The History of the Computer Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The History of the Computer - Term Paper Example The history offers chronological events as per the technological advancements commencing with the first computer to the recent computers that have been utilized progressively in the contemporary world. The technological advancements that transpired during the computer age have substantially influenced social and economic developments through faster undertaking of various tasks in dissimilar sectors. In the computer history, computers have various classifications as per evolution from large size to small size including various contributors to these developments. Classification of computers Computers are classified through utilization of diverse criteria with the classification centering on functionality and other related concepts. Computer classifications can be undertaken with regard to technology utilized, uses, capacity or size, period or computer era, operation principle or data types that they utilize (Raum 2). Technological classification This classification concentrates on the technological skills that allow the computer to perform certain functions. The initial classification was regarded as flesh where humans utilized their bodily parts to carry out computations. Wood later turned into a computing appliance with the initial utilization being in the design of abacus. Various scientific inventors then utilized metals in the development of early machines leading to the utilization of electromagnetic appliances in various machines by Zuse and other persons. Electronic rudiments were utilized in ABC and computers that utilized stored programs. However, this classification never considers developments that transpired recently with the development of fresh electronic devices that have considerably boosted computer advances. Classification by capacity Computers have become categorized in accordance to their capacity with the word demonstrating the amount of work as well as the information processing abilities. The operation of these computers can be established through the quantity of information contain within the memory, internal speed, quantity and variety of peripheral components, as well as, the quantity and variety of software present for utilization within the computer. In the initial period, capacity was established through physical size although this has noticeably changed in the recent time allowing smaller computers to have huge capacities. Presently, computer capacity is ascertained as per the applications that certain computer can contain instead of the quantity of information a computer can process. Under this categorization, microcomputers are considered, to contain the lowest capacity. Their memories were made through the utilization of semiconductors that were contained on silicon chips. The microcomputer was considered digital managed through utilization of stored program that made use of the microprocessor with programmable ROM and RAM. They had 4k-64k storage location and had the ability to contain miniature applicatio ns. Minicomputer was then developed in 1960 owing to the demand for computing appliances that could carry out tasks effectively and economically in comparison to large computers. Minicomputers possessed higher operating speeds and extensive storage capacities judged against microcomputers. In this era, operating systems were created in order to contain multiprogramming as well as virtual storage allowing

The Battle of Algiers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Battle of Algiers - Essay Example Just as in the film, the violence, which we have seen arise periodically between Muslim immigrants and French-born people since the 1970s – perhaps even earlier – begins with bias, racism, disenfranchisement of one people while favoring the well being, rights and dignity of another people. In the film, as in France, this is French nationalism and Muslims. The Battle of Algiers opens with the arrest and incarceration of a Muslim – a petty thief, taking advantage of people with an age old card game. The man, Ali, who is illiterate, experiences an epiphany of sorts during his incarceration. He is witness to the execution of a man who as been arrested, marched through the prison calling out â€Å"Ala Akbar,† (God is great), and is being led to his execution by French police. At this point in the film we do not know why the man has been arrested, it doesn’t matter, because the man’s execution is by guillotine, a gruesome and archaic death sentence that is unthinkable when you reconnect to the fact that the film is during the 1950s! It is unimaginable that during that time people were put to death in that way. This serves as Ali’s epiphany, and following the execution, Ali spends time with a religious man, who explains to Ali his connection to God and to his country. That one day, the Algerians will retake their country from the French. While French Muslims are not attempting to take France from the French, we see the French reacting to French Muslims in an equally biased and hateful way as they during the colonial period in Algeria. (Keep in mind, the uprising in the film was during the 1950s to 1960s). The violence that exploded in France, outside of Paris, in late 2005-2006, is almost the way the film opens; a response to disenfranchisement. Other images in the film are strikingly familiar to events in today’s world. The execution of the Algerian prisoner by guillotine, an archaic and horrific manner in which to execute a death

impact of feminism on fashion

impact of feminism on fashion Impact of Feminism on Fashion There has been a heated discussion on the equality of man and woman since a century ago when feminists began to strive for womens benefit. Compared to women in nineteenth century, women in this day and age have more rights and freedom. Women are now more considered to be independent individuals, as long time ago, they were possessions of men. Furthermore, women were compelled to follow every single order from men unconditionally. As an important impetus to fashion, feminism, which was mainly formed by three waves, has changed the stereotype significantly and lead to the decrease of restrictions on womens dressing. â€Å"Feminism encompasses many different theoretical, political and academic traditions. At the centre of feminist concerns, however, is the liberation of women from oppressive social practices and ideologies.†The first wave of feminist movement dated from nineteenth century to 1940s in United Kingdom and United States. Accompanied by anti-feudal movement, feminism finally became the most indispensable part and the criteria of social revolution. Originally it focused on the promotion of equal contract and property rights for women and the opposition to chattel marriage and ownership of married women (and their children) by their husbands. However, by the end of the nineteenth century, activism focused primarily on gaining political power, particularly the right of womens suffrage. Basically, it was the first time when women have the opportunity to vote. During this wave, World War I took place, which was another cause of changes in womens status. In order to defend national sovereignty, men were conscribed to fight in the battle front. Therefore, women had to do mens physical labour in factory. Females no longer stayed in the house only serving their own family, but also went out working to support the household and their country. Not accidentally, (see Illus. 