The Role of Violence in Beowulf

It is clear that violence, or at least military action plays an important role in the world of Beowulf. The events in Beowulf's life are strongly connected to combat: he saves the Kingdom of Denmark by defeating both Grendel and his mother; he serves as the King of Geatland's advisor and champion; he is elected King of Geatland after the former king and his son are killed in battle and successfully for fifty years; and he kills the fire-monster and save Geatland (Slade; Bullfinch).The violence in Beowulf does not appear to be engaged in gratuitously, for its own sake, or out of cruelty. Instead, the violence serves as a tool to achieve various goals. The men in Beowulf engage in violence in defense against an attack, threat or as Hill suggests, a feud. Military action is used as a method of getting wealth and additional territory. Lastly the use of violence is seen in terms of good versus evil, with Beowulf and his people in the role of the good.Both of the major scenes of violence i n the poem are aimed at specific targets and occur as responses to attacks made by Grendel, his mother, the lady troll-wife on Denmark, and by the dragon that attacks Geatland. When Beowulf saves the kingdom of Demark from destruction at the claws of Grendel he is responding to the attacks Grendel has been making on the Danish court. Hrothgar, king of Denmark, was â€Å". . . success in warcraft given,/honour in war, so that his retainers/ eagerly served him until the young war-band grew/into a mighty battalion† (Slade, 64-66).As a result of his success he decides to build a â€Å"mead-hall† where he can give his wealth to â€Å"young and old, such as God gave him† (Slade, 72). The poem does not tell us against whom Hrothgar has fought to gain his wealth, but the description of his lineage is a positive one that does not lend itself to indiscriminate attacks and raiding (Slade 1-63). When the Danes are unable to defeat Grendel Beowulf leads a group of men and su cceeds in killing Grendel and, when she seeks revenge on Beowulf the next day, Grendel's mother.Although Beowulf's purpose was to save Denmark from Grendel, due to his great deed, Beowulf receives both wealth and reputation. He returns to his own country: Geatland. There he serves the country well, ultimately becoming King of Geatland. After Beowulf had been king for fifty years, a dragon attacks the country; Beowulf is the only one who will fight it. He succeeds in killing the dragon, but is killed during the fight. It is clear the people in the world of Beowulf used violence to gain both wealth and honor. As mentioned above Hrothgar has made his fortune by military action.Since Hrothgar is not condemned for his acts, but is celebrated by men and given gifts from the gods, in fact the poet tells us that Hrothgar is â€Å"old and good† (Slade 130) Based on this it appears unlikely that such a method of gaining wealth was considered inappropriate, but is a tool to be used to g ain wealth. Beowulf himself leaves Denmark with a great wealth of gold and an honorable reputation for his abilities to fight. Since Beowulf is the celebrated hero of the poem it appears certain that violence as a means to wealth is accepted by the people in the world of the poem.The people in the poem regard themselves as engaging in the universal fight between good and evil with themselves fight on the side of goodness. The poet tells us that Grendel was â€Å"condemned with the kin of Cain† (Slade) and a result of the feud between Abel and Cain, i. e. , good versus evil (Slade 106-114). Consequently when Beowulf fights against Grendel, his mother, and the dragon, he is fighting against creatures that were brought into being when Cain murdered his brother.Kennedy proposes that not only does Beowulf describe the battle between good and evil, but contains â€Å"a deeply pervasive infusion of Christian spirit coloring thought and judgment, governing motive and action, a conti nuous and active agent in the process of transformation† (Kennedy, xlix). Gordon takes a more conservative approach and points out that Christianity did not supplant the native pagan beliefs all at once, but co-existed in Northern Europe at this time (Gordon 1). It is evident that violence plays an important part in the live and traditions of the people of the poem.It appears however that instead of indiscriminate raiding, raping, and pillaging one associates with the Vikings, violence was seen as a tool for defense, building wealth, and participating in the fight against evil. However it must be remembered that Beowulf presents only the side of the Danes and the Geats and does not tell how the people who lost their lives and wealth to Hrothgar viewed these people.Works CitedBullfinch, Thomas. The Age of Fable. Published April 2000 by Bartleby. com;  © 2000 Copyright Bartleby. com, Inc. 29 Mar. 2007 < http://www.bartleby. com/182/301. html>.Gordon, R. K. trans. Anglo-Saxon P oetry. London: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1954.Hill, John M. â€Å"Anthropological Approaches to Old English Literature: A Special Issue. † Philological Quarterly (1999): 1. Questia. 30 Mar. 2007 .Kennedy, Charles W. trans. Beowulf: The Oldest English Epic. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1978.Slade, Benjamin, Ed. and Trans. , 2003. Diacritically Marked Text of Beowulf Facing a New Translation. 29 Mar. 2007 < http://www. heorot. dk/beo-intro-rede. html>.

Christmas Eve Essay

Many holidays are linked to faiths and religions. There are many holidays such as Tet holiday, Easter holiday, Labor Day†¦that being celebrate around the world. Among all those holiday, I think the most meaningful holiday is Christmas holiday. Christmas is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and it’s celebrated as a major festival and public holiday in countries around the world, including many whose populations are mostly non- Christian. People celebrate Christmas Day in many ways. In the days or even weeks before Christmas Day, many people decorate their homes and gardens with lights, Christmas trees and much more. It is common to organize a special meal, often consisting of turkey and a lot of other festive foods, for family or friends and exchange gifts with them. Children, in particular, often receive a lot of gifts from their parents and other relatives and the mythical figure Santa Claus. This has led to Christmas Day becoming an increasingly commercialized holiday, with a lot of families spending a large part of their income on gifts and food. The Bible does not give an exact date for the birth of Jesus. It is also unclear when December 25 became associated with the birth of Jesus, although it may have been around two hundred years after his birth. Church leaders selected December 25 for the Feast of the Nativity when the church decided that Christians needed a December holiday rival solstice celebrations. For Christians, it is the time to renew one’s faith, give generously and consider the past. Christmas tradition: Christmas traditions have a way of feeling timeless — you may have seen the same ornaments, sung the same songs and eaten the same foods for your whole life. Some Christmas traditions are, in fact, ancient. They have pre-Christian roots and originate from pagan winter-solstice celebrations or Roman festivals. Other traditions are relatively modern. Some significant holiday traditions include decorations, activities and food. Many traditions that are around today have their roots in pre-Christian winter festivals. These include the importance of candles and decorations made from evergreen bushes and tree, symbolizing everlasting light and life. Other traditional decorations include bells, candles, candy canes, stockings, wreaths, and angels. The traditional color of Christmas are red symbolizes the blood of Jesus, which was shed in his crucifixion, while green symbolizes eternal life. On the Christmas day, people gather in the church to offer prayer to god. Different parts of the world have different traditions for celebrating Christmas. In some parts of the world, Christmas is celebrated for a week, whereas in other parts of the world, it starts with the Sunday next to November 26 and concludes on January 6 with the feast of Nativity. Christmas decorations activities: Outdoor light displays and other decorating traditions have created Christmas activities of their own. Lights and banners maybe hung along the streets, music played from speakers, and Christmas trees placed in prominent places. Many Sunday schools, churches and communities organize special events. These can include decorating the neighborhood or a shopping mall, putting up a Christmas tree and planning a Nativity display, concert or performance. Some groups arrange meals, shelter or charitable projects for homeless and poor people. Christmas food: many culinary traditions are dependent on location. For instance in the South United States many families tend to have either ham or turkey for their main dish. Other families save the turkey for Thanksgiving and the ham for Easter, while eating a delicious prime rib for Christmas. Whatever you choose for your main course, potatoes, corns, beefs, dinner rolls, and fruit usually accompany the meal. Christmas gifts: for many people- whether they care to admit it or not-Christmas is about presents. Christmas’s gift- giving tradition has its roots in the three kings offering to the infant Jesus. Gifts were ostensibly meant to remind people of the magi’s offerings to Jesus and of God’s gift of Christ to humankind. Christmas carol: A lot of plays and songs have an aspect of Christmas as a theme. Eight hundred years ago, Christmas songs were performed for people in towns and villages. These songs were stories put to music and most people enjoy them. The leaders of the church, however, did not. They said the song were unsuitable, but about 180 years ago, the songs became popular again. Symbols: wide range of people and objects represent Christmas. These include baby Jesus, the Nativity and the Three Kings, but also Santa Claus, reindeer and elves. Common objects at this time of year are pine trees, holly, decorations, fairy lights, candles and presents. Christmas Day is now truly a mix of religious celebration and commercial interests. Christmas is a time for us to spent time with family and friends. It is also the time where we tend to eat some of the most delicious home cooked meals. Whatever you choose to serves on Christmas day, don’t forget through that relaxing and spending time with loved ones should be your first priority.

