History of Kenny Rogers Roasters

Kenny Rogers ROASTERS was originally set up by popular Country and Western singer, Kenny Rogers, and former Governor of the state of Kentucky, John Y Brown Jr., in 1991. Seeing an opportunity to provide healthy and delicious food in a restaurant environment, Kenny Rogers ROASTERS opened its first restaurant in Coral Spring, Florida in August of 1991.Internationally, Kenny Rogers ROASTERS has expanded to various countries around the world and has restaurants in Malaysia, Singapore, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Brunei and the Philippines.Kenny Rogers ROASTERS was awarded three times in a row (1996, 1997, 1998) for the prestigious America's Choice Award Winner for the Best Chicken Chain by Restaurants and Institutions Magazine, a leading publication from USA. Kenny Rogers ROASTERS was also awarded the Master Franchisee of the Year 2000/2001and 2002/2003 by the Malaysian Franchise Association, an affiliate of the World Franchise Council.Berjaya Roasters (M) Sdn. Bhd. is the franchise ho lder for Kenny Rogers ROASTERS (â€Å"KRR†) in Malaysia. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berjaya Group Berhad and was incorporated in 1994. In April 2008, Berjaya Corp Bhd (BCorp) wholly owned subsidiary of ROASTERS Asia Pacific and master franchise for Kenny Rogers ROASTERS fully acquired the chain's parent, US-based NF Roasters.Kenny Rogers ROASTERS is a mid-casual dining restaurant with roast chicken as its main core item complemented by a rich variety of hot and cold side dishes. This is made up of Kenny's famous home-made muffins, jacket potatoes, vegetable salads, pasta, soups, desserts and beverages served in a friendly and comfortable environment.Frist Kenny Rogers Roasters in Coral Springs FloridMenuKenny’s Quarter Meal- RM 18.50 Chicken Macaroni Cheese- RM 18.50 Kenny’s Family Meal- RM 73.50 Rock & Roll Spaghetti- RM 18.50 Kenny’s Chicken & Garden Meal- RM 19.50 Chicken Ceaser Salad- RM 17.50 Red Hot Meal- RM 18.50 Tangy Chicken Spah etti- RM 18.50Promotion*2014 PromotionNews

Brand Consciousness Among Teenagers Essay

Mass media is media which is intended for a large audience. It may take the form of broadcast media, as in the case of television and radio, or print media, like newspapers and magazines. Internet media can also attain mass media status, and many mass media outlets maintain a web presence to take advantage of the ready availability of Internet in many regions of the world. Some people also refer to the mass media as the â€Å"mainstream media,† referencing the fact that it tends to stick to prominent stories which will be of interest to a general audience, sometimes ignoring controversial breaking news. Many people around the world rely on the mass media for news and entertainment, and globally, mass media is a huge industry. Usually, mass media aims to reach a very large market, such as the entire population of a country. By contrast, local media covers a much smaller population and area, focusing on regional news of interest, while specialty media is provided for particular demographic groups. The advantage of running operation in mass media is that one can set up a platform of medium to disseminate favorable message. The advantage of attacking mass media is that one can build up his/her reputation for being less biased and more objective. The advantage of co-operating with mass media is that one can ease the worries of being â€Å"black mouthed† by media organizations. The advantage of buying corporate engaged in mass media is that one can get a big asset for negotiation with political parties and the government. Disadvantages of mass media Well I believe it comes down to the parents or guardians to begin with. Of course younger generations shouldn’t be watching as much TV if at all. Most of the primetime shows and stations are becoming more and more passive on what not to show. Having younger children subjected to nudity, cursing, sexual immorality, drinking and other negative adult oriented material is of course unsuitable, heck even unsuitable for adults at times. If the parents let their children watch inappropriate shows on TV I’m sure studies have shown the likelihood of these children being involved in such problems later on in life.

Big business affects advertising ethics Essay

It has been clear to us that advertising is the most important tool in the success of a business. Media is one of the biggest or perhaps the biggest factor in influencing people’s lives. Through media, we can convey any information we want using the internet, radio, television and others. It is the most powerful tool of communication these days. Media connects people and it bridges gap and distance. But media not only inform people. Media also influences their way of life. People spend majority of their time with the exposure to media not knowing that they are subliminally dictated and governed by it. In short, our lives today are mostly a product of the influence of media. Advertising ethics is clearly articulated in rules providing guidance to advertisers so that they do not abuse the communicative power to influence consumers. Advertising shall tell the truth, and shall reveal significant facts, the omission of which would mislead the public. Advertising claims shall be substantiated by evidence in possession of the advertiser and advertising agency, prior to making such claims. ?Advertising shall refrain from making false, misleading, or unsubstantiated statements or claims about a competitor or his/her products or services. Advertising shall not offer products or services for sale unless such offer constitutes a bona fide effort to sell the advertising products or services and is not a device to switch consumers to other goods or services, usually higher priced. ?Advertising of guarantees and warranties shall be explicit, with sufficient information to apprise consumers of their principal terms and limitations or, when space or time restrictions preclude such disclosures, the advertisement should clearly reveal where the full text of the guarantee or warranty can be examined before purchase. Advertising shall avoid price claims which are false or misleading, or saving claims which do not offer provable savings. ?Advertising containing testimonials shall be limited to those of competent witnesses who are reflecting a real and honest opinion or experience. Advertising shall be free of statements, illustrations or implications which are offensive to good taste or public decency. *Adopted by the American Advertising Federation Board of Directors, March 2, 1984, San Antonio, Texas. It is also an unquestionable fact that big businesses put large sum of money in advertising for the advancement of their products. In America, in 2003, tobacco companies spent a total of $15. 15 billion or more than $34 million a day to promote, market and advertise their products. This is the most ever reported. This is a significant increase in terms of the expenditures of cigarette companies on advertisement. The Philip Morris in 1999 even launched a new campaign targeting women, particularly minority women, with the slogan â€Å"Find Your Voice† that cost $40 million. This is only one of many facts that companies are willing to spend big amounts for the advertisement of their company and products. Given the willingness of big businesses to put large amount of money for advertisement, this fact slowly degrades advertising ethics. Independent advertising bodies are most likely enticed by the big amount of money that a company is willing to spend. Blinded with money, advertising agencies don’t look at the product to be endorsed itself. They just focus on the amount of money their office will receive. Most agencies don’t care anymore if the product they will advertise really gives benefits to the consumers. They are not after of the truth behind the product’s performance. What is important for them is to be paid and to be paid big time. For some companies that advertise their own products, still, most of them don’t also care for the welfare of their costumers. All they are up to is the profit that can be made through advertising their own product. Some companies even deceive people in their advertisements just to profit big. Indeed, the tempting value of money is very powerful. As we look at the business world today, there are a lot of advertising cases being filed to different companies. Some of these cases are the Italy’s Alitalia Airlines for misleading consumers with an advert on round-trip flight fares showing only the one-way ticket cost, Rexall Sundown Inc. for an alleged false and unsubstantiated claims that its dietary supplement, Cellasene, would reduce or eliminate cellulite and USA Pharmacal Inc. for alleged false and unsubstantiated efficacy and safety claims for weight loss products, â€Å"Fat Sponge in a Pill† and â€Å"Calotrol/MD†, one, â€Å"Meta-Biological† containing ephedra, and for a product for erectile dysfunction, â€Å"Virile V† containing androgen and yohimbe. These cases are only a little picture of the deception in advertising. These cases are only a parcel of a giant reality that eats the advertising world, a reality that no person would dream of but it is there right in front of all of us. Indeed, the advertising ethics in our time is deteriorating. Most advertisements now do not preach truth. Most testimonies regarding any product are scripted. Moreover, many advertisements only corrupt the minds of the people specially the youth and the children. This is due to the fact that money offered by big businesses becomes the criteria of advertising. Consumer welfare has been undermined.

Diamond's Viewpoint Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Diamond's Viewpoint - Essay Example The nervous system is made up of neurons, and they are tasked with the responsibility of transmitting information in the body. Communication is as a result of chemical and electronic means. The cellular structure of a neuron comprises axons and dendrites. Synapses are the connection between cells. Neurons produce neurotransmitters – a chemical that enables neurons to communicate with one another. Diamond illustrates that the trees of the mind are neurons, and as trees, they have branches that interconnect to send and obtain messages to and from the mind. Environmental incentive affects the brain growth of a child, and productive environment stimulates the brain positively (Diamond and Hopson 18). Brain enrichment is significant at a young age since the brain is still young and learning can be incorporated easily. The full potential of a child can be ensured through the learning that they experience at a young age. Children use the skills they learn: thinking and remembering, to help them through school. The brain, when stimulated well and positively, will give satisfying

Air pollution in US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Air pollution in US - Essay Example Air pollution has had adverse effects on the people of the US. Indoor air pollution may trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, including asthma, respiratory-tract infections, emphysema, cardiovascular diseases and bronchitis (Phalen and Phalen 30). Some effects may be fatal or severely debilitating such as cancer, heart disease and some respiratory diseases and may only be noticed after repeated or long periods of exposure. Treatable effects include irritation of the nose, eyes and throat, dizziness, fatigue and headaches. The effects of outdoor pollutants include permanent lung damage, irritation of the respiratory system, asthma attacks, susceptibility to respiratory infections and acute bronchitis (EPA). Some have severe effects such as lead which accumulates in bones and adversely affects kidney function, the nervous system, cardiovascular system as well as developmental and reproductive systems. Environmentally, air pollution is responsible for climate change and g lobal warming through the greenhouse effect. It is important that air pollution is reduced to levels that have minimal environmental and health effects. Statistics from EPA show significant reduction of the emission of pollutant gases in the period between 2000 and 2012. Carbon monoxide emission reduced by 51%, lead by 50%, while that of sulfur dioxide reduced by 66%. In line with this, EPA promulgates regulations that should be followed by individual citizens, businesses, communities and states.

