Business management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Business management - Essay Example Luckily, the company I wish to work for i.e. GE was not on that list and the ethical report from GE as well as other data gathered from secondary sources about GE show that the company is on rather well footings when it comes to ethics. To conduct the audit, the first source was GE’s own report on their corporate ethics and their citizenship in terms of being a part of the business world (GE, 2006). As discussed by Carmichael et. al. (2008), elements such as ethical values, baseline ethics, social expectations and stakeholder analysis were used to create an ethical audit on the position of GE and to understand their current standings with regard to ethics. Additionally, secondary sources were also used that show that GE still has some trouble with regard to ethical treatment of certain minority employees which shows that there is room for improvement. The company itself is well esteemed and held in high esteem by business analysts as well as CEOs of other companies (Demos, 2006). It has a long history of global operations and has excellent in many sectors and fields of business such as administration, human resources management. According to Welch (2005), a large part of this admiration comes from the manner in which GE handles its business aspects of good leadership coming from the highest end of the company and the process of creating positive motivation for the employees of the organisation. As a global player, GE is certainly a giant with a history that goes back to the invention of the light bulb at the hands of Edison. Today, GE is the name given to a large group of companies work under the same umbrella with eleven different concerns. From finance, to technology to aviation to manufacturing, GE engages in a variety of business which require a large number of employees spread across the globe. More than 300,000 employees in a 150 countries work for the company with a unified system that has been

Pathological rationalism Essay Example for Free

Pathological rationalism Essay Perhaps being rational is relating a reason for a certain action. It is the act of trying to put meaning on an occurrence by which the details, the actions and the responses are being noted to make a sound conclusion. On the other hand, the term pathological implies that something is unreasonable or uncontrollable. When both terms are combined, it would simply mean extreme reasoning or uncontrollable act of putting reasons for a certain act. A situation wherein pathological reasoning is observed is when celebrities like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan are being followed by the media men only to cite their day to day activities that had caused them to be sued, imprisoned or accused of certain crimes that I think are not significant to the society of America or even the showbiz world. Like when Britney Spears shoved off her hair and when Paris Hilton was imprisoned because of disobeying traffic rules, I was thinking, what was with it that is worth the time and effort of the media men and its audience? Is it just for the laughter or do these media people recognize that there is more need in making the youth aware of their responsibilities to the state. All throughout the world, the media had been reiterating the situations of the three only to let the others know how tragic these young stars had evolved. For all we know, these three have been in the industry for so long, that their teenage and child lives had been opened to the public, and now, the media portrays that these â€Å"innocent-before† faces can go astray. The media only gives the youth the idea of becoming wild, law breakers and for some overly liberated women. If I am to be ask on what to so with these, it can be a good solution that the media features people that are with good background in order to enlighten the youth’s mind that they will be able to know the right things to do growing up and being given greater responsibilities as their age are being increased. Instead of featuring blunt and bad personalities, I think it will be better if there will be more issues on personalities that do charity works and other noble works.

Analysis of The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers :: Carson McCullers Literature Love Essays

Analysis of The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers is a story of love illustrated through the romantic longings and attractions of the three eccentric characters; Miss Amelia, Cousin Lymon, and Marvin Macy. McCullers depicts love as a force, often strong enough to change people's attitudes and behaviors. Yet, the author seems to say, if the love is unrequited, individuals, having lost their motivation to change, will revert back to their true selves. The allure of the different characters, which is never revealed by the author, seems to indicate that feelings of love and attraction are not necessarily reasonable or understandable to others.Miss Amelia is self-reliant, outspoken and very much a loner. She stands six foot one inch tall and has a strong, masculine build. Her grey eyes are crossed, and the rest of her features are equally unattractive. Yet, the people of the small, southern town of Cheehaw accept her quirkiness because of the equisite wine that she sells in her store and for her free doctoring and homemade remedies. Still, everyone is shocked when the handsome outlaw, Marvin Macy, falls in love with her.Marvin is a "bold, fearless, and cruel" man who changes his unlawful ways to win Miss Amelia's love. Rather than robbing houses he begins attending church services on Sunday mornings. In an effort to court Miss Amelia, he learns proper etiquette, such as "rising and giving his chair to a lady, and abstaining from swearing and fighting". Two years after Marvin's reformation, he asks Miss Amelia to marry him. Miss Amelia does not love him but agrees to the marriage in order to satisfy her great-aunt. Once married, Miss Amelia is very aloof towards her husband and refuses to engage in marital relations with him. After ten days, Miss Amelia ends the marriage because she finds that she is unable to generate any positive feelings for Marvin. Several months after the divorce, Marvin reverts back to his initial corrupt ways and is "sent to a state penitentiary for robbing filling stations and holding up A & P stores".Just as love had changed Marvin, so too did it change Miss Amelia. In the mid 1930's, several years after Miss Amelia's divorce, Lymon, a hunchback, comes to Miss Amelia claiming to be a distant cousin. She readily provides Cousin Lymon with food and board, and eventually any material object that he desires.

Popular Music and Lyrics in the 1950’s and Today Essay

Music has been known to express ideas in human emotion; music can be a release from the hectic world. But people in the 50’s did not sit back and relax to the sound of â€Å"Feel It N*gga† by 50 cent. In fact, the type of songs that 50 cent sings is far from what people in the 50’s used to listen to. Even though some elements of music haven’t changed such as pace and sentimentality in love songs, many styles of music have evolved into more aggressive lyrics and/or very explicit and vulgar wording to fit some American cultures in the year 2006. Words like â€Å"nigger†, the involvement of sexual intercourse, and the presence of violence has manifested itself into songs today, unlike the older musical generation. One of the very little unchanged aspects of music is the pace of love songs. Love songs have two kinds of pace: fast and slow. An example of a fast paced song in the 50’s is the song by The Platters, â€Å"The Magic Touch†. This song combined the thrill of love and a fast catchy pace. This ingenious aspect is also apparent in the song by Vanessa Carlton, â€Å"A Thousand Miles†. The pace for this song is even faster than â€Å"The Magic Touch† and it is seasoned with the playing of the violin, the second fastest played instrument known to man. Another bridge between the 50’s and today is the slow pace in other love songs. In the 50’s, â€Å"Only You† by the Righteous Brothers, the pace is slow. This is evident due to the chord put in C minor which is a line of successive notes that are use as a calming remedy. In Celine Dion’s song â€Å"My Heart Will Go On†, she prolongs the final notes in order to slow the pace. The use of the flute which calms or soothes the melody of the song also aids in the slowing of the pace or tempo. Although there are some similarities the differences out-weigh them by a great deal. In the 50’s, aggression was never used in song; it would be banned by the church and labeled as songs of the devil, because of the religious innocence in that time period. It would also be banned by the government because it did not uplift the mood and morale of the veterans who had suffered mentally and physically in World War II. On the other hand, today aggression is greatly used in many examples of music, such as DMX’s previous song â€Å"Blood of my Blood†, where he uses the quote â€Å"whitey wants die why you wanna try â€Å". This quote is aggression directed at white Americans  due to the racial discrimination in the past. One of the few similarities in music from the 50’s and the music today is the sentimentality in love songs. In the song by the Righteous Brothers â€Å"Only you†, it is very sentimental; it signifies the singer’s untold love to someone. The words â€Å"Only you can make this world seem right† explain the extreme sentimental feelings for that person because of the over romanticized imagery. Today we also have very sentimental songs such as the musical number by Mariah Carey â€Å"Life Ain’t Worth Liven Without You†. Here even the title of the song is enough to show the sentimentality that is expressed in this song. Finally, one important difference is censorship. In the 50’s it was impossible to find a song with explicit language, but today, songs are crammed with provocative language and subjects that can be offensive to many people. For example, the lyrics by Ludicrous in his song the 411 † I got h*s in different area codes â€Å"or in the song â€Å"Colt 45†³ by Afroman stating† I got a box o weed and a bottle of wine I’m gonna f*ck This b*tch just one more time†. Such profane language would never have been used in the 50’s. One would notice that there are more women’s rights today than in the 50’s, yet such profanity, which may be viewed as offensive in a feminist point of view, is still sold today. In conclusion, the musical styles and rudiments of North American music have been vastly changed to reflect some aspects of U.S society today. Musical aspects such as pace and sentimentality in love songs may not have changed; however, many styles of music, in comparison to the 50’s, have evolved into more aggressive or vulgar lyrics. Simple fast tempo music can no longer elevate the mood of the majority, and the vast differences will only change even more in the years to come. In the 50’s a simple â€Å"AWAP BA DA LU BOP A WAM BAM BOOM† was the essence of music that was â€Å"hip† .Today, very large amplifiers are used to magnify the sounds of â€Å"cool† lyrics.

