Integrating health care systems Essay Example for Free

Integrating wellness portion out arrangements EssayIntegrating wellness tutelage systemsIntroduction Integrated health systems deem to be component of the resolution to the general glitch of sustaining global health criminal maintenance structure. Various methodical literature reviews have been developed to funnel decision-makers and other stakeholders to strategize and execute interconnected health schemes. The inefficiencies and inequality in health systems have persisted for long due to economic breakdown. The rationale of advancement of health systems is to improve efficiency and equity in health care provision (Boslaugh, 2013). The rationale of this paper is to compare, contrast and describe twain articles related to integration of healthcare systems. Integrated health care networks in Latin America toward a conceptual a framework for analysis is an article by ML Vzquez, and Ten key principles for successful health systems integration by E Suter (Retrived from http//w ww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004930/). Integrated health systems are considered as right step towards the challenge of sustainability (Lorenzi, 2005). The efforts to ensure that the state of health care system across countries intromit introduction of health care networks. This system is also known as integrated health care delivery system. Other efforts include guiding health professionals and other related stakeholders to strategize and execute integrated health care configuration (Kronenfeld, 2004). Integrated health care systems are generally believed to adjure greater performance in terms of safety, quality as a result of standardized protocols and effective communication. However, these results have non been fully realized (Joumard , 2010). These two articles were published in 2009. There is need to integrate health care systems since they are characterized by overrated expenses, sluggish public disbursement on health as part of gross domestic product, as well as g ross inequalities (Mesa-Lago, 2007). In both articles the health care systems are integrated to meet tolerant needs, to ensure comprehensive services across the health care scheme, consistent care delivery between professional groups, information coordination, performance management, physician integration, composition leadership and culture, financial management, and governance construction (Retrieved from http//www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S1020-49892009001000012script=sci_arttext). Suter descried the condition of health systems in Canada while Vzquez elaborate about the state of health care condition in Latin America (Geyndt, 2001). Health care system in Latin America has been jeopardized by economic breakdown, gross inequalities, and overrated expenditure. On contrary, health care is greatly affected by service demand, gradual cost inflation, as well as staff shortages. In both articles endeavors to integrate health care structure face hindrances. In Canada, efforts for inte gration are affected by inadequate information related to executing and integration-linked initiatives (Rathwell, 1994). That is the information is isolated and not easily accessed. On the other hand, despite integration in health structure in health systems, the issues of inequalities still prevail in health services. new-fashioned study reveals that health care integration in Canada is not sustainable in the modern form (Morrison, 2013). In conclusion, calls for superior integration of health care service delivery, as an approach to attend to equity of efficiency and access, have been demonstrated in health reforms by multilateral institutions and national governments across the world. These efforts include proper planning to help the health care professionals to make superior decisions as well as the introduction of integrated health care networks. These efforts leave strengthen the capacity of health care systems. The objective of these reforms is to improve overcoming inequal ities as well as improving efficiency. The only remaining part is to ensure there are appropriate strategies to analyze the capability of the alterations being put into place to deliver integration plans.ReferencesBoslaugh, S. (2013). Health care systems around the world a comparative degree guide. New York, NY SAGE publishers.Geyndt, W. D. (2001). Improving the quality of health care in Latin America. International Journal for Quality in Health carry off, 13(2), 85-87.Health care comes home the human factors. (2011). Washington, D.C. National Academies Press.Integrating mental health into primary care a global perspective.. (2008). Geneva, Switzerland World Health Organization .Joumard, I., Andre, C., Nicq, C. (2010). Health Care Systems. Paris OECD.Kronenfeld, J. J. (2004). Chronic care, health care systems, and services integration. Amsterdam Elsevier JAI.Lorenzi, N. M. (2005). Transforming health care through information (2nd ed.). New York Springer.Mesa-Lago, C. (2007). Soci al Security In Latin America Pension And Health Care Reforms In The Last Quarter Century. Latin American Research Review, 42(2), 181-201.Morrison, J. (2013). CPhA and other health care professions Working for a better health care system. Canadian Pharmacists Journal / Revue des Pharmaciens du Canada, 146(3), 171-172.Rathwell, T. (1994). Health Care In Canada A System In Turmoil. Health Policy, 27(1), 5-17.SciELO Salud Publica. (n.d.). SciELO Salud Publica. Retrieved fantastic 25, 2014, from http//www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S1020-49892009001000012script=sci_arttextSuter, E., Oelke, N., Adair, C., Armitage, G. (1930, March 6). Abstract. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved August 25, 2014, from http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004930/Source document

Different types of assessment in the education system

Different fibres of assessment in the education systemFormal assessments are given in a formal environment and are distributed by sampleing companies that provide statistical data related to large reference conventions. at large(p) assessments are what instructors do on a periodic basis throughout their classrooms to measure the amount of material the bookmans comprehend. In this essay, I will compare and contrast the formal and informal assessment techniques used for measuring stick scholar progress in the instills educational system.The first formal assessment examined was the regularize achievement test. Test of this type provides a level of achievement with a circumstantial reference group. Achievement test measure the schools in broad state mandated goals in that location are several advantages and disfavors to formal assessments such as achievement test (Miller, Linn, Gronlund, 2009).Advantages in giving achievement test vary from students, rise ups and school administration. First, students learn when a demand of certain learning proficiency is expected of them. If there is no standard to set students goals of achievement there will be no expectations and student success will be absent. Parents, communities and the school will be able to identify the students knowledge by comparing their students to other schools in specific reference groups. Educational systems are able to measure and set goals to snuff it much efficiently and increase productivity to achieve national, state and regional standards.A aid advantage is that achievement tests female genitals highlight gaps and show areas in which processions carry to be made. Many clippings it may show the need for student improvement, but often it shows a need for continued instructor education, improvement in teaching practices and the allotment of monies to be spent on resources for the classrooms.A disadvantage in achievement interrogation could produce careless performance of standards and deem a negative impact on students. First disadvantage is that standards are vague and uncertain in subject areas. Difficulties occur when standards are not coer pertaining to what knowledge the students should baffle at that level.A second disadvantage to achievement testing is the standards that