Coaching Model Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Coaching Model - Assignment Example The task each employee undertakes plays a huge part in the realisation of an organization’s objectives. Perspectives in this case refer to factors such as values and motivations that drive the employee to perform the delegated tasks diligently. Apparently, in an organization where workers lack motivation from the top management fails to meet its target objectives compared to an organization that boasts of motivated employees. Process refers to the manner that dictates performance of tasks such as working as a team with an intention of improving performance. An employer must ensure that his or her employees exhibit a sense of purpose and understand their delegated roles within the organization. Gray (2010) substantiates that employees with a sense of personal direction usually exhibit high performance levels. Managers need to embark on improving workers motivation such as offering fringe benefits to them because high motivation levels translate to greater employee productivity. Lastly, a manager must develop effective process within the organization such as in service training of employees because highly trained employees usually exhibit high productivity within the

Analysis of Unconscious Bias Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of Unconscious Bias - Essay Example    There were five specifically enumerated classifications of biases noted: pattern-recognition, action-oriented, stability, interest, and social biases that decision-makers tend to disregard and subconsciously continue to infiltrate major decision-making processes. The authors suggested ways and mean counter these five biases through taking various points of views and perspectives; taking uncertainties into account; enhancing awareness by thinking beyond the box; adopting broader interests; and by encouraging corporate debate (Lovallo and Sibony, 2010). Likewise, four steps in adopting behavioral strategies were proffered to improve the quality of decision making after incorporating the suggested ways to counter biases in the organizations. In the video, â€Å"A Class Divided†, a grade three teacher, Jane Elliot, taught her students the crucial lesson on discrimination through an effective method of making them feel discriminated and prejudiced in terms of the color of thei r eyes. The results of group activities of ‘discriminated’ children were surprisingly shown as generating lower grades as their morale and perception of status were diminished. In contemporary organizations, these biases still exist in various styles and form: through gender discrimination, ranks within the organizational hierarchies, and even in the race. In a study conducted by Lyons & McArthur entitled Gender's unspoken role in leadership evaluations (gender discrimination and leadership qualities, the systemic bias â€Å"illustrates the challenges that women face in accommodating themselves to male-defined executive roles and suggests how corporate leaders--men in particular--can make these detrimental effects discussable within their own executive suites† (Lyons & McArthur, 2007, 1). This kind of bias could fall under the interest and social biases discussed by Lovallo and Sibony (2010) as there continue to pervade organizations in terms of confining to the respective interests of male-dominated leaders in organizations, deep-rooted in human tendencies and manifested in socials structures globally.   

Cis 331 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cis 331 - Assignment Example The alternative method will be reasonable and less expensive. Towing of the ice will increase the amount of fresh water in the city. It will contribute to the development of the country since a lot of resources will be saved and hence used in other activities as discussed in Adams (2001). What information can be brought to bear? Adams (2001) states that we can bear in mind that since water expands upon freezing, 1 cubic meter of ice construct only 0.85 cubic meter of water. The volume of an iceberg ranges from about 500,000 cubic meters to more than 10 million cubic meters. Spherical icebergs shrink over a day at a given distance from the pole and at the given towing speed. The fuel cost used will depend on the size of the icebergs. Submerged portion of an iceberg melt slower than the visible part which changes its size. What can we ask the client? Is the method of any benefit to the city? How long will it take for the project to complete? By how much is the proposed method efficient over the current method? Are there similar questions? Yes; what are some of the factors that manipulate the economics of such scheme? What are the disadvantages of this method? Formulate one or more problem statements. Adams (2001) argues that spherical iceberg would lose about 0.2 meter of radius per day during transport, this amount increases with the rate of towing and the expanse from the pole. Fuel costs for tow boats depend on various factors; the size of the boat, the speed and the volume of the iceberg being towed. There are differences in rental costs and capacities of towing vessels. Large icebergs will provide more water, but they may take longer and cost more to transport. Small icebergs provide less water but may be more able to move. It is difficult to prove which size to work with; the ice could melt before it reaches its destination hence making to reach to a loss. What are the decisions,

QUESTIONS Thoroughly read Chapters 7 through 10 of the Policy Issues Essay

QUESTIONS Thoroughly read Chapters 7 through 10 of the Policy Issues textbook, and then prepare an annotated bibliography for - Essay Example Scientific research and understanding creates practical technological applications which in turn require institutional implementation and management which in turn lead to more technological change as specific implementations are made which in turn leads to more scientific change. Therefore, science and technology policy have to bear in mind that innovation is more complex than a simple model of science and technology leading to innovation. Metcalfe moves on to distinguish between types of policy and innovation, such as academic scientific research versus practical technology, and further notes that despite their dialectical interrelationship, science and technology are different things. Finally, he ties this in with economic policy. Freeman, C. 2002, â€Å"National Systems of Innovation†, Policy Issues for Business, ed. Vivek Suneja, Sage Publications Ltd. Freeman expands on the analysis made by Metcalfe by noting that innovation is inherently dynamically social: No firm innov ates on their own, and technology and science are best done in systems of shared, free inquiry. Networks of governmental, scientific, educational, business and NGO innovators produce innovation over time. Freeman notes that the Friedrich list, a system whereby Germany specifically tied industrial and technological policy in the arena of education, was highly efficacious. He also notes that in Japan, R&D and business are tied together specifically, while in Russia, R&D and enterprise were often quite distinct. However, he does note that the Soviet Union's R&D and scientific research was not bad by any stretch of the imagination: They focused on arenas like mathematics, military innovation and space travel. This indicates that the priorities of national policy have direct and indirect results on atmospheres of innovation and creation. Freeman concludes by arguing a) regional and local factors will remain important in any technology and innovation policy no matter how globalized and in tegrated the world becomes, and b) Britain's experience should lead policy-makers to conclude that while learning by doing and interacting are important, innovations needs to be stressed at a systemic level. Porter, ME. 2002, â€Å"The Competitive Advantage of Nations†, Policy Issues for Business, ed. Vivek Suneja, Sage Publications Ltd. Porter continues in Freeman's vein by analyzing what makes nations competitively advantageous in the global marketplace. Strong investments in science and technology, a skilled workforce, government support and culture are all good elements, unsurprisingly, but Porter argues that in fact challenges can be opportunities. A country facing competitive challenge at home and abroad, difficult and selective customers, and aggressive suppliers will be highly effective if it can survive the challenges and weather the storm. Aside from noting the influence of national playing fields created by national policy, Porter also recommends that firms, even i f they are local or nationally oriented, should adopt a global perspective and strategy, and should move towards trying to sell under their brand name globally and control their business directly even on the global level rather than using middlemen. Porter also notes that, since markets change so rapidly, they are likely to obviate and make advantages obsolete, so companies need to treat even presently relevant advantages as soon likely to be obsolete

The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne Research Proposal

The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne - Research Proposal Example veil, a message regarding the power of the symbol itself as a symbol and the importance of considering individual interpretation as a part of this meaning. Nathanial Hawthorne wrote from a deep immersion in the Puritan world, having had ancestors that landed on North American soil with a Bible in one hand and a sword in the other, ready to tame the wilderness (Swisher, 1996). His hometown of Salem, Massachusetts was the setting for the most brutal witch trials documented in this country and his education reinforced the beliefs espoused by such trials and the religion that made them possible. These influences figured strongly in his writings, often forming the basis of his tales. This is true whether he was writing short stories or longer novels, whether he was writing of times long past or of a more contemporary period and whether he set his stories in his homeland or moved them all the way across the sea into Italy. The way that Hawthorne used this influence reveals a deep questioning of the validity of the beliefs to which he’d been raised to adhere (Erlich, 1984). Few of his stories offer straight-forward tales that are easil y understood on first reading. Some, like his short story â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil†, leave a great deal open for speculation. The meaning of the minister’s black veil has been debated since the story was first printed, but it seems clear that the veil is intended to symbolize something much greater than a quick assessment might imply. The story itself seems simple enough. It opens as the village people are called to the church for a normal Sunday mass and the minister emerges wearing a heavy black veil. The veil permits his mouth and chin to be seen, being just long enough to be touched by his breath, but keeps his eyes constantly shrouded from the rest of the world. The congregation responds to this strange appearance of their minister as he takes his place in the church, delivers his sermon and then attempts to

Carl Ernsts, Mona Siddiquis and Quran book review Essay - 1

Carl Ernsts, Mona Siddiquis and Quran book review - Essay Example ority of the Muslims, for example, the Taliban of Afghanistan and Pakistan believe that it is mandatory to fight in the name of God and kill the disbelievers. In doing so, they believe they would enter the heaven once they perish from the world. This essay will investigate the ways some of the non-Muslims and Muslims misunderstand the Quran and act upon the Holy verses. The aim of the essay is to understand the meaning of the word ‘Jihad’ and to see how Islam has been defamed in the name of the ‘Holy War.’ There are two main reasons that Islam is considered a religion that promotes terrorism. Firstly, when non-Muslims read the verses of Quran they completely ignore the fact that Quran was not only a book of guidance for people living in the past or to the people it was revealed but it is a book belonging to the people who lived in the past, are living in the present and also for the future generation to come. Secondly, some people follow the Quran word by word in a very literal sense. The Quran uses metaphors, and though it is the word of God, not every word is to be taken literally. The word Jihad is babbling not only for the non-Muslims but also for some Muslims who use and follow it in the wrong sense. The Holy Quran says â€Å"Not equal are those believers who stay behind in their homes while the believers exert in the cause of God with their wealth and life. God has kept a higher rank for those who exert in the name of God† (Quran 4:95). The believers of the book hugely misunderstand this verse. There is a misconception between some groups of people what exertion refers to. Though it is believed that it refers to Jihad, the meaning of Jihad tends to vary greatly among believers. Some of the better-known scholars of Islam like Abdullah Yousuf and Muhammad Asaddefine Jihad as a struggle or fight made to achieve justice. Jihad is a struggle made against oppression even if it means to risk one’s life. While there is some extremist groups that define

Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business - Essay Example A Lack of Graduate Engineers in Britain In Britain, more students were getting involved in management studies and very few started opting engineering. This resulted in lesser engineers with a graduate degree which further halted the manufacturing industry. Over-Diversification Resulting in Short Production Runs The diversification of products led to a decline as there were more products but lesser machinery. Therefore the need to meet the demand of all the products led to short production runs for different products which resulted in a shortage. This greatly affected the machine tool industry of UK. A General Lack of Automation and Computer Application UK’s machine tool industry lacked in technology compared to other countries. The manufacturing process took more time and was dependent on work to be done manually. This also meant that there was not much use of computer applications which usually enhance the work. A Vicious Circle of Decline Resulting in a Lack of Investment Th e whole economy of UK was in decline which meant that investors were not willing to invest in businesses or the manufacturing firms. This meant that the traditional means of businesses could not be modified for benefits. Poor Marketing The manufacturing firms were not able to market their products effectively which meant that the consumers were not attracted to the products. The ads which were used were part of mass marketing and no segments had been made. This limited the understanding of individuals or a group of consumers which made marketing much more difficult for the firms in terms of consumer attraction. Low-Volume Production at High Cost The firms produced lesser products and the cost that was associated was high. This resulted in the bankruptcy of the firms and they were not able to cope with the requirements of their manufacturing process. This further limited their efforts and thus resulted in a decline of machine tool industry. Answer 1b The factors resulted in a massive decline for the UK machine tool industry as the general decline meant that it was happening in the whole of Britain. This meant that there were very little chances for a particular industry to prosper. The threat from Japan and Germany meant that more investments were needed to compete as people were finding their products more convenient and reliable compared to UKs. The lack of graduate engineers meant that the existing technology could not be developed as much as when it could have been with more engineers. The over-diversification of products meant that time had to be given to the manufacturing of all different products which limited the time given to the manufacturing of a particular product. The lack of automation meant that more work was done manually which took time compared to work done using machines. The lacking of the use of computer applications also meant that the industries were not advancing with technology like the other nations. The decline in the economy resulted in the lack of investments, therefore, the companies had no quick more to modify and enhance their businesses. The poor marketing efforts did not attract consumers which increased imports as products of other countries were more attractive to local consumers. The production by these manufacturing firms was at high cost but in low quantity. This meant that industries had more expenses compared to

Cyber Security Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cyber Security - Assignment Example This aspect that a person from one end of the world can access information from far makes cyberspace a threat to the nation, organization or individual. The fact is that cyber attackers can launch cyber-attacks in a place far from the organization they are attacking (Schiller, 2010). It is true that cyber security is a challenge need to be addressed by the government. In addition, cyber-attacks have increased in the last few years prompting the government and policymakers to look for ways of mitigating the problem. Cyber-attacks require a government intervention because it is not possible for a small organization to tackle such problem. The U.S. is one among many advanced economies that have had their corporations cyber-attacked by culprits operating in other countries (Bajaj, 2012). Some cyber-attacks is said to have been instigated by some countries. This follows a cyber-security breach that was witnessed recently by Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. The United States government alleged that North Korea was behind the attack. Based on such case and many others that have occurred previously, it is true that the governments need to help in tackling cyber-attacks (Paletta & Nissenbaum, 2015). In conclusion, Cyber Security is a twenty-first-century problem that is increasing and, as a result, many companies are losing their assets. Cyber-attacks are also seen as a weapon used by states against other countries. As such, a state is required to help in tackling cyber security problem because they have all the resources. Paletta D. & Nissenbaum D. (2015). Debate Deepens Over Response to Cyberattacks. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from

Central business district investigation Essay Example for Free

Central business district investigation Essay Introduction: The inner city is the zone between the central business district (CBD) and the suburban housing areas. In British cities the inner city grew during the industrial revolution. Factories were built on the edge of the historic towns, now the CBD. Many people view inner city areas as rather dull and depressing as they tend to be overcrowded and polluted. Unfortunately even though the problems of inner city areas are apparent the local councils and business and invested a greater proportion of money in CBD rather then inner cities, which has lead to an escalating problems. The Diagram illustrates the burgess conurbation model, which highlights the various areas of a conurbation settlement: The burgess model of urban land consists of five concentric circles arranged around a CBD inner core. All conurbation models initiates with the central business district (CBD), which forms the heart of a settlement. Large businesses exist here since they are the only ones able to afford the high land values and rents. The inner city is the 2nd zone in the burgess model. This zone represents old industry established at the birth of the city. The third zone is known as the Low-class residential which is located in the inner city close to the old industries. This was because the poor who worked in these industries had to be local. The medium class residential represents the penultimate zone. This is more expensive housing catering for the moderately wealthy populace. The final zone is the high class residential located in the rural urban fringe. This is the most affluent area and caters for the wealthiest element in the population. According to this model, cities grow outwards from the original site; therefore properties are younger on the outskirts of the city. The Burgess Urban Land Use Model In 1925, E. W. Burgess presented an urban land use model, which divided cities in a set of concentric circles expanding from the downtown to the suburbs. This representation was built from Burgesss observations of a number of American cities, notably Chicago. The main characteristic of the inner city was for the industries to build factories to maximise production. The land was cheap and there was room for expansion for the industries. Houses were constructed local to the factories so that workers would not need.

