THE DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING, TRAINING, MOTIVATING AND REWARDING Essay

THE DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING, TRAINING, MOTIVATING AND REWARDING STAFF IN A GIVEN FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY - Essay Example ensures that the employees are as enthusiastic about the business and they are devoted towards their organization. Involving employees in taking decision for the company and their opinion for making improvement leads company to success. If top management involves their employees in company's affairs, they will feel recognition and self respect and they will perform even better. It also helps in building trust and motivates employees. Bonuses or reward can also be a good and effective way to encourage and motivate employees. Through this process, they will get to know that, they are performing well in the organization and they are beneficial for the company as well. Bonus must be designed in such a way that people or employees understand that there is no payment in terms of bonus unless the company gets the profit and also exceeds the level of profitability. Bonus and reward is also based on team's success and the individual's performance. Feedback is also an important factor in HRM process. If an employee or a person is performing well, he will participate to enhance or Increase Company's productivity. He/she will be appreciated for this and should be recognized for his/her work in a positive and in effective way. Evaluation of the performance should be taken fairly. There is a need to develop a performance evaluation system which focuses on individual performance. Self rating as a part of evaluation process encourages or empowers employees. Evaluation becomes fairer if it is based on the records of and achievements of the employee. HRM practice and policies provide several good and effective ways of organizing and managing organization's functions. It also gives or provides help to develop effective strategies for making the company or organization more productive and successful. Employees play a lead role in any organization, so the polices and practices regarding employee or human resource should be followed effectively and in a good manner. ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR Organizational behavior is the body of knowledge which describes, analyzes and explains how organization influences the behavior of the members or employees and how they respond to the performance and ecology/culture of the organization or environment. Organizational behavior focuses on several functions and process of organization such as recruiting, rewarding, compensation, motivation etc; it also focuses the problems and difficulties of the organization. DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING, TRANING, MOTIVATING AND REWARDING STAFF IN DAVENHAM GROUP (Finance Company in UK) Davenham Group is a leading specialist, commercial finance company performing its functions in UK. Established in 1991 and divided into

Supply and Demand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Supply and Demand - Essay Example The law of demand in economics states that with all aspects (tastes, expectation, and income) held constant; highly priced commodity will have a low demand (D1). Whereas, that of supply argues that with an increase in supply, the price (P1) of commodity will significantly reduce. An increase in demand (D2) along the curve of supply results to increase in the price (P2) of commodity; and a higher equilibrium quantity. Similarly, a reduction in the level of supply (S1) leads to a shift of the demand curve; to a high price on the equilibrium and a reduced equilibrium quantity. Efficient market theory refers to an analysis in a free market system regarding behavior of prices. It is tasked with the responsibility of determining whether prices accurately reveal essential information; necessary in determining the proper allocation of limited resources among diverse uses (Slee, 2011). Surplus implies that the capacity in demand is lesser than that supplied; whereas shortage exists when the quantity demanded is lesser than that supplied. In addition, in a situation where surplus exist there will be a constant drop of prices; similarly, shortage influences increased pricing (Market Equilibrium

Quantitative Research and Black Males Essay Example for Free

