Critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of England being a mixed economy rather than a pure command or completely free-market.

Abstract: Different economies of the world choose one of the three economic systems: command economy, free market economy, and mixed economy to suit their needs and aims most appropriately. While each of these economic systems have their own advantages and disadvantages, most of the economies of the world are currently mixed economies. The command economy system has become substantially outdated as most economies, such as China and the Soviet Union, are transitioning into mixed economic systems. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each of the economic systems and particularly focuses upon the advantages and disadvantages that England has of being a mixed economy rather than a free market economy or a command economy. The paper sheds light upon issues such as unemployment, medical care, transport, and the increasing rate of immigrants that the country currently has to face. Introduction: Countries around the globe adopt various economic systems which suit their own circumstances or which their governments feel would be most appropriate to promote prosperity in the country. The economic systems of countries also evolve over time and may change from one particular system to another when the government, economic advisors of the country, and the public deem appropriate. There are three main types of economic systems which include the free market economy, the command economy, and the mixed economy (Ostrom, 2010). While most of the countries in the world are mixed economies, there are examples of countries which are closer to being free market economies or command economies. As with other economic concepts, each of the economic systems mentioned have their own respective advantages and disadvantages (Ostrom, 2010). Accordingly, governments and economic advisors devise economic policies which classify the economy into the categories of one of the three types of economic sys tems. However, governments may change these policies and may also change the economic systems adopted in a country when they feel it is required, although this process may take a long period of time (Ostrom, 2010). This paper will aim to explain the three types of economic systems and their advantages and disadvantages and then commence with a critical evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of England being a mixed economy rather than a complete free market economy or a pure command economy. The paper will begin with an explanation of the free market economy and the advantages and disadvantages of the free market economy, followed by the command economy and the advantages and disadvantages of the command economy. The paper will continue with an explanation of the mixed economy and the advantages and disadvantages of the mixed economy and the application of these concepts to the economy of England. The paper will then critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of En gland being a mixed economy and conclude with a summary of the main points mentioned and recommendations for improvements in economic policy for the country. Free Market Economy: The free market economy is an economic system which is purely driven by the market forces of demand and supply and the price mechanism. Thus, in the free market economy, those goods and services which are in high demand are produced and supplied and those that consumers are not willing to pay a high price for are not produced or supplied. The free market economy promotes the privatization of all industries as all resources are owned by private individuals in a free market economy and there is little or no government intervention (Polak, 2013). The government does not nationalize any industries and does not interfere in the production of goods or services. The free market economy is also known as the â€Å"laissez’faire† economy and producers operate upon the profit motive as the economy is in a state of pure competition (Baylis, Smith, & Owens, 2013). The advantages of a free market economy include that consumers are provided with a variety of products at potentially lo w prices as there are many producers competing for market share. Consumers are also likely to benefit from high quality products as producers would be competing with one another on the basis of factors such as quality and price. Consumers would also benefit from additional advantages such as convenience, variety, and availability of choice. Also, consumers would easily be able to find the products which they are demanding as the market would be operating according to the price mechanism (Polak, 2013). There would be higher investment in research and development and more chances of larger technological breakthroughs as firms would be competing to gain a competitive advantage in the design of their products /services and/or gaining a cost advantage in their production processes. The free market economy may also mean higher productivity levels, higher wages, and more work opportunities for individuals. This is because the economy would be in a state of rigorous competition, making room for more workers to gain higher incomes as businesses would also be competing to recruit the most talented and skilled workers. An economy may prosper and increase its GDP when operating upon a free market economy system, yet it is often considered that the disadvantages of a free market economy system outnumber its advantages (Bremmer, 2010). The disadvantages of a free market economy system include the fact that there is likely to be a high level of inequality in the distribution of income as the rich would be likely to get richer and the poor would be likely to get poorer. Additionally, as there would be no or little government intervention, the public would not be provided with benefits such as welfare schemes, pension schemes, and may not even be provided with fair pay according to the cost of living. Problems such as inflation and the occurrence of monopolies would also not be prevented by the government as the government would have no major role in the economy. There may be wastage of resources as the economy would be in a state of pure competition and expenditure would be incurred on activities such as advertising, marketing, and continuous innovation of products/services (Coates, 2014). Essential services would not be provided to the public such as free medical care, police and army services, and education (Robertson, 2013). De-merit goods such as drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and other products would be produced without interference or control from public authorities. Public goods which are not produced for a profit but are produced because they are necessary such as street lighting, water, roads, and other such products/services are either priced very high or not produced at all. Accordingly, a free market economy may be beneficial for the rich but may be highly detrimental for the poor. There is no example of a complete free market economy in the world but the USA comes closest to the definition of a free market or capitalist economy. This is becaus e the USA has approximately 30% government spending in its GD, one of the lowest figures in the world, with 70% expenditure incurred by the private sector (Coates, 2014). A pure command economy is the opposite of a free market economy and will be explained in the next section of this paper. Command/Planned Economy: A planned or command economy is the opposite of a free market economy and is an economic system which is completely controlled by the government. In a planned economy, most or all resources are owned by the government and the government decides what is produced in the economy and the price charged for the products/services. Consumers have little or no say in what is produced and all industries are nationalized. A planned economy also sets out the wages of workers and may also impose quotas upon the number of goods purchased by a single household. Command or planned economies are sometimes imposed by governments in order to maintain control and to attempt to make better use of resources. However, the command or planned economy has not been a highly feasible system to adopt in the current economic environment, resulting in countries, such as China and Russia, to have to evolve or change their economic systems (Hummel & Stringham, 2010). The advantages associated with a planned economy include a reduction in the wastage of resources and a more equal distribution of income between people of that country. Moreover, the population would be provided with services such as education, roads, water, medical care, and other facilities upon the government’s budget. Governments often wish to adopt this system in order to prevent riots or unrest in the country as most of the people in the country would be at the same social level and would not feel that the system is unjust. Therefore, it allows the government to have more control on the economy and control economic problems such as inflation, deflation, unemployment, poverty, and other similar issues (Calomoris, Fisman, & Wang, 2010). There are many disadvantages associated with a command economy which include the inefficient allocation of resources as resources are not allocated according to the price mechanism. Thus, resources may be wasted in producing things that consumers may not want. Likewise, producers and wor kers do not have any incentive to work hard as they are not allowed to own wealth and are simply working for the government which would stunt the prosperity and progress of that country. Consumers would also have little choice or variety and would also have lower standards of living as they would have a lack of products/services to choose from. Additionally, it is difficult for the government to provide all goods and services efficiently themselves and this may mean that the provision of some important goods/services may be prevented or may be provided inconveniently. Countries with planned economies may suffer in global trade and other such factors as they would not be able to motivate their citizens to exert their best efforts into production and trade without giving them personal incentives. Thus, this also causes a lack of foreign investment and a high tax rate for the provision of government-funded services. Also, it is difficult to determine how the government would decide wha t should be produced in the economy and how they can easily anticipate consumer demand (Warner, 2011). Accordingly, the planned economic system has become outdated as previous communist or planned economies such as China, Russia, and even Sweden are now in transition towards a more mixed economic system which will be explained in the next section of this paper. Mixed Economy: The mixed economic system is a combination of the free market economy and the planned economy as this system has both a public sector and a private sector. As mentioned before, most of the countries of the