Benefits of Career Planning

Benefits of Career Planning Career planning is the process by which one selects career goals and the path to these goals. Career development is those personal improvements one undertakes to achieve a personal career plan. Career management is the process of designing and implementing goals, plans and strategies to enable the organization to satisfy employee needs while allowing individuals to achieve their career goals. So, due to this career planning and development is necessary to each and every employee in an organization. The need of career planning and development is felt in each and every organization of todays global world. Need for Career Planning: Career Planning is necessary due to the following reasons: 1. To attract competent persons and to retain them in the organization. 2. To provide suitable promotional opportunities. 3. To enable the employees to develop and take them ready to meet the future challenges. 4. To increase the utilization of managerial reserves within an organization. 5. To correct employee placement. 6. To reduce employee dissatisfaction and turnover. 7. To improve motivation and morale. Process of Career Planning : The following are the steps in Career Planning : 1. Analysis of individual skills, knowledge, abilities, aptitudes etc. 2. Analysis of career opportunities both within and outside the organization. 3. Analysis of career demands on the incumbent in terms of skills, knowledge, abilities, aptitude etc., and in terms of qualifications, experience and training received etc. 4. Relating specific jobs to different career opportunities. 5. Establishing realistic goals both short-term and long-term. 6. Formulating career strategy covering areas of change and adjustment. 7. Preparing and implementing action plan including acquiring resources for achieving goals. Pre-requisites for the success of career planning. 1. Strong commitment of the top management in career planning, succession planning and development. 2. Organization should develop, expand and diversify its activities at a phased manner. 3. Organization should frame clear corporate goals. 4. Organization should have self-motivated, committed and hard working employees. 5. Organizations goal in selection should be selecting the most suitable man and place him in the right job. 6. Organization should take care of the proper age composition in manpower planning and in selection. 7. Organization should take steps to minimize career stress. 8. Organization should have fair promotion policy. 9. Organization should publicize widely the career planning and development programmes. Advantages of Career Planning:- For Individuals: 1. The process of career planning helps the individual to have the knowledge of various career opportunities, his priorities etc. 2. This knowledge helps him select the career that is suitable to his life styles, preferences, family environment, scope for self-development etc. 3. It helps the organization identify internal employees who can be promoted. 4. Internal promotions, upgradation and transfers motivate the employees, boost up their morale and also result in increased job satisfaction. 5. Increased job satisfaction enhances employee commitment and creates a sense of belongingness and loyalty to the organization. 6. Employee will await his turn of promotion rather than changing to another organization. This will lower employee turnover. 7. It improves employees performance on the job by taping their potential abilities and further employee turnover. 8. It satisfies employee esteem needs. For Organizations: A long-term focus of career planning and development will increase the effectiveness of human resource management. More specifically, the advantages of career planning and development for an organization include: i. Efficient career planning and development ensures the availability of human resources with required skill, knowledge and talent. ii. The efficient policies and practices improve the organizations ability to attract and retain highly skilled and talent employees. iii. The proper career planning ensures that the women and people belong to backward communities get opportunities for growth and development. iv. The career plan continuously tries to satisfy the employee expectations and as such minimizes employee frustration. v. By attracting and retaining the people from different cultures, enhances cultural diversity. vi. Protecting employees interest results in promoting organizational goodwill. Limitations of career planning :- Apart from advantages, there are some limitations. So, let us have a look at the limitations of career planning. Despite planning the career, employees face certain career problems. They are: Dual Career Families: With the increase in career orientation among women, number of female employees in on increase. With this, the dual career families have also been on increase. Consequently, one of those family members might face the problem of transfer. This has become a complicated problem to organizations. Consequently other employees may be at disadvantage Low ceiling careers: Some careers do not have scope for much advancement. Employees cannot get promotions despite their career plans and development in such jobs. Declining Career Opportunities: -Career opportunities for certain categories reach the declining stage due to the influence of the technological or economic factors. Solution for such problem is career shift. Downsizing/Delayering and careers: Business process reengineering, technological changes and business environmental factors force the business firms to restructure the organizations by delayering and downsizing. Downsizing activities result in fixing some employees, and degrading some other employees. Review of literature (Bardsley 1987) IBMs career planning workshop focuses on the interests, skills, and contributions inherent in the individuals current job. Employees study their jobs components and learn how to make the work more challenging. In addition, participants learn how jobs evolve from business needs Leibowitz, Farren, and Kaye (1985) it has been present a model for designing and implementing a career development system. Their guidelines include the following: o State specifics o Tie the program to overall human resource development o Tailor the program to the culture o Build from a conceptual base o Plan long-term approaches, short-term payoff o Design multiple approaches o Co-design and manage the project o Ensure top management support o Publicize accomplishments Slavenski and Buckner (1988) it conclude their paper with a list of recommendations garnered from the literature and from their own experiences with career development in the workplace. Among their recommendations for persons designing and implementing career development are the following: o Link new programs to other parts of the career development system o Design the program in terms of the specific organizational culture o Think of career development as a process, not a program o Involve line management. Choong Kwon Lee (2010) It has been described that agency theory is proposed as a framework for explaining the design of IT jobs and career paths. To support this theory, data about knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) were gathered and analyzed from Fortune 500 job listings for the Programmer/Analyst Systems Analyst IT Manager career path. The results indicate that agency theory has significant predictive power over the type and importance of IT KSAs for job sequences along IT career paths. The results have implications for both researchers who are looking for theories that explain IT job design and career path development and managers who are challenged with decisions about how to design IT jobs and manage IT career paths. Workspan (sep 2010) According to a recent study, 60% of the 382 polled companies have a career development program in place, and 41% of those use in-house coaches and/or mentors to drive development. The study suggests that people who want coaching and mentoring are better off working in the rich and diverse villages of large corporations. Of the companies that do not have such programs, four-fifths plan to implement one within the next two years. Joann S. Lublin (Dec 2009) About 44% of individuals age 50 or older plan to postpone retirement, with half of those planning to work at least three years longer than previously expected, concluded a February poll of more than 2,200 U.S. employees by consultants Watson Wyatt Worldwide Inc. The postponed promotion phenomenon is a reality in the heavy-manufacturing, media, retailing, financial-services and medical-supply industries, says John Beeson, a principal of Beeson Consulting, which specializes in succession planning and executive development. The assistant director of a midsize nonprofit group expected to snare the executive directors spot after the executive director retired next January, says Katy Piotrowski, the assistant directors career counselor in Fort Collins, Colo. Kimberly A. Eddleston (2003) it has been described that research has uncovered important predictors of managerial career success, the causal relationships between these predictors has not been fully explored. Accordingly, we propose and test a model that establishes a link between individual differences, salient career-related beliefs, career enhancing outcomes and managerial career success. Using path analysis, we found that education and career impatience directly affected willingness to relocate and perceived marketability, which in turn led to more promotions offered and greater exposure to powerful networks. Finally, the number of promotions offered directly affected management level, which in turn affected compensation level. With respect to gender differences, we found that beliefs regarding the efficacy of mentoring positively influenced a womans sense of marketability, and like her male counterpart, exposure to powerful networks. However, we also found that for women manager s, unlike men, such exposure did not affect the number of promotions they were offered. Cathleen Benko, Managing Principal of Talent USA (2007) This article introduces mass career customization, a system that encourages a continuous collaboration between employer and employee to design customized career paths, taking into account both the changing needs of the business and employees changing lives. Mass career customization is an adaptive model of career progression that offers employees career-long options for keeping their work and personal lives in sync and employers the long-term loyalty of their best and brightest. MCC was first introduced through a 120-participant implementation pilot that began within Deloitte Consulting LLP in 2005 and then continued through a year-long second round pilot with approximately 300 participants in 2006. Findings Satisfaction with career-life fit improved, in some case sharply. Nearly 90 percent said MCC positively influenced their decision to remain with the organization. Team leaders said the ongoing MCC process was an advantage i n staffing new projects with top talent. Client service standards were maintained. Significant savings were achieved, primarily driven by positive impact on retention and associated revenue. COMPANY IBM (CAREER PLANNING) IBM Global Business Services organization offers numerous paths to career success. While most traditional consulting firms offer a single route to a leadership position, they have four career paths that focus on our consulting, sales, project management and technical competencies. This allows their people to succeed by focusing on their strengths and interests in one or more disciplines. Partner client management, practice development, engagement sales and delivery Sales Executive client relationship and sales Delivery Executive project management Distinguished Engineer technical capabilities In addition, as part of a large global organization with multiple business units, our consultants gain access to career opportunities throughout IBM in strategy, marketing, sales, finance and human resources, among many others-something our competitors simply cannot match. In fact, many of our most successful executives have had roles in several organizations within IBM. A guide for new hires An early start at career success begins with IBM, their new-hire training program. They make learn how IBM works, how to maximize the contribution to the company, how to successfully navigate within IBM and connect with the colleagues and have fun in the process. Planning the career To help to identify opportunities, construct a skills road map and mark their progress, IBM offers easy-to-navigate career Web sites and tools: Job role and technical training In addition to top-notch professional skills, IBM focuses on in-depth industry and technical training to keep you up to date on emerging technologies and skills valued in the marketplace. Academic learning assistance program IBM provides assistance for external education in addition to our internal training offerings to help you keep your skills aligned with our business goals. [emailprotected] Explorer The Academic Learning Assistance Program is intended to meet identified business needs by paying for many educational expenses for employees at universities and colleges. Participation is limited and selective. Management may limit whether the plan is available to their employees given business needs. If it is available, management may specify additional requirements for their employees to participate. Tution fee All three plans under the Academic Learning Assistance Program (DWSP, ICP, SSP) are funded by the business units. Participation is limited and selective. Management may limit whether the plan is available to their employees given business needs. The education expense is charged to the education minor code 0330 and the employees division and department. However, each IBM division decides whether to hold the funding at the department, functional, or divisional level. IBM expects you to apply for all other financial assistance to which you are entitled. Financial assistance includes student aid programs, scholarships, grants, fellowships, Veterans Administration benefits, etc. IBM reserves the right to discontinue any of the Plans in the program or discontinue the program should there be significant business changes. IBM Foundational Competencies We identify core competencies that provide the foundation for employee professional growth at IBM. These include: Adaptability Client focus Taking ownership Communication Drive to achieve Teamwork and collaboration Creative problem solving Passion for the business Trustworthiness IBMs commitment to people development sets us apart from other employers. From Web applications to mentors to global e-learning to classroom training, IBMs learning environment enables you to take charge of your skills and knowledge from day one, empowering you to expand your expertise throughout your career. Analysis As we know that IBM (International Business Machines) is is a multinational computer, technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, North Castle, New York, United States. IBM is the worlds largest technology company and the second most valuable by global brand (after Coca-Cola). IBM is one of the few information technology companies with a continuous history dating back to the 19th century. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software (with a focus on the latter), and offers infrastructure services, hosting services, and consulting services in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology. IBM company provide Base pay, performance bonuses, awards, commissions and other forms of earnings comprise the cash compensation for employee career planning. It Includes healthcare benefit such as- vision, dental, with two plan options and medical for which there are three plan options. They also provide Sickness accident income plans, long-term disability plan, travel accident insurance, long-term care insurance and group life insurance plans are available. IBM offers a leading-edge 401(k) plan where employees can contribute up to 80% of eligible compensation each pay-period before taxes and for eligible employees IBM will match up to the first 6% of pay. Employees are eligible for this match after 1 year of service. Additional program The employee purchase program allows employees to purchase IBM products at significant discounts off of the suggested retail price. Many IBM locations have special programs like fitness centers, educational courses, career planning centers and award programs. Conclusion As per the study we came to know that Career planning is an important step to success in the workplace. Through career planning one selects career goals and the path to these goals which incorporates short-term and long-term career goals,personal goals and constraints. Short-term planning Assess your skills, knowledge, values, constraints and interests Long-term planning Identify which new skills and knowledge you want to develop Research career opportunities Formulate a careers action plan with contingencies Up to 5 years ahead Check the careers action plan for realism From 5 to 10 years ahead As we have taken example of career planning in IBM Company, we have seen that the company provides special programs like fitness centers, educational courses, career planning centers and award programs. Through these planning program the employee of the company get the opportunities to have the knowledge of various career opportunities, his priorities etc. They also able to select the career that is suitable to his life styles, preferences, family environment, scope for self-development etc. So, Career planning program is being designing and implementing goals, plans and strategies to enable the organization to satisfy employee needs while allowing individuals to achieve their career goals. So, due to this career planning and development is necessary to each and every employee in an organization. The need of career planning and development is felt in each and every organization of todays global world.