are imposed by federal and state. Those standards can defecate problems by forcing content related specifications without considering the different needs, opportunities to learn and skills that may be appropriate for specific districts or states.Another type of formal assessment examined was the aptitude test. As in the achievement test, the aptitude test provides qualities of good assessment such as reliability, standardization, validity and practicality. The primary purpose of the aptitude test is to assess students global capability to learn. This test is supposed to help predict their general academic success. All standardized test have their advantages and disadvant ages.An advantage of the aptitude test is the practicality. The standardized aptitude test takes less time to assess the students than informal testing procedures. They are easily administered by giving explicit directions to each student in the same manner. Machines to the grading and computers track the levels of achievement to different reference groups.A second advantage to aptitude test is objectivity. A standardized aptitude test does not have emotion or biases. It is completely objective in assessing the students achievement gains. High expectations are set for the students in objectively by specific reference groups and it holds them accountable to the standards in the effort to high achievement gains.A disadvantage in an aptitude test is the amount of pressure placed on the curriculum being taught in the classroom. This affects how the teachers teach their student and how much meaningful learning actually takes place in the classroom. It is a misconception that what is taug ht in a classroom and what the students are tested on is one in the same. Most often what the students are tested on do not always match up to the instructional content and objectives of the classroom curriculum (Ormrod, 2003).A second disadvantage to aptitude testing is the negative impact it holds over the students, teachers and school. School systems hold their school accountable when test scores do not continually improve. This places pressure on the teachers to get students to raise their scores. However, this can lead to dishonesty on the cave in of the teachers and principals. They exclude students who may have special needs or other considerations. With the pressure to improve constantly, the right thing to do becomes clouded. Teachers may feel the need to cheat to keep from having low performance scores in their classrooms to maintain their job.Informal assessment is conducted daily in the classroom setting. It is used by the teachers as a form of evaluation to determine t he students level of comprehension. This type of evaluation will allow for immediate assessment for the teacher to review during instruction to the student. Informal assessment may consist of assigned home excogitate, group cooperation activities, one on one consultation with student and teacher created checklists.The first type of informal testing is homework. A teacher assigns homework to be completed at the end of formal instruction or to be completed outside the classroom. Advantages to using this type of assessment is that it allows the students to take their time to get the assigned work completed before due date. This can alleviate stress for the student who is a dilatory worker. Another advantage to using homework as an assessment is that it is easy for the teacher to grade. The teacher may wish to allow the students to grade their own papers. The rule behind this process it that the students will suppose the errors they made, corrections will be given by the teacher and a clearer understanding of the mistakes will provide the student with a new perception.A disadvantage to using homework as an assessment is the fact that students can cheat. They may not do their own work this would not provide a clear depiction of the students performance. Another disadvantage is the student has use of their notes, books, and other resources to help recall the information. Therefore, an accurate measure of student comprehension cannot be achieved.A second informal assessment is group cooperation activities. Assessments of this type allow the teacher to observe the students and see the students use what they have intentional from the formal instruction. The first advantage to group learning is that it allows the student to engage and learn from their peers. Things are discussed and thought out by each member of the group to arrive at the final answer. The second advantage is that the teacher can observe the students and make decision concerning the review of parti cular items that may be unreadable and need to be explained further. The teacher can adjust her lesson plans to meet those needs immediately.A disadvantage to group cooperation activities is that if not monitored closely the students may see this time as free time or busy time. Teachers cannot expect the students to break off into groups and stay on task if not monitored. The students need to know the teacher is coming to their group to check on the task at hand. They have to know they will be held accountable to their part of the group work. This brings up the second disadvantage. Group cooperation activities cannot be used for teacher preparation time. The teacher who uses this time to grade papers for another class or simply take a break will bring chaos to the classroom. A group cooperation activity is a process thought out and organized by the teacher to create a powerful explorative learning tool which has to be monitored to make student assessments.The third type of informal assessment is a one on one interview with a student. This allows the teacher to assess the students level of knowledge and understanding over the content of the course. An advantage of the interview is that it allows the student to explain to the teacher what he or she does not fully understand. This helps the teacher to adjust the instruction to help that particular student. Another advantage is that it can assist in parent teacher conversation over their students progress. It allows the teacher to give suggestions for additional help at home.A disadvantage to a one on one interview can be that it is time consuming. It requires that a teacher schedule a private meeting with each singular student. Another disadvantage is that the one on one interview does not provide a clear concept of the students knowledge. The student may not be able to express or kick the bucket the content they are having difficulty understanding.And the final informal assessment is a checklist. It is created by the teacher to contain certain qualities, information, or skills and knowledge that they want to see exhibited by the students after a unit has been completed. The first advantage is that it does not take a lot of time and can be completed over a period of time when the teacher sees a display or lack thereof from the student. Another advantage is that the checklist is made by each individual teacher and he or she can cater it to the skills and knowledge they want the students to achieve from the unit based on the amount of material covered.A disadvantage to a checklist is that it does not inform the teacher where additional instruction is needed. It cannot determine the knowledge and skills that students are meant to learn throughout the course. Another disadvantage is that while the unretentive term goals for student assessment are being met, long term goals and objectives are missing from the information on the checklist.Most schools and teachers use a transmutation of asses sments to test the students knowledge and comprehension of subjects. It is important that the teacher uses multiple methods of evaluation to assess the content being covered in the course so that we can better provide for the educational needs of the students. Students differ in their abilities to test just as we differ in our ability to test the knowledge taught. The more often we assess the students and make adjustment to our teaching the more successful the student will be. The students future will be successful and the teachers will have validation for their teaching skills.

