Managing people Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managing people - Essay Example In the current business environment, organizations encounter stiffer competition from rivals. This is because of globalization and free markets. To counter competition, firms have enacted various strategies. Efficient utilization of employees denotes one of the numerous strategies that firms apply in countering rivals. The human resource is the most imperative resource that an entity has at its disposal. Therefore, increasing efficiency in its utilization will enable an entity improve its competitive advantage and realize its targets. Managing of the workforce is a tough challenge to human resource (HR) managers. Managers encounter various constrains owing to the firm or the environment. The internal constrains would entail reducing overheads associated with the workforce. It is vital that any profit-motivated business maintains its profitability. Irrespective of an entity’s motivation, one of the key managerial obligations entails ensuring that remuneration expenses do not sp iral out of control. The organization and the HR department encounter various challenges from the external environment in managing this vital resource. The challenges relate to recruitment, remuneration, and maintaining employees. Companies invest heavily in the employees through training and refresher courses to improve their productivity. Subsequently, an entity that invests heavily on its employees will seek to ensure that it retains such employees. However, this may be challenging owing to the presence of organizations that offer better terms. The above situation denotes one among the countless external challenges that organization encounter in management of personnel. (Deckop & Deckop 2006, p. 78). The challenges that the HR departments encounter fall into various distinct categories. These categories include political, economic, technological, and legal. These denote broad categories, which contain various distinct challenges. The political category contains various factors, s uch as the government policy on workers and industrial actions. Entities are always aspiring to increase their profitability. Thus, they adopt employment terms that will reduce the costs. As such, most entities prefer to employ on casual or contract bases. This has been a factor, which has triggered legal battle between companies, governments, and labour unions. Hiring employees on a permanent basis will results in higher costs since the company will have to pay numerous costs. These costs include health care contributions and union charges. Consequently, most corporations will opt to employ on contract basis or casual terms. The government’s directives, which lean towards permanent terms for employees, affect HR departments significantly. The HR departments have to enact such governmental directives. This may require the company to adjust various departments to accommodate changes. This may culminate in reduction of employees. As such, companies may opt to realign department based on the work force constrains. Employment conditions are key external factors, which affect entities in a massive way since some entities will opt to mechanize. This would require massive initial capital outlay. Nonetheless, the entities will reduce their overheads on the long run. Mechanization also results in criticism since it shows that entities are unwilling to hire human labour owing to their profitability ambitions. However, the company can address these costs in various ways (Werner, Schuler & Jackson 2012, p.90). In the tasks that require high human labour, the entities can outsource. This would ensure that specialist who will deal effectively with human labour intensive activities undertake tasks. Outsourcing would ensure increased efficiency in the entity since it would reduce employees in the entity. Additionally, outsourcing may increase the quality of work. Companies can adopt organizational structure which will reduce the volume of employees required. Under the political categ

Accounts Sba Essay Example for Free

Accounts Sba Essay The aim of my project is for me to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of the financial sector of the business world. To draw up the financial records for the year 2009 for Jen’s Supermarket and to comment on the entity’s performance using appropriate tools of Analysis Description and Overview Jen’s Supermarket is a developed and simulated entity owned by Jenevonne Kirton, who is the sole proprietor. Jen’s Supermarket is a developed supermarket which sells a variety of food items and miscellaneous goods, serving most of the island in its convenient location. The supermarket employ fifteen staff along with Ms. The capital at beginning was 202800 while at end it was 208165 which showed an increase by 5365 at the end of the month. Suggestions/Recommendations Current Ratio It is recommended that Jen’s Supermarket 1. Uses the excess money to expand the business by opening another supermarket. 2. Introduce new product to the business and purchase new equipment. Gross Profit It is suggested that Jen’s Supermarket should 1. Source cheaper suppliers to facilitate the demand of goods so profitability would be greater at the end of the month. 2. Offer new promotions every week and offer the customers raffles at a chance to win prizes at the end of the year. These are given to help Jen’s Supermarket increase gross profit and sales. Conclusion It is clear that Jen’s Supermarket keeps adequate records for the business to demonstrate the profitability over the financial period for the month. It could however, increase the current ratio and gross profit by incorporating the suggestions/recommendations outlined. Nevertheless Jen’s Supermarket made a good net profit for the month of December in 2009. Overall based on the performance of the business Jen’s Supermarket was able to make a profit of 6365 despite the low sales of 104 850.

