Women, Work And Public Policy Essay Example For Students

Women, Work And Public Policy Essay Gender and the market are both concepts that carry tremendous power to shape society. Indeed, these institutions are so powerful within society that they can seem invisible and immutable. Each of these influential constructs has become the lens through which a theoretical approach defines and analyzes the world: feminist theory centering on gender, and economic theory centering on the market. Such a primary focus enables each theory to function as an invaluable tool in clarifying complex interactions. On the flip side, however, such a lens can also obscure the ability to enlarge understanding beyond that initial analysis. In this way, the strength of focus can become a weakness, setting one analytical approach as exclusively paramount, and inherently discrediting other approaches. This has often been the case with the disparate economic and feminist approaches to analyzing work and gender. A synthesis of the economic and feminist approaches, however, would provide a more complex, app licable, and efficient tool than the confrontational stance that often pervades discussion. The synthesis process would begin with realizing that, although both theories are extremely valuable methods of achieving an understanding of work, gender and society, neither theory provides a complete picture. Indeed, the very fact that they are such powerful tools, with defined focuses, makes it very difficult for each paradigm to comprehend and incorporate insights foreign to its bias. Such an effective synthesis would emphasize how the focus and methodology of these two stances can be complimentary, and result in the development of a more comprehensive, flexible analytical approach. We will write a custom essay on Women, Work And Public Policy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The economic approach to society, including gender and work, focuses on the workings of an invisible hand which guides forces of supply and demand within a market constructed of aggregates. In this approach, human beings operate by a set of rational rules that are predictable, graphable, and individual. Using these behaviors, economic man weighs the opportunity costs involved in economic choices and makes decisions at the margin to maximize benefits. Deductive reasoning and empirical knowledge comprises the methodology used to explain the interactions of these market forces. Within this purely theoretical world, economics appears to hold no biases that would influence its approach to labor or gender, because it impersonally uses formal models to simply emphasize how wages influence the forces of supply and demand. Economics, however, was not designed to exist as a theoretical construct. Instead, this approach applies the lens of the market to view the intricacies of everyday life as a never-ending cycle of supply and demand interactions. This invaluable approach does demystify the causal relationships between a myriad of interconnecting labor decisions and interactions, thereby allowing people to understand reoccurring patterns and apply this knowledge to the future. The practical application of economics also, however, demonstrates that this paradigm itself does not always provide a complete picture, and therefore skews the approachs ability to efficiently analyze many aspects of how work and gender interact. Built into the theory itself is the conviction that the market forces of supply and demand are the determining forces within interactions, and that human beings consistently behave as though this was true. Although other factors, such as gender, are taken into consideration, they can only influence the primary forces and therefore occupy, at best, second place standing. This mindset is demonstrated repeatedly on every graph drawn to represent the market. Feminist theory also utilizes a dominant paradigm to interpret the millions of interactions that are constantly taking place in society. Through the lens of gender, this approach describes work and gender as value-laden social constructions with the power to define and determine the unequal power dynamics that shape lives. Within this approach no analytical inputs are neutral, impersonal, or unconnected. People are constrained by a hierarchical system that uses gender as a primary method to rank everyone according to levels of power, independence, dominance, and entitlement. Heavily relying on historical and contemporary experiences of gender and work, feminist theory details the patterns behind the construction of these institutional forces in an attempt to thoroughly analyze their power and pervasiveness. Feminist methodology uses inductive reasoning to blend these experiences into a societal definition that is often related in very personal or overtly value-laden terms. .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5 , .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5 .postImageUrl , .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5 , .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5:hover , .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5:visited , .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5:active { border:0!important; } .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5:active , .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5 .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4790403bb6a264f3e35ed11d7a405ba5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Koran and Women1 EssayBy applying the lens of gender to society, feminist theory does illuminate often disregarded patterns and outcomes of societal gender roles. These significant insights play a unique role in analyzing the development of work in society. The bias inherent in this approach, however, is that the personal is societal, and therefore a deep understanding of the personal experience of gender, and other social constructs, are the most important components when studying how gender and work interrelate in society. Other forces in society, such as the very real influence of the market forces, are often disregarded as simply constructs of the dominant hierarchy th at distract from a feminist analysis of these issues. A synthesis, therefore, would set the lenses of gender and the market as equally valuable tools in analyzing the way that gender and work shape society. Such a blending would place the market squarely in the midst of an often unrational world, realizing that theories of an unfettered market are only ideals. This new approach would also require that gender analysis not only acknowledges, but also incorporates, an awareness of the omnipresent, integral role that market forces play in shaping society. Economic man would no longer be seen as completely gender neutral, rational, or individualistic, but would still maintain a desire to maximize the benefits of the situation. A strong incorporation of gender into cost-benefit analysis would result in a greater understanding of the costs, benefits, and constraints of each opportunity, and provide for more complete marginal analyses. This approach would reflect the interconnected nature of societal forces, while still using the powerful, analytical tools of supply and demand to quantitatively demonstrate patterns. Effective deductive strategies designed to identify how wages drive the labor market would be augmented by unique inductive insights into the societal patterns behind wage development. The integration of inductive and deductive reasoning, and of empirical and experience-based knowledge would enhance the depth of analysis possible. A clearer understanding of the need for government involvement would be reached as broader definitions of market failure combined with a new appreciation for market solutions. Although the concepts of gender and the market are heavily entrenched at every level, this does not preclude the ability to influence how these institutions continue to shape society. In order to do this most effectively; however, policy makers need to utilize the most complete understanding of how gender and the market interrelate. This comprehension cannot be reached by setting the economic and feminist approaches in opposition to each other. Instead, the development of a new approach offers the possibility of policy, which can most efficiently and equitably achieve common goals.

