during the beginning of the Civil War in the United States in May 1861. This is because the Old School Presbyterian Church declared that loyalty to the United States should be a national duty. The PCUS, however, retained its â€Å"Old School† heritage despite the split, and only changed in the 20th century as a response to the demands of the changing south. Prior to this change and especially during the war, it was known as the Presbyterian Church of the Confederate States of America (â€Å"A Brief History†). All throughout the early 20th century, the issues surrounding the PCUS included talks of unity with the Northern Presbyterians or the PCUSA and the denomination that succeeded it, namely the United Presbyterian Church in the USA, or the UPCUSA. However, the only moment that the PCUS and the UPCUSA worked together was during the Consultation on Church Union in 1962. During this time, the PCUS joined the UPCUSA, the United Church of Christ, the United Methodists and the Episcopalians in carrying out the endeavor (â€Å"A Brief History†). The PCUS further split into three factions during the civil rights movement. The liberal group wanted the church to be directly involved in the promotion of racial desegregation and voting in society. The moderates wanted a church consensus on the matter first. The conservatives, on the other hand, did not want the PCUS to be involved in social issues since the 19th century theologian James Henley Thornwell once stated in the doctrines of the Church that the church courts of the Presbyterian Church should not get involved with social reform issues (â€Å"A Brief History†). The conservatives of the Presbyterian Church then began the institution of the Presbyterian Church in

Talent Management At Standard Chartered Bank Display SHRM

Talent Management At Standard Chartered Bank Display SHRM By focusing heavily on its talent management program it can be clearly be seen that Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) is making the practice of SHRM as one of its key priorities. As can be seen from the article, the way SCB adopts its appraisal methodology is of a very strategic angle. By making it a global standard to conduct face-to-face performance appraisals every 6 months goes to show that SCB is reviewing its own performance management objectives to make sure that those objectives stay relevant and achievable, and that is a feature of SHRM. Being sensitive to different cultures by employing different appraisal methods also shows that SCB understands the importance of managers and staff identifying and dealing with real, actual problems in a way that is most familiar and effective to them. That is also another facet of SHRM as through such means, SCB is able to monitor its own competitiveness in the market. Through appraisals, SCB also classifies their employees into 5 categories ranging from high-potentials, to critical resources, then to core contributors, followed by underachievers and finally, underperformers. By doing so they are able to identify areas in which they are lacking and act upon it. Interestingly, as Geraldine Haley explains the classifications, it can be seen that SCB is already identifying the likely flow of talent in the bank and are taking actions to manage the flow. For example, when classifying certain employees as underperformers, Haley goes on to mention that this group of people do not fit the job requirements and they should be transferred to another role or be managed out. Clearly, whether the bank decides to place this group of employees in another role (which fits the idea of SHRM because by placing people where they perform best clearly benefits any company), or by managing them out (thereby reducing unnecessary manpower costs or replacement with a more pr oductive candidate), the intent behind both actions is clearly strategic in nature. The employee classification also allows the bank to understand the their potential and manpower mix which is critical because, the HR department would be able to plan in advance for staff mobility or develop different programs to help develop potential of their talents to another level. So far we are able to see that SCB does indeed view its employees as a strategic key asset in churning out profits for the bank. Yet another SHRM feature being displayed is the secrecy of employee classifications. As mentioned in the article, SCBs stance is that while they do not want certain employees to feel de-motivated and others to boast about their own performances, the whole point of the classification system is to inform managers that there might be actions required on their part to improve the situation. It is true that in SHRM, managers should not cause their staff to feel like they are being constantly monitored for poor performance because this will affect the staffs willingness to contribute towards the company. Again, either way, we see that the actions taken are closely linked to helping the organisation achieve its strategic corporate objectives. The classification system is also being used a guide for regional offices to strategically benchmark against one another to see where they stand. Ever since SCB has been experiencing a high staff turnover rate among newly recruited employees, a solution in the form of a global induction program named Right Start was implemented to curb this problem and they successfully brought down the rate of employees leaving by 5% (http://www.standardchartered.com/annual-report-07/en/business_review/people.html, 2008). SCB has also gone on to groom talents into leaders by means of providing coaching and self-help tools through various medias such as podcasts, videos and workshops. Another key concept is to allow talents to play to their strengths rather than on focusing on managing