Political Consequences of Globalisation free essay sample

Today’s world is faced with various questions concerning political affairs such as peace, legislation, policymaking, and cooperation between states and even societies. But one of the fundamental dilemmas of the contemporary times is undoubtedly the question of globalisation. This phenomenon is based on numerous worldwide exchanges in the field of economy, social life, culture, ideology and the environment- all of these elements leading to certain political consequences. Globalisation, which has been pushed forward by the expansion of capitalism, has been seen in the political world since 1848, when Marx and Engels stated how the â€Å"bourgeoisie has through its exploitation of the world market given a cosmopolitan character to production and exchanged â€Å"local and national seclusion and self-sufficiency† for â€Å"universal inter-dependence of nations† (1966: 112). Nowadays, many people around the globe ask themselves the questions: What are the political costs of globalisation? Does it bring prosperity and development to our world or poverty and the deepening of differences in national wealth between countries? Does it bring people together and serves as a means of knowledge about various cultures or is it a form of spreading and forcing people into accepting a universal ‘pop’ culture? In this essay, an analysis of the political consequences of globalisation will try to answer these questions. We will write a custom essay sample on Political Consequences of Globalisation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Globalisation has influenced and even changed the world system in various positive ways. According to the supporters of social democratic global governance, globalization, after the fall of the Soviet bloc, has created opportunities for advancing the â€Å"cause of human rights, to challenge dictatorial rule, and to spread the principles of democracy throughout the developing world. New criteria of liberal democracy have been advanced in most international development organisations to judge the relative fitness and legitimacy of states, making it difficult †¦ for dictatorial regimes to gain legitimacy in the world arena† (Putzel 2004). But on the other hand, globalisation got rid of the idea of checks and balances, leaving hegemons, like the United States, in charge which may sometimes lead to breaking of the multipolar world order and principles of peaceful international relations introduced after the end of World War II. For example, this was visible in the case of the Iraq invasion. Modern globalisation is also seen as the world-wide exchange of information amongst people. Universally used tools, such as the internet, have led to the creation of the so-called ‘cyber-sphere’ in which people are able to converse freely about the political situations in their countries as well as exchange their personal insights and feelings. The cyber-sphere is also perceived as a new dimension of communication for governments, which are able to control their economies that are now existing in the cyber world. Furthermore, the internet became not only the means by which people are able to exchange valuable ideas but it is also used as a weapon by terrorist groups. Moreover, it provides access to a variety of scientific sources but it also creates the risk of plagiarism and theft. Various governments are not able to fully regulate what is being done or said on the internet, therefore, it is very important for countries to work together in the fight against extremism and cyber-crime. Furthermore, globalisation became the source for the accelerating competition around the globe which thus led to the increase in production and efficiency. Competition and increasing market space can lead to specialisation and an improved division of labour. There are also economies of scale and scope that have salutary effects on costs and prices and which provide a strong impetus for economic growth† (Pere 2007). Competition is able to increase standards of living and promote higher wages. Also, according to Anthony Giddens, globalization over a period of time has weakened the notion of the nation-state and â€Å"regenerated local identities† (1998: 2 8-33). It is now forcing governments to consider a wide range of actors such as individuals, firms, nations, trading blocs or non-governmental organizations and â€Å"providing a form of governance over society and economy, which is no longer the prerogative of governments† (1998: 28-33). This tames the government’ egoistic decisions in the economic sphere that might enrich their own countries but lead in fact to the decline of others. According to the globalisation theory, many states were forced in the past few years to abandon their particular political drives in the economic sphere, and due to this the differences between national economies are slowly diminishing (Thompson 2010: 132). â€Å"Underlying this thesis is a rather deterministic conception of globalization as an ‘iron cage’ which imposes a global financial discipline on governments, severely constraining the scope for progressive policies and undermining the social bargain on which the post-Second-World-War welfare state rested† (Held et al. 1999). Because of this the gap between the rich and the poor is rapidly growing even into the 21st century. â€Å"[T]here is evidence that the bottom 10 per cent of the world’s population has become even poorer since the beginning of the 1990s† (Croft 2010: 211). While it can be noticed that some parts of the world, mainly in Asia, have witnessed the positive side of globalisation that led to swift growth and substantial poverty decrease, many other areas in Latin America and most of Africa have experienced economic immobility or even decline that lead to the rise in poverty and inequality. Furthermore, many instabilities of countries at a regional or global level are due to the interconnectivity and interdependence of economies. Economic insecurities and crisis in one country can lead to local or even global problems. â€Å"The most dramatic instance of this was the exchange rate and financial crisis in Asia, which started in Thailand in 1998, and spread to other South-east Asian economies but which also sent ripples throughout the international financial system† (Pere 2007). These links that bind the world’s economies together suggest mutual vulnerability which might lead to conflict. Various countries are sceptical about the positive aspect of globalisation and therefore they believe that they have lost the grasp on their own economies and became the victims of powerful and bigger countries, various multinational firms, and international institutions. Joseph Stiglitz, who is the former chief economist of the World Bank, is one of many that support this notion. He wrote in Globalization and its Discontents (2002: 214) that â€Å"globalization today is not working for many of the world’s poor. † He was right in the fact that many of these poor countries are not able to eat the fruits of globalisation. Their percentage in the volume of global trade is decreasing. There are many aspects of globalisation that are non-economic, yet have an even greater impact on the contemporary world. There have been many new security challenges in the interdependent world that have led to regional conflicts and violence. International security issues have become very interconnected. These issues raise questions about problems like scarce energy or water provisions, illegitimate and tyrannical governments, terrorism, and environmental issues such as global warming and epidemics such as HIV or AIDS. Stuart Croft illustrates this interconnectivity by showing how â€Å"a concern with a terrorist organization might connect into international trade (smuggling of †¦weapons), into international finance (control of terrorist finances), and into development issues (how to support the development of regions beset by terrorism)† (Croft 2010: 189). Moreover, even though the end of the Cold War diminished the fear of nuclear weapons, it did not lead its total disappearance. There is still an on-going proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Due to this, globalisation can put at risk the countries of the world. Al Qaeda and other transnational actors have formed global networks of operatives, challenging conventional approaches to national defence in what has been called asymmetrical warfare† (Nye 2013: 257). Additionally, with less state control over foreign exchange and the removal of most trade barriers, non-state actors gained unrestricted access to income from res ources such as narcotics, diamonds, and weapons supplies. â€Å"This created a perverse and vicious cycle: falling state revenues, leading to increasing ineffectiveness of authority, allowing expanded smuggling, leading to further declines in revenue† (Putzel 2004). Today’s globalisation has gone much â€Å"farther, faster, cheaper, and deeper† (Friedman 1999: 7-8). This swiftness creates another problem- it forms uncertainty and makes it much more difficult to shape policy responses. Karl Polanyi in his book The Great Transformation claimed that â€Å"the market forces unleashed by the Industrial Revolution and globalisation in the nineteenth century produced not only great economic gains, but also great social disruptions and political reactions† (1944). Many countries have responded in various ways to the speedy changes made by globalisation. In countries such as Iran and Bosnia, globalisation has been very frowned upon because it challenges the conservative or even extremist views of those nations and brings in foreign (i. e. Western) ideas. In addition, the anti-globalisation attitudes are partially a reply to the alterations shaped by economic interdependence. â€Å"From an economist’s view, imperfect markets are inefficient, but from a political view, some imperfections in international markets can be considered ‘useful inefficiencies’ because they slow down and buffer political change. As globalisation removes such inefficiencies, it becomes the political prisoner of its economic success† (Nye 2013: 261). In conclusion, the concept of globalisation has both positive and negative political consequences. It intensifies inequality by which it increases political risks and widens already present social gaps. It causes developing countries to have the hardest time when trying to assimilate into global economies and markets. Globalisation is a means by which people are able to exchange valuable information and ideas but it also poses a threat because it opens doors to terrorism and cyber-crime. Additionally, due to globalization, today’s decisions about global politics lay mostly in the hands of international and non-governmental organisations and this partially leads to the weakening of the nation-state. Therefore, â€Å"Globalisation [has] transformed the terrain of politics, but the role, and indeed the need for the establishment or reinforcement, of modern states has never been more important†.

