A Study On Change Management Commerce Essay

A Study On Change Management Commerce Essay Accepting change is considered the biggest paranoia in todays world. Organizations both business and non-business confront a challenging world. Some of the challenges that are faced by managers today include competition from other firms, globalization, and technological changes besides others. Let us consider a small example that can set the stage for discussing the effects of change. Daily life in a modern society is like a routine, where we wake up in the mornings, have breakfast, go for work, have lunch, come back from work, eat dinner and then sleep again. It has become a scheduled life, or so to say, we conform to structure in our lives. This structure provides us the necessary security. But, if we were to live in a world full of anxiety and unexpected mechanisms, it may leave us feeling uneasy and apprehensive. If this is the condition of individuals, a large-scale change in an organization can surely transform its people into anxiety, exasperation, frustration, depression or even fatal incidents. To curb this, organizations practice what is to be referred to as Change Management. Change Management is a process whereby, the individual, team or the organization develops a planned approach towards any sort of an alteration. The objective is to capitalize the benefits for the people and lessen the risk of failure of implementation. Change management entails thoughtful planning and sensitive implementation, and most importantly, consultation with the people who are going to be involved in the process. This task studies how organizations have evolved to accept change. But let us first look at the drivers that affect organizational change: Ø Inadequate Financial Performance the 2008 economic slowdown can be well quoted as an example for this. Companies failing to reach their financial benchmarks, have to undergo change. Competitive organizations can cannibalize their market share, provided they enter with cheaper labor or superior technology. Failure to maintain the market share can force companies to rethink their opportunity cost and also the deployment of resources. Ø Changes in Strategic objectives many companies shift their focus from being product-driven to being customer-driven or even process-driven. To enable this, restructuring and re-orientation of processes, people are required of in the organization. Ø New Technology companies that neglect the new trends in the market are set to suffer a setback, and, therefore, should adapt to the changes in technology. Ø Mergers and Acquisitions when companies merge and consolidate their operations, people and the culture, re-engineering takes place. The streamlining of the operations, infrastructure and the structure of the two organizations into one centralized theme is a huge part of the change management process. These, could be defined as the drivers of change that evolve businesses and markets. Organizations, today, have learnt to adapt to change. In this era of globalization, fast-moving lives and business-centered organizations, people and the processes have accepted the transformation. For instance, a lot of investment banks had to undergo transformation during the economic slowdown. Citigroup Inc. restructured its banks and other affiliates during the recessionary period, to acclimatize with the new environment. And it did happen. The management has to ensure that a smooth shift occurs, and for this it adopts a number of organizational theories as a basis for effective change management. Some of them are listed in the next few paragraphs. The central challenge of changing peoples behavior and making them susceptible to change remains to be a huge challenge. John Kotter and Dan Cohen, discuss in their book The Heart of Change: real life stories of how people change their organizations discuss highly-successful organizations embark large-scale change. They say it moves through eight stages: What people do and what is to be done for them, requires systematic thinking and planning on the part of the management. It is necessary to build upon a sense of urgency in the people by inspiring them with the need that has arisen to undergo change. This could be done with relevant people in the organization first and then go onto include others. These could be referred to as the Change Agents. These agents can then create a team with the credibility, reputation and formal authority that can inspire change leadership. The visions, strategies and goals of the employees and the organization could be uplifted in this process but communication of these is of utmost important. The right communication can get the change process on an easy path. Every path has some definite barriers to action, and it is imperative to remove these as they would prove harmful. Empowering the people to act on their vision could lead to easy transition. Change cannot be brought about in a jiffy. It requires a lot of patience and observation on part of the organization, and therefore, small waves of change can lead to a bigger, better ocean of possibilities. When the change management process is nearly done, the new culture should remain stagnant until, the next change process comes around. This eight-step process of change would help to slide organizational change smoothly into organizational processes and functions and would bring about a new culture. The next theory of change is Kurt Lewins Three-Step Change theory. This theory is considered to be systematic and planned in its approach. It talks about three steps namely: The first step says to unfreeze or to change the existing behavior. This is necessary to overcome the strains of individual resistance. Some activities that can assist in this step are motivating the employees, building trust and recognition and letting the employees participate in brainstorming sessions and other group activities. The