The Differences Of the Colonys essays

The Differences Of the Colonys essays IceLand Our Not-So-Cold Friends Of The North In the spring of 1982 my company, ThermoCorp, launched a multi-billion dollar scientific project to create, and run a community of individuals brainwashed into believing they were the only surviving members of a catastrophic Amageddon. The idea was to see how long a small community of people, a central idea of government and their own infinite power source would be able to sustain peace and prosperity. After trying multiple types of governments, and innumerable power sources, weve narrowed it down to only a few. My job is to find which of the remaining will work the best. One of our remaining three government types is Parliament. And what better Parliament type to mimic than that of Iceland? It is well documented that Icelands Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, but with an extensive welfare system, low unemployment, and comparatively even distribution of income. So weve come to believe, here at ThermoCorp, that our test subjects will ultimately show similar statistics at the end of the trial period. Also noted is the head of all Icelandic government. Althingi and the President of the Republic. Althingi is comprised of 63 members, all elected for a maximum of four years. When set up in our test group, the data recorded proved to be quite fruitful. It seemed that compared to our other government types, Parliament with an association of a direct president, the elite of the group and the commoners were working together more, and economic statistics were rising. For the first 6 months of the testing period, statistics couldnt have been higher. But as the economy started to experience a halcyon, crime-rate rose and a small faction started to rebel. As more requests were given to the Pseudo-Althingi, and the true law-passing cycle came into view (which consists of bills being presented by the parliamentary committees, and the bills then g ...

CBRN Weapons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CBRN Weapons - Essay Example Moreover its usage leads to destruction of biological and physical aspects of the environment and may even cause destruction of natural reserves. Your Excellency we also have an option to develop Overly Top Attack Tank Misiles; they are the most current military weapons and can destroy a large number of enemies within a very short time. It can facilitate the take of stagnant and moving targets and has less impact of the environment. They are also not very expensive to develop. However, they can release loud explosive sounds and gases that are harmful to the environment. Our country can also invest in development of modern croddy missiles that provide proper delivery in regard to mass destruction when attacking enemies. These weapons are less expensive as compared to arsenals and OTA’s. However, they also destroy the environment through production of excessive latent heat and explosions. Lastly, we can also explore Chemicals, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear options of military attacks. This can include the use of biological pathogens such as disease causing pathogens during war or the use of Nuclear weapons to attack enemies. These methods are lethal and are usually associated with massive environmental destruction. Your Honour, taking these options into consideration, it is crucial that our country focus on the development of Overly Top Attack Tanks that are basically less expensive to develop and have less effects on the environment as compared to other options. Overly Top Attack tanks can deliver excellent results owing to the fact that they are usually used to attack specific targets. This makes them less destructive to the environment. The essence of their relatively lower cost of development is also important especially to an average economy like

Budgeting Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Budgeting Process - Essay Example Due to increasing industrialisation the environmental problems are also increasing, it is affecting the climate, bio-diversity and the ecosystem of the planet. Therefore there is an immediate need of budget modernisation for sustainable development. If it's not achieved then it might have adverse effects on shareholders values because firms neglecting the rules may be closed or fined severely. b) Feasibility study is an important phase in the development process. It enables the developer to have an assessment of the product being developed. It refers to the feasibility study of the product in terms of outcomes of the product, operational use and technical support required for implementing it. c) According to consumer modernisation the solution to some sort of crisis can be found in more production, more modernity and more industrialisation. Rather than more production consumer modernization purports on different industrialisation and production. This is termed as more -as-different approach. In the present markets the production is more that result in the increase in economy and thus maintaining overall consumption low and sustainable. Thus we could say that consumption is dematerialised. Though the present world is turning towards e shopping still some of us like to prefer the old ways of purchasing things like jewellery, cars, etc. d) Let's take the case of United Kingdom and its... Unemployment was on rise and there was no perfect system to maintain law and order between the EU countries. There was chaos all the time. The post war era was the beginning of expansion in the trade sector. The benefits do not come that easily. Treating those who hurt by trade, equitably a difficult public policy issue. The important issues that were to deal with are controlling the rapid growth of trade deficit, high inflation rate and soaring prices of crude oil. The post war era has seen a rapid expansion in trade and accordingly the economic and political structure has experienced steady and substantial growth. Gaining profits from trade depends on individual economic behaviour. Instead of building own automobiles, manufacturing own goods, producing own food, it is better to manufacture goods in which they have specialisation and trade them for other goods that are required. This thought made the UK a leading exporting country in international trade. The most surprising thing is that the total UK imports amount to only about 12 percent of the country's GDP. International trade brings rich dividends and imposing restrictions to such exchanges will hinder the further improvement and in realising the true gains from trade. Protectionism is the factor that's becoming hindrance to international trade. e) In the context of budget process jobs were created and destroyed as well. Creation and destruction of jobs depends on comparative advantages and disadvantages. Cutting of jobs does not have any net loss on the economy further more it improves the living standard and raises the economy. It is known truth that international trade has positive and negative effects. The wages