The Unknown Rebel Essays

The Unknown Rebel Essays The Unknown Rebel Paper The Unknown Rebel Paper On the 5th Of June 1989 a single Chinese man stood up to a line of 18 tanks in Tiananmen Square. The image of him and his righteous act was broadcast all over the world as the image to forever illustrate one insignificant mans power to stand up to a virtually unstoppable force. Despite all efforts, Western Media Sources have been unable to discover his true identity so he has been dubbed The Unknown Rebel by Time Magazine and was included in their list of 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century. This man is considered a rebel because he went against the man and refused to do as told by the tanks standing in front of him. For the previous two days there had been horrendous violence occurring between student protesters and the Chinese Government with incidents of people being shot in the back by soldiers for their pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen square. His act was intrinsically rebellious because he stood in the way of the tanks and even moved left and right with the tank to further block its path in a defiant way. He was even seen to climb on top of the tank and say to the driver Why are you here? My city is in chaos because of you. He then climbed back down and bystanders pulled him back into the crowd as he receded into anonymity. The Chinese government is a force to be reckoned with and this unknown rebel must have been aware of they were capable of killing as martial law had been declared and thousands just like him had been killed in the preceding days. Only a true rebel would risk his life to defy the government and stand up to a line of 18 tanks. His image has been adopted by many people in many countries as a sign that every man can make a difference and do something major that impacts a large, diverse amount of people. It has been said that he was seen in his glorious moment by more people than ever laid eyes on Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein and James Joyce combined. This alone is indicative of the significance his one act had compared with the lifetime achievements of some men considered to be relatively more famous. The fact that after his act of rebellion he majestically disappeared into the crowd further adds to his image of the rebel. No one knows who he was, let alone what happened to him after that day. A year later, when an American reporter asked Chinese leader Jiang Zemin what had happened to the unknown rebel and he replied I think never killed. This mystery that surrounds the unknown rebel is one attribute that contributes to his image as a rebel due to the image that has been created around his anonymity. In conclusion, the unknown rebel of Tiananmen Square is a rebel because he has become a symbol for standing up against the big power at the risk of everything for something you believe in.