Britain & Euro reivised

This paper looks at the definition euro, its origin, implications and reasons why it Britain should join it or not. There are benefits of Britain will gain by joining the euro rather greater than staying away. These include improved living standards, access to larger market, stabilization of prices, minimization of exchange risks and business risks, reduction of effect of investment loss and influence in the European Union. On the hand joining the euro may bring about difficulty in integrating to single currency, low flexibility in labor and migration movement as well as financial burden to be incurred when joining the euro.Thus it is better to join than to avoid. THE EURO AND BRITAIN The euro is the official name of the single currency which became operational from January 1, 1999. Then it became the official currency for thirteen countries in Europe referred as Euro zone or Euro Area. The name â€Å"euro† was adopted in December 1995 at the European Union Council of Minister s meeting in Madrid. The symbol for the euro was derived from the Greek letter epsilon. First letter E refers to Europe while Greece represents the origin of European civilization. The horizontal parallel lines in the euro symbol stands for stability.Banks started depositing cash in Euro currencies that is the euro time deposits of cash held outside the country of its origin in a banking system (Banking glossary 2006; European economic & monetary union, 2008 The introduction of the euro is of great significance to Europe because since the collapse of the Roman Empire there has been no common currency in Europe, trade with different currencies was difficult and travelers had additional fees when exchanging the currencies. There was a risk to the investors because there was unexpected profit that can turn into loss if the exchange rate fluctuated.Hence, the need for a common currency which will facilitate trade in Europe (Mitropolitski, 2003) Common currency makes EU foreign investors reduce risks for their investments. The market enlarges and the regional price imbalances are rectified. Consumers will have common currency to measure the different goods and services and the people from the Euro area feel closer and build a common identity. They have demonstrated that people can come together without foreign influence. The Euro is then counterweight to the US dollar in foreign exchange (Mitropolitski, 2003)The history of producing European currency as a financial pillar of EU is quite recent. In the Treaty of Rome (1957) that was the foundation of EU did not mention common currency. But subsequent Acts of 1986 and 1992 became the foundation of a single currency. From January 1, 1999 the Euro was introduced (Mitropolitski, 2003) The implication of changing to Euro is diverse as the benefits of joining it. By having a single currency, the European Economic Monetary Union (EMU) members aim at promoting a single European market, similar in the size to that of US mark et.By combing these countries like Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain under one European market the economy is capable of growing at a faster rate. This means increased job opportunities and a higher standard of living. Bowman 1999 The nationals in the countries had to shift their loyalties to the euro. Since people are usually emotionally attached to their money and feelings of nationalism being involved this would differ from country to country in varying degrees (Bowman, 1999)The businesses will have noticeable changes to the way they will conduct their business such that there should be transparent prices. Consumers will have easy choice to compare prices in different countries and businesses which used to exploit the difference in currency values through price discrimination will have to contend pricing in euros. Businesses will have to restructure their pricing policies for a much wider markets (Bowman 1 999). The euro will accelerate business efficiency; company costs will be reduced, consumers will enjoy low and stable price. Individual countries made specific adjustment in order to benefit e. g.adjusting their expenditure and taxes. Germany had to take economic measures by limiting their fiscal stimulatory policy when economic growth was slow while unemployment rate increased. These measures were taken in order to harmonize their economies and make it less risky to function under one currency (Bowman 1999). There were complex logistical problems which Europeans had to overcome in adjusting to the euro such as the financial institutions had to change their systems and train staff. Prices had to be adjusted in euros when national currencies were still circulating for three more years after introduction of virtual currencies.Parking meters, vending and cash machines had to be converted for the introduction of euro notes and coins (Bowman 1999). Other service sectors had changed thei r system operations e. g. Mail services printed new stamps and revenue collection and payment done new tax forms as well as in advertisement campaigns. However, it took more time before consumers and businesses had completely adjusted following their countries giving out authority on the exchange rate and monetary policies under one currency (Bowman 1999) For US companies doing business in Europe, the shift to euros brought many changes i.e. Business operation became easier and cost-effective, especially those with branches in Europe. They now have a larger market, consumers and customers billed in dollars were least affected by the change but as the euro's role grows internationally, pressure may be put on US companies to start pricing in euros. Then they would have to start absorbing the exchange rate costs and risks that their customers had experienced. Although doing business in Europe by American companies’ became easier competition increased as well (Bowman 1999). There are arguments for and against Britain joining the euro.We will first look at the reasons why the British should join. This is because in 1956 Britain failed to join the European Common Market and its economy failed to grow compared to other countries like France and Germany. When it later joined in 1973 the economy grew but did not close the gap between the Britain and those which entered earlier. The benefit of Britain joining the European market through the euro will be largely affected by the access in which it will enjoy of having large market and large economies of scale. In this case trade barriers are eliminated.The products of British companies will be able to reach a wide selection of clientele and operate in large scale. This will contribute to producing goods more efficiently as seen in United States. The companies will restructure and merge in order to benefit from single market and single currency. The large market will also make it easier for medium sized companies to get cheaper intermediate goods and raw materials from a wide range of suppliers (Layard et al. , 2002). Although Britain joined the free trade market it really did not make a single market because of different currencies used by those countries.Hence, prices of goods varied considerably between and within countries. For example, United Sates and Canada have a common language and culture but they have different currencies. Prices of goods vary significantly in US and Canada than between provinces in Canada. This makes the markets of these two countries significantly different mainly due to currencies (Layard et al. , 2002). When Britain joins the single currency market its nationals and companies will enjoy wide variety of goods and services at cheaper value. The living standards of consumers will improve.For an economy to grow of such nature like that of Britain there is need of single currency. This is because Britain has high tradable sector to European market. The single currenc y will have great effect on its economy. For example, before the introduction of euro in 1999, in the previous year, Britain had high percentage trading between countries of Euro Area. However, after the other counties joined the trade exchange of Britain decreased by -1% between 1998 and 2001 while those of countries in the Euro Area increased by 20%.See the table below (Layard et al. , 2002). Single currency is quite significant in trade and productivity because it leads to absence in currency fluctuation. Companies are able to restructure their systems so that they can achieve maximum efficiency and improve their productivity. Also single currency will ensure there is price transparency. Companies will have to change the price of their goods across all countries which may be relatively stable. Otherwise customers of business and consumers will cross the border for buying and shopping their merchandise.This will result in public outcry and a response will be inevitable. Thus, it w ill stimulate productivity of companies (Layard et al. , 2002). In joining the euro, capital market integration will occur and barriers between capital markets will breakdown. This is different from where previously companies within individual countries will hold their assets and liquidity in the same currency. But with the introduction of euro companies can invest across EU countries which will definitely stimulate productivity (Layard et al., 2002). The floating pound poses a disadvantage to British companies since the pound will fluctuate against the euro. This will make businesses lose profit and may later degenerate into bankruptcy. Their profitability will fluctuate with fluctuation of exchange rate thereby increasing business risk for exporters and importers. The companies cannot insure their companies against such risks in case they would want to invest in other EU countries where there is uncertainty in quantities and prices of goods to be sold.Therefore British companies w ill have to sell its goods in euro rather than in pounds (Layard et al. , 2002). The uncertainty in exchange rate deters the formation of unified market and investment. This is because of arbitrary fluctuation of exchange rates over a period of time against the allowable adjustment margin. This brings about economic shock where the independent exchange rate cannot offset. The dysfunctional movement of exchange rate will impact negatively on the economy because of large tradable sector compared to a large economy (Layard et al., 2002). The disadvantage of floating exchange rate may escalate making it unattractive of which it will continue to do so as a result of capital markets being integrated and more liquid. Optimal currency size is a reflection of balance between the benefit of independent interest rates and exchange rates in economic adjustment. But the danger lies in the flexibility of exchange rate which may induce economic shock or the larger financial markets integrating and becoming more liquid (Layard et al. , 2002).Britain has to join the euro because it trades more with it than any other country in the world. For example it trades three times more than in USA which is the second largest trading partner. See the table below showing trading shares in percentage for year 2000 It also necessary for Britain to join because of the currency for which goods and services traded is invoiced. For instance 44% are invoiced in pounds, 32% in US dollars and 20% in euros. Therefore to minimize exchange rate risks it will be important to join the euro rather than the dollar (Layard et al. , 2002).Britain stands to lose it investment from foreign investors who not only target sales in Britain but also Euro zone. Most companies will want to avoid currency risk associated with exchange rate e. g. Toyota and Nissan companies have intended to relocate to Euro area. The risk of London as a hub of business transaction associated with its dominance in bonds, mergers and a cquisition will be experienced if they do not join because the European Central Bank located in Frankfurt in which Finance ministers from Euro countries make decision that affect the whole of EU members can do so in their favor (Layard et al., 2002). Britain also stands to lose its influence in European economic decisions if it opts to stay out of the euro. This is because they view US influence to EU through Britain will be lost. But the fact remains that they can only influence more when they are inside than out. Layard et al (2002) explains a number of reasons for not joining the euro. These are; by joining euro, Britain will not fit well since its economy is more related to US than the rest of Europe. The single currency will require enormous European budget.The labor market will respond differently than the present because it will be less flexible and migration will be lower. Britain will lose the economic importance of exporting oil to European market. The euro will link Brita in to a failing economy because it will be surpassed by other countries. The tax policy of Britain will be altered and that the British financial system is different from the rest of Europe hence making single currency policy difficult. Lastly, Europe’s pension liabilities which are unfunded will be borne by Britain is unnecessary. CONCLUSIONThe above discussion gives elaborate reasons for which Britain will have to join rather than avoid. Since the world economy is going through transformation, the European Union economy has great impact to Britain economy. So it will be of best interest for Britain to join the euro. REFERENCES Banking glossary. Definition. 2006. 16 April 2008 Banking glossary. Euro currencies. 2006. 16 April 2008 Bowman, Jennifer J. Economic Implications. Ed. 1999. Western Pennsylvania International Business Newsletter. 16 April 2008 European economic & monetary union. Euro. 2008. 16 April 2008 Layard, Richard et al. Britain should join. 1 August 2002. 1 6 April 2008 Miltropolistski, Simeon. Euro is important. 26 July 2003. IRED. 16 April 2008

Relationships between Aspects of Employee Satisfaction, Current Motivation, and Reward System in Qatar Petroleum