Effects of tourism on economic growth in China Research Paper

Effects of tourism on economic growth in China - Research Paper Example A huge increase in the amount of expenditure from foreign tourists with an average of average of 19.7% in each year was recorded between 1978 and 2001. For this reason, the World Tourism Organization had expected that China would have been the primary tourist destination in the world by 2010 (Yan & Wall 260). Currently, it is speculated that, by the year 2015, China will become the second largest travel and tourism economy in the world after the United States. The main factors influencing the tremendous growth in China’s economy include its flourishing and widely considered growth in the tourism industry. This is also because of the open policy established by the Chinese, and an increased number of flights between China and other countries in the world. Moreover, various great improvements such as the transport infrastructure in China, accommodation in hotels and the increased tourist attractions have significantly contributed to this growth. One of the major theories in macro economics is the economic growth theory. Through the use of quantitative analysis, it has been shown that the effect of tourism on the developing economy of China bearing in mind the undeveloped levels of their tourism industry, tourism plays a significant role in the development of the country’s economy. In the conclusion of their 1992 study, Yan and Wall (270) noted that both domestic and international tourism only had a slight impact on the national level. This is with regards to the diversity and size of the economy in China. Using the traditional Type I Input-output model, they did not include the impacts of domestic tourism. Contrary to the use of outdated data in this case, the World Travel and Tourism council has recently projected the indirect and direct effects of domestic and...In this paper, the effect of tourism on the economic growth in China will be thoroughly evaluated, as the impact of tourism in China has not been sufficiently analyzed, prior to the time of the conducted analysis. The size of tourism in China has significantly increased. A significant and sustainable growth has been experienced in China consequent to both domestic and international tourism for the past 20 years. With this, the ratio of tourism to the GDP in the country has been shown to increase every year. Through the creation of the social accounting matrix, the type II input-output model was developed. This model contends that high percentage of total household income, GDP, and total Chinese employment depends on the expenditures of international tourism. The variation displayed by the percentages is clearly explained by the sectoral make up of tourist expenditures, as well as the sectoral variations in ratios between capital and labor, backward linkages and labor productivity. The designation of an account as either endogenous or exogenous is the most fundamental step towards movement from SAM to a model structure. According to Bulmer-Thomas, the Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) plays an essential role in making accounting records for different economies An investigation was performed on the dependence of Chinese economy on the expenditure by tourists. It was necessary to integrate the IO impact Model with the demand for endogenous consumption that is based on the SAM model. These instruments were used to estimate the â€Å"direct, indirect and induced dependence† that the Chinese economy has on the international tourism. The impact of international tourism in China displays a lot of prospects for Chinese economy