1) Coco Chanels simple and practical designs catered to the needs of working women. In her shop, she sold â€Å"flannel blazers, straight linen skirts, sailor tops, long jersey sweaters and skirt-jackets†which were inspired by menswear. These convenient clothes enabled women to work with higher efficiency. †Chanel used such serviceable materials and relaxed patterns in the design of fashionable daywear for sophisticated urban women, safe in her knowledge of their aspirational and practical qualities.† Her accomplishment in fashion helped her situated in the roles of feminist pioneer. Simplicity has become a recognized characteristic of Coco Chanel and affected the fashion trend afterwards. Unfortunately, after the men returned from war when the WWI ended, women were dispatched back to the kitchen.†Still, an important new stage had been reached, since the induction of women into the war effort initiated the whole process of liberation.† Between early 1960s and late 1980s, it was the second-wave feminism. Though after the first-wave feminism women have won over some legal rights, they were still limited and oppressed in working place. Slightly different from the first wave, the second-wave feminism concentrated on issues of real equality of women such as eliminating discrimination. Feminists went all out marching and protesting in the street. Owing to their hard struggle, females gradually earned some equality in the working place and other aspects of life. In all their achievements, the most remarkable event was the release of some gynocentric legal reforms. Without the legal obstructions to womens personal freedom and professional achievement, women had a chance to prove themselves to be as capable as men. The 1960s, also called the Sixties, was a decade when tremendous changes happened to fashion. In this era, fashion was influenced by various factors such as â€Å"social mobility, daring fashion photography, easier travel abroad, the Vietnam War, new music of the Beatles and their much copied hairstyles, retro military and ethnic clothes, musicals, pop art and film all played a part†. Feminism was absolutely one of the most influential causes of all. Le Smoking (see Illus. 2), designed by Yves Saint Laurent in 1966, is a typical example of impact on fashion by feminism. Yves Saint Laurent wasnt the first person who created trousers for women. However, it was the first of its kind to draw attention in the fashion industry and the public. This innovative creation started androgynous style for women and pantsuits have been popular ever since. Its still one of the favourite outfits of office ladies in present-day society. The popularity of power suits demonstrates womens liberati on and equality between men and women to some extent. Besides, it provides women another choice in their wardrobes and dresses were not the only selection any more. In a word, the appearance of pantsuit is a symbol of women been considered to be an independent individuals in workplace. In group of people in younger age, some daring youths were seeking for something new in fashion as restrictions on women reduced.   Mary quants miniskirts (see Illus. 3), of which the hemline was set 6 or 7 inches above the knee, fulfilled their needs. It was controversial when it first came into the market, but then more people began to accept it in the mid-1960s and went into the major international trend. Miniskirt was reckoned to be a sign of womens liberation and enabled women to run and show their beauty without limits. The third-wave feminism began in the early 1990s, and the fashion in this decade was casual and comfortable. However, fashion and feminism dont always go hand in hand. The release of womens body didnt go further because every woman wants perfect body for both personal reason and attracting men. Wearing garments that show their nice body makes women feel better, more beautiful and sometimes even more confident. Fashion nowadays emphasized on silhouette and only slim and S-shape body is deemed to be beautiful. This brings stress on women and urges them to fit themselves into clothes that might be too tight. After struggling for equality for more than one hundred years, phenomena of inequality have decreased remarkably. But men have been in the dominant position for the majority of time in history. Reforms in laws are definitely not enough to change the status. To gain real equality, male chauvinism should be eliminated entirely. Anyway, its still a long way to go to have final equality of men and women.

Health: A Social Phenomenon Essay -- Health Care

Introduction With movements made by the governments and medical professionals of developed countries in the interests of giving patients more choice, the definition of â€Å"healthy,† especially in contemporary society, has become subjective (Freemantle and Hill 2002, Armstrong 1995, Bury 2008, Van Krieken et al. 2006: 379-380). Variations in interpretation appear between groups divided along socio-political, demographical lines, or even between individuals themselves (Freemantle and Hill 2002: 864, Heath 2005: 954, Blaxter 2000:44, Van Krieken et al. 2006). This ambiguity has underscored debates and conflicts in recent years between patients, academics, politicians, and medical practitioners on issues of medical authority, the extent of involvement in the decision making process over personal health as well as the health of others related to them through social structures and institutions (Van Krieken et al. 2006, Blaxter 2000, Bury 2008, White 2002). This essay will attempt to illustrate how â€Å"health† is a social phenomenon through the examination of power and inequality. It will focus on the social causes and effects of medicalisation and how the attitudes and positions people occupy in society influence their medical needs. This essay will also highlight some of the challenges faced by the societies around the world in addressing medical inequality. Medical dominance and medicalisation According to Foucault and Illich (in Van Krieken et al. 2006: 351-352), doctors and the medical profession have traditionally been empowered by their knowledge as the authority that society defers to with regards to the definition of disease and health. With improvements in medical technology as well as the advent of the hospital, an evolution... ...London: SAGE. Broom, D.H. and Woodward, R.V. (1996) ‘Medicalisation reconsidered: toward a collaborative approach to care’ in Sociology of Health and Illness, 18, 3: 357-378. Freemantle, N. and Hill, S. (2002) ‘Medicalisation, limits to medicine, or never enough money to go around?’ in British Medical Journal, 324: 864-865. Foucault, M. (2003) The Birth of the Clinic, London: Routledge. Heath, I. (2005), ‘Who needs health care- the well or the sick?’ in British Medical Journal, 330: 954-956. Moynihan, R. and Smith, R (2002) ‘Too much medicine?’ in British Medical Journal, 324: 859-860. Van Kreiken, R. Habbis, D. Smith, P. Hutchins, B. Haralambos, M. Holborn, M. (2006), Sociology: Themes and Perspectives (3rd ed), French Forest: Pearson Longman. White, K. (2002) ‘Race, Ethnicity and Health’ in An introduction to the sociology of health and illness, London: SAGE.

