Analysis Of Pam Jenkins, Steve Kroll Smith, And Vern Baxter

In Left to Chance the authors: Pam Jenkins, Steve Kroll-Smith, and Vern Baxter attempt to fill a book with details from the events leading up to and the aftermath of hurricane Katrina without explicitly talking about race. This is a new take on writing about hurricane Katrina because most books and articles out there use race as a backbone in describing how devastating the storm was. This decision was beneficial to the overall message of the book because even though the authors never brought up race, the people who were interviewed brought it up on their own volition, which consequently brought the issue of race along for the ride in the entirety of the book without the authors never having to explicitly say, â€Å"because they were black.† This perceived notion that race was a huge piece in the puzzle that was the newly decimated New Orleans, shows that even though there is a book that existed in all intents and purposes to NOT focus on race, race was obviously a very prevale nt reason in why African Americans suffered the worse in the storm. Furthermore, the authors made an intelligent choice in deciding to choose two economically different black neighborhoods to focus their book on instead of writing about two poor, black neighborhoods, two white neighborhoods, or one white and one black neighborhood. The reason for this is because the two economically different black neighborhoods prove that it wasn’t just a monetary reason for why African Americans were so devastated by the

Modernism Defined in T.S. Eliots The Love Song of J....

Modernism is by no means easy to define. In fact, no one is exactly sure if the movement has even ended yet. But that’s befitting of the period, as well as the pieces of literature that serve to define Modernism. Two pieces, T.S. Eliot’s â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† and James Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead†, are epitomes of this modernism. In both, the main characters are paralyzed by an inability to communicate, even while speaking. Whether through Prufrock’s musings concerning love life, or Gabriel’s inability to evoke certain feelings out of his wife, both men experience this effeminization of the intellect and communication. But where does this communicative castration begin? Most likely, in the bustling metropolises and dehumanizing†¦show more content†¦Therefore, the identity-less J. Alfred Prufrock and Gabriel Conroy, through various literary techniques, are shown to be in a perpetual decadence, as are their surro undings. In this vein, I will exemplify in T.S. Eliot’s â€Å"J. Alfred Prufrock† and James Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead† how, firstly, the main character’s stories are similar in metaphorical movements represented by their physical environments, secondly, how these characters differ from antithetic Romantic characters, and lastly, how both men’s relationships are affected by their decadence of identity. In both pieces, we see a downward movement in the narratives that are either represented by, or happen in, the physical world. In Eliot’s poem, the storyline begins â€Å"spread out against the sky†, followed by a yellow mist that â€Å"slides along the street† (ll. 2, 24). Soon after, the narrator says he should be â€Å"scuttling across the floors of the sea† and by the end of the poem he has done just that, saying â€Å"We have lingered in the chambers of the sea† (ll. 74, 130). The movement from the sky to t he bottom of the sea is crucial to the poem. One might interpret it as a decent into a hell of sorts, psychological or otherwise. Regardless of interpretation, we can feel the narrators increased torment and agony at falling into this chasm of nonidentity. There is also a

Organizational Culture and Innovation Behavior †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Organizational Culture and Innovation Behavior. Answer: Introduction This report analysis is based on various aspects of human resource management, which include strategies of human resource management, design of the organization, ethics and culture of the organization, organizational behaviour of the employees, performance management and motivation. Strategic human resource management is the mainly the process of rewarding, attracting and developing and ultimately trying to retain the employees for the advantage of the employees and the organization (Alvesson Sveningsson, 2015). Strategic human resource management program is designed by an organization to support the organizational goals and the goals of the employees. This program contributes in the success of the organization. It aims in utilizing the opportunities and the talent in the human resource department of the organization to add strength to the other departments so that they become more effective. This helps in developing the training and recruitment plans for the organization. This is the process of utilising the HR techniques to create a stronger organization (Armstrong Taylor, 2014). This analysis will be done based on the case and problems related to MiningCo. The effect of the introduction of performance management programs in the organization will be analyzed. Further, the issues of retaining employees