Relationships between Aspects of Employee Satisfaction, Current Motivation, and Reward System in Qatar Petroleum Introduction Research Purpose In the 21st century, one of the recurring debates in the business field concerns the fundamental role played by employees in enabling organizations to accomplish their set objectives, including maintaining competitive advantage in the marketplace (Hakes, 1991).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Relationships between Aspects of Employee Satisfaction, Current Motivation, and Reward System in Qatar Petroleum specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A rapidly changing economic environment typified by such phenomena as vagrancies of the macroeconomic environment, globalization and deregulation of markets, shifting customer and shareholder demands, and escalating product-market competition, has turned out to be the norm, necessitating organizations to reformulate and restructure their practices and policies to remain relevant (Topolosky, 2000). The stakes are even higher in the oil and gas indu stry, which is inarguably affected by a myriad of events as they unfold on the world map (Stevens, 1998). One of the key priority areas that have been targeted by the oil companies as a matter of urgency is employee satisfaction and motivation, especially after the realization by leaders that people concerns are business concerns, and that success comes through people (Bruce Pepitone, 1999). This study is informed by the need for organizations to develop and implement processes and programs that will ensure employees remain productive and committed to the goals, objectives and aspirations of their respective organizations through embracing strategies, programs, and value propositions that enhance their productivity and commitment to the organization. More importantly, The present study will purpose to critically evaluate employee satisfaction strategies, including current motivation and reward system in Qatar petroleum, with a view to inform human resource policy on the underlying issues related to how employees could be further empowered to push the company’s agenda forward. Background to the Organization This particular study will be focused on critically evaluating employee satisfaction, current motivation, and reward system in Qatar petroleum. This state-owned company, which runs joint ventures with other international oil giants such as Shell and Petrochina, is responsible for all oil and gas exploration, processing, and marketing in Qatar and Abroad (Qatar, Petroleum, 2010).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Siddiqi (2009), â€Å"Qatar, the worlds leading natural gas exporter, is home to the third-largest gas reserves, after Russia and Iran. The offshore North Fields reservoir, covering a small area of 6,000 sq km, boasts more reserves than the combined proved figure for the Americas and Western Europe, as r eported by BP at 756 trillion cubic feet† (p. 49). The accomplishments of the Qatar Petroleum are mind-boggling, with industry players and published financial data portraying a company with proven verification of stellar growth in the past few years despite the volatility in the global economy occasioned by the 2008 financial crisis (Siddiqi, 2009). Presently, the company has managed to enlarge its international investment portfolio through prudent management principles, insightful forward investment planning, and strategic investments in oil and gas projects around the world. Consequently, the company â€Å"remains focused on achieving long-term strategic targets and objectives†¦and now plays an essential role in supplying gas to regional markets as well as those in North America, Asia, and Europe† (Qatar Petroleum Home Page, 2010 para. 2 ). The company’s management takes cognizance of the fact that these set of targets and objectives can only be realized a nd maintained through strategic investment in human capital. Towards the realization of this objective, Qatar Petroleum has invested heavily on strategies and policies aimed at boosting employee satisfaction to enhance their motivation levels. Some of the strategies the company has put in place to enhance employee satisfaction, motivation, and reward system includes visas/residence permits, relief cover, overtime eligibility, guaranteed overtime, unscheduled overtime payment, and standby compensation allowances, among others (Employee Handbook, 2010). Problem Discussion In the modern dynamic and competitive business environment, many managers are contemplating on which methodologies they can possibly employ to offer satisfaction and motivation to their employees. The ramifications of an unmotivated workforce are a huge expense to the performance and productivity of any organization. In terms of tangible organizational gains, employees can contribute fresh and innovative initiatives, put in more time and energy to satisfy a strategic customer, or have exceptional capabilities that no one else possesses. Organizations, therefore, stands to gain, productively, when employees are fully committed and engaged to the principles and core values set by management (Chen Kocaoglu, 2008; Alford, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Relationships between Aspects of Employee Satisfaction, Current Motivation, and Reward System in Qatar Petroleum specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Harrell Daim (2010), â€Å"managers need to make sure they are in tune with their employees’ motivators†¦Asking employees what motivates them and listening and acting on their responses is very important ( p. 23). Not all employees have the same needs or value the same thing in regard to satisfaction and motivation strategies and reward systems. Organizations stand to gain immeasurable benefits f rom learning and understanding what their employees’ value in regard to satisfaction and motivation strategies and reward systems. It is a well known fact that employees’ needs and goals are constantly changing and human resource strategies that may be in use today to satisfy and motivate an employee may not necessarily offer satisfaction and motivation some six months from now. It is against this backdrop that this particular study will aim to critically evaluate employee satisfaction and current motivation levels and reward system in Qatar Petroleum with a view to inform HR policies and strategies on the industry’s best practice and offer remedies that can be used in these areas to achieve optimal employee performance. Aims of the Study The general objective of the study will be to critically evaluate employee satisfaction and current motivation and reward system in Qatar Petroleum. The following will be the specific objectives: Critically evaluate if the cur rent employee satisfaction and motivation strategies are in line with Qatar Petroleum employees’ needs, aspirations, and goals; Critically evaluate the role of Qatar Petroleum’s leadership in establishing processes and procedures that support employee satisfaction and motivation, including the current reward system; Critically evaluate the relationship between employee satisfaction on one hand and current motivation and reward system on the other in enhancing employee performance and productivity in Qatar Petroleum; Analyze and report on probable alternatives that can be used by management to enhance employee satisfaction and motivation; and Formulate conclusions on the way forward regarding employee satisfaction and current motivation and reward system in Qatar Petroleum. Review of Related Literature Introduction This section aims to look at literature related to employee satisfaction, motivation, and reward systems, including the study’s relationship to previ ous works, Qatar’s Petroleum experience, and formulation of key research questions. Employee Satisfaction The earliest employee satisfaction study took place in the decade of the 1930s (Lavigna, 2010). Since that time, significant progress has been achieved, both in applied perspectives and on theoretical fronts.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More During the 1950s, established corporations were undertaking employee satisfaction research on habitual basis, and by the 1970s, some research analysts had already designed standardized employee satisfaction questionnaire tools for use by organizations (Sandler, 2010). Since then, thousands of research articles on employee satisfaction have been published (Topolosky, 2000). In her 1992 research article evaluating the various facets of employee satisfaction, E. Ostroff argued that â€Å"†¦it has been proposed that satisfaction and the happiness of personnel heighten organizational effectiveness†¦Organizations that alienate workers through their practices will be less effective and efficient† (Topolosky, 2000 p. 15). Other seminal research articles, including those of Drucker (1955) and Davenport (2000), have demonstrated the fact that satisfied employees are creative and productive employees (Allen Willburn, 2002). Yi-Feng (2009) noted that organizational productivit y and performance are achieved, to a large extent, through employee satisfaction initiatives, including focusing attention to employees’ physical and emotional needs. Employee Motivation The seminal studies of â€Å"†¦human motivation started as early as the Greeks, and is still intriguing many researchers today† (Harrell Daim, 2010, p. 23). To date, numerous theories of motivation has been developed, including A. Maslow’s Theory of Human Motivation (1943), McGregor theories of X and Y (1950s), Herzberg’s Motivation –Hygiene Theory (1987), and Adams Theory of Inequality (2002), among others1. The most excruciating problem with employee motivation is that employers don’t discover motivated employees; they offer favourable environments for employees to become motivated. In her book on ways to motivate employees, Podmoroff (2005) wrote that â€Å"†¦even the sharpest and most refined recruitment and hiring strategies are no match for the culprits of employee de-motivation† (p. 9). The key for organizational management, therefore, is to show their appreciation for employees’ efforts at the workplace, not only through monetary remuneration2, but also through other benefits such as awards, training opportunities (Caligiuri Lazarova, 2005). Individuals are motivated by divergent value prepositions, needs, and aspirations (Irving Montes, 2009). However, a positive motivation philosophy in an organizational setting is always welcome since it assists employees to improve productivity, commitment, quality, and service. A 2002 Gallup study reported by Corporate Leadership Council (2003) revealed that highly motivated employees often demonstrate above average levels of the following attributes: Customer loyalty (56%); productivity (50%); employee retention (50%); safety records (50%); and profitability (33%). There is, therefore, compelling evidence for organizations to enhance strategies and processes tha t will facilitate employee motivation. Reward System Many organizational theorists are of the opinion that an effective and balanced reward system plays a fundamental role for the organization. In most cases, the reward system is used by organizations to, among other things, pay employees for their performance, generate and maintain positive behavioural change, act as incentives for employees, and lifts employee performance, thereby lifting the overall productivity and profitability of the organization (Wilson, 1994). An effective reward strategy should focus attention on facilitating positive reinforcement among employees because it motivates them to take actions in return of tangible or intangible benefits for performing their roles (Belcher, 1996). An effective reward system, according to Belcher (1996), should work on the basis of rewarding the energy and time commitments offered by employees as opposed to compensating them for their efforts. The Qatar Petroleum Experience Qatar Petroleum is undoubtedly a market leader in oil and gas industry in the Middle East and indeed in many other parts of the world (Al-Harthy, 2008). Such an outstanding feat can only be achieved through efficient management of the company’s strategic resources, including outstanding management of its systems and processes. In the company’s revised employee handbook (2010), an assiduous and conscientious industry analyst cannot help noticing the rich aura of systems and processes put in place to safeguard the interests of employees, including coherent recruitment procedures, working schedules and overtime, salary administration, employee benefits and allowances, provisions for annual leave and official holidays, absenteeism, employee relations, training and development, and provisions for terminal benefits, among others. The above provisions offer fertile ground for enhanced employee satisfaction and motivation. In particular, the social allowance, insurance schemes, hou sing allowance, furnishing allowance, location allowance, shift allowance, basic transport allowance, car loan, performance bonus, and social and recreational facilities (Employee Handbook, 2010), offers immeasurable morale and satisfaction for employees to perform and stay longer with an organization (Yi-Feng, 2009). Yet, employee needs, goals, and aspirations keep shifting by the day, hence the need to conduct such a study to inform policy and identify possible gaps in enhancing employee satisfaction, motivation, and reward system in Qatar Petroleum. Key Research Questions This study will be guided by the following research questions Does the existing reward system in Qatar Petroleum in line with industry trends, and is the system doing enough to facilitate employee satisfaction and motivation? What are the employees’ projections and expectations regarding ideal employee satisfaction and motivation strategies that could be used by the management of Qatar Petroleum to push the organization’s agenda forward? What is the role of Qatar Petroleum’s management in helping design, formulate, and implement policies that enhance employee satisfaction and motivation, including revising existing schedules to align them with industry trends and adopting new innovative procedures in the company’s reward system to facilitate employee satisfaction and motivation? What is the role of employees in ensuring long-term growth and sustainability of Qatar Petroleum? Methodology Introduction This segment purposes to discuss the research design, population and sample size, instrumentation, and data collection tools that will be used in this particular study. The segment will also discuss how data will be analyzed and relevant ethical issues relating to the study. Research Design The study will employ both quantitative and qualitative research designs to critically evaluate employee satisfaction and current motivation and reward system in Qatar Petroleum , with a view to inform the company’s human resource practice and policy on how it could be designed to alleviate possible gaps, thereby enhancing employee productivity. Hopkins (2000) notes that most quantitative research designs are concerned with evaluating the correlation between variables, and are either descriptive or experimental. It is important to note that this study will utilize a descriptive strategy since the participants will only be measured once (Sekaran, 2006). A survey approach using internet protocols will be utilized to collect quantitative data among selected employees of Qatar Petroleum. Qualitative data will be collected by means of telephone interviews, and will target selected managers of the company. Maxwell (2005) postulates that qualitative research approaches are predominantly ideal when the researcher is interested in assessing human behaviour, values, attitudes, preferences, and perceptions. Qualitative research designs can employ either the cas e study strategy or survey design to collect the necessary data (Maxwell, 2005). The researcher will utilize the survey design using telephone interviews. An elaborate review of literature will also be undertaken; including a critical analysis of documents and reports found on the internet or availed by the company’s HR department. Target Population and Sample Size The population for this study will comprise of managers or supervisors and employees working for Qatar Petroleum. The sample will comprise of 50 managers or supervisors heading different departments and 100 employees, also working in different departments of the company. The managers or their supervisors will be sampled, online, through purposive sampling approach while the employees will be sampled using convenience sampling procedure. Sekaran (2006) notes that participants in a purposive sample are selected based on their understanding of the topic under study, while a convenient sample comprise of participants i n the research framework by virtue of being in the right position or environment at the right time. Data Gathering Instruments Quantitative data will be collected using self-administered questionnaires while qualitative data will be collected using telephone interviews. Self-administered questionnaires are cost effective and can be administered with much ease, not mentioning the fact that they are effective when the researcher wants to collect confidential data from study participants (Sekaran, 2006). According to Maxwell (2005), interviews are advantageous in that not only does the method enable the researcher to create rapport with the subjects, hence achieving their cooperation, but it also permits the researcher an opportunity to explore and probe further for more information. Reliability and Validity Reliability Reliability can be described as the consistency of measurement. In research studies, reliability can be described as the degree to which a data gathering tool is able t o measure the variables or phenomena consistently when is used under comparable conditions (Handley, 2005). Internal consistency of questionnaire and interview items will be employed to ensure adequate uniformity in responses given out by the two sets of participants. Items measuring similar concepts will be grouped together to ensure reliability. In addition, elaborate guidelines on how to complete the questionnaires will be issued to the subjects to abridge data collector’s error, which, if unchecked, leads to unreliable results. Validity Validity is a term that is used to describe a measure or instrument that correctly reflects the phenomena it is intended to measure, thereby strengthening the conclusions, deductions, or propositions made from the study findings (Handley, 2005). Internal validity, which refers to the soundness of an investigation, will be achieved through employing appropriate sampling procedures and using a validated and reliable questionnaire schedule an d interview guideline for purposes of data collection. The same procedures will be used coupled with the involvement of an adequate sample size to achieve external validity, thereby ensuring that the project findings could be generalized to other settings. Ethical Considerations Saunders et al (2007) posits that â€Å"†¦ethics refers to the appropriateness of your behaviour in relation to the rights of those who become the subject of your work, or are affected by it† (p. 178). In addition to requesting for permission from the human resources manager in Qatar Petroleum to conduct the survey and interviews, the researcher will also take time to explain to the participants the nature and purpose of the study, not mentioning the fact that the researcher will keep the participants in the know about their rights, especially the right to informed consent and the right to privacy. Data Analysis Quantitative data will be analyzed using SPSS, with the analysis encompassing data co ding, entry, cleaning, actual analysis, and interpretation of data. The software package will then be used to run univariate analyses purposed to generate frequency distributions. The data resulting from the distributions will be further harnessed, interpreted and presented using statistical procedures such as pie-charts, bar-graphs, and normal text. Qualitative data will be analyzed using content analysis procedure, whereby data will be reduced, presented, and finally, conclusion drawing and verification made (Sekaran, 2006). Stevens (2003) posits that, â€Å"†¦content analysis is the systematic description of behaviour asking who, what, where, why, and how questions within formulated systematic rules to limit the effects of analyst bias†¦It is the preferred technique for analysing semi-structured interviews† as is the case in this study (p. 143). Plan of Work The chart below shows all planned activities towards the successful completion of the research project. Planned Activity Begin End Actual Formulate and agree dissertation proposal May 29, 2010 July 21 Literature Review May15 Aug. 20 Develop and Refine Research Methodology July 21 Aug 14 Conduct Interviews Aug 18 Sept 18 Transcribe Interview Data Sept 18 Oct 18 Design, Issue, and Collect Questionnaires Sept 1 Oct 31 Contingency Period Nov 1 Nov 14 Data Analysis and Discussion of Results Nov 14 Dec 14 Write First Draft Dec 15 Jan 15 Proofread and Corrections Jan 16 Jan 31 Binding and Final Submission Jan 31 Jan 31 Resources Required Apart from the resource of time, which is fundamentally important in any research undertaking, financial resources will be needed to cover costs associated with conducting interviews and designing, issuing, and collecting the questionnaire schedules. List of References Alford, J (2009). Engaging Public Sector Clients: From Service-Delivery to Co-Production. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Al-Harthy, M.H (2008). Motivation: A Challenge for Oil and Gas Companies – An Omani Case Study. Web. Allen, D.R., Wilburn, M (2002). Linking customer and employee satisfaction to the bottom line. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: American society for Quality. Belcher, J.G (1996). How to Design and Implement a Results-Oriented Variable Pay System. New York: Amacom. Bruce, A., Pepitone, J.S (1999). Motivating Employees. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Books. Caligiuri, P., Lazarova, M (2005). Work-Life Balance and the Effective Management of Global Assignees. In: S.A.Y. Poelmans (Eds) Work and Family: An International Research Perspective. Malwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Chen, H., Kocaoglu, D.F (2008). A Sensitivity Analysis Algorithm for Hierarchical Decision Models. European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 185: 1, p. 266-288. Corporate Leadership Council (2003). Linking Employee Satisfaction with Productivity, Performance, and Customer Satisfaction. Web. Davenport, T.O (2000). Workers as Assets: A Good Start But†¦Employment Relations Today Vol. 31, Issue 2. Drucker, P.F (1955). Integration of People and Planning. Harvard Business Review, Vol. 33, Issue 6, p. 35-40. Employee Handbook (2010).Qatar Petroleum Human Resource Department. Hakes, C (1991). Total Quality Management: The Key to Business Improvements. London: Chapman Hall. Handley, C (2005). Validity and Reliability in Research. Web. Harrell, G., Daim, T.U (2010). HDM Modelling as a Tool to Assist Management with Employee Motivation: The Case of Silicon Forest. Engineering Management Journal, Vol. 22, Issue 1, p. 23-33. Hill, N., Roche, G., Allen, R (2007). Customer Satisfaction: The Customer Satisfaction through the Customers eyes. London: Cogent Publishing. Hopkins, W.G (2000). Quantitative Research Design. Web. Irvin, P.G., Montes, S.D (2009). Met Expectations: The Effects of Expected and Delivered Inducements on Employee Satisfaction. Journal of Occupational Organizational Psychology, Vol. 82, Issue 2, p. 431-451. [Academic Source Premier Database]. Lavigna, B (2010). Driving Performance by Building Employee Satisfaction and Engagement. Government Finance Review, Vol. 26, Issue 1, p. 51-53. Podmoroff, D (2005). 365 Ways to Motivate and Reward your Employee Everyday – with Little or no Money. Ocala, Florida: Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc. Qatar Petroleum Home Page (2010). Web. Sandler, S.F (2010). Employee Satisfaction: Key to Recovery Success? HR Focus, Vol. 87, No. 4, p. 10-15. Sekaran, U (2006). Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach, 4th Ed. Wiley-India. Siddiqi, M (2009). Qatar Stands Firm in the Face of Global Financial Storm. Middle East, Issue 402, p 45-49. Stevens, P. (1998). Introduction – Strategic Positioning in the Oil Industry: Trends and Options. In: P. Stevens (Eds) Strategic Positioning in the Oil Industry: Trends and Options. Abu Dhabi: The Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research. Stevens, M (2003). Selected Qualitative Methods. In: M.M. Stevens (Eds) Interactive Textbook on Clinical Symptoms Research. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Topolosky, P.S (2000). Linking Employee Satisfaction to Business Results. New York, NY: Garland Publishing Inc. Wilson, T.B (1994). Innovative Reward Systems for the Changing Workplace. London: McGraw-Hill Companies. Yi-Feng, Y (2009). An Investigation of Group Interaction functioning Stimulated by Transformational Leadership on Employee Intrinsic and Extrinsic Job Satisfaction: An Extension of Resource-Based Theory Perspective. Social Behaviour Personality: An International Journal, Vol. 37, Issue 9, p. 1259-1277. Footnotes 1 See: Harrell, G., Daim, T.U (2010). HDM Modeling as a Tool to Assist Management with Employee Motivation: The Case of Silicon Forest. Engineering Management Journal, Vol. 22, Issue 1, p. 23-33. 2 â€Å"Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game† (Donald Trump).