Briefing note on crime prevention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Briefing note on crime prevention - Essay Example The treatment for prisoners used to be inhuman, severe and even merciless, and they languished in solitude till the completion of their prison terms. The mode of correction and retributive actions varied from disciplinary confinements and exile to painful lashes or even death. (Prisoners' Rights) [1] Every right thinking citizen in society hopes for the day when the surface of the earth will be crimeless and whatever is left of crime get nipped in the bud. But as of now, everyone is aware this is, at best, a distant dream. The Geneva Convention of 27 July 1929 comprising 97 articles, laid down general principles for humane treatment of prisoners at all times. It was a historical landmark which recognized the basic rights of the prisoners such as food and clothing, hygiene, mental and physical recreation, contact by mail with the near and dear ones, and their religious practices. It particularly emphasized on protection of the inmates from acts of violence, insults and public curiosity. (Geneva Convention) [2] The silver lining of the present time is that there is a growing school of professionals and social activists who are firm in the belief that it is possible to prevent crime to a large extent, and in many cases where it has taken place, it is possible to apply corrective measures without resorting to custodial confinement within the four walls of a prison. (Rehabilitation of Offenders) [3] Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974 In England, the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974, is the landmark legislation towards this effort. It seeks to provide the offender, particularly the youth a second chance to get back on track and join the mainstream with a sense of responsibility and purpose. This act provides opportunity, under some conditions, to the ex-offender to 'wipe the slate clean' and begin all over as if he had not committed any criminal act at any point in his lifetime. Nonetheless, this happens after a period of rehabilitation depending on the gravity of the offence and the custodial sentence awarded as consequence. A rehabilitation period is the length of time set from the date of conviction. Once this period is over, subject to certain conditions and exceptions, an ex-offender does not have to mention his conviction when applying for a job. The Act is likely to help people facing minor convictions. People with many convictions, especially serious convictions, may not find the Act beneficial unless the last convictions are very old. For someone with a criminal record and on the lookout for work, it is necessary to know about the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974, which explains the legal requirements for both employers and employees, and the rules associated with the rehabilitation period. It is quite a complicated Act and as such, it is advisable to go through it with someone who is familiar with the act. Under this legislation, the conviction is said to be "spent" after the period of rehabil

Speech given by that candidate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Speech given by that candidate - Essay Example The president uses the opportunity to dedicate the victory to his supporters. He says, ‘The victory belong to the American people, the victory is yours†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ The president uses the speech to restore hope in the American people and create confidence in them towards his leadership. He says, ‘There is no doubt that change in the united states of America is possible, the founding fathers dream’s are valid and no one should question the power of democracy in the country†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..’ The president is able to connect with the audience by use of various techniques while delivering his speech. The president employs the use of transcendence. He is able to utilize tangible and concrete language to reconnect with the audience. He drifts the audience to other places and makes them visualize in their own eyes (Olive & David, 20). The use of examples in his speech rather than just being direct enables him to take control of the audience’s attention. The president says, â€Å"We started with less money in our campaigns. Our campaign was never supported financially by the white house; it began in Des Moines, Concord and Charleston’s the front porches. It was developed by women and men who were working, and contributed $5 and $10 and $20 towards the campaigns †¦..† The president also employed the use of repetition in his speech. The president’s use of repetitive words in sentences that are created successfully is aimed at emphasizing certain ideas and making the speech even more memorable. The set of ideas brought by the president is also less in number and easier to remember. The president begins the second, third and fourth paragraph of his speech by use of the word, ‘it is the answer†¦.’ in the beginning of all the three paragraphs. Finally the president is able to use voice and gestures to connect with the audience. The president is seen to use hand gestures in emphasizing his ideas. The use of gestures

Asynchronous Transfer Mode Description and Development Essay

Asynchronous Transfer Mode Description and Development - Essay Example ATM was originally conceived as a solution for completely integrating the entire set of communication technologies, starting from the Local Area Network to the IP based systems and the broad band voice and data communication systems. ATM was proposed as the final and ultimate protocol to take care of all the requirements of all communication systems in the world. However, it was found that ATM could satisfy only some of these like ADSL could make full use of it. ATM was not used in its original form on the other devices. The best features and proposals of ATM were incorporated in a number of other standards that came about, typically, MPLS kind of systems. However, ATM has taken a rebirth in terms of the standards that are currently being developed IEC 62365 which provides for both audio and video over IP using ATM technologies. The aim of this paper is to present the asynchronous transfer mode as a standard protocol, its description and development over a period of time. The paper will also look at the places were this is being employed and to what extent these were successful in implementing the systems that are needed for the users. Asynchronous Transfer mode systems integrate Voice, Video and Data. Since it is connected oriented technology, one packet with the same source and destination will travel through the same route. This employs best effort delivery system which would enable performance and bandwidth on demand. Figure 1: Aimed at providing best service (IEC, 2005) ATM as per the standards defined would employ connection oriented, packet-like switching and multiplexing model. It starts by defining the fixed sized cell that comprises of 48 bytes of data and 5 bytes of header together making up the 53 bytes of cell information. ATM is fundamentally connection oriented. Therefore, it does multiplexing and reserves a route for a specific user on getting a request from the user. Multiplexing such lines over a network either from a user to a destination or from one switch to another would optimize the usage of the network to a great extent. This would save the cost of switching when requests are made one after the other and switch keeps changing the route. ATM also specifies a number of standards on how an user would get connected to an ATM network depending upon the speed of the network. ATM to User interface standards are governed by the ATM UNI standards. ATM has the following three layers: 1. The physical layer 2. ATM Layer 3. ATM adaptation layer The physical layer consists of various media that make up the transmission system, which would eventually transmit from kilobits per second to gigabits per second. The ATM layer defines the cells that make up the data transfer along with the other components; multiplexer that would switch the cell to the specific route that it should take, switches that would transmit data over a high speed switching hardware so that the transmission speed is achieved and finally have necessary software or hardware to take care of the issues that concern the traffic and do traffic management. In the ATM adaptation layer, four different types of data transfer is provided for the ATM system. AAL Type 1 Constant bit rate services AAL Type 2 Variable bit rate services AAL Type 3 / 4 Connectionless services and data protocols AAL Type 5 High Speed

Computer Platforms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Computer Platforms - Essay Example This report will present the research based analysis for the state-of-the-art technology implementation in audio and broadcast areas. This report will suggest and provide the recommendation based analysis for the implementation of this technology at Radio Station. Computers are commanding tools that facilitate users to store and carry out operations on large amounts of data rapidly. Basically every organization, no matter what is the size of organization; makes use of the computers to hold bookkeeping, track inventory, and store documents. As organization develops they frequently need a number of people to input and process data at the same time. For this to be advantageous, those people must be able to distribute the data each person enters. Networking computers turns out to be useful in these circumstances. Networks are merely a collection of computers linked by cable or other media as a result they can share information. Networks made distribution of data much straightforward and more efficient for users (Nash, 2000, p. 5). The development and accomplishment of computer and information technology has fundamentally transformed the working and performance of every field of life (Laudon & Laudon, 1999). At the present time, we have more rapid means of information transferring and communication. The effect of the computer and information technology (ICT) in media industry is tremendously deep and influential (Laudon & Laudon, 1999). The Radio industry is also a most important area of media that has a greater influence in working and handling of the radio station. Over the past few years, modern and the up-to-date Radio technology particular to the area of information and entertainment has transformed dramatically. A supreme example of this is satellite radio. In the place of the listening the customary Radio transmission, we at the present time, are able to listen the local radio channels