second step talks about taking the level of the employees to a new target level. In this stage, the employees are encouraged to work together, look at the changes from a new perspective, and support the change agents and the leaders in the process of change. The purpose of refreezing is to stabilize the new equilibrium and ensuring that the changes implemented are followed by the employees. There are many other theories that can catapult an organization into accepting change, namely, 7-S Framework by Mckinsey, Cultural Dimensions by Hofstede, Managerial Grid by Blake-Mouton, Causal Model of Organizational Performance and Change by Burke-Litwin, besides others. Organizations, today, understand the relevance of inclusion of its employees in the process of change management, and, therefore by implication of various models and theories, involve their people with full intention of their benefit. The Cognitive theory states the importance of understanding the thought processes of human beings, and this theory aids in the development of the theories and the models used by organizations for engaging their employees in the change management process. The next task studies the strengths and weaknesses of a Bureaucratic Organization. Task (b) Max Weber gave the concept of bureaucracy at the turn of the 20th century. For him, the ideal bureaucracy was defined by the terms efficiency, impersonality and rationality. The employees are subject to published codes of rules i.e. the ones that are available in writing. The structure of the organization is a continuous hierarchy where every level has authority on the level below it. Job holders have no rights to a particular position. Responsibilities are delineated within each level, which has its own sphere of competence. Technical competence is the basis for appointment to an office. The strengths and the weaknesses of the bureaucratic organization are described as below: Strengths : Increased control and monitoring of the upper level management More control over the employees with set rules and regulations Reporting relationships are clear and well-defined Centralized system, where all the decisions are monitored Weaknesses: Lack of innovation due to the set procedures and processes Employees are not motivated because of lesser employee participation and involvement Communication has to go through many levels, which gets distorted Encourages politics in the organization These are the strengths and the weaknesses of the bureaucratic organization. The organization chosen is BMW or Bayerische Motoren Werke which is headquartered in Munich, Germany and came into being in 1917. It has become one of the ten largest car manufacturers in the world. Long-term thinking and cornerstone thinking has been the reasons for their success. The prime objectives of their corporate strategy include striving for ecological and social sustainability, taking full responsibility for their products, and giving commitment towards their resources. It is for these objectives, that BMW has been the sector leader since the last five years, according to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. BMW holds the privilege of having some of the best brands in the world, to be their creations. These are the BMW Series, MINI and the Rolls Royce. These automobiles represent the finest and the most luxurious segment of the cars in the world. Along with the automotive concerns BMW is also employed with other services such as: Motorcycles BMW is also engaged with the development, production and the marketing of motorcycles. These motorcycles are set in standard with technology, environmental protection and outstanding customer pre-sales and after-sales services. Financial Services an extensive product portfolio is offered by BMW that supplies expert information and advice for situations and questions in relation with the finance sector. As stated in their Annual Report 2009, BMW is clear with their mission for 2020 where they are the worlds leading provider of premium products and services for individual mobility. More driving pleasure and less of emissions the BMW group is implementing on this principle, unlike the other automobile manufacturers by working on Efficient Dynamics technology. In 2007, BMW adopted the Number ONE strategy that focused on long-term value growth and profitability. The four pillars of this strategy are Future, Growth, Customers and Profitability. This strategy revolutionized the BMW group and put them on the path to success.BMW has about 24 production and assembly plants in 13 countries. The sales distribution network of BMW stands strong at 41 company-owned subsidiaries and more than 3,000 dealerships. The next task discusses and compares the ways of organizational development and aligns it with BMW. Task (c) Organization development consists of the activities that intervene in the interactions of the people and the systems, i.e. in the work culture and in the organizational design in order to increase the efficiency using a variety of applied behavioral sciences. Richard Beckhard in what is Organizational Development?, mentions that it is â€Å"an effort (1) planned, (2) organization-wide, and (3) managed from the top, to (4) increase organization effectiveness and health through (5) planned interventions in the organizations ‘processes, using behavioral-science knowledge.