Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Payday Loans Are They As Bad - 894 Words

Payday Loans - Are They as Bad as Some Make Them Out to Be? Payday Loans - Are They as Bad as Some Make Them Out to Be? Payday loans fulfill real-world needs for families that can t cover emergency expenses from their savings. Even people with stellar credit can t always negotiate loans quickly enough when a financial emergency arises. The premise is simple: Short-term loans are available, even for people with low credit scores, and people can get money into their accounts faster than trying to get approved for a traditional loan. Payday loans are strictly for short-term purposes when the borrowers can afford to repay the amount, interest and fees from their next pay period. Credit.com reports that these loans are justifiable when used as intended. Unfortunately, people don t always do what s best, and some borrowers recycle their debts by renewing their short-term loans or borrowing from multiple lenders. Competitive lenders cite these debt traps as evidence that payday loans are bad choices, but any kind of credit can lead to abuses that trap people in cycles of debt. Payday loans are just tools that people should be able to choose as long as they re legal in the applicable state. Most of the industry s criticism is politically motivated and calls to mind the classic meme of a scout trying to help an old lady across the street when she doesn t want to go. Politicians are filled with good intentions to legislate from ivory towers while down-to-earth people struggleShow MoreRelatedEssay On Pay Day Loans1040 Words   |  5 PagesGreat tips on how to get approved bad credit payday loans Bad credit payday loans have gained popularity over the years. Today, millions of Australians rely on these loans to settle their immediate financial challenges. Unlike other types of loans, payday loans are approved within the shortest time. In less than 24 hours, you are assured of money in your bank. Despite their popularity, there are lots of people still struggling to get their payday loans applications approved. Here, we will adviseRead MoreThe And Online Payday Loans1223 Words   |  5 Pagesand online payday loans decreased 23 percent in 2016, according to information released by the Center for Financial Services Innovation, also known as CFSI. Some of the decline is due to payday loan borrowers shifting to bad credit installment loans or other subprime credit products. However, the CFSI study also revealed some alarming statistics that indicate that financially underserved Americans are incurring substantial fees for products other than a payday loan or cash advance loan. What Is BehindRead MoreLenders And Credit Loans Online Payday Loans1200 Words   |  5 Pageswho offer bad credit loans, including online payday loans, personal installment loans and auto title loans, have come under increasing attack in recent years. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, has been the most vocal critic of these lenders. The CFPB published its proposed regulations for short-term, small-dollar loans in June 2016. Included in the 1,341 pages of new rules and explanations is a section that deals specifically with lenders who offer online payday loans. Despite theRead MorePayday Loans Are The Method Of Choice For Millions Of Consumers741 Words   |  3 Pages Payday loans are the method of choice for millions of consumers whenever a financial emergency arises, as they offer quick cash in times of need, and are easy to apply and qualify for. So why are so many people bashing the payday loan industry? It s simple, really. They see the unlawful actions of a few and assume that everybody is doing the same things - not disclosing terms, taking advantage of borrowers with usurious (excessive) interest rates, or in some unfortunate cases, requiring moneyRead MoreQuestions On Real Payday Loans1644 Words   |  7 Pagesfind out genuine direct lenders of real payday loans? Description: real payday loans can be only available in case you make proper verification of the lender. There are few strategic methods that can help you to conduct this verification successfully and you can follow them. You might get confused with the term real payday loans but if you make a proper survey then you will find that there is no as such difference in between normal payday loans and these loans. In this case, you are highly recommendedRead MorePayday Lending Is A Convenient, Instant, And Short Term Option Essay1647 Words   |  7 Pagesinstances, payday lending can be a convenient, instant, and short-term option one may want to consider. The speed, ease, and convenience associated with payday lending enables an individual to get out of trouble quick, which has resulted in payday lending consistently growing in popularity over the last couple of decades. Since the early to mid 1990s, the payday lending industry has continuously grown in popularity as well as quantity. In fact, there are currently more than 20,000 payday lenders inRead MoreEssay On Cash1302 Words   |  6 PagesA Payday Cash Advance Can Seem a Lifesaver, but Count the Cost First (-- removed HTML --) A Payday Cash Advance Can Seem a Lifesaver, but Count the Cost First (-- removed HTML --) Getting a payday cash advance loan often seems like a lifesaver when you need money fast, but it’s critical that you take some time to consider the costs and whether you can afford the lump-sum payment. However, many of our lenders are willing to work with you. Some offer installment loans that can be repaid over a longerRead MorePayday Loans Are All Over These Days936 Words   |  4 PagesIt seems to me that payday loan bids are all over these days. Across the Unites States, there are enormous numbers of people plainly living payroll to payroll. From stores nearby to the Internet, the payday lending business is thriving. But what are payday loans? Are they as atrocious as some people convey? Payday loans can be very costly. They are a relatively small amount of money given at an immense percentage of interest on the arrangement that it will be repaid when the borrower receives theirRead MorePay Day Loan Research Paper722 Words   |  3 PagesAny loan resulting in a release of cash during times of immediate financial crises would be termed as best payday loan. It is only after the purpose for which the loan was taken gets satisfied that we start thinking critically of the loan. It will be wrong to term this tendency as selfishness. Payday loans are actually made dearer by loan providers. Many borrowers actually decide to take loans at any terms stated by the lenders because of the urgency involved in the situation. Lenders will not missRead MorePayday Loans Essay754 Words   |  4 Pagespaperwork involved in a bank loan. Shed all your worries, for help is a mouse click away in the form of payday loans. Payday loans are one of the most convenient ways of getting a cash advance today with practically no paperwork or other hassles. Defining Payday loans Payday loans are a short-term cash advance, when it is needed the most...usually between paydays! Payday loans are a great way to get some cash to tide you over to your next paycheck. The goal of payday loans is to assist you with finances

Monday, December 23, 2019

Maslow´s Hierarchy of Needs Applied to the Movie Jumanji

The purpose of this assignment is to apply Maslows Hierarchy of needs to the movie Jumanji. The levels of Maslows is usually showned as a pyramid. The adequate needs are located at the bottom, whereas the major needs are located at the top. The five levels of needs from the adequate needs to the major needs are physicological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization needs. The five levels of Maslow build up on each other and each level is needed to complete the pyramid. When one has accomplish the lower levels, love and self-actualization becomes increasingly important. Jumanji is a movie about a boy name Alan Parrish. Alans life becomes interesting when he finds a jungle-based board game with his friend Sarah. One day as they were playing, the board game comes to life. Alan rolls the dice, which sucks him into the game and Sarahs roll brings bat flying around the room. Terrified Sarah runs off leaving Alan trapped in the game. Twenty five years later, two orphans, Judy and Peter moved into the home of the Parrish and found the game in the attic. They began playing and brought Alan back from the game. The characters realized that they must continue to finish the game. They faced many fears and challenges, risking their lives to reverse the game and bringing eveything back to normal. Judy is one of the main character in the story and is compared to Maslows five levels of needs. Physiological needs are needs needed for survival which are food,