Nestle: Quality Control Management

Nestle: Quality Control Management Since it began over 130 years ago, Nestlà ©s success with product innovations and business acquisitions has turned it into the largest Food Company in the world. As the years have passed, the Nestlà © family has successfully grown to include soups, coffee, cereals, frozen products, chocolates, yoghurts, mineral water and other food products. In the beginning in the 70s, Nestlà © has continued to expand its product portfolio to include pet foods, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics as well. Nestlà © wants to be known as a Respected, Trustworthy, Food, Nutrition, Health and Wellness Company. All the actions are guided by a series of business principles. Market research showed that customers of Nestlà © have a genuine and growing interest in information about its brands. In particular, consumers want more information about what they eat and drink. They felt this information should be supplied as part of the product and they have the right to know it. So, in this assignment, we will discuss about the quality management of nestle. Quality management can be divided into three components: quality control, quality assurance and quality improvement. In nestle, quality is the number one priority. Other than that, they also continuously improving their product, known as kaizen. The important of quality management to Nestle is to win customer trust and preferences, it everybodys commitment, strive for zero defects and no waste, guarantee food safety and full compliance. Thinking globally acting local What is Quality Management? Quality management consists of three main components. There are quality control, quality assurance and quality improvement. Quality management is the organization activities to ensure the product is achieving the quality requirement. Therefore, in order to achieve the quality requirement, the component in quality management is used to achieve it. Quality Control Quality control is a process of review the product or service to ensure that they reach a certain standard or requirement. From the above definition, we can say that the requirements will achieve by the done the organization activities in the process of products manufacture or services provided. To uncover defect, the organization need to monitor the standard, make measurement and take corrective action. Quality control (QC) is a procedure to ensure that a manufactured product or performed service meets the requirements of the client or customer. Quality Assurance Quality assurance defined as a tool in quality system to fulfilled quality requirements of product and service by planning and systematic activities. From the above definition of quality control, we can say that to make sure a qood quality of product and service, a set of procedures is used in the process. Besides that, this quality assurance tries to avoid and minimize the defect in process by improving and stabilizing production. QA is refers to a set of procedures intended to ensure that product or service under development before work is done to achieves specified requirements. Steps of Quality Assurance ØPlan: Establish objectives and processes required to deliver the desired results. ØDo: Implement the process developed. ØCheck: Monitor and evaluate the implemented process by testing the results against the predetermined objectives ØAct: Apply actions necessary for improvement if the results require changes. Quality Improvement Quality improvement is a continuous improving of quality in manufacturing goods or services. There are various models used and there is some quite often discussed which is: FADE PDSA Six Sigma (DMAIC) CQI: Continuous Quality Improvement TQM: Total Quality Management FADE There are 4 broad steps to the FADE QI model: FOCUS: Define and verify the process to be improved ANALYZE: Collect and analyze data to establish baselines, identify root causes and point toward possible solutions DEVELOP: Based on the data, develop action plans for improvement, including implementation, communication, and measuring/monitoring EXECUTE: Implement the action plans, on a pilot basis as indicated, and EVALUATE: Install an ongoing measuring/monitoring (process control) system to ensure success. PDSA Another commonly used QI model is the PDSA cycle: PLAN: Plan a change or test of how something works. DO: Carry out the plan. STUDY: Look at the results. What did you find out? ACT: Decide what actions should be taken to improve. Repeat as needed until the desired goal is achieved Six Sigma Another model for improvement is Six Sigma. Six sigma is a statistical method based on the quality control process to improve the product process and service. Six sigma refers to the statistical evaluation showed that the rate of 3.4 errors per million products. To complete the process of improvement, there are two model used in Six Sigma: DMAIC and DMADV. DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) also pronounced, as duh-may-ick is an improvement system by minimize the defect in quality of product process and service and looking for incremental improvement. DMADV (define, measure, analyze, design, verify) also pronounced, as duh-mad-vee is an improvement system used to develop new processor products at Six Sigma quality levels. Total Quality Management (TQM) TQM is a quality management process that change the whole organization based on customer oriented quality, continuous improvement, organizational involvement in processes and solving a problem in a team. This will fulfilled the customer requirement by producing the product and service, which exceeds the customer needs. In total quality management, the customer determines the quality of output. The output with the high quality will meet the requirement and expectation of customer. From managing outcomes to managing and improving processes there are shifting in focus: from what to do to how to do the processes better. Quality performance expands to include how well the relationship of each part to the process and each part of the process works. Also, process improvement focuses on continuously achieving the greatest potential benefit for our customers. Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) In improving the quality management, total quality management stress on a process of continuous improvement. Principles in the quality management, there are some of management principle that can be used as a guideline for upper management in improving organization performance. The are eight principles cover customer focus, leadership, involvement of people, process approach, system approach to management, continual improvement, factual approach to decision-making and mutually beneficial supplier relationships. Among from the 8 principles, we have chosen Leadership to describe in Nestlà © group. Principle : Leadership Leadership refers to the ability to influence people to achieve the organization goals and ability to create a climate of innovation and to think outside the box. Leadership also must have willingness to accept change and the ability to manage it. At all levels, members of the Nestlà © Management are more concerned with continuously adding value to the Company compared to exercising formal authority. A high involvement of each employee and a common mindset geared to results is materializing. Contributing to results through project work and special assignments becomes more frequent, reaching beyond conventional boundaries in order to contribute to wider group performance. All those issue that allows others to progress in their work and to develop their capabilities by their ability to motivate and to develop people. As well as a high level of interest in other cultures and life-styles there also curiosity and open mindedness. As well as to sharing knowledge and ideas freely with othe rs, this also includes a commitment to continuous learning and improving. Inspection Under traditional quality control, inspection of products and services, which is checking on the process to make sure that whats being produced is meeting the required standard and takes place during and at the end of the operations process. Nestlà © Quality Management of Nestlà © In Nestlà © group, they prioritized quality. There are over ten million people through out the world enjoying Nestlà ©s products each and everyday. Nestlà © conducts business on a global scale; everyone pays careful attention to the cultural bias and personal tastes of each country, because each food culture is based on the distinct characteristics of that particular region. However, it will not going to be too far in the pursuit of food safety and quality management. Nestlà © has attained a world-class level by applying Nestlà © Quality Management System to all their products. Nestlà © respects to all relevant laws and regulations of each country, but also implements their own independent high standards of total quality management throughout every aspect of the manufacturing process, from raw materials to end products, in order to consistently bring safe and quality products to consumers around the globe. Furthermore, they are continuously improving their products (KAIZEN) in the global network, which the headquarters of the quality management department in Switzerland, and through the performance of regular inspections that ensure their quality management system is functioning at the highest level. What is Kaizen? Kaizen (Japanese for improvement or change for the better) refers to practices on continuous improvement of processes in manufacturing, engineering, supporting business processes, and management. It also applies to processes, such as purchasing and logistics that crosses organizational boundaries into the supply chain. By improving standardized activities and processes, kaizen aims to get rid of waste. After the Second World War, Kaizen was first implemented in several Japanese businesses influenced in part by American business and quality management teachers who visited the country. And now, it has spread throughout the around world. The importance of quality in Nestle Quality is the foundation of Nestlà © food, nutrition, health and Wellness Company Nestlà © strives to create value that can be sustained over the long term by meeting consumer needs for nutrition, enjoyment and Quality they can trust. Everyday, millions of people all over the world show their confidence in us by choosing Nestlà © products and brands. This confidence is based on our Quality image and a reputation for high standards that has been built up over many years. Every product on the shelf, every service and every customer helps to shape this image. A Nestlà © brand name on a product is a promise to the customer that it is safe to consume, that it complies with all relevant laws and regulations and that it constantly meets high standards of Quality. Each and every Nestlà © employee is involved in and dedicated to achieving high Quality standards for our customers and consumers. Quality is to win consumer trust and preference They are committed to offering products and services to their customers and consumers that meet their needs have their preference and provide sound nutrition. Nestlà © wants to win the trust of their customers and consumers by continuously listening to them by understanding their expectations and consistently satisfying their needs and preferences. Their customers and consumers are at the center of their attention and they recognize their legitimate interest in the behavior, beliefs and actions of Nestlà © behind brands in which they place their trust. Quality is everybodys commitment Demonstrates its commitment towards quality by practicing and living what they reach. All Nestlà © functions across their Value Chain are fully responsible for observing mandatory principles, norms and instructions for maintaining agreed Quality standards and for constantly improving them. Their quality personnel at all levels are the guardians of Quality Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance. They promote quality awareness, assess, performance, and challenge the organization to sustain and improve quality standards. They communicate their quality standards to their Business Partners who are expected to share the same commitment to quality and to meet their requirements consistently. Quality is to strive for zero defects and no waste They focus on facts and results and they strive for zero defect and excellence in everything they do. They adopt a no waste attitude and they constantly look for competitiveness and opportunities for continuous improvement of the Quality Standards delivered to their customers and consumers. They provide adequate resources equipment procedures and systems to ensure high quality standards. They build the necessary competence and technical skills. They develop training and teamwork that are crucial to the successful implementation of these standards and to the achievement of excellence and competitiveness. Quality is to guarantee food safety and full compliance They enforce full compliance with the mandatory standards and principals of their quality management system, which include Food Safety Regulatory and quality requirements in every step of their Value Chain. They measure their quality performance as well as the satisfaction of their customers and consumers by listening to them. Shortcomings and mistakes are analyzed and trigger an immediate action plan for correction and improvement. Their quality management system is aligned with international standards and full transparency is ensured through verification by independent external bodies. They strive for the flawless execution of their quality activities throughout their organization based on rigorous discipline on pro-activeness and on factual and open communications Quality Policy Intentions, direction and aims regarding quality of its products and processes in top management expression. Success is built by quality Quality is very important for their success. Nestlà © product has been chosen by millions of people in this world because they trust Nestle brand. This confidence comes from the quality image and a good reputation for high standards of quality that has been built up over many years by Nestlà ©. Every product, service and customer contact helps to build up this image in Nestle. Customer confidence that the product are safe to consume is based on the look of Nestle brand name on a product, that it complies with all regulations and that it meets high standards of quality. People, equipment and instruments are made available to ensure safety and conformity of Nestlà © products at all times. Companies with high quality standards are able to minimize the possibility of making mistakes, waste less time and money and are more productive. Therefore, quality is the most vital criteria and it is the key for Nestlà © to achieve success for today and future. Quality is a competitive advantage Nestlà © is a world brand and live in a competitive world and must never forget that customers have the right to make their choice. If the customers are not satisfied with a Nestlà © product, they are free to switch to another brand. For Nestlà ©s company goal, they want to provide superior value in every