their weakness. As Hayley explains the strategic rationale on focusing on coaching talents with global roles in the bank, it is because a small 5% improvement from these top managers is enough to cause a huge positive impact on the banks earnings. Under the Best practice view in SHRM, there are 18 Key practices of which SCB can safely said to have achieved at least 50% or more: Realistic job previews; Use of psychometric tests for selection; Well-developed induction training; Provision of extensive training for experienced employees; Regular appraisal; Regular feedback on performance from many sources; Individual performance-related pay; Profit-related bonuses; Flexible job descriptions; Multi-skilling; Presence of work-improvement teams; Presence of problem solving groups; Information provided on firms business plan; Information provided on the firms performance targets; No compulsory redundancies; Avoidance of voluntary redundancies; Commitment to single status; Harmonised holiday entitlement (Source: University of Sunderland). It can be concluded that SCB is investing so much resources towards its human talent management program simply because it views it employees as human capital for the organisation and understands the wisdom in developing and managing its employees in close relation to the values and objectives of the company so that an effective workforce can be grown, and groomed to achieve the strategic objectives of the bank. Word count (865) 1.2 Comment on the relevance of this approach in the light of the recent banking crisis? Answer: The banking crisis of 2008 was largely due to the fall of banking giant, Lehman Brothers (LB). If LB had adopted SCBs view of employees as human capital in the organisation, it could have at least minimised the loss to a certain extent. For one, discussions between employers and staff would have been more open and problem issues could have been brought up and identified at an earlier stage. Inefficiencies in the organisation would have been uncovered if there were a global compilation of performance like in SCB, where CEOs were able to benchmark their performances against regional offices. In a way, having a certain amount of centralised control through talent management would also enable the monitoring of LB companies globally. It is interesting to note that when a German subsidiary of LB requested that top management in the USA forgo multi-million bonuses as a sign of taking responsibility for poor performance, the request was immediately struck off at the first instance. It seems that top management either did not know or did not bother to care what was going on in its other global offices. Therefore it is important for companies to have a solid leadership and to achieve that, organisations must start to take the first step in acknowledging its employees as key assets towards enabling the company to achieve it strategic goals and objectives. Thereafter that, the companys HR policies should be dawn to include short and long term strategies that are inline with the companys corporate objectives. Companies should also consider which view the company would adopt in relation to SHRM. For example, does the company suit the Best Practice view, Bes Fit view, Best Fit Integration view or Resource based approach? Each has its own strengths and weaknesses but the company has to decide which is the most compatible and allow the company to achieve its goals. Perhaps the culture of a company should also be set as culture can deeply affect a employees willingness to contribute positively to the company. Every organisation aims to communicate its own objectives and goals to its employees so a to align the values and attitudes of the employees towards commitment in performance for the company, and in this respect, having an appropriate culture will greatly enable the employee to settle comfortably into the company and be motivated to perform well. Retaining talent is crucial in a companys route of progress and much effort should be put into talent management where employees will feel like that are an important part of a company that cherishes their contributions and seeks to develop and groom them for further growth in their career. With SHRM as the key basic guiding principle, companys should therefore seek to create a pool of talent that will steer it in the right direction, both in good times and bad. Word Count (473) 1.3 Why is it important to measure the impact of SHRM? What might be included in a evaluation strategy to measure the impact of SHRM in an organization to achieve strategic integration? Answer: It is important to measure the impact of SHRM because, firstly, strategies that are formulated into HR policies are closely linked to the strategic objectives of its organisation. The reason why this is so is because the company understands that attitudes and performances of its employees makes a significant difference towards achieving organisational goals. Therefore when an organisation decides to employ the HR unit as a strategically, resources are being invested to make sure the HR unit contributes towards the attainment of those objectives. In measuring the impact of SHRM in a company, there are 18 Key practices of SHRM might be used to ascertain the degree of SHRM present in the company: Realistic job previews; Use of psychometric tests for selection; Well-developed induction training; Provision of extensive training for experienced employees; Regular appraisal; Regular feedback on performance from many sources; Individual performance-related pay; Profit-related bonuses; Flexible job descriptions; Multi-skilling; Presence of work-improvement teams; Presence of problem solving groups; Information provided on firms business plan; Information provided on the firms