HG Wells, From the war of the worlds (1898) and All you zombies Essay

HG Wells, From the war of the worlds (1898) and All you zombies - Essay Example On the other hand, All you Zombies seems to revolve around the idea of time. Both the two stories are written in a rather journalistic style. As for the case of The war of the Worlds, the almost factual description of the invasion of the aliens helps to provide some logic to the story. Both the two stories have adopted the first person narration style with the narrators giving a firsthand account of most of the proceedings, a style that further enhances the provision of a fairly wide perspective of the unfolding of events. In the War of the worlds, the aliens first appear in the country in the form of space-going simulated cylinders which when opened they seemed to emit some octopus-like creatures which would also pull in some human beings (Wells, 1988). This leads to the commencement of a war between the army and the Martian’s three legged fighting machines referred to as the tripods that used a combination of a ray of heat and certain chemical components. However, the aliens prove to be more powerful than the army whom they defeat with ease before proceeding to attack the communities surrounding they crater where the cylinders first landed. Being a follower of a Darwinian supporter, Wells seems to display some element of support for the theory’s assumption of the existence of some natural forces of selection in the evolution of organisms. The illustration of the battle that ensues between the army and the aliens from mars can be pointed as a struggle that is almost similar to the theory of natural selection. The fittest in this context are the Martian aliens who are able to outdo the human race due to their development of far more superior intelligence exhibited by their ability to produce highly developed weapons than those of mankind. On the same note, the invasion by the aliens in the war of the worlds seems to explain the ever continuing process of evolution. The narrator depicts the Martian aliens as possessing rather overdeveloped brains c omplemented by a reduced ability to make use of their emotions. In the human context, this therefore implies that in just the same case, the human brain may develop to the extent that it surpasses the rate of overall body development. Thus, mankind will remain to be more of a thinking man rather than an action based creature that would therefore rely on other mechanical devices just as the Martian three legged creature. In All you Zombies, time travel paradoxes seem to be a persistent technique in the plot of the story. In such techniques, more often characters within the story can meet themselves in time or inadvertently change the course of history in such a manner that their trip back to their original time is almost impossible. The story takes place in an unspecified future where space travel is a fact of life and attitudes toward sex and prostitution are very different from what they are today. In the story, the central character is a member of a certain group of time policemen disguising himself as a bartender with the aim of gaining the services of a sob story writer. The customer incidentally reveals the story of his life to the bartender explaining that he was born a girl before later getting pregnant and while giving birth, the doctor asserts her that she was a hermaphrodite. Since there were some complications while giving birth, she had to be removed her female organs which therefore made her

