Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Common Wealth Economics for a Crowded Planet

Common Wealth Economics for a Crowded Planet The book â€Å"Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet† is written by Jeffrey Sachs, a famous economist from the Columbia University. His work is devoted to the economic problems of our planet and to the global issues in general. The author focuses on the existing threats for the global population in different spheres of life and presents various ways of improving the situation. In this book, both the environmental and human-caused problems are analyzed.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to the author, there is a number of problems which need to be solved in the nearest future. These are overpopulation, poverty, irrational use of natural resources, unhealthy economy, urbanization, environmental crisis, climate change, etc. Sachs illustrates every issue with many considerable examples; what is more, the author gives th e diachronic evaluation of the issues, which means comparison of the situation throughout the flow of time. The main point of the book is showing that all the mentioned problems were caused by humans. The author even mentions the HIPPO term, which stands for the consequences of human activities: Habitat destruction, Invasive species, Pollution, Population increase, and Over-harvesting. Sachs outlines marine fisheries and various species of animals as those most badly affected by humans and proves that the climate change is also a result of human activities. In addition, one of the most important problems outlined by Sachs is proper organization of the world economy and international policy, as far s that the gap between the developed countries and the countries of the third world is expanding gradually. All the statements are supported by numerous statistical data, which makes the author very convincing. Sachs presents a number of solutions for the problems he defined. Firstly, he o ffers four possible policies which can reduce the harm caused to the environment. Among them is taxing the companies which pollute air and water. Secondly, the author describes carbon capture and sequestration or using hybrid cars as a way of preventing the climate change. Thirdly, Sachs points to the need of economizing the water resources. Next, the author mentions lowering the total fertility as a method of halting the population growth. Finally, few phases are presented for countries to go through in order to improve the economical situation in the world. In my opinion, all the raised issues and set goals are very objective and important. The author proved to be very inventive while presenting his ideas about how to overcome the global problems in all the spheres of human life. I liked the idea of abiding the Geneva Convention and the Convention of Biological Diversity, which will help to save the environment with its various species.Advertising Looking for report on bus iness economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another issue which is very important and is explained in details is overcoming the poverty traps. The author mentions the countries where the violent behavior and high crime level is caused by an extreme poverty. To fight such results, he offers public works projects, increase the number of educational establishments, increase the agriculture productivity etc. I think that these suggestions can and should be implemented in life and that they can serve as an instrument for developing both the healthy economy and healthy thinking of the nation. Besides the mentioned points, however, there are some ideas which seem to be either not realistic or not really helpful. For example, the general overpopulation of the Earth is caused mostly by the countries of the third world, where the demographic situation is uncontrolled by Government. Nowadays, however, many people in Europe, espec ially in developed countries like German prefer being sterilized to having children due to a set of reasons, such as career or dissatisfactory material state. That is why the idea of regulating the population growth seems to be irrational: while some countries indeed need this policy, others may need the reverse program to be implemented. Another issue which I found confusing is preventing the air pollution. Sachs mentions the mechanisms for collecting the carbon dioxide from smoke stacks or straight from the sky. In my point of view, this solution should be developed further, as the gathered substance also needs to be kept somewhere. So is there point in constructing the new buildings for keeping the carbon dioxide inside? In addition, what size should one of such buildings have to be able to keep even a daily amount of the substance produced by one factory? I think that this idea and its effectiveness are rather doubtful. Moreover, although the idea of global economy and cooperati on seems to be effective, Sachs did not take into consideration the fact that it still has to be governed by someone. Even if all the most powerful countries unite in order to help the poorer ones, they still would need a leader who would control their work. As a consequence, such policy can lead to international conflicts.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The book †Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet† by Sachs is an objective critical analysis of the current economical and social situation of the world. Unlike the other books related to the same issues, it is very global and complex. The author manages to cover all the burning issues of the modern world and stick to one fibula. What is more, Sachs doesn’t use any euphemisms to talk about the problems. Being extremely strict and confident, he sounds very convi ncing. This makes the book especially interesting for those who are eager to know the real economical and political situation of the world. All in all, Sachs does not only present a book on Economics, but also gives a detailed analysis of the existing world problems and tries to develop a plan for their solution.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Publishing Horror Stories

Publishing Horror Stories Publishing Horror Stories Publishing Horror Stories By Sharon Want to know which mistakes to avoid? Heres a publishers perspective. In the latest issue of Publishing Basics, Carolyn Madison reveals some of the errors that make publishers cringe. These include misspellings, poor grammar and punctuation, structural problems, ambiguous messages and inaccurate content. They have a nice list of the always common misspelled words also: Affect or Effect Ensure, Insure, or Assure It’s or Its Two, Too, or To Set or Sit Then or Than There, Their, or They’re That, Which, Who, Whom, or Whose Like or As if Roll or Role Quite or Quiet Though or Thorough Since or Because Should of or Should have Less or Fewer Amount of or Number of Over or More than Capitol or Capital Check out the full list of publishing horror stories. 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 Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Idioms About Numbers41 Words That Are Better Than Good20 Ways to Laugh

Thursday, November 21, 2019

An Examination of Means of Application and Core Function in Predicting Assignment