in the isolated sites will be taken into consideration. A team to manage the crisis in the situations where there is a talent gap will be formed. The rewarding system of the team will be discussed (Azanza, Moriano Molero, 2013). The problems related to retention of the employees in the organization, the organizational culture and the design of the organization is discussed. The impact of external factors on the structure and employees of the organization is discussed in detail. The analysis of this report is aimed towards the board of MiningCo. and the recommendations and solutions to these problems is provided. MiningCo. is a company which mainly has its operations in locations which are isolated. The staffs of these locations attend work in a rotational basis. The first case is about the analysis of the impact that the implementation of a performance management system has on the motivation level of the staff working in these locations. Human resource managers in an organization perform the activities related to the development of the performance of the employees and motivating the employees. Performance is one of the initiatives taken by the human resource managers to track and improve the performance of the employees, which in turn improves the performance of the organization (Bratton Gold, 2012). Performance management program in an organization involves activities like, setting the goals, reviewing the progress of the employees with respect to these goals, communicating with the employees in a regular basis, giving feedback to the employees regarding the improvement in their performance, implementing programs for the development of employees and further rewarding the achievement of the employees. Performance management can be defined as the systematic way by which the thorough performance of the organization is improved with help of the improvement of the employees in the organization. It is the way by which superior performance is promoted with the help of communication of the goals to the employees and by defining the roles to be played by them in the achievement of these goals. Performance management system came into play from the 1980s. Performance management or total quality management programs is important for an organization so that superior standards can be achieved and quality of the performance of the employees can be improved (Bschgens, Bausch Balkin, 2013). There are a series of steps involved in the performance management system, mainly, Development of job descriptions which are clear for the employees and also developing performance plans which comprises of two main components which are, performance indicators and key result areas (KRA). The selection of the correct people with the implementation of suitable recruitment process. Working out the goals and the standards of performance so that the overall productivity and the outcome can be measured with respect to the set benchmarks. Recognizing the needs for training and development programs and also measuring the results achieved according to the standards that have been set and implementing programs required for the development of employees. Discussing the development of performance of the employees in a quarterly basis and further evaluating their performance in the basis of the performance plans set by the organization. Effective system of rewards and compensation designed to recognize the employees and motivate them. Support for career development and guidance provided to the employees. Trying to understand the reasons for displeasure of the employees towards the organization, so that the problems can be solved and the employees can be retained in the organization (DuBrin, 2013). It can be said that performance management system is the platform that is set to reward the excellence of the employees by mainly aligning the achievements of the employee with mission of the organization and its set objectives and further helping the employee and the organization to understand the importance of a particular job and also realizing its outcomes. The expectations of the performance of the employees including the actions, behaviours and results are depicted clearly to the employees with the help of this program (Goetsch Davis, 2014). It helps the employees in understanding the expectations the organization has from them and the jobs that need to be performed to fulfil these expectations. Performance management system is a proactive process by which the performance of the employees can be managed to drive the employees and the organization towards the desired goals and results (Haines St-Onge, 2012). This system needs to be implemented in the location of MiningCo. so that the staff can be educated about the goals and objectives of the organization. Further, their performance is tracked based on the achievement of these goals. As a Senior HR Executive of the company, I would like to recommend that a performance management program needs to be implemented in this location of MiningCo. I would like to develop a team, which will have the task of tracking the performance of the employees based on the targets that they have been provided which are aligned to the goals of the organization. Further, the team will also implement any development programs which