Theory and Evidence-Based Practice of Nursing Essay Example for Free

Theory and Evidence-Based Practice of Nursing Essay Introduction Evidence-based nursing is acknowledged as an approach to nursing care that guides to enhance patient outcomes. Qouting McEwen (2002) Kelly L. Penz and Sandra L. Bassenski pointed out that in nursing practice, formalities, remote, unsystematic clinical experiences and ungrounded opinions, and traditions as the basis of practice should be de-emphasized by incorporating into clinical practice evidence-based approach to nursing care. In explaining what evidence-based approach means, Penz and Bassendowski cited Estabrook’s (1998) explanation that evidence-based nursing â€Å"is a discipline in which nurses make clinical decisions using current best research evidence, which is then blended with approved policies and clinical guidelines, clinical expertise and judgment, and patient preferences† (Penz Bassendowski 2006, p 250). In other words, evidence-based nursing practice is more than just a research; it is more than a theory or practice. However, evidence-based practice of nursing is currently subject of debate among nursing scholars and educators. Gail J. Mitchell (1999) contends that the concept of evidence-based practice â€Å"is not only a barren possibility but also obstructs nursing process, human care, and professional accountability† (Mitchell 1999, p. 271). Mitchell argued that the usefulness of the evidence has been â€Å"wrongfully cast in the context of legitimizing nursing as a profession instead of describing evidence as one possible resource for supporting client’s decision making† (Mitchell, p. 271). The Relationship between Theory and Evidenced-Based Nursing Practice In nursing practice, theory is a pattern of knowing, Jacqueline Fawcett noted that theory comes from Greek word theoria, â€Å"To see† which means to reveal phenomena that is previously hidden from our awareness and attention. Deborah Upton (1999) pointed out that theory, practice, and research identify the science of nursing. Upton emphasized that theories embrace nursing as a science, which, in the case of evidence- based practice, the basic tenet is on sound information anchored on research findings and scientific development. Fawcett pointed out that theories constitute much of the knowledge of a discipline and theory and experiences are the lenses through which we conduct inquiry. The outcome of the inquiry comprises the evidence that finds out the adequacy of the theory. In nursing practice, theory guided practice means the traditional scientific approach to clinical care while in evidence-based practice a nurse can decide on the relevance of the evidence for the patient care. According to Penz and Baseendowski evidence-based practice fills the gap between theory, research, and practice. It means that theory alone or evidence alone is insufficient basis of clinical care, but combining the two make a useful clinical approach that has potential â€Å"to improve patient care in all clinical practice setting† (Penz Bassendowski p. 251). The relationship therefore of theory and evidence-based nursing practice is that evidence-based practice absorbed theories and incorporating it including research, patient’s preferences, and other approved guidelines of the clinical practice. Penz and Bassendowski noted the study of Alligood and Tomey (2002) suggesting that theoretical knowledge when blended into the practice of nursing, results to enhanced professional autonomy. Alligood and Tomey pointed out that when nursing theory is used to direct clinical opinion and decision making , nurses can comprehend what they do and why, and they are capable to explain this to other health professional.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Further explanation of the relationship between theory and evidence-based practice can be established in the meaning and purpose of theory it self. Lynn Rew pointed out that it is theory that framed or determined what really count as evidence. Based on the premise that â€Å"theory is the reason for and the value of the evidence,† Rew provided a framework based on three factors: Components, Purpose, and Outcomes, which depicts ideal relationship between theory and evidence-based nursing practice. Rew pointed out that the components of theory are concepts and statement, while practice, is phenomena of concern and problems to be solved. The Purpose of theory is to organize ideas, while Practice delimits ideas, the Outcomes are theory construction framework for practice, and policies while in practice, evidence-based practice, generalizable programs, and interventions. She explained that concepts of theory reflect the phenomena of concern in a practice discipline, while the definition and purpose are abstractions of the practical problems to be solved in the practice arena. The outcomes of theory construction guides practice and policy development. Thus theory is highly related to evidence-based practice by virtue of determining the evidence. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite of the different emphasis of theory based nursing and evidence-based nursing practice, the aim of both camps is to advance the clinical care of the nursing practice for the benefit of the patient. However, the conflict of emphasis threatened to abolished the long established processes of clinical care in favor of evidence based nursing practice which are not really completely proven very successful in clinical treatment. Tracing therefore the relationship between theory and evidence-based nursing practice helps not only to understand what the conflict was all about but also it gives proper understanding of the nursing practice particularly the evidence-based nursing. Whether theory guided practice or evidence-based nursing practice, what is important is that the nursing practice should be understandable to nurses and to the patient.    Reference Fawcett, J.; Watson, J.; Neuman, B.; Walker, P.; Fitzpatrick, J. (2001) On Nursing Theories and Evicence. USA: Sigma Theta Tau International. http://classes.kumc.edu/son/nrsg750/articles/nursing_theories.pdf Mitchell, G. J. Evidence-Based Practice: Critique and Alternative View. Penz, K. L. Bassendowski, S. L. ( 2006)Evidence-Based Nursing in Clinical Practice: Implications for Nurse Educators. Canada. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. Vol.37, No. 6 (November/December) http://www.orthonurse.org/portals/0/EBP%20Clinical%20Practice.pdf Rew, L (2005) Adolescent Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Theory, Research. United States of America: SAGE Publication Upton, D. J., (1999) How Can We Achieved Evidence-based Practice if we a Theory- Practice Gap in Nursing Today? Journal of Advanced Nursing Vol. 29 (3) England: Blackwell Science Ltd.