Changing Issues in Human Resource Management (HRM)

Changing Issues in human race election Manage handst (HRM)Human Resource Management (HRM) is a put to cogitation of bringing passel and organic laws together so that the goals of each atomic scrap 18 met. It is that part of the charge process which is concerned with the management of human miscellany options in an organization. It tries to secure the best from people by winning their wholehearted cooperation. In short, it may be defined as the art of procuring, developing and maintaining effective plyforce to achieve the goals of an organization in an effective and efficient manner.Todays organizations are facing challenges upon following levelsEnvironmental Challengesorganisational ChallengesIndividual ChallengesEnvironmental ChallengesMost organizations looking at external contexts that are complex, dynamic and increasingly global. This progresss the context increasingly catchy to put downpret. To cope with often incomplete and ambiguous contextual entropy, and t o increase their earning of the prevalent external context, organizations engage in a process called external environmental analysis. All managers, including HR managers, need to be aware of the importance of scanning the external context in a systematic government agency.A number of models exist that can help managers in analysing the external environment. Such models provide a fashion model to identify external opportunities and threats. Opportunities mount when an organization can take advantage of conditions in its external environment to formulate and implement strategies that enable it to improve mental process. Threats arise when conditions in the external environment endanger the integrity of the organizations activities. As shown in Exhibit 1 an organizations external environment has two major partsMacroenvironment assiduityThe macro environment is composed of social, economic, political and technological elements in the broader society that can influence an industry and the organizations within it. The industry environment is the set of factors that straight off influences an organization and its actions and responses. Managers brook to analyse competitive forces in an industrys environment in vow to identify the opportunities and threats confronting an organization.Environmental challenges refer to forces external to the tight that are by and large beyond managements control but influence organizational performance. The important environmental challenges right away areGlobalization,EconomyWork force diversity,TechnologyEvolving croak and family roles,science shortages and the rise of the service sectorEach of these are discussed in the subsequent sectionGlobalizationGlobalization is not a recent phenomenon. Some analysts m otherwise argued that the world providence was just a globalized 100 years ago as it is today. Yet the term is used since the 1980s, reflecting technological advances that bring made it easier and speedy to compl ete internationalistic transactions, both trade and financial flows. The most striking flavour of this has been the integration of financial markets made possible by modern electronic communication.integration of stemma activities across geographical and organizational boundaries.The capacity to treat the world as one market while dealing with many culturally diverse merchants.the process by which markets expands to include competitors for customers and fur-bearing inputs without regard to national boundaries.doing business with a worldwide focus rather than doing business in an international market with the focus from a home-country viewpoint.Many companies are already world compelled to think globally, something that doesnt come easily to firms long accustomed to doing business in a large and expanding domestic market with minimal foreign controversy. Weak response to international competition may be resulting in upwards layoffs in any year. Human resources can play a cri tical role in a businesss ability to compete head-to-head with foreign producers. The implications of a global economy on human resource management are many.Globalization has increased the importance of HRM in organization. It has led to the development of many newfangled areas of HR application such as the transfer of work to different geographical locations, either to outsourced providers or on a global in-sourcing basis the e-enablement of many HR process greater sophistication in the HR information technology, new structures for international HR functions greater competition for talented staff at all levels of organization. In particular, there has been a rattling strong marketing, corporate communication and IT influence on the HR function. The HR function is realigning itself in response to this process of cross-function globalisation ( founding new alliances with these functions) creating new activity streams and new roles and skills required of the HR function (Sparrow, Brewster and Harris, 2004).EconomySeveral mixed bags in the economy have important implications for human resource management, these include the ever-changing structure of the economy, the development of e-business, and more growth in professional and service occupations. Growth in these occupations rigorouss that skill demands for jobs have metamorphosed, with fellowship decorous more valuable. Not only have skill demands changed, but remaining competitive in a global economy requires demanding work hours and changes in traditional employment patterns. The creation of new jobs, aging employees leaving the workforce, slow population growth, and a lack of employees who have the skills needed to perform the jobs in superior demand means that demand for employees will exceed supply. This has created a war for talent that has increased the attention companies pay to attracting and retaining human resources.TechnologyThe world has neer before seen such rapid technological changes as are presently occurring in the computer and telecommunications industries. One estimate is that technological change is occurring so rapidly that soulfulnesss may have to change their entire skills three or four times in their smell story. The advances being made, affect every area of a business including human resource management.Workforce DiversityAccording to Thomas (1992), dimensions of workforce diversity include, but are not limited to age, ethnicity, ancestry, gender, physical abilities/qualities, race, sexual orientation, educational background, geographic location, income, marital status, military experience, religious beliefs, parental status, and work experience.Many companies are at one time realizing the advantages of a diverse workplace. As more and more companies are going global in their market expansions either physically or virtually (for example, E-commerce-related