Research Topics: Examples Of College Essay

Sample Essay Data Management System Controls the Organization’s Data Storage Retrieval Security and Integrity in a Database

Summary             Data management system controls the organization’s data storage, retrieval, security and integrity in a database. This system accepts user request, instructions, and queries; instructing the system to transfer appropriate data.      The report aims to analyze the issues involves in data management system and the best possible solution in order to solve such issues. The report also includes system documentation that documents the system flow. This system documentation serves as the manual for the end-users in using the system. Introduction             Camber field Country Club is a private owned business that has been operating for the last five years. The club is located in Adelaide Hills with one hundred full time members, about fifty casual members and is frequently visited by guest at an increasing rate annually. The Club is known for the best services it provides their members and guest alike. Members and guest can enjoy the club’s swimming pool, golf course, tennis court, massage, and fine dining restaurant.             Due to the increasing number of members, the amount of efficient data storage space requires to be increase. A new data management system has been designed and developed to meet the growing needs of the end-users. Replacing the conventional manual system with a computerized system would dramatically decrease the total amount of data storage space, and would eliminate data redundancy that would result in data integrity and security. Furthermore, data would be accessible and efficient.             The new system will be computerized and automated in order to meet the ever growing demands of the customers. Automating the conventional manual process will make Camber field Country Club will allow the company to be more competitive in today’s technology based market competition. The computerized system will make customer service fast and efficient, and will make bill computation reliable and accurate. System Development Timeline             System development covers many activities that general work together as an important unit in the outcome of the system. All these phases play a vital role in system development. The table below includes the different phases and the activities done during a phase. The allotted timeline for completion of a certain phase is also included in the table:   1st Month 2nd Month 3rd Month 4th Month 5th Month Activity                                         Data Gathering                                         System Design                                         System Coding                                         System Testing                                         System Audit                                         User Training                                         Implementation                                           Data Gathering             In this phase, all the required data of the system are gathered through various research and interviews. The gathered data represents the daily manual business transactions conducted by Camber field Country Club. These data will also represent each field in the system database. Data gathering will be done for the first month of the project to ensure that all the necessary data are reliable and gathered accordingly.  System Design             In this phase, the interface of the system is designed. System design is based on user requirements (user requirements are gathered in the data gathering phase). The physical appearance of the system is developed in this phase. System design should not take long; while on the second week of data gathering process, system design should be initiated. System design should start at the 3rd week of the 1st month of the timeline. This is due to the reason that data gathering needs more time, than system design. System Coding                     After system design is finished, system coding should start immediately. System coding and testing is a joint process. System coding is a trial-and-error process. Such process eliminates system errors and ensures system reliability. System coding should consume the second month of development timeline. System Testing             System testing ensures that the system will be reliable and error free. This phase also starts at the 2nd month of the process, consecutive with system coding. The 3rd month of the development timeline will also include system testing. Intensive testing will eliminate program bugs and errors. System Audit             System audit is an important phase in system development because auditing documents the performance of the system from testing. System Training             System training is a vital phase before system implementation. System training ensures that the end user of the system has the necessary skills required in operating the system. System training will provide the end-users with such skills and having such skills, the end-users can use the system’s full functionality. Camber field Country Club will fully benefit to the system if the system requirements are met and if possible exceed its expectations. System Implementation             This phase is the final system in system development. In this phase the new system will be implemented. Implementation requires new hardware and software compatible to the requirements of the new system (such as more powerful desktop and devices). This will resolve the issue of compatibility. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Sample Essay Data Management System Controls the Organization’s Data Storage Retrieval Security and Integrity in a Database

Summary Data management system controls the organization’s data storage, retrieval, security and integrity in a database. Th...

Sample Analysis on the Effectiveness of Lean Manufaturing and Outsourcing Among International Business Organizations in the ELectronics Industry Essay