An Examination of Means of Application and Core Function in Predicting Crime - Assignment Example Using the example of the New York City Police Department, given in the prompt for this essay, one understands that the key inputs that the police department interfaces with in regards to building the outputs and feedbacks that are generated is made available through a weekly process of data input. In this way, personnel from New York City Police Department’s precincts, service areas, and transit districts compile a statistical summary or overview of the week’s crime data. In this way, crime patterns, arrests, complaints, and other verifiable and measurable data of significance are collated and entered into a database. This process represents the input phase, or data gathering phase that forms the very backbone of the process of CompStat. It is important to note that this process itself is the most important as it is the only stage in the process where human inputs can directly affect and oftentimes skew the results that are reported. For this reason, an individual depar tment has been set up within the Chief of Police’s office; labeled as the CompStat Unit. As such, the unit is directly responsible for winnowing, sorting, and inputting in the correct fashion, any and all pertinent information that could be of use with reference to developing a type of predictive policing to ultimately reduce the level of crime displayed within the city’s regions and precincts. ... For this reason, an individual department has been set up within the Chief of Police’s office; labeled as the CompStat Unit (Willis et al 2012). As such, the unit is directly responsible for winnowing, sorting, and inputting in the correct fashion, any and all pertinent information that could be of use with reference to developing a type of predictive policing to ultimately reduce the level of crime displayed within the city’s regions and precincts. Once the inputs have been entered into the system, the second phase of analysis then takes place; that of processing of the determinant data. This stage is reliant not upon the level of analysis that individual humans would otherwise perform; rather, it is entirely dependent upon the algorithms and likelihood matrixes that CompStat itself can infer from the inputs it has been given. As with the old cliche with regards to a computer program only being as good as the programmers that programmed the code, the same is true with relation to CompStat as it is but a tool and should not be seen as a perfect representation truth or overall infallibility. As has been stated with the input stage that has previously been discussed, the processing of the data and the outputs that it ultimately yield is solely reliant on the quality and voracity of the information that is loaded into the system. In other words, only a quality level of inputs will be processed and related into a quality level of outputs from which a degree of reasonable and actionable inference could foreseeably be drawn. The heart of the CompStat process therefore relies on each step of the process; however, for purposes of evaluation, the third step, or the outputs, is of perhaps the most interest. Within this step, a team of

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Should priciples of justice in a community begin with the maximin Essay

Should priciples of justice in a community begin with the maximin assumption evident in John Rawls' work A theory of justice - Essay Example Rawls was primarily concerned with questions of how best social justice could be organized as a â€Å"basis structure† in a liberal and democratic society (Ibid: 6). For Rawls, his idea of justice was directed at how a societys main political, social, and economic institutions should cooperate together in distributing fundamental rights and duties to everyone in an ordered society (Ibid: 6). His objective of A Theory of Justice, published in 1971, was to provide an alternative solution to the then dominant utilitarian principle of justice, which held that, a society is â€Å"right and morally just,† if major institutions maximized what is intrinsically good, to the satisfaction of the vast majority of people in a society (Ibid: 21). In rejecting the utilitarian principle of utiltiy, Rawls set forth his conception of justice, which was egalitarian in nature. It would perhaps be helpful to look at some definitions of justice, before analyzing Rawlss conception of justice. The dictionary of legal theory define justice as the set of moral and political constrains on human interactions (Bix, 2004: 108). There have been significant debates about the nature and source of standards of justice, and some sceptical thinkers argued that standards of justice were grounded only in the conventional views of society, or in a communitys traditions (Ibid: 108). Other theories viewed the principles of justice as a general agreement among people under certain ideal conditions. A traditional view of justice described standards that are eternal and unchangeable, established by God, the nature of the universe, human nature, or some combination of these (Ibid). D.D.Raphael (2001:1), a theorist of justice, recognized justice as a complex concept that pervaded social thought, and is basic to law, ethics, and politics alike (Raphael:1). In social and political ethics,

Saturday, November 16, 2019

African Americans in Pop Culture Essay Example for Free

African Americans in Pop Culture Essay African Americans have had an incredible lasting impression on popular culture. African American singers, artists, entrepreneurs, athletes and actors have all had their say and have really stood out within the past few years. Theyve also grown and not grown in different ways all around from music, to television, to movies. African American stereotypes still exist in all aspects of pop culture, while many are trying to get away from what audiences assume is the typical black person. African Americans have been fighting for and against their own stereotypes when they started breaking out into music, then branching out into television, and making it big in the film industry. Theyve gone from being the dumb, uneducated, and underprivileged minority of America, and have started to make themselves more known as gang bangers and thugs, which are often seen as heroes in popular culture. African Americans havent only made a name for themselves or left a footprint in only their culture, but in American culture all around. African Americans have been making their mark in music all throughout history. Many started with the jazz and bebop rebellion during the 1940s and 50s in Detroit. They made their point by trying to be different. They didnt want to follow the typical white, swing music criteria, and thats exactly what happened. Bebop wasnt so mainstream, and thats what made it their own. They preferred small, unique combos to play instead of big named stars in the music industry. Detroit was shedding light on the working class people of the town and wanted to really make a sound for them. â€Å"The 1940s created an â€Å"afro-modernism,† a response to the urbanization, industrialization, and modernization of African American Culture. † Because of their movement ahead in music, they also made their movement in business. And so emerged an incredibly successful, black capitalist enterprise, Motown Records, founded by Barry Gordy. Along with the movement in Detroit, the Harlem Renaissance had happened even before all the rage for jazz and bebop, which raised awareness to the visual arts, which led to even more developments in music. And even earlier at the beginning of the 20th century, blacks were starting to be accepted into acclaimed schools to study music and they were allowed to join the base of white people in symphony orchestras. During the 50s, doo-wop and soul music became popular. Thats when legends like Ray Charles emerged and paved the way for others. Soul music remained popular among blacks for long after the pop sounds started to wave through. By the end of the decade and moving into the 70s, blacks were starting to crossover into the typical white music trends. Psychadelic music had become popular. Jimi Hendrix, along his wah-wah pedal innovation, became one of the most popular guitarists during the era. Right after that, soul had become the popular music in the black community and was starting to revolutionize African-American music. Soul had continued success in popularity during the 70s, but the 70s also brought along a rise in black bands. White people were listening to country, disco, and all sorts of rock music, while the African-Americans had their funk, pop, soul, and jazz music that was on a totally different spectrum from their white counterparts. The 70s was also when Djs started mixing their own beats and playing their funk records the way they wanted to so they could get their audience to dance. And with the beats produced by Djs along with the poets who would read their poems to those beats, came the emergence of hip hop music. The era of hip hop music was a new revolution in African American popular culture.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Cheap Labour: Canada :: essays research papers