Brief History Of HBL Commerce Essay

Brief History Of HBL Commerce Essay Stragtegic Human Resource Management helps an organization achieve productivity and effectiveness, by sharing the overall vision of the organization, sharing goals and objectives, and making sure that Human Resource is not just a department, but the whole organization speaks of HR as the core division, which means that organization is employee centered. Strategic HR changed a number of things in HBL. It updated the way plans were made, shifting to strategic plans, from a one-man show to bringing everybody on board, encouraging idea generation and sharing proposals, different departments sharing their plans of what to look for in the coming year and democratic decision making by appointing a Strategic Planning Division and appointing member from the Board of Directors that goes through each plan and then the CEO communicating the approved plan to the departmental heads. By this, the plan became not just an objective, but more of a bible. At HBL, after the privatization, a number of initiatives were taken, from right sizing and getting rid of lethargic employees, to introducing golden handshake schemes, from moving to performance management system to inducting young blood that brings in creative ideas. Concepts like employee engagement and job rotation became part of the policy, organization-wide rewards programs were introduced. An inevitable change in culture was also accomplished, it from the seniority based to performance based culture. Overall structure of the organization was also made flatter, removing additional levels and bureaucracy. INTRODUCTION TO HBL It is the prime Bank in country established in 1941 having a registered head office in Karachi. It was nationalized in 1974, but recently on 26th February 2004 it has been privatized by Government of Pakistan and is taken over by Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED). They acquired 51 percent of shares of HBL. It is one of the largest Banks of Pakistan with 1439 branches, having total assets of Rs. 1,139,554,000, 5 million total number of customers helping in generating Rs 13 million profit currently. Brief History of HBL HBL established operations in Pakistan in 1947 and moved its head office to Karachi. Our first international branch was established in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1951 and Habib Bank Plaza was built in 1972 to commemorate the banks 25th Anniversary. With a domestic market share of over 40%, HBL was nationalized in 1974 and it continued to dominate the commercial banking sector with a major market share in inward foreign remittances (55%) and loans to small industries, traders and farmers. International operations were expanded to include the USA, Singapore, Oman, Belgium, Seychelles and Maldives and the Netherlands. On December 29, 2003 Pakistans Privatization Commission announced that the Government of Pakistan had formally granted the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) rights to 51% of the shareholding in HBL, against an investment of PKR 22.409 billion (USD 389 million). On February 26, 2004, management control was handed over to AKFED. The Board of Directors was reconstituted to have four AKFED nominees, including the Chairman and the President/CEO and three Government of Pakistan nominees. BUSINESS DIVISIONS AT HBL HBL has a wide array of customers, belonging to a wide range of business divisions, from individuals to corporate, from Islamic banking to commercial banking. They are divided into three main categories, as follows: Individual Customers Car, Home Loans Credit, Debit Cards Deposit Accounts BancAssurance Phone Banking FastTransfer Mutual Funds Salary Plus Business Customers Corporate Banking Commerical Banking SME Banking Global Treasury Investment Banking Cash Management Zarai Banking Asset Management Islamic Banking Deposit Accounts Financing Products Murabaha Diminishing Musharaka jarah Trade and Value added Services MISSION To make our customers prosper, our staff excel and create value for shareholders VISION Enabling people to advance with confidence and success VALUES Our values are the fundamental principles that define our culture and are brought to life in our attitudes and behavior. It is our values that make us unique and unmistakable. Our values are defined below: Excellence This is at the core of everything we do. The markets in which we operate are becoming increasingly competitive, giving our customers an abundance of choice. Only through being the very best in terms of the service we offer, our products and premises can we hope to be successful and grow. Integrity We are the leading bank in Pakistan and our success depends upon trust. Our customers and society in general expect us to possess and steadfastly adhere to high moral principles and professional standards. Customer Focus We understand fully the needs of our customers and adapt our products and services to meet these. We always strive to put the satisfaction of our customers first. Meritocracy We believe in giving opportunities and advantages to our employees on the basis of their ability. We believe in rewarding achievement and in providing first-class career opportunities for all. Progressiveness We believe in the advancement of society through the adoption of enlightened working practices, innovative new products and processes, and a spirit of enterprise. HUMAN RESOURCE AS A SOURCE OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Brief Introduction Human resource, being the pulse of any organization, is its most precious asset. And training plays a vital role in tapping and developing its potential to the utmost. With this key factor in mind, HBL pioneered its first training program in 1946, in which Muslim youth were recruited after an extensive tour of leading academic institutions. There are 78 employees in the HR department. According to Adnan-ur-Rehman Khan, Senior Manager, Human Resources at HBL Worldwide, the practice is of having 100 to 1 ratio, i.e. to have one employee of HR department per 100 employees of other departments. In Pakistan, however due to low importance of HR as a strategic function, it is okay to have 1000 to 1 ratio instead. Importance Bank is a service industry, automation cannot be done. Every activity has to be managed by human beings, a particular department is therefore unavoidable. Trust and loyalty can only be ensured by human beings. Banking involves money, which is why ensuring trust is extremely important. Housing 13,000 people is not an easy job. HR department at HBL deals with the factors associated with human beings like counseling, behavior management, motivation and job satisfaction. Since the organization is heterogeneous, complex and large a proper HR department exists to manage the diverse needs of large internal customers. Catering to administrative and long term strategic needs of employees. Support functions are required in order to help employees work towards organizational goals. RECRUITMENT PROCESS Internal job posting: This is the most traditional method which most of the companies are following in which CVs are being collected from companys website and other sources and then after the filtration process desired individuals are called for the interview. HBL actually grooms and trained their employees in different departments and whenever there is a vacancy they always prefer their trained employees. This adds a lot to the current employees confidence and morale, which they have a better chance to be promoted and thus strive to achieve higher than expectations. Entry level hiring: fresh graduates for MTOS and non MTOS: MTO admission program is being conducted in 6-7 certified universities, students who have a GPA above certain level can apply. They are being passed through screening and interview processes and then HR team hire them. Non MTOs are selected from B grade universities are passed from a testing process which is being outsourced, then they are also passed through an interview process and are shortlisted. Mid career: CV is being selected from the database of bank which points out the basic skills required for the job. After this HR team selects candidates who can perform these required tasks very effectively. These candidates are preferred to already have a career of at least 8-10 years so that they can understand the job demands properly. Cross function hiring: Hiring from different departments is also preferred as one of the recruitment method at HBL. For example while hiring for retail banking they also look into corporate bankings department. Similarly hiring for HR department can be done from compliance and audit divisions. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT The banks Training Division has gained renown for its excellence and efficiency and was called upon to assist in training personnel for other upcoming baking institutions. With the passage of time this assistance became a testimonial of the banks valuable contribution towards establishing and developing of other commercial banks within the country where several trained Habibians went to work with senior, middle and junior levels. Word of its skills spread far wide which led to many international banks sending their personnel to HBL for training. Presently HBL manages full-fledged teaching facilities and support staff at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. The training programs are conducted with the latest aids and equipment and involve extensive training to new recruits, and existing staff with specialized courses that cater to the different cadre of personnel on topics of Management, Marketing, Selling, Accounting and Finance, Banking Law and Practice and Internal Procedure. Speakers from other prestigious institutes are also invited to deliver lectures. Methods used: On the Job training Coaching/Mentoring Group Discussions Outdoor training Rewards and Recognition For them remuneration is the key element of employee engagement. Two elements of remuneration: Annual salary Performance-related benefit Performance is more than just achieving financial objectives. As a bank they pride themselves at their unique culture and values Every employee receive a values rating that reflect how employee live at their values and culture, which influence their performance related awards. . Those with the lowest value ratings would receive no annual performance related bonus, even if they achieve all their financial targets. The rating criterion is as follows A is a role model. B is an exemplary. C lived value with more time. D needs to learn values. These ratings denote your bonuses as well as pay increments. These ratings are purely awarded on the basis of performance and as mention earlier for that key performance indicators (KPI) plays a significant role. Along with these ratings they also give rewards for some particular achievement as recently they have arranged a 3 day holiday trip to Malaysia for their remote banking employees for performing significantly well. Outsourcing HBL manages its workforce by not hiring everybody. S. Ali Raza Zaidi, VP, Personnel Division said Now a days, there are companies that deal help in delivering services, which helps in keeping our workforce under control. Take credit card sales for example. These companies go for aggressive sales and telemarketing. There are not our employees, but bring us business and charge a fee for the service. In this way, HBL is also outsourcing some of the services, for which we dont need to actually employee people. However, if supervisor is needed, that must be a companys person. INNOVATION AND RISK TAKING AMONG EMPLOYEES: They motivate their employees to be courageous and bold enough to raise their voice against the system and for the system. There is a leadership board on internet to which every person is accessible and writes whatever he thinks should be done to improve the organizational effectiveness and then he is called to explain his idea in front of Board of Directors. This further elaborates the openness that is quite visible in the culture at HBL, where every employee is given confidence to speak what they feel is right and raise voice against anything that is bad, anonymity is of prime importance and HBL makes sure the whistle blowers remain behind the curtains. MOTIVATION AMONG EMPLOYEES: Motivating the employees is of primary importance to any organization. HBL follows below criteria: Compensate The salary and employee benefits your bank provides serve a major role in recruiting, retaining, and motivating staff. While salary and benefits are not the most important aspect of your jobs, they definitely contribute to recruiting, retaining, and motivating superior employees. The quest to compensate employees fairly is an ongoing challenge. If your bank pays employees too little, you may risk alienating and losing valuable employees. If you pay too much, you may be unwisely spending company resources. How much your bank can afford for employee salaries can determine the caliber of talent you attract to your organization. Performance Performance plays a significant role in motivating the employees. Performance of the employee can be judge by the employee himself. As in the beginning of the year targets are being set for the employees performance so by the end of the year employees themselves can see that what they have achieved and what more they can earn with their performance. Transition to Strategic HRM WHY SHRM? Strategic Human Resource Management practices enhance employee productivity and the ability of agencies to achieve their mission. Integrating the use of personnel practices into the strategic planning process enables an organization to better achieve its goals and objectives. With the advent of todays economy where services contribute to a major share of the GDP and the fact that the service sector is essentially people centric, it is vital that the people first approach be accepted by the organizations for sustainable business strategy. The practice of SHRM demands a proactive and hands on approach by the management as well as the HR department with regards to the entire scope of activities ranging from staffing and training and development to mentoring and pay and performance management. Adnan-ur-Rehman Khan, Senior Manager, Human Resources Were not a small firm, were in fact one of the biggest banks of Pakistan, having experience that ranges to decades. With so much experience, the one thing which we learnt is that people are your most important, and irreplaceable asset. You want monetary gains, you cannot ignore the human resource of your firm. This is infeasible today, as it is in future. If youre to go ahead, and really fulfill the vision, you have to trust your people. Invite them on the same platform, listen to their problems, and encourage them to speak their heart out. This essentially means that you welcome them on the big table, show them the big picture, share your mission, and treat your people like your stakeholders. Only in this way, by treating people as your strategic element, you can get the competitive edge against competitors. STRATEGIC