Analysis on the Effectiveness of Lean Manufacturing and Outsourcing among International Business Organizations in the Electronics Industry     Introduction and Problem Statement             Globalization has been the current characteristics among business organizations. Geographic boundaries as well as time have been successfully overcome through innovations and advancements in technology as a result of globalization. Profit-seeking organizations across the world are continuously expanding operations in order to extend the reach of marketing and promotion agenda all in the effort to increase the share in consumer base. Business operations at present are capable of delivering the needs and demands of the consumers and clients both in the local and international markets through incessant business reengineering processes. Aggressive market competition across the world is evident among the existing industries in terms of the information management, physical resources allocation, human capital reserves, financial strategies, procurement and logistics concerns, supply chains, sales and marketing objectives, performance goals, social and corporate responsibilities, and levels of customer satisfaction.               The emergence of a global community has been the result of internationalization trends and initiatives among varying political beliefs, cultural orientations, economic characteristics, and environmental consciousness (Kim and Weaver, 2003). According to Teeple (2000) profit accumulation among business organizations has undergone a shift from the national level to the supranational global setting where information and capital resources flow more ceaseless and relentless. As people become more and more conveniently connected, produced goods and services are likewise becoming more and more available in every possible market place in different localities marked with more frequent international travels and the commonness of virtual communication (Porter, 2004). Moreover, the acquisition of basic knowledge, resources, investments, technology, and ethical beliefs became more fluent across different locations where sharing has been the normal and best practice (Lazarus, 1998).                 The end result of the popularity of globalization principles as well as practices led to varying emotional appeals and implications among different individuals as its definitions are associated with various meanings. Changes in the social settings have been witnessed which piloted diverse perceptions, attitudes and beliefs regarding globalization impacts within the continuum of the positive and the negative extremities.  People have different emotive inclinations when asked regarding the concept and impact of globalization. There are those who believe in the in the benefits that globalization brings to existing social communities such as the inevitable and irreversible progress and development of the economy while others welcomed it with hostility as brought about by fears on worse social inequalities within and between existing nations and organizations. But nevertheless, it can not be denied that globalization initiated the trends towards greater international movements in terms of commodity, money, information, and people along with the growth and improvements of technology, organizations, legal systems, and infrastructures.                 According to Lazarus (1998) the literal meaning of globalization rests on the social changes that characterize it particularly when it comes to forms and channels of social interconnection between people along with other cultural, economic, political, and social activities. In this regard, the contextual meanings of globalization range from (1) the communication and social contacts between distant places that creates mutual understanding, (2) freer trade practices across different market economies between and among commercial industries, and (3) exploitative aspects such as prevarication of legal policies and regulations as well as moral norms and principles (Lazarus, 1998). In this respect, globalization characterizes the new world order in terms of more liberal principles and practices, increased innovation in technologies, and large-scale transnational integration (Scheuerman, 2002).         Within the context of the electronics manufacturing industry, globalization trends resulted to excessive competition between and among business organizations that cater to the needs and demands on electronics products and services. The multi-level and large-scale operations among electronics manufacturing companies led to the formation of new business strategies that concern the entirety of the traditional business processes. The search for continuous and sustainable developments, increased customer satisfaction, and faster return on investments as well as the issues and considerations regarding shorter product life cycle, innovation, unpredictable economic trends, and more sophisticated customer specifications necessitated the call for extensive reformulation of business goals and performance objectives in order to endure the demands of the existing market economies along with aims to gain competitive advantage over industry competitors.   At present, business organizations that belong to the international electronics manufacturing industry deal with the implications of globalization through intensive reforms and reengineering initiatives on business processes. The aggressive competition that characterize internationally operating electronics manufacturing companies led to the utilization of various business operation strategies that will best serve the intentions of the business organizations. These include the implementation and application of contemporary operations management schemes and techniques that can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the manufacturing and production processes. Due to globalization trends and the need to produce and manufacture at voluminous levels, quality control issues as well as effective resource utilization plan systems confronts modern operations management approaches. Among the popularly applied operations strategies within the international electronics manufacturing industry include the use of lean manufacturing and outsourcing principles and practices.   Simply put, lean manufacturing quality control system was designed to minimize if not eliminate the material wastes associated with production. The system involves enhancement on the value system of the manufacturing processes in order to create more efficient production practices through minimal waste of resources, labor, and time. Lean manufacturing are most utilized by large-scale manufacturing companies which are concerned with mass production operations (1999). On the other hand, outsourcing is a strategic operation approach that involves the mediation and support of another company in completing business operations through singed contract agreements. Also known as contract manufacturing, outsourcing aims to deliver quality products to customers that at the same time enables the reduction of the amount of incurred expenditures from material purchasing and labor costs. It is a strategic alliance between two companies committed to the execution of collaborative models and techniques (1998).   In this light, this academic research activity aims to compare and contrast the level of effectiveness of lean manufacturing and outsourcing among mass production operations of large-scale and transnational business organizations. More specifically, the research study is geared towards the provision of comprehensive and holistic assessment and evaluation of lean manufacturing and outsourcing practices within the context of business organizations belonging to the international electronics manufacturing industry. The entirety of the research paper focuses on the discussions that will determine which of the two operations approaches is most appropriate within the context of the international electronics manufacturing industry. The research argues that full implementation of the lean manufacturing value system is more effective than the principles and practices of outsourcing in the electronics manufacturing industry.            Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Sample Analysis on the Effectiveness of Lean Manufaturing and Outsourcing Among International Business Organizations in the ELectronics Industry Essay

Analysis on the Effectiveness of Lean Manufacturing and Outsourcing among International Business Organizations in the Electronics Industry...