HND Business Human resource management Essay

Personnel Management Personnel Management is essentially an administrative record-keeping function, at the ground level. Personnel Management professionally manages employee’s activities for individual departments for example in Bhs you will have a personal manger for customer services. It is assumed that the outcomes from providing justice and achieving efficiency in the management of personnel activities will result ultimately in achieving organizational success. Human Resource Development – Human resource management is concerned with the Training, promotion development and implementation of people strategies, which are incorporated with business strategies, and guarantees that the culture, values and structure of the organization, and the quality, incentives and commitment of its members contribute fully to the achievement of its goals. Human Resources Management is focused with carrying such task as, job analysis, recruitment and selection, employee relations, performance management, employee appraisals, compensation management, training and development. But, the Human Resources method performs these functions in distinct way, when compared with Personnel management. Personnel management is about the continuance of personnel and administrative systems, Human Resources Management is about the anticipation of organizational needs, the continual monitoring and adjustment of personnel systems to meet current and future requirements, and the management of change. Differences between Personnel management and Human Resources management Personnel management is more workforces focused, aimed mainly at the organization’s employees; such as, arranging for them to be paid, and justifying management’s actions etc. Whereas, Human Resources management is more resource centered, Personnel Management is fundamentally an operational function, concerned principally with carrying out the day to day people management activities. While on the other hand, Human Resources Management is strategic in nature, that is, being concerned with directly assisting an organization to gain competitive advantage. HRM is a more strategic and proactive form whereas personnel management is a reactive. Human Resources Management has been considered as the strategic and logical approach to the management of an organization’s most valued. The personnel management has functions which are conventional and systematic whereas HRM deals with innovative ideas and are committed to enforcing better business conditions. Personnel management has evolved from being an independent function of the company to human recourses management which is an integral part of the company. 20 Points of Difference between Personnel Management & HRD Dimension Personnel Management Human Resource Development Beliefs & Assumptions 1. Contract Careful delineation of written contracts Aim to go ‘beyond contracts’ 2. Rules Importance of devising clear rules ‘Can-do’ outlook; impatience with ‘rule’ 3. Guide to management Action Procedures Business – need 4. Behaviour Referent custom & practice Values/Mission 5. Managerial Task vis-à  -vis Labour Monitoring Nurturing 6. Conflict Institutionalized De-emphasized STRATEGIC ASPECTS 7. Key Relations Labour Management Customer 8. Corporate Plan Marginal to Central to 9. Speed of Decision Slow Fast LINE MANAGEMENT 10. Management Role Transactional Transformational leadership 11. Key Managers Personnel/IR Specialists General/business/line managers 12. Communication Indirect Direct 13. Standardisation High (e.g. ‘parity’ an issue) Low (e.g. ‘parity’ not seen as relevant) 14. Prized management skills Negotiation Facilitation KEY LEVERS 15. Selection Separate, marginal task Integrated, key task 16. Pay Job Evaluation (fixed grades) Performance – related 17. Labour Management Collective bargaining contracts Towards individual contracts 18. Job categories & grades Many Few 19. Communication Restricted flow Increased flow 20. Job Design Division of Labour Teamwork AC1.2 The Role of Human Resource Management in Organizations Managers in the Human Resources profession have the essential job of organizing people so that they can effectively perform their job description. Human resources professionals work together to develop employees’ skills. For example, HR professionals advise managers and supervisors how to assign employees to different roles in the organization, thereby helping the organization adapt successfully to its environment. In a flexible organization, employees are shifted around to different business functions based on business priorities and employee preferences. Human resources professionals also suggest strategies for increasing employee commitment to the organization. This begins with using the recruiting process or matching employees with the right positions according to their qualifications. Human resources management team helps a business develop a competitive advantage, which involves building the ability of the company so it can offer a unique set of goods or services to its customers. They can do this by hiring the right individuals but it’s not just about hiring talent; it is about keeping people and helping them grow and stay committed over the long term. The Human resources team has to identify needs of the employees regarding career goals and work upon them to make the employees feel important and motivated by providing them with training related to their field of interest. If the employee does not feel their skills are being utilized fully towards performing their duties they will start to underperform due to lack of motivation. Human resources duties also concern understanding and defining the overall objectives of the organization, its mission as well as vision. It does not only include the present organization requirements but also forecasting the future needs and making strategies for fulfilling them. Human resources team is also responsible for ensuring the availability for  training the employees. Human resources management team understand that if the employees are properly trained and developed, it can prove to be the best investment made by the company which will definitely furnish quality returns in future. Human resourc es team is responsible for selecting the best workforce from the prospective employees by using the recruitment options like, Personal interviews and group interviews Trial etc. Human resources team is responsible for ensuring employee health and safety by abiding to the employee health and safety regulations and managing grievances and ensuring provisions benefits to keep employees motivated. Human resources team keep a record of the employee profiles and database so that it can be readily available at the time of recruitment and staffing and also ensuring its confidentiality. AC1.3 The role of line managers in HR Resource The Line managers are managers to whom individual or teams of employees directly report to and who have responsibility to a higher level of management for those employees or teams. Line Managers are authorized to direct the work of subordinates and are responsible for accomplishing the organization’s tasks. Typically the management responsibilities carried out by line managers might include: Employee management Managing operational costs Providing technical expertise Organisation of work allocation and rotas Monitoring work processes Checking quality Dealing with customers/clients Measuring operational performance. Line managers also carry out activities that such as providing coaching and guidance, undertaking performance appraisals and dealing with discipline and grievances. Line Managers are responsible for: ensuring that any staff  experiencing performance difficulties are managed appropriately and working with the employee to identify measures that could be used to improve performance. Ensuring the staff member has a full understanding of the consequences of