Global Hotels and Momma’s Motels free essay sample

Suppose you work in the IT department of Global Hotels, a multinational hotel chain. Global Hotels runs several specialized business support systems, including a guest reservations system that was developed in-house to meet the requirements of a large company with worldwide operations. Guests can make one-stop online reservations by visiting Global’s Web site, which has links to all major travel industry sites. Global Hotels just acquired Momma’s, a regional chain of 20 motels in western Canada. Momma’s uses a vertical reservations package suitable for small- to medium-sized businesses, and a generic accounting and finance package. Should Momma’s use Global Hotels’ information systems or continue with its own? In your answer, consider issues such as business profiles, business processes, system interactivity, EDI, XML, e-commerce, and the characteristics of both information systems. What additional information would be helpful to you in making a recommendation? 29 Systems Planning The Information Technology Department Systems Support and Security Systems support and security provides vital protection and maintenance services for system hardware and software, including enterprise computing systems, networks, transaction processing systems, and corporate IT infrastructure. We will write a custom essay sample on Global Hotels and Momma’s Motels or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The systems support and security group implements and monitors physical and electronic security hardware, software, and procedures. This group also installs and supports operating systems, telecommunications software, and centralized database management systems. In addition, systems support and security technicians provide technical assistance to other groups in the IT department. If a site has a large number of remote clients, the systems support group often includes a deployment team that installs and configures the workstations. User Support User support provides users with technical information, training, and productivity support. The user support function usually is called a help desk or information center (IC). A help desk’s staff trains users and managers on application software such as e-mail, word processing spreadsheets, and graphics packages. User support specialists answer questions, troubleshoot problems, and serve as a clearinghouse for user problems and solutions. Database Administration Database administration involves data design, management, security, backup, and access. In small- and medium-sized companies, an IT support person performs those roles in addition to other duties. Regardless of company size, mission-critical database applications require continuous attention and technical support. Network Administration Business operations depend on networks that enable company-wide information systems. Network administration includes hardware and software maintenance, support, and security. In addition to controlling user access, network administrators install, configure, manage, monitor, and maintain network applications. Network administration is discussed in more detail in Chapter 10. Web Support Web support is a vital technical support function. Web support specialists design and construct Web pages, monitor traffic, manage hardware and software, and link Web-based applications to the company’s information systems. Reliable, high-quality Web support is especially critical for companies engaged in e-commerce. Quality Assurance (QA) Many large IT departments also use a quality assurance (QA) team that reviews and tests all applications and systems changes to verify specifications and software quality standards. The QA team usually is a separate unit that reports directly to IT management