companies), there is a necessity to employ diverse talents to understand the heterogeneous niches of the market. For example, when China was opening up its markets and exporting their products globally in the late 1980s, the Chinese companies (such as Chinas electronic giants such as Haier) were seeking the marketing expertise of Singaporeans. This is because Singapores marketing talents were able to understand the local China markets relatively well(p) (almost 75% of Singaporeans are of Chinese descent) and as well as being attuned to the markets in the West due to Singapores open economic policies and English oral communication abilities. (Toh, R, 1993)With this trend in place, a HR Manager essential be able to conspire the pool of diverse talents strategically for the organization. He/She must consider how a diverse workforce can enable the company to attain new markets and opposite organizational goals in order to harness the full potential of workplace diversity.Evolving Work and Family RolesThe proportion of dual-career families, in which both wife and husban d (or both members of a couple) work, is increasing every year. Unfortunately, women face the double burden of working at home and on the job, devoting 42 hours per week on average to the office and an special 30 hours at home to children. This compares to 43 hours spent working in the office and only 12 hours at home for men. More and more companies are introducing family-friendly programs that give them a competitive advantage in the labor market. These programs are HR policies that companies use to hire and retain the best-qualified employees, male or female, and they are very believably to payoff. For instance, among the well known organizations / firms, half of all recruits are women, but only 5% of senior management are women. Major talent is being wasted as many women drop out after lengthy training because they have decided that the demanding 10- to 12-year management track requires a total dedicate of family sprightliness history. These firms have started to change thei r policies and are already seeing gains as a result. Different companies have recently begun offering child-care function as well to expedite women workers as well as are introducing alternative scheduling to allow employees some tractableness in their work hours.Skill Shortages and the Rise of the Service sphereExpansion of service-sector employment is linked to a number of factors, including changes in consumer tastes and preferences, legal and regulatory changes, advances in science and technology that have eliminated many manufacturing jobs, and changes in the way businesses are organized and managed. Service, technical, and managerial positions that require college degrees will make up half of all manufacturing and service jobs. Unfortunately, most available workers will be also unskilled to fill those jobs. Even now, many companies complain that the supply of skilled labor is dwindling and that they must provide their employees with basic training to make up for the shortc omings of the public education system. To rectify these shortcomings, companies currently spend large amount year on a wide variety of training programs.ii. establishmental ChallengesOrganizational challenges refer to concerns that are internal to the firm. However, they are often a byproduct of environmental forces because no firm operates in a vacuum. Still, managers can usually utilize a lot more control over organizational challenges than over environmental challenges. Effective managers spot organizational issues and deal with them before they become major problems. unless managers who are well informed about important HR issues and organizational challenges can do this. These challenges include the need for a competitive position and flexibility, the problems of suppression and organizational restructuring, the use of self-managed work teams, the need to create a strong organizational gloss, the role of technology, and the rise of outsourcing.An organization will outperfo rm its competitors if it effectively utilizes its work forces unique combination of skills and abilities to exploit environmental opportunities and neutralize threats. HR policies can influence an organizations competitive position by a) coercive costs, b) Improving tint, c) Creating distinctive capabilities and d) Restructuringa) Controlling costsOne way for a firm to gain a competitive advantage is to maintain low costs and a strong capital flow. A compensation system that uses innovative reward strategies to control labor costs can help the organization grow. A well-designed compensation system rewards employees for behaviors that expediency the company.Other factors besides compensation policies can enhance a firms competitiveness by keeping labor costs under control. These include better employee choice so that workers are more likely to stay with the company and to perform better while they are there, training employees to make them more efficient and productive attaining harmonious labor relations effectively managing health and safety issues in the workplace and structuring work to reduce the time and resources needed to design, produce, and deliver products or serveb) Improving choice.The second way to gain a competitive advantage is to engage in continuous quality improvement. Many companies are implementing total quality management (TQM) initiatives, which are programs designed to improve the quality of all the processes that lead to a final product or service. In a TQM program, every aspect of the organization is oriented toward providing a quality product or service.c) Creating Distinctive CapabilitiesThe third way to gain a competitive advantage is to utilize people with distinctive capabilities to create unsurpassed competence in a particular area (for example, 3Ms competence in adhesives, and Xeroxs dominance of the photocopier market).d) RestructuringA number of firms are changing the way the functions are performed. The past two decade s have witnessed a dramatic variation in how firms are structured. Tall organizations that had many management levels are becoming flatter as companies reduce the number of people between the chief executive officer (CEO) and the lowest-ranking production employee in an effort to become more competitive. This transformation has had grand implications for the effective utilization of human resources. Since the late 1980s, many companies have instituted massive layoffs of middle managers, whose traditional role of planning, organizing, implementing, and controlling has come to be equated with the kind of cumbersome bureaucracy that prevents businesses from responding to market forces. It is estimated that two thirds of the jobs eliminated in the 1990s were supervisory/middle management jobs.New relationships among firms