Free Essays on The Genocide In Rwanda

The Genocide in Rwanda â€Å"Things whose existence is not morally comprehensible cannot exist† Primo Levi’s observation of the Jewish Holocaust. The Polish author Raphael Lemkin was the first to coin the phrase ‘genocide’. Lemkin was working as the Polish advisor to the United States War Ministry at the time. He took the word from the Greek phrase for race â€Å"genos† and the Latin suffix â€Å"cide† which means to kill. Lemkin gave the word the following definition: Genocide- the destruction of a nation or an ethnic group through the existence of a coordinated plan, aimed at total extermination, to be put into effect against individuals chosen as victims purely, simply and exclusively because they are members of the target group (Destexhe, 3). Of course he was referring to the atrocities that he was witnessing first hand committed against the Jews by the Germans during the Second World War. A new word had to be created to describe a crime like none other. Genocide was unique because of the motivation behind it (Destexhe, 2). Over 3 million Jewish people were killed by Hitler’s Nazi Germany between 1939 and 1945. Jews were the specific targets of Hitler’s malice. His goal was to rid the world of the Jewish race. This is by the far the most widely known example of genocide or mass murder in the world. What many people don’t’ realize however is that there were two other genocides in the 20th century alone. Throughout the 1930’s, the Stalin regime in Russia repressed the Kulaks of the Ukraine and directly caused the deaths of over six million people not to mention the Purges Stalin committed against government officials. In revolutionary China, Mao’s Great Leap Forward led to a famine that killed over twenty million people. This is not to mention Pol Pot’s Cambodia and Mengistu’s Ethiopia. Combined, these dictators were responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of people (Destexhe, 8).... Free Essays on The Genocide In Rwanda Free Essays on The Genocide In Rwanda The Genocide in Rwanda â€Å"Things whose existence is not morally comprehensible cannot exist† Primo Levi’s observation of the Jewish Holocaust. The Polish author Raphael Lemkin was the first to coin the phrase ‘genocide’. Lemkin was working as the Polish advisor to the United States War Ministry at the time. He took the word from the Greek phrase for race â€Å"genos† and the Latin suffix â€Å"cide† which means to kill. Lemkin gave the word the following definition: Genocide- the destruction of a nation or an ethnic group through the existence of a coordinated plan, aimed at total extermination, to be put into effect against individuals chosen as victims purely, simply and exclusively because they are members of the target group (Destexhe, 3). Of course he was referring to the atrocities that he was witnessing first hand committed against the Jews by the Germans during the Second World War. A new word had to be created to describe a crime like none other. Genocide was unique because of the motivation behind it (Destexhe, 2). Over 3 million Jewish people were killed by Hitler’s Nazi Germany between 1939 and 1945. Jews were the specific targets of Hitler’s malice. His goal was to rid the world of the Jewish race. This is by the far the most widely known example of genocide or mass murder in the world. What many people don’t’ realize however is that there were two other genocides in the 20th century alone. Throughout the 1930’s, the Stalin regime in Russia repressed the Kulaks of the Ukraine and directly caused the deaths of over six million people not to mention the Purges Stalin committed against government officials. In revolutionary China, Mao’s Great Leap Forward led to a famine that killed over twenty million people. This is not to mention Pol Pot’s Cambodia and Mengistu’s Ethiopia. Combined, these dictators were responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of people (Destexhe, 8)....