An Introduction Of Hrm And Shrm Business Essay

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

Seamus Heaneys Portrayal of the Loss of Innocence :: Poems, Poetry

Heaney particually portrays the theme of 'loss of innocence' as a child through his peoms, 'Death of a Natrualist', 'Blackberry picking', 'Poem' and 'Personal Helicon'. Death of a Naturalsit of the first of Heaneys poems to really express this theme. 'All year round the flax-dam festered in the heart -------------------------------------------------- of the townland;green and heavey headed --------------------------------------- Flax rotted there.' In the first stanza Heaney uses rich imagery and purposeful child-like language such as 'festered' and 'warm thick slobber'. These create a sense of the childlike adventure to be found in the surrounding area and time that he had as a child. The language and images created by Heaney help to engage the readers senses. These, although not always pleaseant images portray the excitement to be found as a child. They are also positive and fresah. As the poem progresses into the following stanza there is a destinct change in the mood of the peom. 'The air was thick with a bass chorus' Agaijn Heaney uses rich imagery to explain his point. Phrases such as 'angry frogs' tell how his feeling towards them as a child has changed and now they seem 'angry' rather then the 'nimble swimming tadpoles' that thery were before. Heaney expresses this change in nature as the change of season as wel for him as the actual changin from childhood into adult life. Once innocent and stimulating images have changed into aggressive and threatening things. The title of this poem in itself holds the theme strongly. 'Death of a Naturalist' suggests his interest in nature dying and being replaced with more adult feelings. 'Death of a Naturalist' also liks closely to Heaney's poem 'Blackburry picking'. The poem follows the similar two stanza approach, with the first being full of childhood positives and the second folloing on to more nagative images n nature. This poem however focuses in more on nature itself and his perspecive. 'you ate that first one and its fleesh was sweet'

Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent struggle

Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent struggle against the British Empire was a result of the political situation in India. Prior to World War II, the world has witnessed the rise of the Soviet Union in terms of political and military power. We also saw the rise of popular national liberation movements across the colonized world. In most colonies, the way of gaining independence from Western colonialism has been through the waging of armed revolutions, such as the struggle of the Chinese and the Malaysians, led by Mao Tsetung and Sukarno, respectively. However, such a type of struggle for Indian independence was essentially difficult in Indian society where a strict and clearly defined caste system was in place. The caste system hindered the creation of unity of Indians as a united people while transcending class divisions. More so, divisions between the ranks of the Indian people became more pronounced as fighting between rightist Hindu fundamentalists and left-wing communists never stopped, with both espousing violent means of securing Indian independence. All of these confused the majority of a people who continued to wallow in poverty and desolation. In all of these, Mahatma Gandhi emerged to present an alternative viewpoint, a seeming middle-ground between the pro-people radicalism of the left and the religious conservatism of the right. Related article: Favoring Pragmatism Over Principle It was founded on the principle of non-violent struggle. It dismantled all previous ideas that political power comes from the barrel of a gun. Gandhi turned the idea of revolution on its head and succeeded in doing so. While a major factor for their triumph was the waning power of the British empire after World War II, their struggle through non-violent means inspired other civil libertarians the world over to give peace and non-violent struggle a chance prior to the taking of arms. As can be seen from above, Mahatma Gandhi was clearly faced with almost immense tasks, particularly leading the Indian people in the path to independence, despite the power of the British Empire and the ethnic tensions evident in Indian society. At a time when almost the entire colonial peoples of the world were engaged in armed struggle, Gandhi decisively implemented his idea of non-violent struggle to force the British Empire to recognize their demands for sovereignty and independence. He utilized creative forms of protest, such as the non-payment of taxes, peaceful marches to the sea, even if these actions were met with brutal force by British security forces. One of the great things about Gandhi was his ability to present his vision of a free and independent India to the masses in very simple terms which could be clearly understood and grasped. More so, he fully understood that Indian culture was still basically rooted in Hinduism. He believed that the application of foreign theories such as Marxism and nationalism might isolate the independence movement from the vast majority of the people. He was also a very simple man, who embraced the entire cross-section of Indian society, even the so-called untouchables, to the extent of earning the ire of the elite Brahmin caste. As such, his own person was a concrete mobilizing force to move the Indian people into action and determine their destiny. On the other hand, a minor weakness of his leadership was the seeming personality cult that ensued even years after his death. This is shown by the absence of second-liners to continue his work in building a just and peaceful Indian society. While all the mass actions were joined by Indians from different castes, the focus was always primarily on Gandhi’s thoughts and decisions. Such a personality-based leadership, while effective in inspiring people into action, cannot work in the long-term insofar as empowering the people and sustaining the gains of Indian independence. This is due to the lack of a concrete organizational structure to effectively implement the ideas of Gandhi. Lastly, Mahatma seemed to favor speaking in very mystical and vague language, which tends to confuse his followers as to the exact meaning of what he wants to articulate. Nonetheless, his leadership style was still very effective in mobilizing almost a billion people to demand their independence from the British Empire. Being a charismatic leader, he used his gift of astute yet mystical articulation to convince all sectors of Indian society about the necessity of seeking independence. The clearness of vision and objectives, and the creativity of his means of action of pursuit of these goals, were also indispensable factors of his success in leadership. More so, his propensity for personal sacrifice, at the cost of his life and liberty, in pursuit of his goals are very high on the list of his outstanding leadership qualities. Years of imprisonment and the beatings he received from the British security forces did not deter him from continuing his leadership. This is a crucial part of his leadership style, especially when not many leaders in the world are prepared to do sacrifices like such. Usually, leaders are hidden above their ivory towers and palaces, to the extent of alienating themselves from the people they serve. Gandhi, however, was different, as he was like the common everyman, save that it was his leadership of commitment and sacrifice that helped his people achieve independence. In terms of my own personal leadership style, I accede to the leadership traits of Gandhi, in terms of his clarity of vision and propensity for sacrifice. In any organization, these are very fundamental because these will determine how the followers will appreciate their role in the organization. If the vision and goals are clear, the followers can quantitatively measure, in a given amount of time, the progress of the organization and their individual development as well, relative to the vision and objectives. It ensures that the organization does not operate in limbo, without any purpose or necessity of existence. Gandhi’s propensity for sacrifice can also be incorporated in my leadership style. It is important for followers to see and realize that the leader himself is willing to lay himself on the line in pursuit of the vision and goals of the organization. Such a leadership trait reassures the followers that the leader is serious about the success and development of the organization and dismantles notions that the leader’s only interest is to make his people follow orders and deliver results. However, my leadership style differs with Gandhi insofar as adopting a pragmatic and realistic view on plans and actions. I would accede more, in this regard, to the Leninist maxim of â€Å"concrete analysis of concrete conditions†, instead of the Gandhian mode of relying heavily on a notion of non-violence in the face of difficult odds, as I still contend that the success of Gandhi and his movement was also based on external factors (e.g. British losses after World War II) than his non-violence alone. I even surmise that without the world wars and the decline of the British Empire, his non-violent movement would never have been successful. Nonetheless, the above mentioned leadership traits of Gandhi are included in my notion of the ideal leader – clarity of vision and goals, and propensity for sacrifice. In analyzing situations and challenges, and making decisions, it must include the Leninist maxim of â€Å"concrete analysis of concrete conditions†, without, of course, prejudicing the principles and objectives inherent in the organization. A leader must always seek to create candor and camaraderie among his followers, to drive home the point that no unseen barrier exists between them. More importantly, the leader must always seek ways of empowering his people and training new second liners, based on the idea that leaders, no matter how great they are, will always have to step down and be replaced by new blood. If possible, the leader must shun micro-managing the affairs of the organization, especially when competent persons have been assigned to ensure the success of projects and goals. However, while being democratic and consultative as possible, the leader must exercise full control of the more important decisions of the organization, based on the notion that his experience and vision will always be beneficial for the future of the organization. Works Cited: 1. Gandhi, M. (1962). Essential Gandhi. Edited by Louis Fischer. New York: Vintage   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Books.