Cheap Labour: Canada Canada, the so-called land of opportunities. This statement is a known fact due to the large amount of people immigrating to our country. It all started back in the 50's and is still occurring in the 90's. I will be discussing the different working mentalities between French Canadians and immigrants coming from various parts of the world. I will compare "Voiceless People" by Marco Micone, and White Niggers of America by Pierre Vallieres. White Niggers emphasizes on the mentality of French Canadian working class and Voiceless People emphasizes on immigrant's mentality towards working, which in this case is the Italian community. After reading "Rivalry Over the Ethnic Minorities", it was like reading my own family's past when they immigrated in Quebec back in the early 70's. Many Greek immigrants who immigrated from their native country followed the same pattern towards finding happiness. Like most of the French, they worked long hard hours in bad working conditions and not so great pay. These sweatshops represent the first act of action to climb up the social ladder. But for the immigrants, it meant much more: they have these jobs in order to save up some money for the future, by a nice house and reach the next step in social ladder. Most of the time, the immigrants would buy their home in other neighborhoods; they would change community because it reflected their new social situation. Because they have more money, they can move to an area where people of the same nationality live. They will leave the French back in the city where they will keep on working long hours because they never saved up or invested their money. The main point I'm trying to show is that the immigrants have a stronger ambition and desire to become more successful than the French do, maybe because they are not at home and threatened by others. This is the world view almost all immigrants have and this concept has a major effect on their lives. Voiceless People is exactly the same scenario for Antonio and his family. Antonio came here very poor and unable to speak a word of French. He started working in factories with very bad pay and even worse working conditions. Just like the typical immigrant, he never gave up, didn't let anyone put him down, continued to work because he had an ambition to become successful and buy a house knowing that he earned it with his own sweat. As a newcomer to this country, he seemed to succeed with great facility, unlike many French Canadians who seem somehow jealous of the immigrants who tend to succeed with such bad

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Quality Management within Toyota Motor Company Essay