Sunday, December 15, 2019

History of Michigan Free Essays

Eerie in 1959, Delbert L. Hatchet, then president of the Oakland County NAACP, filed suit in Federal Court complaining that Pontiac schools were elaborately segregated. Schools were either _ percent white or _ percent black. We will write a custom essay sample on History of Michigan or any similar topic only for you Order Now A) 60 percent white or 40 percent black. B) 50 percent white or 50 percent black. C) 75 percent white or 75 percent black. D) 90 percent white or 90 percent black. 6. To help ease a manpower shortage in war industries in 1 942, what specific group of people received postcards from the Michigan Director of War Manpower Commission asking them to take jobs in war-related industries? A) senior citizens B) disabled adults C) women D) persons of color 7. When this bridge was completed in 1957, it was the country’s longest suspension span over water. What bridge was it? A) Mackinac Bridge B) International Bridge C) Blue water Bridge D) Ambassador Bridge 8. What progressive Michigan governor from the sass was best known for his trademark green and white polka dot bow tie? A) George W. Rooney B) â€Å"Cowboy Kim† Giggles C) G. Men Williams D) William Milliken 9. To take advantage of the rapid suburban growth that was taking place on the outskirts of Detroit, the J. L. Hudson Company in 1 954 opened what was then the world ;s largest shopping center. What was it called? A) Oakland Mall B) Northland C) Fairyland Town Center D) Twelve Oaks 10. Michigan Severe labor shortage during World War II began to ease when nearly 5,000 members of what group arrived and were assigned to work in the state’s fields and food processing centers? A) Japanese-Americans who had previously been detained in internment camps in western states like Arizona, Idaho, Utah and Colorado. B) African-American men and women who were encouraged to relocate from southern states like Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. C) American soldiers who refused to fight for religious reasons (conscientious objectors). D) German and Italian prisoners of war. 1 During World War II, Henry Ford boasted that his Willow Run Assembly Plant in Ypsilanti would be able to produce one _ every hour. By 1944, the plant was indeed producing at this level. A) Eagle anti-submarine boat B) MM Sherman Tank C) 8-24 heavy bomber D) Jeep 12. Please match each term below with the correct definition. Nickname for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jar. E. â€Å"Black Apostle of Nonviolence† Event that resulted in profiteers who took advantage of the needy by charging SSL . 00 for a 25-cent quart of milk. F. July 1967 riot Event that crippled the Michigan billion-dollar-a-year tourist industry in the U. P. ND northern lower Michigan B. October 1 973 Arab oil embargo Nickname for William G. Milliken D. â€Å"Ghetto Governor’ Organization established to bring together community leaders to discuss Detroit problems and plan for its future in the wake of the 1 967 riots. A. â€Å"New Detroit Committee† Phrase coined by American Motors president, George Rooney, to attack U. S. Auto industry’s insistence on building bigger and heavier cars. C. â€Å"dinosaurs in our driveways† 13. Injure 20, 1943, one of the worst race riots in the U. S. Broke out in Detroit. Over 75% of the city was affected by the rioting. There were 34 deaths, over 700 reported injuries, over 00 fires and more than $2 million in property damage, and at least 1 million man-hours lost in war production. What started the riot? How to cite History of Michigan, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Managing diversity Toward global workplace - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Managing diversity Toward global workplace. Answer: Introduction to our code of conduct 7-Eleven is dedicated to perform with honesty, integrity and trust at all times specially at work while representing the company and after working hours. Our core values The director and the employees of 7-Eleven Stores Pvt. Ltd are believed to always act in conformity with established objectives: To carry out responsibilities for the financial markets and shareholders. To act with honesty, integrity, fairness and be accountable for our decisions. To ensure a safe working environment for the employees, treat the employees with respect and maintain value diversity. To engage in business relationship with honesty, maintain accuracy and privacy of business records. This Code of Conduct sets out the guiding objectives that needs to be followed by the 7-Eleven personnel against which we shall be held accountable. Our principles The 7-Eleven personnel are required to act with the enumerated principles at all times. Discrimination Unlawful discrimination means treating a person or a group of people including the international students unequally based on the grounds of special features: Religion or political belief, race, age or nationality Disability, marital status and family responsibility Discrimination further contains engagement in behavioral conduct that results in the following: Bullying Intimidation Intentionally change of work rosters to create trouble to specific group of employees or particularly any employee. Psychological harassment Unlawful discrimination at workplace The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) are Federal statutes that focuses at safeguarding people from being subjected to employment differentiation on personal attributes. The prohibition of employees from receiving their remuneration or leaves or causing inconvenience for them that leads to workplace discrimination. Therefore, it is dealt under the Fair Work Act 2009. The state level statutes such as the Equal Opportunity Act 1984,Anti-Discrimination 1977 and Discrimination Act 1991 are also enacted to safeguard people from getting discriminated on personal characteristics at state level. Employees are expected to: Inform about any unlawful discrimination occurring at workplace to the Line manager Comply with state as well as territory laws and Commonwealth laws Make honest complaint before the Fair Work Ombudsman while maintaining privacy of information. The employees including the international student must be ensured that they are not being biased after informing about occurrence of workplace discrimination. Exploitation The term exploitation means an unfair treatment with the employees with an objective to benefit from their work (Shacklock and Galtung 2016). 7-Eleven stores Pty Ltd. strictly forbid exploitation of their employees including the international students at workplace. The Code of Conduct disallows: Any illegal discrimination against the employees Harassment or bullying Threatening employees against making complaints about exploitation In relation to the international students, the company must make sure that: The International students who are working as employees are not underprivileged of their legal entitlements for the benefits of the employer. International students are compelled to work against the terms and conditions of their visa permit The International students working as employees are not subjected to exploitation based on their race, age or nationality. International Students are not threatened for informing the Fair Work Ombudsman against any workplace exploitation. The International Students must comply with the provisions that are stipulated under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) as the legislation states that any issues arising from underpayment and other forms of exploitation is dealt by the legislations. Corruption The term Corruption refers to a fraudulent activity where a person exploits his or her position of trust or gain advantage by acting against the interests of the person the fraudulent represents. Bribery refers to a form of act that amounts to corruption and therefore it is strictly restricted by the Code (Barak 2016). In 7-Eleven, it is illegal for the personnel: To manipulate dealings of business for prohibiting manipulation in the organizational transactions To offer and accept any non-regular payment or bribes for influencing decisions related to business. To avoid any reasonable trials that ensures the personnel including the intermediaries, contractors and the business partners that are acting in compliance with this Code, anti-bribery policies and other laws related to this. Anti-Bribery policies Anti-bribery actions are not consistent with the principles of integrity and fairness that might have an adverse effect on the goodwill of the organization as well as that of the suppliers, investors, shareholders and consumers of the organization (Barak 2016). This Code strictly outlaws engaging into any corrupted activities and obligates compliance with the Competition and Consumer Act as well as other equivalent legislations applicable to the business activities of the organization. Dishonest and Fraudulent Behavior Actions that is likely to mislead and commit fraud to any entity or person that leads to fraudulent and dishonest behavior resulting in financial loss to such person or entity. Dishonest and fraudulent behavior consists of: Misrepresentation in cost claims Wage records being manipulated Exploitation of legal entitlements and wages of employees Dishonest and fraudulent misrepresentation of financial performance reports Reverting to Dishonest and Fraudulent Behavior The 7-Eleven personnel are needed to complain about any fraudulent and dishonest kind of behavior. The company should maintain secrecy and confidentiality of employees making such complaints to make sure that such complainants are not victimized. Taking responsibilities towards financial markets and shareholders The business operations of 7-Eleven must: To prevent from communicating any personal information to other person or any entity that is dealing with the securities of the company or other entities while such a person has been made aware of the inside personal information relating to such securities. To make certain with transparency and honesty in disclosure, financial reporting and other obligations as stipulated in the ASX Listing Rules and in the Corporations Act, 2001 (Cth). Whistleblower protection The specific principles must be complied with to safeguard whistleblowers: Raising Concern Any employee including the international students is permitted to raise concern regarding any workplace related concern under the Whistleblower Protection Officers (WPO) and the Risk Management team of the company either directly or by secretly mailing about the said concern. Imprudent Conduct Following are the activities that will lead to improper conduct, that is strictly banned by this Code of Conduct: Harassment, discrimination or bullying Any act infringing the legal obligation under any legal contract Any form of corrupted, illegal, unethical and fraudulent conduct Unsafe work practices Protection for Whistleblowers In order to reinforce the whistleblower protections in the credit, corporate and financial sectors, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Whistleblowers) Bill 2017 (the Bill) has been established as a single rule under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). It makes certain that the investigation regarding the related concerns of the workplace is being conducted in a moderate manner. It extends plenty of disclosures that are safeguarded under the CA 2001 (Cth) such as disclosure about any conduct that results in improper state of affairs or misconduct The Bill expands the efficiency of the protection extended by the Act and expands the eligibility of the whistleblower under the said Act. It imposes more stringent obligations to uphold privacy regarding the whistleblowers identity. Enforcement In case of non-compliance with the Code of Conduct, 7-Eleven must be entitled to fines and penalties. The company or the employees may be subjected to criminal or civil liability or any other monetary loss that might have an important impact on the reputation of the company. The employees or the company shall be subjected to penalties or remedies for non-complying with any of the provisions of the Code. Discrimination and Exploitation The infringement of this provision shall subject the entity or the person making such contravention to criminal or civil liabilities or penalties under the legislations of state level, which are applicable to the business operations. At the Federal level, it shall be subjected to relevant penalties as stipulated under the Fair work Act 2009 (Cth). Fraudulent and deceitful behavior Any fraudulent or dishonest conduct shall be subjected to disciplinary measures such as penalties or civil or criminal liability under the AXS Listing Rules and the Corporation Act 2001 (Cth) Corruption The employees or the company shall be entitled to penalties or civil or criminal penalties as stipulated in the territory and state within which the business carries out its operations. Therefore, the Commonwealth legislations and constrains companies from engaging into corrupted activities such as the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and Part IV of the Competition and Consumers Act 2010 (Cth) may also impose penalties in the event of infringement of managementprovisions. Whistleblower Protection The Corporations Act 2001 and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) protects the whistleblower from being prejudiced after informing about violation of the legislative provisions committed by the director, employee or manager of the company. Compliance with the code The Board of 7-Eleven considers compliance with this Code as a fundamental duty of the personnel working in the organization. Any contravention of this Code of Conduct is always reported to the appropriate authority and strict monitoring shall be implemented to make sure of accountability. In the event of infringement of the Code, the infringer is subjected to the disciplinary action including termination of employment. If such violation results in breach of any relevant legislation, the matter may be referred to appropriate enforcement authority and the identity of the person complaining should be kept as confidential to protect such person from being victimized. Reference List Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) Barak, M.E.M., 2016.Managing diversity: Toward a globally inclusive workplace. Sage Publications. Corporations Act 2001(Cth) Discrimination Act 1991 Equal Opportunity Act 1984 Fair work Act 2009 (Cth) https://www.7eleven.com.au/about-us Part IV of the Competition and Consumers Act 2010 (Cth). Shacklock, A. and Galtung, F., 2016.Measuring Corruption. Routledge. Treasury Laws Amendment (Whistleblowers) Bill 2017 (the Bill)

Friday, November 29, 2019

Spare Parts Inventory Essay Example For Students

Spare Parts Inventory Essay The company manufactures systems that perform most of the primary steps in the chip fabrication process. The main customers of the company are semiconductor wafer manufacturers and nonconductor integrated circuit manufacturers, which either use the chips they manufacture in their own products or sell them to other companies downstream, The company owns research, development and manufacturing toxicities in the United States, Europe and Far East and distributes its systems across the globe to worlds leading semiconductor companies. The company is at the top tot the supply chain for most personal computers and other high technology products. Semiconductor systems are very expensive investments and are very critical to operations of many high technology companies, Unused semiconductor manufacturing capacity due to equipment failures is very costly. In order to provide spare parts and service to customers for equipment failures and scheduled maintenances, the company has an extensive spare parts network, The network consists of more than 70 locations across the globe, that consists of company owned distribution centers and depots. We will write a custom essay on Spare Parts Inventory specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In addition, the company also has agreements with its leading customers where it manages the stock rooms (for all or a group Of spare parts) in customer facilities (some Of these are consignments). 3 continental distribution centers: one in North America, one in Asia and one in Europe I CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION constitute the backbone of the network and are primarily responsible for procuring and distributing spare parts to depots and customer locations. The depot locations are such that they can provide a our service to customers (those who do not have stock rooms operated by the company) for equipment failures (down orders. However, the continental distribution centers may also be used as a primary source for Devon orders for certain customers. In addition, the continental distribution center provides a second level of support for down orders that cannot be satisfied from the local depots. The customers also demand spare parts to be used in their scheduled maintenance activities (lead time order

Monday, November 25, 2019

securities and exchanges commission essays

securities and exchanges commission essays To: Securities and Exchange Commission From: Bryan Economic Analysis, Inc. Re: Report on Stock Prices of Internet Companies In Response to the SEC memorandum regarding the adoption of the policy of capping the stock prices of internet-related companies at 90% of their current value, Bryan Economic Analysis, Inc. has come to the following conclusions. Bryan Economic Analysis, Inc. agrees that if something is not done regarding the price of stock of internet-related companies, a drastic drop in the price of these stocks will eventually occur. This drop in the price of these stocks will have an incredibly adverse effect on the state of the US economy and the world stock market in general. The problem of this venture would be that capping of stock prices will result in temporary inefficiencies and a shortage in the market for stocks. However, the capping of stock prices is highly necessary to the future of the US economy. If the prices of these stocks continue to rise without check, the inevitable drop would cause the US to enter into an era of deep recession. The fate of the US economy depends on the capping of the stock prices of internet-related companies. If something were not done, the US economy and the worlds financial markets would experience devastating consequences. This report intends to show why it is necessary to put a cap on the price of stock of internet-related companies for the continuation of a prosperous economy, even though short-term inefficiencies will occur. If the SEC were to put a cap on the price of stock of internet-related companies, several things would occur. First of all, the price would be lowered by 10%, causing an increase in the quantity of stock demanded, because buyers are more willing to buy at the lower price. The demand cur ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Managerial Accounting 2014 Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managerial Accounting 2014 Assignment - Essay Example long with the most ancillary objectives of storage and transportation of oil, gas, coal and related consumable and disposable fuel products (Bhattacharyya, 2007). They also include those companies which offer various oil and gas products, consultancy and related services. Thus, to fulfill the objectives of this report in the most suitable order, the company selected for the analysis is Chevron. Chevron Corporation  is among one of the huge Multi-National Companies of the world operating in an energy, oil and gas sector, having it’s headquarter in San Ramon, California. Chevron is currently active and operating among more than 180 countries on a global basis. The wide variety of its dynamic operation in the ever emerging fields of energy and oil sector makes the company highlighted in recent news and developments related to energy industry. In particular, Chevron is basically engaged in every aspects and activities related to oil,  gas, fuel and geothermal  energy framework of industries, which also includes, in depth scale of exploration  and  production activities coupled with oil refining features, storage, marketing, transportation; production and sales of various chemicals and  finally the power generation facets (Chevron Policy, 2014). As of 2013, the company is ranked third in position in the  Fortune Global 500 list among worlds humongous compan ies in energy, gas and oil sector (Fortune, 2014). The latest environmental report of Chevron disclosing the comprehensive and detailed version of its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions during the year 2013, included under the broader framework of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) covers the period up to December 31, 2013. From the point of view of major shareholders and a prospective shareholders of a company, it is very essential aspect to know about the company responsibility towards the environment and how it confronts those responsibilities on an active and transparent basis, in which the investment of

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

International Business Management UNIT4DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International Business Management UNIT4DB - Essay Example If companies like Boeing and Volkswagen would go along with China's terms it brings benefits for both China and international companies. Globalization of trade opens new opportunities for MNEs to compete on the global market. In this case, the international organization must be responsive to change through people employed by it and new environment it operates. Without cooperation and information interchange, many foreign companies will fail to perform successfully in China. On the other hand, International Business Studies and International Human Resource Management are the main fields of research which make information available for a wide target audience. Contemporary developments in the field of IHRM suggest that if Chinese companies learn modern management skills from non-Chinese companies and acquire technology it create great opportunities for both parties and help them to overcome national differences and cultural diversity. The main problem is that modern management skills is truly international and used by many companies around the world. On the one hand, contemporary developments in the field of IHRM "incor porate the broader contextual reality" (Schuler et al 2002:.43).