is required for the employees to achieve the targets or goals. This program will help the employees in tracking their own performance and further achieve their goals which will contribute in the development of the organization. This case is based on the problem related to employee cross-over or rotation of staff in the isolated locations of MiningCo. which work as single entities. The sites, which are facing the mentioned problems, are those in Greece and in the Middle East. The financial crisis in Greece had started from the year 2009, which was the result of the financial crisis that had taken place globally in the year 2008. The source of this crisis was the mismanagement, which took place in the Greek economy and also the finances provided by the government. The problems increased because Greece was a member of the Eurozone, which did not permit total control of the monetary policy to the Greek government. The financial crisis in Greece was a result of an array of debt crises that took place from the year 2008 (Karanikolos et al., 2013). The monetary policy of Greece was not under control. The economy was booming and the credits or loans were easily accessible. The two main causes of the financial crisis that took place in Greece are, The government of Greece was eroded due to mismanagement of economies, including many fraud cases and public accountability was also absent. The membership of Greece in the Eurozone led to a barrier in the financial and political goals of the country. There was huge mismanagement of economies and the economic performance was not reported correctly (Kinicki Kreitner, 2012). Despite of this situation the investors could not judge the signs of warning, which were, Debt levels which were unsustainable. Extreme levels of public spending. Wages were high, and productivity was low due to which there was a decline in the competitiveness of the country. There was huge increase in credit levels. Tax was evaded in a huge scale. The interest rates of credit taking were low due which there was a lot foreign direct investment. The growth was limited only to the private sector, which was unsustainable. The fiscal deficits increased in the years 2008 to 2010. The interest rates on private and government debts increased. Despite of all this, the Greek government was unable to reduce the rate of interests or underrate its currency to encourage economic growth (Mansfield, 2013). The economic crisis in Greece had an effect on the employment of the country. The sector of paid employment was mainly affected by this crisis. From the year 2008 to 2009 there is a deficit in paid employment levels. The appointment of permanent employees has decreased in these years. Temporary or part time employment has increased (Marchington et al., 2016). This crisis period has led to the rise of unemployment levels in Greece. The unemployment levels have doubled in the recent years. The numbers of labours have also deteriorated. The reason being that the work was uninsured, there was a lot of insecurity, payments were less and many more (Trevino Nelson, 2016). The reason behind the low rate of staff rotation in the site of MiningCo. in Greece are as stated in the discussion. The other problem is the resignation of the senior executives from the site in the Middle East. The main reason behind this is the presence of ISIS in this area. ISIS has grown in the Middle East in the recent years and as a result of this, the violence in this area has increased. The areas of Iraq and Syria have become war zones. The reach of the jihadist terrorism has increased over the years (Gause, 2014). The rise of ISIS in the Middle East has been increased based on many factors which include the spread of discrimination, the regression faced by Syria and Iraq and the different interests of many international and regional powers in this area. The rise of ISIS began from the year 2011. The protests that were organized by this group were able to attract millions of people. The initial promises made by the group which attracted so many people in the protests was not fulfilled. All these factors led to a lot of chaos in the Middle Eastern countries. This had an adverse effect on the development of these countries and the industries related to these areas. Oil industry is the main part of the economy of Iraq (Smith, 2015). The economy is mainly state dominated. The labour market is mainly dominated by the public sector as compared to the private sector. The economy is mainly driven by the oil production in the country. The presence of ISIS can therefore have a negative impact on the industrial development of Iraq and the Middle East at large. As the HR Executive of this organization, I would therefore like to recommend an increase of security for the senior officials working in the sites in the Middle Eastern areas. In case of the sites in Greece, the labour problems can be solved by appointing more part time employees who are temporary rather than full time permanent employees. This process will be cost effective for the company and the work will also be done effectively by the employees with the help of proper training. The third case that is to be analyzed is the formation of a crisis management team who are capable to manage any type of talent