Classical Social Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Classical Social Theory - Essay Example In Condorcet's historical account of the heroic march of human reason, it is invariably priestly deception and barbarity which threatens future progress or plunges mankind into lengthy periods of darkness and ignorance. Speaking for many of his philosophe peers, Condorcet depicts the Middle Ages as history's bleakest epoch: "Nothing could penetrate the profound darkness save a few shafts of talent, a few rays of kindness and magnanimity. Man's only achievements were theological day-dreaming and superstitious imposture, his only morality religious intolerance." The French enlightenment's special virulence toward the contemporary institutions of organized religion can be attributed to the uniquely powerful position of the French clergy as members of the ruling elite. The resolution of the Gallican controversy in 1682 cemented an especially close relationship between the clergy and the crown in France. Moreover, French religious dissenters and freethinkers confronted an especially hostile and oppressive environment in the aftermath of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, guaranteeing minimal toleration to Protestants, in 1685. This atmosphere of intolerance and rigid absolutism bred a particularly bitter anticlericalism; the perceived power machinations and profligacy of the clergy encouraged scathing denunciations of priestly hypocrisy and cynical manipulation. In relatively more tolerant Protestant England, such intense animosity was unlikely to arise. Nonetheless, the basic principles of enlightenment thought produced skeptical and crit ical accounts of revealed religion across national boundaries, and English deists were especially active in promulgating the foundation for a more rational, simplified, and less doctrinaire faith. Voltaire, Letters in England , trans. Leonard Tancock (New York: Penguin Books, 1980), 120. In his final letter from England, Voltaire systematically attempts to dismantle the claims of Blaise Pascal in the Pensees. Profoundly disturbed by the "hateful light" in which Pascal appears to depict man, Voltaire proposes to "champion humanity against this sublime misanthropist." Voltaire's crusade against Pascal's misanthropy neatly illustrates many of the central objections which enlightenment thinkers made against religion, and Christianity in particular. Voltaire, Letters in England , trans. Leonard Tancock (New York: Penguin Books, 1980), 120-122. Voltaire, a relative moderate on religious questions, does not actually seek to dismantle belief in God.' Rather, he takes exception to the misery, wickedness, and helplessness which Pascal, attributes to mankind's natural condition, as well as the social disarray which is held to follow from man's corruption. Claiming that Pascal "attributes to the essence of our nature what applies only to certain men," Voltaire does not accept that original sin is a permanent and irrevocable stain on all of humanity.' Rather, he insists that man has both good and bad impulses, and that we can use our reason to govern our passions so as to lead upright lives: "He [man] is, like everything else

UNIQLO in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

UNIQLO in China - Essay Example UNIQLO in China In a Company Perspective. The concept of marketing problem can be termed as a constraint or issue due to which organizations face significant hurdles in launching or promoting any product or service. The marketing problems of an organization can be identified through analyzing its internal influencing factors. With respect to the company perspective, the internal factors involve few major dimensions that influence the marketing activities of an organization. In this context, these dimensions can be associated with 4Ps of marketing mix including product, price, place/distribution and promotional attributes of the organizations (The Chartered Institute of Management, 2009). These dimensions have been discussed hereunder. Product Development Factors With respect to the business strategy of UNIQLO, the organization tends to possess two major strengths including the usage of quality based materials along with unique functional materials in manufacturing its range of fashionable garments and apparels. Specially mentioning, the use of high quality materials such as Merino wool, cashmere and Supima cotton in producing Women's Winter Style products enabled the organization to comply with the requirements of the customers. Moreover, the unique functional material in designing Women's Winter Style products tends to create increasing demand in the markets during the cold/winter season across different geographical locations (Fast Retailing Co., Ltd, 2013). Promotional Variables Across every season, the promotional campaigns of UNIQLO incorporate endorsing its core products including HEATTECH, ultra-light down jackets, fleece and polo shirts among others throughout its different overseas retail locations. The promotional campaign s of the company focus on developing advertising activities encompassing different tele-media (Fast Retailing Co., Ltd, 2013). Pricing Variables The pricing strategy of Women's Winter Style products is also a major attribute of UNIQLO to successfully achieve its business objectives across the markets where it operates. The company provides quality based Women's Winter Style products in a more reasonable price as compared to other fashion retailers. In this regard, the adequate control of inventory along with the marketing department and merchandisers of the company facilitate to reduce the cost up to 30% in comparison with the regular price of the products (Fast Retailing Co., Ltd, 2013). Place/Distribution Variables In relation to the place/distribution variable, the continuous expansion in the global destinations significantly provides adequate support to UNIQLO in order to avoid different sorts of marketing problems. Currently, the organization operates more than 11,000 retail st ores across different nations including the UK, the US, France, Russia along with Japan and other major Asian countries (Fast Retailing Co., Ltd, 2013). 1.2 In an Industry Perspective. According to marketing concepts, the industry influencing factors have also major bearing upon the organizations to face different marketing problems. In order to critically assess the major influencing factors of the fashion garments business industry, the analysis of Porter’s five forces would enable to critically identify the current marketing strategy of UNIQLO. These have been discussed hereunder. Power of Buyer According to the recent phenomenon, the power of buyer is relatively high for UNIQLO due to increasing number of fashion retailers.

Work life balance is increasingly used as a strategy to attract and Essay - 1

Work life balance is increasingly used as a strategy to attract and retain employees. Argue the business case for and against implementing Work Life Balance initiatives - Essay Example The family ­ friendly workplace develops systems for organising how work is arranged in order to support workers in achieving a greater integration across their work and personal responsibilities. More formally, a family-friendly workplace "recognises the non ­-workplace family responsibilities of its employees and develops and implements policies that allow employees to simultaneously fulfill work and family responsibilities" (Strachan & Burgess, 1998, p. 251). These policies are considered to be a major recruitment and retention tool. Ezzedeen (2003) defined work-life balance from a holistic, individual domain perspective, as the degree to which individuals are satisfied with their involvement in domains of life they value. Work-life balance is understood as a satisfactory temporal, cognitive, and physical participation in the domain (s) in which one finds meaning, fulfillment and enjoyment (Ezzedeen, 2003). Work-life balance acknowledges that all employees have lives outside of work. Work-life balance illuminates traditional cultural assumptions about gender roles that shape mens and womens experiences in and out ofthe workplace (Redman and Wilkinson, 2006). It challenges the public/private dichotomy of roles and responsibilities by acknowledging that the sex and gender system operates differently in mens and womens lives; such that a man may be stigmatised for taking leave to care for a newborn in much the same way that a woman will be stigmatised for choosing to work after a baby is born. Rapoport, Bailyn, Fletcher, and Pruitt (2002) explain: "Accepting that individual priorities differ, our goal is that men and women should be able to experience these two parts of their lives as not in conflict, or separate, or in need of balance, but integrated. By this we mean that they should be able to function and find satisfaction in both work and personal life, independent of

