Saturday, August 17, 2019
Overpopulation: The Underlying Cause of Most Environmental Issues Katie Caputo Essay
There are so many environmental issues that are affecting the entire globe today. People often speak of environmental issues as if they have no control over making them better or worse, however, environmentalists feel that many if not all of the environmental problems that we are facing ââ¬Å"are either caused or exacerbated by population growthâ⬠(West, 2009). That means that people themselves are the very ones causing harm to the environment. What we do or donââ¬â¢t do about the issue of overpopulation will determine the very fate of the environment in the future. This presents the need for ethical decision making. Global environmental problems are ethical problemsâ⬠(Brown, 2009). Each and every person has a moral and ethical responsibility toward the environment, the problem is that people often ignore that responsibility, especially when it presents other ethical dilemmas. Defining Ethics To begin, I would like to define ethics. A definition taken from the National Academy of Engineering states ââ¬Å"ethics is concerned with what is right or wrong, good or bad, fair or unfair, responsible or irresponsible, obligatory or permissible, praiseworthy or blameworthyâ⬠(2006). So what does ethics have to do with overpopulation and other environmental issues? If we know that overpopulation is the direct cause of many of the environmental issues that are affecting the entire globe, ethically, it is our responsibility as humans to come up with a solution to the problem. Population Growth ââ¬Å"Over-population is the term that refers to a condition by which the population density enlarges to a limit that provokes the environmental deterioration, a remarkable decline in the quality of life or a population collapseâ⬠(Biology Cabinet Organization, 2003). In around 1963, the global rate of human population growth peaked, but the number of people living on Earth has grown by more than two-thirds since then, topping out at over 6. 6 billion today (West, 2009). Every year, more than 81 million people add to the world-wide population. Every 10 years almost one billion inhabitants are added to the worldââ¬â¢s population (BCO, 2006). By the year 2050, the human population is expected to exceed nine billion (West, 2009). What affect does this have on the environment? Effects of Over-population Global Warming Global warming is considered to be one of the top environmental issues today. Scientists have determined that it is mostly human activities that are contributing to global warming by adding excessive amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, accumulate in the atmosphere and trap heat that would normally exit into outer space. Many greenhouse gases occur naturally and are needed to create the ââ¬Å"greenhouse effectâ⬠that keeps the Earth warm enough to support life, but it is human use of fossil fuels that cause the excess greenhouse gases. By driving cars, using electricity from coal-fired power plants, or heating our homes with oil or natural gas, we release carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere (West, 2009). Deforestation Deforestation is another environmental issue and is a significant source of greenhouse gases because fewer trees mean less carbon dioxide conversion to oxygen. ââ¬Å"The most important direct causes of deforestation include logging, the conversion of forested lands for agriculture and cattle-raising, urbanization, mining and oil exploitation, acid rain and fireâ⬠(World Rain Forest Movement, 1998). Deforestation and forest degradation occurs both in Northern and Southern countries and its underlying causes also originate in both, although with varying degrees of responsibility. Industrialized countries have not only cut down or degraded their own forests in the past; many are still doing so today. This occurs either through large-scale clear-cutting (as in many areas of Canada, the US or Australia) or through the thinning and therefore degradation of forests, reducing them to a few commercially valuable species at the expense of biodiversity (such as in Sweden, France or Finland) (World Rainforest Movement, 1998). The root of the problem is trying to keep up with the demand of the ever-growing population. Biodiversity Biodiversity is defined by the Washington Biodiversity Council as ââ¬Å"the full range of life in all its formsâ⬠(2003). Biodiversity loss is largely a result of deforestation. The worldwide rate of extinction of plant and animal species is estimated to be 10,000 times as rapid as it was in prehistoric times, with more than 27,000 species becoming extinct every year. An example of the loss of biodiversity due to overpopulation is seen in the state of Washington. ââ¬Å"Washington is one of the most biologically diverse states in the union. This is due to the stateââ¬â¢s diverse topography, its exposure to Pacific Ocean currents and weather patterns, and its location on the migratory path of many wildlife species. â⬠ââ¬Å"Washington, in fact, contains most of the major ecosystem types found in the western United States, including two found nowhere else in the world: the Olympic rainforest and channeled scablands. However, ââ¬Å"since statehood in 1889, Washington has lost an estimated 70 percent of its estuarine wetlands, 50 percent of its riparian habitat, 90 percent of its old-growth forest, and 70 percent of its native shrub-steppe and arid grasslandsâ⬠(Washington Biodiversity Council, 2003). As the smallest and second most densely populated of the rapidly growing Western states, Washingtonââ¬â¢s population in 2008 was 6. 