world are mixed economies as they have a public sector and a private sector. The mixed economy allows the government to intervene to provide essential goods and services such as police, medical care, education, welfare and pension schemes, and other similar services while the private sector is free to produce goods and services as well (Castells, 2011). However, the government will intervene where needed and prevent the production of de-merit goods and prevent producers from charging unfair prices amongst other things. Consumers receive the benefit of variety and choice in goods and services and are given an incentive to work hard while they are also facilitated by the government in the form of free goods (public goods) and services (Meyer, 2011). The mixed economy combines the adv antage of the free market economy and the planned economy and also shares some of the disadvantages of both respective economies. England is a mixed economy and thus benefits from the advantages associated with not being a complete free market economy or a pure command economy, but also suffers from a few of the disadvantages of not being either of these economies (Meyer, 2011). England’s Economic System: England, while previously being one of the strongest economies in the world, is currently plagued with several economic problems, which have slightly weakened its economic system. Being a mixed economy, England’s government spends about 40% of its GDP upon government spending while the remaining 60% belongs to the country’s private sector. The 40% of government spending is 10% more than what is spent in the USA as a percentage of GDP (Cleaver, 2013). This is because England’s government spends a larger proportion of its tax revenue upon the provision of more comprehensive health services, unemployment, and welfare schemes for the poor, and the transport system of the United Kingdom (Castells, 2011). The country is benefitting substantially by not being closer to a pure free market economy as the government of the country plays a vital role in stabilizing several economic aspects of the country. First of all, the unemployment rate of England is increasing rapidly, which means that it is essential for the government to provide support for the unemployed. If the government had little or no role to play in the economy, the unemployment rate may have even been higher and the number of people that were currently out of jobs may have been out on the roads without provision of basic facilities (Gillespie, 2011).Moreover, as the country is currently in a state of recession, without government intervention, the living standards of people would have decreased substantially, putting the economy in further turmoil and in a possibly irreversible situation (Gillespie, 2011). England is also home to a large number of immigrants and students who form a large part of the GDP in the country annually. If the country had been a complete free market economy, the country was likely to be in a state of chaos as there would be no control upon the immigrants entering the country and there would be no provision of facilities for these immigrants and students which wo uld further burden the country with increasing crime rates, further unemployment, and increasing numbers of homeless people filling the streets. Besides, with increasing numbers of immigrants and an increasing unemployment rate in the local population, the country is also benefitting from government spending upon free health services which keep the citizens and visitors of the country under high quality healthcare and helps prevent the spread of dangerous diseases from people who cannot afford expensive medical treatment. The implications of this control imposed by the government include a better and fairer distribution of income along with the provision of unemployment benefits, free education, pension and welfare schemes, and high quality healthcare for all people alike (Cleaver, 2013). Furthermore, another essential part of the government’s role in the economy includes the transport system which is subsidized for students, senior citizens, and people with lower incomes. Th us, the government is responsible for the provision of essential public goods and services which are needed to promote the welfare of the citizens of England and make them a prosperous economy (Bohstedht, 2010). Conversely, the disadvantages associated with England being a mixed economy rather than a free market economy include the fact that some services may be provided more efficiently by the private sector including healthcare, as the National Health Service is taking up a substantial part of taxpayer’s money and the standards of the service are also slightly deteriorating resulting in long waiting lists for patients who require treatment. Moreover, if the government privatized several more industries and promoted an environment of pure competition, it may result in the creation of additional jobs and help decrease the unemployment rate. Additionally, increased consumer spending and investment may also attract further foreign direct investment into the country and help bri ng the country out of its current recessionary state as England’s foreign direct investment rate has decreased over the years and UK’s own companies have increased their investment in other emerging markets. The public has also been highly verbal and rebellious regarding the increasing tax rate in the country which would have been non-existent had the country been a free market economy (Cleaver, 2013). On the other hand, while there are advantages and disadvantages associated with the country being a mixed economy rather than a free market economy, there are also advantages and disadvantages associated with the country not being a pure command economy. The advantage that England has of not being a pure command economy is that it has been able to motivate its population to work hard and become a progressive state as workers are allowed to accumulate wealth instead of limiting the growth of its citizens and nationalizing all its industries. While there is some inefficien cy in the allocation of resources, the country’s private sector does operate upon the price mechanism thus allowing the efficient allocation of resources according to the market forces of demand and supply (Boaden, 2010). England has also been able to encourage high amounts of foreign direct investment and the immigration of skilled labour which would not have been possible if the country had been a pure command economy. Consumers are also provided with a variety of high quality goods and services which has increased the country’s standard of living and has also enabled it to be an active participant in global trade (Boaden, 2010). Yet, there are certain disadvantages that the country has of not being a pure command economy and being a mixed economy which include the unequal distribution of wealth amongst its citizens which is causing increasing unrest. Moreover, there is ample wastage of resources in the economy because of increasing competition between firms and the country is suffering from several scandals in the realms of corporate social responsibility, quality, unfair pricing, and other problems in its private sector (Bohstedht, 2010).The country has also had to face immense problems because of the large number of immigrants entering the country each year and if the country had been a pure command economy, it would have not had so many potential immigrants to deal with (Boaden, 2010). Conclusion: England is best suited to be a mixed economy like most of the other economies of the world as this economic system enables the economy to combine the advantages of both the complete free market economy and the pure command economy. Additionally, while the country is progressing in the private sector, government intervention is essential for the provision of necessary public goods and services, without which the economy would substantially deteriorate the conditions of the poor. However, while the country has nationalized many of its essential services, the country should consider allowing privatization in the healthcare industry as the burden of taxes to pay for the NHS is increasing while the quality of the service provided by the NHS is deteriorating. Moreover, this is an essential industry which cannot be plagued with delays as is currently happening with the NHS. Thus, being a mixed economy, England should slightly further reduce its government spending to allow the private secto r to benefit further while the government can exert legal control over the activities of firms in the private sector. Furthermore, the government must encourage private industries to increase employment, incomes, and consumer spending, and thus lead to a higher GDP and a more progressive nation. The country would also easily be able to pull itself out of its current recessionary state and reduce the tax burden on its citizens. References Baylis, J., Smith, S., & Owens, P. (Eds.). (2013). The globalization of world politics: An introduction to international relations. Oxford University Press. Boaden, N. (2010). Urban policy-making: influences on county boroughs in England and Wales. Cambridge University Press. Bohstedt, J. (2010). The Politics of Provisions: Food Riots, Moral Economy, and Market Transition in England, C. 1550-1850. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. Bremmer, I. (2010). â€Å"The end of the free market: who wins the war between states and corporations?.† European View. Vol. 9(2) pp. 249-252. Calomiris, C. W., Fisman, R., & Wang, Y. (2010). â€Å"Profiting from government stakes in a command economy: Evidence from Chinese asset sales.† Journal of Financial Economics. Vol. 96(3) pp.399-412. Castells, M. (2011). The power of identity: The information age: Economy, society, and culture (Vol. 2). John Wiley & Sons. Cleaver, T. (2013). Understanding the world economy. Routledge. Coates, D. (2014). â€Å"The UK: Less a liberal market economy, more a post-imperial one.† Capital & Class. Vol. 38(1) pp.171-182. Gillespie, A. (2011). Foundations of economics. Oxford University Press. Hummel, J. R., & Stringham, E. P. (2010). â€Å"If a Pure Market econoMy Is so Good, Why doesn’t It exIstthe Importance of changing Preferences versus Incentives in social change.† Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics. Vol.13 pp.31-52. Meyer, M. W. (2011). â€Å"Is it capitalism?.† Management and Organization Review, Vol.7 (1) pp.5-18. Ostrom, E. (2010). â€Å"Beyond markets and states: polycentric governance of complex economic systems.† The American Economic Review. pp. 641-672. Polak, J. J. (2013). An international economic system (Vol. 7). Routledge. Robertson, P. E. (2013). Does a Free Market Economy Make Australia More Or Less Secure in a Globalised World?. University of Western Australia, Business School, Economics. Warner, M. (2011). â€Å"Labour markets in China: Coming to terms with globalization.† The dynamics of Asian labour markets: Balancing control and flexibility. New York, NY, Routledge. pp. 134-147.