product category and market sectoring which they include in market to complete and promote they brand. The pursuit of highest quality of product at any price is no guarantee for success, nor is a single-minded cost-cutting approach. Lasting competitive benefit is gained from a balanced search for optimal value to customers, by simultaneous improvement of quality and reduction of cost. Quality is made by people Building quality needs adequate equipment, procedures and systems, including dedicated people. Each and every Nestlà © employees must be confident in doing his best to produce higher quality products and services. Therefore, training and teamwork are important to the successful implementation of high quality standards. Teamwork allows us to achieve results that are better than the sum of individual job or efforts. They motivate employees by demonstrating management commitment to quality, by setting effective goals and giving them responsibility and recognition. It is through employee involvement that mission of goal can be achieved in the shortest time. Quality is action Quality is the result of deliberate action. The senior manager is responsible to present the quality objectives and to provide the necessary resources for the implementation. It is then up to all employees to make provide quality throughout the company. Progress is followed by listening to our customers comment and by measuring nestle product performance. Shortcomings problem and mistakes must be analyzed and corrected. Problems must be expected and prevented before they occur. We also must identify and take advantage of opportunities to make sure stand still and will not fall behind or left out. Contend for continuous improvement for every Nestle product sell area. It is through every little improvements as well as through major breakthroughs that nestle will perform excellence. General Principle Of Nestlà © Nestlà © is more people, product and brand adapt than systems oriented. Nestlà © helps in building long-term successful business development and works hard to be a preferred company for long-term lead shareholders. However, Nestlà © does not lose sight of the necessity to improve short-term results and remains conscious of the need to generate profit annually. Nestlà © seeks to gain consumers confidence and preference and to follow consumer trends, creating and responding to customer demand for its products. Therefore Nestlà © is followed by an acute sense of performance, support and favoring the rules of free competition within a clear legal framework. Nestle is conscious for social responsibility, which is natural in its long-term orientation. Nestlà © is as decentralized as likely, within the framework imposed by fundamental policy and strategy decisions requiring to increasing flexibility. Operational efficiencies, as well as the group-wide need for combination and people d evelopment, may also set limits to decentralization. Nestlà © is committed to the concept of continuous improvement of its activities, thus they try avoiding more operatic one-time changes as much as possible. What is Standard? A document that established by agreement and approved by a recognized body that provides for public use and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the maximum degree of order in a given meaning. Standardization It refers to setting of fixed size, type and measurement in addition to quality of different products manufactured by different organizations in the industry. It is an agreement whereby each manufacturer undertakes to follow the set standards. Standardization is a proses of develop and agreement upon technical standard Level of standardization Industrial standards-which relate to the engineering requirements Commercial standards- which are of primary concerns for users who will use and bought the product. Industrial Standards An engineering or industrial standard is a desired description or definition of a product, a raw material and a manufacturing process, which has been established by one company or by a group of companies in an industry. Standards are undertaken by statutory bodies and authorities established by the government e.g.: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Director general of supplies and disposals. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Research design and standards organization of railways. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Directorate for standardization for defense production à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Directorate of marketing and inspection Commercial standards A standard of commerce, also call consumer standard is designed to protect the purchaser or ultimate consumer or manufacturer. It is the measure of quality performance, dimensional characteristics It covers terminology, grades, sizes, and use characteristics of manufactured products. Agreement for establishing a standard may include method of listing, rating and labeling order that a product made in submission with the standard may be readily recognized by distributors and consumers. For example: NESTLÉ Pure Life materials are tested to relevant ANSI, ASTM , ISO 14001, 22000, and OSHAS certification and ISO standards to ensure durability. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) empowers its members to strengthen the marketplace in the economy while helping to assure the safety and health of consumers and the protection of the environment. American Society for Testing and Materialsis (ASTM) is an international standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and service International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international-standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations Standard and certification Food Drug Administration (FDA) is the regulating body in the field. With the Safe Drinking Water Act, which applies to all types of drinking water in the market, the FDA has sets specific standards for different types of bottled. So on the international level it will meets the standards set by FDA Certified measurement methodology- Global Environmental Footprint (GEF) To calculate Greenhouse gas emissions as well as water and energy consumption using methods that meets the recommendations of ISO quality standards. Environmental Standards-Environmental Act (1997) Try to ensure that at every stage of its operations, the environmental impact is minimal. Environmental Performances ISO 14001 ISO 14001, the internationally recognized environmental management system standard. Production Standards- LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design NESTLÉ Waters manufacturing facilities includes in measures to reduce energy use and gas emissions throughout the LEED Certification program. Note: Sources from http://www.slideshare.net Nestle Scheduling System NESTLÉ Scheduling System is used to prioritize and schedule production across manufacturing processes, machine capacity and labors resources. NESTLÉ Scheduling System automates clerical tasks and enables timely and consistent production scheduling. NESTLÉ Scheduling System enables forecasting and planning of manufacturing resource requirements and capacity utilization. This is to conserve resources, boost productivity and minimize production costs. ØNESTLÉ Scheduling System enables planning and tracking of manufacturing orders across multiple areas of processing. Ø Priorities for production scheduling are assigned for each processing area on each shift. This is to boost customer service. ØNESTLÉ Scheduling System enables different areas of the enterprise to centralize production scheduling information. Note: Sources from http://www.slideshare.net Superior Quality Water Superior Quality Water means implementing high standards to guarantee 100% safety and consistent taste to the consumer. Delivering Consistency production chain Since bottled water has a direct impact on human health because public will consume the bottled water, so it must meet the strictest health standards. The Food Drug Administration (FDA) is the main leader in this field in the United States. Together with the Safe Drinking Water Act, they sets specific standards for different types of bottled water which applies to all types of drinking water. This is to determine the maximum mineral and microbiological levels that the product must meet the quality tests that must be used. à ©par quality control As a world leader in the sector, FDA has their own quality criteria that apply to local regulations that are lacking especially in developing countries. In addition, FDA also fulfills consumers demand, whose demanded water with unique properties, which is achieved through a careful selection of underground sources so consumers may enjoy their natural mineral composition and unique taste characteristics. They also guarantee it is used in a sustainable way which undergoes no chemical treatments, with no disinfectants or preservatives added to it. Selective Origin When you choose water from Nestlà © Company, you know where the water youre drinking comes from. The majority of Nestlà © Waters comes from underground sources. Unlike surface water (lakes, rivers and streams), water from underground sources undergoes natural geological filtration that removes chemical pollutants and microbiological and viral contaminants. How effective this filtration is does depend on the aquifer, its geological characteristics, the depth of the water table and even the amount of time that it takes a drop of rain to reach it. In the case of the English mineral water Buxton, the journey through the underground stone takes nearly 20 million years. The original quality of the water and its ability to be preserved over time are very carefully monitored in their Water Resource department and carefully assessed whenever they consider using any new sources. But the absence of all pollution is only one of the aspects that Nestlà © Waters looks at when selecting water sources. Because every spring is unique from a geological standpoint, each one of their brands with its own origin has its own mineral alchemy, which naturally gives it its own taste. This distinctive characteristic constitutes one of the major criteria according to which consumers everywhere choose their water. Some prefer the light, fresh taste of a still water with a low mineral content; others prefer the mouth feel of water that is rich in minerals. Nestlà © mission is to provide a variety of waters with taste characteristics that best suit the taste of the local consumers. And, from one side of the earth to the other, just as from one individual to another, there are all different tastes! The sustainability of the water resources that they use is also a determining factor. Every source has its own flow rate, defined by the natural rate at which it fills up. Respecting the natural water cycle is a fundamental part of their business: the sustainability of their own activity depends on it. In order to remain a viable source, a spring must have a sustainable flow thats high enough to meet our needs over the long term, while also taking into account the needs of other possible users (agriculture, industry, local governments). For decades, they have managed the water resources that they control responsibly in order to preserve the natural balance, as can FVGCVFF be seen with Poland Spring, bottled since 1845, Vittel, since 1854 and Sao Lourenà §o since 1899. Purified water In some regions of the world, there may be a lack of natural underground water or simply a lack of good quality water in sufficient quantities, and there are therefore no sources that meet Nestlà © strict specifications. Thats the case in the Middle East and some regions in Asia and in America. In those cases and in order to provide superior quality drinking water to local consumers, Nestlà © Waters sometimes uses municipal water as its primary source. This water is processed through a series of filtration (reverse osmosis and carbon filtration in order to remove any chemicals that may be present, like chlorine,) and physical purification treatments (microfiltration, ultraviolet light, ozonation). Once it has been purified to meet their standards, they may add minerals back into the water to meet the local populations taste expectations and, where necessary, to provide essential nutrients (calcium, magnesium, fluoride, etc.). At Nestlà © Waters, water processed in this way is sold almost exclusively under the brand Nestle Pure Life. Depending on the local regulation and demand, the name distilled water, purified water or drinking water is clearly mentioned on the label of this type of products. In an effort to avoid any confusion for consumers, the communication for this type of water never includes any visual elements that could lead consumers to think it comes from a natural underground source, when it is not the case. High Performing Manufacturing Nestle does not carry out any heavy operations because their plants is different from other industries. Thus, their role is to bottle water exactly as its comees out of the ground in most cases. This operation is requiring the monitoring and quality control procedures to preserve the original quality and purify of the water to be implemented at every step of production. In order to avoid any pollution coming from inside their production sites, they kept the natural spring water that they used in a closed circuit and flows through stainless steel pipes and equipments. As the result, the automatic cleaning procedures of the water circuits meet the highest hygiene requirements. Certified by external Third Party Certification Bodies covering 80% of their plants, plus, ISO 14001, 22000, and OSHAS certification will be fully implemented in 100% of their plants by the end of 2010 through the strict application of the highest standards for quality, safety and environment. plastic bottles Nestle apply much stricter criteria to the composition of their water than the regulation required. Therefore, the quality of the water is controlled at every step of production through out sensory, chemical and microbiological analyses. For example, waters performs a quality test for about every 150,000 liters (40,000 gallons) produced, which is several hundred times more frequent than the major, national, public water suppliers do in the United States. For Nestlà © Waters, quality cant not only rely on the original quality of the water. Throughout the entire production chain, from packaging to the finished product, a battery of tests to guarantee that it conforms to the highest standards before it is sent off to consumers checks every step. All their production plants have their own laboratory, which allows them to carry out rigorous tests regularly. Some more elaborate tests, including a yearly verification of all quality parameters are carried out at their Nestle Waters Quality Assurance Centre in Vital in order to profit from the latest, most high-tech equipment there. Value chain Each step in this value chain could have harmful consequences if not managed properly. For example, without sustainable agricultural practices the natural resources of farms worldwide might be damaged. By embedding corporate responsibility in its business practices in this way, Nestlà © is

