Introduction To Workforce Diversity Commerce Essay

Introduction To Workforce Diversity Commerce Essay Workplace diversity refers to the extent to which an organization is culturally diverse. Cultural diversity includes the range of ways in which people experience a unique group identity, which includes gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnic and age. An organizations culture tends to determine the extent to which it is culturally diverse. In a journal entitled  The multicultural organization, by Taylor Cox, Jr., Cox talks about three organization types which focus on the development on cultural diversity. The three organization types are: the monolithic organization, the plural organization, and the multicultural organization. In the monolithic organization, the amount of structural integration (the presence of persons from different cultural groups in a single organization) is very minimal. In the United States, this organization usually represents white male majorities in the overall employee population with few women and minority men in management jobs. The plural organization has a more heterogeneous membership than the monolithic organization and takes steps to be more inclusive of persons from cultural backgrounds that differ from the dominant group. The multicultural organization not only contains many different cultural groups, but it values this diversity. Benefits 1. It helps motivating employees. 2. It enhances the innovation and creativity of employees. 3. It helps in reducing cost. 4. It creates flexibility in the organization. 5. Immediate access to problem solving. 6. Easy transfer of knowledge. 7. Better marketing structure. 8. Innovative work environment. 9. Immediate outcomes. 10. Fulfillment of social responsibility. 11. It helps attract and retain employees. Challenges Miscommunication and lack of understanding is bound to happen in diverse workplaces. Having a policy of diversity and utilizing team-building exercises can help employees learn to communicate and respect each other. Diversity training should be implemented from the top through the bottom of the company hierarchy. Employees are more likely to consider policies fair if those policies can be seen firmly in place at the manager level. Having zero tolerance for harassment and discrimination can help companies avoid costly lawsuits. Action Steps First, assess your companys diversity across all departments. It may help objectivity to hire an outside consultant to perform a diversity assessment. Document what things you want to change, and then make a plan to start diversifying your business. Set up reasonable goals for your company; you may want to revisit your companys policy of diversity every quarter or annually. Be aware of the difference between pursuing workplace diversity and affirmative action. Affirmative action, which is the process of considering a persons racial background during the hiring process, has been challenged in the courts. The Supreme Court has generally frowned on workplace quotas. Employers should be careful to avoid reverse discrimination during the staffing process. For example, pursuing workplace diversity is not the same as having positions that are only open to women or people of color; this is illegal. [Cultural bias  is an additional factor which challenges culturally diverse work environments. Cultural bias includes both  prejudice  and  discrimination. Prejudice refers to negative attitudes toward an organization member based on his/her culture group identity, and discrimination refers to observable adverse behavior for the same reason Another challenge faced by culturally diverse organizational environments is  assimilation. Assimilation into the dominant organizational culture is a strategy that has had serious negative consequences for individuals in organizations and the organizations themselves. Those who assimilate are denied the ability to express their genuine selves in the workplace; they are forced to repress significant parts of their lives within a social context that frames a large part of their daily encounters with other people. She goes on to mention that People who spend significant amounts of energy coping with an alien environment have less energy left to do their jobs. Assimilation does not just create a situation in which people who are different are likely to fail, it also decreases the productivity of organizations. (WIKIPEDIA) EVOLUTION OF WORKFORCE DIVERSITY http://www.ehow.com/about_5066229_characteristics-workplace-diversity.html Workplace diversity was first encouraged in the U.S. by the passing of the Equal Pay Act in 1963. This law required equal pay for men and women performing the same job. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. This included making hiring or firing decisions based on these backgrounds. So far, sexual orientation is not one of the federally protected categories under equal rights laws. However,  businesses may incorporate sexual orientation consideration when embracing workplace diversity.]] IBM first company to start work force diversity http://www.citehr.com/46309-ppt-managing-diversity.html IBM figured in the Fortune magazines list of Americas Most Admired Companies in the year 2004. It was appreciated for recruiting and retaining the best talent across the world. IBM actively encouraged recruiting people from various social and cultural backgrounds irrespective of their age, sex or physical status. In the same year, IBM had developed a talent marketplace to effectively manage its workforce. The marketplace supported employees to find the most suitable job across different organizational units within the company. The ranking was based on eight variables like employee talent, innovation, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment value, and quality of products/services5. Later, in the 1970s and 1980s, as IBM started operating in other countries outside the US, it actively promoted diversity. The company developed a well-structured diversity policy and implemented it within the organization. During the 1990s, diversity council and network groups were formed to promote diversity In the early 2000s, a skilled workforce was one of the key differentiators for a successful IT company. IBM gave importance to not only recruiting and retaining the best talent but also to managing them in such a way that wastage of skills was reduced. In 2004, IBM developed Human Capital Management Services software to implement a talent management model within the organization. According to analysts, IBMs focus on talent management enabled the company to utilize its workforce properly and also to assess its future talent needs. They felt that the best practices in talent management could be further used to formulate and implement succession planning and leadership development strategies. Work Force Diversity at IBM Diversity at the work place in the US originated from the concept of EEO in the 1940s. At IBM, Watson Jr. issued the first equal opportunity policy letter in 1953. Later, it came under government compliance under the Civil Rights Act of the US in 1964. With the onset of globalization in the 1980s, organizations initiated efforts to broaden their marketplace. In an attempt to sustain themselves amidst the continuously increasing competition, they started doing business across the world. This trend made it important for them to focus on diverse cultures across borders in order to offer products and services that suited the specific needs of different markets. LITERATURE REVIEW In todays society, cultural diversity is at the highest point it has ever been. As companies are becoming more diverse, it is becoming more important for them to understand and manage that diversity. People of different backgrounds, races, ages, sex, and/or religions create a diverse workforce. There is an importance of having a diverse workforce in order to provide better performance overall. With a diverse workforce, there arises a need for new management strategies, which require organization leaders and managers to know the differences among their employees and to know how to handle situations involving these differences. As Dr. Sondra Thiederman, a leading expert in workplace diversity, stated, whether you are a business owner, executive, salesperson or customer- service professional, your success will increasingly depend on your ability to function in a culturally diverse marketplace (Thiederman, 2000).   The growth in diversity is continually on the rise. Today, one in four people in this country belong to a minority or are foreign-born (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001). These minorities are considered include any person who is not a white-male. Women today, who currently make up less than half the work force, are expected to fill 65 percent of the jobs created during this decade (Jackson et al., 1998).   Cornell Cooperative Extension, February 1998 http://www.joe.org/joe/1998february/a1.php Strategies for recruiting a diverse workforce are illustrated by case examples from the three stages in Cornell Cooperative Extensions staffing process. Organizational change to address diversity and pluralism requires a change in organizational culture. In the process of recruiting staff from diverse backgrounds, Cornell Cooperative Extension is creating new rules to become more inclusive. Implications indicate that retaining staff from diverse backgrounds needs to be as high a priority as recruiting them. Preparing the workplace to support staff from diverse backgrounds requires greater attention. Changing organizational behavior is the first step in creating a workplace that supports diversity and pluralism. Strategies for helping organizations become more inclusive are reviewed.  