Monday, November 18, 2019

Explaining the relevance and importance of mentoring and counselling Essay

Explaining the relevance and importance of mentoring and counselling roles in the workplace - Essay Example It is a way in which an affirmative change in the employees are brought about and thereby transfer of valuable knowledge takes place from the mentor or the guide to the particular employee. Both Companies and their management find that this method is extremely favourable for the employees in terms of career growth (Robbins, 2003, p.56). Thus every organisation tries to implement this process in their day to day operations. In every workplace, the management feels that it is necessary for the employees to boost their potential and enhance their skills so that they can deliver better performance and can in turn increase the productivity of the company. It often happens that the employees have a lot of hidden potential. It is just that they need to be upgraded with certain skills. Often they have to be groomed according to the organisation culture and several issues relating to performance needs to be solved by the management. If the management feels that a particular employee requires this kind of grooming or training his areas have to be assessed and the company would recommend him for mentoring programme. The mentors would generally be someone from the managers or the supervisors of any team who would have prior experience about the work and how it should be done. Each department may also have a special coach delegated for that department. Differences between Coaching and Mentoring Applications of Coaching and mentoring are varied over different areas of business. Though the goals of both coaching and mentoring are the same that is to maximise the potentials of the employees for the benefit of the organisation, yet there is a subtle difference between the two. The chief aim of coaching is to improve the performance of the employees. The final performance is of utmost importance. On the other hand, mentoring is more inclined to grooming of an individual in a personalised way and it is more inclined towards personality development of the individual. The person wh o coaches a team has a definite agenda in his mind while undertaking the process (Bachkirova, Jackson and Clutterbuck, 2011, p.187). The mentor on the other hand would behave like a facilitator who would mould the individual in the way he wants to but there is no specific agenda that the person will remain confined to. Coaching in a workplace is related more to productivity at work and the career growth of the employees. Mentoring on the other hand stresses more on self reflection of the individual employees. Hence the bonding with the mentor is even better defined. The duty of coaching is generally assigned by the organisation to someone who holds much a higher position like a manager. The mentor is someone who would be able to influence the mentee in a deeper way and the person who is being mentored has to treat the person as a guide and have to have a personal acceptance in the matter. Coaching is provided to the employees so that enhances in individual performance would help in the growth and the development of the organisation. The mentor often looks forward for feedback from the employees which may contribute to the development of the employee as well. Hence the mentor has a scope of getting personal returns as well. There is a prospect of mutual knowledge exchange in this context. The system of coaching is mainly applicable to a team development in an office and a handful of people may come under the

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Psychometric study of academic self efficacy scale