What Is Workers Participation Management Management Essay

What Is Workers Participation Management Management Essay The term participation is derived from Latin word Participare that mean taking part or sharing shaving is a bilateral process involving motivational functional manifestations, the term worker participation involves sharing in an appropriate manner. The decision- making power with the lower ranks of the organization. Workers participation in management is an essential ingredient of Industrial democracy and is based on Human Relations approach to Management which brought about a new set of values to labour and management. Traditionally the concept of Workers Participation in Management (WPM) refers to participation of non-managerial employees in the decision-making process of the organization. Workers participation is also known as labour participation or employee participation in management. Concept:- The technique of the workers participation in management has been regarded as a powerful behavioral tool for managing the industrial relation system. The concept of the WPM crystallizes the concept of industrial democracy and indicates an attempt on the employer to build his employee into a team, which works towards the realization of common objectives. It is a mental and emotional involvement of a person in a group situation which encourages him to constitute to goals and share responsibilities with them. Objectives of WPM: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To establish Industrial Democracy. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To build the most dynamic Human Resources. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To satisfy the workers social and esteem needs. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To strengthen labour-management co-operation and thus maintain Industrial peace and harmony. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To promote increased productivity for the advantage of the organization, workers and the society at large. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Its psychological objective is to secure full recognition of the workers. Strategies / Schemes of WPM: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Suggestion Schemes:  Participation of workers can take place through suggestion scheme. Under this method workers are invited and encouraged to offer suggestions for improving the working of the enterprise.   A suggestion box is installed and any worker can write his suggestions and drop them in the box. Periodically all the suggestions are scrutinized by the suggestion committee or suggestion screening committee. The committee is constituted by equal representation from the management and the workers. The committee screens various suggestions received from the workers. Good suggestions are accepted for implementation and suitable awards are given to the concerned workers. Suggestion schemes encourage workers interest in the functioning of an enterprise. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Works committee:  Under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, every establishment employing 100 or more workers is required to constitute a works committee. Such a committee consists of equal number of representatives from the employer and the employees. The main purpose of this committee is to provide measures for securing and preserving amity and good relations between the employer and the employees. Functions:  Works committee deals with matters of day-to-day functioning at the shop floor level. Works committees are concerned with: Æ’Â °Ã‚  Ã‚  Conditions of work such as ventilation, lighting and sanitation. Æ’Â °Ã‚  Ã‚  Amenities such as drinking water, canteens, dining rooms, medical and health services. Æ’Â °Ã‚  Ã‚  Educational and recreational activities. Æ’Â °Ã‚  Ã‚  Safety measures, accident prevention mechanisms etc. Works committees function actively in some organizations like Tata Steel, HLL, etc but the progress of Works Committees in many organizations has not been very satisfactory due to the following reasons: Æ’Â ¼Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of competence and interest on the part of workers representatives. Æ’Â ¼Ã‚  Ã‚  Employees consider it below their dignity and status to sit alongside blue-collar workers. Æ’Â ¼Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of feedback on performance of Works Committee. Æ’Â ¼Ã‚  Ã‚  Undue delay and problems in implementation due to advisory nature of recommendations. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joint Management Councils:  Under this system Joint Management Councils are constituted at the plant level. These councils were setup as early as 1958. These councils consist of equal number of representatives of the employers and employees, not exceeding 12 at the plant level. The plant should employ  at least500 workers. The council discusses various matters relating to the working of the industry. This council is entrusted with the responsibility of administering welfare measures, supervision of safety and health schemes, scheduling of working hours, rewards for suggestions etc. Wages, bonus, personal problems of the workers are outside the scope of Joint management councils. The council is to take up issues related to accident prevention, management of canteens, water, meals, revision of work rules, absenteeism, indiscipline etc. the performance of Joint Management Councils have not been satisfactory due to the following reasons:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Workers representatives feel dissatisfied as the councils functions are concerned with only the welfare activities.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trade unions fear that these councils will weaken their strength as workers come under the direct influence of these councils. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Work Directors:  Under this method, one or two representatives of workers are nominated or elected to the Board of Directors. This is the full-fledged and highest form of workers participation in management. The basic idea behind this method is that the representation of workers at the top-level would usher Industrial Democracy, congenial employee-employer relations and safeguard the workers interests. The Government of India introduced this scheme in several public sector enterprises such as Hindustan Antibiotics, Hindustan Organic Chemicals Ltd etc. However the scheme of appointment of such a director from among the employees failed miserably and the scheme was subsequently dropped. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Co-partnership:  Co-partnership involves employees participation in the share capital of a company in which they are employed. By virtue of their being shareholders, they have the right to participate in the management of the company. Shares of the company can be acquired by workers making cash payment or by way of stock options scheme. The basic objective of stock options is not to pass on control in the hands of employees but providing better financial incentives for industrial productivity. But in developed countries, WPM through co-partnership is limited. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joint Councils:  The joint councils are constituted for the whole unit, in every Industrial Unit employing 500 or more workers, there should be a Joint Council for the whole unit. Only such persons who are actually engaged in the unit shall be the members of Joint Council. A joint council shall meet at least once in a quarter. The chief executive of the unit shall be the chairperson of the joint council. The vice-chairman of the joint council will be nominated by the worker members of the council. The decisions of the Joint Council shall be based on the consensus and not on the basis of voting.  Ã‚   In 1977 the above scheme was extended to the PSUs like commercial and service sector organizations employing 100 or more persons. The organizations include hotels, hospitals, railway and road transport, post and telegraph offices, state electricity boards. Levels of Management Participation There can be 5 levels of Management Participation or WPM: a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Information participation:  It ensures that employees are able to receive information and express their views pertaining to the matter of general economic importance. b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Consultative importance:  Here workers are consulted on the matters of employee welfare such as work, safety and health. However, final decision always rests with the top-level management, as employees views are only advisory in nature. c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Associative participation:  It is an extension of consultative participation as management here is under the moral obligation to accept and implement the unanimous decisions of the employees. Under this method the managers and workers jointly take decisions. d.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Administrative participation:  It ensures greater share of workers participation in discharge of managerial functions. Here, decisions already taken by the management come to employees, preferably with alternatives for administration and employees have to select the best from those for implementation. e.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decisive participation:  Highest level of participation where decisions are jointly taken on the matters relating to production, welfare etc. Reasons for failure of Workers participation Movement in India: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Employers resist the participation of workers in decision-making. This is because they feel that workers are not competent enough to take decisions. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Workers representatives who participate in management have to perform the dual roles of workers spokesman and a co-manager. Very few representatives are competent enough to assume the two incompatible roles. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Generally Trade Unions leaders who represent workers are also active members of various political parties. While participating in management they tend to give priority to political interests rather than the workers cause. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schemes of workers participation have been initiated and sponsored by the Government. However, there has been a lack of interest and initiative on the part of both the trade unions and employers. Measures for making Participation effective: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Employer should adopt a progressive outlook. They should consider the industry as a joint endeavour  in which workers have an equal say. Workers should be provided and enlightened about the benefits of their participation in the management. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Employers and workers should agree on the objectives of the industry. They should recognize and respect the rights of each other. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Workers and their representatives should be provided education and training in the philosophy and process of participative management. Workers should be made aware of the benefits of participative management. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There should be effective communication between workers and management and effective consultation of workers by the management in decisions that have an impact on them. Viper Report