Clever inventions. The possibilities of the mind

Clever inventions. The possibilities of the mind Useful inventions of all time If asked about the biggest invention of our time, people would probably name the Internet. It allows us to connect with friends around the world and establish connections we never knew existed. You want to talk to your favorite celebrity or find out what has been going on in Eastern Asia? - Google will help you! A hundred years ago, we could not imagine the luxury of interacting with people miles away from us. The credit goes to Lawrence Roberts, the inventor of the first Internet prototype. However, apart from the global communication system, what can we name as the greatest invention? You may argue about the usefulness of this or that device, but we can assure you they have all made a fair contribution to our routine. Where would the mankind be, if it was not for the phone or text messages we are used to exchanging whenever we want to share information? On top of that, we should include some of the things that were necessary for the development of the human race: The wheel. The wheel is truly one of the inventions of the humankind, the value of which cannot be overlooked today. The concept of the first wheel was developed in 3500 B.C., and it was a blessing for everyone. People had massive problems with transporting goods and moving them from one town to another, so we guess this discovery was by far one of the most expected in the history of human civilization. These days, wheels are used everywhere, and the history we know was shaped with the help of this tool. The compass. Do you remember Captain Jack’s compass that showed the thing you wanted most? Well, magic aside, sailors used to navigate by the stars. Suffice to say, it was not a very safe methodic, as it forced them to skip their craft on cloudy evenings or in the daytime. Before the invention of the first compass, captains were bound to obey the mere changes of the weather, and had to wait until the sky was clear again. The situation changed, however, when the compass we know today was invented. The secret to successful navigating is the magnetized needle, which points north. The printing press. As we know, very few people had access to books back in the Middle Ages. The printing press appeared as a revolutionary device and changed the way we perceive printing today. Johannes Gutenberg decided to alter the course of history by inventing a special machine, which pressed ink to the paper so that the paint remained on the surface for long. This is another invention that led to the development of the human race, the importance of which cannot be overstated. The printing devices we have today allow us to immerse in the world of literature and become educated individuals through reading. The telephone. The invention of this device presents a series of experiments, which all led to failure. Many scientists struggled to build an electronic device, which would allow people to communicate via wires. However, electronic transmission did not seem possible until Alexander Graham Bell took the initiative in his hands. He invented the phone in 1876, and was awarded a patent for his discovery that led to revolutionizing the world of communication. He had a lot of successors, who tried to improve the said gadget, and fortunately, phones as we know them today allow to transmit electronic signals at long distances. The light bulb. It is hard to imagine our daily lives without this device. Electricity was in poor state when Thomas Edison decided he would change the face of the world we know. Of course, we cannot attribute this success to his personality alone, as many people played a significant role in inventing the light bulb, but generally, the credit belongs to Edison. Prior to this, we depended on natural lightning and the light of the candles. That was romantic, in some ways, and uncomfortable as well, as people had to work during the day and finish their chores before the sun went down. Now, we can sit up all night and be sure the lightning is bright and comfortable, thanks to the invention that Thomas Edison proudly patented. Penicillin. The story behind the invention of Penicillin is awesome. In 1928 there was a Scottish scientist named Alexander Fleming, who conducted a series of experiments in his private laboratory. During one of the experiments, he left a lid on a dish with bacteria opened. Later, he discovered that bacteria were dead as the dish became contaminated with mold. Later, Fleming found out that the mold was called fungus Penicillium, and it was cleared and purified by scientists to turn it into a strong medication, which changed the course of science and was a big history turn in the first half of the 20th century.

Conflict of Interests for Researchers - Possible Solutions Essay

Conflict of Interests for Researchers - Possible Solutions - Essay Example This is because researchers are these days continually sponsored by corporate organisations to conduct researches whose results should be what will bring out the best in their goods and/or services. The implication is that the purpose of conducting researches seems to have drastically changed from providing useful and valid information to serving as a tool for boosting sales and patronage. This situation has largely put the integrity of researchers at stake as many people now find it very difficult to believe the results of their research. Researchers frequently find themselves at crossroads where they have to decide what to do; whether they would cook researches or whether they would remain clean and uphold the core ethics of their calling. As opposed to professional ethics, some researchers actually conduct researches but bearing in mind that they must arrive at a particular conclusion, some of them often manipulate samples. For example, in the beverage industry, a researcher whose intention is to show that adults prefer drinking alcohol to drinking any other beverages might go the full hug by changing results of the research in order to accommodate the intended result. A similar thing can happen in any other industries. It is on record that it also happens furtively in the health industry (Crossen 1994 p. 36).

Community Health Project Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Community Health Project - Coursework Example With this concern, the community of Minneapolis MN can be determined as one of the largest cities in the United States with more than 387,000 citizens situated in the banks of the Mississippi river. The demographic description of Minneapolis signifies its increasing population which has been considered as one of the most populated areas among the 906 cities in the state of Minnesota. The average household income of Minneapolis can be estimated as USD 46,075 in the year of 2010. In the similar context, the median age has been estimated as 31.4 years old young people involving white, black and Hispanics within Minneapolis ethnic/racial groups (Cubit Planning, Inc., 2012). Windshield Survey The windshield survey of any community involves the collection of subjective data in a personal observation about any population or community. With this regards, the surveyors implement his/her good judgments in data collection process. In the context of conducting windshield survey for Minneapolis c ommunity, the assessment will be comprised with the comprehensive study of significant informational areas where the population or community resides. ... ding to systematic plans The general condition of the housing in the community were mostly traditional and hence require regular maintenance Open Space The space location within the community can be considered in a proper way of using open space among each building The open spaces are constructed noticeably in safe and attractive forms in Minneapolis community Common Areas The common areas for hangout in Minneapolis are the banks of Mississippi and Stone Arch Bridge The families, schools and college students spend their weekends in various attractive hangout areas within the community as well Transportation The transportation facility in Minneapolis consists of bus services, personal vehicles along with car rental facilities Moreover, the inhabitants use their motorbikes and bicycles as an efficient source of transportation Social Service Centers The community is surrounded with more than 25 healthcare institutions, both government and private as well Various healthcare facilities to cure different health issues are rendered to the locales A sufficient number of recreation centers along with special treatment centers and medical institutions are also present within the community Stores The resident shops in Minneapolis are mostly situated in the major streets of the community The shoppers of the community use personal as well as commercial vehicles during shopping The shops mostly serve with fresh food items including, groceries, fruits along with other necessities Street Scene The street environment of the community is significantly efficient due to a proper arrangement of shops and other business complexes There are no stray dogs and cats or â€Å"watchdogs† found on the street of Minneapolis community Condition of the Area The community can be considered as well-kept

The relationship between HRM and business performance Literature review

The relationship between HRM and business performance - Literature review Example First, the review suggests that human resource practices have synergistic and performance enhancing influences when used in conjunction with empowerment-enhancing practices that boost employee responsibility and autonomy. Secondly, study attempts to explore the link between HRM and firm performance by studying frameworks that link HRM to financial performance despite the various studies that claim there is no link between HRM and Firm performance. The literature offers overview on research regarding HRM and Businesses performance and subsequently shows the relation between HRM and performance in organizations. Business strategy and the integration of HRM practices form an essential factor in organizational effectiveness because the use of business strategy as a contingent factor moderates the relation between human resources practices as el as firm performance. Therefore, business strategies paired together with proper HRM activities have positive influences on the firm’s perf ormance. According to Ahmad and Schroeder(2003) and their counterparts Youndt and Snell(2004), the impact of HRM to organizational outcomes became an essential topic in early 1990s because it attaches significance to motivational aspects of organizational practices in developing and utilizing human capital. HRM involves development of people’s abilities and attitudes in way that the individual can develop personally and contribute toward the organization’s goals. According to Youndt and Snell(2004), other studies consider HRM practices to be pay and reward, recruitment and selection, training and development, health and safety as well as work expansion or reduction. However, various studies suggest that six essential HRM practices that are likely to positively influence a firm’s performance include training and development, teamwork, incentives, HR planning, performance appraisal as well as employment security (Sels, Winne, Delmotte, Maes, Faems and Forrier, 200 6; Seibert,Silver and Randolph, 2004). According to Sels et al (2006), training and development involves the amount of formal training offered to employees, although organizations can offer extensive training, organizations also rely on acquired skills through selection and socialization. Training in businesses influence performance in two key ways the first one being, that training improves on the relevant skills, capabilities, and secondly training compliments employees’ satisfaction in their prevailing job and workplace. Teamwork in businesses contributes to business performance because it results in effective achievement, facilitates flow of ideas resulting in innovative solution and helps in saving administrative costs associated with paying specialists in order to watch people (Sels et al 2006). Incentives in businesses rely on performance and remain one of the usual means for organizations to enhance employee motivation through provision of performance-contingent incen tive in order to align employee and shareholder interests. According to Chiang(2004), although compensation is categorised into financial and non-financial incentives, some incentives like pay incentives in form of bonuses and profit sharing or even indirect compensation like health insurance and vacation all influence the performance of firms. According to Gill and Meyer(2008), HR planning in enterprises involves forecasting

The benefits of training bank officials in Ethiopia Dissertation

The benefits of training bank officials in Ethiopia - Dissertation Example Studies on the banking sector in Ethiopia reveal consistent findings that service expectations of customers do not match perceived performance. Thus, with the aim to recommend a suitable strategy for an effective training program for bank employees in Ethiopia, three objectives were set in Chapter I. All three objectives have been achieved through qualitative secondary analysis of data. Several benefits of training have been identified which include enhancement of knowledge and skills, motivation and retention of employees, open and honest communication and promotion of the  interpersonal relationship. Training can improve service quality, spur growth and impact productivity. Shortcomings among bank staff have been identified through studies conducted by other researchers in Ethiopian banks. These include lack of soft skills among employees, lack of product-specific knowledge and skills. The level of education of employees is also not known which could impact the outcome. Based on the short comings and the literature and theories on training, factors that could contribute towards an effective training program on Ethiopia have been evaluated. These include evaluation of training needs which would have to be based on organizational mission and goals. In addition, training should be an ongoing process and should be kept in-house, while continuous monitoring and evaluation of the training interventions have also been found to be necessary. (Donovan, Hannigan & Crowe, 2001).