Construction Financial Essays

Construction Financial Essays Construction Financial Essay Construction Financial Essay Muhibbah had its beginnings in 1972 when it was incorporated as specialist in marine and civil engineering and construction company. In 1994 the company was listed on the Main Board of Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE). From 1994 to 2000 Muhibbah was ventured into overseas market in Australia, Germany, Thailand and Sudan. In 2003 the company received International Achievement Award from Malaysian Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) for recognition of involvement in oversea projects. In 2006 Muhibbah entered into overseas market in Yemen. Today, Muhibbah stands firm in the various discipline of engineering construction; such as construction of building structures, airport facilities, marine works, oil and gas, bridges and roads including provision of Intelligent Transportation System. Muhibbah is organised into four (4) core business segments which are Infrastructure Construction Division, Cranes Division, Shipyard Division and Concessions Division. The corporate structure is illustrated in figure 1. The company structure by core business segment and geographical segment are illustrated in figure 2 and 3. The infrastructure construction is the core business of Muhibbah group which contribute delivery 58% of the group income in year 2006. This segment engaged in construction projects, engineering contract works, oil and gas, and provision of technical assistance. A major achievement is the completion of the oil jetty at Horizon Oil Terminal in Jurong, Singapore had allows Muhibbah to tender for similar projects in the international market. In 2006, Muhibbah was successful in securing a contract from YEMGAS FZCO, Yemen LNG Jetty Works is the largest single project secured by the Group. In March 2007, the Group was awarded with the Petroleum Hub and Bunkering Facility project near Tanjung Pelepas. Muhibbah had success reinforced the reputation in amongst the global oil and gas companies and brought other opportunities to the Group as an integrated services provider for the oil and gas industry in all its core business divisions. Muhibbah also involved in cranes operation and its delivered 31% of the turnover to the group in year 2006. This division achieved a major milestone in its corporate restructuring with the listing of Favelle Favco Berhad to the Second Board of Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) on 2006. The cranes segment is involved in the design, manufacture, supply, service and rental of cranes. The cranes divisions turnover significant increased further with continuing growth in offshore pedestal cranes from oil and gas companies worldwide and resurgence of strong demand for construction tower cranes. Shipyard Division The shipyard segment was contributed 11% of the group income in year 2006. This division has grown strongly and profitable over the years. The marine-ship building and ship repair segment provides ship building, ship repair, and marine-related services. Muhibbah have established good business relationships with reputable clients within the oil and gas related industry, with many repeat orders to build offshore vessels for the oil and gas industry. The continuing boom in the oil and gas industry increased the demand for offshore vessels to service the offshore platforms. This will be a good opportunity for the shipyard division to capitalise on the huge opportunities in the offshore oil and gas market for vessels. Concessions Division The concessions segment is an operator and concessionaire of airports, as well as provides operation and maintenance of roadways and bridges. The earnings for this segment are generated from Roadcare (M) S/B (Roadcare) and Societe Concessionaire de l Aeroport (SCA). SCA owns the exclusive rights for privatisation of international airports in Cambodia with concession periods up to 2040. Roadcare is principally involved in the maintenance and upgrading of roads, under a fifteen-year (15) concession period to maintain federal roads in the central states and the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Leading, Managing and Developing People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Leading, Managing and Developing People - Essay Example In ensuring that leaders achieve motivation of employees, some of them use some theories that help them to understand and choose the best way to treat their employees so that they can perform well. Through moderation of the working environment, leaders achieve active participation and engagement of employees, and this improves their chances of being productive and improving the performance of the organisation in which they work. There are various ways that help leaders motivate employees until they become actively engaged in performance of duties they have in organisation and can willingly contribute to the business (Lengnick-Hall, 2011, p. 245-247). In many circumstances, organisations experiences some changes which require employees to adapt so that they remain relevant in the production system and that the organisation in which they are working may continue to be productive and profitable. This means that leaders in organisations need to have their employees equipped with relevant information that will keep them focused on accomplishment of their goals in the company. The theories of improving engagement in an organisation require influence in the behaviour, improvement of the capacity, the collective environment of working and improvement of relationships among various individuals (Lengnick-Hall, Beck). In order to attain motivation of employees and cause them to be engaged in the operation of the company in which they work, the leaders should seek to understand the behaviour patterns of the employees (Collinson, 2005, p. 1421). This is because the way employees are influenced by the environment of the company operations, in the same way; it affects the company’s operations in the course of business. This means that to achieve actively engaged employees leaders will need to establish an environment that will ensure freedom of expression of ideas and feelings of the company. Influencing the behaviour systems of the employees, leaders should focus on i mplementing strategies that will conform to the behaviour systems and contribute to the success of the company in different situations. This implies that all employees will have their own perspectives represented in the course of doing business, and they will have the freedom they need to present ideas to the leaders as well engaging actively in creative activities in the company (Collinson, 2005, p. 1421-1422). The understanding of the personalities of the employees will help leaders to choose the right method to motivate them so that they can engage themselves in the company business. For instance, understanding the way employees could respond to various issue in the society could help the leaders to implement their plans of motivation. According to McGregor theory X and Y (Green, Wu, Whitten and Medlin, 2006, p. 577), there are two perspectives of looking at the employees in an organisation i.e. as inherently lazy and needing a form of pressure to perform their duties, or as a se lf motivated and needing little or no pressure so that they can perform. Using McGregor’s theory X and Y would help leaders to treat employees in ways that they are conscious of things they ought to do and those that they could not work for them. This ensures that leaders will be able to choose the right way of motivating the employees through punishment or by giving rewards that

The Marshall MBA Prime Program Personal Statement

The Marshall MBA Prime Program - Personal Statement Example The opportunity of working in a foreign country excited me and I promptly accepted the nomination. Part of the challenge was to audit an industry I had limited knowledge about since Jordan was not a crude oil exporting country. The other would be to interact with the different cultural mentalities of our clients' multinational staff. The Audit team comprised two Senior Associates and five junior associates including myself. The flight to Tripoli was uneventful and upon arrival at our location a heterogeneous mix of people representing our client greeted us. At first I could not help but go through the motions as I shook hands and tried to keep track of the names of our hosts. As I got settled in my hotel room later that night and after a formal reception with our hosts, I was still astonished as to how many different international delicacies were offered at the dinner. The audit proper began in earnest the next morning as we set up our workstations and devices. About two-thirds of our Client's Finance department staffers were from different countries in Europe, the others being Americans, Egyptians, India nationals, Pakistanis and a few Libyans. Although most of the staffers communicated in English, some of the expatriates were quite knowledgeable in Arabic: this pleasantly surprised me. After work hours most days, we would mostly dine at the hotel or at nearby restaurants with our hosts.

Annie, Poured from Maple Syrup by Edward Ruscha Essay

Annie, Poured from Maple Syrup by Edward Ruscha - Essay Example The essay "Annie, Poured from Maple Syrup by Edward Ruscha" discovers "Annie, Poured from Maple Syrup", the painting of Edward Ruscha. Art is some form of expression of a feeling, a dream, an insight, a revelation, a suspicion or a mental picture. All these words have been applied to show the contrasting nature of art, meant to indicate that art is a complex aspect, which is not a single-dimensional perspective where everyone will look at the piece of art and immediately develop its meaning, why it was created and the message it delivers. On the contrary, art is a complex form that requires more indulgence to understand the meaning, and thus explains why it can be interpreted in very conflicting terms, because it is a matter of personal understanding and interpretation, rather than a universal knowledge. In the Annie, Poured from Maple Syrup, 1966, it is not easy to just tell what informed the creation of this work of art. While the general idea is that it is an overflow of maple syr up that develops a word, the question that arises out of it is; why Annie and not any other word? Again, the other question that counters this one is, why not Annie? The complexity in interpretation of this work of art points to the assertion by Benedetto Croce, who â€Å"denies, above all, that art is a physical fact†. Applying this assertion proves the point that this artwork is not a representation of a physical fact, since if it were, then it could be very easy for all the audience to interpret the message of the artwork.