The Individual vs. Society in Mrs. Warrens Profession Essay -- Mrs. W

Often in life there is a conflict between what is good for the individual and the moral values placed upon the individual by society.   This is true of the characters in George Bernard Shaw's play Mrs. Warren's Profession.   Shaw clearly demonstrates that actions frowned upon by society are not necessarily evil so long as they benefit the individual.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Perhaps the most obvious example of societal morals conflicting with individual need is the case of Mrs. Kitty Warren.   Mrs. Warren is a woman whose economic standing and lack of any professional skills forced her into becoming a prostitute. Obviously such a profession is against the beliefs of the society that she lives in.   Not only is she not ashamed of her occupation, she is proud of the amount of money that it, as well as managing several houses of prostitution, has made for her. When asked of any shame about her job by her daughter she states, "Well of course dearie, it's only good manners to be ashamed of it: it's expected of a woman." This statement shows that the only reason that one would be ashamed of it is because of society says that one should be.   She feels that the restrictions that society has placed on women has made it impossible for her to pursue any other lifestyle.   She demonstrates this by saying, "It's far better than any other emp loyment open to [women]...   It can't be right, Vivie, that there shouldn't be better opportunities for women."   Shaw is attempting to evoke sympathy for the character of Mrs. Warren by pitting her against a society that is against her.   He is quite obviously in favor of the actions that Mrs. Warren has taken, as demonstrated by the very reasonable rationalization for what she has done and the approving reaction of her daughte... ...in acting as the representative of Shaw's views, is constantly blowing off his attempts at winning her affection.   Finally gives up his attempts when he realizes how her mother earns the money. He states , "I really can' bring myself to touch the old woman's money now."   Vivie is quite glad to be rid of him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shaw's opinions on society against the individual are clearly outlined in this play.   Through the actions and words of the character Vivie it can be clearly seen that he finds nothing wrong with breaking the rules placed on people by society, providing that it is for a good reason and not simply for self indulgence.   The conclusion could be drawn that Shaw feels that these morals are fine in a perfect society, but since we do not live in one they must be broken occasionally in order to attain a better life, providing that it is done only in moderation.