Abstract This paper explores multiple published articles discussing Toyota Motor Company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A review of Toyota’s decisions to hide important information prior to recalls leads us to a discussion of where Toyota can go from here. The paper includes recommendations for Toyota Motor Company in order to move forward after their 2010 recalls. In addition, organizational changes will assist Toyota Motor Company in overcoming their recall problems. Quality Management within Toyota Motor Company After a number of discouraging recalls at Toyota Motor Company in 2010, a number of quality management techniques were implemented. Toyota Motor Company’s SWOT Analysis played into the newly implemented quality management techniques. Toyota’s strengths allowed them to fight back quickly against these recalls that could have ultimately led to Toyota’s fall from one of the top motor company’s. Toyota Motor Company’s strengths include dominant position in the marketplace, strong brand recognition, strong focus on research and development, and broad production and distribution network. In addition to Toyota’s strengths, their weaknesses were reviewed in order to find opportunities to capitalize upon. The recalls were obviously a large weakness at Toyota. Opportunities were reviewed which included the growth of the global automotive industry. Last, Toyota’s threats were reviewed. Here it was found that powerful competition is a worry for To yota Motor Company. After the review of Toyota Motor Company’s SWOT Analysis, the issue of the recalls was assessed. Analysis shows the issue within Toyota Motor Company did not appear overnight. However, secretive management styles let the company astray. A diagram was created by functional area to summarize how Toyota has responded to these recall problems. The functional areas reviewed include management, production design and safety, quality, and manufacturing. Last, the analysis of Toyota Motor Company’s recall and quality management issues are discussed from a point of solving the problem. Recommendations are discussed that will help Toyota Motor Company to turn their weaknesses into strengths. Method Discussion SWOT Analysis Internal Factors Strengths Weaknesses Product †¢ Dominant position in the marketplace †¢ Strong brand recognition †¢ Strong focus on Research & Development †¢ Broad production and distribution network †¢ Product recalls have the ability to negatively affect brand image †¢ Declining sales in crucial geographic areas External Factors Opportunities Threats Competition †¢ Growth of the global automotive industry †¢ Potential benefit from partnering with BMW †¢The outlook for the new global car market is strong †¢ Powerful competition †¢ Appreciation of the Japanese Yen †¢ Environmental regulations †¢Natural disasters Strengths. Toyota has a number of internal product strengths as noted in the SWOT Analysis table above. Toyota’s market share in 2011 was 16.5 percent,  its highest market share in 4 years. This strong market share allowed Toyota to hold a competitive advantage against their competition. In addition to holding a dominant position in the marketplace, Toyota possesses strong brand recognition through a number of brands. These brands include Toyota, Lexus, Prius, Corolla, Yaris, Camry, Sequoia, 4Runner, Scion tC, Highlander, Land Cruiser, and a number of other brand names. These brands are some of the most desired premium brands in the world according to the Company Profile report for Toyota Motor Company documented by MarketLine. Another strength of Toyota is their strong attention to research and development. According to the Company Profile report, Toyota’s focus on research and development is pointed towards the creation of new and improved products. Research and development operations are conducted at 14 facilities located around the world. This strength has allowed Toyota to increase the technology included in existing products. One of these products, a Pre-collision System (PCS) helps drivers avoid collisions. Overall, the strong focus on research and development has been a big strength for Toyota. Last, Toyota’s production and distribution network has been a big strength for the company. Toyota produces automobiles, related parts, and other components through more than 50 manufacturing companies throughout 27 countries and regions, not including Japan. As mentioned on the Toyota Motor Company website, major locations include Japan, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, Thailand, China, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, South Africa, Australia, Argentina, and Brazil. As reported by Toyota Motor Company, during fiscal year 2013 the company had consolidated vehicle sales totals of 8.871 million units (TCM, 2013). As reported by Toyota Motor Company, this was an increase of 1.519 million units compared to the previous fiscal year. In addition to the widespread production of Toyota products, the company has a large distribution network. Toyota’s distribution network is one of the largest in Japan encompassing four sales channels (Toyota, Toyopet, Corolla, and Netz). In 2012 the distribution network of these channels was comprised of 283 dealers. In addition to this network, Toyota operates over 170 Lexus sales channels in Japan. As reported by Toyota Motor Company, in fiscal year 2013 these networks accounted for the following vehicle sales: Japan sales totaled 2.279 million units In North America vehicle sales totaled 2.469 million units In Europe vehicle sales totaled 799,085 units Asia came in at total vehicle sales of 1.684 million units Central and South America, Oceania and Africa came in at 1.640 million units As you can see, Toyota’s distribution network is widespread allowing for diversification and a wide reach of clientele, ultimately boosting revenues and sales. Weaknesses. A large focus of the case study focuses on the weakness of Toyota’s product recalls. As many are aware, Toyota has encountered a number of recalls in the recent past. It is a concern that these recalls could negatively affect Toyota’s brand imagine ultimately leading to decreased sales for the company. When searching for Toyota recalls it was easy to find a few recent recalls. The most recent is a recall of 700,000 Toyota Prius models which were recalled over electronic issues in the United States (csmonitor.com, 2014). Another very recent recall includes certain versions of the Lexus RX crossover. In this case, more than 261,000 vehicles are being recalled due to a brake issue (csmonitor.com, 2014). In addition to the many recalls, Toyota has been involved in a number of lawsuits. In December 2012, Toyota settled a suit by paying $17.4 million to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to settle claims related to the June 2012 recall of potential accelerator pedal entrapment issues. This bad press will ultimately result in a negative effect on consumer’s confidence in Toyota’s brand. In addition, the settlement of suits ultimately