5 million according to the U. S. Census Bureau, and is expected to add over 21 percent by the year 2020 (2009). This puts Washington in great danger of losing much of its diversity of plant and animal life within the next few decades. Although scientists are not fully aware of all the consequences of the continual loss of biodiversity, they do know that a diversity of healthy, functioning ecosystems is essential to the environment. Water Shortages As we in water-rich countries take our daily showers, water the lawn or laze about in the pool, itââ¬â¢s easy to forget that fresh water is a life-or-death issue in many parts of the world. Of a population of roughly 6. 1 billion, more than 1 billion lack access to potable water. The World Health Organization says that at any time, up to half of humanity has one of the six main diseases such as: diarrhea, schistosomiasis, or trachoma, or infestation with ascaris, guinea worm, or hookworm which are associated with poor drinking water and inadequate sanitation. About 5 million people die each year from poor drinking water, poor sanitation, or a dirty home environment, often resulting from water shortage (University of Wisconsin, 2001). The water shortages are becoming more and more evident all over the world. For example: ââ¬Å"Mexico City (home to 20 million people) is sinking because the city sucks out underground water faster than the aquifer can be refilled; Florida wants to refill itââ¬â¢s over pumped aquifer with untreated surface water, despite federal regulations to the contrary; Texas is moving toward private, for-profit water sales. The water will be ââ¬Ëminedââ¬â¢ from aquifers that are disappearing fast. No word on what the private suppliers, including corporate raider T. Boone Pickens, will do once the aquifers run dry. Aquifers around the world are being over tapped for irrigated agriculture, which fills about 40 percent of the global larder; The Bush Administration has withdrawn a proposed tightening of the arsenic standard for drinking water. Critics say the old rule, dating to 1942, could allow thousands of cases of cancer and other diseases. Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, whatââ¬â¢s been called the ââ¬Ëlargest poisoning of a population in historyââ¬â¢ has 35 to 77 million people drinking arsenic-laced water;â⬠and last but not least, ââ¬Å"a showdown is looming over the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, which originate in Turkey, then water both Syria and Iraq. If Turkey goes ahead with a series of dams, the downriver nations could starve. There are projections that three billion people, half of todayââ¬â¢s population, will be short of water in 2025â⬠(University of Wisconsin, 2001). Some Recommended Solutions for Overpopulation Being that this issue is one of such great importance, we need to be proactive at finding some kind of solution. There have been many different ideas that have been presented to try to get the population under control; however, thus far, most of the ideas have been just that- ideas, with no definite plan of action. Some of the proposed solutions, to name a few, have been: ââ¬Å"making sure people around the world have access to family planning services; empowering women in developing countries economically, socially, and legally in a manner that results in them having an equal say (with their husbands) in reproductive decisions; modifying school curricula to include information on population levels and implications for the future; reforming tax laws in a way that encourages couples to have no more than two children. They would still be able to have as many kids as they want, but the tax code would no longer subsidize more than two)â⬠(Jeantheau, 2005). The Need for Ethical Decision-Making People tend to be very opposed to the thought of their freedom being imposed upon, especially when it deals with the amount of children that they can or cannot have. Many people will argue from a religious standpoint that God specifically says in the Bible to multiply and subdue the earth. Some feel that the use of birth control is unethical and against Bible principles. The problem is that people do not want to do anything else about the issues at hand either. For example: If we were still living the way our ancestors did the amount of people living on the earth would not be a problem. Unfortunately, we are polluting the earth with our technology and over consuming our resources. So the argument can also be presented to those against birth control for religious purposes, that the Bible also says that we should not be gluttonous. But again humans tend to want what they want when they want it. Most only keep the Bible principles that suit them. In any case, as in many ethical problems