PLANNING AT HBL Planning process Strategic Planning Division is made up of Board of Directors which evaluates previous performances, current market trends and forecasts future potential on a yearly basis. BoD evaluates several proposals and modified goals. All the core departments of HBL are involved in the strategy formulation, the formation of following years strategy is a combination of inputs and proposals from departments like Marketing, Operations, IT, Finance and Human Resource. According to Adnan-ur-Rehman Khan, Senior Manager, Human Resources at HBL The strategy is not just what the next year would be like, it is more like fulfilling the vision, which cannot be done without coordination of each department, responsibility and commitment of every employee of each division. The strategy is made when each department is on same page, one platform. This is what strategic planning means. The process, though extensive, only goes through with considerable consensus. The Strategic Planning Division votes on the proposals, and suggests recommendations if needed. After going through the extensive process of planning and strategizing, the plan takes the shape of a bible. Policy making is done by feedback process i.e. input, process, output and feedback. Input is provided by the BoD and top management, and then they are circulated in the organization. Employees work according to these policies and then their pros and cons are observed for the future policy making. Significance of strategic planning: Planning out the future of any business is the best way to guarantee success. It seems difficult in beginning, but as the time goes by, a strategy is what helps a business move in the right (planned) direction. At HBL, once approved strategic plans become bible for the whole organization, every department is given particular goals to meet; every department comes up with its own strategy on how to achieve those goals. SBUs are also encouraged to come up with their own business strategy, since each business division has better understanding on deciding the action plan to meet targets. According to Adnan-ur-Rehman Khan, Senior Manager, Human Resources at HBL every division is allowed to come up with its own strategy to meet the set targets, top management is flexible in this regard. Types of Strategic Goals Strategic goals are monetary and non monetary. Monetary goals are highly centralized and cascaded down to businesses and interpret these goals to SBUs and non monetary goals are transferred to support functions and support functions interpret them. Performance management system reviews the performance of SBUs and support functions, if any discrepancy is found, departmental heads are taken to task. Monitoring Performance Management System Progress of implementation of strategic goals is continuously monitored, if any discrepancy is found between performance level and set goals, it affects performance appraisal process. If everything goes as planned, performance management eventually helps in the performance appraisal of employees. Performance Managements core objective is manage talent, motivation, commitment of the employees towards the organization and its vision. They have very strong evaluation process in which the evaluation is started right away from the 1st day of joining to the bank. Right from the first day the immediate supervisor of an employee has a meeting with him and they both discusses about the goals, objectives and what is being expected from him. They have key performance indicators through which the performance of each and every employee is being analyse. With the help of this key performance indicators and the discussion with the supervisor the employee had a clear idea and road map that what he has to do and what is expected from him. The goals are being set by the mutual understanding between the employee and his supervisor. This evaluation is being done on the semi annually basis. On the basis of this evaluation employees get their pay raise and ratings. The more rating points you earned the more pay increments you will get. Communication of Goals CEO communicates these goals to direct reporters i.e. departmental heads which are further communicated to functional heads who set their respective targets. For example: the functional head of retail banking sets their target to collect the deposits of Rs 25 million and now it is to be increased to 35 million by 2013. Retail banking allocates goals to its further 20 regions after a meeting with their respective heads. Regional heads might require more resources so HR department arranges for that as well (Example quoted by S. Ali Raza Zaidi, VP, Personnel Division, HBL). Policy Making and Risk Management Board Human Resource Committee (BHRC) includes chairman, president and one independent board member. These three members issue recommendations on HR Initiatives and policies. Similarly there are committees of compliance and risk which deals with the matters like compliance with government policies on employment, ethical issues, matters like sexual harassment and the like. STRATEGIC INITIATIVES Transformation from Public to Private In 2003, under the government of General Musharraf a commission called Pakistan Privatization Commission was formed, under the leadership of Shaukat Aziz HBL, along with many other companies, was privatized and 51% of its shares were sold to Aga Khan Fund for Economic and Development (AKFED). Right Sizing of Workforce: Earlier when HBL was a public organization its culture was lethargic, many people under burdened, all responsibilities were shared vaguely. When it went private one of the strategic decisions taken was of right sizing. From 31000 employees all over Pakistan, in 1997, the number was shrunk to around 10000 and it stands at 13000 as of 2012. The right sizing did not create an ethical issue because the nature of the organizational holding was changed. Workforce cut down to 13000, which increased the productivity level and motivation because the less-productive employees were laid off which increase individual work load but not so much as to over burden employees and helped organization cut down cost of additional employees that were not contributing enough. From Annual Confidential Report to Performance Management system. Initially HBL used to do the performance appraisal on annual basis and this process was called annual confidential report which was as the name suggests kept confidential to the top management only. After privatization bank moved towards performance management system which was by nature more transparent, open to input from various departments and was reviewed on a continuous basis to make sure that the performance of employees is in line with the strategies made at the top. Paradigm Shift to Growth-Oriented According to Adnan-ur-Rehman Khan, Senior Manager, Human Resources While some organizations are strictly business oriented where the only thing that matters is money, on the other extreme there are people centric organizations which are primarily concerned with its workforce, HBL took a midway approach. The organization believes in welfare of its employees by channeling their efforts towards achieving monetary goals. Banks culture is such that its the people who bring in profits so it should be people who are benefits the most from the profit which cannot be done without organizational growth in the terms of greater market coverage. Organizational Transformation by introducing Golden Handshake Scheme When the organization realized that the current workforce could not come with many creative ideas and lacked physical efficiency and could not cope with changing market trends due to resistance to change, HBL introduced golden handshake scheme. Under this scheme 25/55 rule was established i.e. the employees with 25 years of experience within the bank and 55 years of age were offered 5 months cumulative salary and their services were recognized as an honor to HBL. Inducting Young Blood Previously discussed golden handshake scheme helped HBL to induct young blood. Since youth is more inclined towards updating themselves with latest techniques, open to change, have superior physical strength and more creative mind, this strategy helped increase efficiency in the organization. This young blood equipped with the creative mind and greater insights of recent market trends helped te bank to grow in the face of fierce competition. Tracking Employee Demand and Supply Management at HBL is alert on upcoming vacancies, and how to fill them up. Whenever an employee is about to leave, he must serve the one month notice period, the company first looks at the internal pool of candidates, those who are most eligible to be promoted. If there is no replacement available in the current employees, the bank goes the through the external recruitment process (mentioned above in recruitment process). Employee Engagement Job rotation and transfer is done every 3 years according to the policy. The assignment should be changed for this purpose. Nobody is allowed to work more than three years on the same position, he is either promoted or his job is changed, job rotation is a key policy at HBL. Job rotation program is also there for Management Trainee employees who are being rotated to different departments after every 6 months. HBL derives following benefits from their job rotation policy: Explore the Hidden Talent Job Rotation is designed to expose employees to a wider range of operations in order to assist managers in exploring their hidden talent. In the process, they are moved through a variety of assignments so that they can gain awareness about the actual working style of the organization and understand the problems that crop up at every stage. Individuals Explore Their Interests: Sometimes, employees are not aware of what would like to do until they have their hands on some specific job. If their job is rotated or they are exposed to different operations, they can identify what they are good at and what they enjoy doing. Identifies Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes: Job Rotation helps managers as well as individuals identify their KSA (Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes). It can be used in determining who needs to improve or upgrade his or skills in order to perform better. This helps in analyzing training and development needs of employees so that they can produce more output. Motivates Employees to Deal with New Challenges: When employees are exposed to different jobs or assigned new tasks, they try to give their best while effectively dealing with the challenges coming their way. Satisfaction and Decreases Attrition Rate: Exposing employees to different tasks and functions increase their satisfaction level. Job variation reduces the boredom of doing same task every day. Moreover, it decreases attrition rate of the organization. Align Competencies with Requirements: Alignment of competencies with requirements means directing the resources when and where they are required. It assesses the employees and places them at a place where their skills, competencies and caliber are used to the highest possible extent. Career counseling when needed Employees who are not able to perform or want to leave the organization voluntarily they were given incentives which were added in their benefits. In other cases where employees with good performance are planning to leave the organization then they are provided with proper career counseling by the HR manager himself and his reservations are also sorted out to maximum extent. Employee as family To motivate the employees non monetary benefits are also there which includes gatherings, trips to foreign countries, picnics, visits, lunches and formal dinners. This helps the employees feel like part of the family, rather than just workers. This is essential in terms of relationship building, and increasing communication between the top management and other employees. CORPORATE STRATEGY According to Adnan-ur-Rehman Khan, Senior Manager, Human Resources HBL follows the strategy of diversification, since it deals with different customers, in different markets. We have a different group of customers for Islamic Banking, different for Corporate Banking. We aggressively look for new divisions that have a high potential of growth. For example, we were the pioneers of Zarai Banking, which made our portfolio diverse. HBL is suppose to be a heterogeneous, complex and large organization therefore there are multiple strategies used. Centralized approach is used for financial dealings is used. Top management is flexible in this regard that every function can devise its own business strategy. Core Divisions at HBL HBLs pioneer division is Agri financing. They are market leaders and other banks are following HBL. The division deals in providing farmers with necessary financing. Second core division at HBL is Retail Banking. CULTURE AT HBL Seniority based culture to performance based culture When the bank was Public limited, the culture was more inclined towards promotion comes with age and loyalty. The transition to Private limited company ensured that the culture be changed performance based. The seniority now holds less weight as compared to actual performance, when it comes to performance appraisal. Employee Work hours and Overtime issue HBL has a very strict policy against overtime. Overtime is not appreciated much. Timings are followed strictly. Every employee is supposed to leave the office at 5.30 PM, the usual off time of the organization. If an employee is sitting late and working, he is obliged to answer as to what took him to register overtime. The culture is such that when more than 95% employees leave on time, including the top management, employees are generally demotivated to stay late as well. Responsiveness Customer responsiveness delivers an excellent customer experience. As a global research reported, 81 percent of banks with strong capabilities and competencies for delivering customer experience excellence are outperforming their competition. An effective customer response strategy enables a bank to deliver the highest standards of customer care at a time when the customer most needs it. That level of care makes an important contribution to customer satisfaction and long-term loyalty. Head of resourcing instead of head of recruitment. Outsourcing worker services, ANALYSIS OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The purpose of an organizational structure is to help in creating an environment for human performance. It is then, a management tool and not an end in its own. Although the structure must define the task to be done, the rules so established must also be designed in the light of abilities and motivation of the human recourse available. By analyzing the organizational structure of HBL presence of the following elements can be found in its structure. Transition towards flatter organization Another change in the private limited company was the removal of additional levels in the organizational hierarchy, this helped in reducing the communication gap between employees and management, and among