Manchild in the promised land

First generation blacks in New York had the unique situation of being in the urban life for the first time, having come from slave work conditions on southern farms, they brought their experiences of living as slaves, they brought their religion and they brought hope that life in the city would be different, that life would be better in the promise land.   As we seen in Manchild in the Promised Land, life in New York is hard, harder than the south in new ways that blacks could not have prepared themselves for. Poverty, violence, and prejudice followed them where ever they went in America, including New York.   Black children growing up in this urban setting are like weeds growing between the cracks in the pavement—they are hearty, they do what they have to do to survive.   The streets are their playground, their school and hope is only in the luck one has that they won’t get busted.   How did this lifestyle develop?   A number of factors, namely poverty and prejudice caused other problems to develop such as violence, child abuse, drugs, prostitution etc. Child Abuse One social ill that often stems from poverty is child abuse.   In the book child abuse is seen in homes such as Claude’s friend Bucky whose mother, who is on welfare, is in such a state of despair that she chooses her drink and gambling over feeding her own four children.   These children liked living in the child welfare house because at least there they had three meals a day and a place to sleep.   Of his friend Claude says, â€Å"Bucky was the only kid I knew who could stay out all night long and not be missed† (p 32). This clearly instilled in these youth the struggle to survive at all costs whether it be violence or stealing.   School also became something that hardly seems worthwhile when a child could be out â€Å"catting† on the streets and come home with food, money, clothes or other items when school only meant that you would probably get in trouble for something and get beat when you got home.   Claude doesn’t seem to realize the benefits of going to school, learning to read etc. until almost his high school years when the prison warden encourages him and believes that he could do well. Just as a master abused the slave, many a black parent abused their children under the pretense of â€Å"spare the rod and spoil the child,† raising them up with violence in their hearts from the start.   Black children in Harlem were to respect their parents and do what they were told or pay the cost. For punishment for his various crimes and school skipping, Claude is beaten progressively more seriously until his father resorts to hitting him with his fists because it seems that no matter what punishment Claude is given, he continues to get into trouble and his father is frustrated to the point of serious violence.   So from the age of six years old, violence is instilled in Claude as a means for upholding authority and for punishing wrong doing but interestingly enough, violence was not enough to make Claude respect his father and the day his father used his fists on Claude seems to be the day that Claude’s relationship with his father was severed. Violence Violence is a part of survival in Harlem.   One must defend their manhood, their reputation or fear losing important alliances with other men who help make street life livable.   In prison one must protect their rank of power, which is more clear cut than on the street. Examples of violence in the book include when Claude disowns his friend for allowing himself to be beat up by white men—to Harlem street youth this was the most disrespectful thing one could do to oneself. Big Bill, a man in Claude’s neighborhood, encouraged the kids to fight because he knew they needed to learn how to defend themselves on those hard streets.   Big Bill was preparing them for life, as he saw it.   In order to survive, Claude learned, you had to be a â€Å"bad nigger,† which meant that you had to be willing to do anything; you had to be willing to die.   One time when Claude was beat up over a quarter he said, â€Å"It wasn’t the value of money†¦ It was just that these things symbolized a man’s manhood or principles† (p. 256). Violence is used to keep racial segregation—Claude is raised being told that if he were to ever sleep with a white woman he would be lynched.   The police use violence to control violence.   Violence is also used by the everyday inhabitants of Harlem to protect themselves against the people who live the street life.   Claude caught a bullet in the stomach from a neighbor who was simply trying to keep their sheets from being stolen.   One man’s head was cracked open by a landlord for peeing in the hallway of his building.     Ã‚  The cycle of wrong doing seems to be perpetuated by violence; it cuts the psyche and makes a person grow callous to what has to be done to protect oneself and one’s belongings in Harlem or any poor urban ghetto. Role of Women Black women in Harlem are the lowest on the totem pole so to speak and are treated as if they were objects to own or use.   Women are considered to only exist to please men and men like Johnny, a pimp, treat women very badly in order to get what they want.   Claude’s own mother is helpless to control her son, simply ringing her hands and saying, â€Å"Boy, why you so bad?† (p 27).   In the case of Sugar and Melvin, Sugar must step up when her man decides that he is not going to struggle to survive in hostile Harlem but simply give up—she must take on a more important role in the relationship and lead the household. Drugs Drugs are another result of urban poverty in Harlem.   Drugs are an escape, a chance to make a quick buck.   Claude also said that drugs became associated with manhood, â€Å"the young cats wanted to take drugs because they used to listen to the way the junkies talked, with a drag in their voice† (p 261).   Many a black man in Harlem got caught in the web of Heroine, thinking that they were in control and selling it, the drug took control of them.   Pimp, Claude’s little brother, was just such a character and Claude spent a lot of time trying to show his brother that this just wasn’t the way. Religion Religion in Harlem harks back to the spirituals of the South.   Charismatic church services were held in old stores, apartments or where ever there is space to be had. The preachers, such as Mrs. Rogers, a jackleg preacher, have no formal training but lead their family and peers in a sermon and loud prayer sessions. Claude was very skeptical of his experience in Mrs. Roger’s church and for years later he remembered church as a place where, â€Å" somebody lined up a lot of kitchen chairs in a few rows, a preacher did a lot of shouting about the Lord, people jumping up and down until they got knocked down by the spirit, and Mrs. Rogers put bowls of money on a kitchen table and kept pointing to it and asking from more† (p. 27).   Claude believes throughout the book that religion is just another distraction, like a drug, to take one’s mind away from the suffering of hard living. Black Muslims in Harlem represented a little different form of faith that dealt with the issues of the ghetto by turning the philosophy of prejudice around so that the black man was the superior race and the whites inferior and according to Floyd Saks, â€Å"The time has come for all back men to rise up, band together and do something for themselves† (p 319).   These Muslim’s encouraged blacks to â€Å"buy black† to better the black economy.   Although Claude recognizes the need for change in his community he quickly sees that Floyd’s faith is simply exchanging one hate for another. Role Models The only role models that urban youth in Harlem seemed to have were negative ones.   Those that worked hard did not make enough money to survive or live well.   Those that seemed to have enough money and to have control over their life were the â€Å"street heroes† or the men who were able to lie, cheat and steal their living.   Claude was influenced by friends his own age such as Danny, who taught him how to steal from cash registers and skip school or Johnny who taught him how to hustle on the street. Claude in turn became a â€Å"street hero† and influenced his little brother Pimp who then ended up becoming a drug user.   The influence of siblings was such that Pimp was expected to live up to his brother’s tough reputation so he had to be a â€Å"bad nigger† and he had to get in as much trouble as possible to catch up to his brother’s years of street experience.   Claude has to beat up an older boy for his sister Carole’s honor in order to preserve his own as well as hers. Claude finds a positive influence only in the â€Å"comforts† of the regimented prison where everything is clearly laid out with purpose.   Mr. Papanek and Mrs. Coen are the only two people in Claude’s life who positively influenced his actions and helped him to realize that he was going no where doing the same things that got him in trouble before and got other men in trouble before and after him. Papanek kept telling people that, â€Å"Claude Brown is going to be a real success† and as a result, Claude believed it and made it happen (p 167).   Doing something different had not occurred to Claude before this or to other youth like him because there just weren’t any successful young black men to be found. Reverend James was a positive role model in the Harlem community that Claude sought to help his brother Pimp get off drugs and to find a track into college.   Claude respected Reverend James because he was as intelligent as Mr. Papanek but he was black and he lived in Harlem with the rest of those struggling to survive and had found a way to survive outside of the mores of the street.   â€Å"Reverend James is a pretty hip guy for a minister,†Ã‚   Claude admitted to Pimp and it is the Reverend’s ability to be â€Å"hip† that made him capable of really making a difference in the lives of Harlem youth (p 390). The Ghetto Mentality Poverty, violence, crime and the lack of any hope or any positive role models caused a â€Å"ghetto mentality† to develop that made people have low aspirations and to focus on the appearance of things such as making sure to have fine clothes rather than planning ahead with finances for the future.   Success was seen only in the street heroes: pimps and successful criminals. Tilto, Danny and Mac are good examples of boys with no aspiration to ever do anything else but hustle and hope for a quick showy success.   When asked what he was going to do with his life Claude’s friend Mac says, â€Å"I don’t know man. I guess I’ll deal drugs† like every one else in the neighborhood was already doing (p 237).   This ghetto mentality was re-enforced by the fact that men with a criminal record after the age of sixteen were unable to find gainful employment or become a successful citizen in society so there was a sense of, â€Å"why try, I can’t do anything about it now.† This mentality is broken only by the influence of someone like Claude, who everyone respects on the street and who decided to get out of the lifestyle and to find something more fulfilling in life.   The likelihood of urban youth to come in contact with a Mr. Pancheck, like Claude did is less likely than for them to be impressed to change by someone like Claude.                              

How to Become a Lawyer

A lot comes to the mind of an upcoming high school graduate, especially what that person wants to do for a living. My future career is that of a lawyer. Granted becoming a lawyer takes a lot of work and effort. Once I have attended undergrad and finish law school I then can become a lawyer. Becoming a lawyer has many advantages, I can either argue for the applicant or defendant. My future career, a lawyer, is without a doubt a long-term goal that I’ve dreamed of becoming since I was in 3rd grade. Benefits are really great and I help make society a better place to live in. It will be a chore, that’s why I’m trying to get the right mind set now before it’s too late. The growth potential for being a lawyer all depends on my education and how far I want to go. Many people get into general law and work with a firm for years without moving up, but if I work hard at building up a client base then living is easy. Continuing education is also a good move for this potential job opportunity, I can become qualified for a more wide-ranging field of practice. The Bureau of Labor Statistics converse that now, to add in education, most states and jurisdictions â€Å"require future lawyers to complete a juris doctor (J. D. ) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. † First, of course I must graduate high school then I have to get a bachelor's degree, and I take the LSAT test. Afterwards I must go to 3-4 years of law school and finally, I must take the bar exam; it's usually 7-8 years after high school. The costs all depends on the school that I pick. For going to public schools, I’d have to expect costs to be around $100,000 for tuition, housing, food, books, test fees, etc. Because of my dad being a retired Marine, most of this stuff will come free, that will help be less of a detriment to this situation. The lowest-level law school costs about $30,000 a year and prices are raising quickly too, so it'll only go up from there. This all is just stressful, and the work is 24/7. The pace all depends on how I feel about this work; in the end, it all feels good to have accomplished such a mission. Legal careers guide Sally Kane states for becoming a lawyer â€Å"is an enormous undertaking in terms of time commitment and financial investment. † Basically in the end, it’s all money well spent. It takes time though, therefore I should learn as much about the profession as possible to fill that time. I’ve never met a lawyer who wasn’t moral, honest, connected with their clients, or prepared for deadlines. One must be highly educated and have fast thinking skills. A persons mind must be set to be quick to analyze a situation and decide the best outcome to a situation in order to become a wonderful lawyer. These type of work values, can be really great to have for a great cost and time well spent. In addition to spending things, I’ll be able to spend a lot more with the salary I’m able to get $113,310 every year. A source, ONET OnLine, indicates that lawyers median wages are $54. 48 an hour, project growth from 2010-2020 will be an average of 10%-19%. The projected job openings from 2010-2020 are 212,000 and the employment rate for lawyers updated in 2010 are 728,000. The work environment for lawyers is either in the law library, in the office or in court. Court hours for most lawyers are typically regular business hours, with a one-hour lunch break. The study hall, law libraries etc. are all very helpful necessities. David R. Johnson, author of Serving Justice with Conversational Law simply states â€Å"The existence of libraries of legal materials required professionals to help lay clients read and understand increasingly complex rules and precedents. † One is usually working up to 11 hours a day, most times weekends as well. A majority works full time, to raise the hourly and annual wages these are the prices it takes to make big bucks. To conclude my reason to shoot for my dream career, the bonus is I have the opportunity to save people’s lives, and bring justice to people that deserve it. A lot comes in the mind of a high school graduate, especially what that person wants to do for a living. A lawyer is something I feel I am capable of doing. Whether it being extensive or lengthy working hours, I find it something I am capable of striving for. The long term reward isn’t just the rather large amount of pay, but the fact that I have accomplished what I always wanted to do and that I’m happy doing it.