not improving, Setting realistic and measurable standards of performance and an action plan incorporating targets, standards, deadlines. Line managers manage operational functions that are crucial for the company’s survival. Line Manager Responsibility 1. Ensuring that any staff experiencing performance difficulties are managed appropriately 2. Ensuring the staff member has a full understanding of the consequences of not improving 3. Placing the right employee on the right job 4. Starting new employees in the organization 5. Training employees for jobs that are new to them 6. Improving the job performance of each person 1.4 Impact of the legal and regulatory framework on HRM British legislations have employment laws, affecting topics such as employee criminal record checks, preventing offenders from working in certain professions these legislations are supposed to protect vulnerable people like children or stop unwonted people from obtaining the job. National minimum wage Act was brought into force to ensure that employees are getting a fair wage in relation to their work. Wage and Hourly rates The national minimum wage establishes the amount of the minimum wage an employee receives per hour. Human resources managers should continuously verify the accuracy of the amount paid to employees Race Relations Act 1976 Prevents discrimination because of race in employment. The impact this has in the workplace is a Varity of different cultural backgrounds in the work place and this can have a really positive effect if managed effectively Anti-discrimination Sex Discrimination Act 1975 Protects men and women from discrimination because of sex in the workplace, this legislation is about equal opportunities in the work place across the sexes men and women in the workplace should be treated equally. Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Prevents discrimination against people because of disabilities in employment. The impact this Act will have in the workplace would be there would be a few more disabled individuals in the workplace which will benefit the economy. Equal Pay Act (1970) Aspect of the Sex Discrimination Law Gives the right for men and women to be paid the same rate of pay, for the same, or equivalent, work Gives individuals the right to the same pay and benefits as a person of the opposite sex in the same employment where the man and woman are doing; 1. Same grade work 2. Work rated as equivalent under a job evaluation study 3. Work that is proved to be of equal value Developing policies Human resources develop policies to make sure that managers and employees are aware of how these legal restrictions and how to deal with potential violations AC 4.1 There are many reasons for termination. Employee termination also can be voluntary, when an employee decides to leave a company for some reason. Reasons can include unacceptable performance or as a result of a change in business conditions for example a recession. Termination with just cause In law, termination with just cause means that an action or error by the employee has irreparably damaged the employment relationship between the  employer and the employee. Usually, termination with cause occurs when an employee is dismissed for a serious reason related to the employee’s conduct. There are seven main Examples of misconduct. 1. Theft and dishonesty 2. Violence 3. Drug and alcohol abuse 4. Breach of confidence 5. Insubordination 6. Absenteeism 7. Misconduct outside of the workplace Some common grounds used in termination with cause are: 1. Fraudulence – stealing or fraud by the employee that is serious enough to authorise dismissal from organisation. 2. Noncompliance – an employee frequently breaks organizational policies and discipline has not resulted in a change in behaviour 3. Incompetence – an employee is incompetent at their job and performance has not improved even though the employee has been given the direction, foundations, training and time needed to improve. Incompetent Job Performance Employee’s contracts may get cut because the person is unable to perform some or all of the necessary aspects of the job. Before dismissal the employer, should point out their deficiencies during a performance evaluation and provide counselling to help her improve. If they show little or no improvement, consider moving them to a more suitable position, if possible. When employees are hired to work for a company, they are given a job description that outlines the duties they’re expected to fulfill. When employees fall short in achieving their goals, managers are faced with deciding whether or not an employee’s performance warrants his termination. Poor performance can include everything from not hitting target sales goals and overlooking project details to not missing deadlines. Employees may also be terminated because they lack the knowledge and skills needed to fulfill assigned tasks. Business Conditions Unfavourable business conditions may force you to lay off employees for economic reasons as opposed to poor performance. The layoff may be permanent, or the employee may be called back to work if business conditions improve Merger/Buyout A merger or a buy-out usually requires changes within the Company’s’ structure, which might affect employment. Although the employer is not legally required to do so, some employers offer a severance package to employees terminated under these circumstances. Layoffs if there is a lack of work, or the company is undergoing financial problems the company might lay off employees. The employer must ensure the layoff is fair and legal. Employers must give employees advance notice of closings and mass layoffs. This gives the employees and their families’ time to adjust to loss of employment and to seek alternative support. Unacceptable Behaviours / for cause You may need to fire an employee due to unacceptable behaviour; actions can include stealing company property, or verbally or physically threatening another employee. The employee may also display a pattern of disrespectful or insubordinate behaviour directed toward you or your supervisors that results in a disruption of your work environment. Absenteeism An employee who misses work frequently or is habitually late negatively affects your business’s productivity and can place an unfair burden on your other workers. Chronic absenteeism could be a sign that the employee is dealing with job dissatisfaction. Voluntary redundancy In a voluntary termination, an employee hands in their notice from their job. Reasons for resignations have that included: a new job, returning to full time education, and retirement. If a contract isn’t renewed This is considered to be a dismissal, and if the employee has 2 years’ service the employer needs to show that there’s a reasonable reason for not renewing the contract Workers have the right: not to be unfairly dismissed after two years’ Dismissal when your employer ends your employment – they don’t always have to give you notice. If you’re dismissed, your employer must show they have a valid reason that they can justify and also that they have acted reasonably in the circumstances They must also: be consistent – not dismiss you for doing something that they let other employees do Fair and unfair dismissal A dismissal is fair or unfair depending on the reason for it and how the employer acted during the dismissal process. Constructive dismissal This is when an employee resigns because you’ve breached their employment contract. This could be a single serious event or a series of less serious events. An employee could claim constructive dismissal if you: cut their wages without agreement unlawfully demote them allow them to be harassed, bullied or discriminated against Wrongful dismissal This is where you break the terms of an employee’s contract in the dismissal process, eg dismissing someone without giving them proper notice. AC 4.2 describe the employment exit procedures used by