Psychometric study of academic self efficacy scale The development of Malaysia industries, infrastructures and ensuring the general well being of the country by Malaysian engineers cannot be underestimated. A new of engineering education model have been introduced to develop the interpersonal skills deal with public effectively as well as the technically competent ( Johari, 2002). In order to develop the interpersonal skills among Malaysia future engineers, a research in psychology well being have to be done. A psychometric analysis is most important part to get a valid and reliable psychology research for predicting the interpersonal skills among students. Standardized testing procedures are essential to valid testing. An invalid and misleading of the test result may alter by using of nonstandard procedures (Gregory, 2007). The psychological test is an effective tool in measuring the attitude and mental ability. It assesses their efficiency in acquiring knowledge relevant to the job and putting what they learn to practice. The test measures emotional stability, and skills such as analytical and problem-solving skills, human communication and leadership skills. The standard procedure for measuring beliefs of personal efficacy includes number of safeguards to minimize any potential motivational effects of self-assessment. These safeguards are built into the instructions and the mode of administration. Self-efficacy judgments are recorded privately without personal identification to reduce social evaluative concerns. The assessments of perceived efficacy and behavior are conducted in different settings and by different assessors to remove any possible carryover of social influence from assessment to the performance setting (Bandura, 1984). For example, in this case, The College Academic Self efficacy scale (Owen Froman, 1988) indicates that students perceptions of their abilities to perform tasks, greatly influences their success. The importance of validity and reliable measure of the sources of self-efficacy is needed. First, self-efficacy beliefs play a critical role in the academic and career choices of students (Hackett, 1995). It is important for educators or a counselors to be well known of the factors that help create and nurture the self-efficacy beliefs of their students. This information is invaluable in helping educators tailor their instructional strategies and counseling practices in ways most supportive both of their students self-efficacy and also of their achievement. Educators and counselors can also make use of such assessments as they evaluate the manner in which academic programs and intervention strategies may influence the self-efficacy beliefs of the adolescents in their care. All professional educators would readily agree that identifying the ways in which students unrealistically low self-efficacy beliefs can be challenged and altered is an essential and critical enterprise. Another important reason why a psychometrically sound assessment of the sources of self-efficacy is required is that the tenets of Banduras (1986) social cognitive theory regarding the workings of self-efficacy cannot effectively be tested without such assessment. Researchers who wish to understand the formation of academic self-efficacy must obtain that understanding using valid and reliable measures that faithfully reflect the sources hypothesized and their role within the broader structure of social cognitive theory. This is especially important in the field of academic motivation where the sources of self-efficacy have often been operationalized and measured in a manner that bears little resemblance to how they were hypothesized by Bandura (1986, 1997). This study will be able to craft items to assess each source by matching them carefully to each source as it that has been described by Bandura (1997). The researcher next sought to establish a psychometrically fit model to measure the sources of self-efficacy and to test whether the model is invariant across demographic factors and the correlation with social support. This study will be also examined evidence for convergent and factor analysis by assessing the relationship between the sources, self-efficacy, and other constructs typically included in studies of academic motivation. College Students self-efficacy beliefs have been found to play an important role in motivating them to learn (Pajares Schunk, 2001). Self-efficacy refers to beliefs about ones capability to learn or perform effectively, such as to solve a particular type of math problem. Self-efficacy differs operationally from other self-related constructs in that self-efficacy items are phrased in terms of what students can do rather than what they will do or usually do in a particular domain (Bandura, 2006). An important type of self-efficacy focuses on students beliefs about their capability to self-regulate learning (SRL), which refers to such processes as goal setting, self-monitoring, strategy use, self-evaluation, and self-reactions (Zimmerman, 2007). Research has indicated that self efficacy correlates with achievement outcomes (Bandura, 1997; Pajares, 1996; Schunk, 1995). Students with high self efficacy often display greater performance comparatively to those with low efficacy. Self efficacy is also equated with self competence, hence significant authorities such as parents and teachers who exert great influences should play their role efficiently in enhancing this self competence and eventually self efficacy for it has great bearings in achievement, be it in the English language or any other subjects ( Mahyuddin.R, 2006). 1.2 Problem Statement This study concentrates on the psychometric properties and application of the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale and its relationship with social supports and students life satisfaction. Through the haze of available measurements in self efficacy, may of them offering weak or unknown psychometric properties, and unlikely that self-efficacy can penetrate clearly (Owen and Froman, 1988). Items in Self efficacy scale should accurately reflect the construct. Self efficacy is concerned with perceived capability. Self efficacy should also be distinguished from other constructs such as self esteem, locus of control, self regulation and outcome expectancies. Scientific advances are greatly accelerated by methodological development of assessment tools for key determinants of human functioning. Quality of assessment provides the basis for stringent empirical tests of theory. Self efficacy assessment tailored to domains of functioning and task demands identify patterns of strengths and limitations in perceived capability (Bandura, 1997). The academic self efficacy and self efficacy in learning have been widely investigate by western researchers and educators. For Malaysian researcher, the study of academic self efficacy is quite constrictive. There are several significance to investigate the psychometric properties of the academic self efficacy scale that will be discussed in part significance of the study. Researchers have previously investigated predictors affecting students decision to pursue higher education. Predictors include primary and secondary school preparations, family dynamics, self esteem, commitment to goals and social support systems. Yet, with all the services available to students and the research conducted to better understand factor associated with the above issues, there are some students who never successfully assimilate into and navigate through the university system (Shaw, N. E, 2008). Owen and Fromans (1988) College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale was selected for this study because it was different from most academic self-efficacy instruments. CASES was unique in that the instrument investigates feelings of academic self-efficacy as a whole as opposed to teasing out individual constructs or areas of academic self-efficacy such as English, mathematics, and reading. Owen and Froman (1988) also believed that CASES can give specific diagnostic findings that can influence holistic change to increase overall academic self-efficacy. This study is unique because one of its objectives was not to simply find a relationship between self efficacy, academic motivation and academic achievement, but to also explore how the psychometric properties is significance before the researcher conduct a test. The study attempted to focus on the mediating variable that would explain the relationship between self efficacy, academic motivation and academic achievement. 1.3 Research Question The research questions are listed as below; i) Do the ASES scores demonstrate adequate internal consistency reliability, convergent validity and factor analysis of the testing for the college students? ii) Are there significant differences in the level of academic self efficacy experienced by male and female students? iii) Are there significant differences in the level of academic self efficacy experienced by students with the level of parents education and income? iv) Is there a relationship between college academic self-efficacy and social support? v) is there a relationship between academic self efficacy and life satisfaction? 1.4 Research Objectives: i) To examine the psychometric properties of a Academic Self efficacy Scale to estimate the students self-efficacy. ii) To identify the levels of self efficacy among engineering students in tertiary education iii) To identify the relationship of self efficacy with demographic factors. iv) To identify the relationship of academic self efficacy with students social supports. v) To identify the relationship of academic self efficacy with life satisfaction. 1.5 Significance of the study Many studies in educational and psychological literature revealed that measurement of self-efficacy is important in the field of education because of its key role and relationships with many other variables, which have great influences on education. For this reason, self efficacy measurements and the development of an effective measurement tool with respect to psychometric properties have become an important issue and major concern. The educators can nurture student self-direction and personal efficacy by providing students with opportunities before, during and after instruction to exercise some control of their own learning. An emphasis on student self-direction and efficacy means that educators teach and engage students in specific strategies that offer them opportunities to make decisions and solve problems on their own without being told what to do at all times. It means, the educators can provide them with strategies designed to help them process information effectively and to be self-confident, believing that they have the abilities to succeed. And perhaps most important, we help students become more reflective about their thinking and learning processes. The perceived attractiveness of the field of engineering and the attrition of engineering students are important issues that are significantly influenced by self-efficacy beliefs. In order to address these problems, educators must gain a better understanding of how students assess their confidence in their abilities to complete the tasks that they find necessary to succeed in engineering fields with their engineering self-efficacy beliefs (Hutchison, 2007). Self-efficacy can influence peoples behavior either positively or negatively, based on their perception of their abilities concerning a particular task. It influences the choices people make, the effort they put forth, and how long they persist in the face of obstacles and failure. The efficacy beliefs of undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs have been linked to their persistence, achievement and interest. 1.6 Limitation of the study The psychometric study will only focus on The College Academic Self Efficacy Scale(CASES) which was develop by Owen and Froman (1988). This instrument also will be used to study the level of academic self efficacy among students. The sample only will be focus on engineering undergraduates. This study only will be done in Higher Public universities in term of geographical, cultural and course offered by the universities. 1.7 Definition of the Terms Psychometric Psychometrics is the field of study concerned with the theory and technique of educational and psychological measurement, which includes the measurement of knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and personality traits. The field is primarily concerned with the study of measurement instruments such as questionnaires and tests. It involves two major research tasks, namely: (i) the construction of instruments and procedures for measurement; and (ii) the development and refinement of theoretical approaches to measurement. In this study, the psychometric analysis will be involved the reliability and validity analysis. In this research, the psychometric analysis will be involved reliability, convergent validity and confirmatory factor analysis. Academic Self efficacy Academic self-efficacy refers to individuals convictions that they can successfully perform given academic tasks at designated levels (Schunk, 1991). In this study, academic self efficacy will be demonstrated by the College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES) developed by Owen Froman (1988). College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES) College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES) refers to an instruments which was developed by Owen Froman (1988) in order to assess students belief that they can master the material and skills thought in university. The CASES was used in order to measure students levels of perceived academic self-efficacy. The scale contained 33-item with five-point Likert-type instruction to be appended. Social supports Life satisfaction A global assessment of a persons quality of life, dependent on the values and criteria deemed important by the individual (Shin Johnson, 1978). Engineering students Engineering students refers for those whom learned and willing to do the creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property. In this study, engineering students refers to first year students from four selected public universities which includes Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UNIMAP), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia(UTM), Universiti Putra malaysia and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka. Chapter 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1 Introduction This chapter will review and summarize the model and social cognitive theory and also self efficacy by Bandura (1997). The researcher has also focused on psychometrics analysis such as validity and reliability. The primary goal of understanding how students from engineering self efficacy beliefs, Bandura (1997) self efficacy beliefs, Bandura (1997) self-efficacy theory was selected to guide the research. 2.2 Social cognitive theory The selection of a guiding theoretical construct is directed by the questions a study seeks to answer (Patton,2002). The social cognitive theory aimed to focus attention on the significant role played by observational learning and vicarious reinforcement in human functioning. Bandura (1977) developed his theory to further include the essential component of self beliefs holds as a factor in human behavior. Social cognitive theory holds that human behavior, adaptation and change are based on cognitive, vicarious, self-regularotary and self reflective processes, rather than reactive responses as claimed in behaviorist theories. BEHAVIOR PERSONAL FACTORS ENVIRONMENTAL (Cognitive, affective, and FACTORS biological events) Figure 1.. Model of the relations between the three classes of determinants in Banduras (1986) conception of triadic reciprocality Figure 1 shows the model of the relations between the three classes of determinants in Banduras (1986) conception of triadic reciprocality. People are viewed as self-organizing, proactive, self-reflecting and self-regulating rather than as reactive organisms shaped and shepherded by environmental forces or driven by concealed inner impulses. From this theoretical perspective, human functioning is viewed as the product of a dynamic interplay of personal, behavioral, and environmental influences. For example, how people interpret the results of their own behavior informs and alters their environments and the personal factors they possess which, in turn, inform and alter subsequent behavior. This is the foundation of Banduras (1986) conception of reciprocal determinism, the view that (a) personal factors in the form of cognition, affect, and biological events, (b) behavior, and (c) environmental influences create interactions that result in a triadic reciprocality. Bandura altered the l abel of his theory from social learning to social cognitive both to distance it from prevalent social learning theories of the day and to emphasize that cognition plays a critical role in peoples capability to construct reality, self-regulate, encode information, and perform behaviors. 2.3 Self Efficacy Beliefs The self-beliefs that individuals use to exercise a measure of control over their environments include self-efficacy beliefs. beliefs in ones capability to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations (Bandura, 1997, p. 2). Self-efficacy beliefs are concerned with individuals perceived capabilities to produce results and to attain designated types of performance, they differ from related conceptions of personal competence that form the core constructs of other theories. Self-efficacy judgments are both more task- and situation-specific, contextual if you will, and individuals make use of these judgments in reference to some type of goal. To better understand the nature of self-efficacy beliefs it may be useful to explain how they are acquired, how they influence motivational and self-regulatory process, and how they differ from similar or related conceptions of self-belief. According to Bandura, there are four major sources of self-efficacy. 1. Mastery Experiences The most effective way of developing a strong sense of efficacy is through mastery experiences, Bandura explained (1994). Performing a task successfully strengthens our sense of self-efficacy. However, failing to adequately deal with a task or challenge can undermine and weaken self-efficacy. 2. Social Modeling Witnessing other people successfully completing a task is another important source of self-efficacy. According to Bandura, Seeing people similar to oneself succeed by sustained effort raises observers beliefs that they too possess the capabilities master comparable activities to succeed (1994). 3. Social Persuasion Bandura also asserted that people could be persuaded to belief that they have the skills and capabilities to succeed. Consider a time when someone said something positive and encouraging that helped you achieve a goal. Getting verbal encouragement from others helps people overcome self-doubt and instead focus on giving their best effort to the task at hand. 4. Psychological Responses Our own responses and emotional reactions to situations also play an important role in self-efficacy. Moods, emotional states, physical reactions, and stress levels can all impact how a person feels about their personal abilities in a particular situation. A person who becomes extremely nervous before speaking in public may develop a weak sense of self-efficacy in these situations. However, Bandura also notes it is not the sheer intensity of emotional and physical reactions that is important but rather how they are perceived and interpreted (1994). By learning how to minimize stress and elevate mood when facing difficult or challenging tasks, people can improve their sense of self-efficacy. Bandura (1986) considered self-reflection the most uniquely human capability, for through this form of self-referent thought people evaluate and alter their own thinking and behavior. These self-evaluations include perceptions of self-efficacy, that is, beliefs in ones capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations. These beliefs of personal competence affect behavior in several ways. They influence the choices individuals make and the courses of action they pursue. People engage in tasks in which they feel competent and confident and avoid those in which they do not. Efficacy beliefs help determine how much effort people will expend on an activity, how long they will persevere when confronting obstacles, and how resilient they will prove in the face of adverse situations-the higher the sense of efficacy, the greater the effort, persistence, and resilience. Efficacy beliefs also influence individuals thought patterns and emotional reactions. People with low self-efficacy may believe that things are tougher than they really are, a belief that fosters stress, depression, and a narrow vision of how best to solve a problem. High self-efficacy, on the other hand, helps to create feelings of serenity in approaching difficult tasks and activities. As a result of these influences, self-efficacy beliefs are strong determinants and predictors of the level of accomplishment that individuals finally attain. For these reasons, Bandura (in press) argued that beliefs of personal efficacy constitute the key factor of human agency . 2.4 Engineering Self Efficacy Numerous studies examining the role of self efficacy in students pursuit of engineering careers have generally found a positive correlation between self-efficacy and academic achievement in engineering disciplines (AWE, 2005). For example, it has been found that ones self-efficacy beliefs influence on effort, persistence, and perseverance in goal attainment (Bandura Schunk, 1981; Bouffard-Bouchard, 1990; Schunk Hanson, 1985). Similar findings reveal that high self-efficacy beliefs influence the academic persistence necessary to maintain high academic achievement amongst college students enrolled in science and engineering courses (Lent, Brown, Larkin, 1984, 1986). Previous research also has clearly made the case that the construct of engineering self efficacy can be an important contributor to success in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) career education by influencing the choice to pursue STEM careers and the persistence with which it is pursued. Hutchison et al (2006) have done a survey incorporating qualitative measures of student self-efficacy beliefs to administer 1,387 first-year engineering students enrolled in ENGR 106, Engineering Problem-Solving and Computer Tools, at Purdue University. The survey was designed to identify factors related to students self-efficacy beliefs, their beliefs about their capabilities to perform the tasks necessary to achieve a desired outcome. Open-ended questions prompted students to list factors affecting their confidence in their ability to succeed in the course. Students were then asked to rank these factors based on the degree to which their self-efficacy beliefs were influenced. Gender trends emerged in student responses to factors that affect confident in success. These trends are discussed in light of the categories identified by efficacy theorists as sources of self-efficacy beliefs. The results presented here provide a useful look at the first-year engineering experiences that inf luence students efficacy beliefs, an important consideration in explaining student achievement, persistence, and interest. 2.5 Academic self efficacy Bandura (1997) believed that self-efficacy contributes to the academic achievement of students. Bandura proposed that individuals make a cognitive judgment about their mastery of present situations in view of their past experiences, and proceed to carry out the necessary behaviors to accomplish the task at hand. Students are affected by personal (e.g., goal setting, information processing) and situational influences (e.g., rewards, teacher feedback) that provide students with cues about how well they are learning. Self-efficacy is enhanced when students perceive they are performing well or becoming more skillful. Lack of success or slow progress will not necessarily lower self-efficacy if learners believe they can perform better by expending more effort or using more effective strategies (Schunk, 1995). Schunk (1991) in his study has also proposed that self-efficacy is critical to the academic achievement of adolescents. He hypothesized that self-efficacy influences a students choice of activities. Students with a high level of self-efficacy will select more challenging learning tasks, therefore expending more persistence and effort to obtain higher achievement outcomes, whereas students with low level of self-efficacy will avoid difficult and challenging tasks that require more effort and persistence, and thus, obtain lower achievement outcomes. Figure 1 The Development of Academic Self Efficacy ( Adapted from Schunk and Pajares, 2001) Familial Influence on Self-Efficacy Peer Influence Role of Schooling Transitional Influences Developmental Changes in Self-Appraisal Skill Gender Differences Ethnic Differences ACADEMIC SELF EFFICACY Students with higher self-efficacy expend greater effort, exhibit more persistence and demonstrate greater resilience in the face of adverse situations. As a result of these influences, self-efficacy beliefs are strong determinants of the level of accomplishment (Bandura, 1997; Pajares, 1996), and therefore contribute tremendously to intellectual development which leads to academic success (Bandura, 1995). In addition, the research literature includes several studies which emphasize the effect of self-efficacy on numerous positive outcomes as well as academic achievement. In this case, not only has self-efficacy been found to positively relate to higher levels of achievement, but also it has a strong association with a variety of adaptive academic 30 outcomes such as higher levels of effort and increased persistence on difficult tasks. This finding has been confirmed across a number of experimental and correlational studies involving students of different ages (Bandura, 1997; Pintrich Schunk, 2002). Also, in a correlational study conducted by Linnenbrink and Pintrich (2002), was found that self- efficacy is positively related to student cognitive engagement and their use of self- regulatory strategies as well as general achievement as indexed by grades (Pintrich, 2000b; Pintrich De Groot, 1990; Wolters, Yu, Pintrich, 1996). Lastly, further evidence exists in the research literature that confirms Schunks hypothesis that students who have positive self-efficacy beliefs are more likely to choose to continue to take more difficult courses over the course of schooling (Eccles et al., 1998). Although several studies confirm the positive effect of self-efficacy on academic achievement, there also seems to be a number of other mediating influences or related variables that provide further explanation of this relationship. In view of possible mediating influences, there exist contradictions in the literature regarding the exact nature of the relationship of self-efficacy with other related variables (e.g., goal orientation, motivation) in explaining positive academic outcomes, as well as its precise strength in predicting academic achievement, irrespective of these variables. Such discrepancies in the research literature should be considered in examining the effect of self-efficacy on academic achievement. The finding that self-efficacy beliefs tend to decline as students advance through school (Pintrich Schunk, 1996) has been attributed to various factors, including greater competition, more norm-referenced grading, less teacher attention to individual student progress, a nd stresses associated with school transitions. These and other school practices can weaken academic self efficacy, especially among students who are less academically prepared to cope with increasingly challenging academic tasks. Lock-step sequences of instruction frustrate some students who fail to grasp skills and increasingly fall behind their peers (Bandura, 1997). Ability groupings can lower self-efficacy among those relegated to lower groups. Classrooms that allow for much social comparison tend to lower the self-efficacy of students who find their performances inferior to those of their peers. Students involvement and participation in school depend in part on how much the school environment contributes to their perceptions of autonomy and relatedness, which in turn influence self-efficacy and academic achievement. Although parents and teachers contribute to feeling of autonomy and relatedness, peers become highly significant during adolescence. The peer group context enhances or diminishes students feelings of belonging and affiliation (Hymel, Comfort, Schonert-Reichl, McDougall, 1996). 2.6 Social support College students may seek social and emotional support from their family and friends. Social support, or receiving emotional, informational, and/or tangible support from other individuals (Lazarus Folkman, 1984), has been linked positively with the maintenance of physical health during stressful situations. In addition, the perceived availability of social support, rather than the actual use of social support, may actually be more important in protecting individuals from the harmful effects of stressful situations (Holahan Moos, 1987). Further, social support may be an important component of college students transitioning successfully to the college environment (Hays Oxley, 1986) and college students academic achievement (DeBerard et al., 2004), with low levels of social support being related to a lack of persistence in academic endeavors (Mallinckrodt, 1988). Given these findings, it is possible that support from family and friends is extremely important in the lives of college students during their college careers, particularly as they experience and make attempts to cope with academic-related stress. For example, one study using a sample of first- and second-year college students, most of whom were without daily parental contact, showed that parental support predicted significantly the grade point average (GPA) of these students. In contrast, support from friends and romantic partners did not predict GPA significantly (Cutrona et al., 1994). These results indicated that, although parents may be removed physically from college students daily life, they still may have a major impact on college students academic performance. As a result, the perceived level of emotional support from college students parents may be related greatly to many aspects of their college career, including their academic performance and their experience of academic- related stress. 2.6.1 Parental support Seminal attachment theories developed by Bowlby (1969) and Ainsworth and