Dan Brown Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dan Brown - Research Paper Example The objective of this paper is to give the reader a thorough description about Dan Brown, details about his novels and accomplishments. Dan Brown tends to stay away from the limelight. Most of the times, the low-profile author is seen at fund-raising campaigns and seminars. A particular event that is worth quoting is the gala at his High School, Philips Exeter Academy, which he attended and announced a gift of $2.2 million to the school (Philips Exeter Academy, 2004). Despite being the author of so many bestselling novels, Dan Brown is still a friendly guy without any supernormal attitude towards others. He does not even seem to be the person who created the strange world of Da Vinci Code (Kaplan, 2009). Dan Brown, according to Kaplan, seems to be surprised that his novel started such a big controversy among the Catholic Group. He was a very religious person in his initial years of his life as he was raised an Episcopalian (Kaplan, 2009). He is much of a scientific guy and believes more in science rather than religion. He said â€Å"science makes much more sense to me†. After his graduation, Brown commenced his career in songwriting and singing. Dan Brown is 45 years of age at the moment with golden hair and blue eyes. The author wakes up early in the morning at around 4:00AM when there are no distractions and works on his novels. At this hour of the day, Dan feels more productive. He does most of his writing activities in his roof space and stops briefly after every hour to do push-ups and other exercises to stay efficient. Dan Brown’s interests in code-breaking from the early stages of his life influenced him to start writing novels which are related to underground government agencies. He graduated from the Amherst College and also studied at the Philips Exeter Academy. There he also worked as an English teacher in the day. His father was a Presidential Award winner for his book on mathematical concepts and he was also a

History Essay Exam World War 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

History Exam World War 1 - Essay Example Unlike previous wars, where men would just lie dead in one piece at the side of the road, there were literally pieces of human bodies scattered and blown about. Houses were smashed to pieces from miles off, since the weapons could cover a wide range of territory when fired. This was only the beginning of the gruesome wars that were to follow. One particular warrior, Ernst Junger, fought hard in the face of opposition, as he was determined to come out victorious no matter what lay ahead of him. Junger was a man who possessed the strong characteristics of a leader. Nothing stood in his way when it came to what was to be faced in the battlefields. Even when he was badly wounded, he never gave up hope. He had a strong spirit and always remained positive. When people were dying around him, and when he was facing circumstances that were beyond what any normal human being could bare, fear never got the better of him. As a matter of fact, he despised cowardly behavior, as he had some of his men shot who displayed the characteristics of being a coward. In his eyes, it was a sin to be a coward. One must be strong, face the enemy squarely in the face, and push forward (Ernst Junger, Storm of steel). The role that death had on his accounts of being at war was that he could not think about dying. Though he knew that dying was a major prospect, since many men never came back alive, he had to give it his best shot. So, he commenced into leading his people into the battlefields, possessing a spirit of steel that none of his enemies could penetrate (Junger). Junger was committed to his duties because he felt that he owed it to his race into his fatherland. He felt that he needed to defend his roots. He considered himself to be of the Arian people, a people that were superior to all others. He had a job to do in that he had to go out on the battlefield, defend his people and fight like a man. Every duty that was assigned to him, he took seriously and put his whole heart and soul into his military service. The fact that he was so diligent in his work eventually enabled him to rise to the status of being an officer of high prestige (Junger). Junger was a ferocious fighter as well as a good leader. The characteristics of leadership came natural to him, as he led his people with great ease through the battlefields and into the trenches to fight against the enemy (Junger). Junger maintained his same attitude towards war through the entire text. Never did he waver in the least bit. Despite being wounded numerous times, he was never deterred from his mission to overtake the enemy (Junger). In Junger's book, the Storm of Steel, there were numerous descriptions of what life was like in the battle trenches. There was one particular experience that would give the reader a great idea of what took place. In one particular account, Junger and his company were to be led into the heart of the battle. He knew that the worse was to come: yet, he had to trudge on. Late in the evening, Junger and his crew marched from Le Mesnil until they ended up in Sailly-Saillysel; where they were to fight one of the most gruesome battles. Junger described this event in intricate detail. He was so thorough about the description of the account that the one reading his diary could almost imagine themselves being right there in the battlefield. The reader could almost feel himself right there in the midst of the fighting, holding a gun in hand and being on the lookout

Dan Brown Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dan Brown - Research Paper Example The objective of this paper is to give the reader a thorough description about Dan Brown, details about his novels and accomplishments. Dan Brown tends to stay away from the limelight. Most of the times, the low-profile author is seen at fund-raising campaigns and seminars. A particular event that is worth quoting is the gala at his High School, Philips Exeter Academy, which he attended and announced a gift of $2.2 million to the school (Philips Exeter Academy, 2004). Despite being the author of so many bestselling novels, Dan Brown is still a friendly guy without any supernormal attitude towards others. He does not even seem to be the person who created the strange world of Da Vinci Code (Kaplan, 2009). Dan Brown, according to Kaplan, seems to be surprised that his novel started such a big controversy among the Catholic Group. He was a very religious person in his initial years of his life as he was raised an Episcopalian (Kaplan, 2009). He is much of a scientific guy and believes more in science rather than religion. He said â€Å"science makes much more sense to me†. After his graduation, Brown commenced his career in songwriting and singing. Dan Brown is 45 years of age at the moment with golden hair and blue eyes. The author wakes up early in the morning at around 4:00AM when there are no distractions and works on his novels. At this hour of the day, Dan feels more productive. He does most of his writing activities in his roof space and stops briefly after every hour to do push-ups and other exercises to stay efficient. Dan Brown’s interests in code-breaking from the early stages of his life influenced him to start writing novels which are related to underground government agencies. He graduated from the Amherst College and also studied at the Philips Exeter Academy. There he also worked as an English teacher in the day. His father was a Presidential Award winner for his book on mathematical concepts and he was also a

Relevance of Standard Costing & Variance Analysis Essay

Relevance of Standard Costing & Variance Analysis - Essay Example The standard cost is a predetermined unit cost i.e. the price and standard amount of each resource to be utilized in manufacturing a product and providing a service. A variance is the difference of actual cost incurred and expected standard cost. The variance analysis involves breakup of total variance to explain how much variance is caused by difference in use of resources from the standard usage quantity and how much variance is caused by the difference in prices of resources from the standard costs (Scarlett, 2008, p.96). The standard costing can be advantageous only if the cost standards are carefully established and prudently used. The use of standards solely for placing blame can have negative impact on management and employees. The major advantages include better management planning, promotes economy by making the employees understand importance of cost reduction, setting selling price, management control, highlights variances in management by exception and simplify the invent ories’ costs reducing clerical costs (Weygandt, Kimmel & Kieso, 2009, p.495). Standard costing system was developed in accordance with the traditional manufacturing environment which has changed drastically in recent competitive environment. The critics of standard costing and variance analysis site the following reasons for its declining relevance: Changing Cost Structure: Provided that the standard costing is suited to the control of variable and direct costs but not fixed and indirect costs, the usefulness of standard costing has been questioned because the in recent times the overhead costs have become the relevant factory costs whereas the importance of direct labour costs has diminished. Inconsistency with JIT (Just-in-Time) Philosophy: JIT is an inventory system which works towards keeping zero inventories and reducing handling, warehousing and financing costs and time associated with tracking stocks and movements (Ajami & Goddard, 2006, p.357). This system has been wi dely adopted by American and European firms in the last decade. Although critics of standard costing and variance analysis assert that if performance of purchasing department is evaluated on the basis of purchase price variance then the purchase managers will be motivated to obtain materials at the lowest possible costs which can result in selection of many suppliers on the basis of lowest price, large quantity purchases resulting in larger inventories, low quality goods and indifference towards attainment of on-time delivery. This contradicts the JIT philosophy. Overemphasis on the importance of Direct Labour: The fact that direct labour has lost its importance in modern manufacturing and is a small proportion of the total factory costs, makes the standard costing irrelevant because most of the overhead costs are allocated to the cost centres on the basis of direct labour hours. To reduce their allocated costs the managers try to reduce the direct labour hours which diverts the att ention from controlling the rising overhead costs. This is not an inadequacy of standard costing rather a faulty application of it to rely on volume variances to control short term costs and performance evaluation. Inconsistent with Continuous Improvement Philosophy: The