Sample Strategic Brand Management Theories Applied Essay

TABLE OF CONTENTS   I.      Introduction.. 3 II.     Background of the Company.. 3 III.        Justifications of the Brand Development Decisions.. 5 A.    Segmentation. 5 B.    Targeting.. 5 C.    Positioning.. 6 IV.       Strategic Brand Management Theories Applied.. 7 V.    Brand Design for the Company.. 7 VI.       Brand Equity Management and Sustainability.. 8 VII.      International Implications of the Brand.. 9 VIII.     Critical Success Factors and the Endorsement and Extension Strategy   10 A.    Critical Success Factors. 10 B.    Endorsement  Strategy. 11 C.    Extension Strategy. 12 IX.       Summary.. 12 X.    Bibliography.. 13   I.       Introduction The World Wide Web has become one of the major conduits for businesses to vend their goods in a far greater market range. Major dotcom companies like Amazon. COM has used the internet to build an empire focusing on a basic niche of consumers. Banks and other financial institutions have similarly been employing the net as a means of getting in touch with their core clients. It is in this context that this company, AQCAPS.com, intends to build its commercial identity and reach a range of customers from the four corners of the world. The following presentation is a discussion of the marketing and branding strategy that AQCAPS.com will employ as it launches its business to the public. The following contents of the report will be focusing on the branding and other justifications of the decisions made by the company on its business operations. In the same regard, these discussions will also be supported by theoretical works on branding and business along with consultation with recent studies regarding online businesses and the management of such organisations that use the internet as a platform for vending their goods and services.         II.    Background of the Company The company, AQCAPS.com, is a personal venture made by CAE Dee, a fashion enthusiast and entrepreneur based in Hong Kong. This is one of his many business ventures that deal with the apparel industry. This shows that the head of the company is rather commercially-inclined and possess some remarkable experience on business operations. However, this is merely his first time venturing in the online business marketing. The company concentrates on street fashion and accessories based on the current trends in the market. Specifically, AQCAPS.com intends to focus its attention on headgears and caps for both the male and female demographic. The major products includes traditional caps like flex fit caps, trucker caps, hats, army caps, and visors to name a few. The company founder and CEO CAE Dee do not have any issues on capital for operations and manufacturing as he has set aside a considerable amount to support the venture. Moreover, Dee is also in the process of closing deals with major brands from specific niches from Lactose to Nike to provide the company the rights to distribute their headgears online. The website of the company will be launched in approximately six moths displaying the major products that the company sells. Basically, those in display are products that the company has manufactured themselves. Other distributors and other major brands have yet to be sold as the negotiations are not yet complete. In any case, the orders have been piling in since the company has launched its website. However, the response to the products has been below par as the Dee expected to meet his return of investments within a year. This report will attempt to help Dee and AQCAPS.com to meet his goal and increase the market share of the company. Thus, marketing and brand development initiatives will be presented in the following parts of the paper.           III.  Justifications of the Brand Development Decisions The following discussions will present the segmentation, targeting, and positioning strategies of the company. In the same manner, the justifications on the decisions on employing these strategies will also be given.   A.   Segmentation Applaud (2004, 32) defined the segmentation activity as “the act of dividing a market into distinct groups of buyers.” This indicates the process have to deal with the general market and possible buyers of the products of AQCAPS.com. In looking at the market, it seems that it could be identified and considerably large to acquire some level of profit for the company. With the platform used by the company, i.e. the internet, the consumers could easily reach the company provided that they have ready access to the web. In the same manner, those who intend to purchase the products of the company are easily reached by the company given that an account will be made on their name. However, given that the company is rather new in the market, the potential consumers may yet display some responsiveness on the site of the company. B.   Targeting In the same account, Applaud (2004, 34) defined targeting as “the act of developing measures of segment attractiveness and selecting one or more market segments to enter.” The company is targeting the male and female demographic in the age brackets 12-19 and 20-25 who have access to the internet. These segments are targeted given that these individuals have more time to access the web and are more inclined to purchase head gears as a part of their fashion statement. Based on the market, there is no particularly strong competitor that holds most of the market share. However, there are a considerable number of sites that offer the same services and products as those offered by the company. Being an online company, the consumers are able to substitute the services and products forwarded by the company with those in malls and other specialty shops within their community. However, it must be emphasized that the designs, artworks, and quality of the products of the company are exclusively distributed by the company. This means that there is some equal footing in the context of power with the suppliers and buyers in the market.     C.   Positioning The act of positioning is characterized as “the act of designing a set of meaningful differences to distinguish the company’s offer from competitors’ offers.” (Applaud, 2004, 35) Given that there is a considerable number of players in the industry and possible competitors in the web, the company has to position itself in terms of high quality items and well designed works along with a prompt service delivery. Along with these, the company will also attempt to sell the items in a slightly lower price as compared to its other competitors in the web.  On this manner, the consumers will be able to find more value for their money. On the same account, the company will be using marketing techniques such as word-of-mouth and product endorsements such that the public may become aware of the brand and products of the organisation. IV.Strategic Brand Management Theories Applied The strategic brand management theory used by the company is based on the models formulated by Caperer, particularly the company uses his claims of brand identity prism. (Lela and Parker, 1999, 273) Specifically, a consideration of the external and internal elements will be applied in the issue of brand development of AQCAPS.com. In the context of the external elements, the “physique” of the product is represented in the distinct designs and the logo of the company discretely infused in the product. The “relationship” displayed by the product shows self-expression and fashion-worthiness on the part of the consumers. The “reflection” imposed by the product shows casual youthfulness and stylish expression of young adults. In the context of external elements, the “personality” the products of the company intend to display an impressive yet understated nature. The “culture” of the brand shows individualism and independence with a blithe consideration of the world. V.   