Workplace diversity means new opportunities for both employees and employers. As organizations such as Cooperative Extension move into the 21st century, it is imperative to capitalize on the talents of employees from diverse backgrounds because it is their differences that enrich us, expand us, [and] provide us the competitive edge ALLIED SOFT( www.microsoft.com/casestudies) need to develop and manage your globally dispersed and diverse workforce more effectively without sending your costs sky-high. To do that, you need scalable, advanced people management technology that drives your HR strategy across culture, nation and language so you can efficiently manage your workforce, no matter where in the world they may be. By Juliet Midgley and Rae Lewis http://www.onlineethics.org/cms/10977.aspx Adjusting to diversity involves developing a new corporate culture that will work naturally for all. This culture has not yet been fully developed, although companies such as Honeywell, Aldrich Associates, and Pacific Bell are making the effort. According to Robert Roosevelt Thomas, pioneers will be needed to forge and solidify this new area of management and business. He envisions that diversity will be fully achieved and effectively managed only in such a way as to get from a heterogeneous work force the same productivity, commitment, quality, and profit that we got from the old homogeneous work force. Creating diverse workforce greatest challenge for global firms By  Ã‚  Ã‚  IANS Tuesday,17 June 2008 http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/42798 Creation of diverse workforce would be the greatest challenge for corporations in a globalised world, Infosys Technologies chairman and chief mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy said here Saturday.As corporations grow and globalise, I am convinced that the greatest challenge they will face will be the creation of a diverse workforce, Murthy told shareholders at the companys 27th annual general meeting (AGM) for fiscal 2008.   In a bid to address the daunting challenge, Infosys has built a global base to grow in the future, with over 91,000 employees from 70 nationalities working across 90 countries. During 2007-08, the company recruited a record 33,177 people against its projected hiring plans for 25,000.As a global firm with a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic workforce and delivery centres, Murthy said the IT bellwether had taken several measures to create a high-level of diversity in its workforce by enhancing its recruiting efforts in different countries.Though Infosys receives a whopping one million job applications every year, just 2.3 percent of them are offered employment. We continue to hire from the best universities the world over and train them in our global education centre at Mysore in Karnataka. The first batch of graduates from Britain were hired in the last fiscal, Murthy pointed out.Riding on the success of its hiring and training programmes in Britain and the US, Infosys plans to extend the same to many other counties to build a world-class global workforce. Murthy also informed the shareholders that the education centre at Mysore, about 140 km from Indias IT hub, would be one of the worlds largest such facility where 13,000 graduates can be trained at a time, with about 500 faculty rooms and 10,300 residential rooms. Infosyss Globalization Strategy Posted in:  Ã‚  Business  Monday 23rd, June 2008 http://blogs.siliconindia.com/RajSheelvant/P0wU18365916020 Creation of diverse workforce would be the greatest challenge for corporations in a globalized world, says Infosys Technologies chairman and chief mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy according to Silicon India article Creating diverse workforce greatest challenge for global firms. The only way to overcome ethno-centric corporate culture is to have multi-ethnic and multi-national top executives.  Infosys needs to create diversity at the top executive level first.  That will have a long term affect of neutralizing ethno-centric corporate culture and building a truly global organization.  That is the  onlyway for Infosys or any other company to achieve globalization strategy. Globalisation and workforce diversity: HRM implications for multinational corporations in Singapore. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Globalisation+and+workforce+diversity:+HRM+implications+for-a0166537374 This paper presents findings based on a study involving local and foreign medium to large-sized multinational corporations (MNCs) in Singapore. The findings highlight the connection between the stages of organisational development, headquarters-subsidiary orientation, and increasing workforce diversity in MNCs. The following section discusses the political, economic and social imperatives in the Asia-Pacific region as regional political and business leaders emphasise on strengthening institutional capacities to develop and implement effective strategies and practices that will provide a foundation for human resources development in response to globalisation (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, 1999, 2000a/b, 2001a/b). Subsequently, this will bring about significant organisational changes in firm structures. This study examines the impact of globalisation in Singapore as a result of such regional developments. The justification for the study in Singapore stems from the fact that it is strategically positioned in this particular region, whereby the nations leadership have placed much emphasis on strengthening institutional capacities to develop and implement effective national policies and strategies that will provide a foundation for continuous economic growth in the 21st century.   Attahir Yusuf International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development 2005 Vol. 2, No.2   pp.  240 256 (http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=recordHYPERLINK http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=recordrec_id=6313prevQuery=ps=10m=orHYPERLINK http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=recordrec_id=6313prevQuery=ps=10m=orrec_id=6313HYPERLINK http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=recordrec_id=6313prevQuery=ps=10m=orHYPERLINK http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=recordrec_id=6313prevQuery=ps=10m=orprevQuery=HYPERLINK http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=recordrec_id=6313prevQuery=ps=10m=orHYPERLINK http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=recordrec_id=6313prevQuery=ps=10m=orps=10HYPERLINK http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=recordrec_id=6313prevQuery=ps=10m=orHYPERLINK http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=recordrec_id=6313prevQuery=ps=10m=orm=or) The study explored workforce diversity in the under-studied Arabian Gulf. Specifically, it investigated what small enterprises are doing right with respect to workforce diversity and what they are not doing right. It also studied the relationship between motivation to diversify, level of education, gender and level of workforce diversification in small enterprises. The result indicated that the organisations are doing much more towards diversification and there is also a positive and significant relationship between education and the level of workforce diversification in the SME sector. Diversified firms are also reported as recording higher performance levels compared to non-diversified firms. Human resource practices and workforce diversity:an empirical assessment . Author(s):  Brian DNetto, Amrik S. Sohal,1999 http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=6296A766136AA92DD3DBF557AE9AFEC8?contentType=ArticleHYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=6296A766136AA92DD3DBF557AE9AFEC8?contentType=ArticlehdAction=lnkhtmlcontentId=848256HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=6296A766136AA92DD3DBF557AE9AFEC8?contentType=ArticlehdAction=lnkhtmlcontentId=848256hdAction=lnkhtmlHYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=6296A766136AA92DD3DBF557AE9AFEC8?contentType=ArticlehdAction=lnkhtmlcontentId=848256HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=6296A766136AA92DD3DBF557AE9AFEC8?contentType=ArticlehdAction=lnkhtmlcontentId=848256contentId=848256 Workforce diversity has become an important issue in Australia. This study examined the extent to which human resource management practices were being used by organisations in Australia to manage workforce diversity. The study also assessed the perceived challenges and benefits of diversity in the workforce. The findings of this study indicated that overall, management of workforce diversity is only mediocre. In particular, inadequate diversity management practices were found in the areas of recruitment and selection and training and development. As migrant employees do not create any problems and are very compliant, the challenges that workforce diversity presents does not receive adequate attention by organisations in Australia. However, these organisations seek several benefits from their multicultural workforce. by Carol T. Schreiber , Karl F. Price , Ann Morrison In the early 1970s, labor demographers were observing changes in the composition of the U.S. workforce that were expected to modify domestic employment patterns in the coming decades. In 1976 a Conference Board report forecast that the 1980s decade would see higher percentage increases in labor force participation rates for white women and minorities than for white men given continuation of current trends (Lecht, 1976, p.8). When the mid-1980s arrived, demographers, noting that anticipated workforce changes had occurred, predicted further acceleration of the trend by the milestone year 2000. Workforce 2000 projections forecast continuing increases in labor force participation for previously under-represented demographic groups, especially women and people of color. These projections indicated that by the year 2000, working womens representation in the labor force would increase to 47% (of the labor force); African-Americans to 12%; Hispanics to 10% and Asians to 4%; building on tren ds already apparent in labor force participation rates (Fullerton, 1989). R. M. Wentling, N. Palma-Rivas There are numerous ways in which diversity