performance targets; No compulsory redundancies; Avoidance of voluntary redundancies; Commitment to single status; Harmonised holiday entitlement (Source: University of Sunderland). Other possible measurements could be in the form of appraisals where performance management objectives are being reviewed. Through the appraisals the organisation would be able to know how it is faring against the achievement of its own targets relative to the overall performance of the employees. Word count (287) Section B, Question 4 4. What are the main features of a Performance Management system? In what ways can organizations ensure that such systems fulfil strategically useful outcomes (30 marks) Answer: 4.1 Main Features of a PMS The main features of PMS are: PMS consists of business-led outcomes that may be assessed against definite business objectives; PMS is integrated with interlocking procedures and flows of information; There is a mix of quantitative and qualitative objectives; There is a focus on both system design and manner of implementation. Because PMS are sensitive to process and culture, it is hence flexible; PMS rely on a participative approach by mangers and staff alike, which can align with other organisational processes, for example, employee religions, communications and decision-making processes; Lastly PMS have a distinctive and adaptable quality of being people and systems-oriented (Source: University of Sunderland). There are 6 other features of PMS that links it to the overall business strategy of a company which might also guide organisations in ensuring strategic outcomes are met: Objective setting; Ongoing review of objectives; The development of personal improvement plans linked to training and development; Formal appraisal and feedback; Pay review; A competence-based organisational capability review (Source: University of Sunderland). 4.2 Ensuring PMS Fulfils Strategically Useful Outcomes The best way to ensure that PMS is able to fulfil strategically useful outcomes is for the organisation to be involved in the setting of performance objectives and thereafter measure those objectives. When setting clearly defined performance management objectives organisations can gear the scope and nature of the objectives to reflect the organisations own corporate goals. These performance objectives should also be linked closely to the individual employees as well as the organisations capability resources. When setting objectives, coverage should include competence and skill development, ability in meeting operational targets, and creating a suitable corporate culture. Objectives are generally defined into 3 categories: productivity and output related, job-related and person-related. For productivity and output related objectives, these are a measure of quantifiable output targets like: Cost reduction Achieving sales quota Meeting production volumes. For job related targets, these involve meeting the main objectives of the job laid down in its description according to the specified level of competence: Achieving main responsibilities and accountability. Meeting tasks as described in the job description. Meeting the obligations and service relationships to internal and external customers. For person related objectives, these affect the behavioural outcomes of the person performing his job, such as sharing knowledge an ideas with co-workers. Organisations recognise the importance of linking organisational culture with person-related objectives as it can help to bring about a positive change in the organisations culture. For instance, an organisation that wants to have a culture that is collaborative in nature will set objectives on employees and measure an employees research report on the number of references made to other employees work or the number contributions made by the employees colleagues in the report. This type of objective will change a person behaviourally so that he or she is able to meet the performance objectives. As organisations are beginning to shift away from individualistic performance objectives such financial goals and moving towards objectives which links the workforce to the corporate objectives or wider environment such as quality and effectiveness of business processes, other measurements are being introduced to maximise the potential and skill of the workforce through a commitment-oriented strategy. Thus, organisations have also realised that to engage the wider environment, they have to identify the relationship between the 3 key stakeholders an the organisation: Investors who require return on their investment through dividends; Customers who require quality and service for which they pay; And employees who require a healthy and rewarding working environment that provides job security (Source: University of Sunderland). Now that the inter-relationship has been identified, organisations are better able to communicate expected levels of competence from employees and will also be able to appropriately empower staff to deal with activities as a result of their integration. Lynch and Cross (1995), created a model that shows this relationship (see Figure 4.A). This model also identifies the broad measures and integration of objectives at each individual level. Figure 4.A shows The Performance Pyramid from Lynch RS and Cross (1995) (Source: University of Sunderland) 4.2.1 Appraisal Systems As the link between objectives and organisational resources are important, it must therefore be integrated with appraisal systems. Appraisals do the job of reviewing the performance management objectives, and it traditionally occurs annually between the manager and staff. However, as the need for objectives to stay relevant and achievable all the time, reviews of the objectives are beginning to occur more