Brand Design for the Company The brand design of the company tends to emulate the mission of AQCAPS.com: “to offer high quality merchandise to the public.” The platform of the website runs on a flash programmed that highlights the interactivity and hip nature of the product.   Figure 1. AQCAPS.com Logo   The image above represents the logo of the company. It shows an outline of cap, particularly a military cap which is one of the key product designs of the company. Unlike the other brands in the market, the logo will be discreetly located in the product. This is because the designs of the caps and hats will be the distinguishing feature of the company’s major products.     Vibrant Equity Management and Sustainability Brand equity is defined as “the differential consumer response from knowing the brand.” (Pfeiffer and Robinson, 2005, 187) This means it is a measure on how the market is aware of the existence of the brand. Since the company is a new entrant in the market, it is important to initially build a considerably strong brand name. Since the company is online based, the company have to take the measures in making the site known to the web-surfing public. Using search engines like Google and Yahoo to increase the traffic to the site will be one of the major objectives of the brand equity management and sustainability of the organisation. The company will be developing keywords and other targeted doorway pages such that when web surfers key-in specific words, then the name of the site comes up within the top finds of the search engine. Other courses of action that the company could implement are by using web groups and other newsgroups that are normally accessed by a set of people close to the profile of the target market. Advertising campaigns could also be used by the company. Possibilities could be available for the company in using banner ad space and other space from other top sites. However, the sustainability of the brand equity of the company still rests on the capability of the organisation to maintain the website and keep it from being unfriendly and un-interactive for the users. In the same way, the delivery of the products and the quality of the product themselves should also be ensured such that the company could build a strong set of core customers.     VII.          International Implications of the Brand Since the company is online-based, the international implications of being a global brand tend to become non-applicable to the company. (Alden, Bart, Steen amp, 2003, 53) However, one of the major drawbacks of operating on an international scale through the use of e-commerce is that the market tends to depend on the capability of the country’s infrastructure. A country with a less than capable infrastructure will essentially become part of the company’s loss. (Cornet, Millicent, and Rousses, 2000, 31) However, one must also realize that if the issue of infrastructure capability is concerned, major countries all over the world will be able to support any platform in the internet. (Cornet, Millicent, and Rousses, 2000, 31) This means that the company could access the market in major countries in Europe, United States, and the rest of the Asian Region. Thus, the site of the company should also be able to accommodate other nationalities who may not be able to understand English. The interface of the company should be able to allow the consumers to choose which language the site should use. Though it is highly likely that the target market will be able to understand Basic English, it would be a plus factor for AQCAPS.com if they offer interactions in Mandarin and French, to name a few, for their customers.        VIII.       Critical Success Factors and the Endorsement and Extension Strategy A.   Critical Success Factors The critical success factors that the AQCAPS.com brand needs to achieve its mission includes customer satisfaction, quality, positive cash flow, and new customers. If company keeps a high quality of the products it markets, there is a high possibility that customer satisfaction may ensue. In the same line, these satisfied customers could make up the company’s core clients. This means that they could pose as a major source of income for the company which may essentially spell a positive cash flow. At the same time, aside from the nature of marketing adhered to by the company, there is the possibility that these core customers could refer other individuals to purchase the products offered by AQCAPS.com. Upon the completion of these critical success factors, the company is aware that it could sustain its survival in the industry.      B.   Endorsement        Strategy The company is also looking for celebrity endorsement to add value to the brand. Studies have indicated that the market responds positively on celebrity endorsements. (Baker, Endogen, Tag, 2001, 39) However, it is also mentioned in the same study that appropriate choosing of a fitting celebrity should also be on the discretion of the company. For instance, the company intends to give free samples of the product, particularly the trendy military caps to famous bands both locally (Hong Kong) and internationally. Bands take on a lot of following as well as their taste in fashion and accessories. On a later stage of the company’s development, celebrity endorsements will be turned to actors and actresses in the local and the international scene. In the same way, the other designs of the company, particularly the closed fitted caps, will be issued to sports celebrities in the local level initially. However, it must be emphasized that the company will be focusing on web advertising as its primary means of building the name of the brand.         C.   Extension Strategy The possibility of brand extension for the company will possibly be in the future, but not in the immediate one. The company will only undertake such actions once the brand has successfully satisfied and even exceeded the critical success factors. Studies have shown that premature extension of brands shows a rather grim outcome from other organisations. (Bless, Schwartz, Wake, 1998, 318) In this manner, proper planning and building on the capabilities of the brand comes on the top of the priorities of the company. IX.            Summary The company, AQCAPS.com, intends to implement the following actions to build and subsequently sustain the strength of their brand: <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Targets the age brackets 12-19 and 20-25 who have access to the internet. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Its main differentiation will be the quality of the products and the price. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> The strategic brand management techniques is based on the brand identity prism of Caperer. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> The company intends to sustain its brand though exploiting internet conduits like web groups and search engines and utilize web advertising through the use of banner ad space. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> The critical success factors of the company include customer satisfaction, quality, positive cash flow, and new customers.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Celebrity endorsement is secondary to actual web advertisement.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-autospace: none; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt"> Brand extension will not be on the immediate future of the company.</li> </ul> Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Sample Strategic Brand Management Theories Applied Essay

TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction .. 3 II. Background of the Company .. 3 III. Justifications of the Brand...

Sample Cross Culture and Business Practice Essay

CROSS CULTURE   <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> ˜Cross culture and business practice: are they coterminous or cross- verging? </li> Businesses are the engines of globalization and the key actors in international business.  Business practices play a vital role in globalization through worldwide investments, global business transactions and exchange of skills and knowledge across national boundaries. Since businesses conduct transactions in several countries through its headquarters and subsidiaries, its operation faces complex issues. Cross cultures, government laws, human resource management policies, politics are just some of the entities that businesses have to deal with in its operation and sustainability.  According to Kanga (2006) government policy and the integration of cross cultures and values through the impact of global communication are two of the more specific drivers of globalization.  These two factors also have their implications in many facets of business practices including its human resource management activities.  When businesses internationalize, cross cultural concerns, such as staffing, executive development, compensation, and labor relations require globally savvy professionals to facilitate international business success.  Kanga identifies some internationalization concerns faced by a business which include how to merge the cross cultures, languages, and general work expectations of employees from different countries, and how to respond to employees who bring to their new work situations sometimes very different attitudes toward supervision and have very different expectations related to the practice of management.  The different communication and business practice styles, motivation philosophies, and organizational structures and frequent lack of understanding of the cross-country cultures, markets, employment laws and practices, and language, by the parent company, can cause difficulty for the local human resource manager.. The article of Kanga suggests that many people managing businesses lack knowledge or sensitivity to cross cultural differences which often results in mistakes during interactions on the job and privately.  The cross cultural issue makes the interaction with people from other cultures a challenge for those working abroad.  It is therefore important to learn about other cultures or at least understand and pay attention to the fact that there exist different cultures. Learning languages is also very helpful.  Kanga suggests that businesses need to learn to cope internationally with issues like selecting and preparing people for working and managing in other countries, negotiating and conducting business in cross cultural settings, and capitalizing on and absorbing that learning throughout their international operations. At the core of success in these endeavors is the need for cross cultural awareness and understanding of effects of cross culture on day-to-day business operations. Inescapable as it may seem, Kanga concludes that dilemmas on business practices brought about by cross cultures are unavoidable and should be expected at work especially in business firms owned or controlled by individuals from a different cultural orientation especially when they employ the local citizens in their international operations. Dealing properly with situations such as instances of principled power struggle between supervisors and subordinates from different cultural orientations, will be of much help in running a business firm properly and successfully. Addressing conflicts and working out understanding by compromising for the good of all will pave the way to maintain smooth working relationships among the employees, staff, supervisors and subordinates. <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> “Comparing ethical attitudes across cultures”</li> Sims believes that ethics influences the value system of every individual by serving as a moral guide or “base” to the application of acceptable principles that are needed to become a moral being. It determines our conception of when things are going well and when they are going badly. It determines our conception of what is due to us, and what is due from us, as we relate to others. It shapes our emotional responses, determining the cause of pride or shame, or anger or gratitude, or what can be forgiven and what cannot. It gives us our standards – our standards of behavior. In the eyes of Sims, it shapes our very identities. Our consciousness of ourselves is largely or even essentially a consciousness of how we stand for other people. We need stories of our own value in the eyes of each other, the eyes of the world. In the article of Sims (2006) he pointed out that ethical attitudes in particularistic cultures like in China tend to be less stiff and formal between employers and employees but the commitment between them is strong. In the same article, Sims found that Chinese people communicate in a way that upholds traditional values of harmony and kinship affiliation as compared to North Americans. Japanese people, on the other hand, are considered neutral in this respect because they feel that expressing emotions in the workplace is “unprofessional”. Other cultures, that are considered to be relatively affective, feel that the indifference of neutral colleagues in the office is a manifestation of dislike and superiority among co-employees.  Sims points out that a lot of studies have been conducted pertaining to ethical attitudes that compare Western and Eastern cultures have been very common. Such studies cut across gender and ethnicity in differing levels of analysis, context and issues critically addressed by some authors.             Sims stated that the rampant interest in the entry of alien workers in the American workforce was perceived by some to be to be a solution to size and capability problems of the United States (US) labor force while seen by others as a threat to jobs of American workers. It was mentioned further that foreign workers usually enter the US workforce in the most menial positions although they held higher positions in their native land. Most of them were employed through the underground job market where their employers do not have to pay for their compensation insurance and withholding taxes, hence, such employers profit more. Findings such as these give birth to social issues and problems that international business organizations face within the workplace concerning effective management. In a case study of expatriate assignments of women managers in Chile, it was found out that women in particular will encounter the possibility of negative stereotyping from co-workers, managers and clients in the host country regarding their roles and that dedicated efforts in preparing women for expatriate assignments through in-country support system can make international assignment more effective for women employees and the organization itself. Sims points out that studies on organizational communication have always been used by large companies so as to ensure good working relationships among employees as well as to evaluate the relationship among members and staff of big corporations. Sims further elaborated that the idea of global community in a model that suggests intercultural and international communication and ethical problems to best address the immediate need is of much importance to truly build a global community. Inquiries have been made in order to realize how the Eastern and Western culture differ in the work setting by comparing the evident and obvious contrasts between different cultural orientations and ethnicity. Such differences include most recurring ethical dilemmas brought about by race in business where employees and staff of varying cultural orientations who work together as an organization. Studies on organizational communication have always been used by large companies so as to ensure good working relationships among employees as well as to evaluate the relationship among members and staff of big corporations. Sims further elaborated that the idea of global community in a model that suggests intercultural and international communication and ethical problems to best address the immediate need is of much importance to truly build a global community.      Sims in his journal article proposes the use of ethics audit in the company is composed of decision-making protocols designed to address ethical dilemmas which includes an outline of steps to follow in dealing with ethical problems in the workplace so as to identify ethical issues in the practice settings, assess risk levels, rank order each issue, and eventually develop a strategy to minimize risks. He concluded that social workers have not had access to a structured guide to help to help them assess their efforts to identify and address key ethical issues. Such issues usually comprise confidentiality and privacy, service delivery, professional boundaries, informed consent, defamation, practitioner impairment, and termination of services. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Sample Cross Culture and Business Practice Essay