two organisations The exit procedures of ASDA Step One, Resignation handed to personnel manager Step Two Personal manager informs human resources department. Step Three Employee has to return the companies possession of equipment and supplies. Human Resources team is responsible for initiating and following through  with the exit process. If the resignation is voluntary HRM invites employee to attend an exit Interview to gather information and improve quality of work life at the organization. The secondary reason is to provide closure to the separating employee The exit interview Primary Purpose is to gather information to improve employee relations practices Spot developing trends Identify areas of weakness Identify areas of strength Exit interviews are also used to understand, and try to identify patterns in, reasons for resignation they are conducted face -to-face, by telephone, or as a survey. Focus is on reasons for leaving, reflections on the positive and negative aspects of the organization, level of satisfaction with various aspects of the organization. Processing a Resignation NHS West Midlands Step one The Line Manager gives notice to the Human Resources department upon receipt of a resignation. Step two the Line Manager recognizes resignation in writing and forwards the letter of resignation to the Human Resources department. Step Three Line Manager forwards confirmation of employee’s last working day and details of any other relevant information to the Human Resources department. The Human Resources department prepares a Termination Form on the basis of the information provided by the Line Manager and ensures it is forwarded to the Payroll department in time to meet the monthly deadline Step Four the Human Resources Department writes to the employee offering them An exit Interview and enclosing an exit Interview Questionnaire for them to Complete in preparation for the interview. The Human Resources Department forwards the Line Manager a confirmation of Service Proforma to complete and return.   The completed proforma will be retained on the employee’s personnel file and will provide the basis for any employment references given by the Board Interview is conducted by an appropriate member of the Human Resources team. All information collected remains confidential and is stored in line with the Data Protection Act 1998. 4.3 AC 2.1 analyse the reasons for human resource planning in organisations Human Resource (HR) Planning is the practice of determining and analyzing the requirement for and supply of workforce in order to achieve the organization’s goals and objectives, fulfill its mission and reach its vision (Mathis & Jackson, 2000). Human resource department know that planning is of paramount of importance to achieving an organizations objective. This part of my assignment will discuss the importance of HR planning and the six steps of HR planning which consist of: 1. Forecasting; 2. inventory audit, 3. HR Resource Plan; 4. Implementation of Plan; 5. Monitoring 6. Control. HR Planning involves gathering information, making objectives, and making decisions to enable the organization achieve its objectives types of questions HRM may consider 1. How many staff does the Organization have? 2. What type of employees as far as skills and abilities does the Company have? 3. How should the Organization best utilize the available resources? 4. How can the Company keep its employees? The most important reason why HR Planning should be managed and implemented is the costs involved. Because costs forms an important part of any Organizations budget. Whenever there are staff shortages, the organization should be in a position to utilize the skills of employees available more readily. HRM planning determines future employment needs by analyzing current business conditions and current trends within the business, for example over the Christmas period most big high street retailers will employ more short term staff because the demand for goods over the Christmas period. Identifying these trends and planning for them will let the business be in a more positive position to be conducting business. HRP is also concerned with employee turnover within the business as management needs the right employees at the right place to make a profit and benefit the organization. (2.2) Steps in HR Planning Forecasting HR Planning requires that we gather data on the Organizational goals objectives. One should understand where the Organization wants to go and how it wants to get to that point. The needs of the employees are derived from the corporate objectives of the Organization. They stern from shorter and medium term objectives Therefore, the HR Plan should have a mechanism to express planned Company strategies into planned results and budgets so that these can be converted in terms of numbers and skills required. Inventory After knowing what human resources are required in the Organization, the next step is to take stock of the current employees in the Organization. The HR inventory should not only relate to data concerning numbers, ages, but also an analysis of individuals and skills. Skills inventory provides valid information on professional and technical skills and other qualifications provided in the firm. It reveals what skills are immediately available when compared to the forecasted HR requirements. Audit HR inventory calls for collection of data; the HR audit requires systematic examination and analysis of this data. The Audit looks at what had occurred in the past and at present in terms of labor turn over, age and sex groupings, training costs and absence. Based on this information, one can then be able to predict what will happen to HR in the future in the Organization. HR resource plan Here we look at career Planning and HR plans. People are the greatest asserts in any Organization. The Organization is at liberty to develop its staff at full pace in the way ideally suited to their individual capacities. The main reason is that the Organization’s objectives should be aligned as near as possible, or matched, in order to give optimum scope for the developing potential of its employees. Therefore, career planning may also be referred to as HR Planning or succession planning. The questions that should concern us are: a) Are we making use of the available talent we have in the Organization? b) Are employees satisfied with our care of their growth in terms of advancing their career? Actioning of Plan There are three fundamentals necessary for this first step. 1) Know where you are going. 2) There must be acceptance and backing from top management for the planning. 3) There must be knowledge of the available resources Monitoring and Control. This is the last stage of HR planning in the Organization. Once the programme has been accepted and implementation launched, it has to be controlled. HR department has to make a follow up to see what is happening in terms of the available resources. The idea is to make sure that we make use of all the available talents that are at our disposal failure of which we continue to  struggle to get to the top. 2.3 Recruitment and selection process. Recruitment is the process of approximating the available vacancies and making suitable arrangements for their selection and appointment. Recruitment is understood as the process of searching for and obtaining applicants for the jobs, from among whom the right people can be selected. The result is a few eligible applicants from which new employees are selected The difference between recruitment and selection: Recruitment is identifying and encouraging potential employees to apply for a job. And Selection is selecting the right candidate from the collection of applicants. Goals of selection are to select a candidate that will be successful in performing the tasks and meeting the responsibilities of the position. Selection process Selection process involves a number of steps. The basic ideais to solicit maximum possible information about thecandidates to ascertain their suitability for employment 1).Screening of Applications Prospective employees have to fill in some sort of application forms. These forms have information about the applicants like their achievements, experience. 