has been defined, there is no definition that fully includes all the characteristics that a diverse population may bring to the workplace. It also showed that there are many forces that are driving diversity issues in organizations. For example, there is a significant increase in women and minority populations in the workplace; Americans continue to mature; an increasing number of minority youths are becoming part of the workforce; gay men, lesbians, and bisexual individuals are becoming an important part of the workforce and marketplace; people with disabilities are also increasingly entering the labor force; and more business is becoming global. This literature review indicates that the demographic composition is affecting not only the makeup of the labor workforce but also the makeup of the marketplace. Therefore, having a diverse workforce and managing it properly is perceived as a competitive strategy that can not only help attract diverse customers but also employees who have different perspectives that can contribute to the creativity of the organization. This review also indicated that researchers have found that an important reason for implementing diversity initiatives in organizations is to improve corporate productivity and profitability. Ongori Henry and Agolla J. Evans University of Botswana, Botswana.Accepted 27, June 2007 The extent to which managers recognize diversity and its potential advantages and disadvantages defines an organizations approach to managing the diversity (Adler, 1997). No organisation in this world of globalisation would survive without workforce diversity. It is the duty of the management to critically evaluate the benefits of workforce diversity in their organisation. On the other hand the management should put in place conditions which would enhance the workforce diversity in their organizations, more especially in their strategies formulation on the diversity of the workforce. Hence, with the diversity of the workforce, the organisation would be internally and externally competitive. Although, the process of diversification of organizations has six stages: denial; recognition; acceptance; appreciation; valuing; and utilization (Porras, 1991). It is believed that organizations should put in place strategies to enhance workforce diversity. In terms of organizational learning, organizations are still stuck on the problem of getting people to value diversity and have not yet determined ways to utilize and exploit it COMPANIES HANDLING WORKFORCE DIVERISTY ATT Commitment to Employees ATT realizes that diverse, talented and dedicated people are key to a companys success. The companys philosophy is to provide employees with continued opportunities to grow and develop their careers. Management is charged with successful implementation of various diversity initiatives as part of this philosophy. ATT leaders are expected to understand the importance of cultural competency. Training and Career Development We want to help our people grow and develop in their careers. In 2008, we invested $244 million in employee training and development programs and an additional $25 million on tuition reimbursement for employees. And 100 percent of our employees receive regular performance and career development reviews. Employee Resource Groups At ATT, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are affinity groups open to all employees. The ERGs support our commitment to diversity and inclusion through efforts in the workplace, the marketplace and the community. Were proud to work with these groups to further the goals, values and interests of both our employees and our company.   GENERAL MILLS http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/commitment/workforce.aspx We believe that diverse teams create more and better solutions. A diverse work force helps us stay ahead of our competitors through growth and innovation. Employee Networks General Mills Employee Networks provide a supportive, positive forum for developing, sharing, and exchanging information and ideas. They support our strategic work force objectives by: Attracting and retaining a highly talented diverse work force. Creating and maintaining an inclusive work force environment. Providing a voice to our leadership regarding barriers and opportunities. Providing a support system and forum for exchanging information and ideas. American Express American Express was well known in American corporate circles for its commitment to diversity. The company not only made a conscious effort to recruit a diverse workforce, but it also created a work culture where diversity was valued and promoted. This case discusses the diversity initiatives of AmEx. It talks about how the company partnered with several profit and non profit organizations to ensure that it had access to a diverse pool of candidates in its recruitment efforts. It also talks about the culture and policies at AmEx that ensured that diversity was promoted in all parts of the organization. The case concludes with a commentary on the extent to which the diversity initiatives were successful at the company, in the light of a law suit filed by some women employees against the discrimination they faced. Diversity at Amex Diversity was an integral part of the culture at AmEx. AmEx believed that focusing on diversity was one of the ways to gain competitive advantage in the rapidly expanding global markets.   Having a diverse workforce allowed AmEx to obtain a better understanding of the varied markets it operated in. Diversity has been defined in various ways by experts. The narrow definition, the one pertaining to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in the US, defined diversity in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, age, religion, and disability. However, over the years the concept of diversity widened to include parameters like marital status, language, sexual orientation and tenure with the organization. AmEx embraced and promoted diversity in the broad sense, and its diversity initiatives covered a large number of groups including women, minorities, senior employees, people with disabilities, and homosexuals. ACCENTURE DIVERSITY Accenture is passionately committed to cultivating a diverse workforce both because its the right thing to do, and its a key element of achieving high performance, said Armelle Carminati-Rabasse, Accentures managing director of Human Capital and Diversity globally. Our company comprises people from a wide range of cultural, educational and geographic backgrounds-people who are able to challenge conventional thought, offer unique perspectives and generate innovative ideas. Our rich diversity is part of what makes our company strong. GOOGLE DIVERSITY Diversity plays a large role in the way were developing our engineering organization around the world. Were building a large worldwide office presence to establish ample global representation among our engineers, and were applying that same focus to establish a balanced representation of employees at Google. In the end, these efforts help us more accurately and relevantly represent our users, and our continued success depends on the best minds working from different perspectives and insights. Alan Eustace Google SVP, Engineering Research INFOSYS DIVERSITY Globalization has changed the character of the modern workplace global companys employee base should reflect the diversity of the world it serves. Infosys strives to employ people representing the widest possible variety of nationalities, cultures, genders and gender identities, sexual orientations, employment histories, and levels of physical ability. In doing so, the company is able to recruit new employees from all available global talent pools and provide paths to employment to all members of world societies, including talented individuals from groups who may have in the past been underrepresented within the IT industry. Within such a diverse company, people bring to the workplace contrasting opinions and worldviews. As these people interact, they develop new ideas, methods, and perspectives. Infosys recognizes and promotes this power of diversity to drive innovation. Infosys actively fosters inclusivity across all of its business units and in every one of its company offices. It encourages all employees to focus on the commonalities they share and leverage their differences towards productive teamwork. Inclusivity ultimately makes for a more informed and sensitive employee base that is better able to serve clients. Infosys was the first Indian IT company to establish a company office to manage and drive all company initiatives dealing with diversity and inclusion. Today they have employees from over 70 countries. Women constitute more than 32% of their workforce. TCS DIVERSITY Diversity in companies is no longer about being melting pots, but being salad bowls, according to Grady Searcy. We want people to retain their identity yet be integrated into the company Currently, 7.5 per cent of our workforce consists of non-Indians, said Mr. S PADMANABHAN,EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT and head Global human resource, TCS said while speaking at the NASSCOM HR Summit on `The War for Talent held recently in Chennai. In a session on managing cross-cultural teams, speakers emphasized that managing a diverse workforce is no longer a choice, but an imperative. The Indian workplace is no different from global MNCs.TCS has announced plans to hire about 4,000 people from across the world. DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT AT HYATT HOTELS Formation of diversity councils at thecorporate and hotel levels Provide scholarships for minority students pursuing degrees in hospitality management Partnerships with national minority organizations. Create action plans to increase women and minority representationat all management levels. Creating a diverse workforce is visible in the faces of the total workforce. Hyatt Mumbai has 46% females. At managerial position 37% are females. Training allows the employees to work more efficiently by developing effective management practices to include treating others with dignity and respect Training allows the employees to work more efficiently by developing effective management practices to include treating others with dignity and respect Reliance Energy Management Institute (REMI) looks after the training of the managerial staff Versova Technical Training Centre (VTTC) looks after the training of the technical staff Managers can also have special training programs arranged if required by the employees. It forms a connecting link between the regular workers and the upper management. The contract labours have unorganized labour unions to solve their problems. Diversity- The India Inc. Way Bharti Enterprises and American Express have mandated their recruitment agencies to have 25 % and 33% women candidates at the interview stage. Infosys BPO employs 112 people