Quantum Physics Overview, Concepts, and History

Quantum Physics Overview, Concepts, and History Quantum physics is the study of the behavior of matter and energy at the molecular, atomic, nuclear, and even smaller microscopic levels. In the early 20th century, scientists discovered that the laws governing macroscopic objects do not function the same in such small realms. What Does Quantum Mean? Quantum comes from the Latin meaning how much. It refers to the discrete units of matter and energy that are predicted by and observed in quantum physics. Even space and time, which appear to be extremely continuous, have the smallest possible values. Who Developed Quantum Mechanics? As scientists gained the technology to measure with greater precision, strange phenomena was observed. The birth of quantum physics is attributed to Max Plancks 1900 paper on blackbody radiation. Development of the field was done by Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Richard Feynman, Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schroedinger, and other luminary figures in the field. Ironically, Albert Einstein had serious theoretical issues with quantum mechanics and tried for many years to disprove or modify it. Whats Special About Quantum Physics? In the realm of quantum physics, observing something actually influences the physical processes taking place. Light waves act like particles and particles act like waves (called wave particle duality). Matter can go from one spot to another without moving through the intervening space (called quantum tunnelling). Information moves instantly across vast distances. In fact, in quantum mechanics we discover that the entire universe is actually a series of probabilities. Fortunately, it breaks down when dealing with large objects, as demonstrated by the Schrodingers Cat thought experiment. What is Quantum Entanglement? One of the key concepts is quantum entanglement, which describes a situation where multiple particles are associated in such a way that measuring the quantum state of one particle also places constraints on the measurements of the other particles. This is best exemplified by the EPR Paradox. Though originally a thought experiment, this has now been confirmed experimentally through tests of something known as Bells Theorem. Quantum Optics Quantum optics is a branch of quantum physics that focuses primarily on the behavior of light, or photons. At the level of quantum optics, the behavior of individual photons has a bearing on the outcoming light, as opposed to classical optics, which was developed by Sir Isaac Newton. Lasers are one application that has come out of the study of quantum optics. Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) Quantum electrodynamics (QED) is the study of how electrons and photons interact. It was developed in the late 1940s by Richard Feynman, Julian Schwinger, Sinitro Tomonage, and others. The predictions of QED regarding the scattering of photons and electrons are accurate to eleven decimal places. Unified Field Theory Unified field theory is a collection of research paths that are trying to reconcile quantum physics with Einsteins theory of general relativity, often by trying to consolidate the fundamental forces of physics. Some types of unified theories include (with some overlap): Quantum GravityLoop Quantum GravityString Theory / Superstring Theory / M-TheoryGrand Unified TheorySupersymmetryTheory of Everything Other Names for Quantum Physics Quantum physics is sometimes called quantum mechanics or quantum field theory. It also has various subfields, as discussed above, which are sometimes used interchangeably with quantum physics, though quantum physics is actually the broader term for all of these disciplines. Major Findings, Experiments, and Basic Explanations Earliest Findings Black Body RadiationPhotoelectric Effect Wave-Particle Duality Youngs Double Slit ExperimentDe Broglie Hypothesis The Compton Effect Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle Causality in Quantum Physics - Thought Experiments and Interpretations The Copenhagen InterpretationSchrodingers CatEPR ParadoxThe Many Worlds Interpretation

Innocent - Shot story Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

Innocent - Shot story Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers Creative writing Shot story Innocent Cesar was a young man in the late 30's, who liked the good and easy life, so he and his friends started a gang so that they could steal from the people from Grandview Town. They started small, stealing a wallet one day, then a small store the next day. However, it wasn't enough for them, they wanted more, much more, so Cesar, who was the gang leader said to the other guys if we continue to steal only small things, we will never be rich. It will take use years to get where we want." So they started robbing banks, and big expensive stores. They started to become rich. One day, Cesar met a girl, Juliette, a very beautiful young lady. Juliette was a tall brunette, with light brown eyes that looked like two drops is honey. Cesar fell in love with Juliette, and Juliette liked him too, but for her the like that he had wasn't good. She asked him to quit robbing, and he did because he loved her very much. He looked for an honest job, he didn't make much money, but he was happy to make her happy. One day, the house of a very rich woman was robbed, a very expensive Russian hat was stolen, and everyone thought it was Cesar. The same day he bought his wife a Russian hat that looked exactly like Ms. Samantha's. They went for a walk and Juliette wore the hat, the police arrived, and asked her where she got the hat, because it looked like the one that was stolen. She said her husband gave her. And they all looked at him, even she thought he was guilty. The police took him to the police station and stated to ask him questions, but he didn't want to answer. So the police investigated the case and found out that that wasn't Ms. Samantha's hat, it was a cheap copy of the hat, so they let Cesar go. He was innocent. "Why didn't you say it wasn't you who stole the hat? You almost went to jail," asked his wife angry. "Because I'd rather go to jail than say that I wasnt able to give you the best, which you deserve.

Which Is Better: A Dual Degree or a Double Major?

Choosing a career path is one of the biggest decisions you will make in your college journey. While a majority of students have a tough enough time choosing just one major, there are an increasing number of students who are deciding to pursue dual degrees and double majors. For these students, this choice must be weighed carefully. Is it better to work towards a dual degree or should you double major instead? This post will answer questions most commonly asked about the differences between a dual degree and double major, discuss the pros and cons of both, and provide insight on what is the best option for you as you embark on your college journey and ultimately your career path. When you receive a dual degree, you essentially receive two degrees. These could be either two bachelor’s degrees, such as a bachelor of science and a bachelor of arts, or a bachelor’s degree and an advanced degree, such as a B.A. and an M.A., simultaneously. Often, candidates receive the dual degree in less than the amount of time it would generally take to receive two degrees consecutively and independently, although that’s not always the case. Some schools offer joint degree programs that enable students to receive a dual degree upon completion. One example of of a dual degree program in which students receive two bachelor’s degrees is the University of Pennsylvania ’s Huntsman Program in International Studies & Business, in which participants earn a B.A. in International Studies from the School of Arts and Sciences and a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School. Some schools offer joint degrees with art schools or conservatories. For instance, Columbia and Juilliard offer a program in which students receive a bachelor of music in addition to a B.A. or BS.

Autism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Autism - Essay Example No info needed. Trends refer to events that re-occur or are in the process of changing. For example the topic might be talked about repeatedly because of new technologies or awareness of problems or solutions. Prevalence rates might be changing. Solutions might be slowly being implemented. No unfortunately I have no way to check if there were issues noted. Issues often refer to impediments to implementing solutions, such as the costs of diagnostic equipment, insurance coverage problems, resistance to change. The various sources definitely do agree with the issues and trends. The issue of autism is selected as the research topic. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a body of law which agrees with the trends and issues related to autism.  Was the law the only resource you used? The assignment was to review four specific types of articles that summarized research.   I especially find the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the book Autism and Asperger Syndrome by Uta Frith (Frith , Uta (1991) Autism and Aspergers Syndrome (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) Uta Frith is regarded by many as one of the best developmental psychologists in the UK. She’s associated with University College London’s Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience. She’s also considered an authority on the subject of autism. [Good analysis] On the other hand, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is the foremost law in the US regarding disabilities such as autism and is concerned with any type of discrimination which is based on a person’s disability.   There are a few important criteria which help me in evaluating the sources which are to be used. The first stage for a successful evaluation of sources is pre evaluation or screening of the information. Firstly, one needs to be perfectly clear what exact information one is searching for. Information can range from statistics, reasoned arguments and eyewitness reports to

Marketing Plan for Tourism Destination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Plan for Tourism Destination - Essay Example Kenya, one of the countries in East African region, has for decades now proved to be one of the world’s best tourism destinations. It is widely to be having game reserves and national parks that keep some of the world’s biggest wildlife such as wildebeests, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, hippopotamus, camels, lions, cheetahs, zebras among other numerous interesting wild animals which attract tourists. Apart from the wild animals, the country is also rich in clean and plenty of nice beaches along its coastline with nice hotels and sun bathing facilities where both international and domestic tourists prefer to spend their holidays at. The great wildebeest migration which also takes place for three consecutive months each year also happens to be one of the largest tourist attractions products in Kenya. The tourism industry of Kenya has recently largely expanded given the good and warm cordial relations that the country has with both the neighboring countries as well as other countries abroad. However, following the recent Westgate Mall terrorist attack that took place in the Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, the country’s tourism industry has largely been affected (James, 2013). This season being a high season for the tourism industry, most of the hotels currently record at most 25% their normal capacity. This is not as expected for all high seasons for tourism in this country where more hotels would be recording close to 95% their normal capacity on a daily basis. This marketing plan is therefore aimed at restructuring the Kenya’s tourism Industry and ensuring that tourists are assured of their security so that the tourism industry can recover from this big blow.