† The intervention techniques focus on four categories- the Interpersonal, team or group, intergroup and then the overall organizational intervention. Each intervention revolves around these four categories. Some of the important organization development interventions include: Survey Feedback is a part of intervening in the total organizational system. This methodology believes in taking feedback from the managers in the form of a survey conducted. The data is collected, the results are analyzed and then the means are developed to correct the situation. Process Consultation a behavioral effort, this intervention aims at the teams or the intergroup activities, where through interaction, the problem is resolved. Coaching and counseling are the means of influencing change. Goal setting the goals of every division in the organization is set. This aligns with the overall organizational objectives. This is an inter-group activity. Managerial Grid it consists of group and individual activities with a view to developing the managerial style, interpersonal competence and group effectiveness. Management by Objectives this tool developed by Peter Drucker, where the managers at different levels and their subordinates work together to establish and then achieve their goals. Re-engineering a radical redesigning of the people, processes and customer satisfaction that would obtain drastic changes in the performance. These are some of the ways in which organizational development is encouraged in the organization. The automotive industry undergoes structural changes in an uncertain economic climate. Manufacturers face a new set of challenges to their business models, designs and ultimately, their cost structures. Automotive companies have to ensure that their designs are fuel-efficient, light-weight, are cheap to produce and are desirable. In this era of globalization, where the consumer has become a think-tank and is conscious of its status and upbringing in the society, BMW as an organization has always believed in identifying demands, reflecting on the challenges and investing in the future. The group understands that success and sustainability belong together. The Sustainability Board at BMW continuously evaluates progress and determines the suitable strategic directions. Every employee at BMW is called upon to help implement the goal of sustainability and responsibility. Of the ways of organizational development that have been discussed above, the intervention of Re-engineering would suit the framework of BMW. This organizational development intervention would seek to radically transform all the processes and gain quantum leaps in the processes. This model would look at the overall improvement at BMW and would even make amendments in the separate divisions. The level of changes that can be implemented in BMW would include: Structural changes change at the level of the structure of the organization. Inclusion of new members in the committee. BMW continuously evaluates its board members and members of the supervisory board. Also, mergers and acquisitions could bring about a hefty change in the organization. Technical changes hybrid and fuel-efficient cars are the demands of the environment and the industry today. BMW faces the challenge of promoting social and ecological aspects as resource-friendly and effective alternatives on the supplier markets. This is the ecological change that BMW needs to apply in its operations. One of the objectives of BMW is reduce the resource consumption and emissions by another 30% as compared to the 2006 level. BMW is already exercising these options by way of applying the Efficient Dynamics Technology. Changes in the Human Resources people are the most important element in any organization. BMW ensures that its employees are satisfied and that they meet the targets of their Strategy Number ONE, as discussed before. In fact, for any organization, organizational development for its employees is of utmost importance. And that is why, BMW holds its members as the strongest pillar in its Strategy Number ONE. With the help of the Balanced Scorecard method, BMW ensures that its members achieve their targets which are also in view with achieving the company-wide objectives. The human resources department attracts mainly the high performers with the highest competencies. Also, cross-functional training, ideal job description are some of the ways in which the employees are encouraged to challenge the changing environments. One of the powerful programmes of BMW is called â€Å"Drive† for the young professionals with only up to three years of experience. The next part deals with the development of systems for understanding and involving others in the process of change. PART II Task (a) In todays fast paced business environment, companies need to have flexible and planned business operations to facilitate radical change. Change to company processes requires dedicated planning, and its become imperative to align resources and employees to the companys objectives and goals. Adopting long term-change, strategic planning in the business units, building performance metrics, management-encouraged ideas, employee training and development are some of the critical success factors that would help infuse change in the organization. Of these, the most important is the Stakeholder Analysis. This analysis helps in creating and documenting those policies that would be in the interest of the stakeholders. This analysis would help in aggrandizing the process of change management of the organization. Stakeholder Analysis is a process of gathering and analyzing qualitative data in relation to those to whom the interests of the organization are worthwhile. This data is taken into account while deciding upon a particular policy or a program to be implemented. Stakeholders are the persons or organization with vested interest in the policy being promoted. These stakeholders can be the international donors, national/political figures, public agencies, labor, civil society and the users/consumers. There are eight major steps that are involved in this process: Kammi Schmeer provides these eight steps in Stakeholder Analysis Guidelines, and regards this information to be useful for other analyses as well. This system would help in developing and in introducing change in the organization. When this analysis would be conducted before the policy is implemented then, the policy makers and the managers can act to prevent any potential