Apple Being Engaged in Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Apple Being Engaged in Design - Essay Example †¢ Is world renowned for its pioneering efforts in personal electronic communications devices and systems Apple or "the company" is engaged in design, development and marketing of personal computers, media devices, and portable digital music players. The company also sells a variety of related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications. The company's portfolio of offerings comprises Macintosh (Mac) computing systems, iPods line of portable digital music and video players, iPhone handsets and iPad portable multimedia and computing devices. The company primarily operates in the US. It is headquartered in Cupertino, California and employs 46,600 employees. (Datamonitor 2011) Slide 3 Industry Analysis Macro-environment Analysis †¢ Political issues o Stigma of big business (SEC scandal) o Tighter policies imposed by gov’t o Different policies by different gov’ts †¢ Economic issues o Global economic crisis o Strong emerging economies Slide 4 Industry Analysis Macro-environment Analysis †¢ Social issues o Growth of social networking o Connectivity push by many countries †¢ Technological issues o International Protection of IPR o Continuous R&D Slide 5 Industry Analysis Macro-environment Analysis †¢ Legal issues o Pursuit of litigation for IPR globally o Dangers of faulty product design †¢ Environmental issues ... Fujitsu, Samsung Electronics, Sony and Toshiba, among others.The company is currently focused on market opportunities related to mobile communication devices including the iPhone.The mobile communications industry is highly competitive with several large, well-funded and experienced competitors. The launch of iPhone spiked the demand for smartphone with touch functionality and other innovative features. This made several players in the mobile phone market, such as Nokia, HTC, RIM, Palm, Samsung and LG Electronics, launch their respective smartphone devices in the market creating significant competition. Unique vision (primarily by Steve Jobs) Apple has been usually viewed along with its charismatic and visionary founder, Mr. Jobs who has always been instrumental in managing the growth of the company and leading it to its current size. Network of interrelated support services (i.e., the APP store) bundled with peripherals Mobile apps are one of the most important factors in driving sa les of smartphones. Apple is the strongest player in the mobile apps market, with approximately 350,000 apps. Its closest competitor, the Android market has 250,000 apps, while Blackberry and Windows Phone 7 has 20,000 and 9,000 apps respectively. The mobile app market is expected to exceed $9 billion by 2014. With its innovative products such as iPhone and iPad, Apple is in a position to increase its share in the growing smartphone and tablet market. Strong horizontal and vertical integration ‘Plug-and-play’ solutions Slide 9 SWOT Analysis (Datamonitor, 2011) Strengths Powerful brand image According to industry sources, Apple is the fourth largest player in the global mobile phone market. The company holds a market share of approximately 5% and trails Nokia, Samsung and LG Electronics,

Girl Scout Essay Example for Free

Girl Scout Essay Juliette Gordon Low or Daisy was the founder of Girl Scouts, with the help of Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts of America. Baden-Powell had learned that girls wanted to join the scouts, but he was too busy with running the Boy Scouts. He asked Low if she would like to be part of the Girl Guides movement, forming the first group of Girl Guides in Scotland in 1911. In 1912 Low returned to the United States, forming a group in Savannah, Georgia in 1912. In 1915, the Girl Guides became the Girl Scouts and Low became the first president. She stayed active until the time of her death. Her birthday, October 31, is celebrated by the Girl Scouts as Founders Day. Robert Baden-Powell Low was lived in Scotland when she met Sir Robert Baden-Powell at a party, where Low entertained him with stories of travel.[1] Upon further conversation, they learned that they shared a love of sculpting; Low had sculpted members of her family, including her father and one of her cousins.[1] Baden-Powell had started the Boy Scout movement, with a growing membership of boys throughout Great Britain, the United States, France, and Germany.[1] ] Girl Guides Baden-Powell’s sister Agnes had created a group for girls called Girl Guides.[1]:26 Low was interested in this movement, and created a troop in 1911 in Scotland.[1]:26 She taught them many of the skills she had learned from her grandmother, including first aid and cooking.[1]:28 On a trip back to the United States, both Low and Baden-Powell discussed the possibility of creating a Girl Guides group.[1]:28 Upon her return to her home in Savannah, she telephoned her cousin and urged her to rush over, announcing I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all America, and all the world, we’re going to start it tonight![1]