Blues and Jazz Essay Example for Free

Blues and Jazz Essay Blues and Jazz are both very popular genres of music spanning almost a century of culture, aesthetics and spirituality. As the blues and jazz are horribly interrelated, this paper will try to differentiate the two great genres of music. A. What is Blues? Per definition, blues is the name given to both musical form and genre of blues. First coined by the African-American communities in the South of the United States of America by the end of the 19th Century, Blues was inspired by spirituality, work song, field hollers and chants- uncomplicated narrative ballads that rhymes. Its form is defined by the use of specific chord progressions- the most common being the twelve-bar blues chord and the singing is for stimulating purposes at slightly lower pitch than that of the major scale. Blues can be divided in several subgenres ranging from country to urban blues to electric blues to blues rock to punk blues. The term â€Å"the blues† refers to melancholy and sadness. The blues lyrics often refers to depressed mood as it embodies the African laborer, whose hardships and spirit is wed to the songs. B. What is Jazz? In contrast, Jazz sprung from the confluence of African and European music traditions. The African heritage evident in the use of blues notes, improvisation, polyrythms, syncopation and the swung note. The term â€Å"jazz† originated from a West Coast slang term and first used to refer to music in Chicago. Jazz has spawned plenty of genres from New Orleans Dixieland to big-band style swing to bebop to latin jazz to Afro-Cuban and Brazilian jazz to jazz-rock to acid jazz. The spread of jazz cultivated music and aesthetics around the world, hence, giving rise to plenty of unique styles. II. History A. Origin of Blues The Blues was born just after the civil war in North Mississippi. A singer would sing a line, and a guitar would answer. For many years, Blues was recorded only by memory, depicted and told live and in person. It was first made popular by the black composer, W. C. Handy in 1911-1914 The publication of Handy’s â€Å"Memphis Blues† and â€Å"St. Louis Blues† has made Blues popular. By the 1920s, Blues became a national craze. Mamie Smith recorded the first vocal blues song, â€Å"Crazy Blues†. The later 40’s and early 50’s saw the like of Willie Dixon playing what was Mississippi Delta blues backed by bass, drums, piano and occasionally harmonica and so began the popularity of blues on national television. Meanwhile, T-Bone Walker and B. B. King pioneered a style of guitar playing that combined jazz technique with the blues tonality and repertoire. In the 1960’s, bands like the Rolling Stones had picked up the Blues and brought it to young American white men. Rock, since the 1960’s, went through several blues revivals. The latest generation of blues players has drawn a new generation listeners to the blues. B. Origins of Jazz New Orleans is often credited as the birth place of Jazz. African-American music, through the Blues began the improvisation of Jazz. The most influential man is Louis Armstrong, the father of modern jazz. The swing era (1930s-40s) is the most popular and accessible time of Jazz, during this time, Jazz was the most popular music in America. What followed the swing era was one of the most important creative eras since the inception of Jazz. Mid 1940’s to mid 1950’s saw the birth of bebop. Quicker pace and complex harmony were combined with popular melodies to create this kind of subgenre. Jazz in the 1960s was inspired by the avant garde movement. Jazz musicians took the genre to the boundaries of creativity and began to speak out on social issues. The current era of jazz can be deemed to be a combination of the avant garde and neoclassical movement. Through improvisation, current musicians keep pushing jazz to the boundaries of music, experimenting with hip hop and other forms of music. III. Instruments and Musicians A. Instruments/Musicians in Blues Blues uses just about any musical instrument- guitar, piano, harmonica, bass guitar, drums, saxophone, vocals, trumpet, trombone. Different performers use different kinds of instruments. For instance, performers such as Frank Stokes, and Memphis Minnie utilised instruments such as washboard, fiddle, kazoo and mandolin. Musicians who have been famous in Blues include the like of Josh White (1914 or 1915-1969), Sonny Boy Williamson I (1914-1948), Gladys Bentley (1907-1960), T-Bone Walker (1910-1975), Roosevelt Sykes (1906-1983), Memphis Slim (1915-1988), Arnold Moore (1914-2005), Baby Face Leroy Foster (1923-1958), Lenny Kravitz (born 1964). B. Instruments/Musicians in Jazz Just like blues, jazz uses just about any musical instrument- saxophone, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, flute, piano, guitar, double bass, tuba, drums, vocals, vibraphone. Famous jazz musicians include Louis Armstrong (1901–1971), Thelonious Monk (1917–1982), Maynard Ferguson (1928-2006), Herbie Hancock (born 1940), Benny Carter (1907–2003), Glenn Miller (1904–1944), Charles Mingus (1922–1979). IV. Audiences A. Blues Audience The Blues originally was sang by the African-American laborer, to express his emotions on the general hardships in life. However, blues has reached the whole world. All the drama is still there but it is spread for those who can appreciate it. Anyone or everyone can be the audience. B. Jazz Audience Jazz, was spawned by the blues and since its inception, has now gathered millions of audiences around the world. There is no selective audience for this genre, anyone who appreciates jazz music is welcome to be its audience. V. Conclusion Blues is considered as the forerunner of Jazz, given that it started earlier and it actually spawned jazz music. Blues also speaks of traditions and personal experiences (the African-American laborer). Hence, Blues is more of a feel-based kind of music. It is very free, the only purpose is to relay the feelings, expressions of the artist. Jazz, for its part, is considered as dance music and improvisation is at its core. Jazz also incorporates more color, this is tricky for non-musicians and is far more technical in its aspect. Jazz is an exploration on how to make music more colorful, hence jazz spawned a lot of subgenres. When it comes to audience, there is only the matter of appreciation. Anyone who appreciates blues is welcome to blues. The same principle applies to jazz music. Works Cited: History-of-rock. com â€Å"A Short Blues History. † n. d. 27 Jul. 2009 http://www. history-of-rock. com/blues. htm. Unc. edu. â€Å"A (very) brief history of jazz. † n. d. 27 Jul. 2009 http://ils. unc. edu/~jnvicker/inls181/final/histpart2. html. Wikipedia. â€Å"Blues. † n. d. 27 Jul. 2009 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Blues. Wikipedia. â€Å"Jazz. † n. d. 27 Jul. 2009 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Jazz.