we are faced with a moral dilemma. A moral dilemma is best described as when two or more obligations are in conflict. ââ¬Å"The crucial features of a moral dilemma are these: the agent is required to do each of two (or more) actions; the agent can do each of the actions; but the agent cannot do both (or all) of the actions. The agent thus seems condemned to moral failure; no matter what she does, she will do something wrong (or fail to do something that she ought to do)â⬠(McConnell, 2006). When presented with a moral dilemma, we need to decide which obligation is most important and give preference to the more important one. Unfortunately, when contemplating any solution for an issue such as overpopulation, we are going to be faced with moral dilemmas. Now we have to choose the lesser of two evils. Should we practice birth control even though it violates our moral principles or continue to allow the population to grow to numbers that the earth cannot sustain? Should we object to abortion when a woman does not want to have a child? Abortion may violate our own personal beliefs; however, if it is what the woman wants for herself and it will surely decrease the number of people being added to our population, shouldnââ¬â¢t we support that decision? Utilitarians view the best moral decision to be the one that brings about the maximum amount of pleasures and the least amount of suffering. They do not make decisions based on their own self-centeredness, they ââ¬Å"insist that the joys and sorrows of others must be part of the calculation (when making any ethical decision)â⬠(Waller, 2008). So, from the utilitarian standpoint, trying to find an answer to slowing the population growth would not be an intrusion or a violation of oneââ¬â¢s rights, it would be welcomed to lessen the amount of suffering that is caused by the issue of overpopulation. In the very near future, we will have no choice but to make some very important decisions as to what we will do about the issues that plague the environment. Again, environmental problems are indeed ethical problems. The only way that things will get better in our environment is if we get the rate of growth of the human population under control. We can no longer ignore the moral and ethical responsibility that we as humans have toward the environment, regardless of the ethical dilemmas that we are presented with.
Friday, August 16, 2019
Barack Obamaââ¬â¢s $ 350 Billion Request in Relation to Fiscal Policy
The declaration of recession by the United States of America has been the official indicator that the country is indeed very much affected by the global financial crisis. The country is facing difficulties in many areas especially when it comes to the situation of their economy. This is clearly exemplified by an article that features President-elect Barack Obama urging the Congress to allow his administration to use the other $ 350 billion of the $ 700 billion rescue package. The main objective of the Obama administration is to use the $ 350 billion of financial bailout funds to help the Main Street more rather than the Wall Street. This amount of money will become available to the Treasury Department within the span of 15 days unless the Congress will pass a law to prevent it (Kelley and Fritze). However, some Republicans clearly oppose the plan to spend more. They justified such position with their perspective that such plan will not be effective. These Republicans asserted that they will only support the spending if there are assurances that the money will not be misspent. There are also some American citizens who are also skeptical about Obamaââ¬â¢s plan because of the mismanagement of the first $ 350 billion during the Bush Administration. On the other hand, those who support Obamaââ¬â¢s request understand the weariness of the people but they encourage them not to prevent the Obama Administration to use the funds because of their disappointment with the previous administration. President Obama sought to reassure the Congress by promising them that there will be transparency to the process and more money will be directed to address the foreclosure crisis. This is in support with the letter sent by Obamaââ¬â¢s economic adviser Lawrence Summers to the Congressional leaders that the countryââ¬â¢s fragile economy entails them to act ââ¬Å"both quickly and wiselyâ⬠(Kelley and Fritze). The economic principle applicable to this article is fiscal policy. Fiscal policy pertains to the ââ¬Å"deliberate changes in government spending and tax collections designed to achieve full employment, control inflation, and encourage economic growthâ⬠(McConnell and Brue 214). In relation with this, the request of President Obama for $ 350 billion exemplifies fiscal policy. The situation of the country under which the President made this request is in time of recession. It is said that fiscal policy is most applicable in such kind of economic condition. During time of recession, an expansionary fiscal policy is a possible way to address the problem. A possible reason behind the occurrence of recession is that the profit expectations on investment project have dimmed which curtailed investment spending and decreased aggregate