2) Selection Tests Selection tests to know more about the candidates or to reject the candidates who cannot be called for interview. 4) Interview The basic idea here is to find out overall suitability of candidates for the jobs. It also provides opportunity to give relevant information about the organization to the candidates 5) Approval by appropriate Authority Suitable candidates are recommended for selection by the selection committee or personnel department. Functional heads concerned may be approving authority. When the approval is received, the candidates are informed about their selection and asked to report for duty to specified persons. 6) Placement After all the formalities are completed, the candidates are placed on their jobs initially on probation period may range from three months to two years. During this period, they are observed keenly, and when they complete this period successfully, they become the permanent employees of the organization. Recruitment and selection process at Tata Having received the applications, the next step is to evaluate applicants experience and qualifications and make a selection. Screening purpose is to evaluate the application and eliminate applicants whose profiles do not match the job requirements, Short-listing of CVs received from various sources are screened by the HR function within a week of commencement of sourcing activity. Knowledge and aptitude test is conducted for all trainees and laterals recruits. The result of test will be criteria for short listing /screening candidates for the purpose of interview. Psychometric Test is done to find out the â€Å"CRISP† fit. While hiring at Tata, they look for the following attributes C – Customer Focus R – Result Orientation I – Initiative and Speed S – Self Confidence P – Passion for achievement Interview This is powerful technique used to assess the capabilities/skills of the candidate and to understand the softer aspects that a difficult to measure from resumes. After finalizing a date and time, short-listed candidates are invited for an interview Selection Process and interviews for Tata motor cars Duration of written/online tests and interviews 1) Aptitude Test 0-30 Minutes Aptitude Test 2) Technical Test 30-60 Minutes Technical Written 3) Psychometric Test 4) Group Discussion 5) HR Interview 0-30 Minutes HR Interview 6) Technical Interview 0-30 Minutes Technical Interview Technical subjects to study for written test Theory of Machines, Automobile engineering, Fluid Dynamics and Machinery. The Psychometric test questions the test the way you handle situations under different circumstances. Recruitment at Asda Phase one Applications are registered through Asda’s online recruitment system, Asda’s HR team then shortlist appropriate candidates for interview or an assessment centre. Two documents are vital here: a job description and a personal specification. These inform applicants and help managers select the candidates that best match the requirements for the position. Step two attend the assessment centre known as either ‘Asda Reality’ this provides an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate their strengths which align to Asda’s culture, beliefs and way of working. Step three interview  once selected, the final part of the recruitment process involves providing appropriate training. At Asda, each new colleague is put into a specific training plan designed for their role. (2.4) The first phase of recruitment at Asda is automated you can upload your curriculum vitae and edit your personal details on line, this way it makes it simper for the recruiters to narrow down the employees they would like. Asda’s online recruitment process has improved the speed and efficiency of recruitment, making applications easier for candidates and selection faster for management. On the second phase is really about meeting your potential employer and selling your skills and experience to see if you could fit in with the organisations overall vision. The recruitment and selection at Tata is far more complicated than that at Asda this is because of the more highly skilled aspects of the work. Phase one is based on receiving applications for the vacant position. Phase two evaluate applicants experience and qualifications and make a selection. Screening purpose is to evaluate the application and eliminate applicants, whose profiles do not match the job requirements, Phase three are tests to test the competence of potential employees theses test consist of technical and written aspects Phase four is the Human resources interview and phase five is the technical interview. L03 Appraisals and rewards system at Tata Motors are based on key results area. There are reviews at regular intervals, promotions are based on performance, and productivity and rewards comes in the form of profit linked incentives schemes. Positive appraisals can affect your career pathway with fast track options for high performers and interviews for positions above manager’s positions. Tata motor company employees have appraisals twice a year whereby employees get feedback which gives them a chance to look at their approach of working, The necessary steps are also undertaken for employees who deviate from their goals Tata motors have introduced a comprehensive system of quarterly appraisals whereby each employee selects their own key results areas or goals and every quarter they have the chance to go back and asses their own performance against the parameters. For many front line employees these performance related quarterly payouts designed to reward them with incentives for their performance. Tata Motors have midterm reviews for all employees that have had positive appraisals creating an expectation of a salary rise twice a year if they perform well. At Tata employees and supervisors can set up joint participations goals this method often leads to employee commitment along with smart goals Specific – precise and detailed Measurable – with criteria for determing progress and success Achievable – attainable Realistic – Relevant Time related – Grounded in a time frame This system is commonly known as 90 degree appraisal system. Performance rating Process at Tata Motors Exceptional contributor Significant contributor Performs consistently and substancly above all exceptions in all areas Performs exceptionally well in all areas. Achieves a final score of greater than or equal to 115% Achieves final score between 100-114% Consistently delivers on stretch targets Versatile in their area Proactive Little or no supervision Spots and anticipates problems, implements solutions Sets examples for others Sees and exploits opportunities. Take ownership of own development Delivers ahead of time Coaches other Sees wider impact across business Demonstrates business initiative Focuses on what’s good for the business Self motivated Herzberg motivation theory Frederick Herzberg in 1966 came up with a theory that job motivators were closely connected to job And the motivator’s appeared to produce motivated behavior whereas hygiene factors produced dissatisfaction From the way Tata motors conducts its appraisals and gives incentives I can see they firmly believe in some key points Herzberg mentioned in 1966 regarding Achievement, recognition, advancement and growth, giving employees with good appraisal reports promotions and pay rises will motivate employees and lead to extreme job satisfaction Factors leading to extreme dissatisfaction Hygiene Factors Factors leading to extreme satisfaction Motivators Company-policy & administration Achievement Supervision Recognition Relationship with supervisor Work itself Work