Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Implementing Effective Line Management

Implementing Effective Line Management The relevance of the Human Resource Management (HRM) has been exceptionally important and pivotal in maintaining a smooth working atmosphere of an institution. In large organisation with thousands of employees, there are hierarchy of power and work distribution. As the number of employees increase, the importance of managing them efficiently and maintaining their morale becomes more crucial to maximise the productivity. All organisations have their own work culture, rules and regulations, formal and informal approaches in dealings with situations. The Human Resource (HR) policies define the flexibility of the functioning of its personnel in each of these issues. The scope and success of these depends largely on the line manager, as he acts as an intermediary point between the HRM and the normal employees. For Mintzberg and Quinn (1998), a managers general work involves performing regular duties like ritual and ceremony, negotiations, and the processing of soft information (Mintzberg and Quinn, 1998). In the current working scenario, the role of the line manager is much more than just oversee and delegate staffs; they have to take provocative measure on coaching, team building and achieving targets both social and financial. According to Fred Luthans and his associates (1988) there is a great difference between an effective manager and successful manager. They had researched on 450 managers around the world. The managers who had a good network were considered as more effective in Australia whereas in US the managers who seek information from colleagues and employees- even if its negative and who explains their decisions are considered the most effective (F. Luthans, R. M. Hodgetts and S. A. Rosenkrantz, 1988). Formerly we will try to indentify the work pattern in the emirates organisation and the employees working atmosphere. Then we will try to analyse the pattern to find the areas of improvement, the organisation might be able to adopt. Finally we will try to analyse the effectiveness and changes that might happen by implementing the proposal. Formulation of HR Strategy How do we implement effective line management in organisation? Effective people management Who is a line manager (LM)? What is the relevance of such a position in an organisation? LM are not normally given this title in any of the organisations that employ them. In fact, depending on the business sector, they can be known by a variety of different titles. According to Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) the more common descriptions for line managers are team leader, team manager or supervisor (Business Link, 2010). In general we can say that the role of a LM is a more of a mediator in between the management and employees and helps in maintaining a proper work flow in organisations. Managing the work force of an organisation is the core essence of the smooth running of the business. As the organisation grows in strength of the employees the need for hierarchy and power distribution is vital. Supervisory training and development continues to be a major concern in organisations of all types and sizes. The changes of all kinds necessitate continuous updating of knowledge and skills, as well as changes in attitude (Donald L. Kirkpatrick, 2001). In order to assess the standards and performance of the employees the line manager plays a major role. The HR department conveys the strategic plans to the line manager to get implemented. Emirates group with an employee strength of more than 40,000 and mainly being in the field of aviation and related services have to be diversified into different departments. Each department have been further sub-divided into Managers and normal employees. The managers consist of line managers who are personally responsible for the employees under him/her. Employing more than 100 nationalities they have a huge diversity in work force like the gender, skills, and of more personal traits. Trends of devolution in recent years As per Tyson and Fell, the role of personnel management has evolved from a clerk of work in 1960, 1970s as contract manager and 1980s more like a business manager in 1980s. In the first two years the authority vested in line managers with the branch manager control through personnel and line managers moving to widespread integration. They also said that personnel managers facilitate enabling other management work to occur, whose principal skills lay in their timing of applying techniques, and their ability to sell their services to client line managers/top executives (Renwick. D, 2000) The integration of HRM activities into the Business and corporate strategy is a key element in the business, the integration being the degree to which HRM issues are considered as part of the formulation of the business strategy and development as, the degree to which HRM practices involve and give responsibility to the line manager rather than personnel specialists (Budhwar. P. S., 1998). With the growing trend it can be suggested that a more likely outcome of giving line managers more personnel responsibilities is that the role of the HR specialist will change from that of watchdog of corporate policy and procedures to one of adviser to service managers (Harris. L. et al., 2002). What HR activities get devaluated? The middle level managers are expected to know and perform in perfect co with liaison with the high level management and lower level employees. This naturally results in expecting them to do more than they might be have normally done. For example for a divisional sale manager who is handing a section in an organisation like the Emirate Group, he will be responsible to maintain the sales targets as set his superior manager and maintain the relation with the international clients. These job can be terms us the regular jobs. Apart from these regular job, they will be expected to do several work related to the workforce under him like the maintenance of workforce planning, like to arrange cover for employee who are ill or on holiday, sort the