Leadership Styles in Operations Department

Leadership Styles in Operations Department Introduction. This assignment is aimed at evaluating the leadership styles within the operations department of Robert Wiseman Sons Ltd and determining if senior managers are performing more as managers or leaders. These evaluations will also be assessed to determine if the Managers styles and behaviours maybe impacting on succession planning. In the Last Ten years Robert Wiseman and Sons Ltd (RWD) have delivered excellent growth in sales volume and financial turnover, to cope with this increased demand within the last 3 years alone they have built 1 production facility and 3 distribution sites as well as purchasing 2 combined production and distribution facilities, the following vacancies exist currently across the 22 sites for the following key roles, 4 Quality Managers, 2 Shift Managers, 2 Engineering Managers, 2 Manufacturing Managers, 2 Regional Quality Managers (RQM), 1 Group Continous Improvement Manager and 2 Regional Operations Managers (ROM).The Manufacturing Managers. RQMs and ROMs roles are new positions however arguably the skill set required to fulfil these positions could and should be developed internally. See Appendix 1 and 2 for relevant company organograms As well as the current vacancies, 5 of the last 8 Site managers vacancies have been filled with external managers or managers who had less than 2 years experience within RWD. The Quality manager and Engineering Manager Vacancies are as a result of employees leaving for other positions out with RWD. Given the phenomenal growth over the last 5 years in particular it is feasible to assume that this is the reason for the vacancies and lack of internal candidates with the skills and knowledge to fulfil them, however this assignment will evaluate the general way that the senior management team are performing, the predominant styles of this team and the assumptions they have regarding followers. This all will be summarised in a way that allows conclusions to be drawn on whether the business growth alone is responsible for the lack of developed leaders or wwehetehr thare are opportunities for the senior team to be developed and or change their style and approach to allow more efficient leadership development and as a result improved succession planning. The Literature review (1100 words): There is no single best â€Å"formula† for developing leaders, in fact leadership development is a complex subject with many factors to be considered. Reviewing the literature I have identified some elements that are likely to impact on leadership development for instance the conscious effort the organisation puts into identifying leaders, the type of work that leaders are expected to perform, what the leaders within the organisation think motivates followers, and the dominant leadership styles within the senior management team. All of these to varying degrees affect the development of leaders of the future. Table 1 represents the theories and models I have explored in more detail. Leadership Models Styles Model/Theory Behaviour Leadership Styles Zaleznik, A 1977 Managers Leaders: Are they Different? Kotter, John P 2001 What leaders really do? Blake Mouton: Initiating structure / consideration The leadership of production through people Autocratic / Democratic Hersey Blanchard : Situational Leadership Concern for people / Concern for tasks Directing/Coaching/Supporting/Delegating Macgregor: Theory X Theory Y What managers assume about followers. Autocratic to Democratic Bass: Transactional Tranformational Leadership Autocratic/// to Participative Table 1 There are different strategies that can be adopted to encourage the development of leaders of the future (Zaleznik, 1977), some companies that are successful at developing leaders use different approaches and one successful way to develop leaders is to assign Senior executives as mentors to Junior executives, this approach provides the budding leaders with direct contact to an influential leader within the organisation, access to the experienced leaders knowledge and opinions in a safe and risk free environment. This also allows the opportunity for the senior executive to practise and develop their mentoring skills, a crucial skill that all leaders should be able to practise. Kotter, J (Kotter, 2001), clearly defines the difference between leaders and managers in that Leaders, identify the need for change, create a vision to mobilise and align the organisation and inspire and motive the followers within the organisation to achieve the vision, where as managers create the plan to deliver the vision, set objectives to monitor progress, create procedures and processes to train the people, achieve the objectives and monitor the plan for deviations and problem solve to bring the plan back on track. Given that if leaders are being effective and followers are truly inspired and motivated this could result in not only the achievement of the work but also followers willingness to accept more responsibility and have higher levels of engagement that if properly identified could highlight followers with the necessary talent to become leaders themselves. (Blake and Mouton, 1967) theory of Initiating structure, how much value and effort the managers places on achieving the tasks that will increase production levels and thus profit, and Consideration, the amount of emphasis and effort the manager exerts in meeting the needs and expectations of the individuals. Managers styles can be evaluated using the Blake Mouton leadership grid. The grid categorises managers styles into one of five different types ranging from 1.1 (the impoverished manager who has little concern for production or people) through 9.1 (the authority compliance manager, who has high concern for task completion and production, with little concerns for the needs of the individuals) to 9.9 (the Team manager, who has both high concern for task completion and high concern for the expectations and needs of the individual). 9.1 Managers would be categorised as having an Autocratic leadership style with 9.9 type managers practising a more Democratic leadership style. (Blake a nd Mouton, 1967) state that there is a 3rd dimension to the grid that looks at the managers resistant to change and highlights that managers dominant styles can change under stress or pressure if the manager has a low resistance to change, i.e. a Democratic 9.9 type manager can change to be more Autocratic 9.1 when faced with stressful or pressure situations. This theory is important in my investigation as it relates to the managers attitudes towards the followers and how that attitude may or may not encourage followers to develop. Hersey Blanchard (Blanchard and Hersey, 1996), life Cycle theory which was later renamed as Situational leadership theory suggests that to achieve the task it is necessary for the leader to apply different leadership styles depending on the situation, the attitude and abilities of the followers and the type of tasks or jobs to be performed. This theory also allows for the leadership styles to be practised to develop followers to achieve the task and as the followers develop then it allows for different styles of leadership to be used to support their continued development. Using these styles of leadership are important when relating them to employee development particularly if the leaders are consciously aware of this theory and are purposely applying the appropriate leadership style with the aim of developing the followers whilst achieving the tasks. Macgregor Theory X Theory Y, describes the assumptions that managers have about people, this affects how the manager behaves towards the employees. If the manager has assumptions based on theory X he is likely to apply a more Autocratic leadership style as his assumptions will be negative towards the employee, he will assume that employees will only deliver performance expectations if they are pushed and controlled and that they have little to offer in terms of creativity or initiative. By contrast managers who have assumptions based on Theory Y which is the opposite of theory X assumptions will encourage employees to take responsibility, work autonomously, and participate in solving business problems and deliver higher than expected performance. Managers with theory Y assumptions will be more likely to apply a Democratic or Participative leadership style. Manager assumptions may also create the Pygmalion affect Kopelman (ADD CITATION), if the manager has high expectations of employ ees ability to deliver high levels of performance then he behaves in a manner that will encourage and support these feelings, this then positively affects the followers attitude and they will try and respond in kind. However this also applies to theory X assumptions in that the employees may only deliver the managers expectations and thus if those expectations assume low performance levels then the employees may deliver just that. Macgregors theory is an important aspect in relation to developing leaders as theory X type behaviours and the subsequent leadership style applied are likely to result in lower levels of motivation as defined by Maslows hierarchy of needs where as leadership styles rooted in theory Y assumptions will open up the possibility of higher levels of employee motivation perhaps for employees to achieve self actualisation and thus deliver their potential, this potential may result in the employees becoming leaders themselves. BM Bass , Transactional leadership (Add CITATION) , is a relationship between the leaders and followers which is based on a transaction, the manager provides, pay and rewards such as promotion or favourable working conditions in return for the follower delivering satisfactory levels of performance. This style of leadership is unlikely to produce anything other than average performance levels, particularly if the manager only interacts with the followers if performance levels or standards arent achieved. Transformational leadership by contrast requires leaders to inspire followers by creating a vision, applying a