Connecting Woolf’s Feminist Principles Essay Example for Free

Connecting Woolf’s Feminist Principles Essay To some Virginia Woolf is a pioneer of feminism, to others she is a mere novelist whose works reflect the position of women within a society whose main discourse was aimed at female suffrage. What is certain is that today Woolf is known more for her literary works than for her essays on the inequalities between the sexes. Woolf, herself, helped found the division between her fiction and non-fiction writings by consistently belittling her political essays as a means to money while she referred to her novels as her true life’s work. Yet, in recent years, her two most well known non-fiction works, A Room of One’s Own (1929) and Three Guineas (1938) have been revived by intellectuals and labeled as inherently feminist works. This in turn has lead authors such as Rachel Bowlby to claim that the past review of Woolf’s work, in which there is a clear demarcation between the fantasy world of her novels and the very real world of her essays, is in fact misleading. Bowlby attempts to bring Woolf’s two worlds more closely together and in doing so supports the claim that the thread of early feminism is woven not only through Woolf’s essays but is in actuality deeply ingrained in her literary work. The aim of this essay is to take Bowlby’s analysis and apply it to two of Woolf’s works, one fiction and the other non-fiction, to determine if they are in fact more parallel than once was thought. By using Bowlby’s theory to discuss the common traits between the novel Mrs. Dalloway (1925) and the essay A Room of One’s Own (1929) many undeniableconnections will be made, validating that within both texts the determination for artistic creation and female independence that Woolf so idealized can be found. Bowlby’s Feminist Lens Rachel Bowlby in her essay A More than Maternal Tie: Woolf as a Woman Essayist (1997) attempts to characterize Woolf as an early feminist writer. By linking Woolf’s essays with her literary works she refutes the opinions of those intellectuals who see Woolf’s novels as quintessentially non-feminist. For Bowlby Woolf questions the patriarchical structure of society at the time in all of her forms of writing. Although the author does concede that there is a line to be drawn between the two. In her essay Bowlby makes clear first and foremost that Woolf marked her differing attitudes between her two works in multiple outlets, some of which were personal letters and correspondence. In fact, Bowlby claims that upon a first glance Virginia Wolf the essayist and Virginia Woolf the famous novelist appear to have little in common. She states that, â€Å"One is a key figure in the history of modernism, the other was principally a journalist, working to commissions for weeklies and other periodicals. One wrote for art, the other (much of the time) for money. One is Virginia Woolf, the other often published anonymously, in her many reviews for The Times Literary Supplement† (220). Woolf on numerous occasions referred to her essays as less important than her novels, which she often referred to as her life’s work (Bowlby, 1997, 220). Most importantly Woolf asserted on various opportunities that political arguments were well founded in journalistic writing but out of place in literature (Bowlby, 221). Despite this evidence Bowlby notes that Woolf’s writing style in both her essays and her novels shared various traits including the structure, constant deviations from the topic and the passionate undertone of the writing itself (222). Although she is quick to note that we should not â€Å"rush to the other extreme, and claim for the essays artistic value equal or superior to that of the novels† (Bowlby, 224) Apart from stylistic considerations Bowlby also notes other common traits most specifically Woolf’s fascination with literary ties. Central to Woolf’s novels are the ties that bind her characters together, whether they be social or family ties. Within her essays you can find similar ties. The most obvious of those presented in Woolf’s essays are the ties between writer and patron. Woolf uses the analogy of the relationship between mother and child to best describe the importance that a patron has for their writer (Bowlby, 224). Woolf also likened the relationship to that of twins claiming that it was a type of relationship that meant, â€Å"one dying if the other dies, one flourishing if the other flourishes† (qtd Bowlby, 224). Bowlby concludes that, Woolf, â€Å"among others, was interested in what kinds of connections might tie things and people together in new ways. Her essays, like her novels, try some out† (241). Woolf also made a strong paternal connection between her essay writing and the relationship with her father, Leslie Stephen. After her father’s death in 1904 Woolf, to a large extent carried on with his essay writing, publishing within a short time an article in a religious newspaper, The Guardian. Bowlby claims that Woolf saw the essay along paternal lines (228). She claims that, â€Å"If novels, as opposed to non-fiction, seem to be the area where Woolf more freely departed from paternal standards of writing, this is related also to the fact that the essay was her fathers genre: a man of letters par excellence, Leslie Stephen did not write creative literature† (233). This may have been a reason for which Woolf so clearly demarcated between the two. In fact we could claim that Woolf wrote her essays with patriarchy and masculinity taking the forefront, while in her novels they were merely the omnipresent backdrop to the feminine world she wrote within. Mrs. Dalloway Needed a Room of Her Own: Testing Bowlby While Bowlby provides ample examples of Woolf’s writing to back up her thesis the further investigation of two of Woolf’s most renowned texts, Mrs. Dalloway (1924) and A Room of One’s Own (1929) will serve to highlight some of the feminist traits shared in her essays and her literary works. A Room of One’s Own highlights the position of women writers and intellectuals within a system where men held the purse strings of education. The essay is based on Woolf’s lectures at the women’s college of Cambridge University in 1928 and woman artists and their financial struggle are at the core of the essay. Woolf questions whether it is possible for a woman to produce a quality of art as high as Shakespear’s. She contends that the limited financial means of women artists are to blame for women’s poor artistic record throughout history. In fact Woolf placed such importance on financial independence and women having a room of their own that she wrote, â€Å"of the two-the vote and the money-the money, I own, seemed infinitely more important† (Woolf, 1929, 37). At the heart of the essay is the belief that the artistic tendencies in women are as strong as they are in men. Given the right atmosphere they can only flourish. We can see this untapped potential in Mrs. Dalloway whose love of life and art are constantly referred to in the novel. The very nature of Clarissa’s social gatherings present the deviation of her artistic nature into acceptable pursuits. Littleton (1995) claims that Clarissa’s artistry are key to understanding her character. He states that, â€Å"Woolf is concerned, before anything else, with the absolutely private mental world of a woman who, according to the patriarchal ideology of the day as well as her own figure in the world, was not imagined to have any artistic feeling at all†(37). Clarissa’s very enjoyment of the world around her shows her artistic sensibility. At the opening of the novel Clarissa goes to buy flowers and her intense enjoyment of the busy world around her shows a sensibility to life in all its forms (Woolf, 1924, 4). Her irritation for Miss Kilman is instantly forgotten as she enters the flower shop and appreciates the beauty, scents and colors around her (13). It was enough to, â€Å"surmount that hatred, that monster, surmount it all; and it lifted her up and up† (13). It would be useful to use a quote from A Room of One’s Own to describe what is happening to Clarissa: â€Å"Who can measure the heat and passion of a poets heart when it is caught and tangled in a womans body? † (83). Indeed, to Woolf, Clarissa is an artist in her own manner and her natural artistic intuition can not be smothered by societies expectations. Nourishment of the female artist, or the lack there of, is clearly present in Woolf’s literary and non-literary works. While Clarissa’s proper artistic ambitions are well nourished in her organization of social gatherings where delicious food is in abundance it is interesting to note that the physical nourishment given to female intellectuals at female colleges is commented upon in Woolf’s essay. Upon describing the poor fare at female colleges Woolf asks, â€Å"Why did men drink wine and women water? Why was one sex so prosperous and the other so poor? † (25). The possibility and the danger of a reversal of the sexes is evident in the relationship between Clarissa and Septimus Smith. While Clarissa does the unacceptable and does not show her grief as is expected in a woman, Septimus takes on distinctly feminine traits of the time and lets his grief overwhelm him, eventually committing suicide, whereby the doctor chastises him for being a â€Å"coward† (105). Woolf clearly shows the possibilities of a female taking on a masculine trait, thereby showing the possibility of a reversal of roles. As Septimus hallucinates on his dead friend he is reduced to tears and great emotion in his mourning. He raises his hand, â€Å"like some colossal figure who has lamented the fate of man for ages in the desert alone . . . and with legions of men prostrate behind him he, the giant mourner, receives for one moment on his face the whole† (105). These types of emotions were more suited to female mourning supporting Woolf’s view that the roles of men and women within society could be crossed over.