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Essay --

We live in the 21st century where no human right is an equal right. We were issued human rights to be treated equal but everyday life situations show me that society is so unfair. Human rights are made to be inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is entitled to do because he or she is a human being. Human rights are meant to be natural rights to anyone who takes part in America's population. Human rights can be defined as rights that are believed to belong justifiably to every person. World War I and World War II of the twentieth century is what led to the development of the human rights. The human rights were derived from 18 members of many various political, cultural and even religious backgrounds. Authors consisted of those from John Peters Humphrey, Charles Malik, Peng Chun Chang, William Hodgson and Eleanor Roosevelt to name just a few. At the time that human rights were created it was for the people who faced such horror. I put myself in society shoes and I notice that the Human Rights are more of a dream than reality. When stating my opinion, each state has its own violation of the human rights of some kind. Tortured or abused in at least 81 countries, unfair trials in at least 54 countries, and lastly but definitely not the least restriction in freedom of expression in at least 77 countries. So many human rights are being violated in our everyday life yet America is considered the ideal place to live. Human rights violations still plague the world today. Who can recall how article three of the Declaration of Human Rights stating "everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person" has been violated in such ways. An estimate of 6,500 people were killed in the year of 2007 in armed conflict in Af... ...the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enlist. People are very bias when it comes to gay and lesbian relationships. Everyone is supposedly treated equal and fair correct? Or at least that's why we have Human Rights to abide by to ensure that all is treated as one. But the question that still rises in my mind, if there are people in society who is not being treated as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights say we should who will enforce them? Who do those who don't have the equal opportunity as some turn to? The government, do we reach out to society, maybe those that stand higher ground than us, start petitions for those who seem to be getting unfair treatment. I not only support same sex marriage because of myself but because in my opinion love has absoutely no gender. A right was set as freedom to many but not to all, coming with a crutch.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Macbeth Explication: “If it were done when ’tis done” Essay

The final scene of the first act opens up with a powerful soliloquy presented by Macbeth, If it were done when tis done (I.7.1-28). Shakespeare uses various literary techniques to express the ideas rushing through Macbeths mind prior to the murder of Duncan in his home. In previous scenes, Macbeth has been told prophecies of his future predicting him as king of Scotland, Duncans current position. Macbeth, with the aid of his wife, sees this task accomplishable only by the murder of the current king. This soliloquy presents itself at a crucial point of decision, only hours before the opportune minute of attack The soliloquy opens with Macbeths ideas on how he would hope the murder to be. If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well / It were done quickly (I.7.1-2). These two lines show how indecisive Macbeth is about committing the crime. He is saying that if the murder be done, it should be done fast. The if shows that Macbeth is unsure that he wants to follow through with the initial plan. Shakespeare also shows that Macbeth wishes to get it over and done with, showing haste and not thinking it out properly. If the assassination / Could trammel up the consequence, and catch / With his surcease success; that but this blow / Might be the be-all and the end-all here, / But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, / We’d jump the life to come. (I.7.2-7). Here, Shakespeare uses a metaphor to compare the murder as something that could be caught and once caught; it would not yield any consequences. He then goes on to say that in the real-world, this cannot be true. Shakespeare craft fully shows that Macbeth knows that their will be consequences to the murder and that thinking that everything will be okay is not a logical thought. Macbeth continues, But in these cases / We still have judgment here, that we but teach / Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return / To plague th’ inventor: this even-handed justice / Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice / To our own lips. (I.7.7-12). Macbeth states that he still has the choice whether to commit the murder or not to. Shakespeare uses a metaphor to compare the murder with bloody instructions being taught. Macbeth also says that the person who commits the murder (or teaches the bloody instructions), come back to the murderer (or inventor). By saying  this, Shakespeare throws in the element of Macbeth foreshadowing his own demise. He then goes on to compare the return of the misdeeds through the imagery of a poisoned cup. He speaks of how the poisoned chalice, although used on others, will once again come around to his own lips. Macbeth begins to give and weigh reasons for and against Duncans murder. He’s here in double trust: / First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, / Strong both against the deed; (I.7.12-14). Macbeth states that Duncan trusts him in two ways, first of which as his loyal solider. Macbeth then explains how he is expected to be loyal to his king and protect him; not the contrary. In these lines, Shakespeare includes the irony that Macbeth plans on doing what he is supposed to prevent. Macbeth continues, then, as his host, / Who should against his murderer shut the door, / Not bear the knife myself. (I.7.14-16). Here, Macbeth states that he is, secondly, Duncans host. Therefore, Macbeth should be protecting Duncan against a murderer, rather than killing Duncan himself. Shakespeare uses the same irony as in the preceding lines. Macbeth continues with reasons against the murder. Besides, this Duncan / Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office (I.7.16-18). Here Macbeth states that Duncan has always been good to him and never abused his power. Macbeth now switches over to the topic of what will happen if Duncan is murdered. that his virtues / Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against / The deep damnation of his taking-off (I.7.18-20). Shakespeare uses personification and a simile to compare what will happen to Duncans virtues after the murder. He describes Duncans virtues as angels, who with spread the news of his murder to all. He proceeds, And pity, like a naked newborn babe, / Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubim, horsed / Upon the sightless couriers of the air, / Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, (I.7.21-24). Shakespeare again uses a simile to compare the pity of the people over Duncans death to a newborn  baby. Shakespeare then uses imagery to convey a picture of how fast and gracefully the news will spread; a baby, a common representation of innocence, whisking through the air, telling everyone about the deed that took place. In the succeeding line, Macbeth predicts, That tears shall drown the wind. (I.7.25). Here, Shakespeare uses vivid imagery to describe the mood of the people after the death. People will be distraught over this occurrence and will weep as rain falls from the sky. In the conclusive lines of the soliloquy, Macbeth poses the sole reason he has for the murder, I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself / And falls on th’ other. (I.7.25-28). Macbeth here says that he has absolutely no reason to kill Duncan, save for his ambition. In his final sentence, Shakespeare then personifies his ambition as overleaping which falls over itself. Macbeths ambition overleaping and falling also foreshadows Macbeths death. After the soliloquy, Macbeth changes his mind and no longer wishes to kill Duncan. But with the persuasion of his wife, changes his stance again and goes through with the murder. All of the events, the spreading of the news of the murder, the consequences of the assassination, people hysteria and Macbeths own downfall, which Macbeth foreshadowed in his soliloquy, do prove accurate.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Free Essays on Media and Self Image

â€Å"Without social identity, there is in fact, no society† - Richard Jenkins. This statement holds true to everything in our everyday lives. From the time we can sit up our parents plant us in front of the television to keep us out of their way. Commercials and media shape our outlook, our self-image, and our stereotypes. Every commercial has a message in it; we’re to fat, to stupid, not driving the right car, we are all supposed to be beautiful†¦. The list is endless, and by this we are ‘socialized† into our identities. I am not going to take a look at any one commercial in particular but I am going to look at few of the market dominators, self-image and dieting, and where they come from. From catalogs, stores, commercials and magazines, it is not surprising that eating disorders are on the increase due to the value society places on being thin. In modern Western culture, women are given the message at a very young age that in order to be happy and successful, they must be thin. Every time you walk into a store you are surrounded by the images of withered models that appear on the front cover of fashion magazines. Women are constantly bombarded with advertisements catering to what is considered desirable. Thousands of women and girls are starving themselves to attain what the fashion industry considers to be the ideal frail figure. The average model weighs 23% less than the average woman. Maintaining a weight that is 15% below your expected body weight fits the criteria for anorexia, so most models, according to medical standards, fit into the category of being anorexic (Brumberg 205). Women must realize that society's ideal body image may in fact be achievable, but at a detrimental price to one’s body. The photos we see in magazines are not a clear image of reality. Adolescents and women striving to attain society's unattainabl... Free Essays on Media and Self Image Free Essays on Media and Self Image â€Å"Without social identity, there is in fact, no society† - Richard Jenkins. This statement holds true to everything in our everyday lives. From the time we can sit up our parents plant us in front of the television to keep us out of their way. Commercials and media shape our outlook, our self-image, and our stereotypes. Every commercial has a message in it; we’re to fat, to stupid, not driving the right car, we are all supposed to be beautiful†¦. The list is endless, and by this we are ‘socialized† into our identities. I am not going to take a look at any one commercial in particular but I am going to look at few of the market dominators, self-image and dieting, and where they come from. From catalogs, stores, commercials and magazines, it is not surprising that eating disorders are on the increase due to the value society places on being thin. In modern Western culture, women are given the message at a very young age that in order to be happy and successful, they must be thin. Every time you walk into a store you are surrounded by the images of withered models that appear on the front cover of fashion magazines. Women are constantly bombarded with advertisements catering to what is considered desirable. Thousands of women and girls are starving themselves to attain what the fashion industry considers to be the ideal frail figure. The average model weighs 23% less than the average woman. Maintaining a weight that is 15% below your expected body weight fits the criteria for anorexia, so most models, according to medical standards, fit into the category of being anorexic (Brumberg 205). Women must realize that society's ideal body image may in fact be achievable, but at a detrimental price to one’s body. The photos we see in magazines are not a clear image of reality. Adolescents and women striving to attain society's unattainabl...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