A Review and Evaluation of Current Weight Control/Loss Interventions

There is much debate regarding the most effective method of treating obesity. Most of the research has been done on adults; however, research is increasingly being done on children and adolescents as the prevalence of obesity in this population increases.Treatment of obesity includes many different methods, including various dietary, exercise, and behavioral interventions, medication, and surgery. A study by Barlow, Trowbridge, Klish, and Dietz (2002) looked at various interventions recommended to overweight children and adolescents by different health care providers.The most common interventions recommended by health care providers included changes in eating patterns and limiting specific foods. Less frequently recommended interventions were low-fat diets and modest calorie restrictions.Very infrequently recommended interventions were very low-calorie diets and commercial diets. Several health care providers also listed â€Å"fruit and vegetables,† â€Å"portion control,â₠¬  â€Å"increase water,† â€Å"fiber,† and â€Å"learn to determine hunger and fullness levels† as other interventions that they recommended. In the adolescent population, the most frequently recommended dietary intervention by all types of health care providers questioned was â€Å"limiting specific foods.†All types of health care providers were also highly likely to recommend increasing physical activity and limiting sedentary behaviors as physical activity interventions. Very few health care providers recommended medication, appetite suppressants, herbal remedies, or weight loss surgery.The current consensus is that the most effective weight loss and maintenance treatment includes a combination of caloric restriction, increased physical activity, and behavioral therapy, with extended treatment contact, weight loss satisfaction, and social support contributing to positive long-term outcomes in both obese adults and children (Williamson & Stewart, 2005 ).Diets and Problems Associated with DietingThe increased pressure to alleviate the obesity epidemic led to a boom in the dieting industry. Twenty-five percent of men and 45% of women are currently trying to lose weight, equating to about 71 million Americans (Newstarget.com, 2005). In 1996, consumers spent $70 billion annually in health care costs, and an additional $33 billion per year, trying to lose weight or prevent the return of weight gain (Chatzky, 2002).In 2004, those values rose to $100 billion spent annually on health-care cost, and the US weight loss market value rose to $46.3 billion annually (Newstarget.com, 2005). Dieting products and services range from $1.29 for Slim-Fast bars up to $25,000 for gastric bypass (Chatzky, 2002) with the number of bariatric surgeries totaling about 140,000 procedures in 2003 (Newstarget.com, 2005).Sales of over-the-counter diet and herbal supplements totaled $16.8 billion in 2000 (Kane, 2001) and are expected to grow 11.5% to approximat ed $703 million by 2008 (NewsTarget.com, 2008).Diet drugs have been around for over 35 years but became generally accepted in the medical community by the early 1990’s. The FDA has approved several treatments as clinically safe (i.e. sibutramine and orlistat) for those individuals with a BMI >30 or BMI 27-29 with one or more obesity related co-morbidity (ADA, 1997). There are amphetamine-like derivates available for short-term use but weight gain often occurs once discontinued.The risks associated with obesity drugs are neurotoxicity, primary pulmonary hypertension, and becoming reliant on the medication as opposed to making desired healthy lifestyle changes (ADA, 2002). Many of the overthecounter products have no proven efficacy or short- or long-term weight loss (ADA, 2002).Many Americans have turned to various dieting methods as weight control measures, leading to the ‘yo-yo’ dieting affect, ultimately contributing to the ever-increasing obesity rates.Commerci al structured programs, such as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and LA Weight Loss, are common approaches followed due to their convenience and support system. It is estimated that 7.1 million American frequent these commercial weight loss centers and their revenues are expected to grow 11% to $2 billion annually by 2008 (Newstarget.com, 2008).Miller (1999) performed a study to examine the history and effectiveness of diet and exercise in obesity therapy and to determine the best approach for future interventions.He summarized the dieting trends throughout the years with the initial strategy of the late 1950s to early 1960s focused on total fasting, which brought about quick weight loss but also increased risk of death due to serious loss of lean muscle mass and electrolytes. By the late 1960s to early 1970s, the emergence of the high protein/low carbohydrate diets became popular.These involved a diet with 5-10% of energy calories from carbohydrate and a resultant high fat content (50- 70% of calories) which relied on the high protein foods to minimize muscle catabolism and the low carbohydrate level to maintain a state of ketosis to theoretically increase fat burning (Miller 1999).The side effects ranged from nausea, hyperuricemia, fatigue and refeeding edema. In the mid 1970s, the trend shifted towards very low calorie liquid diets (VLCD) with ~300-400 kcal/day, which caused obvious weight loss through muscle catabolism and water release.The FDA terminated the use of this diet since ventricular arrhythmias resulted in 58 deaths. In the 1980s, the VLCD made a revival but at the level of 450-500 kcal/day, with fat content of ~2-18% of total calories, and up to 800 kcal/day for those individuals who were more active. Gallbladder disease and cardiac problems surfaced as side effects of this diet (Miller 1999).The low calorie commercial franchised programs such as Jenny Craig and Nutri/Systems arose in the 1980s as well. Meals were pre-packaged with ~1100-1200 kcal/d ay with the breakdown of energy approximately at 20% from protein, 20% from fat and 60% from carbohydrate.These programs found improved compliance compared to the VLCD, however a similar health risk was found to negatively impact the heart. Since the 1980s, numerous dieting books have hit the stores with many best sellers (i.e. Pritkins and Fit for Life).Despite the increased dieting trends, Miller (1999) noted that the NHANES determined the percentage of fat from kilocalories has dropped in the American diet but total energy has increased, particularly from refined or added sugars in the diet; in addition, obese individuals tend to consume less dietary fiber.Most people have attempted more than one diet method in their weight loss attempts with the average attempting a new method twice a year (FTC, 1997). Miller (1999) found that over the past 40 years, most dieting techniques cycle in and out of popularity and that many are actually hazardous to the health.Miller summarized that t he scientific community data indicated that a 15-week diet or diet plus exercise program led to a weight loss of about 11 kg in which 60-80% of the weight lost was kept off after one year, although most studies had limited long-term follow-up data and those available suggest that relapse to pre-diet weight typically occurred after 3-5 years. Many of the diets were difficult to assess due to their high dropout rates (some as high as 80%).Nutrition education and behavior modification programs, to include community education programs, worksite interventions, and home correspondence courses, typically resulted in ~10 kg weight loss with a 33% and 95% post-diet weight relapse at three and five years respectively.The commercial weight loss industry supplied little data over the last two decades, with much of it proclaimed scientifically inadequate due to small sample size, high dropout rates, poor study design and inadequate follow-up periods.Of the physician-directed programs, most did n ot result in a desired weight loss but better control of some of the co-morbidities associated with obesity (diabetes, CVD, etc.) (FTC, 1997).

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Organizational Behavior - Essay Example According to Kahnweiler (2010),the introvert seeks solitude, thinks first before they speak, focuses on the depth of the problem and prefer writing to talking. They love to manage projects but prefer quiet spaces to do it. They dislike interruptions and they like to finish a project before moving on to a new one. It is noted by the news article that these employees communicate best through relationships and learning to engage them is important as they frequently harbor ideas that will move the team forward. The suggested tactic for dealing with this group of employees is to slow down in meetings, leaving space between directions. This allows this group to think about the issue and respond. Do not stop at their desk frequently. Be aware of what you need to say and bundle it into one visit. Use email or other writing tools to communicate and encourage balanced participation at meetings, allowing introverts to prepare ahead of time. (Kahnweiler, 2010). Sauer, Felsing, & Franke et.al. (2006), describes cognitive diversity and team performance in a diverse organization. As part of the diverse team is the introvert. We often put down the introvert because Freud did not like them and they have been criticized since. Sauer tells us that true to many other researchers, a diverse team is important and that includes the talents of the introvert. Introverts, according to Belleck, (2003) are energized by the internal world of ideas, impressions and emotion. They like to know a lot about what they experience and often build up large stores of knowledge that is often not tapped. This article supports the news article in the need of the introvert to manage projects and to finish a project before they move to a next one, assuring that it is complete. Belleck (2003) finishes her article by stating that a diverse team should include introverts as they are a stabilizing and knowledgeable base for the team as a whole. She goes on to say that provid ing for their communication style

Final research report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Final research report - Essay Example Additionally, the study concludes by providing some recommendations that ought to be implemented in order to enhance the success of the product in the market. The aim of this study was to examine the essence of a new product by Google referred to as Google Glass. In the past few years, provision of medical care in health centers has been associated with some challenges due to the advancement of some diseases and complications related to health. The issue of security has also been one of the key subjects in almost all organizations in the world. Performance of activities in fixed places has also been a source of worry for many years. For instance, many accidents in the world are as a result of multitasking. Majority of the drivers cause accidents of operating their Smartphones while driving. It is as a result of this that I saw it well to research on Google Glasses as well as advocate their introduction and usage in everyday activities. Google Glass was launched in 2012 by Google Company. However, its usage was not rampant because of lack of awareness, only a few people knew about Google Glasses leave its advantages to this technological world alone. This is evidenced by the fact that the use of the Glass was opposed by many people who knew nothing about their applicability in the current life. In tandem with this, I saw it well to provide some of the best features of Google Glass in this report so as to back up my choice of the product. Google Glass has the potential to record videos, as well as take pictures without incorporation of the hands. With this feature, one can record criminal activities as well as take photos of the persons behaving in a unique way. In other words, the Glass can aid significantly in combating crimes such as terrorism and other types of violence in a given environment. Google Glass also serves as means of communication. This is evidenced by the fact that users of Google Glasses can send messages and emails to each other via

Is Money the Factor That Can Improve Society Assignment

Is Money the Factor That Can Improve Society - Assignment Example Muda, Japanese for waste, can come in many forms--all of which either add nothing to the finished product or nothing for which the customer is willing to pay. A few examples follow:   Transportation. Any required transportation of products or parts adds nothing from the customer's perspective. Therefore, it should be minimized or eliminated. It's common for plant redesign or reorganization to be among the first steps in a lean effort.   Overproduction. This occurs when a part or product is manufactured before it's needed--either before a customer has ordered it or before it can begin the next process in the production system. This results in a backlog of material that must be stored, which adds unnecessary expense and inefficiency. A truly lean enterprise isn't dependent upon speculative market forecasting for determining production runs.Work in progress. WIP can be caused by overproduction, poor scheduling or long and uneven cycle times. Lean companies ensure that each manufacturing process takes roughly the same amount of time by adjusting the processes themselves or the resources dedicated to each. Additionally, suppliers must be held accountable for the reliable delivery of their shipments.Also inherent to a lean production system is the idea of continuous improvement. The lean executive recognizes waste in any form as a singular enemy, the fighting of which is his or her primary responsibility. Because every p rocess includes some waste, the elimination of all waste is an unattainable goal. On the other hand, lean optimists recognize that this truth means the benefits of a lean system - if diligently pursued - are inexhaustible, too.