Human Resource Management in a Global Company

Human Resource Management in a Global Company First Chapter Introduction Groups of people see the world through their own set of assumptions, attitudes, beliefs, and values. Learn about their culture and how it formed them, and aim to understand how other culture work so that everyone can be an effective global manager. Organization from every part of the world is reaching out beyond their domestic markets to become international players. Not only is this very challenging on the business them, but it also creates a challenge for individual managers who must cope with working across geographic and cultural borders. Managing globally provides clear systems and approaches to help manage global networks and teams, and it examines the skills needed for dealing with different cultures. It teaches how to succeed in this new world. This is widely recognised that an organisational diversity is obvious and necessary nowadays because of increasing pace of economic and technological development. Organisations need to be flexible if they seek to remain competitive and want to survive in a long run. This research explores the phenomenon of diversity in one of UK’s leading super market named Sainsbury’s (London Colney). The researcher intends to examine what the policy to work with different culture people and how management manage working with diversity people in workplace in the store in last two years I have seen. 1.1 What we think about culture: Hofstede, (1991) defined culture as ‘the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one category from another’. It’s about share your beliefs, values, expectations of a particular group of people and differentiates them from a member of other groups. It can be found at many different levels. Each cultural world operates according to its own internal dynamic, principles and its own laws. As individuals, we generally only become aware of our own culture when confronted by others. Cultural differences are significant differences which have been identified across countries based on observed cultural dimensions. 1.2 Why culture consider in a multinational company: Multinational companies are completely different from export-based firms not least because of their foreign subsidiaries. Not only does physical distance pose a challenge for effective communication, but also there is the challenge represented by cultural differences. Some MNCs have regarded cultural differences as so important that they have chosen to operate as multi-domestics with decision-making, management style and product development. The attitude is that people in the subsidiaries know best and should be allowed to go their own ways. For example, the attitudes in the Dutch electronics firm Philips for most of the previous century. The downside of this approach is the fiefdom and ‘not-invented-here’ mentality, which resulted in Philips’ North American subsidiary refusing to adopt the Philips video recorder (V2000) and opting instead for the rival Japanese model. However, many MNCs, including Philips since 1987, require a much greater degree of coordination, particularly in regard to learning. To do so, these firms must develop common practices and common values. If foreign subsidiaries are to be integrated for knowledge-sharing purposes, a starting point is an understanding of the mindsets of subsidiary management and employees in terms of their work-related values. The management challenge for many MNCs is to be able to adapt their organizations to culturally distinct environments without losing organizational stability. 1.3 About an organisation: Sainsbury’s is one of the leading retail super markets with approximately 792 stores all over the UK. There are some others supermarkets (Tesco, ASDA, Iceland and Somerfield) in UK which are the competitors of Sainsbury’s. All of them are trying their best to provide good services to their customers and working under diversity workplace. For the present research the researcher has taken Sainsbury’s London Colney to study about diversity. There were many reasons to select Sainsbury’s London Colney for this research. One of the reasons was that this is a big store with 350 employees working in different shifts (morning, evening, day, night and some are working as seasonal employees). The management of this store comprises on around 20 to 30 people. This is a 24 hours store, located in the retail park and is very busy because of its location and also because this is close to M25 and people can get everything from the same store and also there is some other shop near to Sainsbury’s like M S, Next, Boots and so on. The second reason to select this store as a case study was that the researcher is working in this store in its customer services and checkouts department so the researcher as a participant has enough experience to work with different culture people in the store in the last two years. The sample size of this research (which includes on management and employees) was also easily approachable to get the relevant data. The researcher was quite hopeful that management and employees will cooperate with him for collecting data. 1.3.1 Company policy and commitment to colleagues: There is much legislation surrounding the area of diversity and at the same time this provides a minimum standard for this policy, it is the company’s intention to move beyond simple legal compliance where appropriate. This policy exists to enable a working environment in which everyone feels valued and respected in everything that they do. Innovative thinking and different ideas are critical to Sainsbury’s success and their ability to develop new ways of adding value for their customers will be greatly enhanced by the diversity of experiences and perspectives amongst their colleagues. Their ability to attract and retain the highest ability of colleagues from the widest community is essential in sustaining a leadership position. The aim of the company is that all colleagues will be able to work in a diversity environment, where they will be free from discrimination. They are managing their colleagues under the principles of fairness and objectivity, which is integrated into all of the ways. According to Sainsbury’s policy, they will not accept or ignore unfair decisions, practices or requirements that qualify or exclude an individual from meeting essential employment requirements. They include, but are not limited to, a person’s age, race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion. The equal of men and women are monitored and action taken where necessary and appropriate to ensure parity. In line with their flexible working policy, they will make it possible for colleagues to achieve a balance between their work and home commitments. They will ensure that the opportunities presented through diversity will be integrated into the development of new products and services that add value for their customers. The performance and effectiveness of Sainsbury’s diversity commitment and demographic colleague make-up of their stores are continuously reviewed and where improvement is identified, action has been taken. Any breaches of this policy have been treated seriously and also dealt with under their disciplinary policy. 1.4 Background/Current situation: As we know, now a day’s diversity is a one of the inclusive concepts and based on valuing everyone as a unique individual and celebrating this difference. The management of diversity is about individuals. The management of diversity goes beyond equal opportunities, instead of simply allowing a greater range of people getting more opportunity. The concept of diversity embodies the belief that people should be valued for their difference and variety. Diversity is supposed to enrich an organizations human capital, whereas equal opportunity focuses on various ethnic groups. As I said before that researcher is working in Sainsbury’s (London Colney) and have seen lots of differences about diversity. There are most of the people from Asian ethnic. But we have some Irish, African, Chinese and British as well. As I work in this store I have found some favour for same ethnic group. And for that other ethnic became sometime very aggressive. And from management level, there is also some gender valuing problem. We have seen lots of female managers rather then males. But other, like they don’t differentiate between ages, disabilities, colours and so on. So far you can say, they follow the procedures and that’s why they are success in business now a days. My research is about how they manage, and do they really follow the diversity policies? So, I intend to demonstrate, how a human resource manager can manage all those area and successfully complete company’s mission with different people. All overall, a self assessment for international human resource managers to evaluate and improve their global management skills. 1.5 Aims/Objectives: The primary aim of the research is therefore: To examine diversity, equality and discrimination issues in a multinational company, in particular, the way of HR managers to manage work with different culture people. The research objectives are: To determine what’s the company policy about diversity to manage work with different culture people and to become a successful global manager, aim to develop a global outlook. To outline the development of approaches to organizational analysis. To explore a multicultural company from the perspectives of diverse social groups. An international human resource manager needs to know the way of managing people in twenty first century. We are going to take an overview of what a manager needs to do in relations to managing people in a changing environment. I will be looking at: Diversity issues. International Human Resource Management policies. Managing people in a practical way. To examine the way of recruiting, and selecting the right people. As a human resource manager, we are likely to manage other people on a one- to-one basis. This involves understanding people as individuals and recognizing their differences as well as drawing up some general principles for managing them like motivates them, job satisfaction, and job design. Having accepted that there is a range of reasons why people behave differently in a work situation and that cannot make wild and generalized assumptions about any individual’s reasons for performing better or worse than average, we will recognize that when we put individuals together into a group, the behavior of that group is likely to be changeable. So it is important that they understand about the behavior of groups. So, all overall I will be going through with literature review to practical experiences to find my research project. Second Chapter Literature Review Everyone is different in age, gender, nationality, and ways of thinking. These differences are a source of strength. The concept of diversity means respect and acceptance. It means understanding each individual is unique and recognizing our individual’s differences. It can be the aspects of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political views and so on. It is exploration of these differences in a safe positive and development environment. Diversity is about creating an all-inclusive work environment that values and benefits from different human attributes, experiences, and skills at all levels and enables all employees to develop and contribute to their full potential. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple acceptance to implementation and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual. Diversity and equality has become a key driving force in government policies. The concepts of diversity and equality are common but still there are some differences. Diversity is the acknowledgement and respect of differences within and between groups of people. And equality is the framework that enables access, participation, opportunities and contribution that is fair and inclusive. According to Lew Platt (1993-1995) â€Å"I believe the word â€Å"diverse† includes not only different genders and races, but also different cultures, lifestyle and ways of thinking†. 2.1 Diversity Management at work: The concepts of workplace diversity include the principles of equal employment opportunity. Equal employment opportunity policies address continued disadvantages experienced by particular groups of people in the workplace, including people with disabilities and those who mistreated by co-workers on the basis of race or ethnicity. These policies remain an important foundation for workplace diversity policy. Diversity management involves systematic and planned programs or procedures that are considered to improve interaction among diverse people, especially people of different ethnicities, sexes, or cultures. And to make this diversity, a source of inspiration, complementarities, and greater organizational effectiveness should be provided rather than a source of tension, conflict, miscommunication, or limitation on the effectiveness. 2.2 Diversity Approaches: The issues that diversity representatives focus on vary by country. In some countries, the question of language is important, some countries depends on ethnic group, or may be depend on ages. ‘Managing Diversity’ is a term that entered UK debates on equality approaches in the mid-1990s. While it is becoming increasingly common in the UK, there is still disagreement about its meaning and the extent to which it differs from previous approaches. One of the things which do seem to be distinct is the way these approaches deal with differences between employees. The traditional approach to equal opportunities seeks to treat everyone the same. Managing diversity approaches recognises that employees are different and suggest that workplace can get benefit from those differences. What this means for organizations is that they need to adapt to employee characteristics rather than simply expecting from employees to fit with pre-existing policies. The more fundamental alternative would be to restructure the way work is carried out so that everyone can be flexible for that. Another example would be the approach taken to ensuring that appraisal was carried out in a fair manner. A diversity approach would take a more radical look at what types of behaviour and activity are valued by the organization to see whether these are more commonly practised by members of one group rather than another. Business case arguments for diversity share many elements with equal opportunities approaches but they tend to stress additional arguments. These have included claims that diverse teams are more innovative than ones composed of homogeneous individuals and that non-traditional workers can reflect the needs of a wider customer base. Diversity approaches also place a strong emphasis on creating a culture within which everyone feels they belong and are empowered to reach their full potential. One aspect of this inclusiveness is an attempt to find policies which seem equally relevant to all employees. The second alternative is seen as the more radical approach. It argues that there are multiple sources of difference which are as important as those based on gender or ethnicity. People are not defined by whether they are from European or Asian background but instead vary along a numerous of dimensions including personalities and tastes. This approach to managing diversity is strongly focused on individuals as the objects of equality policy and as such is in line with wider trends to individualise employee relations. 