Environmental Protection In India

Environmental Protection In India Over the years, together with a spreading of environmental consciousness, there has been a change in the traditionally-held perception that there is a trade-off between environmental quality and economic growth as people have come to believe that the two are necessarily complementary. The current focus on environment is not new-environmental considerations have been an integral part of the Indian culture. The need for conservation and sustainable use of natural resources has been expressed in Indian scriptures, more than three thousand years old and is reflected in the constitutional, legislative and policy framework as also in the international commitments of the country. Section 1: Legislations for environmental protection in India, Section 2: Indigenous Peoples, Section 3: Indigenous Peoples and Scientific Legislations Legislations for environmental protection in India Even before Indias independence in 1947, several environmental legislation existed but the real impetus for bringing about a well-developed framework came only after the UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972). Under the influence of this declaration, the National Council for Environmental Policy and Planning within the Department of Science and Technology was set up in 1972. This Council later evolved into a full-fledged Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in 1985 which today is the apex administrative body in the country for regulating and ensuring environmental protection. After the Stockholm Conference, in 1976, constitutional sanction was given to environmental concerns through the 42nd Amendment, which incorporated them into the Directive Principles of State Policy and Fundamental Rights and Duties. Since the 1970s an extensive network of environmental legislation has grown in the country. The MoEF and the pollution control boards (CPCB i.e. Central Pollution Control Board and SPCBs i.e. State Pollution Control Boards) together form the regulatory and administrative core of the sector. A policy framework has also been developed to complement the legislative provisions. The Policy Statement for Abatement of Pollution and the National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environment and Development were brought out by the MoEF in 1992, to develop and promote initiatives for the protection and improvement of the environment. The EAP (Environmental Action Programme) was formulated in 1993 with the objective of improving environmental services and integrating environmental considerations in to development programmes. Other measures have also been taken by the government to protect and preserve the environment. Several sector-specific policies have evolved, which are discussed at length in the concerned chapters. This chapter attempts to highlight only legislative initiatives towards the protection of the environment. Forests and wildlife The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Amendment 1991 The WPA (Wildlife Protection Act), 1972, provides for protection to listed species of flora and fauna and establishes a network of ecologically-important protected areas. The WPA empowers the central and state governments to declare any area a wildlife sanctuary, national park or closed area. There is a blanket ban on carrying out any industrial activity inside these protected areas. It provides for authorities to administer and implement the Act; regulate the hunting of wild animals; protect specified plants, sanctuaries, national parks and closed areas; restrict trade or commerce in wild animals or animal articles; and miscellaneous matters. The Act prohibits hunting of animals except with permission of authorized officer when an animal has become dangerous to human life or property or so disabled or diseased as to be beyond recovery (WWF-India, 1999). The near-total prohibition on hunting was made more effective by the Amendment Act of 1991. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 This Act was adopted to protect and conserve forests. The Act restricts the powers of the state in respect of de-reservation of forests and use of forestland for non-forest purposes (the term non-forest purpose includes clearing any forestland for cultivation of cash crops, plantation crops, horticulture or any purpose other than re-afforestation). Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (EPA) This Act is an umbrella legislation designed to provide a framework for the co-ordination of central and state authorities established under the Water (Prevention and Control) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control) Act, 1981. Under this Act, the central government is empowered to take measures necessary to protect and improve the quality of the environment by setting standards for emissions and discharges; regulating the location of industries; management of hazardous wastes, and protection of public health and welfare. From time to time the central government issues notifications under the EPA for the protection of ecologically-sensitive areas or issues guidelines for matters under the EPA. The Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 These rules lay down the procedures for setting standards of emission or discharge of environmental pollutants. The Rules prescribe the parameters for the Central Government, under which it can issue orders of prohibition and restrictions on the location and operation of industries in different areas. The Rules lay down the procedure for taking samples, serving notice, submitting samples for analysis and laboratory reports. The functions of the laboratories are also described under the Rules along with the qualifications of the concerned analysts. The National Environment Appellate Authority Act, 1997 This Act provided for the establishment of a National Environment Appellate Authority to hear appeals with respect to restriction of areas in which any industry operation or process or class of industries, operations or processes could not carry out or would be allowed to carry out subject to certain safeguards under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. International agreements on environmental issues India has signed several multilateral environment agreements (MEA) and conventions, such as: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES), 1973, to regulate and inhibit international commercial trade of endangered species or derivative products. Its aims to counter the economic incentives of poaching endangered species and destroying their habitat by closing off the international market. India became a party to the CITES in 1976. International trade in all wild flora and fauna in general and species covered under CITES is regulated jointly through the provisions of The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, the Import/Export policy of Government of India and the Customs Act 1962 (Bajaj, 1996). Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992 is a legally binding treaty. It deals with conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of biological resources and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their sustainable use. It addresses several concerns such as including habitat preservation, intellectual property rights, and indigenous peoples rights. Indias initiatives under the Convention include the promulgation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, amended in 1991; and participation in several international conventions such as CITES. An assessment of the legal and regulatory framework for environmental protection in India The extent of the environmental legislation network is evident from the above discussion but the enforcement of the laws has been a matter of concern. One commonly cited reason is the prevailing command and control nature of the environmental regime. Coupled with this is the prevalence of the all-or-nothing approach of the law; they do not consider the extent of violation. Fines are levied on a flat basis and in addition, there are no incentives to lower the discharges below prescribed levels. In 1995, the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) constituted a task force which strongly advocated the use of market-based instruments for the control of environmental pollution. Various economic incentives have been used to supplement the command-and-control policies. Depreciation allowances, exemptions from excise or customs duty payment, and arrangement of soft loans for the adoption of clean technologies are instances of such incentives. Another aspect that is evident is the shift in the focus from end-of-pipe treatment of pollution to treatment at source. The role of remote sensing and geographical information systems in natural resource management and environmental protection has also gained importance over time. An important recent development is the rise of judicial activism in the enforcement of environmental legislation. This is reflected in the growth of environment-related public litigation cases that have led the courts to take major steps such as ordering the shut-down of polluting factories. Agenda 21 highlights the need for integration of environmental concerns at all stages of policy, planning and decision-making processes including the use of an effective legal and regulatory framework, economic instruments and other incentives. These very principles were fundamental to guiding environmental protection in the country well before Rio and will be reinforced, drawing on Indias own experiences and those of other countries. The Indigenous Peoples In India, the indigenous peoples are predominantly composed of the large and diverse tribal populations scattered across several states. Anthropological literature suggests that the tribal designation arose as a colonial construct, in which all those living on the margins of mainstream agrarian society but within the structure of the Hindu caste system were delineated as primitive and tribal. In Indian languages, there is no exact equivalent for the word tribal, but close synonyms are vanavasis (forest dwellers) or adivasi (original inhabitants). The 1891 Census Report arranged different castes according to their traditional occupations, and forest tribes were assigned a separate category from that of agricultural and pastoral castes. Thus, both etymologically as well as spatially, the lives and livelihoods of tribal communities in India are intrinsically linked with forests. It has been argued that the definition of indigenous peoples as original settlers is problematic in the Indian context. Sociologists like Dube (1977) and Beteille (1998) have pointed out that tribal traditions themselves make re ­peated mention of migration of their ancestors. There is considerable evidence to suggest that several groups were pushed out of the areas that they were first settled and had to seek shelter elsewhere. Today more than 50 million of tribal people live in and around forests. There is a clear overlap between the forest and the tribal maps of the country, as well as an overlap with poverty (Poffenberger and McGean 1996) At present, about 95% of the total forest area belongs to the govern ­ment, and the tribal population of India has been divested of much of its legal communal rights. This is a major practical concern, because the rural economy of India is largely biomass-based. People are directly depen ­dent on forests and common lands for a variety of non-commercial-timber forest products for food and fuel, small timber for housing, and herbs and medicinal plants for meeting their subsistence livelihood needs. In the absence of alternative sources of livelihoods or an ability to eke out sustenance from marginal landholdings, there is a continued high level of dependence on forests for survival. The widely used state right of eminent domain allows the state to acquire private and common property for public purposes. The eminent domain right has remained supreme, overriding all other policies, laws, and regulations. It is under the right of eminent domain that the state acquires land to build infrastructure, mines, dams, and other projects. With an estimated $30 billion proposed as investment in mining-related projects in the next decade, communal land will continue to be a site of intense conflict between tribal people and the state. The encroachment of the state on forests and customary tenure rights of tribal forest-dwelling communities did not go unchallenged during the colonial and postcolonial periods. Undeterred by the provisions of the Indian Forest Act of 1927, many tribal groups have mounted a sustained challenge to the continued denial of their communal rights over forests. The example of the van panchayats (forest councils) demonstrates this point. In response to agita ­tions, the colonial government gradually recognized the existence of some local community rights over forests and their resources, and these were incorporated in the Indian Forest Act of 1927. The act provides for consti ­tuting village forests to meet local needs, and this led to the creation of forest councils in Uttar Pradesh through a new state law passed in 1931. All the de-reserved marginal reserved forests were reclassified into Class 1 forests and placed under the jurisdiction of the van panchayats, in which local tribal communities play a key role in forest administration. More than 4,000 van panchayats were created, although the area under their control did not exceed 8% of the total forest area of India. Nonetheless, they represent an example of a forest tenure system in which communal ten ­ure is recognized by law (Sarin 2003). Indigenous people and their communities represent a significant percentage of global population. They have developed over many generations, a holistic traditional scientific knowledge of their lands, natural resources and environment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦In view of the inter ­relationship between the natural environment and its sustainable development and the cultural, social, economic and physical well-being of indigenous people, national and international efforts to implement environmentally sound and sustainable development should recognise, accommodate, promote and strengthen the role of indigenous people and their communities. The above extract from Agenda 21 (UNCED, 1992), aptly captures the need for increased recognition of indigenous people and their knowledge of natural resource management and its use in sustainable development. Integration of indigenous people and scientific forest management Indigenous forest management activities may originate in specific areas in response to specific pressures, but this does not prevent them from adopting and transforming appropriate components of scientific forest management systems through interaction and shared experience. Indeed there is a need to promote equity of forest management systems between indigenous communities and formal forestry scientists around the world (Agarwal, 1995). This process of integrating two forest management systems is essential to achieving sustainable forest management. There is no fixed method of addressing the bottlenecks in integration of indigenous and scientific knowledge, instead the methods chosen will vary according to what is appropriate and feasible within the institutional, ecological, and social environments in which they operate. The Indian Forest Policy of 1988 (MoEF, 1988) and the subsequent Government resolution on participatory forest management (MoEF, 1990) emphasise the need for peoples participation in forest management. The policy document asserts that local people should be actively involved in protection, conservation and management of forests. Hence the policy envisages a process of joint management of forests by the state government (professional foresters) and the local people. So far, out of 25 state governments, 23 states have adopted Joint Forest Management (JFM). As on the 1st January 2000, 10.24 million ha of forestlands were managed under the JFM programme through 36 075 forest protection committees (MoEF, 2000). Evidence of long standing local forest management practices can be found in various parts of India particularly in eastern and north-eastern regions. Despite increasing pressures with the increased population, regulations regarding resource use and harvest assist in managing forests in a sustainable way. As the JFM programme has evolved, there are clear indications that the programme has had considerable impact on local ecology, economics, and the people (Yadav et al., 1997). Initially the relationship between the local people and forest department was strained and lacked trust. Regular interaction and participatory learning and planning activities has facilitated an open dialogue and removed mutual distrust between officials of forest department and local people. Viewed in the light of the adaptive learning model, it was found that exchange and interaction of scientific and indigenous aspects of forest management within the context of JFM have resulted in ecological improvement and increase in average household income after four-five years of strong JFM activities. ETFRN Publication Series Local people as well as foresters identify with the JFM programme. They take pride in being part of the programme and are recognising its benefits. Based on the successful experience of JFM, irrigation, health, and agriculture sectors are also now placing an emphasis on integration of indigenous and scientific knowledge through peoples participation in resource management. However real integration of scientific and indigenous management systems is still rarely achieved, and in presenting the model I aim to make more explicit the opportunities for doing so, and highlight ways forward for the continuous process of adaptive learning. Conclusion There is a need to strengthen indigenous community institutions to allow them to function effectively and interact with outside actors. Appropriate policy reforms are required to include these institutions in government programs and schemes, and provide support for capacity building to enable them to function in a democratic and transparent manner, ensuring social and gender equity. It is necessary to identify common parameters among different indigenous community institutions and develop guiding principles, processes, and mechanisms that allow better interface between the institutions, local government, and technical agencies. To encourage sustainably productive forest management by communities, there is a need to eliminate harvesting and transport permit requirements where possible and create free forest trade zones for community enterprises in upland areas of the Northeast. Community networks should be established or strengthened to self-monitor environmental impacts of small-scale forestry enterprises. As a result of carrying colonial baggage, the Indian Forest Act and the environmental law in general still caters to the British policies with respect to Indian forests . This law is ideal tool for furthering the cause of revenue generation.Conservation and involving the people in the management of forests were not the British approach. Newer legislations such as the Forest (Conservation) Act, Wildlife Protoection Act, The Biological Diversity Act, and most recently the Scheduled Tribes Bill have made attempts to bridge this gap, with ample support from the Courts. It is time though to take up all the laws and combine them to come up with a composite and comprehensive Environmental Law that reflects the change in approach towards the environment and the indigenous people who live most integrated with it.