Selling Products versus Images :: Marketing Advertising Commercials Ads

Products or Images? What are they really selling? If an alien were shown an advertisement and asked to describe what product that particular company were selling, in most cases the alien would not know. The reason that the product itself would be unclear is that it is not actually being shown because the product is not what is most appealing to the consumer. The ideal or image that is most likely projected is the attention grabber. The fantasy that is being put forth by the company is what the consumer is really investing in. People like to buy things that represent what they admire or respect. Products and brands have symbolic meanings and project certain images (Mehta, page 82) in the case of the ENYCE brand of clothing the ad portrays an image of living in an inner city and leading an urban lifestyle. It shows young attractive individuals who appear to be cool, relaxed and enjoying themselves. The men look tough and strong, while the women look stylish and comfortable. The reason that the clothes that are being sold are not simply shown on their own, is because people buy the image they wish to express to others. Individuals prefer products that match their self-concept since these purchases provide a means of self-expression. (Mehta, page 82) If a person wishes to project an image of being cool, tough, confident and relaxed in the city than they could relate to this ENYCE ad and wish to buy the products, regardless to what the product looks like. The person is not, however, investing into the quality of the clothes or the affordability, but the association of being cool or happy. This reason is why companies have turned to using a fantasy or image to sell their products. Value-expressive attributes or image of the product rather than functional attributes and informational claims are often used in advertising. (Mehta, page 81) Products often promote things that are valued by everyone such as happiness, romance, sex and other things that most people desire. Images often vary as product images do, but many of them play on what that target population wants as a whole. Everyone wants to be happy and self confident in everything they do, and this can be seen in ads of every kind.