misunderstanding or opposition. This would enable the program to succeed most likely. BMW already exercises good stakeholder engagement policies in their organization. It believes in the principle of ‘Listen, understand and act. In 2009, BMW hosted its first Stakeholder Roundtable where experts from various environmental, societal and organizational concerns were present. They discussed the issues relating to product strategies and lessen the resource consumption across the value chain. BMW regularly holds stakeholder surveys, employee surveys and commits to sustainability initiatives. Task (b) After developing the system for engaging the stakeholders in the implementation of change, the organization is still most likely to receive resistance. In the light of transitions, it is almost natural for stakeholders to resist change. The most affected in the changing circumstances are the employees. Humans have a desire for perpetual stability, especially in their jobs and roles. And hence, the urge to resist is dominant. Many processes recognize and tend to overcome resistance in an organization. Some of them are: Individual Interviews these would help in determining the exact thought processes that are prevailing in the minds of the stakeholders Commitment Plan- all the stakeholders and the members of the organization should be committed to the change plan. And this would majorly succeed, if the top-level management inspire leadership and help create a conducive environment to change Communication of decisions as soon as the decisions are taken, they should be intimated to the stakeholders. The same should be done with care and honor for the stakeholders, respecting the past traditions and describing the advantages of a changed future. Input every stakeholder that is going to be affected by the change plan should be given a chance to express the views, but in a defined and composed manner. A systematic plan should be developed. Rewards successful implementation and cooperation should be credited with compensatory rewards. Evaluation after the necessary changes have been implemented, the organization should evaluate the strategic changes on continual basis. This evaluation is of utmost importance to the stakeholders, as then the effects of the new policy or programme would be known to the policy makers. This would help in making amendments and improvising further. PART III This part deals with the plan that would be required to implement ongoing change in the organization. Task (a) Every organization needs to gain competitive advantage in todays world. Taking a holistic approach towards the process can assure the company to adopt the right mindset from the first go. There are various models for implementation of change management in an organization. Some of the models that would aid in proper change management especially in BMW are described as below. 1. ADKAR Change Model by Prosci This a goal oriented change model that allows the management teams to focus their activities on the business results. This acronym is characterized by the words Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement. There should be Awareness for the need for change; a Desire to participate and support the change; Knowledge of how to change; Ability to change on a day-to-day basis and Reinforcement to keep the change in place. This model can be used to: Ø Diagnose the resistance of employees to change Ø Help the employees in accepting the transition Ø Create a successful action plan for personal and professional management Ø Develop a change management plan This model helps in identifying why the changes are not working and what could be done to implement the changes. 2. The 4-D process of Appreciative Enquiry This model by David Cooperrider talks about the change interventions that can take process via the 4-D way: Ø Discovery mobilizing a whole system enquiry Ø Dream envisioning the impact Ø Design co-constructing the future with the stakeholders Ø Delivery Sustaining the Change Organizations, says this theory, are centers of human relations and thrive only when there is an appreciative eye. Kurt Lewins Three-Stage model has been discussed before is a powerful tool in bring about the necessary changes in an organization. BMW, as an organization has learnt to adapt flexibly to any new situation. There are some recommendations that need to be applied by BMW in its organization to foster easy change acceptance by the employees. These are: Temporal Flexibility in this module, the employees should be able to take advantage of flexible work time models. They can work part-time or even full time. In motion- geographically and professionally not only geographical expansion, BMW should ensure that it does not exceed the head count of its employees. It is necessary to have skilled labor in order to survive new technologies and new markets Staff-oriented leadership the staff should be meant to lead the way into the organization. Active Participation BMW should encourage innovation and improvement culture by giving its staff numerous opportunities to have a share in the companys future. They should have the right to give in suggestions and ideas. Co-evaluate staff surveys should be held regularly at BMW to evaluate the effects of change in the organization Total Quality Management the quality at BMW should be enhanced and maintained at all levels. Care should be taken to avoid any mistakes. BMW is a technology-driven organization, and therefore, should apply the above given recommendations. If these are implemented practically, then it would be easier for the stakeholders to accept the new policies which would be based on successful past data. Task (b) In order to ensure that a correct change management plan has been implemented, a plan needs to be developed. This plan is divided into three phases that has been developed by ages of research by Prosci: Phase 1 Preparation for change Phase 2- Managing