White Shark :: essays research papers

This book is about a man shark that was created during World War two. The man shark was an experiment by the Russians for war. The Russians were transporting it in a u-boat the u-boat was shot and sank by enemy airplanes. The U boat plunged down to the sea floor thousands of feet below sea level .In 1996 two Submersibles went down on a documentary for national geographic. They discovered a brass box that looked like a coffin but It was too ling to be a coffin the rectangular shaped box was about 9 feet long and 3 feet wide. They finally decided to take it to the surface to find out what was in the coffin looking box. When the box was aboard the ship there was a curious crewmember that had wanted to see what was inside the box. The man thought it wouldn’t harm anybody so he lifted the cover a bit and out of the darkness of the box sprang a man shark with metal claws and metal teeth. The creature took the man to the bottom and fed on its kill. The man shark found its way to a p lace called waterboro there it had killed people and sea creatures. Then it had found its way to land and killed a bunch more people and animals. On an island there was an institute for marine life but mainly white sharks. It was mainly by a man named chase he studied the man shark. And then finally the shark man came on the island and tried to kill chase but chase tricked the man shark into going into an air compression chamber. There he turned up the pressure and boom! The man shark exploded into bits. The main character of White shark is chase Simon he is about 5 feet 6 inches tall he has dark hair and he is pretty strong he is about in his twenties. He is a nice person that loved animals especially white sharks and he is also smart brave and nice The main character traits for chase are that he is determined and brave. I choose determined because he was very interested in white sharks so he was determined to learn about them and find out new things about them and why they do things. Chase is brave because he was swimming with great whites and he also killed the man shark and he was the only one that did it.

The contribution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to Shell Nigeria’s Corporate Strategy

Introduction Apart from profitability, the primary objective of business also includes sustenance of operations into the long term, receiving repeat business and thereby achieve the satisfaction of the needs of its shareholders. This necessitates the examination of operations with a view to advance objectives such as sustainability which entails being ethical and observing social responsibility. To many businesses operating in the modern competitive global economy, however, being ethical or socially responsible in the conduct of business presents an ongoing challenge (Wheeler et al., 2010). With a focus on Shell Nigeria, this report critically evaluates the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) assessing its contribution to the company’s corporate strategy. It begins by assessing the industry background of the oil sector in which Shell operates bringing forth the issues that impact the company and its stakeholders in their engagement. The report then looks at the concept of CSR, assessing its theoretical basis and the actual pursuits undertaken by the company. This culminates in the evaluation of the contribution of these initiatives to the company’s corporate strategy. Shell Nigeria Shell Nigeria is an arm of the multinational oil corporation Shell Corporation operating under the entities Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Nigeria Limited, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO), and Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG). It has had a presence in Nigeria since its foundation by Royal Dutch/Shell Group in 1936 and has been involved in onshore and offshore exploration and production of oil and natural gas (Shell, 2011). The company’s operations spread out within the Niger Delta (Nigeria) and constituting the Group’s international supply chain comprise 6000km of flow pipeline networks and stations, oil fields and producing wells, gas plants, and two major export terminals (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012a; OPEC, 2011). The parent company, Shell Corporation, is one among major entities participating in the exploration, production, distribution and sale of oil and gas across the globe. The company manages multinational subsidiary petrochemical and energy companies operating in over 80 countries (OPEC, 2011). Exploration and extraction operations of crude oil and gas in Nigeria form an essential component of Shell Corporations upstream supply chain. Its downstream supply chain is engaged in refinery and distribution of oil and gas, as well as trade and shipping of crude worldwide. The company is also involved in the manufacture and marketing of a range of products including petrochemicals for its industrial customers. Its daily volume of production entails 3.2 million barrels of oil and gas (at 48% this output) delivering refined fuel oil to consumers through its 43,000 Shell service stations across the globe (OPEC, 2011). Nigeria is important for Shell accounting for about a quarter of its worldwide production with an estimated contributed share in profit averaging $1.8 billion annually. This represents 10.4% of upstream operational profits and 7.3% of total profit (Shell, 2011). Given its importance to the Group’s upstream operations, any challenge on this front adversely affects global operations of the multinational corporation (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012a; Emesh, 2009). Several challenges beset multinational oil corporations operating particularly in developing countries as explored below. The dilemma of oil companies operating in developing countries Significant oil and gas reserves are found in developing countries of Africa (OPEC, 2011). These countries often lack the resource capability both in terms of financial capacity and infrastructure to conduct exploration and extraction operations of oil and gas. This explains the presence of multinational oil corporations such as Shell in these countries and in regions such as the Niger Delta of Nigeria which holds significant oil reserves deemed to be among the largest in Africa (Wheeler et al., 2010). Operations of oil multinationals in these developing countries are however fraught with huge challenges brought about by the political and social situations which characterise them. Due to their structural and institutional weaknesses, these countries are often prone to recurring conflict and political instability which portends violence and risks to investments (Wheeler et al., 2010; Idemudia, 2009). However, with much to gain from the exploration and exploitation of oil and in spite of the risks and attendant challenges, the multinational oil corporations value the acquisition of market share (Emesh, 2009). It is also noteworthy that profits accrued from the exploitation of the oil resource have historically been misappropriated, benefitting a few influential people in the local and national governments while the host communities and citizenry at large suffer poverty. With an abundance of oil revenue, a corrupt leadership forego accountability to constituents and undermine political and economic institutions while focus on oil wealth stifles diversification of the economy into other essential sectors (Emesh, 2009; Olowu, 2011). This scenario has often exacerbated the political and social situation, increasing the occurrences of conflicts and violence and threatening sustainability of business and integrity of the supply chain (Wheeler et al., 2010). The discontent of host communities and stakeholders at the local level has led to acts of vandalism, sabotage and disruption, as well as outright insurgency which not only threaten operations but also impact the prices of crude oil internationally fomenting unnecessary fluctuations (Olowu, 2011). This alongside the adverse environmental impact of the extractive industry in general and impacts on human rights has often injured the reputations particularly of oil multinationals such as Shell Nigeria. They have promoted the perception that such companies are merely profit-oriented and care less about the impacts of their operations (Idemudia, 2009). Such global concern over these issues has hitherto led to threats of and actual boycotts of Shell products, costly lawsuits and liabilities, and in addition to attendant inefficiencies and security of assets and resources, these challenges have not only impacted Shell’s local operations in Nigeria but have hindered the potential of the entire multinational corporation internationally (Olowu, 2011). Companies such as Shell, therefore, continually need to evaluate political and social risks assessing probable effects on their business and the investment climate, as well as the impact on their profit forecasts and sustenance of operations (Olowu, 2011; Fombrun, 2001). This scenario has illustrated that adverse effects can have dire consequences for the entire