are also fostering hybrid organizational structures and the blending of firms with diverse histories and labor forces. Mergers and acquisitions, in which formerly in underage organizations come together as a single entity, represent two important sources of restructuring. A newer and rapidly growing form of inter organizational bonding comes in the form of joint ventures, alliances, and collaborations among firms that remain independent, yet work together on particularized products to spread costs and risks.To be prosperous, organizational restructuring requires effective management of human resources. For instance, flattening the organization requires careful examination of staffing demands, workflows, communication channels, training needs, and so on. Likewise, mergers and other forms of inter organizational relations require the successful blending of dissimilar organizational structures, management practices, technical expertise, and so forthiii. Individual ChallengesHuman resource issues at the individual level address the decisions most pertinent to specific employees. These individual challenges almost always reflect what is happening in the larger organization. For instance, technology affects individual productivity it also has ethical ramifications in terms of how information is used to make HR decisions (for example, use of credit or medical history data to decide whom to hire). How the company treats its individual employees is also likely to affect the organizational challenges we discussed earlier. For example, if many cardinal employees leave the firm to join competitors, the organizations competitive position is likely to be affected. In other words, there is a two-way relationship between organizational and individual challenges. This is unlike the relationship between environmental and organizational challenges, in which the relationship goes only one way few organizations can have much refer on the environment. The most important individual challenges today involve, productivity, empowerment, brain drain, job security and matching people and organizations.ProductivityProductivity is a measure of how much value individual employees add to the goods or services that the organization produces. The greater the output per individual, the higher the organizations productivity. Two important factors that affect individual productivity are ability and motivation. Employee ability, competence in performing a job, can be improved through a hiring and placement process that selects the best individuals for the job. It can also be improved through training and career development programs designed to sharpen employees skills and prepare them for additional responsibilities. Motivation refers to a persons desire to do the best possible job or to exert the supreme effort to perform assigned tasks. Motivation energizes, directs, and sustains human behavior. A growing number of companies recognize that employees are more likely to choose a firm and stay there if they believe that it offers a high quality of work life (QWL).EmpowermentIn recent years many firms have cut down employee dependen ce on superiors and placed more emphasis on individual control over (and responsibility for) the work that needs to be done. This process has been labeled empowerment because it transfers direction from an external source (normally the immediate supervisor) to an internal source (the individuals own desire to do well). In essence, the process of empowerment entails providing workers with the skills and authority to make decisions that would traditionally be made by managers. The goal of empowerment is an organization consisting of enthusiastic, committed people who perform their work ably because they believe in it and enjoys doing it (internal control). This military post is in stark contrast to an organization that gets people to work as an act of compliance to avoid punishment (for example, being fired) or to qualify for a paycheck (external control).Work TimeFlextime the practice of permitting employees to choose, with certain limitations, their own working hours. Compressed W orkweek-any arrangement of work hours that permits employees to fulfill their work obligation in few days than the typical five-day workweek. This approach adds many highly qualified individuals to the labor market by permitting both employment and family needs to be addressed. Workplace flexibility is expected to be on the rise as the future workplace, the virtual office is characterized by creative and flexible work arrangements. As more employees work off-site-up to two thirds of an organization in the 21st century there will be an increase in emphasis on performance and results as debate to the number of hours worked. In addition, off-site employees can expect to attend fewer meetings. Specified work will become much more collaborative and management will spend nearly all its time managing cross-functional work teams who enjoy a lot of autonomyQuality of Work Life (QWL)High quality of work life is related to job satisfaction, which in turn is a strong predictor of absenteeism and turnover. A firms investments in improving the quality of work life also payoff in the form of better customer service. High employment rate, low inflation and Steady economic growth provide hazard and rising living standards. Technological advance has enabled the worlds population to grow with improved living standards for most.Brain DrainWith organizational success more and more dependent on knowledge held by specific employees, companies are becoming more susceptible to brain drain-the loss of intellectual property that results when competitors lure away key employees. High-Tec firms are particularly vulnerable to this problem. Such important industries as semiconductors and electronics suffer from high employee turnover as key employees, inspired by the potential for colossal profits, leave established firms to start their own businesses. This brain drain can negatively affect innovation and cause major delays in the introduction of new products. To make matters worse, de parting employees, particularly those in upper management, can wreak considerable havoc by taking other talent with them when they leave. To combat the problem of forswearing to competitors, some firms are crafting elaborate ant defection devices. For example, Compaq computer has introduced a policy that revokes bonuses and other benefits to key executives if they take other employees with them when they quit. Micron Technology staggers key employees bonuses they lose un-awarded portions when they leave.Matching People and OrganizationsHR strategies contribute to firm performance most when the firm uses these strategies to attract and retain the type of employee who best fits the firms culture and overall business objectives. For example, one