charismatic style and good communication skills to engage and inspire followers to achieve performance levels in excess of expectations. This style also calls for leaders to build relationships with followers as individuals and have genuine concerns for their well being and development. If Transformational leadership is practised properly then the organisation will benefit fr om greater performance levels, obtained by having followers whos effort is far greater than they are contractually obligated to provide, as well as creating an organisational culture that encourages individuals to be developed to allow them the opportunity to fulfil their potential, this may also result in the followers becoming leaders. Findings In the following section I will present general background about Robert Wiseman Sons Ltd (the company) including its origins, geographical coverage, annual turnover and annual sales. The section will also cover the methods I used to gather my information, including techniques, sources and the outcome of my investigation. Robert Wiseman Dairies is a UK based liquid milk processing company, established in 1947 in East Kilbride, just outside Glasgow in Scotland. Founded by Robert Wiseman Senior, the business increased in size and profitability when Robert SNRs two oldest sons, Alan and Robert Jnr took control of the company. The business was floated on the stock market in 1994; however Alan Robert remain the majority share holders. The company employs 4700 employees, has 22 sites based throughout the UK ranging from Keith in the north of Scotland to Pensilva in the south of England. The 22 sites consist of 7 production facilities (Dairies) of which 2 are combined Dairies and distribution depots, 14 Distribution depots and 1 milk reload site. The company deliver product to customers throughout the whole of the UK. To obtain my evidence I interviewed 9 different leaders from within the Operations department, 2 Operational board members ,4 group or regional managers (responsibility for multiple sites) 3 Site managers. These individuals were chosen for their long length of service and seniority within the organisation, this seniority allows for the ability to develop managers to fill senior positions. The average age of the senior managers is 47years old, with an average length of service of 20 years ,and an average length of time in a senior postiton, Site manager or above of 11 years, this ranged from 4 years to 16years. The interview consisted of a question and answer section, the questionnaire was created by myself and focused on trying to identify leadership or management tasks along with questions regarding different leadership theories and 3 leadership style questionnaires, Blake and Mouton Leadership grid sourced from the internet, Macgregors assumptions about people questionnaire sourced from the Manufacturing institute along with a task-Person Leadership questionnaire also sourced from the Manufacturing institute. Using the companys automated library I obtained a copy of the company mission statement along with the personal development plans (PDPs) for most salaried staff, these PDPs were created in 2003 and have not been used for managers development for the last 5 years. No written or communicated company vision exists. Company Mission Statement: Be the recognised supplier of choice to the fresh liquid milk market Understand Customers needs Deliver the highest quality products Build a culture of continuous improvement Be the best fresh liquid milk processors and suppliers. Leadership or Management: Vision Creation, Communication and Organisational alignment: I began the questionnaire by asking each of the senior managers what they did in their job, half of the individuals mentioned that a large proportion of their time was either spent fire fighting or getting the product to the customers. The majority mentioned the need to achieve targets and objectives as well as looking for opportunities for continuous improvement all with a short term view. Only one of the Leaders suggested that they took a strategic view of the company direction as well as keeping abreast of the company competitors and world class organisations through benchmarking. At first I was interested that no one mentioned communicating the company vision or aligning their depts. to achieve the vision which led me onto my next question: Does the company have a vision? All of the leaders confirmed there is no documented vision with only two of the leaders able to confirm that the company actually had a vision, this currently is only discussed informally at board level. The remaining leaders had a guess at what they thought the vision was with 7 different visions being proposed. In response to my next question, do you have a vision for your dept or site? The majority of the senior managers did have a vision however they were on the whole not directly linked with the company vision, they were not aligned with each others vision and either had not been communicated at all or discussed only with each of their senior teams. None of the senior managers had communicated their vision with each other. Succession planning Mentoring. To establish if the senior team spent time on identifying the leaders of the future and their successors I began with the following question, do you identify the leaders of the future for your area? 2 of the team responded that they do identify future leaders within their area and had informal discussions regarding their development. The others either did not actively or specifically seek out future leaders for their areas. My next questions was, do you mentor any junior member of your team or any other team? 2 of the team are official mentors to junior employees; this is as a result of a new initiative that RWD is involved in where they are sponsoring employees through a foundation degree in Dairy technology. No other senior manager is currently participating in an official mentor/mentoree relationship, several of the team felt that they were unofficially mentoring at least 1 junior member of their team or had done in the past however in general this had not been communicated with the mentoree and was not structured in any way I then asked, is there any obligation on you from anywhere to develop your successor? All answered that there was no official or direct expectation from the organisation that they identify and develop their successors, some felt that they where personally obliged to identify their successors, all felt that they should be obligated to develop their successors. The majority of the interviewees felt that they would be happy to accept an agreed objective with their line managers to identify and develop their successors and some of the interviewees had recognised individuals within their teams who had potential to develop into their successors. No one had agreed formal development plans with these individuals. Most of the interviewees had recently been involved in or been given objectives to create a new competency framework for certain key roles. These documents are to be progressed to allow gap analysiss to be performed with individuals and these would then generate Personal development plans. So whilst there has been little or any use of PDPs for the last 5 years the company have recognised this and are acting to improve the situation. Leadership Styles: Using the Blake Mouton leadership grid questionnaire all the senior team where evaluated, two of the team emerging as Authoritarian and the, majority emerged as Team Leaders based on their answers. The results ranged from 4.6 to 7.6 for consideration for people, with consideration for task ranging from 5.2 to 8.2. This indicates that with regards to consideration of people versus consideration for task completion there is no strong bias, however the majority of the results are closer to the 5.5 middle of the road manager style which may only result in adequate performance results a. If the aim is to have high performing teams producing high performance then there is an opportunity for improvement. Insert BM Grid. To investigate whether the senior management teams assumptions about people are impacting on their leadership styles and thereforemaybe impacing on developing leaders each manager completed an assumptions about people questionnaire to establish where they fit on Macgregors theory X and Y concept. The average results where 21 for Theory X, individual results varied from 9 to 34. Average results for Theory Y were 79. Individual results ranged from 66 to 91. In general the senior teams assumptions about people are generally positive, this allows for the possibility of the team influencing higher levels of motivations within their within their followers Discussion (1100 words) Format it/write it and re read it many times. This section ties together the whole assignment!!!!!!!!!!, needs to show my ability to link theory with the real world CHECK THE TOP TIPS FOR THIS AS IT IS DIFFICULT. Conclusion and recommendations   One way of improving the development and performance of followers is to apply a more transformational leadership style approach within the organisations. This approach has proven to some extent to improve the motivation, and empowerment and thus the performance (Avolio,Eden Shamir) ADD ENDNOTE CITATION) of followers. Providing training to the senior management team within operations beginning with the Top MANAGEMENT TEAM Supply chain director, GOMs ROMs and to Site Mgrs on transformational leadership to expand the knowledge of the team may help to engage the leaders more in leaders activities as oppose to management activities. The implications and cost of this approach would need to be reviewed and agreed before commencing this approach. BLAKE, R. R. MOUTON, J. S. 1967. MANAGERIAL GRID IN 3 DIMENSIONS. Training and Development Journal, 21, 2-5. BLANCHARD, K. H. HERSEY, P. 1996. Life-cycle theory of leadership. Training Development, 50, 42-47. KOTTER, J. P. 2001. What Leaders Really Do. Harvard Business Review, 79, 85-96. ZALEZNIK, A. 1977. Managers and leaders: Are they different? Harvard Business Review, 55, 12.