2.3 Managing people: Management is often defining as â€Å"getting things done through people† Michael Armstrong (1998). By definition, managers cannot do everything themselves. They have to rely on other people. Managers are sometimes said to spend their time planning, organizing, motivating, and controlling. In practice, the work of managers is quite fragmented. It depends demand on the situation and on the people concerned than on any academic division of the task into clearly differentiated elements. Managers dealing with people: internally with their bosses, their colleagues and their staff; externally with their customers, suppliers, professional advisers and national and local government officials. A leading writer on management, Henry Mintzberg has suggested that managers have: Interpersonal roles: acting as a leader, providing guidance and motivation and maintaining a web of relationship with many individuals and groups. Informational roles: continually seeking and receiving information as a basis for action, passing on factual information, and transmitting guidance to subordinates in making decision. Resource allocation roles: making choices about scheduling their own time, allocating task to people and authorizing actions. Disturbance handling roles: dealing with involuntary situations and change beyond their control. The human resources of an organization consist of all people who perform its activities. In a sense, all decisions that affect the workforce concern the organization’s HRM function. Human resource management concerns the personnel policies and managerial practices and system that influence the workforce. Regardless of the size-or existence-of a formal HRM or personnel department (many small businesses have no HRM department). So as an example, line managers will spend more than 50% of their time involved in human resource activities such as hiring, evaluating, disciplining and scheduling employees. But the jobs are not done yet. As a manager they need to look after employees’ performance. On the based of performance they need to motivate them, understand them and evaluating them. 2.4 Key concepts for Global Managers: The following concepts contain the underlying message of this article. These concepts have direct relevance to the effectiveness of global managers. An understanding and utilization of these concepts are critical to one’s successful global performance. Global leadership- being competent of operating effectively in a global environment and respectful of cultural diversity. This is an individual who can manage accelerating change and differences. The global leader is open and flexible in approaching others can cope with situations and willing to re-examine and alter personal attitudes and perceptions. Cross cultural communication- recognizing what is involved in one’s image of self and one’s role, values, standards, values, and expectations, which are culturally circumstance. Such a person understands the impact of cultural factors on communication. Most of the people are aware of verbal and non- verbal differences in communication with persons from another culture. Not only does such a person seek to learn another language, but also they are aware that, even when people speak the same language, cultural differences can alter communication symbols and meanings and result in misunderstanding. Cultural sensitivity- a person understands the cultural influences on behaviour. This individual behaviour translates such cultural awareness into effective relationships with those who are different. Acculturation- effectively adjusting and adapting to a specific culture, whether that be a subculture within one’s own country or abroad. Such a person knows the impact of culture shock in successfully managing transitions. Therefore, when dealing with employees from diverse cultural backgrounds, this person develops the necessary skills and avoids being ethnocentric. Cultural influences on management- understanding that management philosophies are deeply rooted in culture and that management practices developed in one culture may not easily transfer to another. Effective intercultural performance- applying cultural theory and policies to specific cross-cultural situations that affect people’s performance on jobs. Changing international business- coping with interdependence of business activity throughout the world as well as the subculture of the managerial group. The global manager appreciates the effect of cultural differences on standard business practices and principles, such as organisational loyalty. Cultural synergy- building on the very differences in the world’s people for mutual growth and accomplishment by co-operation. Cultural synergy through collaboration emphasizes similarities and common concerns and integrates differences to enrich human activities and systems. Work culture- applying the general characteristics of culture that how people work at a point in time and place. In the macro sense, work can be analysed in terms of human stages of development. In the micro sense, work culture can be studied in terms of specific industries, organizations or professional groups. Global culture- understanding that, while various characteristics of human culture have always been universal, a unique global culture with some common characteristics might be emerging. Global managers are alert to serving this commonality in human needs and markets with strategies that are transnational. 2.5 Construct area of diversity: Diversity is â€Å"the representation, in one social system, of people with distinctly different group affiliations of cultural significance† Cox (1993). Deresky (1994) also highlighted that, the differences between group members illustrated in terms of the extent such as culture, age, race, sexual orientations, gender and ethnic. There are three characteristics of construct area of diversity, which are classified employees differences. These are Demographic, organisational and socio-cognitive diversity. Demographic diversity: According to Jackson et al (1995), diversity such as ethnicity, age, nationality and gender those are considered visible attributes that can be easily characterised in particular individuals. Organisational diversity: The second category is organisational diversity. It may include: a) Staff job security in the firm. b) Work or professional experience. c) Occupation, functional or job portfolios of the employees such as marketing, production, and finance. Socio-cognitive diversity: The last category is socio-cognitive diversity, which includes cultural and religious values, knowledge level, beliefs and personalities characteristics. By establishing and organising the staff according to their distinctive attributes, it will facilitate business managers to have a more objective understanding and appreciation of their diverse staff’s behaviours, attitudes and values, given the implications for interpersonal and organisational processes and outcomes when staff members work together. As peoples values and beliefs vary individually as a result of their socio-cultural differences, this will affect organisational processes and configurations. For examples:- cross-cultural communication, management-subordinate relationships, international team management, leadership and decision-making styles, staff motivations, staff recruitment, selections and development, and other managerial functions. Apart from the jobs, employees also have differences based on their position within society. Whether an employee a man or women, from a particular ethnic group, is of a particular sexual orientations, has a disability may affect what they want from employment and what are able to offer. Some of these differences may also affect people’s access to jobs and their progress within organisations. 2.6 Discrepancies between academic research and HRM practice: While HRM executives and managers are more educated and professional than in the days when they were in charge of personnel, the level of knowledge in practicing HRM in another part. Many companies hire MBAs for HRM jobs when not even a single HRM course is required in the typical curriculum for an MBA. Recruitment: As an Academic research finding, quantitative analysis of recruitment sources using yield ratios can facilitate in recruitment. On the other hand HRM practices, less than 10% calculate yield ratios and less than 25% know how. Staffing: According to academic research findings, realistic job previews can reduce turnover and weighted application blanks reduce turnover. Alternatively, HRM practices, less than 20% of companies use RJPs in high-turnover jobs and less than 30%. Performance appraisal: According to academic research findings, do not use traits on rating forms, make appraisal process important element of manager’s job. On the other hand, more than 70% still use traits, less than 35% of managers are evaluated on performance appraisal. 2.7 International HRM: Domestic HRM is involved with employees within only one national boundary. And we define the field of IHRM broadly to cover all issues related to the management of people in an international context. Hence our definition of IHRM covers a wide range of human resource issues facings MNCs in different parts of their organisations. Additionally, we include comparative analyzes of HRM in different countries. The complexity of international HR can be attributed to six factors: More HR activities. The need for a broader perspective. More involvement in employee’s personal lives. Changes in emphasis as the workplace mix of expatriates and a local varies. Risk exposure. Broader external influences. In addition to complexity, there are four other variables that moderate differences between domestic and international HRM. These four additional moderators are: The cultural environment. The industry with which the multinational is primarily involved. The extent of reliance of the multinational on its home-country domestic market. The attitudes of senior management. 2.8 International HR policy: In spite of the corporate business strategy unique to each company that they will drive the specifies of an international human resource policy, there are certain objectives that any effective IHR policy should aim to accomplish. And these objectives are: The policy should attract and motivate employees to accept international assignment. It should provide competitive pay plans to ensure the assignee can maintain his or her accustomed lifestyle. It should promote career succession planning and include guideline on repatriation and additional overseas assignment. It should facilitate relocation between home and host location. And finally, it should be cost-effective, understanding and easy to administer. To meet these objectives, we must have internal and external programs functioning to handle the following six areas. In addition to the required technical and business skills, key traits to consider include: cultural sensitivity, interpersonal skills, and flexibility. Document and formally communicate the assignee’s specific job requirements and associated pay in an assignment letter. Identify the compensation, benefits and tax approach that meets company objectives. Some common approaches to pay include: home balance sheet, destination-based, net-to-net, flexible. Assist the assignee with disposition or management of home and automobiles, shipment and storage of household goods, work permits and pre-assignment visits. Provide cultural orientation, language training, spousal support, education assistance, home leave, and emergency provisions. As the average cost of sending an expert on an overseas assignment is between three and five times the employee’s pre-departure salary, quantifying total costs for a global assignment is essential in the budgeting process. 2.9 Integrated HR systems to develop global leaders: Companies with global human resource information systems are likely to be far better positioned to succeed in the highly competitive international market. Multinational companies often discover that, especially in newly emerging markets, local management talent is rarely available to establish and build operations. Consequently, many companies conclude that the only way to start doing business in these markets is to relocate experienced managers from around the globe. Companies doing work in the international marketplace have discovered that providing pre-departure screening and orientation is essential to achieving the highest rates of success. A human resource information system might include data on the potential training needs and past technical and cross-cultural experiences. Having such data would enhance the probability not only of selecting the best candidates, but also chances for success on the assignment, as a result having a great impact on the future development of global leaders. Because most multinational companies now require international experience in order to move up the corporate hierarchy, tracking information related to international assignment can make a important contribution to management development. 2.10 Diversity in multinational companies: The rise of multinational companies and increased global diversification by even small companies has resulted in people of diverse background and cultures working together in the same office or for the same organization. Conflict in such situations is expected, but understanding the diversity issues can help to minimize the conflict and take benefits from diversity group of people brings to an organisations. To understanding how diversity is manage in multinational organizations, try to understand the concept of corporate culture, which defines organisational diversity programs and their use to minimize conflict among employees. Companies and countries can no longer operate as if the rest of the world did not exit. New trading blocs, based on regional, not national, interests have formed with the European Economic Community and the North America Free Trade Agreement. There will be increased pressure influenced by the country culture. For examples, some corporate cultures may encourage women and men gathering together socially after work while country culture would prohibit this. A female executive from the USA might well have difficulty adapting to the rituals of her own company in a foreign country, particularly when the country culture differs greatly from the American cultures. In the case of working mothers, it is usually the woman who is responsible for picking children up from childcare (Deal Kennedy, (1982, p. 80). 2.11 Understanding crosses cultural communication: Some cultures communicate most readily via written messages, while others prefer talking. To relate successfully, understand what communication is, how it works, and how to tailor it to the cultural context into which it will be received. When we â€Å"deliver† a message. We assume that we have â€Å"communicated†. But it is often the case that what has been said is not the same as what has been heard. Although the communication may feel in control, it is the receiver who determines whether communication takes place. The outcome of successful communication is agreement about meaning. This can be difficult to achieve in cross-cultural communication where some degree of misunderstanding is expected. In relationship-focused cultures, such as those in Asia, words only convey a small part of the message; the l