Analysis of Report to Wordsworth

Report to Wordsworth, a poem by Boey Kim Cheng, is one that speaks of the path of destruction through nature that man is leaving behind him. I personally find the poem powerful and extremely convincing, in the sense that it manages to challenge the reader very objectively. ‘You should be here, Nature has need of you’ involves the reader directly, and the use of a Capital letter personifies nature in such a way it makes one feel her pain. The following lines are significantly symbolic, as the words ‘sky slowing’ can be interpreted as the world itself turning much slower than before, the life and vibrancy leaking out of it. The reference to a ‘dying clock’ may make the reader believe that nature has very limited time remaining and that death is at its doorstep. ‘Smothered by the smog’, this line refers directly to, I believe, the harmful smoke and gases that spoil our air, literally smothering us. This description has the impressive effect of creating a feeling of suffocation, accurately reflecting the idea that is trying to be communicated. References to the great ancient Greek gods of the seas, Proteus and Triton create an incredible effect, notably the one that depicts two of the most powerful beings in existence struggling and suffering at the hands of man. ‘All hopes of Proteus rising from the sea have sunk’, this direct allusion to the tons of pollution man creates is particularly strong as it sends a message along the lines: our oceans are so polluted even the sea god is forced away. Triton’s notes struggle to be free†¦horns are choked, his eyes are dazed’ The idea of man being able to cause such suffering to the gods themselves emphasises all the more the idea of them causing massive destruction to nature. ‘Neptune lies helpless as a beach whale, while insatiate man moves in for the kill’; the adjective ‘insatiate’ depicts man as being merciless and cruel. The following lines may be interpreted from the point of view of poets, who often sit and write of what they see around them, watching the ocean, or wide fields of green countryside. They are now failing as these things that were once so beautiful are slowly being destroyed. Cheng here presents an interesting image, notably that of a ‘wound widening in the sky’, which personally makes me think of our ozone layer getting worn away by pollution, leaving the world at mercy. There is also here a discreet allusion to the poem Composed upon Westminster Bridge, the poem by William Wordsworth (Cheng’s poem is a response to this particular piece of work). God is labouring to utter his last cry’ is, I find, the perfect ending to the poem, as it once again alludes to God himself struggling against what man has caused to the world. The poem’s tone is considerably morose, along with a rhythm that I would compare to a funeral march. The atmosphere is quite deep and the voice could be that of surrender, as the poet does not indicate any possibility of mankind being capable of turning this situation around. I feel that this poem can be morally challenging and is very successful in making us understand the gravity of the world’s condition.