regularly. Hence it can be said that regular reviews also encourages the building of relationship and the occurrence of coaching through such regular discussions. In the design of appraisal schemes, there are 2 types of orientation schemes that emerge: the control orientation and the developmental orientation. In the control orientation approach, it is always assumed in a negative light that a senior entity in the organisation decides the goals, targets, objectives and rewards for the employees to achieve. This results in employees feeling insecure as they feel that they are being constantly monitored and may lead to a breakdown in commitment. Often, when adjustments are introduced to ease such worries, the appraisal scheme becomes ineffective as manager do not address real issues which may cause a loss in motivation or damage in relations between the manager and employee. Standardised controls are put in place so as to maintain consistency and equal treatment for all, however it sacrifices flexibility in the process. The level of impact is low on performance with the exception of a few existing high performers. Thus, this approach is effective when targets are clear and staff are used to it. The emphasis is not so much on enhancing performance through feedback and motivation but more on t he managements authority over the employees. In the case of the developmental approach, the manager is not in control whereas employees are the ones who take the initiative to address uncertainties in wanting to know how to improve themselves. Employees want to be helped and supported through problems and they learn through failures and success. The strengths in this approach include less resistance between the manger and staff, and being able to handle problems in an open way. Problems can also be dealt with on a more objective basis without souring relationships. Employees are also given high trust in their integrity. However, the weaknesses with this approach include less visible outcomes being produced and the manager has to take on a more consultative or counsellor role that they might not be able to perform well in. 4.2.2 Types of Appraisals There are a few types of appraisals which organisations may choose to adopt including the, self-appraisal, top-down appraisal, peer appraisal and multi-directional appraisal. Top-down appraisals are traditional and feedback is gathered from the staff while objectives come only from the top. The weaknesses of this type of appraisal are that too much emphasis is being placed on traditional organisational hierarchies. Favouritism might also be prevalent and employees might not have full knowledge in structures where managers posses a wide span of control. Self-appraisal methods are hardly used. It gives the employees more ownership and a much higher degree of participation in the appraisal scheme. Managers adopt a more supportive and advisory role where they engage in discussions with the staff on setting of objectives. In the upward appraisal model feedback is given from the bottom to top. Employees are often asked to provide such feedback anonymously. Organisations that use this method recognise the need to provide more effective working systems for employees to work more efficiently. In the peer appraisal model, members of the same team are being asked to appraise one another. There may be sensitivities involved when using this method as members might show favouritism to particular members or dislike towards certain members might be the reason for poor rating given. In contrast to the peer appraisal method, multi-directional appraisals sets up to obtain feedback from the outside of the team and it often also includes gathering feedback externally from customers. Its key strength is its being able to overcome the lack of knowledge from a single appraiser as it gathers feedback from many sources. However its biggest weakness lies in the lack of control over hostile ratings being given. Thus appraisals are also a tool to ensure that performance objectives meet strategically useful outcomes. Word count (1409) Section B, Question 5 5. Why are reward management systems critical to SHRM? How can organizations develop reward systems strategically? (30 marks) Answer: 5.1 Why Reward Management Systems are Critical to SHRM In strategic human resource management (SHRM), strategies that are being implemented into a companys human resource policies are closely connected with a companys main adopted strategy in order for it to aid in achieving company objectives. SHRM does so by means of recruiting, developing, maintaining and retaining an efficient, productive workforce. As employees make up a companys workforce, they should then be regarded as key assets in a company. Reward management systems are therefore critical to SHRM because they are used to reward and compensate employees in manners that impact employees positively for the company. For example, well-developed reward management systems uses rewards to motivate employees to grow and develop their potential, thereby increasing the quality of efforts contributed towards the company. Rewards and compensation systems are also critically used in aligning the culture, objectives and philosophies of the company with efforts of the employees, this allows employees to identify themselves as part of the company and thus strengthen their loyalty and commitment towards the company and its objectives (Sherman et al., 1998). In todays competitive environment where companies compete for talent and expertise, rewards play an important role in both the recruitment of talent and retention of long serving employees who have difficult-to-source tacit knowledge in their field of expertise. Having a flexible reward management system also means that a company is able harness other forms employment, for example, hiring of part-timers with relevant experience to temporarily fill in during short-term projects. 