diversity in organizations

diversity in organizations Introduction This paper aims to show a deep examination of how diversity is interpreted and wrongfully applied in many organizations today. In this essay, I would explore and discuss the term â€Å"Diversity†, its definitions, merits, demerits, its varied applications and if there is a cause and effect relationship between diversity workforce and organizational effectiveness. This essay would also show why the term diversity is remotely satisfying and elaborate on the need for a new paradigm for understanding Diversity. My study supports the principles of the Diversity theory but not its varied applications which inhibit organizational effectiveness. Diversity The term â€Å"diversity† has found its place in almost all HRM literature; the front page. Jackson et al (1993), states that â€Å"the term diversity has little history within the behavioural sciences and is not (yet) a scientific construct. Instead, it is an everyday term that sprang to life rather recently, nourished by widespread media coverage of the â€Å"managing diversity† activities that organizations are adopting in response to changing work-force demographics. Nevertheless, the body of social science research relevant to understanding the dynamics of diversity in organizations is not large, although it is widely dispersed across sub disciplines that cross reference each other nor have a common terminology† (See Friedman, 1996:67). Another interesting definition is found in Ashkanasy et al (2002) which defines diversity as a concept that â€Å"encompasses acceptance and respect. It means the understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences. They can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs and other ideologies and the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive and nurturing environment. Diversity is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual† Allen et al (2008) asserts that diversity is a challenge and that â€Å"organizations have struggled to embrace and manage it successfully. Researchers have struggled to conceptualize and study the term effectively. Theorists predict differing effects of Diversity: that they will spark integrative insights, creativity and innovation (e.g. Finkelstein and Hambrick, 1996; Hoffman and Maier, 1961) or that they will provoke conflict, division and dissolution (e.g. Chatman, 1991; Tajfel and Turner, 1979)†. Workforce Diversity (A Critical Analysis) Structural Diversity Vs Demographic Diversity â€Å"The demographics of the workforce are changing and will continue to change rapidly. Almost every organization looks different – both in terms of who’s employed and they positions they hold, than it did ten years ago† (Sonnenschien, 1999:2). Jackson et al (1995) also asserts that the â€Å"changing work-force demographics and new organizational forms are increasing the diversity of work teams in general and decision making teams in particular. Given these environmental changes, work teams that are diverse in terms of sex, race, and ethnicity, national origin, area of expertise, organizational affiliation and many other personal characteristics are increasingly common. The changing demographics of today’s labour force, account for the increasing gender diversity, cultural diversity (including cultural differences due to race and ethnicity) and age diversity (See Kling, Hyde, Showers and Buswell, 1999; Konrad, Ritchie, Lieb and Corrigall, 2000; Roberso n and Block, 2001)†. According to Ongari and Argolla (2007) â€Å"Workforce diversity is a complex phenomenon to manage in an organization. The management of workforce diversity as a tool to increase organizational effectiveness cannot be underscored, especially with current changes sweeping across the globe. It is argued that organizations that value diversity will definitely cultivate success and have a future in this dynamic global labour market (Jain and Verma, 1996). Workforce diversity management has become an important issue for both governments and private organizations. Its importance has mainly been brought about by the free movement of labour due to globalization and the fight for human rights by certain minority groups who feel excluded from the employment sector. The workforce diversity emerged mainly to further the availability of equal opportunities in the work place. This equal opportunity philosophy is aimed at ensuring that organizational make the most out of the difference from a dive rse workforce rather than losing talent which might assist the organization to be more efficient and effective. The increased mobility and interaction of people from diverse backgrounds as a result of improved economic and political systems and the recognition of human rights by all nations has put most organizations under pressure to embrace diversity at the work place. Diversity brings with it the heterogeneity that needs to be nurtured, cultivated and appreciated as means of increasing organizational effectiveness†. A more diverse workforce according to Thomas and Ely (1996) will increase organizational effectiveness. â€Å"It would lift morale, bring greater access to new segments of the market place and enhance productivity. Yet if this is true, what then are the positive impacts of diversity? Numerous and varied initiatives to increase diversity in corporate organizations have been under way for over a decade† (Sonnenschein, 1992:49). â€Å"Rarely, however, have those efforts spurred organizational effectiveness, Instead, many attempts to increase diversity in the workplace have backfired, sometimes even heightening and hindering a company’s performance† (Tsui and Gutek, 1999). As is commonly ascribed, Riodan (2000) asserts most people assume that workforce â€Å"diversity is about increasing racial, national, gender or class representation in other words, recruiting and retaining most people from traditionally underrepresented identity groups†. Taking this commonly held supposition as a starting point, Thomas and Ely (1996) set out to investigate the link between diversity and organizational effectiveness and they found that â€Å"thinking of diversity simply in terms of identifying group representations inhibited effectiveness†. They also found that organizations usually follow â€Å"two paths in managing diversity, In the name of empathy and fairness, the organizations encourage women and people of colour to blend in or they set them apart in jobs that relate specifically to their backgrounds, assigning them, for example to areas that require them to interface with clients and customers of the same identity group†. In this kind of c ase, companies are operating on the assumption that the main virtue identity groups have to offer is knowledge of their own people. â€Å"This assumption is limited and detrimental to diversity efforts† â€Å"(See Elsass Graves, 1997; Finkelstein Hambrick, 1996; Jackson, May and Whitney, 1995; Milliken Martins, 1996; Reskin, McBrier Kmec, 1999; Shaw Barrett Power, 1998)† A recent meta-analysis of the effects of task related (e.g. tenure) and non task related (e.g. ethnic and gender) diversity, by Weber Donahue (2001) â€Å"revealed no dependable effects on organizational effectiveness, performance or cohesiveness†. Williams and O’Reilly (1998) assert that â€Å"diversity goes beyond increasing the number of different identity groups’ affiliations† in a company but that diversity should be seen and â€Å"understood as the varied perspectives and approaches to work that members of different identity groups bring†. Another argument is by Cummings (2004) which says that â€Å"effective work groups engage in external knowledge sharing- the exchange of information, know-how and feedback