decreases Toyota’s profits. As a result of this bad press Toyota saw a decline in 2012 sales in important geographic areas. Declining sales in fiscal year 2012 were seen across North America, Asia, and Europe. Opportunities. As reported by the article, Global automotive industry to experience modest growth in 2012, a number of opportunities exist in the global automotive industry (2012). The Japanese auto industry responded from natural disasters which had caused reduced inventories and production. It is forecasted that the industry will continue to grow increasing Toyota revenues. In June of 2012, BMW and Toyota signed a long-term partnership. The two companies are partnering on the developments that will help to increase market share and sales. This relationship is expected to increase technology between the two companies as  well as result in new product development. In addition to these opportunities, the new car market is experiencing moderate growth which will assist in increased sales and profits. Threats. Intense competition in the worldwide car market has become very competitive. This competition will likely increase in the upcoming years as competitors add more technology and increase developments. In addition to the intense competition, the appreciating Japanese Yen has become a big concern for Toyota. Last, environment regulations have the potential to increase production costs. Emissions regulations that are updated periodically could cause issues in new car production. Evolvement of Quality Management Issues At first glance, it seems that Toyota’s gas pedal issue appeared overnight. However, upon further research, evidence was found to prove the opposite. As reported in the article Secretive Culture Let Toyota Astray, evidence that Toyota cars could suddenly speed up had been piling up for years (2010). At the time of the recalls, Toyota had known about this gas pedal problem for more than a year. The problem was stated to be Toyota’s secretive corporate culture in Japan which ultimately conflicted with United States requirements that auto makers disclose safety threats. New initiatives brought to the table by Toyota have attempted to correct the previous secretive culture of Toyota. Total quality management initiatives have been put in place to assist in better customer service and safety and repair issues. According to Jacobs and Chase, total quality management can be defined as managing the entire organization so that it excels on all dimensions of products and services that are important to the customer (Chase and Jacobs, 2014, p. 296). The table following this discussion addresses the steps Toyota has taken in response to its recent quality recall problems. Functional Area Quality Management Steps Management †¢ Managing Director names to oversee any safety-related issues †¢ Top down management approach Product Design & Safety †¢ Troubleshooting teams known as Swift Market Analysis Response Teams work to  find any safety issues that need to be reported Quality †¢ TAQIC – Toyota Advanced Quality Information Center staffed by a group of employees who compile repair reports from dealerships worldwide †¢ 1000 engineers hired to spot-check quality Manufacturing †¢ No drastic changes to assembly lines Results/Discussion Problem Solution As discussed in the diagram above, there were many opportunities for Toyota after their encounter with the recall situation. Akio Toyoda, the head of the company, acted quickly by implementing a top down management approach instead of the more popular Japanese â€Å"bottom up† approach that slows down the decision making. In addition, Akio cut board of directors by fifty percent and cut out management layers. Akio also began meeting with his top five advisers on a weekly basis. In these meetings decisions were made quickly. Akio pushed his team to make â€Å"always better cars.† This change in the way the organization is managed helped Toyota to stay on top even through the recalls. Recommendations Many recommendations have been made to assist Toyota Motor Company in improving the recall situation they encountered in 2011. Some recommendations Toyota should follow include as recommended by the North American Quality Advisory Panel include the following: Give North American operations more independence in making recall decisions Strengthen quality control processes Extend development time of new products to include more safety tests Create a role of Chief Safety Technology Officer Create and launch a Safety Research Center focused on protecting the most important clientele (children, teens, and seniors) These ideas follow the concept of total quality management which focuses on two fundamental goals: Careful design of the product (in the case of Toyota Motor Company, the vehicle) Ensure that Toyota Motor Company systems can produce this design  in a consistent manner Quality at the source seems to be a great way for Toyota Motor Company to proceed. Quality at the source means that the person who is doing the work is taking the responsibility for making sure the work meets specifications. As previously discussed, safety control will be a huge initiative for Toyota Motor Company going forward. If implemented, these recommendations can do a lot to help Toyota Motor Company increase their organizational effectiveness. As previously discussed, many organizational steps were taken by Akio Toyoda after these recalls. It seems that Toyota could greatly benefit from organizational learning. As stated by Operations and Supply Chain Management, â€Å"it has been argued that organizational learning is critical to sustaining a competitive advantage† (Chase and Jacobs, 2014, p. 138). Organizational realignment was important to Toyota Motor Company after the 2010 and 2011 recalls. According to a Toyota news release in December of 2008 organizational changes include the establishment of the below: A Government and Public Affairs Group which was focused on quick response to inquiries from around the world while also unifying public affairs functions. An Accounting Group aimed at strengthening the business management and financial management system of Toyota Motor Company. A Europe and Africa Operations Group intended to assist with business planning in African and Central Asia. The group was also established to conduct business promotion events in both Europe and Africa. A Production Engineering Group aimed at increasing the strength of the quality control system for semiconductors for hybrid vehicles. The recommendations made are important to Toyota’s future. Reorganization and creation of new groups within the organization will help Toyota to overcome these recalls. References Ingram, A. (2014, Feb 12). Toyota recall: 1.9 million Prius vehicles recalled to fix software glitch. Retrieved from http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2014/0212/Toyota-recall-1.9-million-Prius-vehicles-recalled-to-fix-software-glitch Jacobs, F. R., & Chase, R. (2014). Operations and supply chain management. (14 ed.). New York, NY:

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Performance management & Performance appraisal Essay

Nowadays, every company has their human resources department that plays a large part of an organizations and a key to affect business succeeds or not. There are two core threads of human resources department are individual and organizational learning, individual and organizational performance. Human resource management should possess a good management systems and framework; ensure human ability is all used to achieve organization goals. Include strategic human resources management, equal employment opportunity, staffing, talent management and development, total rewards, risk management and worker protection, employee and labor relations. The best organizations understand that managing human resources effectively involves more than focusing only on current employees. It requires a long-term perspective that is responsive to the concerns of current employees; potential future employees and recent employees no longer work for. At the same time, the organizations strive to manage employees effectually, face to many challenges, for instance manning teams, the multicultural workforce, globalization, ethics and corporate social responsibility and metros. Human resources department responsible to provide effectual performance management and system to assist the company is going smooth. Performance management The purpose of performance management is one of the most important and positive developments, achievement of high performance by the organization, managing the business. This is the process of identifying, measuring, managing and developing the performance in an organization. There are showing how well employees perform and finally improve performance level. The further explain that create strategic, integrated process, develop a culture of constantly success to organizations by improving the performance of the people who work in them and by developing the capabilities of individual contributors and teams (Cardy & Leonard , 2011). The development of individuals with competence and commitment, working towards to shared meaningful objectives within an organization that supports the achievement. When the direction is correctly, performance management is a systematic analysis and measurement of workers performance. Also it is a critical and necessary component for individual and organizational effectiveness. When manage a group of workers or others, report the feedback to boss. It must be a process needed for improvement to occur. In performance management, it is getting the right workers into the production line or suitable staff into the system in a very important part of the overall process (Bergstedt, 2010). Performance appraisal Performance appraisal are part of a performance management system, it is ongoing process of evaluating and reviews of employee performance over time. Provide an opportunity for formal communication between management and the employees, concerning each employee what performing on organization. Create two-way interaction between people. It is a good opportunity and let employee express what their comment to bosses is. Open lines of communication throughout the year help to make effective working relationships. Allow management to make decisions about employees within the organization from this communication. Appraisals to make evaluative decisions concerning the workforce including pay raises, promotions, demotions, training, and development and so on. It cans measures skills and realization with reasonable accuracy and uniformity. The management can depend on this reliable information for making strategic planning, may enhance productivity for the firm as well. It provides a way to help identify areas for performance enhancement and to help promote professional growth. Each employee is entitled to a thoughtful and careful appraisal (Harzing, Pinnington, 2011, p.20-28). The success of the process depends on the supervisor’s willingness to complete a constructive and objective appraisal and on the employee’s willingness to respond to constructive suggestions and to work with the supervisor to reach future goals. Difference between performance management and performance appraisal Performance management focus is on performance management, identifies measures, manages, and develops the performance of people in the organization. It is designed to improve worker performance over time. Emphasis is on performance improvements of individuals, teams and the organization. It will continue process with periodical performance review discussions and then performance planning, analysis, review, development and improvements. Defining and setting performance standards are an integral part and designed by the human resources department but monitored under the each departments. Developmental needs are identified in the beginning of the year on the basis of the competency requirements for the coming year. There is review via mechanisms. However performance appraisal focus is on performance appraisal and ratings. It is just a part of the performance management process. Identifies measures, evaluates the employee’s performance, and then discusses that performance with the employee. Normally it is an annual exercise though periodic evaluations are made. The main functions are on ratings and evaluation. The most important component is rewards and recognition of good performance of staff. Designed and monitored by the human resource department. Developmental needs are identified at the end of the year on the basis of the appraisal of competency gaps. There are review mechanisms to ensure objectivity in ratings. (Fraser, 2007) Characteristics of an unsuccessful performance management system Normally, the good performance possesses ability, motivation and opportunity. It should make use of employee skills and have adequate incentives to urge them willingness to do the job. Provide work in an environment with support and way for expression. Unfortunately, driven by the some situational constraints including physical environment, working conditions, use of outcome of appraisal complexity of job, interdependence and lack of financial or human resources to make performance management system be an unsuccessful (Armstrong & Baron, 2005, p. 78-85). Causes of Failure of a performance management system have legislation affirmative action, lack of raters, less training, rating inflation or deflation, unclear purpose, without or ignore feedback, unfair reward system, appraisal instruments, performance Standards, rating accuracy, accountability of raters, management Commitment, no trust and participation and acceptance. ( Luecke & Hall,2006, p.93-98) Characteristics of a successful performance management system Successful performance management system can manage performance over time to ensure that remain productive, and hopefully become even more capable, as progress in their careers. Designing an effective performance management system should including mirror the corporate culture, clear definition and communications of what good performance ensure all senior management support and understand the level of performance. It may train managers in this performance management. To set a clear expectation for employee, acknowledging that people are doing a good job and recognizing them for a job well done. To set a clear manifest that performance in the company is differentiated and that differences in performance are recognized through the reward system. Differentiate performance fairly and effectively; through actions to show poor performance is being address, high performance will have a great rewards. Set an expectations or employee development, adjust the system if needed. Even compete performance management have a well strategic, developmental and administrative, also need line managers and senior management behave in a same way and support. That would be accomplished to achieve the organization goals. (Roberts Alan, 2012) An unsuccessful versus a successful performance management system When an unsuccessful compare a successful performance management system, if under unsuccessful performance management system. Without any clear objective, goals and fair rules in this organization. The whole company will face to employee leave, low morale and not belong to the company. Without employee support and the bad relationship between company. The business must be going worst. On the contrary, if company has a good performance management system with a clear fairly and effectively goals, the employee and management will all support and try the best to achieve goals. The business will be getting better for each part under a pleased environment. (Bhattacharyya, 2011, p.47-52) Some common errors and eliminated The common errors including distributional errors occur in three forms, severity or strictness, central tendency and leniency. There are based on a standard normal distribution. In severity or strictness error, the rater evaluates everyone or nearly everyone. Similarity error occurs when raters evaluate subordinates that judge or consider more similar as better employees. All have a tendency to feel more comfortable with people who feel are more similar. The similarity is based on demographic characteristics such as race. Allow this feeling of comfort with similar individuals to be reflected in the performance appraisal process. It can avoid similarity error by embracing diversity and objectively evaluating individual employees based on their actual performance. Contrast error is the rater compares and contrasts performance between two employees, rather than using absolute measures of performance to measure each employee. For example, the rater may contrast a good performer with an outstanding performer, and as a result of the significant contrast. This would be a contrast error. It can avoid contrast error by objectively evaluating individual employees based on actual performance. Management must use the ranking method correctly; each individual based on the items on the assessment form then rank the individuals based on their assessments. Halo and horn occurs when the evaluator has a generally positive or negative impression of an individual, and the evaluator then artificially extends that general impression to many individual categories of performance to create an overall evaluation of the individual that is either positive or negative In other words, if employees are judged by their supervisor to be generally good employees, and the supervisor then evaluates each of the areas of their performance as good, regardless of any behaviors or results to the contrary, the supervisor is guilty of halo error. It can avoid halo error by remembering that employees are often strong in some areas and weaker in others, and need to objectively evaluate individual employees based on actual performance for each and every item of assessment. Appraisal politics is refers to evaluators purposefully contorting a rating to achieve personal or organization goals. Factors other than performance affect the performance appraisal. These factors are internal in the appraisal system and the organization system. It is occur when raters are accountable to the employee and rated, it appear competing rating goals and direct linking current between performance appraisal and most desirable rewards. In order to lessen this matter, managers should keep in mind and pay attention a fair appraisal system. Central tendency error occurs when raters evaluate everyone under the control as average nobody is either really good or really bad. Proximity error states that similar marks may be given to items that are near each other on the performance appraisal form, regardless of differences in performance on those measures. Regency error occurs when raters use only the last few weeks or month of a rating period as evidence of their ratings of others. Attribution error. In simplified terms, attribution is a process where an individual assumes reasons or motivations such as attitudes, values, or beliefs for an observed behavior. Reducing rater errors is offer reeducating rating errors. Rater training undertaken to make managers aware of rating errors and helps develop strategies for minimizing those errors. This is consisting of the participants view vignettes designed to elicit rating errors, for example contrast. Rater Error Training called frame-of-reference training as well, emphasize the multidimensional nature of performance and raters with the actual content of various performance dimensions. Moreover, accuracy training seems can increasing accuracy and provided the training allows raters to practice making ratings and training feedback. Create a fair system should include train raters on the appropriate use of the process as discussed previously, build top management support for the appraisal system and actively discourage distortion, give raters some latitude to customer performance objectives and criteria for their rates, recognize employee accomplishments that are not self-promoted, make sure constraints for example a budget. Also make sure that appraisal processes are consistent across the company and foster a climate of openness to encourage employees to be honest the weakness. (Salaman, Storey & Billsberry, 2005, p.19-27) Conclusion In conclusion, this essay is proving that good performance management is one of the most important positions in the company. Seeing that it can help employee and management together to achievement the goals under high performance. At the same time, human resources department is a very chief role to develop perfect performance management system and need to avoid some common error. Thus, that’s why human resources are a big part in the organization and influence the whole company. Word count: 2013 Reference Armstrong Michael & Baron Angela (2005): Managing Performance: Performance Management in Action, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, CIPD House London, p. 78-85 Bergstedt Martin, (2010) [online] Available at: http://chenected.aiche.org/tools-techniques/the-performance-appraisal-system-part-2-of-effective-employee-performance-management [Accessed October 27, 2012]. Bhattacharyya Dipak Kumar, (2011): Performance Management Systems and Strategies, Dorling Kindersley India Pvt Ltd, licensees of Pearson Education in South Asia p.47-52 Cardy Robert L & Leonard Brian, (2011): Performance Management: Concepts, Skills, and Exercises Second Edition, M.E.Sharpe, Inc New York, p.134-156 Fraser Ross, (2007) [online] Available at: [Accessed July 5 2007]. Harzing Anne-Wil, Pinnington Ashly, (2011): International Human Resources Management Third Edition, SAGE Publications Asia-Pacific Ltd Singapore p.20-28 Luecke Richard, Hall Brian J, (2006): Performance Management: Measure and Improve the Effectiveness of Your Employees, Harvard Business School Press p.93-98 Roberts Alan, (2012) [online] Available at: [Accessed June 25, 2012]. Salaman Graeme, Storey John, Billsberry Jon, (2005): Strategic Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice Second Edition, Published in association with The Open University p.19-27