the change Phase 3 Reinforcing the Change Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 There are various possible outcomes that an organization would experience after successful implementation of the plan. These are: Greater organizational effectiveness Improved work quality and morale Enhanced cooperation and collaboration in work Better customer service Increased ROI Reduced time to implement change This plan can be implemented in BMW by operating not only horizontally but even in the vertical structure. Every division of BMW should exercise this plan and work upon it in making the recommended changes. This effective plan would be able to result in fruitful changes in BMW, and help them in achieving their Strategy Number ONE with ease. Reference List Books 1. Handy, Charles, (1990), â€Å"The Age of Unreason†, Harvard Business School Press, United States of America 2. Kotter, John; Cohen, Dan, (2002), â€Å"The Heart of Change†, Harvard Business School Press, United States of America 3. Weber, Max , (1947), â€Å"The Theory of Social and Economic Organization†, Collier Macmillan Publishers, London PDF files 1. Schmeer, Kammi, â€Å"Stakeholder Analysis Guidelines†. http://new.paho.org/hss/documents/policytoolkitforstrengtheninghealthsectorreformpartii-EN.pdf 2. Beckhard, Richard, â€Å"What is Organizational Development?†. http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/64/07879842/0787984264.pdf 3. â€Å"Prosci Change Management Series† http://www.prosci.com/prosci_change_series.pdf 4. BMW Annual Report 2009 http://www.bmwgroup.com/annualreport2009/_downloads/BMW_Group_2009.pdf 5. BMW Sustainability Value Report 2009 http://www.bmwgroup.com/e/0_0_www_bmwgroup_com/verantwortung/publikationen/sustainable_value_report_2008/_pdf/SVR_2008_engl_Gesamtversion.pdf

Abraham Lincoln Essay -- essays research papers

Lincoln   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No president of the United States ever assumed office under more difficult conditions than Abraham Lincoln. By the time of his inauguration day, a large portion of the South had already seceded as soon as they heard of his election. Nor did he have the support and confidence of a large portion of the North either. To most Americans, Lincoln was a relative unknown and his homespun image and penchant for humor often led both his opponents and his staff to underestimate him. General McClellan dismissed his commander-in-chief as a buffoon while the abolitionist Wendall Phillips described Lincoln as a ‘first-rate, second-rate man’ who was always ‘waiting like any other servant for the people to come and send him on any errand they wish.’   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Such estimations show that Lincoln’s true intelligence and political acumen were widely misunderstood, perhaps owing to the fact that he was a complex and very private man, not readily given to sharing his inner thoughts with even his closest advisors. He also appeared on the surface to be a man of great contradictions. He was anti-slavery and yet he hesitated to free the slaves. He was a staunch believer in the Constitution and yet he suspended the writ of habeas corpus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The answer to these seeming contradictions lies in Lincoln’s character. He was both a man of high ideals and a pragmatist. His paramount goal was the preservation of the Union. W...

Responses to Question 1 and 4 on “Two Ways of Seeing a River” on page 481 of Model for Writers

1. The method of organization that Twain uses in this selection is time order because he described the way he saw and experienced the river in a sequence as they occurred. In addition, he stared an essay by telling an event in the past and ended it in the present. That is the time order organization. He might have used the comparison and contrast method as the alternative methods because he compared two different ways of seeing the same river. The knowledge and the experience would have been gained or lost. 4. Yes, Twain feels he has â€Å"gained most or lost most†. He has gained the knowledge and the experience when he looking at the river. At the first time he saw it, he was inspired by its calmness, its smoothness and its beauty. However, after lots of time looking at that river, he became less impressed in it. While he lost his emotional connection to the river, he lost the connectedness of it to his live. That’s what he has lost. Reponses to Question 1 through 6 on â€Å"Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts† on page 493-494 of Model for Writers 1. In paragraph 10-12, Catton discusses what he considers to be the most striking contrast between Grant and Lee. That different is that while Lee saw himself defending only his region, a static society that did not want to change, Grant was fighting for a growing, expanding nation. In addition, Grant was â€Å"the modern man emerging,† while Lee stood for the past, for traditions that originated in the age of chivalry. . The similarities that Catton sees between Grant and Lee are tenacious, daring and resourceful. Most important, according to Catton believes, is that both of them had the ability to turn from war to peace because it helped the two sections to become one nation again. 3. 4. Catton organizes the body of his essay paragraph 3-16 by using time order and logical order pattern. He introduces the background of Grant and Lee and their view of soci ety by contrasting them. Then he uses transitional paragraph from contrast to comparison. 5. 6. Catton constructs clear transitions between paragraphs. The transitional devices he uses are using comparison and contrast words to link the paragraphs (yet, on the other hand), using addition words such as furthermore, and, and using time transition (lastly). Because of these transitions, they help me read easily to know the main idea of the whole essay and to join the various parts of an essay together.