grievances in the work places like the difference in opinions, update the management or the work progress, responsible for safety of the sub-ordinates and help with recruitment process of the HR division. The work force planning includes jobs like the attendance, roaster preparation, leave management, overtime sheet preparation, and timesheet preparation. The jobs like training the sub ordinates and their exit procedures are mostly handled by the line managers. They will also be partly responsible to get the quality surveys from the employees and remind them to do it during delays. The growing demand on the performance of the managers is to do personal training at the time needed. They will have to individually monitor their subordinates on their performances and grade them on the basis of performance and productivity taking into consideration their customer relations skills, analytical skills and risk assessment skills. In finding a need for professional training, they will try to educate them during the regular work hours or send them to more specific training in the training centre offered by the organisation. In the event of an employee not successfully completing an external training, he will be expected to explain and reassign them to a re-training. The benefits and the increments of the subordinates will be assigned to them on the basis of his recommendations after the evaluations. The welfare and safety of the sub-ordinates are mostly considered as the responsibility of the immediate managers in the organisation. With the increased pressure of maintaining a low expenditure for the organisations at times, the managers are devaluated for the incredible amount of jobs they handle and recently we can say that it has become one of the industry norms to go the extra mile. Job Analysis Why devaluated? The centrally developed personnel procedures are considered to be a key means of ensuring managerial consistency in minimising litigation risk while devolving operational HR responsibilities. This system has been considered as one among the most suitable practice in audit of HR professional activity in the public sector. The LM being enforced to take decisions has to be after give adequate training to them to handle such situations. By giving the proper training and raising their awareness the managers will become more aware of legal and organisational impacts of different actions (Harris. L et al., 2002). This will prevent them from acting unethically and also help in maintain a healthy work culture. The increased pressure for line managers tends to make them devaluate some of their responsibilities to supervisors. This creates a pressure and the notion for them that they are doing more than they are supposes to do. According to Brewster and Larsen (2000) there are five main reasons for the devolution of HRM to the line managers. The elements are to reduce costs; to provide a comprehensive approach to HRM; to make the managers more accountable; to speed up the decision making process; and it is an alternative to outsourcing the HM activities. Budhwar recognises the effectiveness of the decisions by the quick implementation due to its complexities and preparing future manager as some additional features of the devolution of HRM. (Budhwar. P. S., 1998). The priorities and motives of the organisations and the approach towards these have evolved through the past decade. Maintaining a low operation cost has become a key element in the agenda. It has become one of the deciding factors of the efficiency of the organisations. The increasingly sophisticated consumers demand higher quality for both commercial and public sector organisations. The success of the long term success should focus more to operate on product and service quality rather than on cost or price alone (CIPD report, 2006). In a study Cleyman, he found that a high rate of grievances were filled in departments characterised by repetitious work, low skilled employees, work that demanded constant attention, generally unpleasant working conditions (Cleyman. K. L, et al. 1995). Implementing the disciplinary and grievance procedures provides a clearer and transparent framework to deal with difficulties which may arise as part of the working relationship from either the employers or employees perspective. It will act as a corrective measure to lead the employees in alignment with the organisational values and help in taking the corrective measures at the earliest (CIPD, 2010). Problems and issues Balance of work and personal time. The work and non-work time of the managers have been blurred creating a sense of over pressure for their profession. The line managers are expected to draw out the responsibilities and over perform more than their contract. The definite line of work timing has become vague over past couple of years. With the introduction of latest technology, like the Blackberry and laptops, having access to company information they are expected to work beyond the normal working hours. In a huge organisation like the Emirates Group, the company never sleeps and the employees work around the clock for the normal functioning of the airport. This again is an inherent nature of the business. Being equipped by the latest gadgets the managers who might be remotely controlling different regions will be contacted round-the- clock by the employees if they have any queries in operations. Thus their effective working hours are extended much more than the actual working hours. This encroaches the personal time of the employees and will cause distress. The practical solution to minimize the effect of this is by empowering the employees with decision making power. They are allowed a degree of flexibility and encouraged to make logical decisions. To support this there can be regular training, seminars and support to improve and update the technical knowledge and ethical behaviour. Todays managers needs to create an ethical healthy climate for his or her employees, where they can do their work productively and confront a minimum degree of ambiguity regarding what constitutes right and wrong behaviours (Stephen P Robbins, Timothy A Judge, 