Monopoly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Monopoly - Essay Example Another is the absence of any other company with products or services that can be compared to that offered by the monopolist. And lastly, there are factors that can contribute to the action of monopoly such as the barriers to the entry of other products or company (Klein; Sowell 80-87). Another important characteristic of the monopolistic company is the capability to control the price of the product in the market. This can be one of the main reasons that anti-monopoly policies are being implemented to be able to protect the consumers with regards to the uncontrollable increase in the prices of products and services. There are different products and utilities that can be classified in a monopolistic market which include gas or fuel, electricity, water, cable TV and telephone serve companies. To be able to achieve an understanding of the principles of monopoly in the market, the study of the different companies in the global market is undertaken. These companies are involved in the service and manufacture of the products classified under monopolistic market. In the UK, one of the current issues though there is a deregulation with regards to monopolization is the perceived control of the National Express over the train routes as a result of the recent take over of the Greater Anglia trains franchise in September 2008 (This is London Website). The said example can be attributed to the result of competition that favored a particular company to excel. Basically, the competition that initially occurred can be stopped due to different factors such as failure of competitors or achievement of better market share of leading companies resulting to greater advantage and can ultimately arise to monopolization. Another influential company in the British market is the British Telecom which is involved in a wide variety of telecommunication services initially in UK and then expanded to the global market. The said company had

Terrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Terrorism - Research Paper Example Terrorist attacks bring mass casualties, have a strong psychological pressure on the great mass of people, involve the destruction of material and spiritual values that are beyond recovery times, sow out a discord among nations, provoking a war, mistrust and hatred between social and national groups, which are sometimes impossible to overcome during the whole generation. According to Ronczkowski â€Å"The Department of Defense defines terrorism as â€Å"†¦the calculated use of violence or threat of violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological.†2 To better examine the question we should speak a little about the history of terrorism. Over its long history, terrorism appeared as a variety of guises, terrorism and terrorists have been existing for more than fifteen hundred years - in many countries there were St. Bartholomew’s Nights and Sicilian Suppers, enemies - real or perceived - were destroyed by the Roman emperors, the Ottoman sultans, the Russian Tsars, as well as by many other, and each country has at least one ‘hero’. Terrorists always existed. ... A combination of religious fanaticism and political terrorism can be traced in the actions of sicarius: they saw something joyful in martyrdom, and believed that the Lord will come to his people and save them from the torments and sufferings after the overthrow of a hated regime.3 The representatives of the Muslim sect who killed caliphs, prefects, governors and even the rulers also adhered to the same ideology: they were destroyed by the King of Jerusalem Conrad of Montferrat.4 The murder was a ritual for sectarians; they welcomed martyrdom and death for the sake of ideas and firmly believed in the advent of a new world order. It is important to continue that terrorism as a massive and politically significant phenomenon is a result of rampant ‘deideologization’, when certain groups begin to question the legitimacy and rights of the state in society, and this justifies their transition to terror to achieve their own goals. According to Lawless we see that â€Å"terroris m is an international crime and as such requires the international community to act in the prevention of terrorism and the sanction of individuals perpetrating acts of terrorism†.5 Various criminal groups commit terrorist acts to intimidate and destroy rivals to influence political powers in order to achieve the best possible environment for their criminal activities. Everyone may become a victim of a terrorist act - even the one who does not have the slightest relation to a conflict that spawned a terrorist act. The level of terrorism and specific forms of its manifestations are, on the one hand, the measure of public morality, and on the other hand – the measure of effectiveness of state and society to address the most pressing issues, in particular for the prevention and suppression