Computer Access :: Technology Personal Narrative Teacher

Computer Access My current situation finds me teaching 7th grade block (language arts and geography) at Beach Middle School in Chelsea, Michigan. Chelsea, as a community, is fairly well-off financially. Technology is a priority for its citizens and for its schools. I am currently typing this on my school-issued laptop that is less than a year old. I am sitting on my couch and my cat is sleeping on my left arm. My classroom contains a brand new PC for my students to use and a new HP DeskJet color printer. There are two different labs of brand new laptops at my disposal. I am one of Moran’s â€Å"haves.† Being one of the â€Å"haves† doesn’t mean that my students can use computers everyday, nor would I sign up for that. We have debated and argued and complained and reasoned our way into a sign-up system that works most of the time. For the walk-in lab of twenty-eight laptops, the sign-up sheet is posted one week in advance and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The sign-up sheet is posted in the lab itself. It is posted by the Media Center clerk, and she has her favorites. The rest of us are routinely confounded by the apparent speed with which some teachers are able to access the sign-up sheet. For those of us who are not quite quick enough, there are two laptop carts. Each cart has fourteen laptops and a printer. All of the laptops are wireless. We can sign up for one or both laptops at a time. The sign-up sheet is in the Media Center, and the sign-up sheet is available for the entire school year. In September, I can sign up for June. I have done already this year. We have two different sign-up procedures because of the different planning styles of our teaching staff. We in the language arts and social studies departments tend to do our planning months in advance. For at least the last two years, the 7th grade block staff has met in the summer and plotted the course of the year. Computer Access :: Technology Personal Narrative Teacher Computer Access My current situation finds me teaching 7th grade block (language arts and geography) at Beach Middle School in Chelsea, Michigan. Chelsea, as a community, is fairly well-off financially. Technology is a priority for its citizens and for its schools. I am currently typing this on my school-issued laptop that is less than a year old. I am sitting on my couch and my cat is sleeping on my left arm. My classroom contains a brand new PC for my students to use and a new HP DeskJet color printer. There are two different labs of brand new laptops at my disposal. I am one of Moran’s â€Å"haves.† Being one of the â€Å"haves† doesn’t mean that my students can use computers everyday, nor would I sign up for that. We have debated and argued and complained and reasoned our way into a sign-up system that works most of the time. For the walk-in lab of twenty-eight laptops, the sign-up sheet is posted one week in advance and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The sign-up sheet is posted in the lab itself. It is posted by the Media Center clerk, and she has her favorites. The rest of us are routinely confounded by the apparent speed with which some teachers are able to access the sign-up sheet. For those of us who are not quite quick enough, there are two laptop carts. Each cart has fourteen laptops and a printer. All of the laptops are wireless. We can sign up for one or both laptops at a time. The sign-up sheet is in the Media Center, and the sign-up sheet is available for the entire school year. In September, I can sign up for June. I have done already this year. We have two different sign-up procedures because of the different planning styles of our teaching staff. We in the language arts and social studies departments tend to do our planning months in advance. For at least the last two years, the 7th grade block staff has met in the summer and plotted the course of the year.

On Certainty :: Essays Papers

On Certainty In his essay â€Å"An Argument for Skepticism†, Peter Unger makes the case for the â€Å"universal form of the skeptical thesis†. He is arguing for the position that any type of knowledge is impossible for any person. His argument seems to be a simple one, derived from two very clear hypotheses, but that is not the case. This paper is an attempt to show that while philosophically interesting, Unger’s attack on knowledge is not nearly so damaging as he contends. I will argue that Unger mischaracterizes the nature of certainty as it is ordinarily used (something he says is important to his argument), and also that he has mischaracterized one of the sources he used to defend this definition. I will then present W.V.O. Quine’s psychologically based epistemology as presented in â€Å"Epistemology Naturalized† and â€Å"Two Dogmas of Empiricism†, and argue that this theory provides a more adequate account of the way knowledge and certainty are understood. I will also attempt to address the objections to Quine’s theory raised by Jaegwon Kim. So, how does one begin an attack on all knowledge? The answer, as it turns out, is quite simply. Unger’s argument consists of only two premises. The first of these states that â€Å"If someone knows something to be so, then it is all right for the person to be absolutely certain that it is so (238).† To this is added the second premise, that â€Å"It is never all right for anyone to be absolutely certain that anything is so (238).† Clearly, the conclusion â€Å"Nobody ever knows that anything is so†(238) follows. Unger next alters these premises slightly, adding the idea of overriding considerations. The first premise is the same except with the words â€Å"†¦providing only that no overriding consideration (or considerations) make it not all right (241).† Likewise, the second premise becomes It is not the case that it is all right for someone to be absolutely certain that something is so providing only that no overriding (consideration or) considerations make it all right. (242). I am perfectly willing to grant Unger the first premise. I think that there is no problem with allowing him this, in and of itself. Even the second premise is allowable in a certain, philosophically interesting sense, and in this sense, Unger’s argument is very strong. The philosophical ideal of absolute certainty is something that I think should be given up as a vain pursuit, and I think that Unger shows this nicely.

The Common Theme in the Songs of Good Charlotte :: Good Charlotte Music Bands Essays

The Common Theme in the Songs of Good Charlotte There are three specific songs sung by Good Charlotte that all have a common theme. The songs are called Wondering, Emotionless, and Predictable. In all of these songs the common theme of relationships is reoccurring. There are successful and failed relationships as well as relationships with family members and girlfriends. In the song Wondering, by Good Charlotte a boy is happy that he found somebody that he can trust and wants to be around. He tells her that he is willing to wait for her and wants to be with her forever. Emotionless, is about a boy who is writing to his father who abandoned his family during his childhood. He asks him why he was never around, how they struggled to survive and that he misses him. In the song Predictable, it’s about a boy’s relationship with a girl who he loved and she turned out to break his heart. This boy becomes broken because he knew the girl was so predictable. The main theme in the three songs is having or being in a relationship. Each song is talking about a relationship with either a family member or a girlfriend. Most songs these days are written about relationships and this usually makes the song more interesting to listen to. When people write songs they usually write about their feelings or personal experiences that they have had. All of these songs were written about things that had happened to certain people in the past. Songwriters find it easier to write songs about what may be going on in there life or what may have happened in the past. To them it’s a way of expressing themselves and maybe releasing stress. Two of the songs deal with relationships with a girlfriend. In Predictable, it’s more about a girl that left a boy (this isn’t the first time, that you left me waiting. Sad excuses and false hopes high, I saw this coming, still I don’t know why, I let you in).