2007). Implementation The Organisational Vision It is our people that make the difference in terms of results, says the Chairman of the Emirates Group, H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum (The Emirates Group, 2010). Gary Chapman, President Group Services and Dnata, states Employees are the key to success of any organisation and we here in the Emirates Group know this well. That is why we put such great emphasis on vocational training and development to ensure our people are equipped to do the job well. The recognition of the value of employees and taking steps in insuring their welfare would be a key element in maintaining a optimum and impressive corporate culture. After-all all machines and technology bough by the organisations are brought to life by its employees. Human Resource Business Support teams ensure effective employee relations through professional compliance with policies and procedures, while the Remuneration and Planning team ensures the Group has practices that will enable us to attract and retain a high calibre workforce, across all locations (Emirates Group Careers, 2010). The company equips the staffs with latest technology and manages the recruitment process by consulting with the concerned managers over their short and long term staff requirements. The department also provides expert guidance to manager in the use of assessment tools and in the recruitment decision making process, to ensure alignment with the HR policies and practices and the values and competencies required in all those recruited globally into the group. The line managers should have a clear picture of the organisations vision. The recruitment process We achieve what we do because of our people. We choose them very carefully, and just as important they choose us very carefully (Maurice Flanagan, 2010). In the expansion of the institution, the need for more human resource becomes prominent. The recruitment process begins by finding role and function of the extra personnel. After the acceptance of the application and the primary selection process and categorising the person to the section according to their talent, the line managers of the prospective sections should be involved in selection of the candidate. By adoption of this step it would make the line manager comfortable in analysing the person for how capable he is and how well they will integrate with their team.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Karen Horney: Her Life and Work Essay -- Feminine Psychology Essays

Karen Horney: Her Life and Work Karen Horney, a psychoanalyst perhaps best known for her ideas regarding feminine psychology, faced much criticism from orthodox Freudian psychoanalysts during her time. Robert Sternberg said that creativity is always a â€Å"person-system interaction† because many highly creative individuals produce products that are good, but that are not exactly what others expect or desire. Thus, creativity is only meaningful in the context of the system that judges it. If this is true, I believe that Karen Horney made truly creative contributions to the field of psychology, and particularly to the domain of psychoanalysis. She broke rules in a domain that was itself fairly new, and in doing so presented ideas that have been in use to this day. She did so in a system that bombarded her with a fair amount of criticism because her ideas were different from those that Freud and his disciples supported. However, she made her mark as a master in her domain and has managed to have a nu mber of her ideas incorporated into ego psychology, systems- theory, and a number of self-actualizing schools of psychotherapy. Howard Gardner has studied many creative masters within the context of his theory of the three core elements of creativity. These include the relation between the child and the adult creator, the relation between the creator and others, and the relation between the creator and his or her work. Karen Horney’s childhood and adult life have been reflected in much of her work. She was born in 1885, the end of the Victorian era. Horney’s father was a â€Å"God-fearing fundamentalist who strongly believed that women were inferior to men and were the source of all evil in the world† (Hergenhahn & Olson... ...usly shaped her personality and later influenced her psychoanalytic theory. In turn, her personality affected her relations with others in her domain, her family, her peers, her critics, and her supporters. It allowed her to obtain and hold prominent positions in psychology and to help countless patients. Horney took much pride in her work; she refused to allow orthodox Freudian doctrine and its supporters to prevent her from voicing the theories that she carefully constructed from years of personal introspection integrated with observations of societal influence. References Gardner, Howard (1993). Creating Minds. New York: Basic Books. Hergehhahn, B. R. and Olson, M. H. (1999). An Introduction to Theories of Personality. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Rubins, Jack L. (1978). Karen Horney: Gentle Rebel of Psychoanalysis. New York: The Dial Press.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Research paper about Marijuana Essay

Marijuana marijuana or marihuana, drug obtained from the flowering tops, stems, and leaves of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa (see hemp) or C. indica; the latter species can withstand colder climates. It is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world, following only caffeine, nicotine, and alcoholic beverages in popularity. In the United States, where it is usually smoked, it also has been called weed, grass, pot, or reefer. The Plant C. sativa grows as a common weed in many parts of the world, and drug preparations vary widely in potency according to climate, cultivation, and method of preparation. Mexico, Paraguay, and the United States are the top marijuana-producing nations worldwide. C. indica is a shorter, hardier variety with rounded blue-green leaves, grown in Afghanistan for hashish. Most marijuanas grown in the United States since the late 1980s are hybrids of the two and yield a much more