study showed that the competencies and personality characteristics of exceed executives could hamper or improve firm performance, depending on what the firms business strategies are. Fast-growth firms perform better with managers who have a s trong marketing and sales background, who are willing to take risks, and who have a high tolerance for ambiguity. However, these managerial traits actually reduce the performance of mature firms that have an established product and are more interested in maintaining (rather than expanding) their market share. Other research has shown that small high-tech firms benefit by hiring employees who are willing to work in an atmosphere of high uncertainty, low pay, and rapid change in exchange for greater intrinsic satisfaction and the financial opportunities associated with a risky but potentially very lucrative product launchCHALLENGES FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGERSIssues facing HR are expected to change dramatically in the next decades. HR programs and the HR function have increased pressure to relate to the business strategy and show a put across on investment. Customer focus needs to be included in all HRM practices. New technology combined with economic uncertainty will mean that admini strative and transactional HR activities will be delivered via technology creating less need for HR professionals to provide these activities. Thus, HR professionals must play special roles in dealing with these changes and must develop specific competencies to support these roles.Employee EngagementProducts and process alone cant help organizations to sustain loyal customers. They also need highly-motivated, dedicated and knotty employees who are very passionate about their work and their organization in short, they need engaged employees. But, nurturing engaged employees requires a lot of effort and skill on the part of HR managers and calls for a different HR philosophy in the organization.We need employee engagement to serve as a core competency of an organization that would provide sustainable competitive advantage. We know employee engagement towards their work, throw few test symptoms, i.e., feeling of creating value, having a direction to follow, an air of trust, creating en gaged employees through top management endorsement, a work environment to cherish, innovative leadership and clear growth trajectories, one step up from commitment. Employee engagement is the new buzzword. A successful business is directly linked to the commitment of its employees. Employee engagement ensures the successful execution of any business strategy.Talent ManagementOne of HRs most challenging jobs now involves managing talent. Much has changed in recent years to make this an increasingly critical area for HR. Among the issues that have made the talent management job more difficult are frequent restructuring, a growing reliance on outside hiring, flatter organizations with fewer growth options, a tighter job market (at least in the long term), the aging workforce and the decline of clear career paths, as we mentioned above that it create a big challenge before the HR. In order to retain its most valuable stakeholders, an organization must find innovative ways to continually recruit its own employees. Retaining top quality talent is an enormous challenge facing corporations today and it is duty of HR to cope with it. In order to build effective retention and deployment strategies, companies must maintain visibility into and communication with their employees.An organizations capacity to hire, develop and retain talent is the most crucial business process as there is a definite correlation between intangible asset assets and market capitalization, according to the protagonists of talent management. It is due to these intrinsic intangible values that some companies are perceived as more valuable than others.Managing Virtual Human ResourcesChange in technology results in a change in the structure, design and environment of an organization Organizations today operate in a workspace, which is much more broadly defined, than it was earlier. Connectivity within and outside the organizations, creates a world of virtual organizations.A virtual company is usual ly a highly networked organization that extensively contracts out activities that were once performed in-house, allowing both speed and flexibility. The key to success in a virtual corporation is connectivity, i.e., the ability to network with a large number of independent companies. In essence, there will be a movement, a trend towards a decentralized model of HR.HR managers will have to halt employees in their virtual work locations and find ways to manage corporate culture, socialization and employee orientation. In order to obtain and maintain a competent workforce, they must act as organizational performance experts and shape employees behavior without face to face meetings.HR Issues and Cross Cultural ManagementAnother expected change in HR is the Global Business concept world trade knew a major growth during the last years and there is forecasted as well the growth of international businesses, especially among small firms. Organization rely more and more organization HR spec ialists as the facilitators of work across borders and among different cultures. Therefore, they must be knowledgeable of other cultures, languages and business practices. They will be required to develop and manage an international workforce, maintain written and unwritten corporate polices for transportability to other cultures, keep top management informed of the costs of not paying attention to the transnational issues and provide their services to a variety of locations world wide.Organization must take into account cultural differences that shape managerial attitudes, when developing multinational management programs. For e.g., British managers value individual achievement and autonomy, whereas French managers think competent supervision, fringe benefits, security and comfortable conditions, while Indian managers gives more importance of their culture and tradition.HR managers must therefore be familiar with and understand other cultural norms to promote organization diversit y. An organization that recognizes and promotes cultural diversity will benefit because it will be employing the market that it serves. With increasing globalization and competition within the market, a diverse workforce is conducive to attracting and retaining a strong client base. While competing in an international market, employees from diverse national backgrounds provide language skills and understanding of other cultures. HR professionals will also be responsible for providing cultural sensitivity training for the organizations employees and for managers throughout the entire organization. (Czebter, Anamaria, 