Quantitative Research and Black Males Essay On the run: Wanted men in a Philadelphia Ghetto. American Sociological Association, 74(3), 339-357. After reading the article, it was clear that it was written to give insight on what really happens in black neighborhoods and how daily lives are affected. Goffman’s (2009) purpose is to show that, â€Å"Although recent increases in imprisonment are concentrated in poor Black communities, we know little about how daily life within these neighborhoods is affected† (p. 39). Additionally, there are no research questions directly stated, but are implied throughout the article as to how exactly prejudice and racism towards the black communities can affect a black person’s life and to those around him. The major independent variable in the analysis is that over the years, young black males with little or no education have been imprisoned at least once in their life. The number of people being incarcerated keeps growing. The dependent variable ,or effect, of this cause is how being incarcerated even just once, can affect their daily lives in getting employment and always being on the run because of fear of being incarcerated again. The article did show theoretical frameworks as part of the literature review which focused on young uneducated black males. This article focused on the failure of young black men’s color, on how they could get arrested just by being seen as a black male. Other research and/or studies would focus on the â€Å"ghetto,† not just as a black male ghetto, but possibly people from other origins who live in ghettos such as Latino gang members. Goffman (2009) focuses only on black male gender theory. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in the article. For quantitative methods, a percentage of black males being imprisoned were shown. As evidence, Pettit and Western (2004) stated, â€Å"30 percent of those with only high school diplomas have been to prison, and 60 percent of those who did not finish high school have prison records by their mid-30s,† (p. 39). Wildeman (2009) also stated, â€Å"One in four Black children born in 1990 had a father imprisoned,† (p. 339). For the qualitative method, Goffman (2009) used descriptive events and places that she was actually involved and observed in. The research design made the article more understanding and interesting by giving us a clear picture of how pe rcent numbers grew for black males being incarcerated and how the outcome of it affected their daily lives. In order to obtain information for the article, Goffman (2009) would actually spend time hanging out with young male men who had a record of being incarcerated and living in a bad neighborhood where cop surveillance had increased. Goffman (2009) would be, â€Å"spending most of my waking hours hanging out on Chuck’s back porch steps, or along the alley way between his block and Mike’s block,† and â€Å"for the next four years I spent two and six days a week on 6th street and roughly one day a week visiting members of the group in jail and prison,† (p. 42). The data collection Goffman (2009) obtained consisted of observations and actually taking field notes with the young men’s consent, although she would not directly ask questions. Goffman (2009) used quotes of what people would say by, â€Å"typing it down directly onto a laptop or by using a cell phone text message,† (p. 342). She also interviewed lawyers, police officers, probation officer s and a judge to get more research information for the article. Goffman (2009) analyzed the data she obtained by observing actual events that went on in Black communities and placing them in the article very descriptively. They were systematically described by the events being in order and giving readers a clear view of imagining what exactly was happening. As a result of all the evidence put together, Goffman (2009) found out that because black males had been incarcerated they were the main target of being incarcerated again because of their color, due to this fact they live in fear of going back to jail and are always on the run. They cannot keep a decent life and those around them such as family, friends, and girlfriends use the fact that they can be incarcerated again to their advantage to get money, keep them â€Å"in check†, and to get payback if they’ve been done wrong by them. Goffman (2009) also stated that, â€Å"Young men also turn their wanted status into a resource by using it to account for shortcomings or failures that may have occurred anyway,† (p. 354). These findings are accurately and adequately described so that readers can evaluate the claims and have a good picture of how their lives are affected. The research findings matter to me in a sense that I now have a much broader understanding on what black males go through in the type of neighborhoods that they live in. I was able to see how prejudice and racism also play a big role in young black male men being the target of being incarcerated. The issue in American society that may have shaped this article and research is racism because due to a male’s color they are automatically suspected of doing something wrong and whether or not they’ve done something wrong at the time they are taken to jail. Very much creditability should be given to the research and findings of this article because it helps us see the side of the story we did not know about. The research is solid and very useful because it helps us understand how and why young male black men live in fear and can’t lead a normal life without actually being caught by authorities. Goffman’s (2009) article helps provide a new outlook on how lives are in fact affected in Black neighborhoods.