261 Du Bois and The Souls of Black Folk Professor Ramos Blog

261 Du Bois and The Souls of Black Folk W.E.B. Du Bois 1868 1963 Quick Write Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois have different ideas about how to move forward in a post-slavery America. What do you think is the main difference in their approaches? W.E.B. Du Bois 1868 1963 W.E.B. Du Bois was one of the most important African-American activists during the first half of the 20th century. He co-founded the NAACP and supported Pan-Africanism. (Biography.com) Three Levels of Analysis Most literary analysis explanations focus on the two levels of meaning; textual and metaphorical or rhetorical. What the text says and the meaning of the text. To understand a third level of meaning we use more modern theoretical approaches. The approach or lens we use to read a text affects the meaning of the text. A theoretical lens applied to a text will give new context and meaning to a text, giving a new reading to a text. Textual Analysis What the text is actually saying. Think of close reading of the text. The Five Moves of Analysis Rhetorical Analysis Explain how the text creates a certain effect; how it is persuading, entertaining, or informing. The rhetorical work a text is making. Rhetorical reading. Ethos, Logos, and Pathos. Discourse Analysis (Discursive) The social interaction level of the text. Looking at the conversation surrounding the what the text is saying and the texts it is responding to.   The text may have different meanings for people in diverse situations. The conversation surrounding a topic or idea. What others are saying helps to give context to what is being said. Discourse is a process of meaning-making through talk and text. Discourse, as defined by  Foucault, refers to: ways of constituting knowledge, together with the social practices, forms of subjectivity and power relations which inhere in such knowledges and relations between them. Discourses are more than ways of thinking and producing meaning. They constitute the nature of the body, unconscious and conscious mind and emotional life of the subjects they seek to govern (Weedon, 1987, p. 108). a form of power that circulates in the social field and can attach to strategies of domination as well as those of resistance ( Diamond and Quinby, 1988, p. 185). (Discourse and Foucault) The Souls of Black Folk (1903) W.E.B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folks Double Consciousness   It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at ones self through the eyes of others, of measuring ones soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness,- an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. (Of Our Spiritual Strivings; par. 3) Cultural Conflict Essay Cultural Conflict Essay Prompt

Monday, November 4, 2019

Business report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business report - Essay Example As for printing, the companys range of activities range from printing of flyers and insert; catalogues, books, financials; its printing plant in North America, as well as key accounts such as SFC, the New York Times, G&M, Metro and others (Transcontinental, Inc 2008). Transcontinental, Inc. offers marketing products and services that range from direct marketing, website development, database analytics, and fulfillment mailing (Transcontinental, Inc 2008). II. Describe its domestic and global operations, including sales or revenue generated in each geographic area and the corresponding percentage generated in each geographic area (e.g., by country, region, economic community, etc.) In 2008, Transcontinental, Inc. has a reported revenues amounting to $2,429.3 million (Transcontinental, Inc 2008). Of this, $2051.8 million or 84.86% represents the companys operations in Canada. 75.61% of this sales, or $1,836.8 million are sales within Canada, while 8.85% represents exports. The remaining 15.54% represents sales in the United States and Mexico (Transcontinental, Inc 2008). Transcontinental, Inc. has three strategic business units—marketing services, publishing and printing. According to the companys annual report, in 2008, the companys marketing services has reaped an amount of $1,252.2 million in sales; the publishing has $647.5 million ; and $624 million for printing (Transcontinental, Inc 2008). In 2007, the companys sales from its marketing services strategic business unit amounts to $1150.1 million, with $634.7 million in printing and $633.5 million in publishing (Transcontinental, Inc 2008). Transcontinental, Inc. has posted $2,282.3 million in its revenues in 2006; where its marketing services amount to $1082.2 million, its printing has earned $714.7 million, and its publishing business unit has reaped $579.8 million. In 2006, the company has earned a net

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Theoretical Position. Standards for Evaluating Theories Essay

Theoretical Position. Standards for Evaluating Theories - Essay Example On the other hand, epistemology deals with the scope and nature of knowledge. Standards for Evaluating Theories There are five standards for evaluating theories and they include scope, testability, parsimony, utility and heurism. In the assessment of the scope of a theory, one has to determine how much and how good a theory defines and explains. Testability is the second standard for evaluating theories; in this aspect the theory is investigated to know whether it is correct or not, or [if it is incredible such that it does not require to be tested] (Can this be reworded without the word "incredible" and "does not require" to be tested? Our text does not cover the concept of a theory being so incredible it doesn't require testing). A third standard for evaluating theories is parsimony; parsimony can be referred to as simplicity. In this context, the theory does not have to be complex. The fourth standard is utility; many people tend to think that theory as being academic and esoteric (when it can have a functional use). The last standard in evaluating theories is heurism. What is the heuristic value of the theory? In this context, one asks himself if the theory leads to new thinking or its contribution to the knowledge of something and if it offers us with the possibility of further investigation (Wood, 2004). Some of the standards or criteria are more important than others; this is because I think they are more subjective than the others. I believe scope, parsimony, and utility to be more important than the others. In the context of scope, some of the theories claim to define and offer an explanation to almost all features of mass communication (including the medium, the recipient of the media messages, the content and the communicator). There are theories that provide an explanation and a description of only one feature of mass communication. For instance, â€Å"feminist theories which although can cover the whole domain of mass communication, often only foc us on media content and the portrayal of women in media content† (Fourie, 2001, p. 46). When considering how well a theory defines something, one has to distinguish whether the theory offers a full or partial description of all the important aspects of the phenomenon. For instance, a theory can focus on all or partial aspects of mass communications process (medium, messages, communicator and recipient) (Fourie, 2001, p. 43). In regard to parsimony, it is thought that majority of the best theories are simple and they permit sound description and explanation. For example, the Roman Jakobson’s theory of communication functions has been used in many ways by a number of researchers to investigate the components of mass communication (Jakobson, Pomorska & Rudy, 1985, p170). In the context of utility, theories are supposed to possess practical importance in terms of the individual understanding of the phenomenon with the aim of managing the phenomenon and enhancing the phenome non. A theory assisting us in understanding how mass communication operates â€Å"can lead to our control of this phenomenon to the benefit of people and society† (Fourie, 2001, p57). Ontology Ontology can be defined as the division of philosophy that deals with the organization and the nature of being (Maedche, 2002, p56). In other words, it is a branch of philosophy that explains the characteristic and organization of the being. My ontological position is that the characteristics and organization

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Trade Liberalisation Schemes Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Trade Liberalisation Schemes - Dissertation Example Previous decades have been marked with an increase in the establishment of free trade areas, trade agreements and attempts to reach international treaties towards trade liberalization. Yet, trade was liberalized by fewer countries than had been expected, and more importantly, trade liberalization policies have been implemented partially or tentatively. All three main constituents of national income: factor prices, factor quantities and production technology, are influenced by the trade liberalization process. An open international trade regime may contribute through better allocation of world resources, through expansion of consumption opportunities and through a rise in production efficiency. In the view of the World Bank, trade liberalization is a major factor of economic growth, provided that additional conditions, such as macroeconomic stability and good governance are met. The current body of research that examines the relationship between trade liberalization and economic growth points to rather different conclusions, suggesting that little can be deemed as clear regarding the precise effects of trade liberalization on economic growth and poverty alleviation. Our research aims to determine how far trade liberalization schemes have been successful at promoting economic growth and what the implications have been for the relationship between developed and developing countries.... Yet, trade was liberalized by fewer countries than had been expected, and more importantly, trade liberalization policies have been implemented partially or tentatively. (Nugent, 2002) All three main constituents of national income: factor prices, factor quantities and production technology, are influenced by the trade liberalization process. (Parikh, 2007) An open international trade regime may contribute through better allocation of world resources, through expansion of consumption opportunities and through a rise in production efficiency. (Hoekman & Olarreaga, 2007) In the view of the World Bank, trade liberalization is a major factor of economic growth, provided that additional conditions, such as macroeconomic stability and good governance are met. (Spanu, 2003) The current body of research that examines the relationship between trade liberalization and economic growth points to rather different conclusions, suggesting that little can be deemed as clear regarding the precise eff ects of trade liberalization on economic growth and poverty alleviation. Our research aims to determine how far trade liberalization schemes have been successful at promoting economic growth and what the implications have been for the relationship between developed and developing countries. To answer the research question we must examine the role of organizations such as WTO, in particular the reasons for the breakdown of Doha round negotiations. Then we examine the concerns posed between the developed and developing countries, giving special care to the question of protectionist measures and trade barriers. We assess the way in which liberalization influenced intellectual property rights and the availability of pharmaceutical

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Why do professionals prefer IAS Essay Example for Free

Why do professionals prefer IAS Essay A new subject has attracted legislators, thinkers, journalists and one could say the economists as well. Why should not we ban the entry of professionally qualified personnel into the IAS or IPS Services ? Some have argued that government spends, directly or indirectly, a lot of money on the education of an Engineer or a Doctor and in case these professionals join general services like IAS or IPS the hard spent government money goes into the gutter. Good some thinking of the type has emerged to care for the state expenditure. It was even in the year 1995 as well that some candidates from the general education side had suggested that engineering graduates should not be allowed to appear in entrance examination for IAS /IPS/IAAS/IRS and such like services. The reaction had been in response to the high rate of success in UPSC prime entrance examination from amongst the candidates with engineering degree, even clear walking away with almost 75 % of top ranks by engineering graduates ( doctors etc were not named at that time because they did not figure at the rate as the engineers figured to oust the generalist). The position is not much different in 2008.And now expenditures made by the society/ government have been talked about. Better before starting such discussions those so concerned with the subject would have asked the Engineers, Doctors, Post Graduate in Sciences, and the like and more so the rank holders amongst these categories of technocrats from even premier institutions like Indian Institute of Technology, BITS Pilani, IIMs that why do they try all hards to enter the general services like IAS ( where minimum qualification is any graduate degree) and let go waste the technical expertise/ professionalism they otherwise acquired through so much of hard work and investment , even as acquired out of aims and ambitions ? have observed that the engineering graduates prefer to enter IAS than to go for IES ( Indian Engineering Service ) since they feel that the top seat of civil governance in the Union Secretariat will generally be occupied by an IAS officer and not by the IES( Indian Engineering Service) officer. Such views were expressed by one of the engineering graduate who had ranked in top 5 of IAS l ist and had laid preference for IAS and not Indian Engineering Service. I had been investigating in this direction for more than 12 years now. And have been able to work out some reasons for such type of thinking being developed. A few years earlier in India we used to talk of brain drain to out side India and it was reasoned that since the engineers/ scientists/ doctors are not well paid in terms of cash and career in India that is why they attempt leaving for US/UK/ other countries. And now the question is of brain drain from professional bank to the general service bank. The reason in this case lies both in Career Prospects, involvement in governance of the affairs of the society and perks in terms of monetary as well as social authority. The disparity between the IAS and other Government services is so huge that any one would prefer IAS .