Muslim Women In Today’s World Essay Example for Free

Muslim Women In Today’s World Essay It is true that Muslim women are now discovering freedom from their old traditions and today the veil, as it is often called by the Western population has adopted many meanings for the Muslim woman. Some Muslims think of the veil as a symbol of modesty, while others place a huge emphasis on the hijab as a religious statement by Muslims. Many Americans pull back from the image of the way Muslims dress and think of it as a sign of terrorism and aggression which targets people who aren‘t Muslims, while some feminists, who are mainly American, while many Muslims, view the hijab with other signs of significance, which is the oppression and control of Muslim women. Ideas about Muslim women have been born by television programs that display women in Afghanistan, who are shrouded in a burqa, while being beaten because they are showing an ankle or a portion of their skin. Many Muslim men also are expected to dress in a modest style, wearing a turban, and other flowing garments. The way women Muslims dress is seen as sign of the larger restrictions they have to abide by in many under Muslim countries. About 10 % of the Muslim women population wears the veil or hijab. We realize that these amounts may be increasing while more people change to the Islamic religion. Its not for certain how many Muslim women wear the hijab out of the 10,000 Muslim women. Almost every Muslim woman who is asked, say that wearing the hijab was a decision they reached on their own. The Quran which is the Muslim holy book doesnt mandate that all Muslim women wear coverings on their heads. We learn from the Quran 4:124 that, â€Å"Misinformation and misconception about Muslim women proliferate in the world today among non-Muslims and Muslims. I hope that instead of falling into the typical stereotypes and cultural innovation, the information here will pique your interest and help you to understand the true stance Islam takes on gender issues and the role of women. † The topics concerning of women Muslim in Islam is extremely controversial. Various offerings and opinions about women Muslims must be should dealt with using caution due of the alternate opinions. We realize that the rights of Muslim women in the Quran and by the prophet Muhammad have made vast improvements when you compare the laws pertaining to women who live in Arabia before the change of Islam which was only after the death of the Prophet, while the rules directed at the women in Islam started to decrease, then turn back to the pre-Islamic ways. While the womens movement of the West started to increase in strength, during the twentieth century we know that the exact event took place, in the lives of the Muslims. Feminists who fight for the rights of women in the Muslim world during the twentieth century, up until around the 1980’s, usually were women with money. These modern day Muslim women used their feminism that was molded after the feminists who were from the West. The modern Muslims world that was brought on prior to the colonial period which was in the twentieth century began to turn from the Western models that were evident in society. The feminism that was apparent in the Muslim world started adopt Islamic styles that mocked the Western feminist ideas. This pertains not only to Muslim women. It pertains to all women throughout the whole portion of the third world. After removing the restraints that were present during the colonial imperialism, Muslim females living in the third world are growing rapidly, resistant against the cultural imperialism sold by Westerners. Women who live in the third world are finally coming to the conclusion that even though they have many ideas that are similar, because of the hard fight of Euro-American feminists, we realize that what is best for Euro-American women isn’t, of course, going to be the best solution for Muslim women. Muslim women have lately started to develop a Islamic feminism that was molded from the growing concerns of the higher classed Euro American females. The variances between Western feminism and Islamic feminism deals with the topic of the veil. The veil is a scarf or head covering that is usually worn by female Muslims. Many people view this veil as oppressive to women; a sign of a female Muslims obedience. It is often a surprise to Western feminists when they see that the hijab has started to become common throughout the Muslim world. You can see the veil worn by college women who display the veil as an important symbol of their Islamic identity. We learn from Islamic scholar, Dr. Zeenat Ali, that, (Zeenat, 2007) â€Å"The Mission of The New Muslim Woman is to help new Muslim women from all around the world in gaining knowledge about different issues in Islam from learning how to pray to the roles women have In Islam. We also learn that â€Å"The Mission of The New Muslim Woman is to help new Muslim women from all around the world in gaining knowledge about different issues in Islam from learning how to pray to the roles women have In Islam. Giving support and helping each other strive hard in pleasing our Rabb (Lord). Knowledge is the cure for ignorance. The more we learn and grow in our understanding of Islam, the more we can Insha Allah (God Willing) increase in Emaan(Faith). † We understand from listening to Isobel Coleman, that (Coleman, 2006)â€Å"The Mission of The New Muslim Woman is to help new Muslim women from all around the world in gaining knowledge about different issues in Islam from learning how to pray to the roles women have In Islam. Giving support and helping each other strive hard in pleasing our Rabb(Lord). Knowledge is the cure for ignorance. The more we learn and grow in our understanding of Islam, the more we can InshaAllah (God Willing) increase in Emaan (Faith). † We also understand that, â€Å"The Mission of The New Muslim Woman is to help new Muslim women from all around the world in gaining knowledge about different issues in Islam from learning how to pray to the roles women have In Islam. Giving support and helping each other strive hard in pleasing our Rabb (Lord). Knowledge is the cure for ignorance. The more we learn and grow in our understanding of Islam, the more we can InshaAllah (God Willing) increase in Emaan (Faith). † These criticisms are not without merit, and the ambiguity of the new constitution is a cause for concern. The centrality of Islamic law in the document, however, does not necessarily mean trouble for Iraqi women. In fact, sharia is open to a wide range of understanding, and across the Islamic world today, progressive Muslims are seeking to reinterpret its rules to accommodate a modern role for women. Iraqs constitution does not specify who will decide which version of Islam will prevail in the countrys new legal system. But the battle has already begun. Victory by the progressives would have positive implications for all aspects of the future of Iraq, since womens rights are critical to democratic consolidation in transitional and war-torn societies. Allowing a full social, political, and economic role for women in Iraq would help ensure its transition to a stable democracy. Success for women in Iraq would also reverberate throughout the broader Muslim world. In every country where sharia is enforced, womens rights have become a divisive issue, and the balance struck between tradition and equality in Iraq will influence these other debates. Prime Minister Tony Blair and author Salman Rushdie praised a British official on Tuesday for raising the difficult issue of whether Muslim women visiting his office should remove their veils. The comment by Jack Straw, a former foreign secretary who now is leader of the House of Commons, has plunged Britain into a debate over Islamic integration. Its important these issues are raised and discussed, and I think its perfectly sensible if you raise it in a measured and considered way, which he did, Blair said of Straw during an interview with British Broadcasting Corp. television outside his office. I think we can have these discussions without people becoming hysterical either way about it. Rushdie, (Rushdie, 1989) whose book The Satanic Verses, once led to death threats against him by Islamic clerics, told BBC radio that Straw was expressing an important opinion, which is that veils suck, which they do. I think the veil is a way of taking power away from women. Straw said in a newspaper column published Thursday that he believes the veils favored by some Muslim women inhibit communication and are a sign of division in society. At his constituency office, Straw said he asks that veiled women reveal their faces, adding that the women have always complied, and a female assistant is always present. On Friday, British media quoted Straw as going further, saying that he would prefer that Muslim women not wear veils at all. I just find it uncomfortable if Im trying to have a conversation with someone whose face I cant see, Straw told the BBC. Many Muslims in Straws parliamentary district of Blackburn, in northwestern England, reacted with outrage. The uproar also left many questioning whether Britains multicultural ideals can withstand the strains of a cultural divide that is increasingly tormenting much of Europe. The difficulty of the issue was obvious during the Blair interview when he was asked if he would prefer a Muslim woman he met took off her veil. Once led to death threats against him by Islamic clerics, he told BBC radio that Straw was expressing an important opinion, which is that veils suck, which they do. I think the veil is a way of taking power away from women. Straw said in a newspaper column published Thursday that he believes the veils favored by some Muslim women inhibit communication and are a sign of division in society. At his constituency office, Straw said he asks that veiled women reveal their faces, adding that the women have always complied, and a female assistant is always present. The difficulty of the issue was obvious during the Blair interview when he was asked if he would prefer a Muslim woman he met took off her veil. The veil represents a symbolic set of rules for the Muslim Woman and many choose to do away with the scarf, in order to voice their opinions about how they feel about wearing it, and the symbolic meaning behind the veil. We understand that, (Manarj, 1998)â€Å"There are some Muslims who make a big deal about trivial issues that border on ignorance. For example, we are told that the use of nail polish invalidates one’s ablution wudo hence, some women perform wudu before applying nail polish as a workaround. Also, we are told that perfume which may contain alcohol must not be applied to one’s skin, because it can get into the pores, and this is equivalent to drinking it (i. e. the alcohol); moreover, owning a TV or camera has also been deemed prohibited (haram) by some, and so on. In fact, there are those who do not tolerate anything that was not practiced or known to the inhabitants of seventh-century Arabia. These are strange ideas to associate with the most universal and rational religion in the world. Obviously, these alien notions fossilize Islam and constitute a serious misreading of the true Islamic messages. † There is a clear understanding that Muslim women think they must keep their bodies pure and by wearing nail polish and other feminine products, in some cases they feel that they are damaging their bodies by using harmful products. Modern Muslim women are changing their ideas about the way they live and dress as they adopt more western ideas and start to become modernized, in society. We learn that some of the most serious problems that we American Muslim women face include: domestic violence, abuse of divorce and child custody laws, abuse of the polygamy system, and isolation and exclusion from various aspects of Muslim life. We are going to provide a few anecdotal cases simply to illustrate the depth of the problems. We have given the women in the stories names to make it more personable, but their identities have been changed and their confidentiality is protected. The stories are shared simply to illustrate and give life to the specific suffering of American Muslim women today. These are true stories, these are real women who have suffered. These stories were compiled by speaking with Muslim community leaders, social workers, psychologists, lawyers, doctors, mostly in southern California, but throughout the United States. We also obtained information from a thing called Sistersnet, which is an E-mail network of Muslim women throughout the United States and other countries. But unfortunately, there is no database, there is no accurate information that exists as to the frequency of any of these abuses that occur. Further research of these issues is desperately needed Many Muslim are facing serious social changes as they mesh into society as a modern Muslim woman. They have came a long way from past traditions and have adopted a new way of thinking and style that reflects these changes. American Muslim women face many unique additional hurdles. We are discriminated against by both non-Muslims and Muslims in America. For instance, a woman who wears hijab, which is the traditional head-covering, is often taunted at work and on the street, and the careers of a lot of these women are actually jeopardizedthey are discriminated against at work and they are not given jobs. And, women who wear hijab in the United States are obvious targetsthey are obviously Muslims, and because of this they bear the brunt of the ignorance about Islam; they face sexual harassment, and often their actual physical safety is jeopardized. Muslims come from different backgrounds. In America, we have immigrant Muslims, who face a whole host of problems such as xenophobia. In the U. S. in recent times, there has been a growing hostility toward immigrants, and they are often erroneously blamed for all of the socio-economic problems that we face in the U. S. , and are harassed because of that. And we have a large African-American Muslim population, and they face additional hurdles, because being part of a racial minority in the United States, they have had to deal with the problems of racism, discrimination, segregation and the vestiges of slavery.

Type of job Essay Example for Free

Type of job Essay He is very stern with Mickey and very lenient with Edward: And er, as I say, it was more of a prank really, Mr. Lyons. Id dock his pocket money if I was you (laughs). But. one thing I would say, if y dont mind me saying, is well, Im not sure Id let him mix with the like of them in the future. Mr. Lyons even gives the policeman a glass of scotch so he feels at home. This a prime example of the class divide in Liverpool. As the Lyons family are moving further into the countryside, Mrs Lyons sees a magpie on its own: Dont mummy, dont look. Its a magpie, never look at one magpie. Its one for sorrow. The reply from Mrs Lyons is:Â  Edward . thats just stupid superstition The Lyons family think they have broken away from the Johnstone family for good and they are all glad (apart from Edward). They were wrong. Soon after the Lyons family move away, the Johnstone family get re-housed to the same area. Is this a coincidence or was it due to the magpie and superstition? The next time we see Mickey and Edward is when they are fourteen (another gap of seven years). While Mickey is getting told off at his secondary modern school for not answering a question, Edward is getting told off for wearing a locket at his very expensive boarding school. (The locket contains a picture of Mrs Johnstone and a picture of Mickey; or is it Edward himself? ). This shows that although they go to different schools in different classes, (working class and middle class) they are still the same at heart. We next see Linda, Eddie and Mickey at the age of eighteen. Mickey has found a job and Edward is preparing to go to college. Mickey thinks he is lucky to get any type of job, even if it is making cardboard boxes but Edward is doing the sensible thing and setting the foundation for his future. This shows the class divide again. Mickey knows that although his job isnt good, if he complains, they can just get someone else from a long line of candidates to fill his boots. Edward, on the other hand, will have a change to get a good job after university with his qualifications. His father could possibly pull a few strings and find him a good job but that isnt the case for Mickey. Whilst Edward is at university, Linda gets pregnant and she and Mickey get married. Edward is upset because he has always loved Linda and although he knew going to university was the right choice, he has missed out on getting together with Linda. Mickey needs to earn some more money so Sammy suggests he helps him with a raid: Fifty quid Mickey. Fifty quid for an hours work! Just think where y could take Linda if you had cash like that The raid goes horribly wrong and Sammy ends up shooting someone with the shotgun he kept under the floorboards. Mickey got sent to prison for seven years and had to take anti-depressant pills which he eventually got addicted to. During this breakdown of Mickeys life, Edward finishes university and gets a steady job as a councillor. Imagine how two twins raised in different backgrounds could have such different lives. When Linda meets up with Edward, Linda realises she made the wrong choice going with Mickey and decided to spend more time with Edward. Mickey takes this the wrong way and he thinks Linda is having an affair with his Blood Brother. Mickey even thinks Edward is the father of their child. Eventually, the pills take their toll and Mickey has seemingly gone mad. He takes the gun from under the floorboards and he runs to the town hall where Edward is addressing his colleagues. But when Mickey gets to the town hall, he has second thoughts: What am I doin here Eddie? I thought I was gonna shoot y, but I cant even do that. I dont even know if the things loaded Mrs Johnstone then runs up to the pair of them, along with lots of policemen and marksmen. She breaks the news that they are brothers and Mickey if furious with the news: You!. Why didnt you give me away! I could have been . I could have been him! At that moment, Mickey waves the gun at Edward and the gun goes off, blowing Edward to pieces. The gun was loaded after all. Seeing this, the police marksmen in turn shoot Mickey to death. Mrs Lyons was right, they both died almost immediately they found out they were brothers. Was the death of the twins due to class or superstition? I think it was due to class. If they were brought up in the same family, none of this would have happened but as they were brought up in different classes, they both envied each other. Mickey was streetwise and a bit of a lad but struggled to get through life, whereas Edward had had an easy life but he had to learn the ways of life through books and TV, not from his under-qualified parents.