Workforce Diversity and the impact SHRM has towards Competitive Advantage

Workforce Diversity covers a wide variety of differences, which include race, gender, age, culture, nationality, religion, sexuality, interests, needs and desires (Hartel & Fujimoto, 2000). In order to explain workforce diversity in depth, this essay will utilise Race/Ethnicity as the key diversity characteristic, discussing the various theories and practices used in Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) to develop and manage diversity. In order to achieve increased organisational performance, a strategic plan must be implemented to position people throughout the organisation; and to manage these diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds, and nurture their creativity and innovation, diverse recruitment and training is undertaken. Through the use of the diverse labour pool available when recruiting, an organisation can benefit from the different skills and knowledge obtained by the diverse employees. Secondly, their creativity, innovation network range, uniqueness and rarity, serve as a means of giving the organisation unique resources and processes that competitors are unable to produce or replicate, resulting in the organisation benefiting from a human capital based competitive advantage. This essay discusses workforce diversity, competitive advantage, diversity orientation, diversity openness, and effects of diversity on team and individual performance, and diversity management. Due to the effects globalisation has on the organisations today, organisations must diversify the methods in which they manage their human resources and establish a competitive advantage to compete in the current global market. By defining the presence of differences among members of social units (Jackson et al. , 1995, as cited in D’Netto & Sohal, 1999), different types of diversity can be identified and the groups can be categorised in order to manage them effective and efficiently. According to H?rtel and Fujimoto (2000), Workforce diversity is categorised into two dimensions: Observable differences and Underlying differences. Firstly, observable differences take into account the diverse characteristics such as race, gender, age, verbal/non-verbal behaviours. Secondly, underlying difference encapsulates less observable differences such as values/beliefs, sexual orientation, skills/knowledge, and religion. These two dimensions contribute to the influence of the process and outcomes of many organisations. As suggested by Ayoko and H?rtel, impact of diversity of workgroups has been a focus for most studies on diversity; however, in diversity studies from Cox and Blake (1991) and Jackson (1992), cultural heterogeneity differences in race, ethnicity and national origin have been the focal point. Experiences of lower cohesion and social integration (Hambrick, 1994), more conflict, higher turnover, less trust, less job satisfaction, more stress, more absenteeism, and more communication difficulties ( Alder, 1991; O’Reilly et al. 1992; Zenger and Lawrence, 1989) are shown as the key comparisons in the research between diverse workgroups and homogeneous groups. Diversity has both positive effects such as increasing opportunity for creativity and negative effects such as increasing the likelihood of dissatisfaction and failure to identify with one’s workgroup (Milliken and Martin, 1996). Richard Florida (2004, 2005; Lee et al. 2004) argues that diversity influences economic comp etitiveness directly by fostering creativity and innovation, which are elements for promoting rarity and unique ideas and concepts, giving an organisation an advantage in its market. Organisations that acknowledge workforce diversity and its different viewpoints, and facilitate unique and creative approaches to problem solving, increase creativity and innovation within the company, leading to increased organisation performance and competitive advantage. By utilising the diversity and realising its potential, organisations are able to attract and retain the best talent available, reduce costs due to lower turnover and fewer lawsuits; enhanced market understanding and market ability; greater creativity and innovations; better problem solving; greater organisational flexibility, better decision making, and better overall performance (Cox, 1993; Cox and Blake, 1991; Cox, 1991; Robinson and Dechant, 1997; Carlozzi, 1999; Griscombe and Mattis, 2002; McAllister, 1997; Watson et al. 1993). Allan et al. (2007) suggests the negative effects of diversity to organisational performance such as lower employee satisfaction and higher turnover (O’Reilly et al. , 1989), creating a sense of detachment (Tsui et al. , 1992), lower cohesiveness, and difficulties in communications, and intergroup conflict and tension (Richard et al. , 2003; Cox, 1993). These effects of poor diverse planning and management would have severe and damaging results for the organisation. The use of Strategic Human Resource Management and Diversity Management are used to manage the broad definition of diversity, inclusive of everyone and values the differences that each individual brings to the organisation. The need for a broader definition is recognised by Loden (1993), realising that theories only based on affirmative action and equal employment opportunity tend to focus only on women and minorities which result in organisation efforts that are sectioned with the outcome of other groups feeling disenfranchised. Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) uses people as one of its components to gain competitive advantage. To be able to retain this advantage, the resources must remain scarce and hard to duplicate, have the inability to be directly substituted, and enable companies to pursue opportunities (Barney, 1991; Boyd & Wright, 1992). The key to a competitive advantage is how well the human resources work within the company (Pfeffer, 1994), leading to the creation of value, hard to imitate, and is rare which in turn increases sustainability of the competitive advantage. As the global market and its demographic characteristics of its customers change, so must an organisation’s to retain a competitive edge in the market (Cox, 1994). As communities become more multicultural, organisations must change their human resource structure so that it is aligned with the customer’s needs, as the organisation span widens globally, employees are then needed to understand the customer’s references and requirements (Cox & Blake, 1991). In order to maximise diverse employees, Diversity-oriented Human Resource Management (HRM) is utilised and is achieved through the implementation of HRM policies. By strategically focusing on processes such as employee attraction and recruitment, retainment, training and development, and organisational alignment (Denton, 1992; H?rtel & Fujimoto, 2010; Rosen & Lovelace, 1991), diverse employees can be promoted to assist an organisation to manage the challenges the come with today’s diverse marketplace. Problems arise for HRM when implementing diversity initiatives, such as convincing top management that the initiatives will benefit the organisation. Management can see the diverse initiatives as being too expensive, production may be reduced and disruption the workplace (D’Netto & Sohal, 1999). On the other hand, diverse-oriented organisations not only accept diversity, they also recognise it as an integral part of the organisation (Richard & Johnson, 2001). The key aspects of diversity orientation: work design, staffing, training, and compensation are all embedded with the foundation of diversity, thus being valued as the core part of the organisation. It is through the bundling of the HRM policies and practices that direct the organisation towards diversity and diversity management. The organisation activities of training and development, work design, staffing, and compensation programs need to all supporting and reinforcing diversity for the constitution of diversity orientation to be successful. Coinciding with the organisational activities suggested previously, procedural fairness must be undertaken so that both majority and minority groups do not experience a sense of feeling left out. Diversity orientation is a rewarding tool when striving for competitive advantage; however, diversity orientation is not universal. The effectiveness of diversity orientation involves a substantial commitment of resources and a willingness to experience inefficiencies for a time, although through persistence, this tolerance for inefficiency may be of great benefit for organisations desiring innovation, high-commitment work environments, and the ability to face dynamic