demand. In this case, the federal government has three main options that it can use in order to stimulate the economy. These options are: (1) Increase government spending, (2) reduce taxes, or (3) use some combination of the two (McConnell and Brue 215). It is quite observable that President Obama opted to choose the first option, which is increased in government spending. A sufficient increase in the spending of the government can aid in pushing the economy out of recession. This will address one of the problems in times of recession because increased government spending will also increase aggregate demand. Nevertheless, the initial increase in aggregate demand is not the end because the multiplier effect will increase the original money spent by the government. The greater shift in the aggregate demand curve due to the multiplier process that magnifies the initial variation in spending into more successive rounds of new consumption spending (McConnell and Brue 215-216). Lastly, the political considerations that are observable in the article are also a part of implementing fiscal policy. This is due to the fact that fiscal policy is conducted in the political environment. As a result, economic considerations might be taken aside because of political concerns. It is also a common practice for politicians to rationalize actions and policies that are beneficial to oneââ¬â¢s interest (McConnell and Brue 223). This is clearly proven by the opposite poles that the Republicans and Democrats have with regards to this issue.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Performing and Visual Arts Essay
Visual and performing arts enhance our lives in a variety of ways. When spanning from things inherent in nature such as the instance of a sunset, sunrise, or perhaps a full moon, to the most mundane and seemingly inane instance of body piercings or an arm tattoo. Art constitutes myriad meanings, translating differently from one individual to the next. Among its broadest categories however, aside from visual arts such as painting ââ¬â music, theater and dance relates to a significant aspect of performance art. Painting, of course, is a form of visual art which has long taken a prominent place in the art world. Artists express their sentiments and ideologies through brushes and paint indulging in these said worldviews and inspiration by way of paper or canvass. But more than creativity, the discipline requires an amount of coherence and structure on the artistââ¬â¢s part . The use of watercolors for instance, is perhaps the trickiest and difficult medium to master or ââ¬Ëdabble in ââ¬Ë where painting is concerned. Watercolor Painting commands the artistââ¬â¢s ability with the brush, and the delicate balance of mixing the colors with the aforementioned liquid. Oil paintings on the other hand, appear to have the greatest depth visually than any other painting medium, and the concept of oil on canvass always rings a prominent tune where the subject of art is concerned. But artists who paint by the said medium deals with the instance of its messy process , of the relatively unpleasant smells it yields, and the stretching period of time by which it dries . The opposite of which, is perhaps that of acrylic, which takes a faster time to dry, thereby dictating the time by which the artist is to finish the painting in question. The use of acrylics is also the most versatile of medium, its end result approximating, or appearing to emulate a painting done by watercolor, gouache, oil, and so on. Gouache is a medium in painting which can be synonymous with watercolor, because of the similar element existing in both medium that is water. But gouache colors appear heavier than watercolors, and dry to a rich opaque color. Because it is thinned down by water, and doesnââ¬â¢t rely heavily on it as watercolors do, it is as less difficult to work with. At most, visual art, or painting in particular, is a two dimensional take and representation of reality and humanity. Most art movements took root and relate to aspects of painting such as Surrealism, Action Painting, Expressionism, and Cubism, among various others. They represent styles, techniques, concepts, sensibilities and philosophies which contribute to varying end results in painting. According to the textbook ââ¬Å"Perceiving the Artsâ⬠, opera is defined as the ââ¬Å"combination of drama and music into a single artistic formâ⬠(Sporre, 2009). Opera is made up of primarily music along with other elements similar to a play such as costumes, scenery, lights, and a plot. Unlike a play, the plot of an opera unfolds through a combination of acting and singing. The follow provides an historical development and evolution of opera and the characteristics of the opera genre. In addition, the following provides information on famous composers associated with opera and concludes with the influence opera has made on society and culture. Historical Development and Evolution The art of opera began during the Renaissance era in the late 16th century in Florence, Italy. Opera started as Greek plays recreated by adding music. According to the Music Lessons Online web site (2010), the first recorded opera was called Dafne