Performance and Reward Challenges in the Retail Sector

Performance and Reward Challenges in the Retail Sector REPORT ON PERFORMANCE AND REWARD CHALLENGES RETAIL SECTOR FACE IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD. OVERVIEW This report aims to discuss, analyse the Reward and Performance challenges faced by the retail sector, there were two major retail organisations used in the names of Tesco Store and Waitrose Supermarket, Hence the report considers recommendations and solutions to these challenges with the help of performance and reward theories by the writer. INTRODUCTION Organisations generally need to monitor the performance of itself and its employees in order to achieve its goals either in a short or long term, however, in order to attain an acceptable performance level, there is a motivating factor attached to the employer/employee relationship which is called reward. In relations to the Retail organisations there is a need for organisations to retain and motivate employees to work due to the demand for manpower to satisfy the retail sector needs, for employees to perform well, it is necessary for an existence of a reward package in place; this is basic in retail organisations just like any other business firm, on the other hand, organisations expects a good performance from the rewarded employees as well, thus, there are some arising issues and differences of opinions between both parties such as failure in psychological contracts, low employee morale,absence,e.t.c which results in major challenges for organisations to reach their desired goals, however, there is a need to explore what performance and reward really entails in order to have a easy understanding as this report evolves, hence, examine how rewards scheme enhances employee performance as there are major challenges faced by organisations to fulfil psychological contracts between them a nd their employees which has a vast implication on performance. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT This has changed over the years, it has been a general believe that performance management is about rating employees using a trait-biased instrument such as neatness, punctuality and attendance as opposed to focusing directly on the work output, it tends to be secretive while employees were not really involved in the process nor told of what rating they got, however, this style of performance method is no longer considered to be of good practice. It is the means of getting better results from the organisation, teams, and individuals where there is an agreement of objectives, skills and competence required so it is therefore, the way in which an organisation improve and develop its workforce, however it is also used to measure the distribution of rewards aligned to a performance related pay procedure.(Armstrong,2002:373), hence it is the believe that PM is a process of management by using it to analyse,measure,monitor performance and plan for organisation improvements. Furthermore, as it has been highlighted earlier that performance management aids the measurement and distribution of rewards, the next paragraph would explain what reward is, and how it helps performance within an organisation. REWARD MANAGEMENT This has been related to the performance output of an individual, it has changed the tradition of status but contribution as employees are being awarded benefits which could be tangible or intangible rewards for their additional hard work, Armstrong and Murlis,(1998) argued that performance related pay is a motivator for reward management but stressed that it should not only be about money but those non-financial rewards which provides intrinsic and extrinsic motivation such as continuous development, more employee involvement, partnership, mutuality, trust and transparency hence, it is now evident that performance is related to rewards. As they are both key factors in organisation success, there would now be an in-depth evaluation of the current challenges retail organisations face today. There are two retail organisations considered in this report, first is Tesco Plc which I have worked with for five years, second is Waitrose supermarket which is also a leading retail firm in the U.K, the use of these two organisations has given me advantage to compare and contrast while I was able to critically evaluate these challenges they face. TESCO BACKGROUND/OVERVIEW Tesco is the largest food retailer in UK with over 2,200 stores worldwide and 450,000 employees around the world, it also has around 1,878 stores throughout the UK with many other stores outside the country which includes America, Asia and Europe. The company also offers online shopping and home delivery, its largest market is in the UK with four different types of stores namely Extra store which runs 24hours, Superstore which also runs 24hours, Metro and Express, it has as a non-food and clothing department with three different own label named value, normal and finest which accounts for almost a half of the organisation sales. REWARD AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT IN TESCO Tesco organisation structures runs in form of a bureaucratic structure as power and authority flows from the top to the low level in the organisation, this equally has similarity in the rewards structure as well because top level employees get much reward that the low level though the latter are more influential in the carrying out of the operational activities that makes the organisation succeed. The present salary structure does not reward individual or team effort, the staff receives the expected automatic annual increments that are incorporated into their base pay in addition to that they get cost of living rise which is determined by the location, this structure reflects the increasing value which individuals are deemed to give to the organisation as they gain experience in the job, it has major disadvantages as increments reward the passage of time and ignore performance as the current reward structure is thus geared towards rewarding staff for their time and loyalty to the organisation and disregards individual performances within the organisation(Boyne,2002) The pay structure is standardised as directors, senior managers are set on individual basis, and new employees are normally placed on the lowest salary point within the grade for their post and service longetivity, the appropriate grade for a post is identified using HAY job evaluation scheme, progression in the grade is reached by acquisition of annual increments until the maximum of the grade is reached which however leaves employees stuck at the top of their grade with no real prospects to progress further or get a promotion into the next salary grade as this could be considered as a factor which derails the morale of individual and it certainly affects performance too. Hence, there is a big issue that needs to be solved as Tesco needs to balance the advantages of having a long service,reliable,experienced,commited workforce against the inherent conservatism, inflexibility and resistance to change usually associated to them, the organisation faces pressures to become more efficient and performance-oriented. Automatic service increments are costly to Tesco and they are not fully appreciated by employees that feel they are entitled to annual increases and progression though star performers are encouraged and signed on to a programme called Options which is training on how to be a manager but there are still questions if everyone is motivated with such motive as some wouldnt be interested in this initiative. As a result they may put in the minimum effort as they are fully aware that they will be guaranteed a pay increase at the end of the year which some writers referred to as a golden handcuff as poor performers continue to stay with the organisation because they continue to be rewarded well, as a matter of fact, a director mentioned 2we have many long-serving staff, as pay and conditions here are very good and there are not too many performance expectations. (Dittenhofer, 2001). This might contribute to organisational inertia if managers are reluctant to manage poor performances through the performance management system and employees may feel as the programme manager put it so they can get away mediocre and contribute to under- performance. Additionally, there is a free company shares given annually to employees as a way to reward them for their hard work which is a good idea and gives them the advantage of 10% discount from any of their purchases from the company by issuing employees a discount/privileged card after six months of service but how are the exceptional performers rewarded? It is left be unknown which is a major challenge to be considered and looked into. Therefore, the challenges faced by Tesco from the discussion above could be listed as follow Non-existence of Individual/Team Reward Lack of Motivation Organisation is Less Performance Oriented Low Performance Output from Employees Inability to Manage Poor Performances Hence, the need for comparison with a relatively successful and large retail organisation is needed in order to justify the challenges the retail sector is facing in the reward and performance management world, this would enable one to evaluate the situation more and leads me to the discussion of reward and performance management in Waitrose supermarket in the subsequent paragraphs. PERFORMANCE AND REWARD MANAGEMENT IN WAITROSE Waitrose is a relatively big supermarket in the UK; it has 221 branches across the United Kingdom. Waitrose creates some act of uniqueness for itself from competitors by offering high quality food and emphasising good customer services which is fundamental for the success of any organisation. However, for the organisation to attain the required level of customer services offered, they strategized by making cultivating the culture of making all its employees a co-partner which is very welcoming from the view of any employees as this gives them sense of belonging in the business running, partners get certain benefits called partnership bonus which is around 10-20% of a partners annual income and it is paid in a monetary value sometimes in the year, discount cards are issued after 3 months of service which entitles them to 15% discount in Waitrose and 25% in John Lewis departmental store as to rewards for their efforts towards the success of the organisation, this sound like a good initiative to reward the employees for their good and hard work. There is a focus to train new partners for customer services skills, health and safety, fresh food handling and fire safety, partners are trained to drop whatever they could be doing(within reasoning) upon the request of the customer and lead customers to the product ,so this shows the extent at which customers are being taken to be their priority. In 2005, there was an introduction of performance management scheme called Mystery Shopper which scores its branches on the service they provide considering the presentation, service on the shop floor by the employees ranging from the service counters, checkouts, wine, grocery departments and general assistants, this initiative is believed to help keep level of performance of each partner on top but it is left to be known if it is a motivator for good performance or trick for the organisation to succeed In 2008 W?itro introduced training for its p?rtn?r? with a new program called frh on rvic? which ?im? to lift core rvic? ?t?nd?rd? and continue to make the bu?in ?t?nd out from its competitors by training partners to be more confident on their job to deliver great service by inspiring among other things an attitude to believe things can be done. (www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk) At this point, it can be deduced that Waitrose tries its best to attain the best performance level with range of offers and trainings they give to the partners of the business, additionally they train people to be managers, and where school leavers are being trained to become section managers within a period of few years, then they also offer a graduate scheme that groom people achieving high managerial posts within some few years. The last few paragraphs evidently shows how Waitrose rewards its co-partners in order to achieve its set goals but the argument is that, does these rewards and benefits given to the partners motivate and spur them all to put in a better performance on their jobs, is money a good key to motivate them or is everyone motivated with tangible things? This leads me to highlight the challenges faced by Waitrose in Respect of Performance and Reward Management. Inability to manage performance Non-existence of Individual/Team Reward Too focused on customer satisfaction INTRODUCTION Organisations generally need to monitor the performance of itself and its employees in order to achieve its goals either in a short or long term, however, in order to attain an acceptable performance level, there is a motivating factor attached to the employer/employee relationship which is called reward. In relations to the Retail Supermarket sector, there is a need for organisations to retain and motivate employees to work due to the demand for manpower to satisfy the retail sector needs, for employees to perform well, it is necessary for an existence of a reward package in place; this is basic in retail organisations just like any other business firm, on the other hand, organisations expects a good performance from the rewarded employees as well, thus, there are some arising issues and differences of opinions between both parties such as failure in psychological contracts, low employee morale,absence,e.t.c which results in major challenges for organisations to reach their desired goals, however, there is a need to explore what performance and reward really entails in order to have a easy understanding as this report evolves, hence, examine how rewards scheme enhances employee performance as there are major challenges faced by organisations to fulfil psychological contracts between them and their employees which has a vast implication on performance. RETAIL SUPERMARKET SECTOR OVERVIEW The retail sector a very active in the society in terms of day to day living as it involves food,clothing,furniture.e.t.c it is always an increasing market though the present economic situation in term of recession making slow down of growth as companies who cannot compete suffer, however organisations face challenge of meeting both customer and employee needs, organisations try to secure the confidence of customers as there is a high risk of losing them because customer spending will decline, hence there is need to be at utmost best delivery best service at every given time, on the other hand, this would require a 100% performance from its employees in order to deliver a high and acceptable service but there are challenges being faced in this respect at the sector as employers face the challenges of meeting employees expectations such as psychological contracts which this report aims to evaluate and suggest recommended solutions with the help of academic theories. This report would discuss findings on the performance and reward challenges faced currently by have two of the Britain most successful retail supermarkets namely Tesco and Waitrose. It aims to discuss and analyse the Reward and Performance challenges faced by the retail sector, there was a SWOT and PEST analysis carried out in order to realise the situation of the supermarkets and the challenges they face. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT This has changed over the years, it has been a general believe that performance management is about rating employees using a trait-biased instrument such as neatness, punctuality and attendance as opposed to focusing directly on the work output, it tends to be secretive while employees were not really involved in the process nor told of what rating they got, however, this style of performance method is no longer considered to be of good practice. It is the means of getting better results from the organisation, teams, and individuals where there is an agreement of objectives, skills and competence required so it is therefore, the way in which an organisation improve and develop its workforce, however it is also used to measure the distribution of rewards aligned to a performance related pay procedure.(Armstrong,2002:373), hence it is the believe that PM is a process of management by using it to analyse, measure, monitor performance and plan for organisation improvements. Furthermore, as it has been highlighted earlier that performance management aids the measurement and distribution of rewards, the next paragraph would explain what reward is, and how it helps performance within an organisation. REWARD MANAGEMENT This has been related to the performance output of an individual, it has changed the tradition of status but contribution as employees are being awarded benefits which could be tangible or intangible rewards for their additional hard work, Armstrong and Murlis,(1998) argued that performance related pay is a motivator for reward management but stressed that it should not only be about money but those non-financial rewards which provides intrinsic and extrinsic motivation such as continuous development, more employee involvement, partnership, mutuality, trust and transparency hence, it is now evident that performance is related to rewards. As they are both key factors in organisation success, there would now be an in-depth evaluation of the current challenges retail organisations face today. There are two retail organisations considered in this report, first is Tesco Plc which I have worked with for five years, second is Waitrose supermarket which is also a leading retail firm in the U.K, the use of these two organisations has given me advantage to compare and contrast while I was able to critically evaluate these challenges they face. TESCO BACKGROUND/OVERVIEW Tesco is the largest food retailer in UK with over 2,200 stores worldwide and 450,000 employees around the world, it also has around 1,878 stores throughout the UK with many other stores outside the country which includes America, Asia and Europe. The company also offers online shopping and home delivery, its largest market is in the UK with four different types of stores namely Extra store which runs 24hours, Superstore which also runs 24hours, Metro and Express, it has as a non-food and clothing department with three different own label named value, normal and finest which accounts for almost a half of the organisation sales. (www.tesco.com) REWARD AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT IN TESCO Tesco organisation structures runs in form of a bureaucratic structure as power and authority flows from the top to the low level in the organisation, this equally has similarity in the rewards structure as well because top level employees get much reward that the low level though the latter are more influential in the carrying out of the operational activities that makes the organisation succeed. The present salary structure does not reward individual or team effort, the staff receives the expected automatic annual increments that are incorporated into their base pay in addition to that they get cost of living rise which is determined by the location, this structure reflects the increasing value which individuals are deemed to give to the organisation as they gain experience in the job, it has major disadvantages as increments reward the passage of time and ignore performance as the current reward structure is thus geared towards rewarding staff for their time and loyalty to the organisation and disregards individual performances within the organisation(Boyne,2002) The pay structure is standardised as directors, senior managers are set on individual basis, and new employees are normally placed on the lowest salary point within the grade for their post and service longetivity, the appropriate grade for a post is identified using HAY job evaluation scheme, progression in the grade is reached by acquisition of annual increments until the maximum of the grade is reached which however leaves employees stuck at the top of their grade with no real prospects to progress further or get a promotion into the next salary grade as this could be considered as a factor which derails the morale of individual and it certainly affects performance too. Hence, there is a big issue that needs to be solved as Tesco needs to balance the advantages of having a long service,reliable,experienced,commited workforce against the inherent conservatism, inflexibility and resistance to change usually associated to them, the organisation faces pressures to become more efficient and performance-oriented. Automatic service increments are costly to Tesco and they are not fully appreciated by employees that feel they are entitled to annual increases and progression though star performers are encouraged and signed on to a programme called Options which is training on how to be a manager but there are still questions if everyone is motivated with such motive as some wouldnt be interested in this initiative. As a result they may put in the minimum effort as they are fully aware that they will be guaranteed a pay increase at the end of the year which some writers referred to as a golden handcuff as poor performers continue to stay with the organisation because they continue to be rewarded well, as a matter of fact, a director mentioned 2we have many long-serving staff, as pay and conditions here are very good and there are not too many performance expectations. (Dittenhofer, 2001). This might contribute to organisational inertia if managers are reluctant to manage poor performances through the performance management system and employees may feel as the programme manager put it so they can get away mediocre and contribute to under- performance though organisation sometimes tend to stay on the neck of employees trying to impose behaviours that meets the need of organisation. Additionally, there is a free company shares given annually to employees as a way to reward them for their hard work which is a good idea and gives them the advantage of 10% discount from any of their purchases from the company by issuing employees a discount/privileged card after six months of service but how are the exceptional performers rewarded? It is left be unknown which is a major challenge to be considered and looked into. The next paragraph shows the strong and weak sides of Tesco with aid of Swot analysis to figure out its challenges. Therefore, the performance and reward challenges faced by Tesco from the discussions above could be listed as follow Non-existence of individual/team reward Lack of motivation Organisation is more performance oriented than rewards Low performance output from employees Inability to manage poor performances STRENGTHS Increasing Market Share It has an increasing market share and a good percentage of the UK retail market of around 13% which continues to grow share in food and non-food, it has also grown to into various parts of the country and world making it the second biggest chain convenience store chain retailer so far and it plans to explore with new stores openings so it has a good market share which is a strength. Tesco Online The companys dot.com is the world online biggest online supermarket with huge millions of sales with an increase of 29% on last year and operates in over 250 stores in the UK so this is a strong base where they could still exploit for longer time. Brand Value The results from the last fiscal year suggests that the company profits on operations around the world increased by 78% which is affected by the strong image the company has and also the good quality that equals to good value, profits from the other forms o their market such as insurance and finance is a major factor to this. WEAKNESSES Reliance upon Success. The company is too dependent on the believe they are the leading retailer in U.k which could cause them lapses making them exploit in some cases as they believe people will come for their products because of their customer base and also could exploits staff too as it is widely known that people will always come to work for them. Reliance upon the UK Market. The company is too dependent on the UK market bringing 73.8% of revenues in 2003 though it might not affect them in short term but they are of risk of any changes in the UK supermarket industry in the near future like threats from organisations merging could alter the balance of power and affect them, however the international business is still growing and widely known to contribute huge amounts to the companys profit till the near future. Signs of Serial Acquisitions The company is in risk of becoming a serial acquirer due to the firepower it has and the circulation of its product range mostly in the UK while the gap filling strategy would be useful just as it is to the convenience markets so this may reduce earnings visibility and quality. OPPORTUNITIES Health and Beauty Tescos UK health and beauty ranges grows drastically, and it is currently the fastest growing skincare retailer in the UK market leading in toiletries and healthcare, it also delivers a first class service in the baby goods products. It continues to invest in price to deliver the value customers have come to expect and this year invested  £27 million on health and beauty pricing and it now has 19 ?tor with opticians and closely 200 ?tor with ph?rm?ci. Non-food retail The companys plan to make its non-food be as big as the food sector is a sign of growth opportunity they are really planning to exploit which would see their retail share climb over the next few years as it boost sales and production, it has advantage of a good clothing brand as well which could bring profits too. TREATHS UK structural change could spark a price war The price followers in the UK market are about to become aggressive investors in price, Safeway because of now ownership and Sainsbury because of now manegement. Morrison is reducing safeways prices by up to 6% ?nd Sainsbury is bound to see lower prices is one of the basic changes necessary to drive its recovery. With both Asda and Tesco committ?d to price leadership, this could result in a step down in industry profitability. Wal-Mart/ Asda Challenge Since the US shopping giant Wal-mart purchased Asda, Tescos rank as the top UK supermarket has been threatened. Asda can now compete extremely well on price and range of goods. For the moment, Asda is the third largest supermarket in the UK, just behind Sainsburys and then Tesco. However, Asda closed the gap on Sainsburys in 2003, leaving the company to directly challenge Tescos dominance. Tesco is well aware of this, and has so far been quick to keep up with price cuts or special offers at Asda. Wal-mart may also decide to wield its buying power more heavily in the UK, and this could spell the end of Tescos brand dominance in the future. Hence, the need for comparison with a relatively successful and large retail organisation is needed in order to justify the challenges the retail sector is facing in the reward and performance management world, this would enable one to evaluate the situation more and leads me to the discussion of reward and performance management in Waitrose supermarket in the subsequent paragraphs. PERFORMANCE AND REWARD MANAGEMENT IN WAITROSE Waitrose is a relatively big supermarket in the UK; it has 221 branches across the United Kingdom. Waitrose creates some act of uniqueness for itself from competitors by offering high quality food and emphasising good customer services which is fundamental for the success of any organisation. However, for the organisation to attain the required level of customer services offered, they strategized by making cultivating the culture of making all its employees a co-partner which is very welcoming from the view of any employees as this gives them sense of belonging in the business running, partners get certain benefits called partnership bonus which is around 10-20% of a partners annual income and it is paid in a monetary value sometimes in the year, discount cards are issued after 3 months of service which entitles them to 15% discount in Waitrose and 25% in John Lewis departmental store as to rewards for their efforts towards the success of the organisation, this sound like a good initiative to reward the employees for their good and hard work. There is a focus to train new partners for customer services skills, health and safety, fresh food handling and fire safety, partners are trained to drop whatever they could be doing(within reasoning) upon the request of the customer and lead customers to the product ,so this shows the extent at which customers are being taken to be their priority. In 2005, there was an introduction of performance management scheme called Mystery Shopper which scores its branches on the service they provide considering the presentation, service on the shop floor by the employees ranging from the service counters, checkouts, wine, grocery departments and general assistants, this initiative is believed to help keep level of performance of each partner on top but it is left to be known if it is a motivator for good performance or trick for the organisation to succeed In 2008 Waitross introduced training for its partners with a new program called fresh on service which aims to lift core service standards and continue to make the business stand out from its competitors by training partners to be more confident on their job to deliver great service by inspiring among other things an attitude to believe things can be done. (www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk) At this point, it can be deduced that Waitrose tries its best to attain the best performance level with range of offers and trainings they give to the partners of the business, additionally they train people to be managers, and where school leavers are being trained to become section managers within a period of few years, then they also offer a graduate scheme that groom people achieving high managerial posts within some few years. The last few paragraphs evidently shows how Waitrose rewards its co-partners in order to achieve its set goals but the argument is that, does these rewards and benefits given to the partners motivate and spur them all to put in a better performance on their jobs, is money a good key to motivate them or is everyone motivated with tangible things? This leads me to highlight the challenges faced by Waitrose in Respect of Performance and Reward Management. Inability to manage performance Non-existence of Individual/Team Reward Too focused on customer satisfaction