with customers, organizational experts and others outside the group. This paper argues that the value of external knowledge sharing increases when work groups are structurally diverse†. â€Å"A structurally diverse work group is one in which the members, by virtue of their different organizational affiliations, roles or positions, can expose the group to unique sources of knowledge. It is hypothesized that if members of structurally diverse work groups engage in external knowledge sharing, their performance will improve because of this active exchange of knowledge through unique external sources†. Cummings (2004) also assert that â€Å"scholars examining diversity in work groups have primarily focused on the consequences of demographic diversity (e.g. member differences in sex, age, or tenure) for processes such as communication, conflict, or social integration† ( See also Jehn et al, 1999, Pelled et al, 1999 and O’Reilly et al, 1989). â€Å"The consistently negative effects of demographic diversity on group processes are likely the result of heightened member emphasis on social categories rather than project relevant information. Demographic diversity should not increase the value of intra-group knowledge sharing or external knowledge sharing unless it exposes members to unique sources of knowledge related to the work† (for a review see Williams and O’Reilly. 1998). Relatively, â€Å"little attention has been given to member differences in organizational affiliations, roles or positions. With the rise in labour costs, global expansion and corporate mergers, workgroups are often used as a means for connecting members who are dispersed across different geographic locations, who represent different functions and report to different managers or who work in different business units â€Å" (DeSanctis and Monge, 1999; Jarvenpaa and Leidner, 1999; Maznevski and Chudoba, 2000). This variation in features of the group structure is introduced here as â€Å"structural diversity because of its potential to expose members to different sources of task information, know-how and feedback. Four types of structural diversity in work groups† are mentioned below as: â€Å"Geographic locations† (See Van den Bulte Moenaert, 1998), â€Å"Functional assignments† (See Bunderson Sutcliffe, 2002), â€Å"Reporting managers† (e.g. Burns, 1989) and in â€Å"Business units† (See Hansen, 2002) Another research done by Siciliano (1996) on 240 YMCA organizations, found no significant relationship between diversity and organizational effectiveness. Middleton (1987) also asserted that â€Å"diversity in any form has no impact on the operating efficiencies of an organization and diversity does not appear to influence one way or another, an organization’s tendency to perform its control function. Merits of Managing Workforce Diversity â€Å"Managing diversity can create a competitive advantage. Potential benefits of diversity include better decision making, higher creativity and innovation, greater success in marketing to foreign and domestic ethnic minority communities and a better distribution of economic opportunity† (Cox, 1991; Cox Blake, 1991). According to one study (Watson et al, 1993) â€Å"culturally diverse groups relative to homogenous groups are more effective both in the interaction process and job performance; these benefits occur after a diverse group has been put together for a period of time†. Mueller (1998) states that â€Å"as all the segments of society have a stake in the development and prosperity of society as a whole, creating and managing a diverse workforce should be seen as a social and moral imperative†. â€Å"As globalisation is increasing, diversity will help organizations to enter the international arena† (Cascio, 1998). â€Å"Diversity enhances creativi ty and innovation (Adler, 1997; Jackson et al, 1992) and produces competitive advantages (Coleman, 2002; Jackson et al, 1992)†. â€Å"Diversity teams make it possible to enhance flexibility (Fleury, 1999) and rapid response and adaptation to change (Adler, 1997’ Jackson et al, 1992)†. Organizational Challenges â€Å"Companies can succeed at diversity if the initiative to create, manage and value the diverse workforce has the full support of the top management† (Hayes, 1999; Jackson et al, 1992). Fiske, 1993 states that â€Å"for increased effectiveness and adaptation of the diversity discourse, companies have to start thinking about diversity more holistically- â€Å"as providing fresh and meaningful approaches to work and stop assuming that diversity relates simply to how a person looks or where† they are from, only then would companies reap diversity’s full rewards† and â€Å"Organizations with a diverse workforce can provide superior services because they can better understand customers’ needs (Weitling Palma-Rivas, 2000). Hiring women, minorities, disabled, etc will help organizations to tap into these niche markets (Mueller, 1998) and diversified market segments† (Fleury, 1999). Jackson et al (1995) state that â€Å"the business economy has received much recent attention, with trade barriers are removed and competition intensifies, many companies are beginning to expand their operations in order to take advantage of foreign labour and consumer markets. For smaller companies, foreign activities may be limited to a single joint venture or to offshore production or distribution systems that involve one or two other countries. For larger corporations, foreign offices may be in over one hundred different countries (See Fulkerson Schuler, 1992). The presence of international affiliations, although not inevitable, is likely to lead eventually to the formation of teams of people with diverse cultural backgrounds, including management teams, design teams, operation teams and marketing teams (Adler Ghadar, 1991; Kanter, 1991; Von Glinow Mohrman, 1990) of which engage in decision making activities† â€Å"Theories and techniques of diversity management have been developed and enthusiastically supported by a growing number of chief executives, training specialists, diversity consultants and academics† (Saji, 2004)). Diversity can improve organizational effectiveness. â€Å"Organizations that develop experience in and reputations for managing diversity will likely attract the best personnel (Carrel et al, 2000). â€Å"Diversity requires a type of organizational culture in which each employee can pursue his or her career aspirations without being intimidated by gender, race, nationality, religion or other factors that are irrelevant to performance† (Bryan. 1999). Managing diversity means â€Å"enabling the diverse workforce to perform its full potential in an equitable work environment, where no one group has an advantage or disadvantage† (Torres Bruxelles, 1992). â€Å"Diversity in the workplace can be a competitive advantage because differing viewpoints can facilitate unique and creative approaches to problem-solving, thereby increasing creativity and innovation, which in turn leads to better organizational performance† (Allen et al, 2004). â€Å"For example, in Botswana, the society is becoming multicultural due to the increasing migrant population and their descendants. For organizations, this means that their market share, efficiency. â€Å"Human capital, international competitiveness and level of innovation will depend on their ability to effectively manage a diverse workforce both within and across organizational boundaries† (Barker Hartel, 2004; Dass Parker, 1996; Kandola et al, 1995; Strauss Mang, 1999)† Conclusions Jackson (2003) â€Å"In today’s business environment, work teams are becoming more common and more diverse, intensifying the importance of understanding the dynamics of work- team diversity. Of particular importance, is diversity within