business beyond its local operational environment. In order to sustain their business and even achieve growth and expansion, it is imperative for companies to enhance their relations with society ensuring that they are strong and mutually beneficial. Beyond the profit objective, multinational corporations are increasingly demanded of to engage with host countries and communities and CSR has become one of the strategies towards this endeavour (Haigh and Jones, 2006). In response to this demand and in the attempt to shore up its reputation and to build goodwill with local communities, Shell has developed policies and programs aimed at taking on social responsibilities. These programs focus on poverty alleviation, dealing with challenging human rights issues, and the pursuit of sustainable development, seeking to lower the negative environmental impact of their activities (Shell, 2011; Olowu, 2011). These practices are generally referred to as corporate social responsibility (CSR). They can serve as a channel through which to nurture relations with society and stakeholders in general so as to address this dilemma that companies face in the modern business environment (Driver, 2006; Haigh and Jones, 2006). In this regard, it can act dually as an avenue for ethical and social responsibility and as well a worthwhile and essential business strategy. However, finding the right approach and the right initiatives to undertake is challenging for many entities as expectations are very high and diverse particularly in developing countries. As well, in most cases, the development initiatives anticipated should ideally be the prerogative and duty of respective governments and authorities. Their pursuit enables these public agencies to disregard their duties and to forgo accountability to their constituents, a free hand to misappropriate what would otherwise be spent on development (Frynas, 2005). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) CSR is a fast-growing concept in which organizations consider the interests of various stakeholders including society, the environment, and the community in which they are established, taking responsibility for the impact of their activities. It refers to activities that a corporate entity engages with and which are aimed at investment into better and stronger relations with stakeholders and society (Bourne, 2009). This commitment is a voluntary endeavour to improve quality of life for local communities and society at large and extends beyond the basic requirement to comply with regulations or legislation (Boyd et al., 2007). Though historically consider to encompass corporate philanthropy, the concept can now be summarized conveniently in the phrase†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"doing well by doing good† which is inherent in a firm’s accountability and which underlies its social contract with society (Driver, 2006). It encompasses concepts such as corporate accountability, corporate citizenship, business ethics, sustainability, as well as social responsibility in investment and community involvement (Fombrun, 2001). CSR is thus not the sole responsibility of the multinational corporation, but it also concerns the host communities and countries that can engage in planning and in the push for implementation of activities. This, however, gives the pursuit an arbitrariness that makes assessment of success and effectiveness quite challenging. Success in business and sustainability of operations significantly depends on an organization’s capacity to maximize benefits accrued from its resources such as financial and human resources, physical assets, as well as intangible resources such as goodwill from stakeholders and society in general (Werbach, 2009). This is quite evident in challenges that have beset Shell’s supply chain stemming from challenges in its operations in the Niger Delta. Even with the right mix of financial and human resources, as well as an adequate asset base, the lack of goodwill leading to discontent locally and globally and acts of reprisals has in the past led to disruption of operations and loss of potential which have had widespread implications, including adverse effects on profitability, the company’s reputation, as well as the prices of crude oil in the international market. In this regard CSR has become a significant component of Shell Nigeria’s corporate strategy in its quest for mutually beneficial engagement with stakeholders and achievement of requisite goodwill (Shell, 2011; Olowu, 2011). Through the proactive pursuit of CSR, companies can take responsibility for the impact of their operations and welfare of host societies, as well as stakeholders in general. Though perceived as an outlay that is difficult to recoup, there is evidence of potential reciprocal effect and business sense in CSR investments attributed to its creation of value and enhancement of stakeholder relations (Driver, 2006;). Due to the general lack of infrastructure and development projects provided by respective governments in developing countries, the need for CSR covering broader roles such as poverty alleviation, good governance and development is prominent. Multinational corporations such as Shell come under heightened expectations to fill in the gap providing the requisite development (Wheeler et al., 2010). The initiatives undertaken by Shell towards CSR are explored. Critics bemoan this reality in the expectation for intervention by such business entities on matters outside their primary objective. They posit that this demand influences and affects the conduct of business in the increasingly competitive business environment posing a challenge to strategists in the choice between meeting business objectives and shareholder satisfaction on the one hand, and the needs of the wider stakeholder base on the other (Frynas, 2005). This further complicates the development of corporate strategy given the need to focus on a number of extraneous issues often with private entities arrogating themselves duties that ought to be performed by the state or local councils. Such realities hinder the effectiveness of CSR initiatives and particularly its contribution to the company’s corporate strategy. CSR initiatives of Shell Nigeria are thus evaluated in the following section. CSR initiatives of Shell Nigeria Numerous activities that Shell engages in its pursuit of social responsibility are herein evaluated to assess their effectiveness and therefore contribution to the company’s corporate strategy. Initiatives undertaken by Shell Nigeria in its CSR pursuit cover external aspects such as environmental protection, community relations and human rights, as well as internal aspects such as principles and codes of practice, product stewardship, stakeholder and employee rights, and transparency (Shell, 2011; Idemudia, 2009). Shell Nigeria and the entire Group takes up an active leadership role in the development of codes of conduct and practice governing workplaces and their engagement with facets of society (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012b; UN, 2011). The company has also supported development through programs in education, health, construction, commerce, agriculture, transport, etc. benefiting local communities (Olowu, 2011). Additionally, the company alongside others in the oil industry command leadership in programs promoting CSR internationally on various fronts. This has been facilitated by Shell’s new and sophisticated approach they refer to as Community Development (CD), offering a paradigm shift to environmental responsibility, social welfare, human rights, and political responsibility, among other issues of CSR (UN, 2011). This approach entails greater stakeholder engagement bringing together many entities including NGOs, state and local governments, and community leaders in identifying and implementing projects, ensuring increased local ownership, transparency and accountability (Idemudia, 2009). Numerous projects have been successfully undertaken through this approach over the years especially benefiting areas in which the company’s infrastructure is located and/or flow lines traverse (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012b; Olowu, 2011). Goodwill generated from such â€Å"investments† in CSR has ensured integrity of assets that were hitherto under threat which is fundamental to successful operations. Various initiatives undertaken such as the community Health Insurance Schemes, enterprise development schemes, water supply and electricity supply, among others offer worthwhile lessons through which the success can be replicated elsewhere (UN, 2011; Idemudia, 2009). This way, the company has benefited from consistency afforded enabling it to meet tight lead times and to better align supply and demand through greater efficiency. Success of development initiatives has enhanced well-being and economic empowerment of communities thereby reducing dependency for regional development which had burdened the company (Shell, 2011; Emesh, 2009). Additionally, initiatives undertaken in partnership with numerous players aimed at enhancement of the conservation of biodiversity through the minimization of the negative impact of activities have enabled reduction of environmental impact due to gas flaring and oil spills. The diversification into the production of natural gas has benefited the company significantly, becoming a worthwhile revenue stream (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012a). Through a variety of indices assessing social and environmental performance of entities such as Shell, its CSR initiatives have earned it recognition globally as a leader in responsibility and a CSR champion. These indices include: the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)- 2010; Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DSI)- 2010; Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index – 2011, the FTSE4Good and Goldman Sachs Sustain ESG (environmental, social and governance) – 2010 (UN, 2011; Shell, 2011; OPEC, 2011). Good