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Human Resource Management Strategy Business Essay

Human Resource Management Strategy Business Essay Strategic Human resource management is a plan that facilitates the way an organization is being ran. The Human Resource Management strategy and the business strategy must be totally integrated. (Kearns, 2008). In today ¿Ã‚ ½s modern world, they are different ways in which HRM within an organization operates but then they focus their attention on three main areas of management which are; staffing, employee compensation and defining or designing work. The target of every HRM departments in any organization will be to optimize the effectiveness of its employee in order to maximize productivity and increase profit. According to Edward L. Gubman as observed in the journal of business strategy,  ¿Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½The basic mission of human resources will always be to acquire, develop and retain talent; align the work force with the business; and be an excellent contributor to the business. Those three challenges will never change. ¿Ã‚ ½ The back bone of any successful company is the HR de partment. The HR department must provide executive management with fundamental ideas that will help to not only gain market share, but entice and retain talent. Once the HR strategy of an organization is in place then its management ¿Ã‚ ½s responsibility sees that company goals are embraced and there are several ways they can do this which includes; communication, input, feedback, positive reinforcement, values etc. In recent year, observers have cited a decided trend towards a fundamental reassessment of HR structures and positions.  ¿Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½A cascade of changing business conditions, changing organizational structures, and changing leadership have been forcing human resource departments to alter their perspective on their role and functions almost-overnight, ¿Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ wrote John Johnston in Business Quarterly. Figure 1 Strategy Implementation in an HR Environment Emergent strategies The SHRM functions can be known of having six (6) menus of HRM practices, from which organizations can choose the ones that is most appropriate for implementing their strategy. The Strategies of organizations varies depending on the level and structure of that organization and there is no know strategy which is the best suitable. The company I will be looking at to see how its HRM operates in the Organization is Barclays Group PLC. 1.2. STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN BARCLAYS GROUP PLC Brief history of Barclays Barclays plc is a major global multinational financial services provider engaged in retail and commercial banking. Barclays has two geographical concentrations in the financial industry: global retail banking and corporate investment banking wealth management with operations in more than fifty countries with an extensive international presence in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia. Barclays has got approximately fifteen thousand six hundreds colleagues internationally and it moves, lends, invests and protects money for over forty-eight million customers and clients. Barclays plc has a global network of more than one hundred and fifty-five thousand people working across a range of businesses thus makes the HR team of Barclays face a unique challenges. In such a diverse and internationally spread company, HR experts work with every business unit to help Barclays stay ahead of the competition by attracting and retaining the best people available and make sure that they are all in the right jobs and do the best work that will create sustainable benefits for the works, customers and shareholders, all over the world. But it ¿Ã‚ ½s not all about new recruit that the HR management team of Barclays focuses on. It is also committed to nurturing its established colleague and the HR team play a vital role in monitoring performances and monitoring a host of training programmes. The HRM of Barclays Group is divided into different professional Job titles that deal with the Human resource related issues and plays an important part in every business unit of co mpany. The purpose of SHRM in Barclays The purpose or importance of SHRM in Barclays cannot be over emphasized, the success and failure of any organization depends solely on its HR management. The Primary purpose associated with human resource management in Barclays includes Job analysis and staffing (recruitment), organization and utilization of workforce, measurement and appraisal of workforce performance, implementation of reward systems for employees, professional development of workers and maintenance of workforce. I. Job analysis and recruitment: The HRM in Barclays has the responsibility of recruiting people for various employment positions in the company; they determine the skills, and experience necessary to adequately perform in a position, identification of job and industry trends and anticipation of future employments. They provide valid information about jobs that is used to hire and promote people, determine wages, determine training needs, and manage the flow of personnel into and out of Barclays. II. Organization, maintenance and utilization: The HRM dept of Barclays maintains the workforce of the company. The duty here involves designing an organizational framework that makes maximum use of an enterprises human resources and establishing systems of communication that helps the organization to operate in a unified manner. Other responsibilities in this area include health and safety and worker management relations. Maintenance task related to worker-management relations primarily entails: working with labor union; handling grievances related to misconduct, such as theft or sexual harassment; and devising communication systems to foster cooperation and shared sense of mission among the employees. III. Performance appraisal: The HRM of Barclays assesses employees ¿Ã‚ ½ job performance and provides feedbacks to the employees on both their positive and negative performance. The performance appraisal is important because it is used to determine the salary increase and promotions and in the case of a negative performance, dismissal might follow. IV. Reward systems: This system is managed by the HRM in Barclays. This aspect of management is important because it provides the mechanism by which company provide their worker with a reward for past achievements and incentives for high performance in the future. They also use this system to address a problem within the work force through institution of disciplinary measures. V. Employee development and training: The HR is responsible for identifying the training needs of Barclay ¿Ã‚ ½s employee and initiates and evaluates developments programmes designed to address those needs. These training programs ranges from orientation programmes, which are designed to acclimate new hire of the company, to ambitious education programmes indented to familiarize workers with a new software systems. 1.3 Contributions of SHRM to achievements of Barclay ¿Ã‚ ½s objectives Meaningful contributions to the business processes of Barclays processes are increasingly recognized as within the purview of active human resource management practices. The HRM of Barclays disseminates guideline for and monitoring employee ¿Ã‚ ½s behaviors and ensuring that the company is obeying worker-related regulatory guidelines. The HRM professional are aware of the fundamentals of learning and motivations and carefully design and monitor training and development programmes that has helped in achieving the aim and objectives of the company by increasing the quality of products and services delivered and increased growth and profit that benefits the whole organization. The HRM of Barclays has been deeply involved in reshaping of the company ¿Ã‚ ½s structure under increased external and internal complexity and in managing other aspect of strategic change in Barclays Group. The role and importance of SHRM in Barclays cannot be over emphasized, the success and failure of the company depends solely on its HRM and they can only succeed when the right strategy is applied. Having the company ¿Ã‚ ½s mission in mind at all time has been a driving force to the achievements of HR team of Barclays Group and technological changes with the help of SAP (enterprise resource planning tool) helps Barclays to succeed in today ¿Ã‚ ½s tough business climate. Figure 1.2 This table below show how the SHRM add value to an Organization. Source: CIPD, The case for good people management, 2001. 2.1. The business factor that underpin the HR planning in Barclays Strength of the company Barclay ¿Ã‚ ½s group has a widespread of global presence allowing it to spread its risk and enjoy economic of scale. The Barclays brand is well-established historically and has become ingrained in the psyche of the consumers and continually promoted, for example, through sponsorship of Premier league football. Barclays is particularly associated with innovation, it brought out the first debit and credit card and most recently the one plus card combining Oyster, cashless and credit functions for London-based customers. The opening of new flagship branches along with a refurbishment programme can be seen as an attempt to refocus on customers demand for a strong presence on the high street. The opening of new flagship branches along with a refurbishment programme can be seen as an attempt to refocus on customers demand for a strong presence on the high street. There is an increased online growth and online security to combat fraud and they enjoy a robust financial performance. The business growth Barclay ¿Ã‚ ½s business strategy is to achieve good growth through time by diversifying its business base and increasing its presence in markets and segments that are growing rapidly. This is driven by the Group ¿Ã‚ ½s ambition to become one of a handful of universal banks leading the global financial services industry, helping customers and clients throughout the world achieve their goals. The strategy is based on the principles of earn, invest and grow. Supporting this are four strategic priorities; Build the best bank in the UK, Accelerate the growth of global businesses, Develop retail and commercial banking activities in selected countries outside the UK, Enhance operational excellence. Barclay ¿Ã‚ ½s five guiding principles are key to the way the business operates:  ¿Ã‚ ½ Winning together: Achieving collective and individual success  ¿Ã‚ ½ Best people: Developing talented colleagues to reach their full potential, to ensure Barclays retains a leading position in the global financial services industry  ¿Ã‚ ½ Customer and client focus: Understanding customers and serving them brilliantly.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Pioneering: Driving new ideas, adding diverse skills and improving operational excellence.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Trusted: Acting with the highest integrity to retain the trust of customers, external stakeholders and colleagues. To continually compete internationally, Barclays must strive to perform customer service at an utmost level of excellence which will promote the company worldwide as a organization that can be relied upon time after time for small individual accounts as well as huge corporate accounts. To accomplish this, Barclays must identify their customer groups and the needs associated with each particular group and develop products and services that will be of great value to their customers. The practices that have worked in the past must be reconfigured to work for years to come and keep Barclays updated with the high changing IT world. This will call for new investments into new levels of technology that can help offer higher levels of service to its customers. Along with the apparent increase in speed that IT will allow Barclays to accomplish routine tasks, technology will also reduce risk of errors and fraud. (www.thebanker.com). IT will allow up to date information to be at the fingertips of Barclays managers, giving managers a huge advantage when it comes to making decisions and in pin pointing groups of customers that can have a high added value to Barclays. The fine-tuning of IT will also eliminate weaknesses within Barclays practices, preventing failures that effect customers and thus reducing excessive and unnecessary costs. In recent years, Barclays has been very successful in carrying out its desired tactics. Huge investment strategies that have led to this increase in profits include the acquirements within its Barclaycard card business. With growth on its mind, Barclays has set out to create an international business that if forecasted correctly, the income generated in its Barclaycard division will be of equal value internationally as well as domestically by 2013. Barclays has also placed strategic action in growing throughout Europe up to sixty percent in the near feature. 2.2. Human resource requirement to open new technology center in Johannesburg, South Africa In order to successfully open a new technological center in South Africa, Barclays will require having a structure (accommodation), the need the right number of staff, at the right place and the right time and equipped with the right technical skills to design, implement, manage projects and be able to develop new technological innovation. To assess the capacity required to do this research has to be carried out to derive the quantitative and qualitative data about the human requirement in this sector. The operations and activities in this center will range from upgrading ATMs, hosts the applications for the regions markets, credit card transfer, looking after all the net work and infrastructure applications and re-plat forming a country ¿Ã‚ ½s banks. The HR also needs to put in place a career development programmes for the staffs that will be working in this center and rewards and benefit packages. 2.3. The human resource plan in Barclays Resourcing Manager: The resourcing managers partners with each of the business unit of Barclays in order to help them attract and retain the best people for every job. They produce a schedule that deals the recruitment programme for the various types and levels of services. HR Operations Advisor: The HR operation advisor of Barclays supports the internal and external clients to ensure that the logistic affecting new starters, movers within the business and people leaving the company are dealt with smoothly and efficiently. Benefits Administrator/ Pension Administrator: The duty of the people here is to assist a pension administration Team Leader, the Benefits Administrator reconcile pension calculations, answer members ¿Ã‚ ½ queries and help with correspondence. HR Business Partner: HR Business Partners work alongside business leaders in a specific area of the Group to improve performance, advertising on recruitment, retention and development issues for that sector. Compensation and Benefits Analyst: Compensation and Benefits Analyst will set salaries for job roles to ensure that proposed compensation and reward packages are benchmarked and competitive. 2.4. Contribution of human resources to Barclays objectives HR professional take a strategic approach to human resource management. Human resource management seeks to proactively provide a competitive advantage through the company ¿Ã‚ ½s most important asset: its human resources. Human resources has a great impact on the implementation of plan by developing and aligning HRM practices that ensure the company has a motivated employee with the necessary skills. Human resource management in Barclays interacts between people, technology and the task to be performed in context with the objectives, goals and strategic plan of the company. HR plays a central role in such key area activities like attracting, selection and recruitment, employee orientations, retaining talent, promotions and termination process, and performance management including individual assessments, measuring and improving work performances, all these have significant impact on the employee turnover. The HR in Barclays sees to employee and the organizational development programm e to maintain and improve skills as well as reward systems, benefits and compliance available for staffs also laws, policies, health and safety. The HR of Barclays gives a detailed job description and hires the right skills for a particular job and draws up programme for the professional development of the employee for e.g. learning to operate a new technology, this makes Barclays a leader in terms of new innovation thus providing a competitive advantage. They also plan effectively ahead with the number of staffs required to reduce cost to an optimum and ensure working processes are running smooth, this provides effective performance, thus increasing financial performance as indexed by productivity and market share value. The HR of Barclays also uses system such as incentives to achieve a specific goal. The reward system affects the company ¿Ã‚ ½s performance through increasing the quality of products and services. The company ¿Ã‚ ½s HR cares about the need and well being of the ir employees and provides a comfortable working environment; this increases the employee ¿Ã‚ ½s motivation and enhanced productivity performance. 