Impact of Digital Technologies on Communication

Impact of Digital Technologies on Communication Abstract The present age in which we live has seen a massive proliferation of digital communication technologies and pervasive computing devices which have made an impact on all aspects of the way people live. Individual life styles have been changed and by extension, the society at large has evolved with changes being noticed in societal culture. Technology has brought about changes to the way people work, enjoy their leisure activities, get educated and interact with each other. Because the digital mediums for communications have become affordable and readily available to all, the manner in which individuals interact with others at the personal or business levels have also been transformed. Face –to- face meetings and interactions are becoming rather infrequent, with such meetings being reserved for special occasions and for special people. On the other hand, finding new people to interact with especially over the internet has never been easier. The neighbourhood has experienced chan ges with residents preferring to stay at home while keeping in touch with their community on the cyberspace. An individual can assume a different identity and experience a different reality in virtual space which can make it possible for them to take risks in relationships. The peripheral relationships of the virtual space can sometimes develop into friendships which can result in interactions in the physical space. Relationships which may have never developed or which may have disintegrated are made possible and kept alive through the use of digital technologies including the mobile phone, the internet and the fax. The community to which one belongs is not necessarily the physical neighbourhood but it may be a global virtual community. This paper attempts to take a look at the changing nature of interpersonal communications in the digital age which has transformed interpersonal relationships and the society at large. The electronic revolution and the digital age of communications started off at the end of the twentieth century with many advances taking place in the fields of telecommunications, computers, digital technology and information technology. The digital revolution resulted in the availability of devices such as the mobile phone, the personal digital assistant or the PDA, satellite communications and the digital television. Internet and the World Wide Web, with its email and conferencing capabilities, as well as the wireless local loop came to be widely used around the world. The availability and proliferation of these devices meant that individuals and the society at large were shaped by the possibilities for new forms of social interactions and social group formations through the medium of the available technologies. It was now possible to have a different sort of a community which could support rapid interactions using mobile and telephone conversation, email, SMS messages, teleconfer encing and videoconferencing, with participants either being on the move or living in geographically distant areas. Enhancements in technology meant that leisure activities were shifted to the home and it was not essential to go to the pub in order to fulfil a desire for social interaction (Wong, 2004). The availability of the handheld internet capable mobile phones has also brought further changes to society and the manner in which individuals interact because it is now possible to communicate through a number of mediums regardless of where an individual may be. Although the costs of having access to the digital communications and computing technologies had created a digital divide, the situation is getting better by the day with mass production resulting in reduced prices for hardware and a larger base of subscribers reducing charges for digital network connectivity. The availability of the digital devices of the pervasive computing age has meant that the manner in which individua ls interact has also changed because, although it is very easy to contact others, non-verbal signals are diminished as a result of the relatively higher costs associated with video communications. Also, the geographic distances between those involved in interactions may mean that there is a limited understanding of the overall picture associated with the locality or region and the communicators may not be in synchronism with each other. Usually physical proximity had been a requirement for individuals to initiate and maintain interactions and a stable dwelling place was required for the more intricate social interactions to be possible. However, the cyberspace has made it possible for an individual to have a permanent virtual address regardless of their physical whereabouts and this personal space is accessible as long as an individual has the capacity for accessing the internet (Geser, 2004, Pp 1-5). The added capabilities related to communications that have been made possible by d igital technology have meant that new commonalities can now be found relatively easily in order to drive interpersonal communications. This is, however, an evolving process and commonalities that have been developed as a result of personal interactions, culture, language, former association related to work or education as well as possibilities for mutual gain etc are still the drivers for the initiation of interpersonal communications. It is the length of interactions and the possibilities related to physical proximity as well as future interests that are the main drivers for more complex forms of interactions which can be aided by digital technology. Interpersonal bonds of solidarity and cooperation can be established with geographically distant groups and this process has been assisted by the availability of mobile devices which are an advanced