Thursday, November 7, 2019

7 Secrets to Success in English 101

7 Secrets to Success in English 101 Welcome to English 101- sometimes called freshman English or college composition. Its the one course that almost every first-year student in every American college and university is required to take. And it should be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding courses in your college life. But to succeed in anything, it helps to be prepared. Heres how to best prepare for English 101.   1. Know Your Writing Handbookand Use It Many instructors of freshman English assign two textbooks: a reader (that is, a collection of essays or literary works) and a writing handbook. Early in the term, make friends with the handbook: it can answer most of your questions about planning, drafting, revising, and editing an essay. Open your handbook to the section titled How to Use This Book. Find out how to locate information by using menus and checklists (usually printed on the inside covers) along with the books index and table of contents. Also find the glossary of usage and the guides to documentation (both are usually near the back). After you have spent 10 to 15 minutes learning how to find information in the handbook, youre ready to put the book to use- not only when youre editing your work but also when youre trying to focus a topic, organize a paragraph, or revise an essay. Your handbook should soon become a dependable reference work, one that youll want to hold on to after youve passed this composition course. 2. Read Twice: Once for Pleasure, Once for Facts As for that other textbook, the collection of essays or literary works, above all else get ready to enjoy the readings. Whether the topic is a current controversy or an ancient myth, keep in mind that your instructors want to share with you their love of reading- not punish you (and themselves) with texts that nobody cares about. Whenever youre assigned an essay or a story, get in the habit of reading it at least twice: the first time through simply for enjoyment; the second time with a pen in hand to take notes that will help you remember what you have read. Then, when it comes time to discuss the work in class, speak up and share your thoughts. After all, sharing ideas is what college is all about. 3. Use Your College Writing Center For many college students, the most welcoming spot on campus is the writing center (sometimes called a writing lab). Its a place where trained tutors offer individual assistance on all aspects of the composing process. Never feel embarrassed about visiting the writing center. Believe me, its not the place where dummies go. Just the opposite: its where highly motivated students go for help in organizing essays, formatting bibliographies, mending run-on sentences, and much more. If your college doesnt have a writing center or if youre enrolled in an online composition class, you can still take advantage of at least some of the services of a writing center. 4. Review the Basic Grammatical Structures and Terms Instructors of freshman composition expect you to arrive in their classes with some understanding of basic English grammar and usage. However, if your high school English classes focused more on reading literature than on composing essays, your memory of sentence parts may be a bit hazy. It would be smart then to spend an hour or so at the start of term reviewing the basics of grammar.   5. Prepare to Move Beyond the Five-Paragraph Essay Odds are good that you already know how to compose a five-paragraph essay: introduction, three body paragraphs, conclusion. In fact, you probably composed one or two of these short essays as part of the admissions process at your college or university.   Now, be prepared in your college English class to go beyond the simple formula of the five-paragraph essay. Building on familiar principles (regarding thesis statements and topic sentences, for example), you will have opportunities to compose longer essays using a variety of organizational methods. Dont be intimidated by these longer assignments- and dont feel that you have to toss out all that you already know about composing essays. Build on your experience, and get ready for fresh challenges. Come to think of it, thats also what college is all about! 6. Use Online Resources Wisely Though your textbooks should keep you pretty busy, at times you may find it helpful to supplement them with online resources. Your first stop should be the website that your instructor or the publisher of your handbook has prepared. There youre likely to find exercises to help you develop particular writing skills along with examples of different writing projects. 7. Dont Plagiarize! Finally, a word of warning. On the web, youll find plenty of sites offering to sell you essays. If youre ever tempted to rely on one of these sites, please resist the urge. Submitting work thats not your own is called plagiarism, a nasty form of cheating. And in most colleges and universities, students face major penalties for cheating- penalties far more serious than receiving a low grade on a hastily written paper.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Nationalism in Politics and Culture