Diversity in the Workplace Essays

Diversity in the Workplace Essays Diversity in the Workplace Essay Diversity in the Workplace Essay Age, physical and mental ability; chapter thirteen and fourteen Union Institute University 1 . What possible effects could a large proportion of people aged 45 to 64 and a smaller proportion of people under 45 in the current workforce have on organizations ability to attract and retain a competent and motivated workforce? How might discrimination against younger and older workers combined affect employers, given the shifting age distribution? In the corporate world, some managers and supervisors do not want to hire older workers and others do not want to hire younger errors, complex, expensive, dysfunctional recruitment and selection could result. The shortage of younger workers and the aging of the population make employment fairness toward both groups of workers critical to employers ability to attract and retain an adequate supply of workers in the future. Moreover, the importance of fairness to young workers, their future careers, and future influence on diversity issues should provide organizations with sufficient motivation to treat younger workers fairly, even in the absence of legislation requiring it. However, this coordination is likely to affect the employer since the worlds population is aging, and older people are working longer than ever before. Because these older workers often have more corporate memory and experience than others, organizations that fail to recognize the value in providing opportunities for older workers will be disadvantaged. In addition, there are fewer younger workers entering the workforce than in the past, and younger workers are more diverse in race and ethnicity than ever before (Bell, 2012, pig 401). 2. In addition to the suggestions provided in this heaper, what other things might organizations do to counter employees age-based stereotypes. These existing stereotypes and misconception both older and younger workers has lead to discrimination and unfair treatment at work and can reduce organizational function. In order to avoid this organization should identify the potential problems within the organization. This will enable you to know what you want in terms of the human resources and go for it. The organization should offer trainings to enable the employees to get awareness on discriminatory practices. In hose, training the employees should be given the open forum to participate actively. They should also be given the responsibility to speak up when they encounter any form of discrimination practices and harassment. When it comes to promotion, the employer should do it in terms of a reward to a performance tenure, whereby they are rewarded in form of promotions because of their value to the organization but not age. However, the importance of fairness to young workers, their future careers, and future influence on diversity issues should provide organizations with sufficient titivation to treat younger workers fairly, even in the absence of legislation requiring it. With or without widespread federal protections against discrimination, young workers should be assured of fair organizational treatment, freedom from harassment and discrimination, and recourse if it does occur ( Bell, 2012, pig 429). 3. How might the lack of broad federal legislation prohibiting age discrimination against younger workers contribute to their experiences of discrimination and harassment at work? The federal laws are designed to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, both younger and older age discrimination. Young people have a right to be treated fairly and have the same opportunities as everyone else. Many employers without any laid legal channels to protect this vulnerable group, take advantage of this since there will be no any lawsuits against them. There are cases of indirect discrimination occurs when a requirement, condition, or practice used for all parties negatively affects people of a particular age or age group. For example, it is unlawful to require strength and agility tests that disadvantage older applicants or employees when the levels of strength or agility are not prerequisites to successful Job performance. Bell, 2012, pig 429). Most employers preferred to work with older people aged 45 to 64 this is because young population will is always considered unsuitable to occupy the executive position within the corporate industry. Since the executive positions are left for the old aged generation because of their competency in handling the corporate affairs. They are considered to have corporate memory and experience than others therefore competent for the Jobs. Most employers take advantage to the age range of 14 to 17, who are always vulnerable to sexual harassment than the older workers. They take advantage of their lack of proper professional conduct to assault them. 4. Many Midriffs programming chief at the Weather Channel reportedly stood by a diversity poster as he made disparaging age- and gender-related comments about the appearance of women anchors. What signal does this send about the genuineness of the Weather Channels commitment to diversity? The weather Channel is not committed to diversity this because they treat the female workers with a lot of prejudice and discrimination at work. The negative statement of appearance of female anchors shows they perceive the women workers with contempt. They are only attracted to the attractiveness of these women rather than their Journalistic education, skills, and experience. They choose people with certain looks to read the news and believe attractiveness is based on age. This is the main reason for the preferences of hiring younger and male workers. This has severely disadvantage older women, many of whom may desire. (Flint, 2005). Chapter 14 Questions 1 . What are reasonable accommodations? How does a company determine what is reasonable and what is not? Reasonable accommodation is when a change can be implemented to enable a qualified person with a disability to perform essential Job unctions without unduly burdening the employer. A company is capable of determining what is reasonable or not reasonable when the process of providing an accommodation require significant difficulty or expense relative to the employers size, financial resources, and/or the nature and structure of the organization, then the employer would face undue hardship and would not have to provide the accommodation. (Bell, 2012, pig 438). A reasonable accommodation is reasonable when it results in benefits to other employees and the organization in many ways. Accommodation that is economical to the organization. Therefore, the managers can enable people with disabilities to work without thought or fanfare. For instance allowing an employee who is a student to tailor his or her work schedule around classes is a reasonable accommodation. They can also allow the employees to take time off to study for exams and make up the time on weekends or after the school, term is an accommodation. These employees would then come back to bring new skills to the organization. 