ratings attained in these indices are evidence of the impact that it has had in its CSR pursuit. The recognition has been beneficial in shoring the company’s reputation across the globe enhancing its corporate value and standing of its brand. However, oil multinationals (including Shell) remain at variance with local communities regarding the success and effectiveness of these CSR initiatives with the latter still not content. This represents the major challenge with CSR pursuits, particularly in cases such as this where expectations are quite high (Frynas, 2005). The actual success of Shell Nigeria’s CSR is evaluated to assess its contribution to its corporate strategy and bottom line. Contribution of CSR to Shell Nigeria’s corporate strategy Corporate strategy focuses on the organization’s overall scope with an aim to sustain growth and to achieve strategic positioning. The maximization of profits and minimization of costs is a primary goal of any business venture. This not only necessitates continuous improvement along the supply chain towards the enhancement of efficiency and effectiveness, but also entails an important aspect in the modern competitive business environment, value creation (Werbach, 2009; Kazem and Richard, 2008). Competitive advantage entails the capability a business to provide superior products, services, or value differentiating itself from its competitors. Price/cost advantage, delivery, quality and flexibility are identified as among the components of the value advantage which enhance competitive capability. To be able to sustain its competitive advantage, a company or organization has to exploit such available capabilities which are as important as resources such as physical assets, financial resources, and human resources (Werbach, 2009). However, the oil industry is characterized by minimal capacity for value addition to products and services, exploitation of a price advantage, or physical resource capabilities (Wheeler et al., 2010). It is therefore crucial for players in the industry to focus on value advantage deriving from delivery efficiency, quality, flexibility, as well as intangible aspects such as corporate value and reputation. The pursuit of corporate value and goodwill thr ough CSR is therefore crucial for an entity to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage given the intense competition and capabilities (Fombrun, 2001). According to Sachs et al., (2009) and Driver (2006), the CSR idea†¦ â€Å"ties up with the drive for sustainability which is to develop solutions for business in such a way as to meet the requirements of the current generation without compromising the ability to provide the needs of future generations in bounty and diversity.† This is the basis for Shell’s renewed and revitalised pursuit of CSR which has enabled it to assume leadership on the responsibility front, a model for corporate citizenship (Shell, 2011). Despite the challenge in defining actual benefit and achievement in sustainability initiatives, the pursuit of CSR has granted Shell an important edge in the intensely competitive environment, enhancing the company’s corporate value. Corporations invest in CSR motivated by the view on business ethics which holds that shareholders and stakeholders desire a financially stable and responsible corporation adhering to values of ethical conduct and environmental sustainability. A worthwhile brand image and reputation is thus central to strategy (Sachs et al., 2009; Haigh and Jones, 2006). This is the primary thesis of this report and which is shown to guide Shell Nigeria’s corporate strategy, as well as that of the entire Group. Benefiting from reduced civil tension, as well as oil theft and sabotage, Shell has, in recent years, managed to increase production from new ventures such as offshore deep water explorations, as well as enhanced supply chain efficiencies – achieving increases in production averaging 31% year-on-year. Diversification into Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) production has enabled the company to enhance its revenue and to develop a new market (both locally and for export). Its economic potential has generated incentive and economic impetus to enhance the capture of natural gas associated with oil reserves that would otherwise be flared (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012a; Shell, 2011; Fombrun, 2001). Reduced flaring and the clean-up of oil spills have had a positive effect on the company’s risk and reputation management warding off potential lawsuits and liabilities (Shell, 2011; Dyer and Chu, 2003). Turbulence in the political and social environment and the resultant uncertainty in supply and demand, as well as concerns over bad repute negatively affect investor decisions and therefore share prices (Fombrun, 2008). A firm that wishes to attain success in the modern business environment must keenly assess these fundamental flags and their associated costs , as well as future value or potential which significantly influence investor decisions. These may influence the company’s access to capital and to new markets and cannot be ignored (Sachs et al., 2009; Dyer and Chu, 2003). These factors can be adequately addressed through the focus on enhancement of goodwill and efficiency through social responsibility pursuits. It is evident therefore that Shell’s CSR initiatives have contributed significantly to the company’s corporate strategy enhancing its capacity to sustain its operations and to thrive despite the challenges in the extractive sector and developing countries hosting it. Conclusion Through the pursuit of CSR, oil multinationals such as Shell can gain valuable goodwill enabling success of their operations and the enhancement of their overall image and perception as a corporate citizen both locally and internationally. Shell Nigeria’s proactive community development initiatives have in the most part significantly reduced conflict resultant from discontent and grievance of local communities and global concern impacting the corporate reputation of the entire Group internationally. Reductions in civil tensions, oil theft and sabotage have enabled increased production and new ventures and as well, the venture into the capture of associated natural gas has seen the company diversify into new revenue streams and markets of LNG. These benefits as well as the bolstering investor confidence due to this revitalization are evidence of the contribution of CSR to Shell Nigeria’s corporate strategy. Bibliography Bourne, L., 2009. Stakeholder Relationship Management. CA, USA: Gower.. Boyd, E., Spekman, R., Kamauff, J., and Werhane, P., 2007. â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility in Global Supply Chains: A Procedural Justice Perspective.† In: Long Range Planning, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 341-356. Driver, M., 2006. ‘Beyond the Stalemate of Economics versus Ethics: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Discourse of the Organizational Self.’ Journal of Business Ethics, 66: 337–56. Dyer, J., and Chu, W., 2003. â€Å"The role of trustworthiness in reducing transaction costs and improving performance: Empirical evidence from the United States, Japan and Korea.† Organization Science 14 (1), 57–68. Emesh, E., 2009. â€Å"Social Responsibility in Practice in the Oil Producing Niger Delta: Assessing Corporations and Government’s Actions.† Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, Vol. 11, No.2, pp.113-125. Fombrun, J., 2008. Corporate reputations as economic asset. In: Freeman, E., Harrison, J. S., (Eds.). The Blackwell handbook of strategic management. Blackwell Publishers, Oxford, 289–312. Frynas, J., 2005. â€Å"The False Developmental Promise of Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from Multinational Oil Companies.† International Affairs, Vol. 81, No. 3, pp. 581-598. Haigh, M., and Jones, M., 2006. â€Å"The Drivers of Corporate Social Responsibility: A Critical Review.† The Business Review, Cambridge, 5(2): 245–51. Idemudia, U., 2009. â€Å"Oil Extraction and Poverty Reduction in the Niger Delta: A Critical Examination of Partnership Initiatives.† Journal of Business Ethics: Supplement 90: 91. ABI/INFORM Global, ProQuest. Kazem, C., and Richard, L., 2008. Sustainable competitive advantage: towards a dynamic resource-based strategy. East London Business School, University of East London, UK Olowu, D., 2011. â€Å"From Defiance to Engagement: An Evaluation of Shell’s Approach to Conflict Resolution in the Niger Delta.† African Journal of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 10, Nr.3, pp. 75-100. OPEC, 2011. Nigeria facts and figures Viewed on 8/7/2014 from: http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/167.htm Royal Dutch Shell Public Limited Company, 2012a. Shell Petroleum Development and Exploration Company report: â€Å"Environmental Performance: Oil Spills. Shell Nigeria, Shell Petroleum Development Company.† Viewed on 3/7/2014 from www.shellreport.com Royal Dutch Shell Public Limited Company, 2012b. Shell Petroleum Development Company, Shell Nigeria report: â€Å"Improving Lives in the Niger Delta.† Viewed on 3/7/2014 from www.shellnigeria.com Sachs, S., E. Ruhli and I., Kern, 2009. Sustainable Success with Stakeholders. Palgrave Macmillan Shell, 2011. â€Å"Sustainability Report: Royal Dutch Shell Sustainability Report 2010.† In: Royal Dutch Shell Sustainability Report, pp. 1-37. Viewed on 6/7/2013 from: http://sustainabilityreport.shell.com/2010/servicepages/previous.html UN, 2011. Supply chain sustainability. United Nations global compact. Viewed from: http://www.unglobalcompact.org/Issues/supply_chain/index.html Werbach, A., 2009. Strategy for sustainability: a business manifesto. Adam Werbach. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Press Wheeler, D., H., Fabig, and R., Boele, 2010. â€Å"Paradoxes and Dilemmas for Stakeholder Responsive Firms in the Extractive Sector: Lessons from the Case of Shell and the Ogoni.† In: Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 39, pp. 297-318.