NIC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

NIC - Essay Example For this reason, I would strongly believe and concur that nursing interventions would be different for less and more experienced nurses. First, several strategies are employed in the development of a critical thought of nursing education. These strategies are essential in the attainment of high-quality nursing/clinical practice; hence, likely to be found among the more experienced nursed. Second, the nursing interventions would be different since the most experienced nurses have a high accuracy to clinical practice and would not waste time and energy in handling any case. This would ensure that minimal harm is caused to the patients, and their respective families satisfied. Third, more experienced nurses would have better nursing interventions than the less experienced ones due to the professional engagements they have undertaken. These nurses possess essential features of nursing such as the provision of caring relationships to patients; hence, facilitating health and healing (Macnee & McCabe, 2007). They also pay attention to the variety of human experiences and rejoinders that entail health or illness within the respective physical environments, and are well equipped to integrate knowledge with data assessments obtained from patient appreciations. Finally, the more experienced nurses are better at nursing interventions due to their capability to apply scientific knowledge to diagnosis and treatment processes through judgmental and critical thinking. Therefore, they have the capability to influence public and social policies towards the promotion of social justice in health institutions. The more experienced nurses are able to think critically than the less experienced ones; hence, an indication of a knowledge base from which to reason, analyze, and appraise evidence (Hughes et al.,

Are two sets of GAAP really needed for Colleges and Universities Research Paper

Are two sets of GAAP really needed for Colleges and Universities - Research Paper Example This resulted in difference in accounting procedures and financial reporting models adopted by the private institutions as compared to the public institutions which followed fund-based reporting. Later with the introduction of GASB in 1984, public institutions abandoned fund-based reporting to adopt the GASB guidance to conform to federal government directive. This has led to difference in the comparability of the financial statements where to institutions uses different rules and procedures in financial reporting (Hoyle, et al 831). The user of independent university and colleges are mainly rating agencies, donors, students, parents and federal agencies. The FASB provides for recognition of contribution, pledges, impairments and investments. These disclosures are important to the stakeholders in making decisions. On the other hand GASB does not allow for of contributed services, trusts, capitalization of software and pledges, are not necessary since the stake holders are interested in such disclosures. Therefore, the two set of GAAPs does not allow comparability between the public university and independent institutions (Ruppel 563). As delineated above both the FASB and GASB occasion disparity in display, disclosure, measurement and recognition thus challenging the comparability of financial statement. This occasions difficulties in ascertaining the transparency in financial reporting between the two similar institutions. Although both public and private universities and colleges objectives are similar, they differ on interested stakeholders who may require different disclosures to be made in the financial statements. Therefore, the financial statement and the disclosures should be tailor made to meet the need of the stakeholders. In conclusion, if the two boards could harmonize the measurements, display, disclosure and recognition of the financial reporting model and

Compare and contrast critically the views of distributive justice Essay

Compare and contrast critically the views of distributive justice presented by Rawls and by Nozick. Which is the more convincing account - Essay Example This section will attempt to highlight some of the different perspectives touching on distributive justice with regard to the two philosophers’ account of understanding. In the various perspectives, there are different positions held by the two philosophers either in the affirmative or opposition. According to Rawls, Justice for the individual tends to be overlooked for the general well being of the society. This position of understanding distributive justice therefore usually generates an egalitarian approach. Based on equitable grounds, a decision concerning separate individuals has to weigh available options on the utility that each of the actions would bring to the society. Utilitarianism guides the principle of distributive justice where the overall good for the society determines the worth of pursuing a particular course of action. Robert Nozick postulates the â€Å"original position† where all parties stand to benefit in a social decision making platform (Hendin, 2010). Inequalities are weeded out by distributing them among the society members so as to avoid some disadvantage on some while others benefit (difference principle). Nozick’s position is however a contestation and opposition of Rawls view under the two situations; difference principle and original position. In order for these provisions to hold true, ignorance must guide the society. Nozick argues that arbitrary scenarios guide the direction of the social decisions regarding distinction of persons based on their resource endowment if Rawls’ observations are true (Leif, 2008). Nozick instead argues that some form of sacrifice is involved where people willingly opt to dedicate their rights for the general good of the society. Different individuals make up the society and their rights are as well distinct from each other’s. In order for the rest to benefit from one individual, the person must be

NIC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

NIC - Essay Example For this reason, I would strongly believe and concur that nursing interventions would be different for less and more experienced nurses. First, several strategies are employed in the development of a critical thought of nursing education. These strategies are essential in the attainment of high-quality nursing/clinical practice; hence, likely to be found among the more experienced nursed. Second, the nursing interventions would be different since the most experienced nurses have a high accuracy to clinical practice and would not waste time and energy in handling any case. This would ensure that minimal harm is caused to the patients, and their respective families satisfied. Third, more experienced nurses would have better nursing interventions than the less experienced ones due to the professional engagements they have undertaken. These nurses possess essential features of nursing such as the provision of caring relationships to patients; hence, facilitating health and healing (Macnee & McCabe, 2007). They also pay attention to the variety of human experiences and rejoinders that entail health or illness within the respective physical environments, and are well equipped to integrate knowledge with data assessments obtained from patient appreciations. Finally, the more experienced nurses are better at nursing interventions due to their capability to apply scientific knowledge to diagnosis and treatment processes through judgmental and critical thinking. Therefore, they have the capability to influence public and social policies towards the promotion of social justice in health institutions. The more experienced nurses are able to think critically than the less experienced ones; hence, an indication of a knowledge base from which to reason, analyze, and appraise evidence (Hughes et al.,

Compare and contrast critically the views of distributive justice Essay

Compare and contrast critically the views of distributive justice presented by Rawls and by Nozick. Which is the more convincing account - Essay Example This section will attempt to highlight some of the different perspectives touching on distributive justice with regard to the two philosophers’ account of understanding. In the various perspectives, there are different positions held by the two philosophers either in the affirmative or opposition. According to Rawls, Justice for the individual tends to be overlooked for the general well being of the society. This position of understanding distributive justice therefore usually generates an egalitarian approach. Based on equitable grounds, a decision concerning separate individuals has to weigh available options on the utility that each of the actions would bring to the society. Utilitarianism guides the principle of distributive justice where the overall good for the society determines the worth of pursuing a particular course of action. Robert Nozick postulates the â€Å"original position† where all parties stand to benefit in a social decision making platform (Hendin, 2010). Inequalities are weeded out by distributing them among the society members so as to avoid some disadvantage on some while others benefit (difference principle). Nozick’s position is however a contestation and opposition of Rawls view under the two situations; difference principle and original position. In order for these provisions to hold true, ignorance must guide the society. Nozick argues that arbitrary scenarios guide the direction of the social decisions regarding distinction of persons based on their resource endowment if Rawls’ observations are true (Leif, 2008). Nozick instead argues that some form of sacrifice is involved where people willingly opt to dedicate their rights for the general good of the society. Different individuals make up the society and their rights are as well distinct from each other’s. In order for the rest to benefit from one individual, the person must be

A view from the bridge Essay Example for Free

A view from the bridge Essay Marco is very different to his brother Rodolfo, who is fair haired and pale, as he is dark skinned and has dark hair, so he is a typical Italian immigrant. At first, Eddie likes Marco very much as he is very strong and hard working. Another longshoreman describes Marco as a regular bull and Eddie himself says that hes a strong guy. The audience respect Marco very much as he works this hard to make money for his family, which is a very manly thing to do. He also matches Eddies ideas on what it means to be a man this way as he is working to save his family and he feels that it is his duty to do so. Eddie feels threatened by Marco because he is more masculine than he is, and this is shown when Marco lifts the chair to show that he is stronger than Eddie. Marco also shows the audience that he is more masculine than Eddie because he doesnt try to continually show his strength to the other characters like Eddie does, and when Eddie breaks the honour code by telling immigration about Marco and Rodolfo, Marco shows the audience again that he is stronger than Eddie because he wins the fight and kills Eddie. At this point the audience do not dislike Marco, even though he has killed Eddie, as Marco claims that Eddie, by telling immigration about them, has killed his wife and children, so Marco sees it as masculine to kill Eddie in retaliation to Eddie killing his family. Eddies views on masculinity, and his actions against those who are different to them, eventually lead to his own death, after he loses Catherine, Beatrice, and his name, so it could be argued that he had no choice but to fight to the death. Throughout the play, the Arthur Miller (the playwright) has carefully selected his language to make the audience view the characters exactly how he wants them to be viewed. For example, he wants us to view Eddie as a strong and caring character, although Miller has also made it clear that he has a low education. He has done this by making Eddie have poor communication skills, and Miller shows us this clearly as he cant hold an argument and he often breaks in the middle of his sentences and sometimes completely forgets what he is talking about if he is interrupted. For example, when he goes to Alfieri to see if there is anything the law can do to stop Catherine and Rodolfo marrying, every time Eddie is interrupted he has to repeat himself to remember what he is saying and he says Listen to me a minute! in frustration that he cannot communicate his ideas effectively, and Miller could have done this purposely to possibly make the audience feel sorry for Eddie towards the end of the play, possibly because he only attacked Marco because he was unable to express his feelings in any other way. Miller has intentionally contrasted Eddie with Marco and Rodolfo, as the audience gets the impression that they are competent of expressing what they think, and so Miller could also have done this purposely as well, as this could make the audience think that both Marco and Rodolfo are more masculine than Eddie because of this quality. Miller may possibly be trying to show the audience that every man shows his masculinity in one way or another, and possibly that the most important quality of all is communication, as the one character who lacks this in the play is Eddie, and the lack of this skill leads to his death. In the play A View from the Bridge the playwright Arthur Miller has shown how masculinity, and how people view it, can lead to hostility and aggression, and he has used Eddie, the protagonist, to help show these ideas to the audience. Overall, Miller has done this very effectively, as Eddies death at the end of the play shows the audience where a mans opinion and a lack of communication can end. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