5.2 Developing a Reward System Strategically Rewards systems in companies practicing SHRM must obviously be strategic in nature. According to Lawler (1984), there are nine points to consider when making strategic decisions in developing reward systems in companies. The nine points are termed as follows: Base of rewards. Performance and Incentivisation scope for progression. Market position. Internal versus External comparison. Centralised versus de-centralised reward. Degree of pay hierarchy. Reward Mix. Process issues. Reward systems consequences/integration. 5.2.1 Base of Rewards Salaries can be based on 3 options: The type of job a person undertakes. The persons contribution in the job. The knowledge and skill level people possess within the job. The 1st option is to pay based on the growth and development an individual undertaking a job. This is typically done through internally comparing a particular job with other jobs within the company using a job evaluation which measures the tasks that the job is required to perform. External comparisons could be used, whereby companies compare the wages offered by other companies against their own. Job based rewards are typically found in larger organisations where job and pay equity is predominant; an example would be jobs in the public service sector where job grading is used. The 2nd option is to pay based on the individuals performance within his or her job and is commonly implemented in cases where the jobs are small in number or job scopes that are distinct and pay has to be individual. Performance based pay is used to balance job demands and contributions made in order to motivate the individual to enhance performance. The 3rd option is to pay based on the need to acquire new s kills and knowledge so as to enable organisations to meet the new market challenges. 5.2.2 Performance and Incentivisation scope for progression. This point considers the many types and ways of using incentives, whether as a part of an individuals salary or an additional portion. However, the main dilemma lies in reconciling strategic objectives with the use of suitable incentives to motivate and enhance employee performance and commitment to the company. Companies will have to decide the forms in which incentives will take and how it will be distributed as well as the positive and negative repercussions it might bring to the company or its employees. For example, substituting commission for a fixed bonus payout to sales employees might cause low-performers to be happy, while high-performers might become disgruntled they could have earned more on a commission scheme. 5.2.3 Market Position As labour markets are vulnerable to the economy, market trends and political influences, radical changes may happen anytime within the labour market. For example, if there is a labour shortage in certain industries, organisations would be forced to pay a higher wage to acquire the labour needed. As such, organisations are finding it difficult to sustain an internal sense of fairness that comes from a formal measurement of job equity within internal wage structures. Therefore, reward strategies need to be formulated to answer to such external uncertainties, and also be flexible (if it is not already so) enough to accommodate different wage schemes and levels when required. 5.2.4 Internal versus External comparison As reward systems are key to hiring, retaining and developing employees, it is important for a company to benchmark its reward policies against the external and internal environment. Hence, it is important for companies to understand the logic behind market rates of pay and benefit and to know where and how to collect data required to conduct pay and benefits surveys. These surveys are often conducted so that companies are able to rely on the information to make adjustments to current pay and benefit rates, thus staying competitive in their pay and benefit policies. Companies should also be able to present data in a meaningful manner so that proper analysis can take place. Job evaluaton (JE) is defined as a systematic procress by which relative worth of jobs are determined so as to establish which jobs will be paid more over others in the organisation (Sherman et al., 1998). The key features of JE are: A process which compares the relationships between jobs based on demand placed on employees. A process of judgement made by understanding of job descriptions and roles required to perform the job. A process of analysis after generating point factors from judgements, to enable job ranking. A process of structuring whereby job descriptions are formulated, problem solving, identifying key factors equivalent to job knowledge, and more. Score formulation also takes place to establish ranking, building wage structures and create job-grading systems. The important decisions to make in a JE are the selection of appropriate factors and their levels, as well as how value of factors will be expressed. 5.2.5 Centralised versus de-centralised reward Organisations often have to struggle to decide if reward systems should be managed in a centralised or de-centralised manner. Centralised controlling is tight and usually means a standardised rate of wage increment. This may cause employees to be less motivated and innovative in their contribution which becomes unhealthy for the company, this holds true for employees who belong to a business unit selling a varied number of products and services. In this case, it might be better having a de-centralised control of rewards system and empower managers with discretionary authority to reward employees accordingly, hence boosting morale. 