conditions Responsibility Salary Advancement Relationship with peers Growth Personal life Relationship with subordinates Status Security Asda used 360 degree feedbacks for appraisal in this process employees are assessed based personal and professional skill sets, customer service and multitasking skills to see if they can perform multiple tasks under pressure. For slightly senior employees they consider coaching skills to be an essential part of leadership skills. In this process they judge how a person can train the subordinates. Apart from that it also judges the counseling skills of the people that help them in guiding the subordinates in expanding responsibility and capacity and delegate work according to their individual potential. Asda has redesigned 360 degree program to develop the employee performance through the process like Individual bonus, program The individual bonus factor is used to promote the best employee from their performance. This process aims the organisational objectives through the employee performance. As the Result of this process, the employee survey conducted in ASDA that shows the individual bonus process will be a great success through the high level of employee commitments and improvements through the self-motivation. In 1911 the engineer Frederick Taylor published one of the earliest motivational theories. According to Taylor ´s research, people worked purely for money this approach of paying workers by results was good for the business. The outcome was greater production but gave little opportunity, encouragement or time for employees to think for themselves or be creative in what they did. This limited people’s development and their use within the company Peer recognition Peer recognition is the modern performance appraisal process also includes in the 360 degree process. This process is to award and acknowledge an individual for their outstanding performance in the company. This would be could be more non-financial factors based which can motivate employees to improve their output. One such factor may be the desire to serve people; others may be to improve personal skills or achieve promotion. Employees  are more motivated if they feel content in their work. This often happens when their employer creates a good working environment where employees feel valued, generally through increased communication and being asked for their opinions. Employee motivation is also likely to be higher if the organisation invests in its staff through training and development. In turn this enhances their knowledge, skills and their sense of job satisfaction. Positive and negative reinforcement plays a vital role in motivation in the work place in the form of 1. Praise for good work 2. Encouragement 3. Constructive criticism The organisations leader should always communicate the organisations culture, values and beliefs to the group members. Performance feed back Team leaders should constantly provide feedback to members on: 1. How they are doing in their task and in the team 2. How results are progressing in comparison to plans and standards set out for them Feed back is essential both for motivational and for learning and development to adjust performance and bring it back in line where necessary to the original plan. The manager should motivate his or her team, both individually and collectively so that a productive work place is maintained and developed and at the same time employees derive satisfaction from their jobs. . References Phillip, Harris. Managing the Knowledge Culture. Human Resource Development Press, March 2005. Johnston, John. Time to Rebuild Human Resources. Business Quarterly. Winter 1996. Mathis, Robert L., and John H. Jackson. Human Resource Management. Thomson South-Western, 2005 Ulrich, Dave. Delivering Results: A New Mandate for HR Professionals. Harvard Business School Press, 1998. Gary, Dessler. Human resource management, Eleventh Edition 2005 Subba, rao. Essentials of HR Management and Industrial Relations, Fourth Edition 2007

Importance of dreams in the novel of ‘Mice and Men’ Essay

The novel ‘Of Mice and Men’, written by John Steinbeck is a truly fascinating novel based upon the theme of dreams. This novel was published in 1937, which was towards the end of ‘The Great Depression’ that hit the United States. The novel was set in Soledad, California, during the same time period as published. This was an era in which the economy collapsed; many Americans lost their jobs, therefore leading into a lot of poverty and despair. Although many people were depressed, this was also the era of dreams. This is what Steinbeck’s novel is all about, dreams during the great depression. Dreams were very important in the novel. They played a huge role in the character’s lives, affected their behaviors, as well as their personalities. Steinbeck uses dreams as a tool to enrich the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’; therefore he emphasizes their importance throughout the novel by making them the main theme. Dreams have a rather important role in the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’. The whole novel is based around dreams, as well as decisions that were made according to these dreams. The author, John Steinbeck has emphasized this by the plot of the novel, the character’s personalities, as well as their actions. The plot of the novel is based on two characters that were chasing their dreams. These characters are Lennie and George, who left a town called Weed because they got in trouble. They were searching for a job, in order to get better paid, which will help them achieve their dream, ‘The American Dream’. The American dream is a dream shared by many of the characters in the novel, it is the desire to have a happy life, be part of a family, have a stable job, and maybe even own some land. Page 47 of chapter 3 gives an insight why the characters Lennie and George left Weed. It turns out Lennie was accused of raping a woman, George said â€Å"Well, that girl rabbits in an’ tells the law she been raped. The guys in Weed start a party out to lynch Lennie†¦ An’ that night we scrammed outta there.† The characters left Weed because Lennie was in trouble. However, he didn’t want to go to jail; he’d rather chase his dream, which he shares with his lifelong pal George. So instead they make  the decision to leave Weed, and head to Soledad. The characters’ personalities are affected by their dreams, and so are their actions. Their dreams weaken them, which results in them doing things that they end up regretting just for the sake of attempting to make their dream come true. Although dreams can be a source of strength for the characters, they contribute a great deal in their weaknesses, which is what leads to their fatal actions. In chapter five, Lennie and Curley’s wife were confessing their dreams to one another. Curley’s wife stayed longer than she should have with Lennie, because he was a man and during that time period women were not permitted to interact with men, especially if the woman was married. However, she made that decision because she dreamed of having a friendship. Lennie said, â€Å"Well, I ain’t supposed to talk to you or nothing.† â€Å"I get lonely,† She said â€Å"You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad, How’d you like not to talk to anybody?† (Chapter five, page 98). Clearly Curley’s wife felt extremely lonely, empty, and sad. Even though she made a bad decision, she chose to stay longer and risk the consequences in order to achieve one of her desirers, even if it was for a little while. It was her weakness, and when she got a chance she grasped it without thinking. It was almost as though she lost her sanity. Later through that chapter, Lennie physically hurt Curley’s wife. She screamed, thus he made the decision to cover her mouth in attempt to stop her from screaming. He feared if George hears her screaming and finds out so he would get mad. Consequently, Lennie wouldn’t be able to join George in owning some land, tending rabbits, and living their dreams. â€Å"She screamed then, and Lennie’s other hand closed over her mouth and nose†. Lennie said â€Å"Oh! Please don’t do that!