and it was created in the late 1500ââ¬â¢s. Opera style spread quickly across Europe and soon the first opera house was built in Venice, Italy in 1637. At this time, opera became available to the public, not just aristocracy entertainment. By 1700, 16 public opera houses opened (Columbian Encyclopedia, 2008). At that time, opera was considered an Italian music form. Lyrics were written in Italian only. Christoph Gluck is a German composer credited with changing the face of opera with Orfeo et Eurydice in 1762, staged in Vienna. Orfeo et Eurydice is said to have changed opera because of its emphasis on drama (Asiado, 2007). The opera was the first of many ââ¬Å"reformed operasâ⬠composed by Gluck, and influenced composers like Mozart. Orfeo et Eurydice set the standard for the modern opera style we see today. Opera finally emerged in German, French, Spanish, and Russian in the 19th century. France produced the Grand Opera that would last four to five hours and include ballet dancers. Why or Why not? People usually create or perform in arts because some of us just can not be satisfied with an ordinary life style. We prefer to ask why not, instead of why? We like to experiment, imagine and the set it as a portray, the improbable, the unlikely, and impossible just to make sure that all the things we think are out there and arenââ¬â¢t any closer than any imaginations. The act of creativity becomes progress to humans. I do it for the feeling of accomplishing something worthwhile (like Rocky said; ââ¬Å"I coulda been a contender!! â⬠In addition to this it is a ââ¬Å"gift. â⬠Arts in Society The arts play a valued role in creating cultures and developing and documenting civilizations. Students of the arts gain powerful tools for: communicating through creative expression; understanding human experiences, past and present; adapting to and respecting the ways others think, work, and express themselves; using artistic modes of problem solving, which, in turn, bring an array of expressive, analytical, and development tools to every human situation; understanding the power of the arts to create and reflect cultures; understanding the impact of design on virtually all we use in daily life; understanding the interdependence of work in the arts and the worlds of ideas and events; making decisions in situations where there are no standard answers; analyzing nonverbal communication and making informed judgments about cultural products and issues; and for communicating thoughts and feelings in a variety of modes, thereby providing a more powerful repertoire of self-expression. Because each arts discipline appeals to different senses and expresses itself through different media, each adds a special richness to the learning environment. Arts education helps students learn to identify, appreciate, and participate in the traditional and non-traditional art forms of their own communities and the communities of others. As students imagine, create, and reflect, they are developing the verbal and non-verbal abilities necessary for life-long learning. The intellectual demands of the arts help students develop problem-solving abilities and such powerful thinking skills as analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating. Numerous studies point toward a consistent and positive correlation between substantive education in the arts and student achievement in other subjects. A comprehensive, well-designed arts education program also engages students in a process that helps them develop the self-esteem, self-discipline, cooperation, and self-motivation necessary for success in life. Most importantly, the arts should be experienced and studied for their own intrinsic value.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Motivation and Team Case Study Essay
There are four Theories of Motivation. They are Expectancy Theory, Goal Setting Theory, Equity Theory, and Job Enrichment Theory. Each could be used, individually or all could be used in combination, to help motivate employees to perform their jobs to the best of their abilities to achieve the success they desire. When employees are motivated and feel appreciated they tend to care more about their jobs and become more productive, which in turn can help the business be more successful. In the case study of Two Men and A Truck and Mary Ellen Sheets the Expectancy Theory and the Job Enrichment Theory were used to motivate her to grow her business. Even though Mary Ellen Sheets started the company she knew that with hard work she could grow her business and make it successful. Mary Ellen Sheets also understood that if she applied herself and worked hard she would have the success she desired. Even though she made many mistakes she was motivated to continue on and make her business a success. To create high performing teams Mary Ellen Sheets established Stick Men University where her franchise owners and movers could learn the basics such as answering phone calls to the final handshake after the move is completed. There is also a two story house and a computer lab. In the two story house the movers are taught the proper ways to move, and in the computer lab franchise owners are taught to pay royalties