US Education Budget Cuts Analysis

US Education Budget Cuts Analysis Introduction/Background Every year in the United States, we have a budget that we must adhere by. This is called the United States Federal Budget, with this title it is the budget that is used to fund and oversee governmental operations in our country over a fiscal year. Another budget process that we must note come from the state and local budget process. Federal budgets and state budgets have similarities but they also have a major difference. The major idea that separates the two is a fiscal deficit, states budgets are required by law to make certain that their budgets are balanced, whereas the federal government is allowed to run a deficit and can also request to borrow money to meet the needs and efforts congress has put forth. No matter what level of government is being discussed, the budget is always an issue that never looses saliency because there is always an area that needs more money, whether it be healthcare, defense, public safety, or education. The federal budget has three areas that seem to aid the most when gaining revenue, these three include income tax, capital gains, and other taxes such as social security or excise taxes. The state and local budget seems to gain revenue in a wider variety of ways, some of these including but not limited to taxes such as sales, fuel, and property along with other fees such as licensing (drivers), and casino gambling. Citizens often question where the money the government is robbing them of is ending up when operations such as medicaid and public assistance seem to be lacking. Speaking in the area of state and local budgeting, an area that raises a large amount of speculation is our K-12 education system. Although we all seem to take primary and secondary education seriously, it often slides through the cracks. We as citizens and taxpayers know how important the education of the young people in our country is, however it is often the first institute to have budget cuts inflicted. It has been recorded that the nation and the state of Alabama specifically have been fighting the battle of saving the budget allocated for primary and secondary public education for years now. Some believe that schools have enough of the budget directed in areas of education while others feel as though the extreme cuts are only hurting our children and the education they are receiving. In Support of Educational Budget Cuts in the United States It is understood that there is a large quantity of money that goes toward education on all levels. Primary and secondary public education specifically are allocated millions of dollars to use to their disposal to better the learning and teaching environment at these schools. There are many factors that go into making the educational system successful. Bill Gates agrees that cutting the budget it does not have to have negative effects or be detrimental to education or students. He actually states that it could have positive outcomes for students and teachers to benefit from these cuts. In an article written by Kevin Freking titled, Bill Gates: Education Budget Cuts Don’t Have to Hurt Learning, Gates states â€Å"that schools can improve the performance of students if they put more emphasis on rewarding excellent teaching and less emphasis on paying teachers based on seniority and graduate degrees† (Freking 2011). Gates also feels that there are definite do’s and d on’t when it comes to attempting to close the $125 billion deficit that we face. On top of the do’s list, Gates feels as though if we were to â€Å"lift caps on class sizes and get more students in front of the very best teachers. Those teachers would get paid more with the savings generated from having fewer personnel overall (Freking 2011). Class size is a variable that always comes up in the discussion of quality K-12 education. This is often the only factor people discuss when in reality, it is also in big part to do with the quality of teachers that we have inside the classroom teaching our students. Another mistake that is often made is paying teachers based on advanced degrees they have achieved or the â€Å"veteran status† they have obtained (meaning years of experience). Instead we need to redirect our focus in the direction of under what teachers have students learned the most knowledge and how well they learned. Other statistics show that 38% of the state tax revenues fund education (25% K-12, 13% higher education). States are obviously one of the main funders of primary and secondary schools available. Inside of these schools, 50 million students are learning and gaining knowledge. Research conducted by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities states that, â€Å"One-fourth of state spending on average, or about $280 billion, goes toward public education. The federal government provides only about 10 percent of public school revenues† (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 2015). Any citizen can read that number and think there must be a way to cut down on such intense government spending, the key is finding how do enhance the quality of teachers while also continuing to control the teacher to student ratio. Why Educational Budget Cuts Are a Bad Idea In Alabama alone, we have made a per-pupil cut of 17.8% since 2008. Madison Underwood writes in his article titled, Alabama’s cuts to K-12 education since 2008 are second highest in the nation, study finds Underwood claims, â€Å"When it comes to dollars spent per student, Alabama is spending $1,128 less per student in fiscal year 2015 than it was in 2008 thats the largest deficit in per-student spending in the nation, according to CBPP (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)† (Underwood 2014). There have been multiple nonprofit organizations set up to help with the budget cuts because it is becoming an ongoing problem. The Alabama-based Arise Citizens Policy Project, a nonprofit with the goal of helping low income Alabamians that are suffering from the poor decisions of our state policy makers. This group of individuals feels as though the cuts that have been applied to education are not only hurting the schools but also impacting the economy presently and also in th e future. Teach For America is another nonprofit that has the goal of bringing in qualified teachers to low income communities that are in need of assistance. Underwood was able to speak to ACPP executive director, Kimble Forrister to find out that she feels â€Å"underfunding education today will leave our state with fewer highly skilled workers tomorrow. We cant strengthen Alabamas economy by eroding our foundation for economic growth† (Underwood 2014). Most states are facing cuts that are far worse then they were experiencing during the 2008 recession. Since many states did not have time to recuperate from the backlash of the recession, it has only made things much worse. Gabriel Thompson writes a compelling article titles A Thousand Cuts. In this article Thompson explains the challenges that have been brought to Navy Airbase, outside Lemoore, California through the budget cuts that have recently taken place. After reading this article, it goes back to letting students just slip between the cracks. These students have parents that are being deployed to fight for the country they live in but these men and women can’t even be certain that their children will be getting an adequate education because of the cuts the government are initiating at these schools. Thompson met with principle Heiko Sweeney of one of the schools in the district. In their meeting, Thompson asked what he thought would happen if the cuts became even more permanent and his answer was, â€Å" I wouldn’t even want to think what could happen, it would bedevastating. Cutting the teachers at Akers woould also result in a reduction in the number of adults available to help students deal with nonacademic challenges, such as the deployment of their parents. Some of these kids go through a lot of stress. When a parent is deployed, its not uncommon for a student to try to take over to many responsibilities at home to fill in as a missing parent to a younger brother or sister, it can start to be a lot on these children† (Thompson 2013). Michael Leachman and Chris Mai are the authors of Most States Funding Schools Less Than Before the Recession, put out by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. In this article they go into great detail about educational budget cuts prior to the recession and post-recession. The decline in state investment in educational systems has reason to cause a significant concern. While we are a nation focused on producing workers that are applicable to new technologies and skills necessary to do jobs having to do with the global economy, these budget cuts are only going to make it harder for citizens and children to gain the education they need to reach these levels. Restoring the funding made available to these schools should be extremely high on government officials list of priorities. Evaluation of the two sides: These arguments both have valid points and reasoning when defending why we should or should not be in favor of educational budget cuts. Supporting the cuts could force districts to find high quality teachers that aren’t paid based on how much school they have attended or years they have taught but more on how well their students learn and preform under their guidance. Another tactic that teachers are experimenting with is called â€Å"flipping classrooms†. In this practice, teachers flip time spent in the classroom and time for homework. What this means is that students are sent home with lectures from their teachers to learn and grasp a concept at home. When they return to school, they use the time that would have been spent on the lecture doing the homework together. This tightens the gap on the disconnect between the teachers and students that go home and don’t understand their homework, and also makes it easier for teachers to see what students are truly stru ggling and what students understand the concepts being taught.078 However, I do believe that the argument of not supporting the continuous cuts to our education reigns superior. City Schools alone were forced to cut $1.2 million from their budget just last year. This will not allow City Schools to purchase new textbooks for new students, nor will it allow them to replace textbooks that are out of date. The district is growing rapidly with High School projected to be the largest high school in the state of Alabama within the next ten years. With public school districts exploding with new students all over the country it is necessary that they are continued to be allocated with sufficient budgets to cover the public education of these children. Conclusion Having a stance in favor of the K-12 educational budget cuts is only hurting the future of our country. Although there is a large sum of money allocated in the direction of education in our country, it is forgotten just how important it is for the younger generations that will eventually be the young leaders of the free world. Public administrators need to make it their top priority to get these funds back on track. When these cuts happen at the state level, it means that the school districts then have to begin to figure out how they are going to raise more local tax revenue so that they don’t have to back track on the high quality educational services they are providing. Levy’s should be prepared for citizens of cities and towns to vote on these issues in their local elections to ensure that everyone is having a fair say in what money is or is not going into their local education system. The primary and secondary education in this country and considerably important, an d I know that we can all agree on that. References Flipping Classrooms. Phi Delta Kappan 93.4 (2011): 6-7. Web. Freking, Kevin. Bill Gates: Education Budget Cuts Dont Have To Hurt Learning. Huffington Post [Washington] 28 Feb. 2011: n. pag. Print. Hubbell, Annie. Auburn City Schools Cut $1.2 Million in 2014 Budget. Toledo News Now 17 Feb. 2014: n. pag. Print. Leachman, Michael, and Chris Mai. Most States Funding Schools Less Than Before the Recession. Center on Budget and Policy Priority (2014): n. pag. Ebscohost. Web. 19 May 2015. Policy Basics: Where Do Our State Tax Dollars Go. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (2015): n. pag. Ebscohost. Web. Thompson, Gabriel. A Thousand Cuts. The Nation 13 May 2013: 20-24. Print. Underwood, Madison. Alabamas Cuts to K-12 Education since 2008 Are Second Highest in the Nation, Study Finds. Al.com 16 Oct. 2014: n. pag. Print.

Eulogy for Son :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Son First I would like to say thank you for the tremendous outpouring of love and affection from our community at last night’s viewing for John. Roger at the funeral home told us this was the largest turnout he can remember. Close to 1,000 friends—and many people who were merely touched by John’s story—waited up to fours hours in the rain to pay their respects. We want you to know how very grateful and very touched we were by the response. As Congressman Johnson said in his tribute to John, entered into the Congressional Record, John truly was one of our nation’s best and brightest and dearest sons. He was already a great young man who would have served his country well, and I know he could have become one of our great leaders had he been given more time. I also want you to know that we knew it would rain today, because one of John’s longest-running legacies is that it always rains on major events in his life: His graduation from high school, parents weekend during his plebe summer, his formal ring dance his senior year, and now today. Only his graduation from the Academy broke the mold. After four straight days of rain, God granted us a beautiful day for John’s commencement ceremonies. Perhaps rain is God’s enduring way of testing our love for John, and if today and last night are any measure, I think we passed the test with flying colors. When the officers arrived at our door Saturday morning to give us the tragic news about John, our hearts and our lives stopped. The thought was too hard to comprehend and any parent’s worst nightmare. Our son, who had just graduated from the United States Naval Academy with academic honors, was looking forward with excitement and anticipation to entering flight school in Pensacola in September. He was also excited about coming home for his mother’s birthday, and giving us the latest news from the Naval Academy, where he was stationed for the summer during Plebe training exercises. One of the police officers who came to our door was Bob Fischer, the father of Peter Fischer, who is one of those Plebes at the Academy. In June, our son had presented Peter with his appointment at an award ceremony at Egg Harbor Township High School, where John graduated 4th in his class in 1996.