5.2.6 Degree of Pay Hierarchy Pay hierarchies exists in organisations and reward systems are dependent on them to a large extent. Pay hierarchies show the distinct difference in power and often reflect career progression. However, organisations are gradually moving away from such distinct hierarchies in pay systems by formulating wage structures that encourages wage overlap and opportunities for increment. Graded wage structures are commonly used and though not all are exactly the same, they share common features such as: A salary grade allocated to a job based on an individuals contribution, the labour market and the degree of complexity present in a job. Salary bands or grade in which employees belong to and have to gain promotion in order to progress on to a higher salary band. Each band consists of at least minimum entry point, market or mid-point and a maximum point that employees can achieve. Salary bands are associated with each other; usually the maximum point of a starting salary band is the commencement of the next salary band. The degree of overlap will have to be determined by the organisation. As employees move up along the band, organisations will have to decide if employees move up to fixed points along the bands or should employees be allowed to skip certain points and progress at a faster rate instead. 5.2.7 Reward Mix Although pay is often identified to be the key ingredient in a reward mix, other benefits such as free annual health screening, pension schemes, certified-skill upgrades, use of company vehicles, etc, are just as useful in rewarding employees. When creating a reward mix, the challenge for companies is to identify the strategic reasons for having each benefit in the reward mix and their costs to the company. 5.2.8 Process Issues In the discussion of process issues, the 1st strategic issue to be considered is communication and transparency. As communicating pay objectives to employees clearly is important in achieving positive human resource results, the existing culture of companies usually decides how open the dialogs are. Traditional companies adopt a closed system and keep salary ranges unknown for purposes of pay review. Other companies with open systems often publicise the salary structure and criteria for which salary increment can occur. Open systems tend to instil confidence and fairness into employees as decision-making becomes more transparent and criteria are made known. The 2nd strategic issue concerns with employees degree of involvement in pay decisions. A company aiming to achieve a team-based operating culture and high employee involvement in all aspect of human resource management should consider allowing employees to be involved in determination of job salaries too. Companies adopting close -based systems usually applies HR policies onto its employees and ultimately, companies have to decide whether leveraging highly on employees trust and commitment or otherwise, is more suited to the companys culture. 5.2.9 Reward Systems consequences/integration As HR objectives change over time, so should reward objectives because rewards should be integrated into HR systems. And if the objectives are inline, then the integration between rewards and HR systems will serve well to make a positive impact on employees who in turn stays committed to churn out more positive contributions for the compan

Love Themes in the Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby Many people dream of being rich and famous because they want to be honored and idolized by people. This is the goal of Jay Gatsby, the protagonist in The Great Gatsby, a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald which was considered his masterpiece in the year 1925. Jay Gatsby only wished to be with Daisy, the girl that he truly loved. In this essay, one will notice that the high amount of love in the story isn’t usually the kind of love that saves people’s lives and brings them their true happiness.Nick Carraway is a young man from Minnesota who moves to New York to learn about the bond business. He rents a house in West Egg, Long Island, a place where newly rich people live. He lives next to Jay Gatsby, the mysterious owner of the grand mansion who throws lavish parties every Saturday night. Nick’s cousin is Daisy, the wife of Tom Buchanan and the woman that Gatsby loves. Tom Buchanan has an affair with Myrtle Wilson.Because of Jordan Baker, a compe titive golfer with whom Nick met and fell in love but didn’t work out with, he found out that Gatsby’s been in love with Daisy for a long time, and the reason why he lives like a young rajah is to impress Daisy with how successful he is. Through a favor that Gatsby’s asks, Nick sets a meeting for Gatsby and Daisy for them to reunite and find out the love they had. After a short time, Tom suspects the extraordinary relationship of his wife with Gatsby.Though Tom is involved in an affair, he is deeply insulted by the idea that his wife could also cheat on him. One day, Tom forced the group to go to New York to have lunch in Plaza Hotel, where he confronts Gatsby about his relationship with Daisy. Tom announced that Gatsby is a bootlegger and his involved on other illegal activities, and Daisy demanded to go home. Gatsby and Daisy drive back home together in Gatsby’s car, while Tom, Nick and Jordan are in Tom’s car. On the way home, Myrtle was hit and killed by the car of Gatsby.Later Nick discovered that Daisy is the one who’s driving when the accident happened. Tom told Wilson, the husband of Myrtle, that the car who hit his wife is owned by Gatsby. While Gatsby is relaxing in his pool, Wilson shoots and kills Gatsby and himself. After the small funeral Nick arranged for Gatsby, he ended his relationship with Jordan, and moves