electronically and communicate with other franchise owners about what is working and what is not (Jones, 2007).The University gave all employees and franchise owners consistency in what was expected as well the ability to communicate with other franchise owners. In the case study for Siemens and Klaus Kleinfeld the Expectancy Theory and the Goal Setting Theory are used. Kleinfeld was motivated and he helped motivate all of the workers to pull together to save their jobs. By working hard and applying themselves they were able to grow Siemens Medical into Siemens most profitable business. He had goals that required workers to work flexibleà shifts and also to work weekends to speed up production. Kleinfeld created high performing teams by emphasizing common goals and creating opportunities for joint gain. A common goal was to save the medical division of the company and make it successful. Many of the employees fought the changes but eventually pulled together and made the division profitable. Creating opportunities for joint gain allowed the employees and the company to come up with ideas that allowed them to be more productive therefore saving their jobs. Depending on the situation, job, company, and employee one, two, or all of the motivation theories can be used to help motivate employees to become more productive. Also an employee that is motivated and challenged to perform better will usually be more invested in the company and be more willing to work harder to achieve the success they desire. Reference Jones. (2007). Motivating and Managing People and Groups in Business Organizations. In Jones, Introduction To Business: How Companies Create Value For People. McGraw-Hill Companies.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Review of Literature- Annotated Bibliography Assignment
Review of Literature- Annotated Bibliography - Assignment Example R. R. Tolkienââ¬â¢s writing style and inspiration. In a quest to examine the kinds of scholarly works inspired by Tolkienââ¬â¢s novels especially ââ¬ËThe Hobbitââ¬â¢, I have selected five articles that used different perspectives in the treatment of the book and its contents. I do not intend to review Tolkienââ¬â¢s work but I want to present through this article the vast ways scholarââ¬â¢s like us have examined the book. The five articles were evaluated for the theories that they presented the manner in which these theories were revealed, and my own experience in reading the texts. The purpose for the analysis is to better appreciate the different perspectives that one can use to understand a work and the complexities in the themes and messages that can be derived from any form of literature which includes even fantasy novels and childrenââ¬â¢s books. Baptizing the Imagination: The Fantastic as the Subversion of Fundamentalism By Mara E. Donaldson The first artic le we will examine is one by Mara E. Donaldson. Fundamentalism can exists for many topics or ideologies like capitalism, communism, racism, and socialism, however, fundamentalists is are more recognized as fanatics of different religions ââ¬â imposing that theirs is the only way to salvation while those that oppose are evil incarnate. As implied by the title, Donaldsonââ¬â¢s take on The Hobbit juxtaposes two ideologies Openness against Fundamentalism especially with regards to religion. She presents that the fantasy world that Tolkien creates in ââ¬ËThe Hobbitââ¬â¢ is a defiance of earlier interpretations of the book as allusions to religion. Religious fundamentalists interpreted the existence of a clear cut boundary between good and evil in the book as a reference to the existence of absolute good and absolute evil in the real world. However, Donaldson argues that instead of interpreting the book with a fundamentalistsââ¬â¢ point of view, a reader is encouraged to b e critical and open. Though J. R. R. Tolkien is a devout roman catholic, it does not mean that his writings should be interpreted with a Christian point-of-view only. Though Tolkien himself said that many of his inspirations are from religious text, he also ascribed to the belief that mythology is the divine echo of truth and truth must be sought and not just blindly followed. The Politics of Fantasy: The Hobbit and Fascism by Peter E. Firchow To those familiar with ââ¬ËThe Hobbitââ¬â¢ and the different races in middle earth, it is close to preposterous for someone to associate fascism to hobbits. Hobbits bear about themselves a natural, in-born, innocence that makes them highly incorruptible. Yet, the essay of Peter Firchow suggests otherwise ââ¬â well, not so much as to explicitly label hobbits as fascists but to specifically point out that there are certain themes in ââ¬ËThe Hobbitââ¬â¢ and the Lord of the Rings that endorses fascism or more appropriately fascist tendency (Firchow, p.15). Firchowââ¬â¢s discourse was inspired by the work of Robert Plank on the second to the last chapter of The Return of the King, wherein he (Robert Plank) contemplated on whether the Wizard Saruman and his minions should or could be seen as fascists or communists. Firchow applied this concept in analysing the actions of the characters in ââ¬ËThe Hobbitââ¬â¢, especially the actual hobbit Bilbo Baggins. Firchow was consistent with Plank in not taking the trouble to categorically find a definition of fascism that can incorporate beings in the nature of hobbits but he (Firchow) focused more on