evolution of the fixed line telephone as well as the internet. Whereas the fixed line telephone was more attuned to reinforcing the social integration of fixed and stable settings, the mobile phone provides greater freedom. The Theory of Communicative Action by Habermas states that society consists of participants who are attempting to reach a consensus. In the past, the participants in a society were restricted to those who lived within close geographic proximity because they were the only participants who could attempt to reach a consensus. However, the digital age has now made it possible for participants from anywhere to attempt a consensus if desired and the concept of society, friendship and acquaintances for an individual has been very much extended (Alexander, 2002, Chapter 4). Most of the communication that takes place using digital medium is not rich if the message is based on email, SMS or voice only communications. Media is ranked on its ability to carry information and hence the ability of a message to develop or change understanding within a period of time. Face-to-face communications are the richest form of communications while faxes, emails, written text and telephone conversations are considered to be less rich. Participants in interpersonal communications now have a choice related to the medium which they can utilise for their interactions and most initial or routine communications are usually conducted most effortlessly using the less rich digital mediums. With the continued evolution of digital technologies, the richer media will become more widely available and participants to interpersonal communications will be increasingly able to indulge in richer interactions effortlessly. Emotion is present in the less rich media which is prevalent today but it is embedded in text and symbols which need to be studied and deciphered. Individuals who have been used to the richer communications have to learn the intricacies of the new digital media in order to learn to express themselves better. The generation which was born in the digital age or the Cyber Kids seem to be more capable of interacting adequately on the new mediums as compared to the older generation. Richer experiences in communication are only undertaken if the participants have a desire to indulge in such interactions due to having a common past or the initial digital contacts seem to hold promise. Hence, on the surface there is an impression that the society has become more reserved with less socialising but there can be a lot of communication or activity that is not visible. Email communications encourages critical thinking on the basis of a greater level of equality because the social context cues are not present in the message. Social construction of reality and so cial structure is therefore moving towards a greater level of equality in being able to communicate and interact widely because of the availability of digital technologies at least at the initial levels of contact. There are no preferred hours for contact with the electronic text communications and it is considered to be acceptable to send in a message at any time which can be viewed and considered by the recipient. In the past, individuals thought it appropriate to meet in the most appropriate settings for an occasion that could enhance communications. Today they are likely to consider what medium they should select in order to communicate. The decision to select a medium for communication is likely to be based on how well the participants in the communication know each other and their experience with a medium. Social influence with participants in communications is likely to increase with the time that the participants have known each other. The use of email or electronic text can have subliminal messages attached to the text and may convey informality, urgency, authority as well as legitimacy, much like the body language in face-to-face communications. The ability to use web cams and add instant pictures to communications over the internet or when using a mobile phone can add to the level of richness and information that is being exchanged. Scanned documents containing handwriting or sketches attached to email text also add to the information content, but there can be doubts about their authenticity unless they can be verified. Because the existing knowledge base of an individual is employed in critically evaluating lean messages, therefore less rich messages can become meaningful if there have been previous inputs about the communicator. As a result of the massive proliferation of digital technologies, the society at large has started to use these technologies as a matter of habit, transforming the manner in which individuals interact (Alexander, 2002, Cha pter 5). Digital wireless communication technologies have been the greatest drivers for change and spatial mobility. The number of mobile phones has far exceeded the number of television sets and even the least developed African nations now have more mobile wireless phones then land lines. The capabilities associated with the modern mobile phones are being constantly enhanced and they are very likely to become mobile devices with multimedia capabilities that are able to replace mobile computers with a capability for exchanging voice, text, pictures and a lot of other content in the digital format. The feature rich prevalence of mobile phone technology is the highest in Japan which leads Europe and the United States. Those who are introduced to mobile phones gradually progress from emergency and routine use to the more expressive use for communications. Many â€Å"grooming calls† are made every day in order to maintain relationships which would have not been possible without the technol ogy. These calls are made to confirm that a relationship exists by expressing solidarity, sympathy, concern