back to Midwest. In the novel it was quite obvious how Gatsby longed for Daisy; watching the green light from Daisy’s house every night, reaching out to it. He did get Daisy back through Nick in the story, ut during the time that he wished very hard that Daisy would be his, he was unable to spend much time with the woman at all, and so, if truly thought about, he didn’t love Daisy for what she currently is because he didn’t know that anymore. Gatsby loved the Daisy he once knew, or how he remembers her to be. In turn, Daisy thought she was in love with Gatsby also, but shown t hrough how she still didn’t try to get out of her marriage with Tom, she really wasn’t. She thought her appreciation of Gatsby’s attention was love.Tom cheated on Daisy with Myrtle and thought that was fine as long as he loved his wife, but then how come he was furious when he found out about his Daisy’s love affair? Was it really only because he was insulted that Daisy would cheat on him too? Finally, the main character Nick claimed he loved Jordan Baker, but found it necessary to separate from her at the end of the book. There seems to be a lot of love going around in the story, but somehow love became something that ruined their lives, because somehow, it never became what the characters or what the readers knew it was supposed to be.In chapter 3 Nick speaks of how he feels about Jordan towards the end of the story, talking about he thought he and Jordan had to go their separate ways, â€Å"†¦she had deliberately shifted our relations, and for a moment I thought I loved her†¦I’d been writing letters once a week and signing them: ‘Love, Nick,’ and all I could think of was how, when that certain girl played tennis, a faint mustache of perspiration appeared on her upper lip. Nevertheless there was a vague understanding that had to be tactfully broken off before I was free. † (3. 169) Nick says that he only thought he loved Jordan out right.He probably thought to mention the sweat on her upper lip while playing tennis because that’s not something that you call to mind right away about the person you love, at least not something as shallow as sweat. You don’t do things you should only be doing with the person you love with someone else, as Tom did with Myrtle. Oddly he cheated on Daisy, but he loved her. â€Å"I love Daisy too,† he says during their group confrontation at the Plaza Hotel, â€Å"Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come ba ck, and in my heart I love her all the time. (7. 251) If you could love someone but go behind his or her back to have an affair, and everybody in the world believed this, no one would be happy in love. In the same chapter Daisy also proves the love she feels is also twisted, â€Å"‘Oh, you want too much! ’ she cried to Gatsby. ‘I love you now – isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past. ’ She began to sob helplessly. ‘I did love him once – but I loved you too. ’† (7. 266) If at one point Daisy suddenly said she loved everybody she knew, it wouldn’t be hard to believe.With a lot of skill, Fitzgerald was able to sum up all that love was in the story in the first chapter. Gatsby was only reaching out to something, and the whole time he loved he Daisy, he was in love with a green light—the thought of her. In the first chapter, Nick notices an odd gesture of Gatsby’s which told about w hat he felt about Daisy. â€Å"†¦he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling.Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1. 152) The book showed how love can take a hold and take full control of people’s lives, but in a scary way, not be real love at all. Though most people know that love is beautiful, that there can be times that love is all we need, there’s a need to be careful. You need to be sure that it’s truly love, or else, love will be something you’d rather not have at all.

Deception Point Page 22

Marjorie Tench fell silent, as if reeling from that last punch. The CNN host prompted, â€Å"Ms. Tench? A reaction?† The woman finally cleared her throat and spoke. â€Å"I guess I'm just surprised to hear that Mr. Sexton is willing to establish himself as so staunchly anti-NASA.† Sexton's eyes narrowed. Nice try, lady. â€Å"I am not anti-NASA, and I resent the accusation. I am simply saying that NASA's budget is indicative of the kind of runaway spending that your President endorses. NASA said they could build the shuttle for five billion; it cost twelve billion. They said they could build the space station for eight billion; now it's one hundred billion.† â€Å"Americans are leaders,† Tench countered, â€Å"because we set lofty goals and stick to them through the tough times.† â€Å"That national pride speech doesn't work on me, Marge. NASA has overspent its allowance three times in the past two years and crawled back to the President with its tail between its legs and asked for more money to fix its mistakes. Is that national pride? If you want to talk about national pride, talk about strong schools. Talk about universal health care. Talk about smart kids growing up in a country of opportunity. That's national pride!† Tench glared. â€Å"May I ask you a direct question, senator?† Sexton did not respond. He simply waited. The woman's words came out deliberately, with a sudden infusion of grit. â€Å"Senator, if I told you that we could not explore space for less than NASA is currently spending, would you act to abolish the space agency altogether?