Labour Market Analysis Report Virgin Blue Airline

Labour Market Analysis Report Virgin Blue Airline Labour demand and supply The companies that sell products to end users based on the laws of supply and demand in the market become the purchasers in the labor market since they require employees to design products and do other sorts of things to ensure that the finished products meet the requirements of the end-users. Since no employee can render a free service, companies are compelled to go into the labor market so as to purchase labor according to their considerations.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Labour Market Analysis Report: Virgin Blue Airline specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Virgin Blue Airline determines the number of workers it demands based on some considerations. These are the costs it will incur on the labour (based on the Australian market wage), and the number of workers it needs to meet the current and predicted demands for doing business. The supply of labour in the Australian airline industry is determined by the amount of wages, salaries, as well as other benefits provided by the potential employers, and skilled workers tend to move from one employer to the other based on these influences. To make the conditions of work attractive, Virgin Blue Airline offers competitive pay, performance based rewards, travel allowances, study assistance, and many other benefits to potential employees (Virgin Blue Airlines, 2010). Labour requirements for Virgin Blue Airline increased growth Virgin Blue Airline, with a current market share of about twenty-eight percent in Australia’s airline industry, is increasingly growing to serve other routes around the world. For example, in the past one year, it has carried about 18.4 million international passengers (PPS Publications Ltd, 2010). This increased growth implies that it will need additional employees to serve the increasing number of its customers. In this regard, the company will need to hire culturally diverse employees for i t to succeed in doing global business. This will make it possible for the diverse workforce to bring different points of view in tackling issues in the airline company, which are invaluable for its success internationally. More so, since the success of a modern organization requires different inputs from people with diverse skills and experiences, recruiting such people will ensure that Virgin Blue Airline benefits from the different range of experiences that they will be bringing along for its eventual success in the international market. Since doing international business normally encounter several restrictions, for example, acceptance of the airline by the customers in another locality and customer-handling issues, Virgin Blue Airline will need to surmount these obstacles by hiring employees who are up to the task.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In additio n, another associated labour requirements in this new market is to hire employees who can speak fluently other languages, apart from English. This will ensure that the company confronts the language barrier problem that can make it lose its customers if not properly addressed. Analysis of Virgin Blue Airline existing workforce to determine areas of excesses and shortages Virgin Blue Airline, launched on 31 August 2000 with less than three hundred employees, currently employs about three thousand workers, and the number is still growing. However, until recently, the company had been concentrating on employing younger workers who were below thirty-five years of age. This raised questions about the company’s hiring process. For example, a group of eight mature former flight attendants sued the company for discrimination. They accused the airline company for not giving them jobs because they were above thirty-five years of age (Weller, 2006). The company lost the case and compens ated the former flight attendants. This implies that there are shortages of mature employees in the company and an excess of younger employees. It is important to note that experienced workers bring in the skills and attitudes that a company can utilize for its success, especially in the international market. Another area where there is shortage is in the number of female employees that the airline has. This shortage has arisen because of the increased requirement to travel to other countries around the world. Since it becomes difficult to strike a balance between work and family commitments in such situation, a number of females have stayed away from working with the company. Analysis of Virgin Blue Airline current workforce suitability to meet current and predicted demands for labour In as much as Virgin Blue Airline had been concentrating on hiring younger employees, its current workforce has the capacity to meet the current and predicted demands for doing business in the aviatio n industry. The company has established an effective culture that ensures that its operations run smoothly. The company has a top management team consisting of twelve professionals who have served in various capacities in the company since its inception ten years ago. Bruce Highfield, HR director for Virgin Blue, says, â€Å"Having a top team that really works effectively together is really half the battle. Culture starts at the top, and the leadership style of the boss is what filters down† (The Reed Group Ltd, 2010, para. 7).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Labour Market Analysis Report: Virgin Blue Airline specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Even though it has established a cohesive management team, the company goes at great lengths to recruit competent workers who are able to preserve its unique culture as well as meet its current demand for business and future expansion. Besides the thorough recruitmen t process, the company ensures that its workers remain motivated and committed in accomplishing their duties by properly assigning tasks, carrying out employee appraisal programs, meeting their expectations, and involving the employees in different aspects of decision making within the company. Analysis of current and predicted external labour supply data Between 1980 and 2000, the Australian labour force has been increasing an estimated rate of two percent due to the full entry to the labour force market of the baby boom generation, increased participation of women, and overseas migration (McDonald Temple, 2008, p.2). Currently, it is estimated that the country’s labor force is growing at 3.1 per cent per annum and this rate is falling (Australia Bureau of Statistics, 2010). Moreover, this labour supply growth rate may fall further if there will be no international migration. Since Australia’s population is likely to grow, this will create a multiplier effect upon th e demand for labour in the aviation industry. The country’s labour force is and will have to confront the difficulties of its ageing population. This difficulty will lead to possible replacement of the elderly labour force with young labour force resulting in certain labour shortfalls and skill gaps in the country’s airline industry. Recommendations for workforce planning Virgin Blue Airline has experienced incredible growth within a short time. Therefore, to ensure its continued success it should develop a workforce planning tool that ensures that its objectives are matched with the needs of the employees. It can achieve this by identifying the key abilities of its potential future workforce, engaging in an accurate analysis of its current workforce numbers and capacity, carrying out a gap analysis to make a comparison between the projected workforce supply to the workforce demand forecast, developing workforce strategies and projected funding impact, and implementing and reviewing workforce plans. References Australia Bureau of Statistics, 2010. Labour Force, Australia, Sep 2010. [Online]Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Australia