and affection. The cell phone is used along with a variety of other media including email, SMS, snail mail and face-to-face meetings. Social contacts for otherwise well adjusted individuals are possible even during absence due to work or other causes. Hence, established relationships can be continued and new ones formed quickly if there is a basis for their formation. Switching off a mobile phone may be an expression for indicating the importance that is attached to individuals who are in the current interaction. On the other hand, cell phones also enable the user to control relationships by being able to make choices related to friends. All digital technologies permit an ability to control communications along with making interpersonal communications more effortless. Unlike email communication, the mobile phone is less likely to assist in the creation of new relationships and mostly assists in the maintenance of the existing ones. Communalistic relationships that have existed are easily perpetuated over the mobile phones which can also be used for spontaneous gossip at all times. Women tend to use the phone much more often in order to spontaneously contact their friends then men. Mobile phones can act as an umbilical cord and present an alternative to the traditional ways of passing time. Older people usually prefer voice calls while younger people tend to use the text messaging feature of their mobile to keep up with their group using special symbolic and linguistic language. The mobile phone may be used for short business conversations and long personal intimate conversations with a higher level of certainty about the identity of the communication partner then can be possible with email. Role switching is possible with an office worker acting as a mother using the mobile from her office. The ability to selectively receive calls provides a high level o f control on who is admitted to the inner circle of friends. However, having a mobile means that there is a responsibility for being available and answering to those who attempt to initiate a contact, although the owner can switch off if they so desire, causing concern amongst those who may have tried to initiate a contact. Communication is, therefore, made possible when it may not have occurred due to the efforts that may have been involved in contacting an individual. In Japan, SMS messages are used to form complex and peripheral relationships in which individuals never meet and virtual girlfriends can be introduced through a phone, replacing friends in real life. However, such peripheral friendships mean that there is a tendency towards the development of a very formal society with individuals finding it difficult to form real relationships. Cell phones also make it possible to have fluid arrangements and have meetings at short notice. In South Korea, it is common for workers to have spontaneous parties after work that are arranged through the cell. Nomadic intimacy is made possible for individuals who are constantly on the move including sailors or international business people who can contact their friends at any port of call. In studies undertaken in Japan evidence has been recorded that the Cyber Kid generation which was born after 1985 with internet phones and modern digital communications may be loosing the traditional Japanese virtue of giving due regard to context and situation when communicating. Their preferred interpersonal communication technology is the internet capable mobile phone and this requires whatever is to be said to be communicated regardless of the situation. This is in stark contrast to the pre-war generation whose preferred method of communications is to have face-to-face meetings and written letters with all the regard for the person and the complexities of a situation. Hence, there is ample evidence that the evolving digital tech nologies have changed the manner in which individuals conduct interpersonal communications around the world (Geser, 2004, Pp14 -16) and (Wong, 2004, Pp 75-81). Because of the widespread use of the text-only digital communication technologies that are the most prevalent in the present age, the personality of the communicators changes when they enter the virtual space and send email or other text messages. Along with the personality of the parties to the interpersonal communications, the reality also changes from physical reality to virtual reality. Much more freedom is available on the internet when using email communications because it is possible to hide the physical identity of the communicators. Risks can be taken with what is being said and discussed. The virtual space provides an opportunity to interact with individuals of many different cultures and social backgrounds. The symbols and the text messages are easier to understand if the participants in the communications that are taking place in Cyberspace have a common understanding of the use of language and symbols as well as the expectations that are associated with the conduct of in teractions. The electronic medium which may have been selected imposes selectivity by amplifying or reducing various phenomenon of the world, but the choice of the medium says something about the kind of personality that the communicator wants to present. If sufficient effort is invested, casual encounters over the internet can develop into intimate relationships. This is, however, more likely in a situation where there is little of interest that is available in the immediate physical world. Because there is a growing trend for the modern digital communications technologies to be widely adopted by businesses and the society at large, the chances of physical interactions becomes diminished as compared to interactions on the virtual space. Hence, the manner in which interactions and communications used to take place in a society