environments. To be able to effectively manage diversity, the implementation of SHRM policies and procedures regarding recruitment and training must first be undertaken. Problems need to be identified so that the correct policies and procedures can be put into place. D’Netto and Sohal (1999) suggest several â€Å"best practices† be used to improve workforce diversity management during recruiting and selection; job descriptions and selection progress that cover job relevant duties, qualifications, and experience and comply with anti-discrimination legislation. Successful organisations can benefit from orkforce diversity by creating an organisation environment which attracts people from diverse labour markets. A competitive edge is promoted by selecting the right people for the correct task regardless of race (Cornelius, 1999). Through recruitment, human capital is used as a driver for competitive advantage by selecting diverse individuals with specific, unique, and rare skills, increa ses the efficiency and effectiveness of an organisation, exploiting market opportunities, and neutralise potential threats (Barney, 1991; Ulrich & Lake, 1991). Human capital that is not readily available in the labour market and not easily duplicated by other organisations provides a potential source of competitive advantage (Snell, Youndt & Wright, 1996). Management needs to proactively communicate the organisation’s commitment and reasons for valuing diversity, invest in training, socialisation, and other efforts to manage conflicts effectively (Richard et al. , 2002). Once the right people have been employed it is then up to Human Resource management to implement diversity orientated training, helping to retain the diverse workforce and to focus on the organisation as a whole, creating an environment where clear, unambiguous policies and procedures are initiated. Training can create an awareness of certain traps and provide strategies for addressing any underlying issues (Barry & Bateman, 1996). A well implemented training program will provide employees with a better understanding of each other’s race, culture, gender, religion, and sexual preferences. It will help those who are not from diverse backgrounds identify the strengths and opportunities that are supplied by the minority groups. Communication problems can be addressed through proper diverse training, helping employees understand that minority groups are handled differently according to their skills and knowledge as opposed to the employment due to their minority status. The benefit of diversity-orientated training is that it reduces the amount of bias from both employees and management, allowing the diverse groups to be accepted for the skills and knowledge they offer, which in turn, leads to a more productive, innovative, and creative organisation and promotes cohesion and cooperation between colleagues (H?rtel & Fujimoto, 2010), resulting in human resources and practices that are of a competitive nature. The first two theories Social Identity and Similarity Attraction both dentify the negative effects that diversity can have on an organisation and how it can also affect the competitive advantage, in the form of human resource. Firstly, Festinger’s (1954) studies of Social Identity theory focus on the development of social identity which results in the comparison of individuals towards other group members. The outcome of these comparisons can result in the individual with either a positive or negative self-image (Richard & Johnson, 2001), an d desire to be part of the group or wanting to leave a group. Social Identity theory suggests that being part of a group creates a feeling of collective representation of self-identity and behaviour. According to Tajfel (1982), â€Å"the psychological process associated with this theory generates distinct group behaviour, such as, solidarity within a group, conformity to group norms, and discrimination against out groups†. The second theory of Similarity Attraction (Byrne, 1971) is reliant upon demographic characteristics such as race. Similarities are perceived by individuals and compared to other members of a group, fostering trust, mutual cooperation and interaction. These effects lead to sub groups which, in turn, lead to less effective team function as a whole. Finally, theory that describes the positive attributes to diversity is the Information Processing and Decision Making Theories (Gruenfeld et al. , 1996), suggesting that decision making and exchanging of information are improved within groups that are more diverse. Benefits arising from diversity are their ability to use a greater variety of resources, allowing the use of more diverse networks. The key to dealing with all of these theories of diversity are correct usage of Diversity Management, allowing management to identify the characteristics of each and deal with them accordingly, in doing so conflict, absenteeism, and discrimination are reduced, allowing for cohesion, creativity and innovation to be produced. Competitive advantage, organisation effectiveness, increased productivity and coherent organisational environment are all outcomes that can be acquired through the correct implementation of Diversity Management. These can be achieved through the building of specific skills, creating of policies and drafting practices (D’Netto & Sohal, 1999), which in turn, get the best results from every employee. The management of diversity can be identified as the leveraging and use of cultural differences in people’s skills, ideas nd creativity to contribute to a common goal in such a way that an organisation can achieve an advantage above that of the organisations competition (Deversky, 1994; Fernandez, 1993; Morrison, 1992). The management of diverse groups is becoming increasingly difficult. Globalisation is a large contributor to workforce diversity, increased migration as a result of the opening of foreign borders, especially from different countries where people were originally migration from, resulting in a wider span of people with diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds populating the country. In order to achieve competitive advantage through the use of diversity and SHRM, ethnic diverse individuals/employees must be strategically managed so that their diverse attributes can be utilised within the organisation, leading to organisation performance and efficiency. Diversity Management focuses on the inclusion of the full span of diverse employees, allowing them to perform to their full potential, ensuring that their wellbeing, both individually and in the organisation remain positive. Introducing training, development, and affective leadership are concepts that help develop diverse employees. According to H?rtel and Fujimoto (2010), it is reported that employees working in a diversity managed organisation have an improved work-life and higher cohesion among employees. Diversity Management has many positive effects which include understanding that minority viewpoints foster quality of thought, performance, and decision making (Nemeth, 1992), and that groups made up of larger diverse backgrounds and characteristics produce a wider variety of ideas, solutions, and alternatives than those groups with similar demographic characteristics (Bantel & Jackson, 1989; Jackson, 1992). Once these viewpoints are identified and understood, procedures and practices can be implemented to embed their skills and knowledge resulting in better organisational performance. Task conflict, when using diverse groups to problem solve complex, non-routine tasks, results in disagreements amongst members about task, including viewpoints ideas and opinions, utilising their skills, knowledge, abilities, and perspectives, leading to more complete analysis of the issues and improved decision-making and performance (Jehn, 1995; Pelled, 1996). In conclusion to the discussion of the previous associative approaches to managing diversity, the essay found limitations as a result of the quantity of differences that incorporate diversity, it would be limited to arguing the characteristic of Race/Ethnicity and the effects that workforce diversity has on its contribution to competitive advantage. The review concluded that the need for a contingency approach is needed to manage diversity effectively, as problems are constantly arising due to the ever changing demographical characteristics of today’s global market. Individuals from diverse cultures are migrating to areas in which they previously were not. This results in the need for continuously updated training and recruitment with placement of diverse individuals into positions to effectively communicate and network with global customers.