2002)Managing Issues of Work Life balance in OrganisationsThe challenge of work/life balance is rising to the top of many employers and employees consciousness. In a society filled with conflicting responsibilities and commitments, work/life balance has become a predominant issue in the workplace. Research by Parasuraman and Greenhaus (2002) documented that segments of the workforce may be subject to unique work/family pressures, yet often have few sources of support. The under-representation of these groups of individuals with potentially difficult types of work/family pressures represents a major gap in work/family research and employers understanding of their needs. Typically, studies have focused on employed men and women who are married or living with a partner or those with children. Omitted from research are single-earner mothers and fathers, single and unfruitful employees with extensive responsibility for eldercare, blended families with children from both partners prior marriages, families with shared custody of children, and grandparents raising their grandchildren.In their highly acclaimed book, Work and FamilyAllies or Enemies, Friedman and Greenhaus (2000), two leaders in work/life balance, help us understand choices we make as employers and individuals regarding work and family. To handle work/life balance, Friedman and Greenhaus e mphasize that working adults learn to build networks of support at home, at work, and in the community. Conflict between work and family has real consequences and significantly affects quality of family life and career attainment of both men and women.With the growing diversity of family structures represented in the workforce in the new millennium, it is important that human resource professionals better understand the interface of work and family relationships and the resulting impact in the workplace. Human Resource professionals seeking innovative ways to augment their organizations competitive advantage in the marketplace may find that work/life balance challenges offer a win-win solution.

Culture Essay -- Sociology, Hofstede

Hofstede (1997) defined culture as the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from others (p. 6). He referred to psychogenic programming in order to explain patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting. Cultural manifestation is identified as symbols, heroes, rituals, and values as a learned programming that is dependent on a social environment. Values represented the deepest manifestations of culture and ar considered cultures building blocks (Hofstede, 1980).One well-known paradigm Hofstede introduced is called cultural dimensions that include four-spot independent cultural dimensions power infinite, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, and uncertainty avoidance. After further research, he developed the fifth dimension known as long-term/short-term orientation (Hofstede, 2001). The following section will discuss five of the dimensions to identify the cultural differences between the United States, India, and Thailand. Power DistanceThe power distance index is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions accept and expect that power is distributed unequally (Itim International, 2009). It is a fundamental structure endorsed by the societies followers and leaders in areas such as social status, wealth, and sources of power. A high power distance society embraces people with power. Powerful people are expected to have privileges, openly show their status and wealth, and are perceived to be good. On the other hand, a low power distance society embraces uniformity and minimizes inequalities. Those who hold more than power in these societies attempt to look less powerful than they are (Albers-Miller & Gelb, 1996). Hofstede... ...tinuous, ANOVA is the most appropriate method of analysis. Research Question The research head proposed there would be differences in levels of organizational dissent between India, Thailand, and the U.S. The ANOVA revealed crucial differences in levels of dissent between the three groups. The means and standard deviations are displayed in Table 2. Overall, Americans are the most likely to express articulated dissent, with Thais being the less least likely F(4, 1446) = 5.10, 2 = .01, p DiscussionThe results revealed significant differences between Americans, Indians and Thais regarding the expression of dissent.

Why Australia Joined World War I In 1914 :: World War I History

Why Australia Joined World War I In 1914In 1914, Australia joined the scratch line World War. Although it was seen as a European war, the Australia government decided that Australia should support its Mother Country, Britain. The prime-minister at the time, Joseph Cook, stated Australias position Whatever happens, Australia is a part of the pudding stone, right to the full. When the Empire is at war, Australia is at war. Many Australians objected to the countrys involvement in the war, merely the majority of the population agreed with the governments decision. Australia joined the war for many reasons, but two briny reasons were Australia (as a counry) felt a loyalty towards the mother country, Britaain and that the war would be a good opportunity to improve Ausrtalias international reputation. Many individual Australians also joined the war for a variety of reasons. Some felt a strong loyalty to Britain who had supported Australia, and now, they felt, was the time for them to do their bit. Others enlsted simply to prove they were brave enough to fight, but some enlisted because their friends had. Some simply enlisted because they needed a job, pay, and regular meals, but many enlisted in the army for an adventure, not knowing the true horrors of war. Private A.J. McSparrow (former railroad line worker from Parramatta, NSW), was one of the many men whwo enlisted because he felt that it was his duty to support the mother country ...I have (enlisted) ... and I dont regret it in the very least. I believe that it is every young fellows duty and ... we are the sort of men who should go.Private Antill enlisted because he needed the money, clothes and food and also because it was easier work than console table making ...I tell you what I have just joined the Australan army ... its not bad money here 5/- a daytime and clothes and food thats nearly as good as cabinet making and not half as hard.Lieutenant D.G. Armstrong (former bank clerk from Kyneton, Victoria ), sight that the war would be great opportunity to prove his strength and to show that he was not a coward...I am going to have a try for the war ... I think I ought to go, they want all they can get and ... I think its the greatest opportunity for a tornado to make a man of himself, those that come back from this war will be men of the right sort that anybody would be proud of.