† George’ll be mad†¦ George gonna say I done a bad thing. He ain’t gonna let me tend no rabbits†¦ You gonna get me in trouble jus’ like George says you will.† â€Å"And she continued to struggle, and her eyes were wild with terror. He shook her then, and he was angry with her†¦ he shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck.†(Chapter 5, page 103). Lennie killed Curleyà ¢â‚¬â„¢s wife, because he didn’t want her to stand in the way of his dreams. Due to the fact that his dream blinded him, he couldn’t differentiate between  what’s right or wrong. He chose his actions carelessly. Achieving his dream was his priority, so much so that he sacrificed a human being for nothing to stand in his way. Not only did dreams have a key role in the novel, dreams also played an important role in the characters’ lives. Dreams were a crucial part of the characters’ lives. The characters were not living the life they craved, and it is safe to say that a few of them were depressed. However, their dreams were a source of motivation to them. In chapter one, on page 15, George said â€Å"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. . . With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us.† It can be noted through this quote, the fact that George truly believes in his dream, and how it will keep him motivated. Not only does it make him not want to give up on his dreams, it also makes him strive and work harder to achieve his goals. Moreover, having dreams, and goals, brought the characters happiness. This is because their dreams give them an image of a better life, and what it would be like. In chapter one, George and Lennie were feeling down and they were upset over the limited amount of food they had, but then they cheer themselves up by reminding themselves of the bright future that would lay ahead for them. George said â€Å"Someday- we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs, and –† â€Å"An’ live off the fatta the lan’† Lennie shouted. â€Å"we’ll have a vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens. And when it rains in winter, we’ll just say the hell with goin’ to work† said George (chapter one, page 16). George and Lennie spoke with enthusiasm; this indicates how much happiness their dreams bring them. Obviously, dreams had a major impact on the characters’ lives; therefore they were a major aspect of the novel. Not only do dreams impact the characters’ lives, but they also affect several characters in the novel. Dreams had a role in molding the characters. They had an effect on the characters personalities, behavior, dialogue, as well as their decisions. As  stated before, characters made their dreams their priority; this automatically changed the way they thought. Therefore, their behavior changed. The characters only said what would benefit them, and eventually tried to refrain from saying anything that could cause trouble, so that impacted their dialogue. Their dreams also affected their decisions because they either didn’t want to cause trouble so they decided not to do some things, while other characters were blinded by their dreams so they made reckless decisions while trying to achieve their dreams. George’s personality was affected by his dreams. One can see this by his behavior and his dialogue. For example, in chapter 2 (page 28) when Curly lashes at George because he was answering all of the questions that were asked to Lennie, Curly rudely says â€Å"By Christ, he’s gotta talk when he’s spoke to. What the hell are you getting’ into it for?† George didn’t lash back at him, instead he replied coldly; this symbolizes George’s patience towards people, even the rudest people just for the sake of his dream. If he stirred up a fight with Curly just to gain back his dignity he would have gotten fired from his job, but instead he spoke coldly because he couldn’t risk losing his dream or doing anything that could possibly threatens it. Another character whose personality has been affected by his dreams was Crooks. However, unlike the others, Crooks’ personality is greatly affected. Crooks’ dream has a different effect on him. It brings him misery, because he once had everything and now he lost it all. Although, he has accepted that fact that his dream is unattainable, he may still have a little bit of hope. However he has accepted his fate better than the rest of the characters who seem to be unable to accept the reality that their dreams would most likely not come true. As a result, he is bitter and he has isolated himself from everyone. It has drastically affected his personality and his attitude towards life. He knows he won’t have his ‘Happily ever after’; therefore he doesn’t look forward to what the future would bring. â€Å" I ain’t a southern Negro†¦ I was born right here in California. My old man had a chicken ranch, ‘bout ten acres. The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them, and some of them was pretty nice. My ol’ man didn’t like that. I never knew till long later†¦ but now I know † (Chapter 4, page 79). Although this quote starts off as a happy  story, it doesn’t have a happy ending. In fact, it’s heartbreaking. Nevertheless from this quote, it can be understood that Crooks had a taste of ‘The American Dream’, but then he lost it. In addition, the color of his skin puts him down even though he was literate, and educated. Crooks wanted to belong somewhere, he wanted to have friends, he wanted for life to be as simple as it was when he wa s younger, but he knows that the odds aren’t in his favor. That’s why he isn’t the nicest person, and he has isolated himself from everyone else. In chapter four when Lennie came to see Crooks, at first he shut Lennie out, because of the rules he had to oblige and because he knows what it feels like to have friends and loose them. As one of his dreams was to have a friend, he compromised and he let Lennie accompany him while the others were gone. â€Å"Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends. Crooks said sharply â€Å"You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me†¦ I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room† â€Å"Why ain’t you wanted† Lennie asked. â€Å"†Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all stink to me†¦ well, what do you want?† â€Å"Nothing- I just seen you light. I thought I could jus’ come in an’ set.† Crooks stared at Lennie†¦ Crooks scowled, but Lennie’s disarming smile defeated him. â€Å"Come on in and set a while† Crooks said â€Å"Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down.† (Chapter 4, pages 77-78). Finally, the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ is a truly spectacular novel by John Steinbeck. The theme of dreams was very important during the course of the novel. All the main events in the novel were caused in relation to someone’s dream, and the sacrifices they had to make in order to achieve it. Additionally, dreams were equally important because they played a big role in the characters’ lives. The characters in the novel use dreams to motivate them through their tough lives, and through the great depression. The characters were also greatly affected by their dreams. For some of the characters, their dream was their weakness and they would literally kill to achieve it. For others it was a source of happiness, while for many of the characters their dream was both their weakness and their source of happiness. All of these three points are what made the theme of dreams such  an important part of the novel. The theme of dreams is what makes the novel ‘Of Mi ce and Men’ so fascinating. Dreams controlled all of the main events, as they were significant in the lives of the characters, their behavior, their ups and downs, as well as their fates.