CROSS CULTURE ˜Cross culture and business practice: are they coterminous or cross- verging? Businesses are the engines of globalizat...

Sample Essay Outdoor Development

Outdoor Development   Introduction People are the most important part of any organisation may it being profit or profit organisation.  In line with this, human resources must be developed and improved from time to time to make them become an efficient asset of an organisation. Human resource development is the process of developing human potential through organisation development and personnel training. Typically, these activities encompass team building, executive coaching, diversity training, and most education and training programs, along with action research designed to uncover organisational issues (Brinkerhoff, 1991). In enhancing human skills one of the growing concepts that emerge is the use of outdoor setting for trainings and development (1999).             Primarily, the main goal of this paper is to provide insightful details regarding the issues faced by considering outdoor development in an organisation. For this report, the analysis will give emphasis on the following issues: health and safety issues (physical and psychological); possible discrimination on gender, disability and ethnicity; costs and possible elitism charges; and transferability to the work situation.   Overview of Outdoor Development The implementation of an outdoor setting fro training and development is emerging so fast (Burnett, 1994). Generally, such kind if training and development is used to establish teamwork and team skills which includes interpersonal communication, group problem solving, trust, leadership, and the capability to work effectively with other people around them. Outdoor development is also often used to encourage delegates to expand their horizons by considering risks and accomplishing things they never thought they were capable of doing. This kind of personal growth and development are known to have essential Organisation payoffs by different firms (Gall, 1987). According to Wagner and his colleagues (1991) there are two kinds of outdoor development programs. The first is the wilderness-centred type. This training often includes white-water rafting or canoeing, or exercises done in the wilderness in which the team works and lives together outdoors for up to a week at a time. Normally, wilderness activities do not utilize particular home camp or training facilities. On the other hand, the other type of outdoor development can be regarded as outdoor-centred. Herein, a base camp is acquired and participants live and eat indoors. However, there specific outdoor activities available for use which depends on goals of the programs. Each individual goes through events in small groups which are followed by a discussion or “debriefing” which focuses on what they have learned from each of the events and to tie those learning back to the working environment. In this type of outdoor training, the trainer usually choose training camps with events like high ropes course, a series of group problem-solving activities and a rock climb and/or rappel. While these kinds of activities may enhance and improve both team and interpersonal skills of an individual (Bronson, et al, 1992), it is possible that such outdoor development programs can have an even greater organizational effects (1991) if they are tied more explicitly to the path in which the firm is heading that is, to its strategic vision (1993; Ulrich, 1992).   Learning Theory: Outdoor Development Learning is actually both a product and a process. It is a product as it can lead to a change of behavior; like an end product of a process. Learning can be recognized or seen. This element of learning is highlighting its crucial aspect which is change. However, not all changes in behavior resulting from experience involve learning. It would seem fair to expect that if we are to say that learning has taken place, experience should have been used in some way.  For most theorists, learning is centred on gaining knowledge or ability through the use of experience (Smith 1999). In employee training, specifically with the use of Outdoor development programs, it is important that the trainer must be able to identify the needs of the employees. In this regard, the adaptive competency approach to needs analysis is based upon Kolb (1984) Experiential Learning Theory (LET) which allows one to view the person (employee) and job in commensurate terms. The cornerstone of this approach is that learning, adaptation, and problem-solving processes are similar and that all jobs involve each of these processes. Therefore, if one describes both the person’s adaptive skills and job requirements in learning terms, then one can identify and describe the adaptive or interactive processes that occur in the work setting. LET conceptualizes the learning process in such a way that differences in learner styles and corresponding learning environments can be identified. The application of the adaptive competency approach accepts the premise that typical needs analysis at the employee level portrays jobs in one set of terms (i.e., job specifications), and employees are thought of in another set of terms (person-trait characteristics). Using LET in outdoor development, the trainer will be able to determine the specific needs of the employees based on their learning styles. Through this, the outdoor development program will ensure that the employees are learning things within their potentialities and their capacities. Through this also, the trainer or the company will also be able to identify which outdoor development program will be suitable for both the needs of the employee and the needs of the employer or the company. For example, when a company needs an employee which will be effective in different setting or workplace, the trainer will be able to provide outdoor training which enhances the skills of the employee in accordance with the needs of the workplace. This is important so as to maximize learning and minimize cost for outdoor development programmers. The opportunity to learn through action and experience has a number of advantages to the learner. In our case, this allowed us to apply what we have learned during training. Being able to apply our learning promoted knowledge retention and skill enhancement. These advantages had been more prevalent whenever we encountered problems at the store. Whenever we have to deal with customer concerns, the staffs is more confident and capable of handling them through the learning application. In turn, the experience helped in making us into more dependable and responsible employees. Aside from knowledge retention and skill enhancement, the learning