Basics of collective bargaining and its effects within globalisation

Basics of collective bargaining and its effects within globalisation a. What may McDonalds have considered in order to establish their approaches to collective bargaining in both Germany and the UK? To answer the above question we first need to know about basics of collective bargaining where Collective Bargaining is defined as the process of turning disagreements into agreements in an orderly fashion. Collective bargaining is the process followed to establish a mutually agreed set of rules and decisions between unions and employers for matters relating to employment. This is a regulating process dealing with the regulation of management and conditions of employment. Collective bargaining is used as the negotiation process between employees and employers with unions acting as the representatives of employees. The entire process depends on the bargaining powers of the concerned parties. The process of collective bargaining is to settles down any conflicts regarding the conditions of employment such as wages, working hours and conditions, overtime payments, holidays, vacations, benefits, insurance benefits etc. and management regulations. Players involved in collective bargaining: Employees Management Corporate organization Unions In line with the above definition McDonalds may have considered the approach and settings of collective bargains as an important issue of employee relations. The German setting and approach McDonalds may have considered establishing their approaches to collective bargaining in Germany: The traditional collective approach to Employee Relations (ER) in German companies is deeply rooted in the particular configuration of the German Industrial Relations (IR) system. This is characterized by a high degree of regulation and a dense, encompassing institutional infrastructure that imposes a uniform set of institutional constraints on companies, but at the same time provides incentives for employers to accept institutional constraints (Lane, 1995; Soskice, 1994). McDonalds, to establish its approaches to collective bargaining this ER and IR framework may have been considered in first instance. In addition, the institutional structure is highly integrated with strong linkages, not only within the IR system, but also to the wider German businesses system. Key elements of the German model, to which the majority of German companies subscribe, are the centrally co-ordinated sector based collective bargaining system and employee representation at domestic level via the works coun cil system equipped with statutory participation and consultation rights. Food industry in Germany is not beyond this mechanism where McDonalds considerations regarding collective bargaining approach must have encompassed with statutory participation and employee consultation and codetermination rights. Indeed, German employers have to negotiate a densely structured institutional framework inside and outside the company level. The German approach to collective bargaining is also underwritten by strong labor market legislation and an elaborate welfare system. Despite growing interest in individual bargaining style direct employee involvement mechanisms, their uptake has so far been comparably modest in German companies (Sperling, 1997). Because of the wide ranging rights of information, consultation and co-determination in the German food industry, the use of individual voice mechanisms is relatively unimportant in the German setting where collective bargaining still has the paramount influence. Therefore, in the international context, McDonalds may have considered a propensity to support a collective approach to ER in their international operations by recognizing trade unions, engaging in collective bargaining and establishing strong workplace level employee representation systems. Nevertheless, the twin pressures arising for subsidiaries of McDonalds in Germany from heightened international competition and reunification, which have led to a tendency to erode some of the elements in the German system. As employers McDonalds may have considered demanding for a more flexible, deregulated and decentralized IR system, especially in relation to collective bargaining. It seems to have gradually weakened the consensus on the benefits of the traditional collective ER approach. Throughout the 1990s, a process of incremental internal reforms to the system has progressively broadened the scope for flexibility and strategic choice in companies. Yet, this has so far been accommodated within the parameters of the flexible adaptation potential of the current system in the form of regulated flexibility and centrally co-ordinated decentralisation, pointing to a path dependent trajectory of change. Emerging ER in German companies may perhaps be described as a flexible collective approach to ER. However, it seems not entirely clear at this particular juncture whether the growing pressures of international competition can be arrested in the future within the current system by the process of negotiated and consensual reforms, or whether these pressures will lead to the disintegration of the German model. In the latter case, the possible future ER approach in German companies could than no longer be described as flexible collectivism but may move towards the individualistic Anglo-Saxon approach. Indeed, trade unions and employers associations are already losing members, which starts to challenge the traditional structure of the organisational foundations of collective bargaining and hampers the achievement of unified strategies. Despite the recent reforms, there has also been a growing incidence of disorganised decentralisation, whereby employers tend to ignore the terms of collective agreements frequently in co-operation with works councils (often as a quid pro quo for safeguarding jobs). They establish pay provisions and working time arrangements which violate the collective accords, thereby contesting the adaptation potential of the system. Large German companies increasingly tend t o insert the strategic use of DFI and the threat of locational flexibility into their negotiations with works councils to secure such deals. As one of the major employers in German food industry McDonalds may have considered the above set of changing conditions. The UK Setting and the UK Approach to Employee Relations In contrast to Germany, the contemporary British system of collective bargaining is characterized by a weak regulatory framework and a thin, fragmented institutional infrastructure, which imposes relatively few barriers and constraints on labour relations practices. The fragmentation of the institutional structure goes hand in hand with weak linkages both within the IR system and in connection to the wider national business system which obviously includes food industry in the UK. Because of the relative permissiveness of the contemporary IR context, the UK seems to be a particularly suitable country for McDonalds, as subsidiary, to explore the country of origin effect in international operations, since home country approaches to ER can be transferred relatively unconstrained by host country institutional arrangements. However, to uncover the existence of possible ownership effects it is necessary to establish the differential space between the home and the host country ER approaches. Contrary to the German experience, no distinct stereotypical UK ER approach can be identified. Traditionally the cornerstone of labor relations was the pluralist workplace industrial rela tions system, which subsequently collapsed in the 1980s in the wake of the neo-liberal labor market policies under the Thatcher government. These reforms are most important issue to be considered in establishing collective bargaining approaches in the UK which have encouraged employers to dispense with collective labour relations and to individualise ER along the lines of US style HRM by end of the 1990s a collective approach to ER is no longer representative of the economy as a whole, but is increasingly confined to the public sector and a dwindling minority of private sector companies. In the private sector, trade union recognition collapsed throughout the 1980s and 1990s and with it the incidence of workplace level trade union representatives. The institution of collective bargaining dramatically declined. By 1998, two-thirds of private sector employees had their pay fixed by management decision without any union involvement. Non-union channels of interest representation, such as staff representatives of joint consultative committees (JCCs) (the weaker version of the German works councils), are relatively rare and also in decline. They have not filled the vacuum left by the dramatic decrease in union recognition and workplace level union representatives. There is large and growing representation gap in the UK and an absence of any kind of collective voice mechanism in the majority of firms. In those firms where a collective approach to ER still occurs, it takes place within a changed power balance between employers and collective labor actors and on a decentralized basis. With the retreat of the collective ER approach there has been much discussion and expectation that HRM style direct ER may become a major feature of British ER. Although direct employee involvement methods have become increasingly common among UK workplaces, various studies point to a rather ad hoc and sporadic adoption of such practices. Companies with comprehensive HRM involvement packag es are far from the norm. Furthermore, a large percentage of them tend to be firms with trade-union recognition (WERS 1998). The combination of the low incidence of a collective approach of ER and the high incidence of comprehensive HRM style employee involvement schemes found in firms with a collective ER approach, indicates that many companies have not developed a coherent alternative approach to collective labour relations, other than the unfettered reign of the management prerogative. Here, employees are neither represented by collective voice mechanisms, nor do they enjoy a comprehensive individual voice mechanism. In case of establishing McDonalds may have considered those conditions and changing mechanisms to establish their approaches to collective bargaining efficiently. National Legislation: National legislation must have been considered by the McDonalds in establishing their approached towards collective bargaining within the industry both in UK and Germany. In the UK legislation there is no specific preference regarding the mode of employee or industrial relationship for MNEs like McDonalds. So McDonalds is well known as anti-union giant in the UK and their approach towards collective bargaining is strictly negative. In Germany on the other hand, has a highly regulated industrial relations system which, in theory at least, provides considerable constraints on the employee relations practices of MNEs. As a result McDonald had to thing the statutory bindings and regulations constraints regarding approaches to collective bargaining. Codetermination and collective bargaining rights The McDonalds in case of both Germany and UK has considered these rights as a different approach. German workers enjoy a dual system of representation, collective bargaining rights and co-determination rights through the institution of the works council and the supervisory board. Together with codetermination and collective bargaining rights, these legally enforceable and constituted rights appear to provide German employees with significant power resources compared to UK employees. So McDonalds must have considered the issues of the both rights of the employees before establishing their bargaining approach. Size of Franchise: The McDonalds corporation established itself in the UK in 1974, in Germany in 1971. The corporation currently has well over 800 stores in Germany amongst approximately 65% outlets are franchisee where in there are a similar number of stores in the UK with some 20% franchisee with approximately 45,000 employees in each country. In this case being a fast-food market leader in both countries McDonalds have considered the size of franchise. The franchise aspect influence collective bargaining issues through local entity and regulations involvement. So size of franchise is also a factor that may have been considered. Unioin Membership: McDonald also may have considered Union membership. German unions are arguably better organized and have retained a position of relative strength compared to those in the UK. Union membership at McDonalds in Germany and in the German fast-food industry is very small at around 5 per cent. However, these low percentages are still higher than the percentage of union membership at McDonalds and the fast-food industry in the UK. So this issue is an important consideration in establishing Macdonalds collective bargaining approach. The increasingly anti-union climate: The increasingly anti-union climate in the 80s and early 90s has encouraged Macdonalds in the UK to withhold or withdraw union recognition, and discouraged employees from joining unions and posed difficulties for recruitment. In Germany, union membership remains at around 5 per cent at McDonalds. The findings suggest that it is only where a works council has been established where still there is better union practice than the UK. So this consideration may have been involved in planning McDonalds approach towards collective bargaining. Characteristics of Workforce and Nature of the industry: McDonalds have considered both the factors in case of both countries to design its approach towards collective bargaining. Redundancy and employee apathy: Redundancy and employee apathy amongst part-time, temporary, foreign or young workers undoubtedly play an important role in the low or non-existent levels of union membership. So this factor may have been considered in both UK and Germany. Strong corporate culture: Strong corporate cultures are seen as instilling appropriate behaviors and. This is essentially what is argued here with regard to the non-union approach of McDonalds in both the countries. McDonalds Anti-union belief: McDonalds is basically a non-union company and intends to stay that way. About unionization in the UK once McDonalds stated thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. unionization has risen its ugly head over the years, but you know, we feel that we offer a good deal to people, all kinds of ways in which we can communicate, so that if there was a problem they can bring it to management, we feel that we dont need unions. But in Germany McDonalds never been outspoken like in UK about union. Public image Macdonalds has a big public image and brand reputation which may have been considered both in the UK and Germany to establish collective bargaining approaches. Employer Associations Employer associations in Germany are stronger than UK. So the MsDonaldS approach in the UK is different from that of Germany. b. How may McDonalds have considered individual bargaining as an alternative or additional approach in both Germany and the UK? What benefits and/or problems may this have brought in both countries? Individual bargaining: Individual bargaining is the process by which an employer and an employee negotiate an ndividual contract of employment, regulating the terms and conditions of employment. Differing Approaches to Employee Relations at the Collective and Individual Level: Managing the relationships between employees and employers grows more complex and more critical every year. You need a strong relationship between employers and employees to navigate the human resource minefields of sexual harassment, employee threats of violence, equal employment opportunity, executive compensation, plant closing and relocations, and downsizing and workforce restructuring. Basically, employees have a relationship with their employer/s, and the success of this relationship influences the success of the company. Collective and Individual relations refers to two of the main types of relationship between the two parties. Individual Bargaining: Advantages The main advantage of individual bargaining is it is a single voice and thus there is no conflict in matters Another advantage of individual bargaining is that it expresses the views and opinions of one person and thus there is no compromising Individual Bargaining: Disadvantages The main disadvantage of individual bargaining is that the manager will not take a lot of notice of just one persons views or opinions and therefore nothing will happen Thus there is not a lot of chance that individual bargaining will have an influence on company decisions and policies. Collective Bargaining: Advantages The main advantage of collective bargaining is that the manager will not take a great deal of time in deciding on what action to take on an individual level. The employees have greater influence in the final decision the manager will take. There is also a chance of the employees getting what they demand. Collective Bargaining: Disadvantages The main disadvantage of collective bargaining is that it is seen as depriving the individual worker of their individual liberty and voice. The major changes in the industrial relations in UK i.e. a shift away from collective bargaining towards individual argaining were in the favour of McDonalds own strategy. The turn down in the union membership in both UK and Germany also helps McDonalds to practice the individual bargaining in their organization. Benefits: Improvement in the relationship of management and workers within the organization as it is evident from the statement of John cooke McDonalds US Labour relations chief as: We feel that we offer a good deal to people, all kinds of ways in which we can communicate, so that if there was a problem they can bring it to management. As employees are generally unaware of their rights they can take advantage of the situation to save their costs. As example is given cleaning of uniforms. And also regarding pay, performance related pay, probation and notice for redundancy, paid leave. Individual workers can never be a threat for McDonalds where there may have a chance in the existence of trade union. Disadvantages: Loss of public image in Germany that subsequently decrease their sale growth in German market. Large compensation need to provide for violating employees rights in different work place. How may the approach to collective bargaining in Germany and the UK influence employee relations for McDonalds internationally? McDonalds opposition to trade unions is now well-documented; however, the extent to which it can operate without unions or can avoid or undermine collective bargaining with unions and/or statutory works councils varies considerably in different countries and over time. Consequently the ability of national unions and their GUFs to improve pay levels and conditions of work has been limited, variable and by no means static. This is nicely illustrated by McDonalds operations in New Zealand where the corporation responded pragmatically to changes in government and labour legislation, excluding unions from and then returning to collective bargaining ahead of law reforms aimed at strengthening unions in 2000, but continued to keep unions out of its restaurants wherever possible. Attempts to regulate McDonalds employment conditions are therefore an ongoing struggle in which without pro-union labour law, unions have little chance of organising workers and even less chance of establishing collective agreements. This may come as no surprise in countries such as the and Ireland where unions have had either no success or short-lived successes in gaining union recognition only to be denied before collective agreements can be established or enforced. However, even unions located in countries with more stringent labour legislation (e.g. Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden and Norway) have had varying success in achieving some improvements in employee representation, pay and conditions of work and even where improvements have been achieved they are often under threat. Union attempts to increase the number of union-backed works councils and establish a company-level works council (Gesamtbetriebsrat) have completely failed, resulting from a number of sophisticated union-busting practices. Furthermore, despite some success in persuading McDonalds to accept collective bargaining in Germany in the late 1980s, McDonalds withdrew from collective bargaining in 2002 and has threatened to deal exclusively with a yellow union. In Denmark, where average union membership is much higher than Germany and labour law is equally stringent, McDonalds only agreed to bargain collectively after a year of conflict and boycotts involving other Danish unions and support from Finnish and Swedish unions in the late 1980s. McDonalds has tried to roll-back the basic terms of such agreements ever since. Nevertheless, in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, McDonalds workers do enjoy better conditions of work and higher pay than in other European countries and the USA itself. However, even in those countries it is very difficult to establish union representatives in the outlets, something which experience shows is essential if such collective agreements are to be properly enforced in. Despite these difficulties European unions have undoubtedly had some success in bringing McDonalds to the bargaining table, especially where sector-level bargaining is in effect compulsory and where labour law is more stringent and supportive of union rights and collective bargaining. What additional or alternative methods could support good employee relations for McDonalds? Consider the role an HR function could take? The HRM approach to employee relations can be described in terms of several prescriptions. An HRM model for employee relations focuses on a drive for commitment meaning that the focus of the organisation should be to win the trust, motivation and commitment to the organisation, participating in its development opportunities. Emphasis is on mutuality, meaning that employees share common goals, the vision and mission of the organisation. Communication within the organisation follows an established set of procedures that are agreed formally or informally and may include briefings, meetings with representatives, etc. HRM emphasises the shift from collective bargaining to individual contracts. Employee involvement is fostered and a number of techniques and approaches are followed to support their involvement. Total quality management aims at continuous improvement of quality. Another initiative is flexible working arrangements and focus on the life-work balance through harmonisation of conditions for all employees. Finally the support of employee communities of practice and team spirit are of high priority. Employee relations describe as in terms employee communication, employee involvement, employee rights and employee discipline. Armstrong has identified the elements of employee relations as follows: Formal and informal policies and practices of the organisation. The development, negotiation and application of formal systems, rules and procedures for collective bargaining, handling disputes and regulating employment. Policies and practices for employee communications. Informal and formal process regulating the interactions between managers and employees. Policies of the government, management and trade unions. A number of parties including state, management, organisations, trade unions, employees, etc. The legal framework. Institutions (e.g. ACAS) and the employment tribunals. The bargaining structures, recognition and procedural agreements enabling the formal system to operate. Employee relations processes Figure Reconciliation of interests between employers and employees According to the Industrial Relations Services there are four approaches to employee relations, namely: Adversarial meaning that employees are expected to follow the targets identified by the organisation. Traditional meaning that employees react on management proposals and directives. Partnership meaning that employees are involved in assisting the organisation and consensus is reached in decision making related to policies. Power sharing employees are involved also in daily management apart from policy making. Employee relations policies act to disseminate its preferred approach with respect to the relationship it wants to have with its employees and the empowerment of employees for certain activities. Employee relation policies cover several areas, including: Trade union recognition meaning decisions with respect to the recognition or derecognition of certain unions and preferences of the unions the organisation prefers to deal with. Collective bargaining meaning the identification of those areas that should be covered from such a negotiation. Employee relations procedures meaning procedures such as redundancy, grievance handling and disciplinary actions. Participation and involvement meaning the extent to which the organisation shares power and control with its employees. Partnership meaning the extent to which a partnership with employees is desirable. The employment relationship meaning the extent to which employment terms and conditions are controlled by collective agreements or individual contracts. Harmonisation meaning the harmonisation of terms and conditions of employment arrangements. Working arrangements meaning the extent to which unions are involved in the determination of working arrangements. Employee involvement is central to employee relations as Bratton and Gold discuss. Employee involvement can be described in terms of the form of involvement (whether it is formal or informal), the level of involvement in the organisational hierarchy and the degree of involvement. Across these three employee involvement dimensions several types of involvement can be rated from the lower ones in terms of empowerment, involvement and organisational level to the higher ones. The following situations are ranked in an ascending order in terms of all three dimensions of employee involvement: Communication -> Financial Involvement -> Problem solving groups -> Quality circles -> Cross functional teams -> Self directed teams -> Collective bargaining -> Worker directors -> Works councils. Employee involvement can be described as an involvement-commitment cycle, a communication cycle that builds an internal culture encouraging initiative, learning and creativity. The cycle consists of the following stages: Managers perceive the need for involving employees in decision making Introduce new forms, employee involvement and open communication mechanisms Greater autonomy and input into decision making Increased employee job satisfaction, motivation and commitment Improved individual and organisational performance. As a group of HR practitioners discuss different approaches to industrial relations and identify which one would be most suitable for an organisation that must resort to significant redundancies in order to survive an economic crisis and new entrants in its industry sector.