Talk Radio :: essays papers

Talk Radio In Talk Radio, Oliver Stone brings together all venues of filmmaking to capture the story he wants to tell. With tremendous collaboration from the DP, the production designer, the writer, and the performers, Stone calculated a tight, moving film in high style. Beginning with the script, Stone and Bogosian formed a laborious respect in the nature of the piece. They each understood the underlying theme that Barry repeats over and over again. â€Å"If you don’t like it, why don’t you turn it off?† (sic) They went after the build up of Barry’s paranoia and need for voice/attention, knowing all along he would have to die for the film to mean anything. We start the film off in the clutches of its finale; the crazed fan waiting for his prey in smoke. It is only until Barry can recognize the error in his ways that he can be taken from the world to speak louder than any airwave or radio signal. This is wonderfully shown in the voice montage of callers. The idea of the radio station being a safe world unto its own, where no light penetrates and no one from the real world can gain access, is a wonderful metaphor for Barry himself. A loud talking, overly proud shock jock, who cannot afford to let anyone in. The world of the station has no windows, no warm light, and no ties to the ugly city around it. Barry dresses in black, like the studio, which is set in contempo-modern deco blacks and grays. He talks about subjects no one wants to admit is true. We are constantly in shadow, always hearing and watching two different stories, and wondering where it’ll go. Stone keeps us constantly aware of how Barry affects those around him and at the center of attention. Using moving shots, reflection focus pulls, dimming lights, and split diopters we never lose sight of the choices Barry is making and what it’s doing to those around him.

Human Resources department in William Hill Essay

Human Resources department in William Hill are important because they have a connection with the quality of employees and market success. William Hill will not be able to work effectively if workers are not committed to meeting corporate objectives so it is the HR management job to ensure this quality by recruiting, developing and retaining these staff. In order to do the above it is essential for HR department to look at various information internally and externally to plan for human resource. Internal and external information is important for William Hill as they need it to determine what they are doing, what they should have done, and what they are about to do. For this company to be the best and to strive to the highest levels they should make sure that they know all legislations that they need to follow in order to stay on the same side of the law. Internal in formation consist of what is happening in the business such as below: Labour Turnover This means the number of employees that leave over a period of time, are replaced and the average length of time workers stay and reason for staff wastage. This can either be advantage or become a disadvantage to William Hill. This is because it can either bring in new employees with new ideas and skills, or it can be expensive to recruit new staff. Due to high costs that it will produce, this can also become time consuming. Employees may leave because of poor career prospects, allowing little chance of promotion or simply better opportunities elsewhere. The way to measure labour turnover is: Wastage rate: No. of leavers in a period * 100 Average number of employees in the period Average No. Employees at start of period + Employees at end of period of employees: 2 Companies including William Hill can use this calculation on a yearly basis for the whole organisation or just the department. This is highly useful when used as a comparison with previous years. One disadvantage is that the equation (wastage rate) doesn’t measure the length of service of the employees that leave. Stability Index means that means how long an employee has been with the firm. It can be measure by using this formula: No. of employees with one or more years or service * 100 No. of employees at the start of the year This equation shows the stability of more loyal and settled workers. It ignores short-term workers or those most likely to leave. William Hill Labour turnover for Evelyn Street Branch is: Labour turnover = 3 * 100 = 20% 15 This result includes the amount of part time and full time workers employed in my branch. This is a really good indication that numerous workers love their job and want to stay employed in William Hill. As there is high retention levels it makes planning for human resource easier because it seems that more workers are staying. The amount of people leaving one branch would require the attention of the HR department, this is because the company can observe what is wrong and try to find ways to fix it. This would help the department as it can grow from the results of the turnover. Being able to put back into working order the things that became a problem in the past would make the company more successful from within. Age, Skills and Qualifications According to studies the older you are the more experience you would have. Analysing the age of the workers at William Hill it would show that mostly young and middle age groups are being employed. William Hill tend to take staff during night racing and hiring people around these times would be essential for the company but not for the employee, this is because in that short space of time the workers will not gain the qualifications that they need. William Hill’s most reliable staff would be the middle age groups. This is because they would be more experienced and have been in that trade for such longer period. In addition to this they will gain maximum experience and qualifications to match. Where this is rewarded by annual pay they will be more expensive to employ, their length of service may make them more expensive to make redundant. Younger staff may lack experience but they may be more receptive to change and new ideas, also they may inexpensive to recruit. When looking at the gender of William Hill you will find that most of the employees are female: FEMALE – 60% MALE – 40% There are more women on the shop floors than in the Head Office of William. Also the male population tend to be the betters and it means that the female will tend to serve them especially when it comes to individual betting shops. William Hill is a company that employ regardless of qualification or skills in providing their services to customers however it would aid employment if you had rather good maths skills, good communication skills and working with other workers as a team. But William Hill do offer training where it is needed to new or previous staff because it essential time is not wasted in not knowing what to do but being productive and offering good Customer Service. Staff Absences or sickness Staff absences cost industries in terms of money and time due to less productivity. Staff absences is not only included in absences but also bad time keeping such as arriving late and leaving early but also due to industrial accidents. Accidents at work can be avoided by the use of common sense and consideration. Hazards caused by leaving paper on the floor, having the ladder obstructing the way, blocked entrances and exits with boxes and trailing leads. So it is part of the Human Resource to keep sure that safety is kept by each shop and that appropriate planning is made for training in First Aid in case of accidents caused by other individuals. Apart from accidents the workplace can cause illness to workers in a variety of ways especially those that are doing night shift also due to constant smoking by workers and customers it may lead to further health problems in the future so this may cause absences. The staff absences in the Evelyn Branch of William Hill yearly are: Part time employees 18% Full time employees 32% Full time workers have the highest Training This can be done within the business or outside, according to the training needs of the employee. There are different types of training: Induction, Mentoring, Coaching, Apprenticeships, and Off and On the job training. Staff training is required if William Hill are to continue and to be successful to be the best in their market. The process of training is to help employees reach their maximum efficiency. William Hill will need to meet their annual targets therefore employees would need to develop their skills. At the beginning of your employment at William Hill or any other workplace you will have to have an induction. This is an introduction to the business for new employees. This can be used to familiarise the new recruits with the organisation. Based on a good induction the employee will feel at ease with the organisation and some of the employees. Your skills and qualifications may be based on your training. Your ability to gain as much knowledge as you can will be reflected in your skills to do certain jobs. Employees of William Hill will be trained to suit any area no mater what the task in question is. This will then help the company to strive to be the finest it can be. Succession and Promotion of Staff Succession is the process of staff that has left being trained and promoted although it has become common for William Hill to recruit experienced staff from outside the business it would be advantageous to start promoting those within the organisation. So in order for employees to stay and require less human resource planning it helps to encourage staff to remain loyal by giving them good career prospects. Promoting within William Hill will ensure continuity of style and culture of the organisation so that everyone watching out for each other style will still exists to continue increasing productivity. The human resource department do not always approach staff for promotion but teletexting is placed on Managers betting screen to tell staff or posters are placed out side individual LBO if they need certain staff. Nevertheless there is always that problem that internal staffs are not suitable so advertising the need for staff will have to be done for William HR department for planning for the future. External information relates to the information outside of the business and these tend to be things which are beyond William Hill’s control. So in order to overcome these problems it helps to use the PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal) analysis which looks at all aspects of the external influences which will prove crucial to the outcome of William Hill in coming years. Political With there being a stable political environment it enables William Hill to make predictions about their future because they have that degree of certainty due to knowing that the Labour government will be in power for another four years and hopefully they will stick to the same economic policies. If there was an increase in company taxation levels, this could mean that William Hill will have more cost to pay and may not be able to recruit as many staff as they previously would. For the Human Resource department it means that they may have to recruit staffs that are less ‘expensive’ such as those that don’t have as much experience as someone that may have been in the industry for 10 years. Changes to taxation levels in general would have an affect on William Hill as certain things such as concessions and incentives given to workers could increase or decrease. However some of the company expenses are tax deductible meaning that William Hill can set these off against tax burdens and may make them more willing to recruit workers if costs can be cut through not giving away company cars. The level of protectionism that the government have could affect trade and could affect demand for William Hill services hence demand for labour to supply services could fall or ascend depending on their restrictions. Economic Economic forces affect both the organisation and its customers. Depending on the sector that the business lies on the economic influences will be different. The economic environment may change, William Hill will need to understand how their suppliers and customers will be affected if they are to successfully adjust to change. Unemployment has a relationship with the demand of product or products in general. With a high unemployment level the demand for products will go down as people have less disposable income. If William Hill were to set up in an area that has low employment levels then they could make the percentage level increase thus giving the company more sales as unemployment is low. If interest rates are high then it becomes a lot more expensive for companies like William Hill to borrow money from banks, meaning that William Hill will refrain from expanding and less staff will be needed. The Human Resources Planning department may have to delayer the hierarchy of the company leaving some without a job. With high interest rates people in general will become hostile to purchasing luxury or high priced products or services therefore the demand for them will decrease. The Human Resources department would need to invent ways for this to change in their favour. Social People’s spending habits may vary during different seasons because of various races during the course of the year such as Cheltenham, The Grand National and many more. William Hill will realise this and take advantage for it. When recruiting staff WH Smith would need to think carefully on whom to take on. Taking in the knowledge that younger employees would be more responsive to change. However someone of the senior generation may offer more years of service. This will effect the HR department of WH Smith because they will need to consider a lot. Since younger people may have new skills and new ideas they may be beneficial to the company, and older employees would stay with the company longer. Technological As technology is advancing WH Smith need to move with the times by using technology They may want to make sure that their products are of the highest standards so WH Smith would use technical equipment thereby reducing the amount of staff required. If WH Smith engages in Internet sales it may also cut down the staffs that is needed. The Human Resources department will take into consideration the affect that this would have on WH Smith and they will use this to interpret the outcome for their future. Environmental Environmental issues are a very big part of all industries as everyone wants to be environmentally friendly. Some of WH Smith’s customers would like to buy recyclable products to be kind to the environment. If WH Smith were to be concerned with the environment they could buy more recyclable stationery enabling this to be part of their policy concerning the environment. There may be some customers (like me) that don’t really mind whether their goods are recyclable. To them they may think that just because they can be recycled they are not good quality, therefore they would not buy it. The HR department would need to analyse this area and make sure they know and understand the ramifications that may occur from their decisions. This could have an effect on staff as they may need to employ more people to assist with sales or not employ anyone at all. Legal All companies follow an equal opportunity policy as it is part of a legislation that all businesses should follow. For legal reasons William Hill may have to pay one employee more money than another, this would not be because one’s a man and the other is a woman, but, because one is a minor (under 16) and the other is above 18. With this policy people under 18 yrs would be paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3.60 and anyone older would get à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.20. Within this company they do not discriminate against people, this could be from sex discrimination to racial. This could effect the HR department as it could higher the cost of labour that they recruit, meaning that they would reduce the amount of staff.