3.1. The purpose of human resource policies in Barclays The Human Resource Policy is simply a set of documents that describes an organization ¿Ã‚ ½s policies for operation and the procedures necessary to fulfill the practices for its managerial, supervisory staff, and all employees. This documents sets out the policy for all the human resource related issues in the company including some policies from the government that relates to the company business activities. The purpose of this policy is to help the organization to maximize return on investment in the organization ¿Ã‚ ½s human capital and maximize financial risk. The policy sets the standards of operations compliance, effective internal management control systems compliant with regulation standards and processes of all the business unit of Barclays. The HR policy provides a clear guidance to the employees as to what their responsibilities and obligations are, and their behavior that last beyond the residency of a particular business unit or executive. An HR policy also helps Bar clays to avoid liability for their employees ¿Ã‚ ½ actions and helps protect against legal claims. HR policies promote consistency approach to meet their needs as they develop continuity with regards to flexible working and general understanding of the management strategy within the Barclays business environment. An HR policy also helps Barclays to keep up with competitors: e.g. policies are may be review in order to attract or retain employee. Policies are set in line with the company ¿Ã‚ ½s strategy and planned to suit the culture, circumstances and size of the company. HR policies need to be reviewed with changes to the environment and growth with the company. So without these policies there will be no sense of direction within the company and it will be difficult for such an organization to achieve it aims and objectives. 3.2 The impact of regulatory requirements on human resource policies in Barclays. The regulatory requirements are the licenses, restrictions and laws that are applicable to a business product or services, imposed by the government. The regulations go a long way from protecting the environment to ensuring work place safety. Such regulations includes; legal and regulatory requirement related to pay, equality, employment rights and responsibilities, data protection, discrimination, etc. The cumulative burden of the regulation requirements by the law can have a positive or a negative impact on a company ¿Ã‚ ½s aims and objectives and can easily overwhelm businesses. The Employment Act 2008 sets out the laws on employment rights and welfare of the employee. The HR managers must now plan the employment package under this employment Act which is very expensive to implement. For e.g. the law makes provision about the procedure for the resolution of employment disputes; to provide for compensation for financial loss on cases of unlawful underpayment or non-payment, to make provision about the enforcement of minimum wages legislation. Barclays manages health and safety at a local level under the requirement and any mistake done can cause the company thousands of pounds on compensation. There is continuing political and regulatory scrutiny of the operations of the retail banking and consumer credit industries in the UK, EU, US, South Africa and elsewhere. For example, in the United States, Barclays Bank PLC and certain US subsidiaries and branches of the bank are subjected to a comprehensive regulatory structure, involving numerous statutes, ruling and regulations, including the International Banking Act of 1978, the Banking Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, the foreign Bank Supervision Enhancement Act of 1991 and the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001. Such laws and regulations impose limitation on the type of businesses, and the ways in which they may be conducted, in the United States and on the location expansion of banking business there. Non compliance to these regulations could lead to fines, public reprimands, damage to reputations, enforced suspension of operations or, in extreme case, withdrawal of authorization to operate. The new government has taken up deci sions to step up regulatory pressures on banks; it introduced a bank tax and is appointing a commission on banking to decide whether or not the banks should be broken up. Barclays has hinted it may move its operations overseas if the commission decides to force it to separate its retail and investment banking sectors. 4.1 The impact of organizational structure on the management of human resources in J Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s In an organization where different people works together, they need a defined system through which they relate to each other and through which there can be a coordination of their efforts. The defined relationships among the elements of an organization, namely people, tasks, structure, and information and control processes that characterize all organizations is referred to as organizational structure. Brief Business review of J Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s J. Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s plc is the parent company of Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s Supermarket Ltd, commonly known as Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s or Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s and JS, the second largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom with a share of the UK supermarket sector of 16.6%. The group head office is in the Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s Store Support Center in Holborn, city of London. J Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s plc was founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s and his wife Mary Ann, in London, and grew rapidly during the Victorian era and today operates a total of 872 stores comprising 537 supermarkets and 355 convenience stores. It jointly owns Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s bank with Lloyds Banking Group and has two property joint ventures with Land Securities Group and The British Land Company PLC. The Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s brand is built upon a heritage of providing customers with healthy, safe, fresh and tasty food. Quality and fair prices go hand-in-hand with a responsible approach to business. The store employs over 150,000 colleagues that serve over 19million customers a week and their largest store offers around 30,000 products. Read full story, available on jsainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s.co.uk/businessreview [assessed 27 Jan 2011]. 4.1.1 Organization structure of J. Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s 4.1.2 The operation mechanism 1. David Tyler (Chairman): He joined the Board on Oct 1 2009 and became the Chairman on Nov 1 2009. He is non executive chairman of Logica plc and a Non-Executive Director of Experian plc and Burberry Group plc, where he also chairs the Remuneration Committee. He was previously Group Finance Director of GUS plc (1997-2006) and has held senior ?nancial and general management roles with Christie ¿Ã‚ ½s International plc (1989-96), County NatWest Limited (1986-89) and Unilever PLC (1974-86). He was also Chairman of 3i Quoted Private Equity plc (2007-09) and a Non-Executive Director of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc over the same period. 2. Justin King (Chief Executive): Appointed Chief Executive Officer on 29 March 2004 and is also Chairman of the Operating Board. He has been a NonExecutive Director of Staples, Inc. since September 2007 and was appointed to the board of the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympics Games in January 2009. He was formerly Director of Food at Marks Spencer plc and from 1994 to 2001 he held a number of senior positions at ASDA/WalMart in Trading, HR and Retail. Justin was previously Managing Director of H ¿Ã‚ ½agen Dazs UK and spent much of his early career with Mars Confectionery and Pepsi International. 3. Darren Shapland (Chief Financial Officer): Appointed Chief Financial Officer on 1 August 2005 and is also Chairman of Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s Bank plc. Darren was appointed a Non-Executive Director of Ladbrokes plc in November 2009. He was formerly Group Finance Director of Carpet-right plc (2002-05) and Finance Director of Superdrug Stores plc (2000-02). Between 1988 and 2000, Darren held a number of financial and operational management roles at Arcadia plc including Joint Managing Director, Arcadia Home Shopping; Finance Director of Arcadia brands; Finance Director, Top Shop/Top Man (Burton Group); and Director of Supply Chain Programme (Burton Group). 4. Mike Coupe (Trading Director): Appointed an Executive Director on 1 August 2007 and has been a member of the Operating Board since October 2004. He joined Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s from Big Food Group where he was a Board Director of Big Food Group plc and Managing Director of Iceland Food Stores. Mike previously worked for both ASDA and Tesco, where he served in a variety of senior management roles. He is also a member of the supervisory board of GSI UK. 5. John McAdam (Senior Independent Director): Appointed a Non-Executive Director on 1 September 2005. He is Chairman of Rentokil Initial plc and United Utilities plc. He is also a Non-Executive Director of Rolls-Royce Group plc and Sara Lee Corporation. John joined Unilever PLC as a management trainee in 1974 and went on to hold a number of senior positions in Birds Eye Walls, Quest and Unichema, before the sale of the Specialty Chemical Businesses to ICI in 1997. He was Chief Executive of ICI plc, until its sale to Akzo Nobel, and was formerly a Non-Executive Director of Severn Trent plc (2000-2005). 6. Anna Ford (Non-Executive Director): Appointed a Non-Executive Director on 2 May 2006. She retired from the BBC in 2006, after 32 years in News and Current Affairs. Anna is a Non-Executive Director of N Brown Group plc and has been a Trustee of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, London; a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society; a Trustee of Forum for the Future; Chancellor of Manchester University; and an Honorary Bencher of Middle Temple. 7. Mary Harris (Non-Executive Director): Appointed a Non-Executive Director on 1 August 2007. She is a member of the supervisory boards of TNT NV and Unibail Rodamco S.E. Mary previously spent much of her career with McKinsey Company, most recently as a partner, and her previous work experience included working for PepsiCo in Greece and the UK as a sales and marketing executive. 8. Bob Stack (Non-Executive Director): Appointed a Non-Executive Director on 1 January 2005. He was a Director of Cadbury plc until December 2008. He joined Cadbury Beverages in the US in 1990 and was first appointed to the Board of Cadbury Schweppes plc in May 1996 as Group Human Resources Director. In March 2000 he was appointed Chief Human Resources Officer and took on responsibility for communication and an external affair in addition to HR. Bob is Trustee and Non-Executive Director of Earth watch International and also a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee of IMI plc. 9. Gary Hughes (Non-Executive Director): -Appointed a Non-Executive Director on 1 January 2005. Gary is Chief Financial Officer of the Gala Coral Group and a Director of the Scottish Exhibition Centre Limited. Formerly he was Chief Executive of CMP Information Limited, a division of United Business Media plc (2006-08), Group Finance Director of Emap plc (2000-05), Group Finance Director of SMG plc (1996 ¿Ã‚ ½2000), and Deputy Finance Director of Forte plc (1994-96). Prior to this Gary held a number of senior management positions with Guinness plc in the UK and in North America. 10. Val Gooding (Non-Executive Director): -Appointed a Non-Executive Director on 11 January 2007. She was formerly Chief Executive of BUPA (1998-2008), which she joined from British Airways, and is a Non-Executive Director of Standard Chartered Bank plc. Val is a member of the BBC ¿Ã‚ ½s Executive Board and the Advisory Board of the Warwick Business School. She is a Trustee of the British Museum and a Non-Executive Director of the Lawn Tennis Association. She was formerly a Non-Executive Director of Compass Group plc and BAA plc. 11. Neil Sachdev (Commercial Director): Joined Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s in March 2007 as Commercial Director following 28 years at Tesco, where he worked in a range of different business areas including: Stores Board Director UK Property/Operations (2000-06); Supply Chain Director (1999 ¿Ã‚ ½2000); Director, Competition Commission (1998-99); Support Director (February 1998-September 1998); and Retail Director (1994-98). Neil is Non-Executive Director and a member of the Audit and Remuneration Committees of Capital Shopping Centers Group PLC. 12. Matt Brittin (Non-Executive Director): Appointed a Non-Executive Director on 27 January 2011. Matt is Managing Director of Google in the UK Ireland. Before joining Google at the start of 2007, Matt spent much of his career in media and marketing, with particular interests in strategy, commercial development and sales performance. This included Commercial and Digital leadership roles in UK media. Matt has an MBA from London Business School and an MA from Cambridge. In 2010 he was voted wired magazine ¿Ã‚ ½s  ¿Ã‚ ½Most Influential Person in the Digital World ¿Ã‚ ½. The organizational structure of Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s is fit with the imperatives defined by needs to keep costs down, provide operational excellence and help to develop the potential of the human capital inside the organization. The organizational structures of the company allows the human resource department to smooth co-operation among employees, create effective communication among the employees, provide a clear defined roles, responsibility and processes. Organization structure is used for choosing the plan that utilizes minimal resources and achieve maximum returns. From Human Resource perspectives, it is the organizational structure that drives the employees to their full capacities and capabilities. The organizational structure will enable the Human Resource department to classify all the employees of the organization into achievers and non-achievers. 4.2 The impact of organizational culture on the management of human resources The cultures of an organization are thought of as those that evolve in conversation and is influx, constantly changing. It is the culture of an organization that defines what things mean, whether they are valued as good or bad, right or wrong, and how things are to be done when answers can ¿Ã‚ ½t be fixed by formal structure, policy or procedures. There are two aspect of organizational culture: the culture within an organization and the culture outside and organization especially hen company operates its business globally, it has to adapt to local cultures. Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s have their strong organizational culture along with their corporate strategies. Sainsbury ¿Ã‚ ½s introduced the self checkout system in 2002; this helped the organization to save cost on s