at large is changed by technology and so also is the manner in which relationships are formed and maintained (Leaning, 2004). Digital divides exist between us ers and non-users of a technology as well as the experienced users and those who are the relatively new users of a digital communication medium. Digital divides can also exist because of culture, limited earnings and levels of education. Women have a tendency of using the phone more frequently and a lower tendency to use the internet. New immigrants in countries with a well developed digital communications infrastructure, especially women have a tendency to shy away from using the communications technologies that are widely available and tend not to have access to computers, resulting in loneliness and a lowered capacity to integrate. Internet and mobile phone users and non-users are not the same set of people and tend to have infrequent communication between each other. The society, however, has a preference for a proliferation of the internet over the mobile phone with governments attempting to promote the proliferation of internet connections rather then subsidising mobile phone connectivity. Hence, interpersonal communication has indeed been transformed by digital technologies and those without access to these technologies have difficulties assimilating and interacting with others in a society (Rice, 2003). The neighbourhood today is no longer the place that it used to be. Studies have indicated that in North America, many neighbourhood communities do not interact across racial lines. As an example, African-Americans and White Americans who live in the Nashville area do not interact across racial lines, preferring instead to develop relations with friends outside the neighbourhood (Wellman, 2001, Pp 16). The community of workers that work for the same employer do not live in the same neighbourhood and car, plane, fax, mobile as well as the internet permit relationships to be maintained outside of a neighbourhood. Hence, a change has occurred in the society as a result of technology. Cheap transportation technologies and not just digital technologies have made interactions at the local level unnecessary and individuals are constantly on the move, changing their residence every so often. Neighbourhood ties are, therefore, weak ties and stronger ties are with family and old friends from th e younger years. These ties are maintained through digital technologies and not as a result of interactions arising out of living near by. The cities are very large settlements of people who are more interested in seeing to their economic success by working at well paid jobs and living in decent neighbourhoods. It is the communication technologies which make the modern lifestyle possible unlike the olden days when it was just not possibly have the freedoms that are available today. Community has, therefore, left the neighbourhood and may even exist globally. Community interactions do not take place in public places but have moved inside the home where emailing and phone calling as well as the use of web cams keeps the interpersonal relationships alive. The trend for neighbourhood socialising is on the decline not just in the Americas, but also in Japan and the Middle East. Although informal ties can exist with thousands of people, relatively few are close ties that are actively main tained. Technology provides an enhancement of choices related to the milieus in which individuals can participate. Most ties are now maintained with individuals who have shared interests and the personal support group could be widely dispersed. The choices related to the ability to select those in close relationships were simply not available in the past without the digital communication technologies. Parents and children often provide the strongest support in a family, although they rarely live close by when the siblings have grown. Communities are in constant flux and the migration from third world countries into the developed world has meant that there is a trend towards global interpersonal communications or contacts with friends or acquaintances of the same background. The internet has become an integral part of daily life and has broadened the community. Initial contacts by email can result in phone contacts or face-to-face meetings. Internet groups do provide support to membe rs, especially those who may be somewhat isolated in a new locality and this support has been known to reduce depression. Support is still provided to people who have weak ties with online communities and stronger ties are possible especially amongst those people who have previously met. Groups of people interacting over the internet can get more personal or intimate with the passage of time. High bandwidth wireless has made it possible to assume an internet identity which can be accessed from anywhere in the world, a new city, a hotel room or a new office and old relationships are maintained even with movements over vast distances. The power of the computer mediated person-to-person contact is set to increase with a tendency to invisibly maintain and strengthen community links of choice (Wellman, 2001, Pp 30-45), (Alexander, 2002, Chapter 6) and (Sessions, 2000). It can, therefore, be safely concluded that the evolving digital communications technologies have indeed transformed the way in which interpersonal communications are conducted and maintained, with even more surprises lying ahead. Because of changes that have taken place in personal communications, the society at large and its culture is also being transformed (Wellman, 2001), (Sessions, 2000) and (Wong, 2004). References / Bibliography Web Sources Alakeson, Vidhya et al. (2003). â€Å"Social Responsibility in the Information Society†. Digital Europe. April 10, 2005. http://www.digital-eu.org/uploadstore/theme_reports/social_report.pdf Alexander, Patricia Margaret. (2002). â€Å"Towards reconstructing meaning when text is communicated electronically†. University of Pretoria. April 9, 2005. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-08192002-155431/ Anton, Annie I and Collin Potts. (2004). â€Å"Requirements Engineering in the Long-Term: Fifty Years of Telephony Feature Evolution†. 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(2004). â€Å"Explaining the Global Digital Divide: Economic, Political and Sociological Drivers of Cross – National Internet Use†. Guillen, Mauro F and Sandra L. Suarez. April 10, 2005. http://emertech.wharton.upenn.edu/Working_Papers/InternetPolPaper5.SocForces.pdf Hamilton-Piercy, Nick and S. V. Vasudevan. (2004). â€Å"All-Digital: Whether and How to Get There†. Big Bang Networks Inc. April 9, 2005. http://www.bigbandnet.com/documents/Transition_to_the_All-Digital_Network.pdf Hector, Chris. (2004). â€Å"The Use of New Technology and Rising Inequality in New Zealand: Evidence from Unit Record Data†. University of Waikato. April 10, 2005. http://www.vms.vuw.ac.nz/vuw/fca/vms/files/HectorChris%20.pdf Kiroff, Lydia. (2004). â€Å"IT and E-Architecture – A Technological Breakthrough, A Technology Race or a New Paradigm in Business†. UNITEC Institute of Technology. April 9, 2005. http://buildnet.csir.co.za/constructitafrica/authors/Papers/w78-017.pdf Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. (2004). â€Å"Interpersonal Communication 2004†. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. April 10, 2005. http://www.erlbaum.com/Catalogs/InterperCat04.pdf Leaning, Marcus. (2004). â€Å"The Influences of Technology: Understanding how technology contributes to who we are online†. Interdesciplinery.net. April 10, 2005. http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/ati/Visions/V1/leaning%20paper.pdf Mason, Shana, M and Kenneth L. Hacker. (2003). â€Å"Applying Communication Theory to Digital Divide Research†. IT and Society. April 9, 2005. http://www.stanford.edu/group/siqss/itandsociety/v01i05/v01i05a03.pdf McDaniel. (2004). â€Å"Cyberspace†. University of Western Ontario. April 10, 2005. http://publish.uwo.ca/~mcdaniel/weblinks/cyber.html Melissa Caals. (2003). â€Å"A Critical Review of Research into Differences between Men and Women in the Use of Media for Interpersonal Communication†. University of Aberdeen. April 10, 2005. http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/msc0201.html Moore, Andrew. (2005). â€Å"Language and Technology†. Andrew Moore. April 10, 2005. http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/lang/languageandtechnology.htm Net Life Research Group. (2004). â€Å"Net Life Resources†. Net Life Research Group. April 10, 2005. http://www.informatik.umu.se/nlrg/nlr.html PCMLP, Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy et al. (2001). â€Å"Preventing the Digital Television and Technological Divide†. PCMLP. April 9, 2005. http://www.net-consumers.org/erica/files/study.pdf Rees, Jim. (2002). â€Å"People and Productivity: Making the Connection†. American Teleservices Association. April 9, 2005. http://www.us.randstad.com/global/doc/JR_Keynote_October_8_2002.pdf Rice, Ronald E and James E. Katz. (2003). â€Å"Comparing internet and mobile phone usage: digital divides of usag

Affirmitive Action :: essays research papers

The debate over affirmative action is a debate over the conflict of rights. This conflict of rights makes a clear-cut ruling or decision on the subject almost unattainable. However, there can be arguments made both for and against affirmative action.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Supporters of affirmative action claim that racism and sexism can only be overcome by taking race and sex into account in finding a solution. They think that giving everyone equal rights is not enough to overcome the burden. Therefore, for everyone to be truly equal some people must be given certain benefits. So in hiring, acceptance to college, and other related things, businesses or colleges must hire or accept applicants on the basis of sex and race. In doing so they should give preference to blacks, women, and other minorities. This preference in hiring and accepting to level out the playing field is often called equality of results. Lately, affirmative action has taken the role of trying to diversify the environment of jobs and colleges.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other hand, you have people who do not believe in or support the idea of affirmative action. They believe in the equality of opportunity rather than the equality of results. Equality of opportunity means that everyone should have the same rights and opportunities from the beginning, and what the individual does with those rights is up to them. People that do not agree with affirmative action often argue that if it is wrong to take away rights on the basis of race or sex, then it would also be wrong to give extra rights or preference to someone on the basis of their race or sex. This reverse discrimination seems to go against the principle it was founded on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Naturally, the Supreme Court has gotten involved with this controversial issue. Out of the twelve major Supreme Court cases that have been heard, half have been upheld and half have been overturned. The major issue in the courts has been whether or not a quota system set up by the government would be legal. Most who support affirmative action think a quota system would be necessary, and conversely those who do not support affirmative action would not support a quota system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There have been mixed rulings in the Supreme Court so it is still hard to say whose side is right. In 1978, 1989, and 1993 the Supreme Court ruled against a quota system in the workplace.