Monday, August 12, 2019
Human Resource Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Human Resource Management - Term Paper Example In the course of performing these activities, HRM faces a lot of challenges. This term paper provides a comprehensive insight into the challenges commonly faced by HRM in each of the aforementioned activities. Issues of Human Resource Management Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity Diversity as well as equality has played an important role not only in legislation and policies developed, but it has been demonstrated that it contributes to a business success (Foot, 2011). A diverse workforce allows for a wider pool of possible employees and can increase the chance of finding the best match for a job position. Similarities can be found within the legislation of several countries with regard to equality. The Equality Act 2010 UK (although sometimes considered as controversial) and the Civil Rights Act 1964 US are just some examples of legislation enforced to ensure equality at the workplace. The most common characteristics, which are protected, are age, sex, race, religion or belie f, pregnancy and disability (Noe, 2011). Yet, one has to bear in mind that Equal Employment Opportunity ââ¬Å"does not mean preferential treatment for one individual over anotherâ⬠(Bernardin, 2011, p.84) due to the above-mentioned characteristics. Hiring a person solely on the ground of him or her belonging to a minority while rejecting a more qualified applicant can also be considered as discrimination. In order to work within the law, any Human Resource practice has to evaluate internal policies and adjust documents and actions so they are compliant and do not show some kind of discrimination. However, equality does not only play a role during recruitment; a good equality policy can attract future employees, creates a framework on acceptable behavior and in turn can ensure that employees are treated fairly (Foot, 2011). Job Design and Analysis ââ¬Å"Job design determines the way in which work should be performed which, in turn, affects the degree of authority of an employe e over the work; the scope of decision-making by the employee; the number of tasks an employee has to perform; and employee satisfactionâ⬠(icmrindia.org, 2012). Job analysis is a detailed study of the scope of work and roles and responsibility of the employee in that position. Job designing and analysis is not much of an issue in a stable work environment. However, HRM faces challenges when the organizational culture is dynamic and the top management frequently makes changes in the organization structure in its attempt to change the system for the better. Planning and Recruiting of Human Resources Planning and recruiting is a very technical task and demands considerable effort on the part of the HRM. Before advertising any vacancy, the HRM needs to identify the skillsââ¬â¢ gap in the existing organizational workforce, the job role and responsibilities of the prospective employee, the method of recruiting, analysis of the results, and integration of the new employee into the existing organizational culture and setup. To identify the roles and responsibilities of the new employee, the HRM needs to conduct a detailed study and may require input from the existing workforce. Designing of the method of recruiting is another very complicated and extremely important task because this is the
Sunday, August 11, 2019
A Risks Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
A Risks Analysis - Essay Example Raise the prices by 20% capital costs is significant due to purchase of machinery and losses in production opportunity time due to installation of the system, training of personnel and repairs in the working environment. In effect, payback period may be unsustainable. fluctuations in interest rates of the lending institution can affect business profitability; transportation costs and custom duties may result to higher sales price; competition with local products afforded with tax incentives and "patronize local products" edge can be unsustainable Option #5: Set up a joint venture with an overseas car manufacturer. An engine manufacturer in an unstable country in Southeast Asia has expressed interest in a joint venture to build all the engines for Suprema Cars. If they do this, Suprema would have to send out a team of engineers to the country to supervise production in the early stages. Transportation costs and custom duties may be too high; fluctuations in exchange rates are high in an unstable country; high Occupational Safety concerns for engineers sent to the country for supervision; quality of engines can be compromised significant capital investment for research and development; lost production opportunity time due to new system of production and training of personnel; competition with other cars with the same qualities maybe unsustainable From the details of the benefi
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