experience brought about by change in the company has also been beneficial as it made the employees more resourceful and analytical. Rather than depending on their managers to handle certain store issues, the staff employees can manage on their own. Through their experiences at the store and with the change project of the company, the staff had become more dependent on their own capabilities and potentials. This in turn enabled them to hone their newfound skills as well as enhance their known abilities. For the managers, this experience increased their belief and confidence in their employees; the workload for them has also lessened. In this way, they had more time to spend on more pressing issues of the business. Understanding the contents and aspects given during the training period also became more comprehensible for the employees when applied in action. Through hands-on experience, the employees were able to determine the exact approach they should apply in order to communicate effectively. This also enabled them to learn how to budget their time and schedule their respective tasks for the day. Experience also encouraged them to identify their individual strengths and weaknesses. Naturally, if they were able to perform well on a particular duty, they will remember how things should be done properly. On the other hand, committing mistakes or errors while at work will help in developing their selves better. Recognizing and correcting their mistakes while on duty results to a greater impact as well as faster response for improvement. This turn out also encouraged the employees to practice good work practices while change inappropriate ones.   Advantages of Outdoor Development According to McNamara (1999), the typical reasons for training employees would include the need for performance improvement as indicated by performance appraisals. Basically, a dip in performance of employees produces results which may be detrimental to the operation of the company. This could translate to loss in both profits and in production. Employee training is also used to develop employees and to test a new performance management system.  An application of a new system definitely would require new furthermore, companies and organizations who will undergo changes train employees to be able to adapt to the changes adopted by the companies. The concept of outdoor development is considered to be one of the most important approaches in the 1950s. Outdoor activities are usually preceded by briefing sessions so as to achieve the goal of the training and why such outdoor method is considered. Outdoor training and development method is important because it enables the employees to enhance not only their interpersonal skills but also their social skills, physical skills and psychological skills. All employees need interpersonal relationship skills in order to have a smooth relationship within the organisation. Interpersonal relations skill is the ability to effectively interact with other people. It is the ability to work with and through others. With high a good interaction skills, employees will be able to properly coordinate their efforts with the hard work of others in the organisation (Grant, 1990).   In outdoor development programs, there are give elements which can be learned by the human resources. Such elements include self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. Awareness of self is closely linked to the ability to read the behaviour of others, construct courses of action and deliver an effective performance. People who have a high level of self-awareness understand how their own values, beliefs and subjective theories influence what they see and do. This awareness offers them the possibility of taking account of known biases to reappraise first impressions and rehearse alternative ways of behaving. Self-awareness enables an employee to recognize his or her internal states and personal abilities. During outdoor development activities, the employees are being taught about having efficient social skills. These skills are diverse skills which are used to induce desirable responses with other people especially when dealing with teams and group tasks. This is helpful especially when the employee will be transferred to a new work place in which he/she will encounter diverse people. Because of the outdoor development trainings, the employee learned to communicate effectively among team-mates. In addition, the employees are also developed to become a potential leader with the ability to influence others. Furthermore, human resources may also have the potential to work and interact harmoniously with their co-workers as well as their clients.   Issues Facing Outdoor Development The previous discussion shows the advantages of outdoor training and development. However, there are certain issues that affect the efficiency of using outdoor development.   Health and Safety Issues The safety and health aspect of the company pertains to the efforts related to the prevention of work-related injuries and health diseases. Since outdoor training is usually done away from the company’s premise, another disadvantage of this is in terms of ensuring health and safety of the employees. The goal of the training is to develop physical, mental, psychological, and social skills of employees. However, there are outdoor trainings which are difficult for some employees and in return cause sickness and stress. Furthermore, some outdoor training requires full potentials of the employees and not all employees will meet these standards. In return, instead of enhancing the employee’s potential, their health tends to suffer which may affect both their physical and psychological capacities. The problem with outdoor training is that it may cause sever damage for employees if sudden  In addition, safety is another consequence of considering outdoor training. There are training programmers which are not safe for employees. However, since the company focuses on development of the employees, they are not giving emphasis on the effect of these training to the safety of the employees. In addition, other issues include the inability of the trainer to meet the psychological needs of the employees. There is an existing premise that the trainer must be able to balance the development needs of individual employees with regards to physical and psychological needs. In a way, some outdoor development programmed may be physically suitable for some employees but the whole concept is psychologically imbalance or vice versa. This statement means that the part of the obligation of the trainer is to be able to determine the needs of the individual employees to become both physically and psychologically capable while ensuring their health and safety.  