Wreck, Wreak, and Other [rek] Words

Wreck, Wreak, and Other [rek] Words Wreck, Wreak, and Other [rek] Words Wreck, Wreak, and Other [rek] Words By Maeve Maddox I saw this in an article about caring for a laptop: If you store your laptop in the vehicle for any period of time, keep in mind that the extreme temperature ranges within the vehicle could wreck havoc with your laptop. Its not the first time Ive seen the word wreck substituted for wreak in the expression wreak havoc. Both words have similar origins, but in modern usage they are pronounced differently and have different meanings. wreak [reek] v. to bring about, inflict, as in wreak havoc, wreak vengeance wreck [reck] v. to cause ruin or damage wreck [reck] n. something that has been ruined The Old English verb wrecan meant to drive, drive out, avenge. Old Norse had a similar word. In Anglo-French these words evolved into a noun, wrec meaning goods cast ashore after a shipwreck, flotsam. The word reckless has a different origin. The Old English word reccan (past tense rohte) meant to care, to trouble about, heed. From it came a noun, rece meaning care. A reckless person doesnt care what happens. The word reckon comes from another OE verb spelled reccan (past tense reahte). This one meant to expound, relate. One still talks about reckoning accounts, or, in a metaphorical sense, the Final Reckoning. I reckon is a dialect expression for I guess, I suppose. Then theres reek. reek [reek] n. a bad smell reek [reek] v. to emit a bad smell The Old English word rec meant smoke from burning material. Reek acquired the sense of stench in the 17th century. So, back to the words that inspired this article: the next time you want to wreak havoc, dont wreck your credibility by misspelling or mispronouncing wreak. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Cost-Effective vs. Cost-EfficientConnotations of 35 Words for Funny PeopleHow Long Should a Synopsis Be?

Environment essays

Environment essays The Cold War has dominated American life since 1945 . Throughout the Cold War the role of the United States has been captured in themes of globalism, anti-communism, containment, military might, and intervention . The United States has also established the role of being world mediator. It was felt by the United States, that it was their job protect other countries from anything that would pose a threat to the security established in America. After World War II, the United States was the most financially secure nation, thus they had the most authority, and they could decide what was right and what was wrong in the world and act on it. This can be seen with the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the most renowned Vietnam War. Other countries were looking to the United States as a source of help and stability, and this still holds true today. The facts at the dawn of the millennium are simple and irrefutable: compared with all other states, the United States today is in a class b y itself. The ideals felt then remain the same in the present, in regards to the rest of the world, but with less extremity as seen during the Cold War. Thus the United States continues to set the agenda in the, international sense, as the world leader. However, one must ask whether or not the role of the United States should be as it is today. There are flaws in our system, like all states, but the United States continues to prove itself the best deal in the market. The role of the United States in the Post cold War world should remain, however, there are key areas, which should be addressed and handled by the United States differently. During the Cold War, fear of communism, fear of the Soviet Union, and a determination to contain both, gave structure and purpose to American foreign policy. At the end of the Cold War, brought a change to the goals of American foreign policy. The problems in todays foreign policy seem to fall in the areas of i...

Development of Staffing Management Plan Research Paper

Development of Staffing Management Plan - Research Paper Example rects all the Gauchito project activities. Management skills 2 03/01/2012 6 Years FV Project Manager Ensures that the project is executed within the schedule Administrative skills 3 03/01/2012 6 Years Project Engineer Execute the project plan Mechanical engineering skills 3 03/01/2012 6 Years Systems Engineer Develop and maintain the system’s soft ware and hardware. ... The risks involved in a project can result to a loss or result to gains for the project. For effective management of risks, an assessment is necessary. All elements used for costing are closely examined and awarded according to its development and impact on the project. The rating is based on design, dependency, difficulties, technical issues and unapproximated costs. The reports received are then evaluated by reports of a previous project. The appropriate level of costs is finally derived from the calculations done from risk assessed. During the project execution, any risks related to the project are monitored and a contingency allocated where possible (Schwalbe, Kathy 229). Part D: Project Organization Chart Part E: Project Team Directory Name Area Team Function Phone Email Michael Jackson Project Director Chair 1-4125 mijackon@gauchito.org Nelson Mandela Project Manager Member 1-6324 nendela@gauchito.org Mildred Otieng’ Procurement Manager Member 1-2456 miieng@gauchito.org Sloureen Bilgael Systems Engineer Member 18547 bilgael@gauchito.org Works Cited Schwalbe, Kathy, Introduction to Project Management, 2nd Edition . USA: Cengage Learning, 2008.

Geology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Geology - Essay Example There are footprints at Triceratops Trail that vary from those at Dinosaur Ridge. The Dinosaur Ridge tracks are approximately 100 million years of age, and one can see them from the top – as in where the creature pushed into the silt. Triceratops Trail characteristics tracks that are around 68 million years of age and are what is called negative tracks. These tracks, seen in 3D from the lowest part, shaped when the creature ventures in the mud, which was then loaded with sand, structuring a characteristic cast, and after that tilted vertical by the elevate of the Rocky Mountains. These techniques left tracks sticking from the divider since that unique layer of mud was mined away, and the sandstone cast is all that is deserted. Footprints of no less than four separate sorts of dinosaurs (a conceivable Tyrannosaurus rex, conceivable Edmontosaurus, and Triceratops incorporated), two sorts of flying creatures, a mammal, and a bug are seen on the sandstone dividers along the trail. Large portions of these tracks, when uncovered, were first of those from the Triceratops, the mammal, and the scarab (trail). Dakota Hogback, which is to the south of Golden, uncovers approximately 100 million years of rocks from the Age of Dinosaurs. An aged soil layer or paleosol at the point of geology where rock was dissolved and uncovered before the following layer of rock was set down. Chemical acted on shrouded fossil in this sandstone make concentric layers of mineralization, which are not sedimentary structures. The unique fountain formed at Pennsylvania age (about 300 Ma), uncovered at Red Rocks Park. Uranium minerals drop out of result when oxidizing liquids meet decreasing conditions in hydrocarbon-rich rocks. Triceratops Trail has a swampy, delta-like environment and is loaded with plant fossils. One will have the capacity to see impressions of palm fronds, sharpened steel leafed monocots, and ginger-like herbs.