† The question felt like a boulder landing in Sexton's lap. Maybe Tench wasn't so stupid after all. She had just blindsided Sexton with a â€Å"fence-buster†-a carefully crafted yes/no question designed to force a fence-straddling opponent to choose clear sides and clarify his position once and for all. Instinctively Sexton tried sidestepping. â€Å"I have no doubt that with proper management NASA can explore space for a lot less than we are currently-â€Å" â€Å"Senator Sexton, answer the question. Exploring space is a dangerous and costly business. It's much like building a passenger jet. We should either do it right-or not at all. The risks are too great. My question remains: If you become president, and you are faced with the decision to continue NASA funding at its current level or entirely scrap the U.S. space program, which would you choose?† Shit. Sexton glanced up at Gabrielle through the glass. Her expression echoed what Sexton already knew. You're committed. Be direct. No waffling. Sexton held his chin high. â€Å"Yes. I would transfer NASA's current budget directly into our school systems if faced with that decision. I would vote for our children over space.† The look on Marjorie Tench's face was one of absolute shock. â€Å"I'm stunned. Did I hear you correctly? As president, you would act to abolish this nation's space program?† Sexton felt an anger simmering. Now Tench was putting words in his mouth. He tried to counter, but Tench was already talking. â€Å"So you're saying, senator, for the record, that you would do away with the agency that put men on the moon?† â€Å"I am saying that the space race is over! Times have changed. NASA no longer plays a critical role in the lives of everyday Americans and yet we continue to fund them as though they do.† â€Å"So you don't think space is the future?† â€Å"Obviously space is the future, but NASA is a dinosaur! Let the private sector explore space. American taxpayers shouldn't have to open their wallets every time some Washington engineer wants to take a billion-dollar photograph of Jupiter. Americans are tired of selling out their children's future to fund an outdated agency that provides so little in return for its gargantuan costs!† Tench sighed dramatically. â€Å"So little in return? With the exception perhaps of the SETI program, NASA has had enormous returns.† Sexton was shocked that the mention of SETI had even escaped Tench's lips. Major blunder. Thanks for reminding me. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence was NASA's most abysmal money pit ever. Although NASA had tried to give the project a facelift by renaming it â€Å"Origins† and shuffling some of its objectives, it was still the same losing gamble. â€Å"Marjorie,† Sexton said, taking his opening, â€Å"I'll address SETI only because you mention it.† Oddly, Tench looked almost eager to hear this. Sexton cleared his throat. â€Å"Most people are not aware that NASA has been looking for ET for thirty-five years now. And it's a pricey treasure hunt-satellite dish arrays, huge transceivers, millions in salaries to scientists who sit in the dark and listen to blank tape. It's an embarrassing waste of resources.† â€Å"You're saying there's nothing up there?† â€Å"I'm saying that if any other government agency had spent forty-five million over thirty-five years and had not produced one single result, they would have been axed a long time ago.† Sexton paused to let the gravity of the statement settle in. â€Å"After thirty-five years, I think it's pretty obvious we're not going to find extraterrestrial life.† â€Å"And if you're wrong?† Sexton rolled his eyes. â€Å"Oh, for heavens sake, Ms. Tench, if I'm wrong I'll eat my hat.† Marjorie Tench locked her jaundiced eyes on Senator Sexton. â€Å"I'll remember you said that, senator.† She smiled for the first time. â€Å"I think we all will.† Six miles away, inside the Oval Office, President Zach Herney turned off the television and poured himself a drink. As Marjorie Tench had promised, Senator Sexton had taken the bait-hook, line, and sinker. 24 Michael Tolland felt himself beaming empathetically as Rachel Sexton gaped in silence at the fossilized meteorite in her hand. The refined beauty of the woman's face now seemed to dissolve into the expression of innocent wonder-a young girl who had just seen Santa Claus for the first time. I know just how you feel, he thought. Tolland had been struck the same way only forty-eight hours ago. He too had been stunned into silence. Even now, the scientific and philosophical implications of the meteorite astounded him, forcing him to rethink everything he had ever believed about nature. Tolland's oceanographic discoveries included several previously unknown deepwater species, and yet this â€Å"space bug† was another level of breakthrough altogether. Despite Hollywood's propensity for casting extraterrestrials as little green men, astrobiologists and science buffs all agreed that given the sheer numbers and adaptability of earth's insects, extraterrestrial life would in all probability be buglike if it were ever discovered. Insects were members of the phylum arthropoda-creatures having hard outer skeletons and jointed legs. With over 1.25 million known species and an estimated five hundred thousand still to be classified, earth's â€Å"bugs† outnumbered all of the other animals combined. They made up 95 percent of all the planet's species and an astounding 40 percent of the planet's biomass. It was not so much the bugs' abundance that impressed as it was their resilience. From the Antarctic ice beetle to Death Valley's sun scorpion, bugs happily inhabited deadly ranges in temperature, dryness, and even pressure. They also had mastered exposure to the most deadly force known in the universe-radiation. Following a nuclear test in 1945, air force officers had donned radiation suits and examined ground zero, only to discover cockroaches and ants happily carrying on as if nothing had happened. Astronomers realized that an arthropod's protective exoskeleton made it a perfectly viable candidate to inhabit the countless radiation-saturated planets where nothing else could live.