Defining Respect :: Definition Respect Respecting Essays

"(What you want Baby, I got What you need Do you know I got it? All I'm askin' Is for a little respect when you come home (just a little bit) Hey baby (just a little bit) when you get home (just a little bit) mister (just a little bit) " Lyrics from the song, "Respect" by Aretha Franklin In three seperate dictionaries, respect is defined as a regard for or appreciation of the worth or value of someone or something. In my opinion, respect goes far beyond this definition. Respect is the cornerstone of the society in which we live. Although many look at respect as simply treating another person or thing with kindness, this word has many different aspects. For instance, I would not give an elder the same type of respect that I would give my peers or myself. Respect is not considered a neccessity in this world but, I can’t imagine a person getting very far in life without this virtue. Self-respect is probably the most important value for a person. It is said that in order to earn the respect of others, a person needs to learn to treat oneself with respect. I think that self-respect has a lot to do with one’s self-esteem. Self-esteem is an opinion of one’s own worth. For example, a girl that sleeps around will probably earn the reputation of a slut or a tramp. In reality, she is coping with the stresses of a low self-esteem.

Managing Workplace Safety and Health

Nowadays, there are so many countries that have a problem with the employment of their citizens. The government of some countries can not manage to provide them with the jobs that would help them finance their living and their needs. The lack of job opportunities enables stagnation of the potential of the people thus disables the manpower of a certain country to grow and develop. Clearly, there are also so many problems that arise with this very serious unemployment.First, the resources of the country might not be used into its fullest since there are no funds for the farming or whatever job that do not require much machines or infrastructures, like with the farms and forests. Secondly, the population can increase unreasonably since people who might be just spending their time enjoying the dominion that God has permitted us with, to spread the good news and to multiply and recreate. Third, the people in a certain country might want to have a strike for their officials who do not have that potential to provide them what they need in their lives and that is to suffice the need to eat, by which I can recall as one of the primary needs of a person. Thus, this situation may lead to war making the country unfit for peaceful living.Speaking of War, we all know that Iraq is a place where some atrocities and turmoil is present because of the terrorism issue that other countries accuse them. The war has already damaged a lot of natural resources and even killed a thousand lives, whether Iraqi or other people with different nationalities that worked in Iraq. Those people who just wanted to earn something to provide their family financial support, those who already have the potentials and risked their fate by trusting that they will be safe in Iraq, were unlucky to have killed brutally by the guns and bombs that the war have given.The unemployment that is mentioned above is also a way why such people were killed in this country. Those countries that do not have enough slot s for their people tend to send those unemployed to Iraq to find money; hence what they can find is death. Their willingness to sacrifice for their families is equaled by the threats that they might encounter upon arriving at the country that could make them be drained, drained emotionally and even physically.Part of this paper is to analyze how the HR Managers treat this kind of situation aside from the fact that there are hundreds and thousands of unemployed citizens. Do they really intend to help these persons and their families or they are just for the benefit of their commissions given that those companies in Iraq, or their companies that have other bases or branch in Iraq pay double or triple times the price of a normal salary in a peaceful country? There were analyses on how these people deal with the situation given that there are really many things that are being risked in this country, Iraq.The first question goes on how the HR’s are being influenced for this kind o f risking. I think, aside from the fact that working abroad is something really adventurous to most people in the world, it is the deal that goes with the case, that is someone will have to work in Iraq and he/she will be provided of certain benefits that will encourage even his/her family to support that endeavor.There could be lots of offers that they may put into their contracts upon the acceptance of the application of those apprentices. Having so many bombings, it is not a joke to really invest one of your feet just for the sake of money, which is also one of the motivations of the HR managers that they too are risking their credibility to people who might want to work for their company. From the article of Susman saying that there really are bombings in Iraq, there are already so many warnings for the people who would want to give their best shots in Iraq. They will be heroes if they will be killed because of their loving hearts for their families.Giving the unemployed jobs in Iraq might also be a way to decrease the number of populations residing on an overpopulated country, with that intention of course that is hidden by the administration. If this is to be transferred, I think, some Hr managers can just gather these people who want to work in Iraq for big money and just give them something more difficult than letting them face the mask of death and even the haunting black man carrying a knife or a sword. Here, we can say that there are still ways to make them safe of the trouble of the war, that is to wait until the issue between Iraq and the other countries fade. As with the article of Whitaker, there was a military man who will have punishments for being the cause of fatalities with some women and children in Iraq.In my point of view, the danger of risking someone else’s life with the kind of wage the HR Managers are promising their employees is not worth the existence of those beings. It is very difficult to raise a child and give him/her th e education that he/she opt to have at their young age. Those people would always want to have something to apply their education and for the unfortunate who resides on countries with scarcity of jobs in turn be working on a country that promises only threats to their emotional and physical beings.Perhaps it can strengthen the spiritual aspects of that person that they will be able to call the Father Almighty every now and then to protect them with the harms not only the war can give them but by their bosses who might be influenced by the present turmoil in Iraq. I think, the benefits they will be getting in working in Iraq shall just be placed in funds that will enable that state or country make or build establishments that will provide them the money they need. Sometimes, courage is not measured by facing the most scary things in life but by looking for ways to solve the different struggles we encounter every day no matter how easy or complicated they are.