potent product than the marijuana of the past. The resin found on flower clusters and top leaves of the female plant is the most potent drug source and is used to prepare hashish, the highest grade of cannabis. The bud of the female plant, called sinsemilla, is the part most often smoked as marijuana. The Drug The effects of marijuana vary with its strength and dosage and with the state of mind of the user. Typically, small doses result in a feeling of well-being. The intoxication lasts two to three hours, but accompanying effects on motor control last much longer. High doses can cause tachycardia, paranoia, and delusions. Although it produces some of the same effects as hallucinogens like LSD and mescaline (heightened sensitivity to colors, shapes, music, and other stimuli and distortion of the sense of time), marijuana differs chemically and pharmacologically. The primary active component of marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), although other cannabinol derivatives are also thought to be  intoxicating. In 1988 scientists discovered receptors that bind THC on the membranes of nerve cells. They reasoned that the body must make its own THC-like substance. The substance, named anandamide, was isolated from pig brains in 1992 by an American pharmacologist, William A. Devane. Marijuana lowers testosterone levels and sperm counts in men and raises testosterone levels in women. In pregnant women it affects the fetus and results in developmental difficulties in the child. There is evidence that marijuana affects normal maturation of preadolescent and adolescent users and that it affects short-term memory and comprehension. Heavy smokers often sustain lung damage from the smoke and contaminants. Regular use can result in dependence. The Legalization Question With the increase in the number of middle-class users in the 1960s and 1970s, there came a somewhat greater acceptance of the view that marijuana should not be considered in the same class as narcotics and that U.S. marijuana laws should be relaxed. The Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 1970 eased federal penalties somewhat, and 11 states decriminalized possession. However, in the late 1980s many states rewrote their drug laws and imposed stricter penalties. Beginning in 1996, however, a series of states began enacting medical marijuana laws (two fifths of the states now have one), and in 2012 voters in the states of Colorado and Washington approved the legalization of marijuana. Opponents of easing marijuana laws have asserted that it is an intoxicant less controllable than alcohol, that our drug-using society does not need another widely used intoxicant, and that the United States should not act to weaken UN policies, which are opposed to the use of marijuana for other than possible med ical purposes. In 2013, Uruguay became the first nation to legalize the growing, selling, and use of marijuana, a move it undertook in part in an attempt to undermine drug cartels. Uruguay’s legalization, which was a source of controversy in the country, also was critized by international authorities for contravening treaties to which Uruguay was a party. Medical Uses Controversy surrounds the medical use of marijuana, with proponents saying it is useful for treating pain and the nausea and vomiting that are side effects of cancer chemotherapy and for restoring the appetite in people with AIDS. Its active ingredient, THC, was synthesized in 1966 and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1985; synthetic THC is available by prescription in pill form as dronabinol (Marinol) and nabilone (Cesamet). Proponents of medical marijuana say it is not as effective as the herb and is more expensive. In addition to THC, another cannibis derivative (or cannabinoid), cannabidiol (CDB), is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and also moderates THC’s psychoactive effects. A 1999 U.S.-government-sponsored study by the Institute of Medicine found that marijuana appeared beneficial for certain medical conditions, such as nausea caused by chemotherapy and wasting caused by AIDS. Because of the toxicity of marijuana smoke, however, it was hoped that further research might lead to development of new delivery systems, such as bronchial inhalers. A number of studies since 1999 have shown that smoked marijuana has pain-reducing effects when compared with marijuana stripped of its cannabinoids. The Office of National Drug Control Policy has opposed legalization of the medical use of marijuana, citing law enforcement issues and the possibility that some would use it as a pretext to sell marijuana for nonmedical use, and the FDA said in 2006 that, despite the 1999 report, that marijuana â€Å"has no accepted or proven use in the United States.† Proponents, disregarding the law, have set up networks for the distribution of the drug to people who they judge will be helped by it and continue to lobby for its legalization for medical use. In 1996 California enacted the first state law permitting the use of marijuana for medical reasons, and about one third of the states now have some sort of medical marijuana legislation. As a result of a Supreme Court ruling in 2005, however, these laws do not protect medical users with a prescription from federal prosecution. In 2009 Attorney General Eric Holder ordered that federal prosecutors not focus on persons who  clearly comply with state medical marijuana laws, but federal law enforcement officials have moved to close many so-called marijuana dispensaries despite compliance, arguing in part that many prescriptions for marijuana are not justified medically. Another, lower court ruling permits doctors to discuss medical use of marijuana with their patients but forbids them to help patients obtain the drug. A number of countries, including Canada, permit the medicinal use of the drug. History of Marijuana Use Marijuana has been used as an agent for achieving euphoria since ancient times; it was described in a Chinese medical compendium traditionally considered to date from 2737 BC It also has a long history of use as a medicinal herb. Its use spread from China to India and then to N Africa and reached Europe at least as early as AD 500. A major crop in colonial North America, marijuana (hemp) was grown as a source of fiber. It was extensively cultivated during World War II, when Asian sources of hemp were cut off. Marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for various conditions including labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. Its use as an intoxicant was also commonplace from the 1850s to the 1930s. A campaign conducted in the 1930s by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs) sought to portray marijuana as a powerful, addicting substance that would lead users into narcotics addiction. It is still considered a â€Å"gateway† drug by some authorities. In the 1950s it was an accessory of the beat generation; in the 1960s it was used by college students and â€Å"hippies† and became a symbol of rebellion against authority. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified marijuana along with heroin and LSD as a Schedule I drug, i.e., having the relatively highest abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Most marijuana at that time came from Mexico, but in 1975 the Mexican government agreed to eradicate the crop by spraying it with the herbicide paraquat, raising fears of toxic side effects. Colombia then became the main supplier. The â€Å"zero tolerance†Ã‚  climate of the Reagan and Bush administrations (1981–93) resulted in passage of strict laws and mandatory sentences for possession of marijuana and in heightened vigilance against smuggling at the southern borders. The â€Å"war on drugs† thus brought with it a shift from reliance on imported supplies to domestic cultivation (particularly in Hawaii and California). Beginning in 1982 the Drug Enforcement Administration turned increased attention to marijuana farms in the United States, and there was a shift to the indoor gro wing of plants specially developed for small size and high yield. After over a decade of decreasing use, marijuana smoking began an upward trend once more in the early 1990s, especially among teenagers, but by the end of the decade this upswing had leveled off well below former peaks of use.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

For our controversial topic we chose the question “Is...

For our controversial topic we chose the question â€Å"Is attention deficit disorder (add/adhd) a legitimate medical condition that affects childhood behavior?† Although everyone has their different opinions toward a topic that has been controversial in the recent years the information stated today will be information given by professionals that have looked into depth at this problem. As a group we have developed the people whom agree with this and the ones who disagree. First off we had Ashley, who was determined to prove that ADD/ADHD is a medical condition, telling us about people that have the same opinion. Lluvia, however also has some information to make us believe it is not a medical condition. Everyone has their own opinions, but they†¦show more content†¦The medication has been found to be more than 75% effective and many times it has responded to be 90% effective. This shows how children who have been diagnosed with ADHD have gradually gotten better by taki ng the medication given to them (Rapoport). The medication provided for the ADHD diagnoses is Ritalin. It has allowed children to completely change their focus and work well at home and at school. Which also helps the child do better and to have better behavior. Evidence also proves that it is a strong gene that can be carried on. The next myth is that ADHD is a feminine conspiracy for boys to behave like girls (Fukuyama). Though Ritalin can be shown to decrease the sex gap, the drug is proven to be extremely effective. Many of the children who have the disease suffer on a daily basis. The drug allows them to have a chance at coming close to a normal life. People also claim that ADHD is a way for public schools to warehouse their problem kids rather than taking disciplinary measures and that states should pass laws that restrict schools to recommend Ritalin. The response was that people who do not have children who have the disease do not understand what a neurological problem it r eally is. Kerri Houston who has two children with the disorder and is a part of the American Conservative Union describes ADHD to be like having 30 T.V’s on at the same time and the medication turns 29 of themShow MoreRelatedInvestigating The Truths Behind Violent Or Delinquent Behavior3409 Words   |  14 Pagesbeen a controversial topic for several years, however, as time has passed so has the demand for proof or disproof of the relationship. One of the most important reasons for the need to define this relationship is to uncover the truths behind violent or delinquent behavior. Also, it is important that we can weed out people who make false claims that their genes are responsible for their actions in order for us to appropriately distribute penalties or treatment. Another reason is that if we do findRead MoreStatement of Purpose23848 Words   |  96 Pagesgreater or lesser degree, the topics numbered below. Always follow, of course, the prompt provided by the school. So me schools may ask you to devote more or less space to one or more of these topics. For example, the prompt for students applying to the Zoology and Botany graduate programs at the University of Florida asks—tells—applicants that the statement of purpose is very important and they should focus on future experiences, not on past experiences. As you develop topics one through six, also considerRead More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 Pageswritten permission of the publisher. Thomson Higher Education 10 Davis Drive Belmont, CA 94002-3098 USA For more information about our products, contact us at: Thomson Learning Academic Resource Center 1-800-423-0563 For permission to use material from this text or product, submit a request online at http://www.thomsonrights.com. Any additional questions about permissions can be submitted by e-mail to thomsonrights@thomson.com. Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11 10