decision making teams. Organizations are rapidly restructuring to take advantage of the potential benefits of diverse decision making teams are worth the risk (or can be successfully avoided). Many of the specific assets and liabilities of work teams arise directly out of diversity†. Despite various intensive efforts to measure diversity and predict its outcomes, Jackson (2003) asserts â€Å"many literature offer few conclusive findings about the effects of diversity in the workplace. Lack of a common paradigm will make it difficult to accumulate comparable findings over time, while agreement around some issues could accelerate our ability to learn from previous accumulated evidence. One useful element that could be suggested could be a common paradigm; it would be for researchers to agree to a common theme or definition of diversity which would in turn lead to less confusion about this concept† (See also Carroll Harrison, 1998; Bedeian Mossholder, 2000). Jackson (2003) affirms that â€Å"Pettigrew (1998) used a very different approach to developing a blueprint for enabling organizational effectiveness. Based on a comprehensive review of a large body of research conducted in a variety of settings, Pettigrew identified the conditions needed to reduce intergroup bias and its negative consequence and described several processes that could be engaged to create these conditions. To the extent an origination’s diversity initiatives support these processes, they would encourage the development of positive intergroup relations, employee commitment, improved productivity and increased organizational effectiveness (See also Gaertner et al, 2000) and they are: Learning about the other group(s) was one key process identified by Pettigrew, Inaccurate stereotypes resist change for a variety of reasons but inaccurate stereotypes can be modified if people receive sufficient disconfirming evidence. Such learning is often the objective of diversity awareness training. Behavioural Change is the second key process that is needed to promote positive intergroup relations. Engaging repeatedly in positive behaviour with members of a work team can lead to long term attitudinal change towards members. Providing training in the behavioural competencies needed to work effectively in organizations characterized by diversity is one way to encourage people to engage in positive behaviour towards work group members Creating positive emotions associated with the work group is the third key process. For example, mentoring programs may encourage the development of intergroup friendships. The value of personal friendships may help explain the apparent success of informal mentoring programs†. In conclusion, it seems likely that active diversity management will be required in order for organizations to comprehend the potential benefits locked up within their diverse work forces and as such organizations must put in place strategies to enhance workforce diversity. â€Å"Research based principles for achieving these benefits and minimising potential losses have been offered. Some organizations are undoubtedly experimenting with practises that are consistent with these principles† Jackson et al (1995). By the end of this decade, perhaps another review of diversity will yield useable suggestions for how to create a sustainable and effective organizational condition called for by Pettigrew’s analysis. References Allen, R.S., Dawson, G., Wheatley, K and White, C.S. (2008) â€Å"Perceived Diversity and Organizational Performance† Employee Relations, Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 20-33. Ashkanasy, N.M., Hartel, C.E.J. and Dass, C.S (2002) â€Å"Diversity and Emotion: The New Frontiers in Organizational Behaviour Research† Journal of Management, Vol. 28, pp. 307-338. Barker, S. and Hartel C.E.J (2004) â€Å"Intercultural service encounter: An exploratory study of customer experiences† Journal of Cross Cultural Management, Vol. 11(1) pp. 3-14. Bedian, A.G and Mossholder, K.W (2000) â€Å"On the use of the coefficient of variations as a measure of diversity† Organizational research Methods, Vol. 3: 285-297. Bryan J.H (1999) â€Å"The diversity Imperative† Executive Excellence, pp6 Bunderson, J.S and Sutcliffe K.M (2002) â€Å"Comparing alternative conceptualizations of functional diversity in management teams: process and performance effects† Academy of Management Journal, 45:875-893 Carroll, G.R and Harrison, J.R (1998) â€Å"Organizational demography and culture: insights from a former model and simulation† Administrative Science Quarterly, vol. 43:637-667 Cascio, W.F (1998) â€Å"Managing Human Resources Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits†, McGraw Hill, Boston, MA Cox T Blake S. (1991) â€Å"Managing Cultural Diversity: Implications for Organizational Competitiveness† The Academy of Management Executive, August. Cox T (1991) â€Å"The multicultural organization† the academy of management executive, May Cummings J (2004), Work groups, structural diversity, and knowledge sharing in a global organization, Management Science, Vol. 50 pp.352 364. Cummings, J. N. Cross, R. (2003) â€Å"Structural Properties of Work Groups and their Consequences for Performance† Social Networks, Vol. 25 (3), 197-210. Dass, P Parker B (1999) â€Å"Strategies for managing human resource diversity: from resistance to learning† Academy of Management Executive, vol. 13: 68-80 Elsass, P.M Graves L.M (1997) â€Å"Demographic diversity in decision making groups: The experiences of women and people of colour† Academy of Management review, Vol 22: 946-973 Ely R.J Thomas D.A (2001) â€Å"Cultural diversity at work: The effects of diversity perspectives on work group processes and outcomes† Administrative Science Quarterly, vol 46: 229-273. Fiske, S. (1993) â€Å"Social Cognition and Social Perception† in Rozenwig M.R L.W Porter (Eds) Annual Review of Psychology, Vol. 44:155-194. Pato Alto, CA: Annual Reviews Inc. Friedman, R.A (1996) â€Å"Defining the scope and logic of minority and female network groups: can separation enhance integration?† Research in Personnel and Human Resource Management, vol. 14: 307-349 Fleury, 1999 Gaertner S.L, Dovidio, J.F, Banker B.S, Houlette, M, Johnson K.M and Mc Glynn, E.A (2000) â€Å"Reducing intergroup conflict: From super ordinate goals to categorization, recategorization and mutual differentiation† Group dynamics: Theory, Research and practise, Vol 4: 98-114. Hayes, E. (1999) â€Å"Winning at Diversity† Executive Excellence pp.9 Klein, K. J. Harrison, D. A. (2007) â€Å"On the diversity of diversity: Tidy logic, messier realities† Academic of Management Perspectives, 21(4): 26-33. Jackson, B.W, La Fasto, F, Schultz, H.G, Kelly, D (1992) â€Å"Diversity† Human Resource Management, vol 31,pp.21-34 Jackson, S.E, Joshi, A and Erhardt, N.L (2003) â€Å"Recent Research in Team and Organizational Diversity: SWOT analysis and Implications† Journal of Management, vol. 29, No. 6, pp.801-830. Jackson, S.E, May, K.E Whitney, K. (1995) â€Å"Under the dynamics of diversity in decision making teams† in Guzzo, A Salas, E. (Eds) Team effectiveness and decision making in organizations, pp. 204-261. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Jackson, S.E, Stone, V.K Alvarez, E.B (1993) â€Å"Socialization amidst diversity: impact of demographics on work team old timers and newcomers† Research in Organizational Behaviour, Vol. 15: 45-111. Jehn, K.A, Northcraft, G.B Neale, M.A (1999) â€Å"Why differences make a difference: a field study in diversity, conflict and performance in workgroups† Administrative Science Quarterly, vol.44, pp. 741-763. 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Symbols and Symbolism in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Essay -- Symbo