Performance Management Essay

1. Summarize the seven (7) components of the framework for coaching and performances management, and identify which ones you require development in and why. The seven components of the frame work for coaching and performance management are the coaching relationship, insight, motivation, capabilities, real-world practice, accountability, and organizational context. The first and most important step in the performance management process is to communicate what is expected. The should also be identifications of any job related learning needs and possible ways to address these needs. There also needs to be a performance review periodically to make sure that job expectations are relevant and appropriate and revise them if needed. Managers are encouraged to do this jointly with their employees which observing and documenting their performance. Throughout the performance management cycle, you should observe your employees’ performance and identify instances of both good and poor performance. Specific events and details are important for employees to clearly understand the impact, results, and consequences of their performance. Thorough documentation will enable you to recognize good performance and help you to correct poor performance. Provide feedback you should provide frequent feedback and coaching to your employees regarding performance throughout the year. This is especially important for the employee who is performing poorly. To be effective, feedback needs to be immediate, specific, and expressed in relation to a particular outcome and expectation. Deal With Performance That Does Not Meet Expectations. You may wish to enlist the support of your manager. He/she can give you the benefit of his or her experience and provide input and support before proceeding. Also, you can use the services of your Human Resources or Labor Relations Components especially if you are contemplating disciplinary action. They will provide the procedural and regulatory guidance as well as assistance in looking at alternatives and providing resources, intervention strategies, and other support.† (Public service commission) 2. Evaluate the validity of each of the reasons provided for failure in performance management. The reasons provided for failure in performance management versus performance appraisal discipline gap, accountability, measurement scarcity or overload, lack of balance and failure to assess impact. â€Å"There are two primary purposes of performance appraisal: evaluative and developmental. The evaluative purpose is intended to inform people of their performance standing. The collected performance data are frequently used to reward high performance and to punish poor performance.† (Smither, 2009) The developmental purpose is intended to identify problems in employees performing the assigned task. The collected performance data are used to provide necessary skill training or professional development. â€Å"The purpose of performance appraisal must be clearly communicated both to raters and rates, because their reactions to the appraisal process are significantly different depending on the intended purpose. Failure to inform about the purpose or misleading information about the purpose may result in inaccurate and biased appraisal reports.† (Cascio, 1998) 3. Identify two (2) of the barriers of success that are evident in preventing successful execution of performance management in a company you know well and recommend a solution to the problems. If you have not worked with or for a company that evaluates employee performance through performance management, imagine what the problems would be based on your knowledge of the company. Be sure to provide your rationale. Future scenarios allow organizations to explore multiple potential futures and generate robust strategies and early warning signs to understand how the future is unfolding. Where a vision articulates a â€Å"preferred future,† future scenarios describe how an organization might achieve its mission in different circumstances or environments. Organizations identify a focal issue or major decision the organization faces and the critical uncertainties in the macro environment, such as social, economic, political, environmental, and technical forces. Scenarios are developed based on combinations of these forces and robust strategies are identified to address multiple futures. Finally, indicators are identified to help understand how the future is affecting the organization’s decisions. In-order to fully understand the rationale past, present, and future analysis would have to be done on different work environments in-order to generally process the full computation of how and HR performance management society would work to stay in constant communication with the employee’s skill set.