gap in the site. A crisis refers to an unexpected or unforeseen event that leads to major chaos among the employees of an organization. When this situation occurs within an organization, it is called organizational crisis. This can also be referred to as an emergency which requires immediate action (Miner, 2015). This situation can affect the individual or a group of people or the organization at large. The reasons due to which a crisis can occur in an organization are as follows, Failure of technology or machine breakdown, software corruption, password errors. Crises can also occur when there is a dispute or disagreement among employees of the organization. This can lead to strikes or boycotts. The situations caused due to thefts, violence or terrorist activities are also a part of crisis. Minor issues that are neglected by the organization in the beginning, can result in a major crisis. Illegal activities of the employees which include frauds, bribery and tampering of information by the employees can lead to a crisis in the organization. Crisis also arises when an organization is declared bankrupt due to non-payment of dues (Nahavandi et al., 2013). Crisis management is the process of coping with the unforeseen events that disturbs the work process of the employees and of the organization. Crisis management helps the organization to prepare themselves and the employees to deal with the sudden events. This helps the employees to adjust themselves to the changes that occur in the organization (Nelson Quick, 2013). Employees are able to comprehend and examine the problems that have led to the crisis in the organization and deal with it as early as possible. Crisis management programs help the managers to plan the strategies so that they can come out of the crises and take proper action. Managers can also feel the signs of the problems that can occur in the organization which can lead to crisis (Pinder, 2014). There is a specific model for crisis management as proposed by Pratt and Gonzalez-Herrero. Three different stages of Crisis Management Model were identified (Pullen Rhodes, 2015). These are, The first step of crisis management involves the detection of the crisis indicators. The duty of the managers or leaders is to identify these signals of warning which leads to crisis and also train them in such a way that they can face these situations with determination and courage. Reviewing the performance of the employees is done in this step (Sparrow, Brewster Chung, 2016) The next step in crisis management involves the process of planning. Action is taken by the crisis management team and strategies are devised to cope with the crisis. The final step in this process involves the adjustment process of the employees. The employees need to adjust to the new situation in the organization and adapt to the changes (Storey, 2014). This crisis management model is implemented in the organization by a crisis management team. A crisis management team is constituted to safeguard an organization from the harmful effects of a crisis. This team tries to strengthen the organization so that it can deal with unavoidable risks. Recommendations As a Senior HR Executive of the company, I will recommend that a crisis management team is formed at the isolated sites of Mining Co. so that the team can deal with the issues related to the talent gap in the sites, which is harming the work process in these areas. The team will constitute of a the Head of departments, The Chief Executive Officer, the Board of Directors, Advisors and representatives of the Human Resource department. The main functions of this team will be To detect the talent gap in the sites even before it occurs. To identify the problems of the employees due to which the gap occurs. To discuss the problems directly with the employees. To prepare a plan and also keep back up so that the talent gap can be fulfilled immediately. To motivate the employees so that they can face the situation and can deal with the problems. To support the organization in such a way so that it can come out of any crisis at the earliest. The team will be rewarded by incentives if the problem of the talent gap in the organization is fulfilled before it can create any type of problems for the organization. Conclusion From the above discussion I will conclude that the problems faced by MiningCo. can be solved if the mentioned ways are implemented. Performance management system will help in motivating the employees so that their performance can be improved based on the examination of their previous achievements. Further, this will help the organization to retain the employees who are suitable for its functions. The problem related to resignation of Senior Executive can also be solved by providing them with extra security in the vulnerable sites. The crisis management team will support the organization at time of an emergency. References Alvesson, M., Sveningsson, S. (2015).Changing organizational culture: Cultural change work in progress. Routledge. Armstrong, M., Taylor, S. (2014).Armstrong's handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers. Azanza, G., Moriano, J. A., Molero, F. (2013). Authentic leadership and organizational culture as drivers of employees job satisfaction.Revista de Psicologa del Trabajo y de las Organizaciones,29(2), 45-50. Bratton, J., Gold, J. (2012).Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave Macmillan. Bschgens, T., Bausch, A., Balkin, D. B. (2013). Organizational culture and innovation: A meta?analytic review.Journal of product innovation management,30(4), 763-781. DuBrin, A. J. (2013).Fundamentals of organizational behavior: An applied perspective. Elsevier. Gause, F. G. (2014). Beyond sectarianism: The new Middle East cold war.Brookings Doha Center Analysis Paper,11, 1-27. Goetsch, D. L., Davis, S. B. (2014).Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson. Haines III, V. Y., St-Onge, S. (2012). Performance management effectiveness: practices or context?.The International Journal of Human Resource Management,23(6), 1158-1175. Karanikolos, M., Mladovsky, P., Cylus, J., Thomson, S., Basu, S., Stuckler, D., ... McKee, M. (2013). Financial crisis, austerity, and health in Europe.The Lancet,381(9874), 1323-1331. Kinicki, A., Kreitner, R. (2012).Organizational behavior: Key concepts, skills best practices. McGraw-Hill Irwin. Mansfield, R. (2013).Company strategy and organizational design. Routledge. Marchington, M., Wilkinson, A., Donnelly, R., Kynighou, A. (2016).Human resource management at work. Kogan Page Publishers. Miner, J. B. (2015).Organizational behavior 1: Essential theories of motivation and leadership. Routledge. Nahavandi, A., Denhardt, R. B., Denhardt, J. V., Aristigueta, M. P. (2013).Organizational behavior. Sage Publications. Nelson, D. L., Quick, J. C. (2013).Organizational behavior: Science, the real world, and you. Cengage learning. Pinder, C. C. (2014).Work motivation in organizational behavior. Psychology Press. Pullen, A., Rhodes, C. (2015). Ethics, embodiment and organizations.Organization,22(2), 159-165. Smith, B. (2015). ISIS and the sectarian conflict in the Middle East.Economic Indicators,3, 15. Sparrow, P., Brewster, C., Chung, C. (2016).Globalizing human resource management. Routledge. Storey, J. (2014).New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals). Routledge. Trevino, L. K., Nelson, K. A. (2016).Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right. John Wiley Sons.

Modern Political Issues in the Philippines free essay sample

Does MNLF headed by Nur Misuari has a right of title over areas of Mindanao. Moro National Liberation Front or MNLF be it under Misuari or other leader has no right over any part of Mindanao legally speaking. Muslim Mindanao had always been undisputed in any head on battle or war in history. From their pre-colonial autonomy up to the present incessant rebellion against the national government, they are always marked by triumph and non-withering spirit. They tactfully and secretly wished for independence but not to the extent of jeopardizing the nation. However, the Jabidah Massacre slapped the abhorrent and painful issues kept inside the hearts and minds of our Muslim brethren. Deep inside, they are rebelling for being discriminated, marginalized, and forsaken. Then Nur Misuari or Chairman Nur united them under Moro National Liberation Front in the aim of getting the national government to listen and listen intently. After a widespread bloodshed, both sides took a halt and decided to bring the issues squarely on one table. We will write a custom essay sample on Modern Political Issues in the Philippines or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was one of the longest talks literally because it was done first in Malaysia, then in Turkey, and finally in Libya. Hence, the Tripoli Agreement. The Tripoli Agreement was basically a mutually agreed Yes’ and No’s of both parties. It ordered for a detailed autonomous act to be legislated by the Congress. When it was signed in Manila, the war was officially over. As the national government’s dedication to peace and accountability, the Congress did enact RA 6734 (An Act Providing for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) and RA 9054 (An Act to Strengthen and Expand the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) as an amendment to the latter. ARMM then became a fully and legally functioning regional government. All was well except for the fact that there had been another uprising from a splinter group of MNLF which is the more aggressive Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). They wanted more so they said, but Chairman Nur argued that MILF is but another intrusion from the imperial police government of Malaysia. Whatever and whoever is behind this movement, it doesn’t change the fact that it claimed more lives and hindered progress especially in the island of Mindanao. So the national government faced another toll and after years of fighting, they are back around that table again. This time, in Malaysia and this time, without MNLF. Now that the Framework Agreement is nearing completion, MNLF felt betrayed and legally violated by this peace process. They waged another war even though the government talked with them again and this time the venue is Indonesia. I believe that MNLF has no legal right over any part of Mindanao. There had been no clause or section in the Organic Act for ARMM mentioning that. However, it could be deduced that the government committed a fatal error befriending MILF and