Thesis Statement and Outline Thesis Statement: Nathaniel Hawthorne used symbolism to bring meaning into his book "The Scarlet Letter." I. Symbolism A. Definition B. Style II. Symbolism in characters A. Hester B. Dimmesdale C. Chillingworth D. Pearl III. Symbolism in objects A. The scarlet letter B. The scaffold C. The forest D. The brook IV. Symbolic relations between characters and objects A. Characters and the scarlet letter B. Characters and the scaffold C. Pearl and the forest Nathaniel Hawthorne used symbolism to bring meaning into his book "The Scarlet Letter." Generally speaking, a symbol is something that is used to stand for something else. In literature, it is most often a concrete object which is used to represent something more abstract and broader in scope and meaning. Symbols can range from the most obvious substitution of one thing for another to creations as massive, complex, and perplexing as Melville's white whale in Moby Dick ( Dibble, p. 77 ). In The Scarlet Letter the symbols and the ingredients of the story come together "in a seamless unity in which each manifestation of the letter illuminates an aspect of the characters' or the community's evolving experience ( Brodhead, p. 159 ) . In Hawthorne's use of symbols in The Scarlet Letter, we observe the author making one of his most distinctive and significant contributions to the growth of American fiction. Indeed this novel is usually regarded as the first symbolic novel to be published in the United States ( Dibble, p. 77 ) . Hawthorne attempts to spread a revelation into imagined characters and scenes, to transfer the realization of the symbols into a warmth that will animate the entire... ...troit, Gale Research Inc., 1993, p. 194 Martin, Terence, Twayne's United States Authors Series Nathaniel Hawthorne, New York, Twayne Publishers, 1965, pp. 114, 115, 119, 127 Matthiessen, F.O., "The Scarlet Letter," Critics on Hawthorne, Readings in Literary Criticism: 16, Coral Gables, University of Miami Press, 1972, pp. 82, 85 Matthiessen, F.O., Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Scarlet Letter, Englewood Cliffs, Prentice-Halls Inc., 1968, p. 57 Waggoner, Hyatt H., "Nathanial Hawthorne," Six American Novelists of the Nineteenth Century, Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press, 1969, pp. 47, 69, 73, 85 Waggoner, Hyatt H., "The Scarlet Letter," Hawthorne, Cambridge, The Belknap Press, 1963, pp. 126, 127, 139, 143 SparkNotes Editors. â€Å"SparkNote on The Scarlet Letter.† SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2003. Web. 30 Apr. 2015.  