2. What similarities exist between perceptions about the competence and performance of workers with disabilities and older workers? The errors with disabilities and aging population are perceived as unproductive in the labor markets. The employers always perceived disability as am obstacle to development in an organization since it impedes performance. They always take a prospective employee with a disability as unable to perform adequately because of the disability. Another similarity is that aging and disability are both acquired. Because some disabilities are acquired, some employers and employees discriminate and fail to accommodate them as before. An aging population, a greater propensity to acquire a disability with age, and working longer make the employment experiences of people with disabilities an increasingly important issue for organizations. (Bell, 2012, pig 432). 3. Accommodation for Ms. Barrios for inability to respond rapidly to an emergency evacuation is very simple, the management needs to move her office to a room closer to the emergency exit or incase of a storey building some meters away from the elevator. They should also improve on their emergency alarming system promptly any emergency cases. The benefit of this is that the organization will be able to respond promptly to emergency cases hence safeguarding the lives of its employees in any case of emergency. The case was not resolved before Ms. Barrios termination since the DuPont has a long history of hiring people with disabilities. Another reason is that DuPont has also conducted surveys to assess their performance, attendance, and safety records. In Equal to the Task II, DuPont reported that workers with disabilities had above-average or average ratings of performance, attendance, and safety in 90%, 86%, or 97% of cases, respectively (Bell, 2012, pig 449). . How can recommendations for employment equity for people with disabilities be helpful in ensuring equity for other non-dominant group members? Once overall training has been conducted, organizations should ensure all human resources functions are free of barriers. The first requirement is a valid, written Job description prior to advertising and interviewing for p osition, which makes clear what the essential and marginal functions are. Such a Job description can help decision makers avoid discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities or the non- dominant group members (Vance, 1976 pig 445). The organization should also use Job description and structured interviews when selecting applicants who are capable of successful Job performance, with or without seasonable accommodations. This means even the non-dominant group shall be considered on equal grounds. They should also be given equal and same opportunities for training and development as those without disabilities. Finally, Managers and coworkers with hiring responsibility should be trained about stereotypes and misconceptions of people with disabilities. The fact should be made clear that the performance and rates of absence from work of those with disabilities are comparable and sometimes better than those of people without disabilities are (Bell, 2012, pig 456). Execute Action Chapter 14 Conduct library or Internet research on the positive effects of work on peoples health and well-being. Discuss the applicability of employment to the health and well being of people with disabilities. According to the research people in work tend to enjoy a happier and healthier life than those who are out of work. Quite a number of people with physical disability like frequent muscle and Joint pain who have been advised by their health officers and medics to return to work tend to enjoy better health since there is a reduction in the level of pain, and an adequate improvement in the function and quality of life than those who stay off work. There are people who are sick and disabled that have remained in or return to work as soon as possible because its therapeutic, working helps to promote recovery and rehabilitation, and reduces the risk of long-term incapacity. The medics have also found out that being out of work for long periods was generally bad for your health, resulting in: more consultations, a continuous use of drugs and medical consultations and at times higher hospital admission rates than for the average population. Moreover well- being on the other hand has a positive impact to the production of a given company nice it has been confirmed that theres a strong business case for having a healthy workforce. Healthy staff is more productive and thats good for the bottom line of an organization.

Essay on Policy-making in the Federal SystemEssay Writing Service

Essay on Policy-making in the Federal SystemEssay Writing Service Essay on Policy-making in the Federal System Essay on Policy-making in the Federal SystemToday the U.S. government plays a significant role in finding solutions to various public policy-related issues, involving conflicting crosscurrents. Besides, popular government’s responsibility to solve various problems caused by public policy often exceeds the capacity of state and local authorities to respond effectively. Public policies developed at the national level may fail to address the key issues influenced by the great diversity of interests at the local level. Moreover, the effectiveness of the policy is debatable in terms of the constitutional framework of federalism. Obamacare is a public policy that deserves special attention because its effectiveness is debatable. Thesis statement: Obamacare is a new public policy, the effectiveness of which is debatable in terms of the principle of federalism.Obamacare: background information  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obamacare is one of the federal policies that pr ovide support to Americans in the field of health care. The policy raises the issues of federalism because it requires national, state, and local interaction and invites tension across different levels of government.The key elements of the policyThe problem Obamacare is supposed to solve is the problem of uninsured, poor American citizens. Although the majority of Americans use the benefits under Medicaid, the so-called working poor Americans do not have health care insurance. This group of American citizens involves those people who â€Å"make too much to meet income threshold for benefits but not enough to reasonably afford health care† (Obamacare Simplified, 2013, p. 24).The history of the policyObamacare, or the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, was signed into law by the U.S President Obama in 2010. Today this federal statute represents an important regulatory tool of the U.S. health care system. The