Students Should Study Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay

Mark Twain published what scholars still consider one of the greatest American literary works in 1885, and in that same year it suffered its first banning (Zwick). â€Å"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is essential to the understanding of the American soul,† Victor Doyno states on the jacket of Random House’s comprehensive edition of the novel. If Huckleberry Finn is so indispensable, then its having been opposed from the beginning of its life seems more than a little surprising. At first, the strife was caused by many objecting to the friendship between Huckleberry Finn, the white protagonist, and Jim, an escaped African American slave, in addition to the grammar upon which many critics of the time frowned. As our society experiences changes in priorities, taboos, and social trends, the points of concern shift, and no longer do critics grimace at an interracial friendship; instead, they attack the racism supposedly present (Chadwick). A number of students, parents, and, on less frequent occasions, teachers claim that Huckleberry Finn possesses racist overtones and try to have it removed from school libraries and the curriculum. Despite the controversy, Huckleberry Finn, in which Twain delivers an honest depiction of the 1800’s, maintains its stance as a classic piece of literature beneficial to a student’s education (Chadwick). The shallowest and most prevalent argument involves the repeated, some attackers say excessive, use of the word â€Å"nigger,† which appears over two hundred times (Zwick). Today, the word is unquestionably one of the most offensive expletives in use; the book, however, was not written for this decade, or even this century, and it certainly was not intended to be a written prediction of the future. Huck... ...nd hopefully in another century, his writing will continue to enlighten future students. WORKS CITED â€Å"Blackface: The Minstrel Tradition.† Louisville University. 12 March 2003 http://www.louisville.edu/~afcren01/blackface.html>. Chadwick, Jocelyn. â€Å"Why Huck Finn Belongs in Classrooms.† Harvard Education Research Letter Online. November 2000. 10 February 2003 http://www.edletter.org/past/issues/2000-nd/huckfinn.shtml>. Gregory Leslie. â€Å"Finding Jim Behind the Mask: The Revelation of African American Humanity in Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.† Ampersand. 13 July 1998. 12 March 2003 http://itech.fgcu.edu/&/issues/vol1/huckfinn.htm>. Salwen, Peter. â€Å"Is Huck Finn a Racist Book?† Salwen Business Communications. 1996. 10 February 2003 http://salwen.com/mtrace.html>. â€Å"Stereotype.† Def. 2. Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary. 1997.

Pepsi America Case Study Essay

1. The following listed factors made PepsiAmericas to adopt a more aggressive attitude towards the utilization of transaction data to run the business. * Growth in product variety from 35-40 to nearly 400, * Lowering of PAS profit margins, * Recession in U.S economy, * Decline of U.S market for carbonated soft drinks, * National Clients like CVS, Wal-Mart and Mobil Gas Stations preference of highly centralized procurement arrangements, * Hard to track product flow on various process like distribution, sales, raw materials and so on. PepsiAmericas Before Its Investment in BI| PepsiAmericas After Its Investment in BI| Operations: 1. Manual and much of human efforts. 2. Operation like supply was time consuming and hard to perform. 3. Operation like supply was not meeting the requirement or was over.| Operations: 1. Automatic Operations were performed that reduced time and effort. 2. IT tool like SCM helped to meet customer requirement. 3. Tools like MM helped to manage material flow along with supply.| Management and Control: 1. Process and manpower management was tough due to large in quantity. 2. Distributors were unable to fetch retailers’ requirement. 3. Material cost  was high and profit margin was going down. 4. PAS was unable to communicate with its business processes as a platform.| Management and Control: 1. ERP helped to bring all the business processes under one umbrella. 2. ERM helped to manage employee resource. 3. Tool like CRM helped to get customer information and satisfaction. 4. SDM helped to management sales and distribution based real time need data.| Planning, Corporate Learning, and Innovation: 1. Supply used to be based on distributors’ past flow. 2. System planning was made by senior managers without the use of IT tools. 3. Had lots of challenge in business.| Planning, Corporate Learning, and Innovation: 1. Use of SCM, helped to lower down the distribution cost. 2. The ERP use reduced the raw material cost. 3. Profit margin became high.| 4. The role of Decision Support Systems (DSS) on enabling the success of PepsiAmericas can be * Supported in business and organizational decision-making activities. * Helped to compile useful information form raw data, documents, personal knowledge and business models. * Made automated decision processes possible. * Quick respond based on real time. * Task oriented service. * Avoided mistakes and maintained Customer Relationship. Listed are the benefits features of DSS enhanced management and control based on long-term strategic planning within the firm. * Back-end-transaction system with real-time data will tune up the business for long term. * Contribution on the continuous improvement of ongoing firm business processes and services. * Knowledge in CRM, SCM, and data-driven decision making. * Continuous data mining within the business.