US Current Account Deficit

According to Peterson Institute for International Economics, the Current Account Deficit of the United States is now at the highest point it has ever reached, nearing $800 billion. This situation is not financially sustainable because in accounting terms it demands that the US economy must import about $4 billion every working day to offset the deficit. The deficit is definitely a problem for the economy because it has to be addressed both economically and politically.The two factors, economics and politics go hand in hand and the relationship between the two factors is directly proportional meaning that when politics are generally tranquil, the economy grows and vice versa. To be able to address the deficit a combination of well orchestrated measures must be taken thus: – i) The first measure is rather obvious and it dictates a sizable reduction in the US budget expenditure.Money guzzlers like the protracted wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have to be contained. ii) The second me asure is an expansion of demand for domestic US products in other economies particularly other major economies for faster results. Along with this expansion, the US has to reduce its dependence on imports particularly oil whose price fluctuations have a negative effect on the US economy. iii) The third measure is a technical gradual and substantial realignment of currency exchange rates.A cheaper dollar would stimulate exports which would in turn earn the US the much needed foreign exchange. One handicap with this measure is that other major economies like China and the Oil Producing States have to allow the dollar to fall further against their currencies an act which is not probable. This is because of the less than amiable relations between the US and the other economies. Simply put, these nations might not be very willing to bail the US out.

Owing to vs Due to

Owing to vs Due to Owing to vs Due to Owing to vs Due to By Maeve Maddox Steve Campbell asks for a post on â€Å"the choice between due to and owing to. There was a time that I felt very strongly about the difference between due to and owing to, zealously correcting misuse in student papers. After all, one of my most esteemed authorities, H.W. Fowler, has this to say in Modern English Usage: Under the influence of ANALOGY, due to is often used by the illiterate as though it had passed, like owing to, into a mere compound preposition. He gives such examples as these of due to being used incorrectly: The old trade union movement is a dead horse, largely due to the incompetency of the leaders. Rooks, probably due to the fact that they are so often shot at, have a profound distrust of man. The perceived error is that due to must be attached to a noun and not, says Fowler, to a notion extracted from a sentence . . . it is not the horse, [or] the distrust of the rooksthat are due, but the failure of the movement, the distrust of the rooks . . . Even now, I reach for an index card when I hear the local weatherman say, â€Å"The road is closed due to flooding.† Then I remind myself that the difference between due to and owing to is as much a dead horse as the â€Å"old trade union movement† in Fowler’s example. For those who wish to go on beating the horse, due to is adjectival and owing to is adverbial. The road was closed owing to flooding. For the road to be due to anything, it would have to be something that influenced the existence of the road: The road was due to the efforts of local citizens who voted to raise taxes for its construction. Here are two more examples for the sake of comparison: His accident was due to excessive alcohol consumption. His accident occurred owing to the fact that he was talking on his cell phone. For most English speakers due to and owing to have become interchangeable. Trying to preserve a distinction between them is pointless. I’d rather direct my energy to the defense of â€Å"I† as a subject pronoun. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Arrive To vs. Arrive AtCapitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and MovementsCaptain vs. Master

How to Write a Perfect Receptionist Resume (Examples Included)