Nationalism in Politics and Culture Nationalism is a term used to describe a fervent emotional identification with ones country and its people, customs, and values. In politics and public policy, nationalism is a doctrine whose mission is to protect a nations right to self-govern and shield fellow residents of a state from global economic and social pressures. The opposite of nationalism is globalism. Nationalism can range from the unthinking devotion of flag-waving patriotism in its most benign form to chauvinism, xenophobia, racism, and  ethnocentrism  at its worst and most dangerous.  It is often associated with the sort of deeply emotional commitment to one’s nation - over and against all others - that leads to atrocities like those committed by the National Socialists in Germany in the 1930s, wrote University of West Georgia philosophy professor Walter Riker. Political and Economic Nationalism In the modern era, President Donald Trumps America First doctrine was centered on nationalist policies that included higher tariffs on imports, a crackdown on illegal immigration, and the withdrawal of the United States from trade agreements his administration believed were harmful to American workers. Critics described Trumps brand of nationalism as white identity politics; indeed, his election coincided with the rise of the so-called alt-right movement,  a loosely connected group of young, disaffected Republicans and white nationalists. In 2017, Trump told the United Nations General Assembly: In foreign affairs, we are renewing this founding principle of sovereignty. Our governments first duty is to its people, to our citizens, to serve their needs, to ensure their safety, to preserve their rights and to defend their values. I will always put America first, just like you, as the leaders of your countries, will always and should always put your countries first. Benign Nationalism? National Review editor Rich Lowry and senior editor Ramesh Ponnuru used the term benign nationalism in 2017: The outlines of a benign nationalism are not hard to discern. It includes loyalty to one’s country: a sense of belonging, allegiance, and gratitude to it. And this sense attaches to the country’s people and culture, not just to its political institutions and laws. Such nationalism includes solidarity with one’s countrymen, whose welfare comes before, albeit not to the complete exclusion of, that of foreigners. When this nationalism finds political expression, it supports a federal government that is jealous of its sovereignty, forthright and unapologetic about advancing its people’s interests, and mindful of the need for national cohesion. Many argue, though, that there is no such thing as benign nationalism and that any nationalism is divisive and polarizing at its most innocuous and hateful and dangerous when carried to extremes. Nationalism is not unique to the United States, either. Waves of nationalist sentiment have swept through the electorate in Britain and other parts of Europe, China, Japan, and India. One notable example of nationalism was the so-called Brexit vote in 2016 in which citizens of the United Kingdom chose to leave the European Union.   Types of Nationalism in the United States In the United States, there are several kinds of nationalism, according to research conducted by sociology professors at Harvard and New York universities. The professors, Bart Bonikowski and Paul DiMaggio, identified the following groups: Restrictive nationalism, or the  belief that the only true Americans are Christians, speak English, and were born in the United States.Ardent nationalism, or the belief that the  United States is superior ethnically, racially, or culturally to other countries. This can be referred to as ethnic nationalism, too. White nationalists espouse white supremacist or white separatist ideologies and believe non-whites are inferior. Those hate groups include the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Confederates, neo-Nazis, racist skinheads, and Christian Identity.  Civic or liberal nationalism, the belief that  Americas democratic institutions and constitutionally protected liberties are superior, or exceptional. Sources and Further Reading on Nationalism Heres where you can read more about all forms of nationalism. What 4 types of American nationalism can tell us about Trump voters:  Bart Bonikowski and Paul DiMaggio, The Washington PostFor Love of Country,  Rich Lowry and Ramesh Ponnuru,  National ReviewNationalism can have its good points. Really.:  Prerna Singh, The Washington PostOn Nationalism and Exceptionalism: Yuval Levin, Ethics Public Policy CenterThe Trouble With Nationalism, Jonah Goldberg, National Review

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Changes in Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Changes in Management - Assignment Example e way of functionality of an organization, the management process comprises five significant functions that encompass coordinating, directing, staffing, planning and organizing. With the dramatic change in the current competitive business world and the process through which different organizations belonging to diverse industry operate, it can be stated that the management functions play a decisive part at large. However, with respect to the aforesaid scenario, it can be affirmed that the process through which company recruits its employee i.e. the function of staffing would experience the most dramatic change out of the above stated management functions. This can be justified with reference to the fact that there exists the prevalence of extreme business market competition in this present day context making this particular management function to be changed in the next decade (Tripathi 3-7). On the other hand, the management task or the function of ‘directing’ would have least change as the function is basically related with the process of motivating, leading and directing the employees of various organizations making the organizations more result-oriented (Tripathi