Importance of Change in Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 Essay -- Ray Bra

Importance of Change in Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451What is change? Websters Dictionary, defines changeas to cause to become different alter interpret convert. Many things, people,and world events are able to change. Years of peace may be shattered by oneact of terrorism. Technology changes how people interact and work in theworld. People also change. Many do not see any wrongdoing internally, and remainthe way they are. However, there might be outside factors that help them realizewhat is wrong with them or the lifestyle they choose to take part in. Accordingto Preston Bradley, I dont care how much a worldly concern may consider himself a failure,I believe in him, for he can change the thing that is wrong in his life any condemnationhe is ready and prepared to do it. Whenever he develops the desire, he can takeaway from his life the thing that is defeating it. The capacity for reformationand change lies within. passim Fahrenheit 451, Montag, a dedicated substituteand book burne r, sees pleasure and titillation from burning books and destroyinglifetimes of important ideas. When outside influences put confusion in him, hebegins a series of changes, eventually becoming a revolutionary in a societywhere books are valued.Many factors contribute to the changes found in Montag. One of the outsetinfluences during the story is the exquisitely observant Clarisse McClellan. Sheis different from all of the others in society who like to head for a Fun Parkto bully people around, or break windowpanes in the Car Wrecker. She likes toobserve people, and she observes Montag, diagnosing him as astrange...fireman. He is not like the others because when she talks, helooks at her, and when she said something about the moon, he looks at it.Clarisse tells Montag that he is different from the other people. He hassomething inside of him that makes him put up with her. Clarisse makes Montaglook at himself for the basic time when she asks him, Are you happy? Montagthinks that she is lecture nonsense, but he realizes that he truly is not happy.Something is missing from his life. Looking at his lifestyle, he found that theonly thing that I Montag positively knew was kaput(p) was the books Id hedburned in ten or twelve years. Clarisse helped Montag to start to think forhimself, instead of letting the society... ...he society outside set books, and byjoining it, Montag shows that he is changed from rebel to the ultimate rebel, asoldier of an army that has a strong influential power because of itsattraction to books and their meanings.In Fahrenheit 451, Montag, a dedicated fireman and book burner changescharacter and opinion through the help of influential characters and events,gradually transforming into an individualistic person of the society, arebellious soldier in an army of readers. Montag first changes when he meetsClarisse, opening his eyes and being able to see his own faults and those of thesociety. He changes further when he questions himself and t hinks about hislifestyle after learning how muscular the meaning in the books are when thewoman insists on dying. Montag learns the importance of books in the societywhen he meets Faber, learning how the meaning in books can be use to what ishappening in society. Killing Beatty shows his change from being a passivereader and spy to an active revolutionary. Finally, Montags changes arecompleted when he joins the organization that values books, therefore becoming asoldier of an influential army.

The life of Richard :: essays research papers

born Leipzig, 22 May 1813 died Venice, 13 February 1883). He was the son either of the police actuary Friedrich Wagner, who died soon after his birth, or of his mothers friend the painter, actor and poet Ludwig Geyer, whom she married in August 1814. He went to school in Dresden and then Leipzig at 15 he wrote a play, at 16 his first compositions. In 1831 he went to Leipzig University, also studying music with the Thomaskantor, C.T. Weinlig a symphony was written and successfully performed in 1832. In 1833 he became chorus master at the Wrzburg theatre and wrote the text and music of his first opera, Die Feen this remained unheard, but his next, Das Liebesverbot, written in 1833, was ordered in 1836. By then he had made his dbut as an opera conductor with a small company which however went wear soon after performing his opera. He married the singer Minna Planer in 1836 and went with her to Knigsberg where he became musical director at the theatre, but he soon left and took a simi lar post in Riga where he began his next opera, Rienzi, and did much conducting, especially of Beethoven. In 1839 they slipped away from creditors in Riga, by ship to London and then to Paris, where he was befriended by Meyerbeer and did hack-work for publishers and theatres. He also worked on the text and music of an opera on the Flying Dutchman legend but in 1842 Rienzi, a large-scale opera with a political theme set in imperial Rome, was accepted for Dresden and Wagner went there for its highly successful premiere. Its theme reflects something of Wagners give politics (he was involved in the semi-revolutionary, intellectual Young Germany movement). Die fliegende Hollnder (The Flying Dutchman), given the next year, was less well received, though a much tauter musical drama, root system to move away from the number opera tradition and strong in its evocation of atmosphere, especially the supernatural and the raging seas (inspired by the stormy trip from Riga). Wagner was now appo inted reefer Kapellmeister at the Dresden court. The theme of redemption through a womans love, in the Dutchman, recurs in Wagners operas (and perhaps his life). In 1845 Tannhuser was completed and performed and Lohengrin begun. In both Wagner moves towards a to a greater extent continuous texture with semi-melodic narrative and a supporting orchestral fabric helping convey its sense.