Genetically Modified Food

Genetically Modified Food Introduction There is increasing debate regarding the likely benefits of modern biotechnology, and particularly of genetically modified food in assisting to attain society’s development and food security goals.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Genetically Modified Food specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The challenge facing decision makers is to understand what the technology can achieve, or has achieved elsewhere and to identify what prospects the technology presents to society (Jones, 2011). There are three key concerns. First, whether or not genetically modified food provides a sustainable food security alternative; second, what the inferences are of genetically modified food for bio-safety in addition to for human safety and health; and third, the level of current society capability of undertaking research, and efficiently track and assess genetically modified (GM) food and the role that such food plays in ou r society (Scoones, 2009). Genetic modification methods enable new features to be initiated into microorganisms, livestock and crops. These techniques can be utilized to enhance productivity in addition to their capability of resisting a number of diseases. Genetic adaptation is being utilized in the wildlife field with a view of creating disease tolerance, wood quality characteristics and herbicide tolerance (Lesley, 2010). Hence, genetically modified food is frequently viewed as the solution to food shortages. However, attaining food sufficiency is about more than simply ensuring crop productivity (Jones, 2011). There is significant ambiguity regarding the influence on human and environmental wellbeing, and as well whether GM food will offer a sustainable alternative to food issues. This paper focuses entirely on the role that genetically modified food plays in our society and its environmental implications. Role of genetically modified (GM) food As resources for public industry r esearch reduce, and the aspects that enhance private industry establishment and desires turn out to be rooted in international governance approaches, the growth of genetically modified technology and application appears definite.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The challenge for decision makers is that of responding to this indecision regarding the comparative chances and risks posed by genetically modified food: the challenge is whether to accept these novel technologies and face criticism for lack of safety measure, or to call for comprehensive research of likely threats and face criticism for not succeeding to act swiftly (Malatesta, 2008). There are concerns regarding the genetically modified crops being developed. The aim of the developers of nutritionally improved varieties is that of distributing these crops broadly in developing nations. Population growth in s uch nations creates an enormous dilemma not only to food security but also to nutrition security, with 94% of world population anticipated to happen in the developing nations (Lesley, 2010). Accordingly people have to ask: could such advancements in food sector be a promising method of improving the wellbeing of millions of people globally? The following are the roles played by genetically modified food in the society. Food security There are critical variations between the forms of genetically modified crops that are being integrated into developing and developed nations. In developing nations, genetically modified crops would be nutritionally improved and would be utilized in ensuring the people are getting sufficient nutrients, rather than being focused on growing outputs. In developed world, genetically modified crops have been generated to benefit developed nations and to increase the commercial value of specific product like tomatoes that have been engineered for controlled ma turing (Lesley, 2010). In the past decade, macronutrient deficiency has been recognized as the main cause of various health issues in developing nations. Around the globe, over one billion individuals do not get adequate vital nutrients and minerals and are considered underweight. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has approximated that 14% of the total population do not have access to a sufficient quantity of food, with less than billion being undernourished. Three in seven children are malnourished and 40% have delayed growth.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Genetically Modified Food specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is powerful proof that the key insufficiencies are zinc, iron and vitamins. More than two billion individuals are iron deficient; worldwide, over 116,000 maternal deaths each year are associated with malnutrition (Jones, 2011). Solution to malnutrition One alternative that has indicated promise entails nutritionally enhanced food. It as well has the capability to be used as an instrument for enhancing the growth and nutritional value of the staple crops that make up the main food in various developing nations. The International Service for the Acquisition of Biotechnology Applications (ISABA) is a nonprofit global agency that creates awareness among shareholders on the advantages of biotechnology in improving the level of living for people in developing world (Seshia, 2009). Genetically modified food can enhance the nutritional value of the staple food that lacks some: micronutrients like iron; macronutrients like amino acids; and vitamins like vitamin A. Such a technology could enable individuals in developing world to get a more balanced meal. There are some staple crops that are being technologically engineered or are in development. For example, rice is a significant staple for numerous individuals around the globe, making up 81% of the daily con sumption of 50% of the globe’s population. Rice is an elevated energy giving food, but it has nutrient shortages and is not a sufficient source of vitamin A. Genetically modified rice could be an alternative for people that are lacking vitamin A (Jones, 2011). Chronic diseases The utilization of genetically modified food in developing world could lower the level of chronic diseases by enhancing nutritional content. Genetically modified food could reduce underweight, with small improvements in the cognitive capability, hence lowering an individual’s capability of working.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The cost of food directly influences an outsized percentage of the population. Genetically modified food would enable people to utilize less pesticide, therefore aiding the environment, lowering productivity investments and making farming less labor intensive. This would, in turn, lower the price for consumers (Malatesta, 2008). Environmental implications Threat evaluation is linked to how to analyze, control or prevent harmful forces originating from the doubtful traits of GM food and processes. To be efficient, these evaluations require tackling all merits and demerits, and not being limited to economic costs and profitability. It needs to tackle immediate and future benefits and costs, in addition to opportunity costs like the impact on the environment. Field tests and how GM crops react in situations similar to those following actual release are an important process in the analysis procedure, enabling food developers to deal with challenges cropping up. They play a critical task to identify threats and create a chance for alleviation and modification before full release (Jones, 2011). Most national threat study models aim at threat-benefit evaluations that are based on financial cost-benefit kind investigation. Generally, they utilize constricted technological approaches, which aim at the features of the system and the resultant GM organism, the appearance and characteristics of the GM food and the physical traits of the recipient environment (Malatesta, 2008). Increased utilization of herbicide-resistant genetically modified crops may create fresh threats for environmental wellbeing. For instance, glyphosate is a key chemical of genetically modified crops and is now the world’s best selling herbicide. Because of the introduction of genetically engineered crops, environmental implication of the chemical is anticipated to increase. However, there is powerful proof that this formulation contains chemicals that are severely harmful to the environment ( Lesley, 2010). There are also fresh environmental threats from genetically modified food. The environmental implications of such therapies are largely known. On the other hand, the inclusion of genes from one crop into another may cause environmental impacts, particularly where users are not knowledgeable concerning the origins of such crops (Jones, 2011). Conclusion Creating a sustainable policy that guarantees food security, does not cause harm to the biodiversity or environment, and enhances human health has to be a priority for developing world. Developing countries are faced with the choice of whether genetically modified food can be a solution to food security, and if so, how to manage the threats and implications related to GM technology. To evaluate the alternatives, developing world needs to take into account the likely gains from potential output benefits and a reduction of the need for chemical utilization against the environmental implications. References Jones, M. (2011 ). Key challenges for technological development and agricultural research in Africa. IDS Bulletin, 36(2), 46-51. Lesley, H. (2010). Factors determining the public understanding of GM technologies. Biotechnology, 6(1), 1–8. Malatesta, M. (2008). A long-term study on female mice fed on a genetically modified soybean: effects on liver ageing. Chemical Cell Biology, 130(5), 967-77. Scoones, I. (2009). Governing technology development: Challenges for agricultural research in Africa. IDS Bulletin, 36 (2), 109-114. Seshia, S. (2009). Plant variety protection and farmers’ rights in India: Law-making and the cultivation of varietal control. Economic and Political Weekly, 37(27), 741-726.

Taget market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Taget market - Essay Example on of Apple’s target market is different from the competitors, because focus of the company is to target end users while other companies focus on targeting the overall market. The business plan of many organizations is based on market size, but there are companies like Apple, which realizes that people are the one who accepts or rejects any product. The selected target market of Apple has become so successful that many organizations are now willing to buy products of Apple, as they have realized that Apple has been able to define the needs of their customers on the basis of differentiation strategy. For the convenience of its users, Apple has converted complicated technology in a convenient technology, and this is the reason that millions of people around the world are attracted towards the products of Apple. The article has extended concepts that are discussed in the class that it is important for the companies to select appropriate target market for their products or service and without selecting proper target market, products of the company cannot become successful. Apple has tried to change concept of target market in such a way that company do not consider market size while selecting target market instead, the company aims to focus on targeting end user. This strategy of Apple has helped me to understand the significance of targeting end user, and I will try to understand needs of the end users in my professional career

The Scientific Proof behind Marijuana Effects on Humans Essay

The Scientific Proof behind Marijuana Effects on Humans - Essay Example The debate on the legalization of marijuana to be used as a medical substance has lasted for a very long time whereby there are those who are for the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes, and there are others who strongly are against its legalization. The argument on either side is based on the benefits and risks associated with such a move whereby those who think that legalizing marijuana for medical use is beneficial to support its legalization, however, those who think that it would be riskier to legalize marijuana oppose the move. In order to understand the raging debate over legalization of marijuana, it is critical to understand the different views expressed by both sides and it is only after establishing the underlying points and issues that we can be able to have an insight into the debate surrounding marijuana in the USA. There are advantages of marijuana as espoused by the supporters of its legalization whereby the scientific studies have proved that marijuana has some medical value. This is not a new idea because marijuana has been used in the past for medical purposes in the treatment of various ailments classified under therapeutic and palliative groups. In addition to that, smoked cannabis is not only safe but is also effective in the treatment and management of diseases and conditions such as; nausea, pain, AIDs-related weight loss, and palliative care diseases. Nevertheless, marijuana usually makes a person feel high, or have a sense of well being that is why it is abused.