Jackie Robinson Essay -- essays research papers

Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, the grandson of a slave. Jackie was the youngest of five children. When he was six months old, his father deserted the family. His mother moved them to California where it was easier for blacks to live and get work. In those days, life was very hard for black people in the South. This upset young Jackie. He became very involved in sports. He played football, basketball, baseball and ran track. In college he was a top football player. He left college before graduating. Jackie worked for the National Youth Administration at a work camp but the camp was closed. In the fall of 1941, he joined the Honolulu Bears professional football team and then was drafted into the Army. While stationed in Kansas with the Army, he worked with Joe Louis, a famous boxer, to fight unfair treatment of black people in the military. After leaving the Army, Robinson joined the Kansas City Monarchs. They were a team in the Negro League. This team was made up of African American baseball players. He soon become one of the leagues top players but did like the low pay and constant traveling. He didn't want to make baseball his career. The Brooklyn Dodger president, Branch Rickey, had been looking for a black player to bring into the major leagues. Those leagues were closed to blacks at that time. In 1945, Robinson signed a contract to play for a Dodgers farm team, the Montreal Royals. Many owners and sportswriters were against this. They ...

Dr. Meredith Belbin’s Team Roles Essay -- Business and Management Stud

Dr. Meredith Belbin’s Team Roles Biography of Dr. Meredith Belbin Dr. Meredith Belbin received his first degree in Classics and Psychology at Clare College in Cambridge. He obtained another degree for his doctoral dissertation on Old Workers in Industry. After completing his training at the Institute of Engineering Production at Birmingham and Research Fellowship at Cranfield, Dr. Belbin became a management consultant of many industries. When he came back to Cambridge, Dr. Belbin worked as a Chairman of the Industrial Training Research Unit and Director of the Employment Development Unit. Also, Dr. Belbin became the first lay member in Cambridgeshire of the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Panel on the Appointment of Magistrates and Senior Associate of the Institute of Management Studies, in Cambridge. For three years he worked as a Visiting Professor in Leadership at Exeter. It was here, where Dr. Belbin produced a short program for entrepreneurs. Later on, he left his job to work at the University of Bristol. He was an External Examiner in Entrepreneurship and Engineering Management for MSc dissertations in that institution. Dr. Belbin wrote a lot of books on Management Teams. This is a list of books which he had written and when they were published:- 1. Why They Succeed Or Fall (1981) 2. The Job Promoters- A Journey To A New Profession (1990) 3. Team Roles At Work (1993) 4. The Coming Shape Of Organisation (1996) 5. Changing The Way We Work (1997) 6. Beyond The Team (2000) 7. Managing Without Power (2002) 8. The Origin and Future of Mind (2004) As a consultant, Dr. Belbin had provided number of advises to the OECD, the United States Department of Labour, the Commission of the EEC, many other manufacturing industries and public service businesses. When he was a lecturer and seminar leader, he had frequently visited various countries. Dr. Belbin became part of his family firm called, Belbin Associates. This is commonly known as producers of INTERPLACE. It is a computer-based Team-Role Advise System which offers advice on Human Resources management issues and it is used throughout the world. Team Roles Dr, Meredith Belbin was the founder of the Team Roles. His definition of a team role is, â€Å"a tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way.† In 1981, Dr. Be... ...gning successful teams * It facilitates internal placement * It is effectively used for job evaluation Each team needs a leader to reach team goals and achieve the organisation’s objectives. Dr. Belbin identified two types of leaders:- 1. Solo Leader 2. Team Leader Solo Leader 1. Solo leader plays an unlimited role 2. The leader strives for conformity 3. Collects admirers and sycophants 4. Tells subordinate what to do 5. Plays everything and expect everyone to follow the plan Team Leader 1. Team leader plays a limited role 2. Builds on diversity 3. Seeks talent in the team 4. Develops colleagues 5. Creates missions Dr. Belbin reckons that there are two reasons for, why team leadership is becoming very popular throughout the global:- 1. â€Å"We are living in a world of increasing uncertainty where things are changing quite dramatically and often very quickly. One person can no longer understand all of this and provide the direction needed to cover every situation.† 2. â€Å"Team leadership is the only form of leadership that is acceptable in a society where power is shared and so many people are nearly equal.†