In this manner, the trainer should be able to provide training programs that considers both of these needs. If the outdoor development program given do not adheres to these needs, then this may lead to an ineffective training which is not healthy of outdoor development assessment.   Possible Discrimination on Gender, Disability, and Ethnicity Another important issue to be considered in outdoor development is the existence of racial discrimination on gender, disability, and ethnicity. There are companies that offers outdoor development programmers for different organisations. Some of these companies offer different activities to different employees. However, there are times that these activities or programmers do not guarantee that all employees may join the particular activity. With this, not all employees are given the chance to enhance their potentials provided by the activity. In outdoor development programmers, there are activities which are given to male or female only. With this, the aim of equal development among genders is affected. This may cause internal problems for both the employees and employer. Moreover, there are also activities which may have effect in terms of the ethnicity and race of an employee which may result to conflict and other problems. The outdoor programmers that must be considered by the company must also ensure that disabled employees will be given a chance. The issue of discrimination in outdoor development programmed may affect the whole purpose of training. In this regard, those individuals who have not been trained because of discrimination may not be given equal chances for individual growth and development.   Cost and Possible elitism Charges Aside from the above mentioned issues another issue to be considered is in terms of costing. To estimate return of investment, cost values must be assigned to changes generated by the outdoor training.  Sometimes, the company are spending more than expected without knowing whether the outdoor development program adheres to the company needs. In addition, there are employees who are given the opportunity to be trained but don’t actually takes the training or program seriously. Hence, the company have only wasted some important budgets. In addition, there are organisations which offers high price but does not provide the needs of the company and employees as well. Or there are organisations which offers low price program but also incapable of providing the needs of the companies which is to enhance the interpersonal and intrapersonal skills of the employees. In which case, the management of the company are the ones which will be affected negatively. Furthermore, other than costs, the company may have a problem in terms of elitism is also considered. There are outdoor development programs which are for general learners or trainers. In this case, companies may have a problem in terms of restrictions for some employees who did not meet the requirements to become part of the development program. Some organisations which provide outdoor development programs may not be able to train all the employees of organisations due to some restrictions which may result to conflicts among employees. This conflict may hinder the organizational goal of developing and enhancing employees through outdoor development approach.   Transferability to Work Situation Companies may also have problems in terms of transferability of employees. There are times that the company that provides outdoor training is not sure whether the employee has been improved or not. With this, the company will also face the challenge for employee transfers. Companies may not be able to evaluate whether outdoor training has improved the employee. Sensitivity to organizational values and perceptions has been a continuing source of re-entry or transferability problems. In this regard, some of the trainees are forced to reject or modify the knowledge, skills, and abilities (Keas) inculcated during an outdoor development activities. Therefore HRM specialists must ensure that, where possible, outdoor development and training assessments are initiated only in organizational situations where the assessors have knowledge of the value system of the organization, so that material gained during the assessment phase can be based on actual, rather than assumed, expectations given for the trainees. For this issue, those who are providing outdoor development program must ensure that the activities provided are compatible and transferable in actual working situations so as to ensure that organizational goal will be achieved.   Conclusion Organisations could not be able to attain its mission, objective and vision, if it does not have employees that will deliver all the functions for ensuring competitive and developmental organisation. With training, the employees are able to interact with their customers effectively and in a sensitive manner. This approach helps the employee to have better commitment on the things that they do and motivate their employees to do even more of what they are expected to do.  Training is an attempt to improve employee performance on a currently held job or one related to it. This usually will lead to changes in specific knowledge, skills, attitudes, or behaviors.  These changes can result to long-term productivity. Outdoor training and development approach probably is one of the most influential phenomenon’s in the human resource development context. Its impact worldwide has been tremendous, and perhaps, maybe even contagious. Companies from all over are trying to integrate the concept of outdoor training and development as part of their management system and business practice. Indeed, many studies and published documents have noted significant aspects on the real meaning of outdoor training and development and how it helps different organisation to have a more productive and effective human resources to compete in the work environment. Analysis shows that although outdoor developments have some advantages, there are also some issues which should be given upon its implementation. With the result of this analysis, it is recommended that organisations must consider the implementation of outdoor training and development within their organisation as part of their human resource development strategy. With the given advantages of this method, the company that will implement this ensures that they are having human resources which are effective and efficient for the benefit of the organisation. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Sample Essay Outdoor Development

Outdoor Development Introduction People are the most important part of any organisation may it being profit or profit organisation. ...