policy raises issues of federalism because it is based on the argument that â€Å"the law’s expansion of Medicaid violates the principle of federalism embodied in provisions such as Tenth Amendment† (Foley, 2012, p. 36).Evaluation of the various pros and cons about the policyObamacare as a federal policy is a controversial one. The debate about the effectiveness of the policy involves both pros and cons.The main pros of the policy include: the affordability of health insurance, the expansion of insurance coverage, the use of tax credits by employees, saving money by millions of senior Americans on Medicare insurance programs, gaining access to women’s health services by millions of American women, etc. (Skousen, 2013).The main cons of the policy include: opting out of Medicaid expansion plans, creation of new boards or agencies, establishment of new programs, changes in the insurance of employees by firms, which may lead to fines, damage to employment opportunities, violation of religious principles in case of increased c ontraception rate, considerable increase in the tax rate, etc. (Skousen, 2013).Actually, the pros and cons can be evaluated from two different perspectives.The policy’s effectivenessThe term â€Å"policy effectiveness† refers to a public policy, which provides the opportunities for achieving the desired outcome. Effectiveness can be measured by assessing the policy performance criteria. Obamacare provides the opportunities for increasing the affordability of health insurance through the considerable reduction of the uninsured rate and expansion of public and private health insurance coverage. The costs of health care services for Americans and the government should be reduced.The policy’s consistency with the constitutional framework of federalism  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   American federalism’s constitutional framework stands for enhancing democracy through the established laws and regulations. Under the constitutional framework of Ameri can federalism, the states can be viewed as sovereign entities, which have their own powers based on the Constitution, and which cannot be transgressed by the federal government. The federal government cannot use the constitutional power in order to force the states to implement certain federal policies (Ferrara, 2012).The federal policy discussed in this paper is not consistent with the constitutional framework of federalism. According to recent studies, â€Å"Obamacare transgresses state sovereignty and violates the constitutional framework of federalism† (Ferrara, 2012, p.1). In other words, the policy’s expansion of the Medicaid program violates the Tenth Amendment.Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, it is necessary to conclude that Obamacare involves conflicting crosscurrents. The policy creates certain problems caused by its inconsistency with the constitutional framework of federalism, although the effectiveness of the policy is promisin g. Obamacare promises to reduce health care costs through more effective health care delivery plan.

America a Concise History Presidents Clinton and Bus Essay

America a Concise History Presidents Clinton and Bus - Essay Example It is a common issue to come across many nations making policy recommendations on how to structure tax system to ensure the government operates efficiently. There was the raging debate of effecting tax cut on the middle class so that the economic burden may be lifted on this section of the economic and social stratification of US population. This was a critical reform which was running parallel with the promise of reducing the budget deficit to ensure that US was in the right trace for economic prosperity (Henretta & Edwards, 2012) . This was fairly tricky as the small factions of former soviet were forming states and required support which would consolidate US power in better parts of Europe and parts of Asia. The Middle East problems had equally began to boil and Clinton had to come up with the best approach to prove to the world American’s effort towards stabilizing the region against the backdrop of the growing tension and impending economic explosion. What are key features of George W. Bush’s presidency during the 2000s? Unites States situation in respect of social, economic and political policies faced several hurdles during the 2000s under the presidency of George W. Bush. It is during this time that the world had begun to put US on focus regarding its international policies on socio-economic and political policies. Bush inherited several challenges that were left unresolved by the past regime and he stood the test to bring confidence to the US citizens. His greatest policy concerned international relations o cement the power of US in dictating the economic direction of the entire world against increasing opposition from the discontented Middle east leaders like Saddam Hussein of Iraq. Bush administration was overwhelmed by the spirit of effecting globalization across the world to boost the overall welfare of the Americans and influence several decisions of the US congress on foreign policies (Henretta & Edwards, 2012). One issue that cover the better part of media reports during Bush leadership wa s the Middle East crisis and threaten economic problem this situation meant for the US. Bush is considered one of the ferocious and courageous leaders in US history who made radical decisions on how to tame the issues in Middle East and this was commenced by hunting Saddam Hussein and capturing him in a bid to plant sober political structure in Iraq. A solution to Iraq problems which was assumed to be emanating from inhuman

Reflection Paper Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflection Paper - Case Study Example A good instance is a person who is avoiding members of a certain religious group that is affiliated with certain beliefs and acts. A Christian may avoid or depict an Islam based on the acts of terrorism that are linked to Muslims. The notion of reference group is significant in appreciating conformity, socialization, and how individuals take in and assess themselves (Koch 56). A reference group offers a setting of reference that has a positive or negative effect on the attitude and conduct of a person. These groups also carry out a comparable role by playing the role of a standard figure against which persons can do self-evaluation and other people (Sheehy 127). The reference group is likely to be different due to a different culture or a different society. For instance, a person who was raised in the Middle East countries in the Islam religion and teachings is likely to have a different reference group from an individual who has been brought up as a Catholic Christian. A reference group plays the primary source of self-evaluation and attainment of certain goal in life. An individual who decides to become a lawyer starts to be categorized with that reference group due to their goals and