alienating the other. This could be another history repetition. Who knows what arm uprising would be organized again and under what name. Peace in this island will never be achieved if the national government does not change its perspective. Muslims here in Mindanao have different ethnicities and clans. They are united by one thing, their faith, but they are divided by hundred other issues. Never alienate anyone. Finally, this may sound a little over the top, but it’s high time we confront the issue of foreign intervention in our national affairs. It would be very comical having to find out that we are actually settling our brotherly disputes in a bully’s yard. 2. Does Philippines have rightful ownership over Sabah? Cite legal and Historical Basis. Philippines is the rightful owner of North Borneo. Historical Perspective: North Borneo was originally owned by the sultan of Brunei. In 1700’s, there was rebellion in the country and the Sultan of Sulu helped him by sending his soldiers. As token of gratitude and as a tradition, he gave a chunk of his property to the Sultan of Sulu. This was divided into two and the other chunk was given to another sultan who sold it to a Dutch businessman and is presently owned by Indonesia. The remaining lot is the one we call Sabah under the Malaysian government. This was leased or â€Å"padyak† to a British businessman who established British North Borneo Company in 1878. Right after the country was declared independent after Japanese colonization, the United Kingdom claimed Sabah as part of the Crown colony from being a Protectorate. In the 1960’s, during the presidency of Pres. Diosdado Macapagal, the sultan of Sulu transferred the sovereignty of North Borneo to the National Government fearing that United Kingdom will hand over the Sabah right to the newly independent nation of Malaysia. The rest is history as they say although it is surely clear that Philippines owns Sabah or North Borneo so to speak. Legal Basis: There is a little doubt for me on our ownership’s legality. If we are going to cite the historical evidence of our ownership, there would be no question at all. It had been talked about over the news after the Lahad Datu standoff and was reported that after Pres. Diosdado Macapagal fought our right over Sabah, the claim went status quo. However, there is another side of the story missing. United Kingdom made a move over this dispute; they went to ask residents of Sabah to decide whether to be part of Malaysia or the Philippines. The result was a little inaccurate and that was the time when the United Nations stepped in. UN and ICJ have this modern approach in settling territorial disputes. Historical basis are not given so much weight because almost every side will provide authentic document supporting their claim: Philippines giving documents saying that we only leased it and Malaysia saying that padyak means selling and the payment made even until today is just a part of what had been agreed during the negotiations that the heirs will be given royalty fee or that sort. In the spirit of democracy and/or majority rule, another plebiscite was held and the locals decided to embrace Malaysian government. This was the reason why we did not include Sabah in our territory even when we transitioned to the 1987 Constitution. The Sultanate of Sulu is firm on their stand that Sabah should be given back to us. They said that the Lahad Datu incident was a mere protest on the Malaysian government abuse to the locals of Sabah who originated from Southern Philippines. This time they are sure that we will win given another plebiscite. However, Malaysia is not compromising and is not willing for another talk. Who would want to if what is at risk is a parcel of land contributing 23 percent of your GNP. As for me, the alarming thing brought about by this dilemma is how the Philippine government is addressing it. The administration is showing its teeth to the sultanate just to tell the international community that we can handle our national issues and that we have this internal stability. â€Å"Palagi na lang tayong tuta ng ibang bansa; kailan pa tayo magigising aso? † (Princess Jaycel Kiram). 3. Why UN through US interested in nuclear weapons of North Korea? The United Nation will always knock on any nation’s door to make sure that the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons or Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is adhered to. This has been in effect since 1970 and signed by 190 countries except for India, Israel, Pakistan, and South Sudan. North Korea acceded to NPT although it was reported that it never complied to it. This stubborn communist country has taken an on-and-off pledge for the nuclear disarmament. However, there had been serious report that they are trying to miniaturize nuclear bombs to fit into a missile and to change their use of plutonium to the untested and feared uranium. These bold moves are causing unrest to its neighboring countries especially South Korea and the whole world in general. One missile launch would create a massive havoc and devastation that would render most of the countries defenseless (not unless your country is a closet nuclear developer). That would be reason enough for the whole global community to fret and be aggressive.