Assignment 1 Trends in the Workplace Essay

Predict three (3) human resource functions that are likely to be affected by the implementation of an MRP system. Propose two (2) ways in which you as a human resource manager can help the organization carry out this change successfully. As material resource planning (MRP) involves the initiation of the automation of planning needs for resources, ordering materials, and scheduling tasks to be completed on the shop floor; it is to be expected that certain functions of human resources will be directly affected with the implementation of the MRP system. The first of these would be job analysis which is the process of getting detailed information about the job and job design which involves defining the way work will be performed and the tasks involved in completing those requirements. Obviously the shift from manual process to automation will change the standards for certain task requirements and necessitate the assessment of standards of performance. This leads directly to the affectation of a second human resource function of training and development. Training and development will become a priority as the MRP system will require dedicated orientation to introduce the systems to the employees. This will need to be a well planned undertaking for information, disclosure and inquiry response. Skill development will also need to be provided to prepare the users of the new systems for the task the implementing of automated systems can cause unrest in a business setting so it is important that employee relations and communications be kept transparent making this the third human resource function to be affected as the MRP system is implemented. Two ways in which human resource managers should be prepared to implement this change successfully is to first be fully vested in the resource that is human capital. Human resource managers should be prepared to identify those individuals who have the skill set to complete the transition for the prescribed tasks by clearly stating the task, its objectives and setting realistic goals and attainment periods. Secondly, human resource managers are to make sure the employees progress matches the goals that have been set forth. This is performance management and is critical in a transitional period. Determine three (3) human resource skills that would be important for success in leveraging the new MRP system. An undertaking of the magnitude of the MRP transition will require the use of many human resource management skills. The most important of these skills is the ability to effectively communicate. This includes written communication skills, oral communication skills and both verbal and non verbal skills and active listening can be included here as well. Critical thinking will be needed to make decisions for situations that may arise during the transition as well. Lastly, a strong sense of judgment and decision making abilities will be required. There will no doubt be times human resource managers may be called upon to make instant decisions or implement changes in an effort to complete the transition as complex issues arise. These times will require an aggressive approach to meet the quality and standards of the business. Based on the planned growth of the organization, predict three (3) factors that might impact the organization’s ability to hire new employees that possess the technical skills needed to perform a job. One factor that may have an impact the organizations ability to hire new employees that possess the desired technical skills for the performance of a job is initially recognizing the need to hire or promote a current vacancy. A second factor is determining the relevance of the current job description and whether it is in full alignment with the now automated position. This might require a simple review of the current job analysis paying close attention to the level of skill required for completing the task. Finally, a clear identification of the duties and responsibilities should be presented in order to solicit an eligible workforce. . References Essentials of human resource management. S. Tyson. Elsevier. 2008. 464. Human resource management: contemporary approach. Textbook. J. Beardwell, T. Claydon. Pearson. 2010. 710 p. Whitehill. A. M. Japanese management: tradition and transition. Publisher, Routledge, 1991.

Remembering an event

Before wrestling was always that little overweight kid who was instantly being made fun of when I was in elementary and middle school, which explains why I'm shy sometimes towards people because I'm afraid I might be judged. Also at home when I was young, I would always get yelled at for everything that did even when I didn't do anything's because was the oldest of my brother and sister. All know is that I didn't like my childhood at all as I was growing up. When became a teenager, I started high school and things changed.Things started to change when started high school, I darted making new friends, and was also ditching a lot and making terrible decisions. Freshman year wasn't that bad because wasn't failing, but at the same time I wasn't getting good Benefactors grades. Sophomore year I started lowering my grades because started hanging out with kids older than me, so would ditch a lot. They weren't in gangs or anything bad, they were just older than me and had cars. I already had the thought in my head that wasn't going to go to college, or that wasn't going to do anything good in my life.Once I started noir year everything changed. I met this kid in my class named Juan, who was into military things and sports that had to do with fighting. In the winter, Juan had told me that he wanted to join wrestling, and that I should join with him, so I did. When the season started I didn't think I was going to stick with it because I didn't know anybody, and would get tired quickly. Weeks passed and I started to learn more moves, and I also began losing weight and gaining muscle. I began eating healthier and started lifting more weights.The coach loud always joke around with us after we had a good practice and serious if he saw that we didn't try at all. The thing that made everybody look up to the coach and respect him was that he would give us motivational speeches before and after our matches, which made me win each time. Senior year came, and got the varsity spot for heavyweight and that made me get really excited. The coach talked to me and told me that if wanted the spot permanently and also to be in the team, I had to stop ditching my classes and start getting my grades up. Ewe the coach was right so told him that I would, and I did. That year was my best season because I went undefeated for 14 matches, and I won four tournaments first place, and my final record was 22-4. By the end of senior year, I had made a lot of friends, and also I was passing my classes, and if I wanted to Benefactors graduate all had to do was make up the classes that I failed my freshman and sophomore year by attending night school. This event changed me by making me try harder in life if I want to achieve my goals.At the end of it all wrestling was en of the biggest events that I want to keep remembering for the rest of my year came, and I got the varsity spot for heavyweight and that made me get really excited. The coach talked to me and told me that if I wante d the spot start getting my grades up. I knew the coach was right so I told him that would, and did. Thayer was my best season because I went undefeated for 14 matches, and won four tournaments first place, and my final record Benefactors graduate all I had to do was make up the classes that failed my one of the biggest events that want to keep remembering for the rest of my life. Remembering an event Before wrestling was always that little overweight kid who was instantly being made fun of when I was in elementary and middle school, which explains why I'm shy sometimes towards people because I'm afraid I might be judged. Also at home when I was young, I would always get yelled at for everything that did even when I didn't do anything's because was the oldest of my brother and sister. All know is that I didn't like my childhood at all as I was growing up. When became a teenager, I started high school and things changed.Things started to change when started high school, I darted making new friends, and was also ditching a lot and making terrible decisions. Freshman year wasn't that bad because wasn't failing, but at the same time I wasn't getting good Benefactors grades. Sophomore year I started lowering my grades because started hanging out with kids older than me, so would ditch a lot. They weren't in gangs or anything bad, they were just older than me and had cars. I already had the thought in my head that wasn't going to go to college, or that wasn't going to do anything good in my life.Once I started noir year everything changed. I met this kid in my class named Juan, who was into military things and sports that had to do with fighting. In the winter, Juan had told me that he wanted to join wrestling, and that I should join with him, so I did. When the season started I didn't think I was going to stick with it because I didn't know anybody, and would get tired quickly. Weeks passed and I started to learn more moves, and I also began losing weight and gaining muscle. I began eating healthier and started lifting more weights.The coach loud always joke around with us after we had a good practice and serious if he saw that we didn't try at all. The thing that made everybody look up to the coach and respect him was that he would give us motivational speeches before and after our matches, which made me win each time. Senior year came, and got the varsity spot for heavyweight and that made me get really excited. The coach talked to me and told me that if wanted the spot permanently and also to be in the team, I had to stop ditching my classes and start getting my grades up. Ewe the coach was right so told him that I would, and I did. That year was my best season because I went undefeated for 14 matches, and I won four tournaments first place, and my final record was 22-4. By the end of senior year, I had made a lot of friends, and also I was passing my classes, and if I wanted to Benefactors graduate all had to do was make up the classes that I failed my freshman and sophomore year by attending night school. This event changed me by making me try harder in life if I want to achieve my goals.At the end of it all wrestling was en of the biggest events that I want to keep remembering for the rest of my year came, and I got the varsity spot for heavyweight and that made me get really excited. The coach talked to me and told me that if I wante d the spot start getting my grades up. I knew the coach was right so I told him that would, and did. Thayer was my best season because I went undefeated for 14 matches, and won four tournaments first place, and my final record Benefactors graduate all I had to do was make up the classes that failed my one of the biggest events that want to keep remembering for the rest of my life.