My journal

Teacher Some say being a teacher is one of the noble professions of all time. They serve as a friend, as a counselor and as a second mother. Nowadays a lot of students In college are taking up education courses because of the benefits and high salary they can get once they've passed the LET. If that would be the case, then maybe some of those teachers are not holistically Inclined and passionate or effective enough to touch the lives of the next generation. Based on my experience, I have met 5 kinds of teachers.First is a teacher that spoon-feeds his/her students with the knowledge and skills he/she has. Second is a teacher who terrorizes her students and pressures them to get high grades and to pass her subject. The third teacher is what I call, the missing in action' teacher. Why? Because he/she is always absent and usually assigns the class to do some reports about the next subject next meeting (this happens in undergraduate students but then I guess It's a normal thing in graduat e school. The second to the last is a teacher who Just reads her lectures in a power point presentation without adding anything to explain the topic further and lastly, the teacher with a long lasting energy, which makes the environment and learning, fun and enjoyable. Now, as I go with the topic, â€Å"My Effective Teacher† I am thinking on how will I become one? The courage standing before a crowd is a challenge for everyone who is not exposed in an environment where different kinds of people are in.Being effective teacher is not about the lesson plan she makes every day, not about the exams she prepares to give every lecture, not about the visual aids she makes but rather the active participation of the students in class, the high scores they get every exams and more importantly, when the student passes the board exams. Being remembered by a student after four years of feeding their minds with knowledge Is one of the best proofs that you've been an effective and efficient professor. I hope 2 years from now, I would be able to be remembered and be a huge art of my student's lives. Y journal By Jennifer Jane-Gangs a friend, as a counselor and as a second mother. Nowadays a lot of students in can get once they've passed the LET. If that would be the case, then maybe some of those teachers are not holistically inclined and passionate or effective enough to then I guess it's a normal thing in graduate school. ) The second to the last is a importer, I should also reach out to my students in order for us to have a harmonious relationship inside and out of the classroom. My fourth element would be knowledge is one of the best proofs that you've been an effective and efficient

Cost sheet basic

18th Century Swimwear During the 18th century, spas where men and women engaged in public bathing began appearing in France and England. Men and women still bathed infrequently for recreation and it was considered as therapy. Modesty was of prime importance with style not much of a consideration in those days. The first suits were far from practical or comfortable; ladies went as far as to sewing lead weights into the hem of the bathing gown to prevent the dress from floating up and exposing their legs.With the introduction of railroads, ocean-side beaches became popular for sunny ecreations and a need to wear bathing suits was felt to protect the skin from the harsh sun and being modest and strongly against any skin show. This 1797 Gallery of Fashion print shows two ladies protected by face-shading bonnets, shawls and gloves as they 1858 Bathing Suit typically worn by the French and English. Early 19th Century Swimwear Even though the 19th century Swimwear was not very high fashion and stylish for the masses a strong need was felt for a fashionable outfit for swimming or Sea Bathing.This is because Sea Bathing was considered as a recreational activity which was only taken up by the wealthy. The Activity itself was considered fashionable. Along with this new outdoor pastime came the need for a stylish garment for the privileged lady of fashion. Here we will follow the path of the fashionable bathing suit, which began long before the modern day bikini. Bathing Machines In The Early 19th Century Bathing machines were roofed and walled wooden carts rolled into the sea Some had solid wooden walls others had canvas walls over a wooden frame.The Bathing Machine was a popular etiquette followed by women of the 19th century The use of bathing machines indicated swimming still being an activity where a lot of attention as paid to modesty and revealing one's body in public was considered to be Inappropriate. As it was an activity taken up only by the wealthy, That Class was very particular about keeping up appearances and not being inappropriate in public.Mid 19th Century Swimwear In the Mid nineteenth Century Bathing dresses continued to cover most of the female figure However the era of bathing suits was over, and then came the heavy flannel â€Å"Turkish† pants and â€Å"Paletot â€Å"Dresses The Main reason behind the use ot tlannel fabric was its quality of high opacity as compared to other Fabrics even when it was et This is another Indicator that skin show was still looked down upon. Late 19th Century Swimwear The swimsuits consisted of bloomers and black stockings.By 1855, drawers were added to prevent the problem of exposure. Women still refrained from swimming too much; the prevailing attitude of the day was that it was mainly a male prerogative. The â€Å"Princess† cut was introduced, consisting of a blouse and trousers in one piece. The skirts were replaced with cotton-like trousers. There was also a separate skirt that fell below the knee and buttoned at the waist to conceal the fgure. A ruffed cap or a straw hat completed the ensemble.

Different Approaches to the Meaning of Life Essay

The question â€Å"what is the meaning of life? † is often treated as a paradigmatic â€Å"head in the clouds† sort of philosophical question that more practical people shouldn’t have the time for, but its actually a question of tremendous practical importance. Further, it is a question to which most people, even those who claim to have no interest in such questions, answer implicitly with the lives they chose to lead. So if you don’t want to bother with such questions, and just want to enjoy yourself, you are effectively saying that enjoyment is the ultimate point of human life. If you spend your life pursuing one of, say, money, power, pleasure, or religious understanding, then you implicitly commit yourself to such organizing principles representing what is really important in life. The choices we make in our lives are often governed by such implicit conceptions of what is most important to us, and while it may be that, say, being happy is the most important thing, it may take a certain amount of reflection on these larger questions to become clear about this. Some might think that thinking about questions like the meaning of life is itself the most important thing for us to do, but even if we don’t, we can still see that it is very important to spend at least some time doing, since such organizing principles are too important for us to accept without reflecting on them at all. Further, if there really is a point or meaning to our lives, and we live our lives according to a different principle (say if we live for enjoyment when serving God is the real purpose of life, or (conversely) if we spend our lives in prayer when enjoying life is its real purpose) then we may have literally wasted our lives. Since that is something we shouldn’t want to do, it seems that, if life does have a purpose, we would do well to know what it is. On the other hand, if life doesn’t have a purpose, it might be good to know that rather than spending it serving some illusory ideal, though this latter point is more controversial. If life did have no meaning, and there was no point to anything we did, then it might seem better not to investigate this topic at all, since looking in to it would only cause us distress. (Though if life really were meaningless, the fact that we were so distressed would not really matter. ) 2. Four Approaches to the question of life’s meaning. While the authors covered in the class give many varied answers to the question of what the meaning of life is, and some don’t give a clear answer to it at all, they all fall into one of four groups when it comes to thinking about that kind of answer the questions should have. That is to say, there are four different approaches to the question: What is it that determines the meaning of our lives? 1 I. Radical Objectivists. This first group (which includes Plato, Epictetus, Schopenhauer, as well as James and Tolstoy in their ‘post-crisis’ periods) take what really matters to be determined by factors that are completely independent of us (be it God, Reason, Nature, the ‘Form of the Good’ or just ‘the way things are’). It’s our responsibility to live up to these standards, but there is no sense in which these standards come from us. (Schopenhauer, while he denies that God exists, has a touch of this when he insists that a life of intellect just is objectively better (and not just ‘happier’) than a life of passion and willing). This might, of course, seem to make life’s purpose too remote from our actual lives, which might lead one to become one of the †¦ II. Theorists of Human Nature In this second group we can include Aristotle, Marx and Epicurus. Like the radical objectivists they take the purpose of life to be something ‘given’, that is, its an objective fact that we aren’t at liberty to change, but unlike the radical objectivists, they think that this fact is grounded in objective facts about our own natures. Our shared human nature is what determines what is the best life for all of us. Still, it may be hard to defend this sort of view unless one were already a radical objectivist, since without such an overarching framework, it’s much harder to think of humans as having a such a fixed essence or nature, which might lead one to become one of the†¦ III. ‘Constructivists’ This third group (which includes Nietzsche, Sartre, Hare, and Nagel (from his more ‘subjective’ perspective)) ground the purpose of our lives in our own drives, desires and wants. However, unlike the theorists of human nature, they don’t take such drives to be objective in the sense of being independent of our attitudes towards them. For these philosophers, the drives etc. that ground the purpose of our lives can change, and are (to a certain extent) under our (not always conscious) control. Because of this, the meanings of our lives, such as they are, are things that we make. Unfortunately, one might doubt that transient creatures like ourselves are up to the task of making such meanings, in which case one might become one of the †¦ IV. ‘Nihilists’ This last group (which includes Camus, Nagel (from his more ‘objective’ perspective) and James & Tolstoy (when they were in ‘crisis’ mode)) agree with the constructivists that there are no ‘objective’ facts which could determine a purpose to our lives, but also believe that something as ephemeral as our passing desires and drives is not enough to make a life really meaningful. Consequently, in the absence of any objective meaning, life must ultimately have no meaning at all, and there is, ultimately, no ‘point’ in doing anything. This final spot is not a happy one to be in, and its perhaps not surprising that James and Tolstoy both bounce from #4 back to #1 when the prospect of living with #4 becomes too bleak. Still, while it can seem natural to slip from 1 to 2, from 2 to 3 and from 3 to 4, and 4 to despair, lots of people have argued that the slide can be stopped at various points along the way. 1 As a result, every point on the spectrum has it supporters, though no position on it seems completely stable, which is why the question will probably always continue to be debated. 1 H a r e , f o r in s ta n c e , c a n b e u n d e r s to o d a s a r g u in g th a t th e th r o u g h th a t 3 le a d s to 4 c o m e s f r o m a c o n f u s io n a b o u t w h a t it is to † m a tte r † .