Bureau of Statistics. Available at: abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[emailprotected]/mf/6202.0?opendocument#from-banner=LN . McDonald, P. Temple, J., 2008. Demographic and Labour Futures for Australia. [Online] Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute. Available at: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=vq=cache:qljwbbJOR-kJ:www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/research/_pdf/demo-labour-supply.pdf+labour+supply+in+australiahl=engl=kepid=blsrcid=ADGEEShDeknLiq7JDVILE9svPMStJG3bnqMhCGNXz7B6pjr7e2xbuBle55KDBIzAfpr0M6UsweWBpEQm-h08WSoIqrjxo4MqvzNe6CnDVXL4slk9wPungSuDoil0gVXTaZ0GlV7sGeRdsig=AHIEtbQUF4_lXNhdYKJh520dWOvAiU7GXA . PPS Publications Ltd, 2010. Virgin Blue’s growth coming from international routes; 18.4 million passengers carried in last 12 months. [Online] PPS Publications Ltd. Available at: anna.aero/2010/06/08/virgin-blues-growth-coming-from-international-routes/ . The Reed Group Ltd, 2010. Breaking in a new culture: the Virgin Blue story. [Online] Reed Elsevier A ustralia Pty Limited. Available at: humanresourcesmagazine.com.au/articles/0b/0c01a00b.asp . Virgin Blue Airlines, 2010. Benefits. [Online] Virgin Blue Airlines. Available at: virginblue.com.au/AboutUs/Careers/Benefits/ . Weller, S., 2006. Discrimination, Labour Markets and the Labour Market Prospects of  Older Workers: What Can a Legal Case Teach Us? [Online] Victoria University, Melbourne. Available at: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=vq=cache:wt3nsispaZsJ:www.cfses.com/documents/wp31.pdf+international+labour+market+airline+industryhl=engl=kepid=blsrcid=ADGEESg1ZC8Oztnhf2FsvXiNXpR21CHKoXe3h0DNAZXmjrJ1cokwJK3tCXXtC87LAY1ixnel2qCRwGrXF_oJpQPHMbOBVFuN_qQKduT7boL0MMHDauVRwd5YDGB6ur2BDD6KZU0zX_COsig=AHIEtbSsbjcti5KH_bI_k0IlfKcbQTCsbA   .

Code Of Hammurabi

Code Of Hammurabi The Code of Hammurabi is considered the earliest known legal document in its entirety, which is a collection of laws and edicts of the Babylonian king Hammurabi. It was uncovered by a pair of French archaeologists at Sussa, Iraq during 1901. Hammurabi established this law code in attempt to establish justice in his hand. He was basically trying to unify his people by having them follow a specific code that included moral values, economic activity, and everyday life.˜ Main Features of the Legal System The code is composed of 28 sections, which appears to be an amendment to the common law of Babylonian. First, it begins with the proper directions for legal procedures and the statements of penalties for unjust accusations, false testimony, and corruption among judges. After, follows laws involving property rights, loans, deposits, debts, domestic property, and family rights. Then follows laws indicating the punishment to physicians causing malpractice or damages caused in other trade s or professions.Code_of_Hammurabi.jpgThe Code of Hammurabi states that the basis of criminal law is that of equal retaliation, or in other words, "an eye for an eye. The law offers protection to all citizens of Babylonian of every class. The laws provide cover for the weak and the poor, including women, children, and even slaves against injustice at the hand of the rich and the powerful.˜ Examples of Laws 1. Anyone who bring an accusation against a man, and the accused go to the river and leap into the river, if he sink in the river his accuser shall take possession of his house. But if the river prove that the accused is not guilty, and he escape unhurt, then he who had brought the accusation shall be put to death, while he who leaped into the river shall take...

How does the oil play a big role in Kuwait economy Essay

How does the oil play a big role in Kuwait economy - Essay Example Kuwait has beautiful sandy beaches along the turquoise blue Gulf. In the southwest of the country, the landscape rises to a maximum elevation of 306 meters (1,004 feet). Islam is the predominant religion of Kuwait. Most of the Kuwaitis are Muslims are generally very conservative and governed by traditions and practices from very long ago. The Kuwaiti society is very family oriented. Kuwaiti families are usually quite large, and many different families are interconnected and related to one another through ancestry and marriage. For a country of such small size, Kuwait boasts a very broad and rich culture, containing a particular heritage and encompassing certain trends whose roots are embedded in the cultural traditions of antiquity. Kuwait holds a strong tie to its past, and the government takes pride in its assistance in the retaining of historical artifacts and antiques, as well as in the preservation of the arts and modern cultural endeavors. The official language of Kuwait is Arabic. All members of the government are required to have a working knowledge of Arabic in order to be eligible for the post. English is also widely spoken and is the country's official second language. Kuwait's government plays a dominant role in the country's economy. The government employs 92 percent of the population. Kuwait was the first Arab country in the Gulf to have an elected parliament. Moves to change the male-dominated political structure culminated in the granting of full political rights to women in 2005. Kuwait's most pressing environmental challenge is its limited water resources. In this regard, Kuwait has developed some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities, which now provide much of Kuwait's water. History of oil in Kuwait. Until the discovery of oil in the region in 1911 by a British concern, the Arab states in the gulf were weak and the faltering economies. The numerous rulers in small pockets kept up their autonomy with the help of the British. The Sultan of Omar was the largest of them all and but he couldn't further his rule because of the resistance. The Anglo Persian Oil Company or APOC was the first to start producing oil in Iran. In 1932 Standard Oil Company of California (Socal) discovered oil in commercial quantities in Bahrain. Socal then obtained a concession in Saudi Arabia in 1933 and discovered oil in commercial quantities in 1938. This triggered a flurry of oil exploration in the Gulf States in the 1930's. United States and Britain were the two main nations competing for the oil concessions. The new Iranian Government of Reza Shah Pahlavi revoked APOC's concession. Although the Shah and the British later agreed on new terms, the threat of losing Iranian oil convinced the British in particular that they must find other sources. The small states of the Persian Gulf were a natural place to look due to similar geological conditions to those in Iran. This did not mean immediate wealth for the Arab countries. Large deposits of oils were found in Bahrain. Oman was unable to export until 1967 and it was 1950 by the time oil rich states found it to be commercially beneficial. The oil fields in Kuwait were developed the fastest, and by 1953 that nation had

Adolescents Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Adolescents - Research Paper Example ABC model of crisis intervention is one of the patterns recommended. The overall tragedy is a two step process. Once is that of the initial phases how it shocks the parents. The second is the aftermath and how the parents react to it, and how they live with it. Handling the trauma and coping with the surrounding environments is one of the core challenges faced. Engaging oneself in healthy activities also amount to the preventive and counter measures that the parents may undertake. Kristi Kanel has discussed the ABC model of crisis intervention (Kanel, 2014, 21). This particular model allows for overcoming the challenges faced in the form of therapy processes and other counseling guides. This allows facing the challenges bravely and overcoming them through confidence. The model is time tested one and large number f psychologists recommend it for therapy function in the wake of losses suffered by