How to Write a Perfect Receptionist Resume (Examples Included) If you’ve been a receptionist before, you know that this can be a highly demanding position. You’re expected to be sunny, friendly, and able to manage whatever comes your way as you answer phones, greet guests, provide information, manage appointments, etc. You may also be expected to handle any number of tasks throughout the office. It’s a role that requires a lot of finesse and people skills, and great organization to boot. As a potential receptionist, you want your resume to make sure that these qualities shine through. You find receptionists in every industry and just about every company, so let’s look at three sample resumes from receptionists in different industries: one just starting out in a corporate environment, a legal receptionist, and a medical receptionist. first up is candace, who is seeking a receptionist position to boost her administration skills and experience.Download this resume in Microsoft WordCandace Jones 567 Cantwell Avenue, Apt. 4dPittsburgh, PA 74747 candacejones@emaildomain.comSeeking to support Bryant Financial Management as a receptionist with strong communication and organizational skills.Key skillsInterpersonal skills:Professional, friendly demeanor on the phone, via email, and in personDependable and punctualCustomer serviceTaking initiative to accomplish what needs to be doneProblems)How to Write a Perfect Occupational Therapist ResumeHow to Write a Perfect Physician Assistant Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Receptionist Resume (Examples Included)How to Create a Perfect Retail ResumeHow to Write a Perfect Sales Associate Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Social Worker Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Truck Driver Resume (With Examples)

The specific factors of the Turkish culture Dissertation

The specific factors of the Turkish culture - Dissertation Example 1.0 INTRODUCTION Career counselling is a challenging field that has to take in view each and every aspect that may or may not affect the personal abilities, potential and aptitude of subjects’ lives. A Career is a notion that needs much thought and planning before jumping in the arena as the financial and economic health as well as the physical and mental satisfaction of a person highly depends upon it. Thus, when the high time comes, and one is referred to a career counsellor, then the person is actually considering his future seriously. A counsellor can provide with an impartial and objective view of one’s own possibilities as well as some certain profitable ways to utilize them so that one may not plunge into something to regrets later. However, everything is not determined by personal choices and skills. There are other factors, more affective and powerful, that have to be considered before taking such an important decision of one’s life. A career counsellor has the responsibility to point out these factors to the subjects elaborately. These factors include the usual business fields offered in the convenient area, the availability of the needed education and training facilities, the usual trends and the possibility of the availability of vacant posts in future in that particular field, and also an acceptance from the society. The researcher thinks that the last factor affect much as it hold the power of cultural norms, traditions and customs in which the subject has lived for quite a while, and certainly the chosen profession must have to come in terms with the cultural acceptance and proposals. 1.1 BACKGROUND Culture occupies... Culture occupies a central role in a person’s life. It affects a man externally as well as internally as he grows living in it. Thus, when a man reaches his prime he is a walking embodiment of his culture. Therefore it is believed that the culture plays an important role in every important decision of his life, including the career selection. The researcher has selected to apply personal beliefs on Turkish individuals. Turkey is a country with extraordinarily rich culture. Due to it being rapidly developing and consequently continuously changing possibilities, its culture is accepting new and advanced norms. However, the researcher believes that there are still some factors that do not allow the U-turns in the selection of careers. It has been noted that this is the thing particularly in the case of female subjects. Being the symbol of beauty and delicacy, it had always been a predetermined notion that they cannot take part in laborious works. The researcher has also noted that there are some cultural restrictions other than their own will that does not allow them to go for these jobs. Also, there are some indications that male members of the society also face some societal expectations that bound them to select from a particular set of careers. The idea is to investigate these matters more elaborately and objectively so that cultural reasons for these sorts of limited choices can be figured out. Thus, the researcher has aimed this study to the elucidate the problems that a young student faces when he or she passes out of the college.

Investment Assignment Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Investment Assignment Report - Essay Example There are a set of rule governing how trades and investors choose the varying available security options in the stock market. Our strategy is exemplified in this paper because of the decision to apply the gainer part. For the momentum strategy, my choice was Voltari Corp. Applying the first trading principle, â€Å"avoid dealing in stocks reporting above or within the 52 week high†, the decision to invest in APC indicates that this trading principle was correctly followed. Purchasing stocks of Voltari Corp. in its 52-week high stood at $3.60. The second trading principle-choose stocks recording a minimum of 1,000,000 shares in the daily trade volumes, in addition to avoiding stocks recording daily volumes of trade below 100,000 shares-the decision to buy Voltari Corp. stocks comply with the second trading principle. Voltari Corp. stocks recorded 3 million shares in its average 3-month trading volume. The third trading principle illustrates the need to avoid mid-and-cap stocks (stocks recording values less than $5 billion). This principle does not conform well to Voltari Corp.; its stock falls in small-cap stock category with $16.91 million in market capitalization value. Finally, the fourt h trading principle indicates that an individual should choose stocks signified by analysts opinions rated closer to or above one (1). This is an indication of better performance in the future compared to opinions that are above or within the range of Five (5). The fourth rules also states that stocks recording negative trends or without significant changes in weekly consensus figures also need to be avoided. The â€Å"snapshot† tool available in Market Watch do not show the average recommendation from the analysts for Voltari Corp. generally, most stocks in the financial market have an average recommendation of ‘buy’. Consequently, the trend is projected to move towards the lower facet of the statistical ranking, with twenty-three