Toyota Production System and 5s Essay Example

Toyota Production System and 5s Essay Example Toyota Production System and 5s Essay Toyota Production System and 5s Essay Introduction Brief outline of the organization Implementation of 5S with respect of TQM and complement ISO Organizational culture and change undertaken in implementing 5S Content Define 5S Importance of 5S in the organization Culture that supports the 5S in the organization Methodology of 5S implementation How it can complement TQM and ISO certification Recommend organizational change that can to be undertaken to further improve quality Conclusion Outlook of 5S for the organization Evaluate the organizational culture and change in implementing quality. Management prospective on 5S in regards to quality. An example of 5S by Toyota Definition of 5S 5S, the brainchild of Hiroyuki Hirano from Japan, is widely considered as being the basis for Lean Manufacturing as it is concerned with stability and standardization to bring about improved safety, quality, delivery performance and cost control. Why a basis for Lean? Lean Manufacturing is a methodology derived from the Toyota Production System TPS) which originated in post World War II Japan. It came about when Kiichiro Toyoda and Taiichi Ohno amongst others explored means of making a high variety of quality cars at minimal cost, given the lack of capital expenditure available at the time. The fundamental principle of TPS is to increase productivity and generate product flow through the value stream by a disciplined and focused effort on eliminating waste. The foundation for TPS is stability, i. e. minimal process variation, this being achieved by standardization of work practices. What is Waste? Waste (Muda) in lean terms is described perfectly by Wikipedia as being any expenditure of resources for means other than the creation of value for the presumed customer. Waste can include anything from excessive motion and transport of materials to defects, over-production and inventory. Most literature now describes the 8 wastes, although Toyota have classified many more. What are the 5Ss? 5S is a systematic approach to workplace organization. The 5Ss are: 1. Sort (Seiri) sort out what is needed and get rid of what isnt 2. Set (Seiton) a place for everything and everything in its place 3. Shine (Seiso) clean and maintain so always looks like the photo 4. Standardize (Seiketsu) make it the standard and instill discipline 5. Sustain (Shitsuke) audit the system and improve it (start again) It should be mentioned for accuracy that Toyota uses 4S. Sustainability, the fifth S, is already encompassed within the TPS continuous improvement culture. Beside the improvements on safety, quality, delivery and cost mentioned above, there are also additional behavioral benefits associated with 5S, such as increased pride and sense of ownership in the workplace, increased discipline and higher employee motivation. Where does 5S succeed? Hirano is reported to have said that good workplaces begin with 5S and bad workplaces fall apart beginning with 5S. So why is this? 5S only works when there is top-down commitment from senior management to operator level. Without this any 5S program is doomed from the outset. Also there needs to be an infrastructure in place for sustainability and continuous improvement (time and resources, ideas scheme etc. ) otherwise the best youll achieve is 4S before the system stagnates. 5S will not work if it is not correctly understood. It is not simply a tidying up exercise and if it is believed as such then the program will only succeed to the second S before eventually being considered a failure. It works when management understand 5S as being fundamental to good performance rather than secondary to it. 5S succeeds in environments where there is discipline and self regulations in place to ensure standards are kept, this being owned by the workforce itself. Standards are typically maintained through a simple daily auditing system of different areas, or zones, with a person or small team being responsible for each. Even with all this in place, long term sustainability will only be possible if the system is continually measured and improved and if members of senior management carry out periodic inspections of each area. One common error by senior management is never being visible on the factory floor. How to Implement 5S 1. Sort The first step, Sort, begins with selecting a dedicated area for focus (could be an office environment, not only a factory floor) and assigning red tags to items that are either no longer needed or their usefulness is unknown. A quarantine area needs to be assigned for all red tagged items if they cannot be thrown away immediately, or if there is a lot of uncertainty as to whether items are still required. This both frees up space in the workplace and provides time to decide whether to keep or discard the items in question. Theres a tendency at this stage for magpies to want to hang onto stuff that hasnt been used for a long time. Critical reflection is required to ensure that emotional ties do not get in the way of logic. 2. Set The second step, Set, involves finding a place for everything that is left over after Sort, keeping in mind work place effectiveness, safety and ergonomics. The following questions should be answered: Where should the item be located? Ease of access is required. Keep passageways clear and avoid cables and piping on floor. How large and heavy is the object? Avoid reaching, bending and lifting where possible. How frequently is the item used? Organize by frequency of use and keep frequently used items close to hand. Set involves providing means for organizing items such as shadow boards, shelves, cabinets and containers. It also involves implementation of visual management to highlight to anyone whether a normal or abnormal state exists. The simplest of examples is a petrol gauge in a car. Green signals good, red signals bad. Another would be floor markings and labels indicating where an item should be found if not being used. 3. Shine The third step, Shine, requires items and the workplace to be cleaned and in a good state of repair. It is also about inspecting, as during inspection you will tend to find risks to safety and quality, for example due to damaged tools or faulty equipment. Shine does not just apply to material objects, but also people. Ensuring good condition of the correct clothing and that the correct PPE is being worn is equally important. For example gloves, hard hats, safety glasses and steel toe caps. 4. Standardize The forth step, Standardize, is about putting in place procedures and ensuring that a workplace is always how it should be. It provides visual management aids and daily checks in order to easily recognize whether the standard developed in the first three steps is being maintained. Visual management display boards in the work areas, creation of an address system and labelling of all equipment are key parts of this step. 5. Sustain The final step, Sustain is essentially about involving and motivating all members of the organization in assuring that the standards are applied and improved through employee empowerment and autonomy. Lean Manufacturing is as much about engaging and empowering the full intellectual capacity of the organization as it is about tools and methods. The PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) or Demin Cycleis the methodology adopted by most lean organizations for continuous improvement activity. Sustain not only involves daily auditing of the workplace by those that work in it, but also periodic inspections by all management levels. For example by local managers on a weekly basis to ensure all check sheets are signed off, and by the senior managers on a monthly basis. Many companies have recognition or reward schemes in place to encourage healthy competition between work areas or between factories within the same organization. This also serves to help generate and turn improvement ideas into action.