Training During The Current Global Recession Management Essay

Training During The Current Global Recession Management Essay The report attempts to find out the possible effects of cutting down the training budgets and deferring training programs during the current global recession as suggested by the senior management. Current and past literature has been reviewed to explore if training is a luxury during the current global recession. Research shows that although during the time of recession when a large number of companies are cost cutting, laying off employees, and compromising on training, Asian firms unlike western companies are focusing on training and development of their employees. In spite of the economic recession; there is a call for managing and attracting the talented employees efficiently. Employers, who will be able to pull the top talent and take on them, quickly build their capacity, hold on to them by providing advancement and development prospects, and direct employees input in line with the broader organizational strategies, will not only survive the current recession but also emerge fr om it with a distinctive advantage. Through training, such employers communicate trust in the employees and thus attain employees commitment and engagement. Moreover the trained employees will be motivated and skillful enough to cope and serve their employers with the rapidly changing knowledge based economies. Training will be an investment whose profit will be earned in post recession period. Thus it can be concluded that in the current global economy, the need for training of the employees has never been greater. Human resource management should chose relevant cost effective methods of training such as E-Learning, distance learning and self directed learning for training line mangers and employees. The blend of various methods can make training cost effective as well as beneficial in increasing productivity of the organization. Introduction Global recession is a phase, faced by most of the countries, all over the world. This economic recession has led to bankrupty of many companies. Companies have been lossing billions of dollars and firing millions of people. Analysts are of the view that this is not the first time and the last time that the global economy is going through recession. (Himachali, S. 2009). Since the Great Depression of the late 1920s, the world economy has experienced recession about every decade or two and, typically, this was followed by steady growth, driven mostly by the many ensuing innovations. Therefore it can be implied that this recession is likely to follow a similar pattern (Ndahi, H. B. 2009) Companies are trying hard to survive by cost cutting, laying off employees and compromisng on employee training and development during recession (Himachali, S. 2009). The global recession is a challenge during the time when there is the globalization of economy; expansion of knowledge based economies and more industries being centered on knowledge-based activities are now offering increased support services. Jeff Immelt CEO of GE believes that during the time of recession just holding on until things get back to normal is an error for most companies what we are seeing now is the new normal, the new world order (Charan 2009). The present report reviews current and past literature to explore if training is a luxury during the current global recession. The report will look at the possible effects of cutting down the training budgets and deferring training programs during the current global recession as suggested by the senior management. It is hypothesized that Training increases productivity of an organization during the current global recession. Review of literature will imply whether or not the managements decision to cut down on the training budget and defer any training programs is justified or not. Here the variable Training is defined as systematic development of the knowledge, skills, and expertise required by a person to effectively perform a given task or job (Patrick, 2000). Landy (1985) defined job training as a set of planned activities on the part of an organization to increase the job knowledge and skills or to modify the attitudes and social behavior of its members in ways consistent with the goals of the organization and the requirements of the job (p. 306). Where as the other variable Productivity of an Organization is defined for the present study as organizational performance in terms of revenue generated, product quality, customer service, optimal performance, customer relations and business reputation. Role of Training of Employees in Productivity of an Organization The goal of training is for employees to master the knowledge, skill and behaviors emphasized in training programs and to apply them to their day-to-day activities (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). Training can increase employees knowledge of foreign competitors and cultures, which is critical for success in foreign markets. It helps ensure that employees have the basic skills to work with new technology, such as robots and computer assisted manufacturing processes. It helps employees understand how to work effectively in teams to contribute to product and service quality and ensures that the companys culture emphasizes innovation, creativity, and learning. It ensures employment security by providing new ways for employees to contribute to the company when their jobs change, their interests change or their skills become obsolete. It prepares employees to accept and work more effectively with each other, particularly with minorities and wo men. (I.I Goldstein and P. Gilliam, 1990). There is sufficient evidence that training increases job knowledge and skills and in turn, this results in better employee performance (Colquitt, LePine, Noe, 2000; Goldstein Ford, 2002). More over the research shows that the learning can contribute to self-efficacy and job satisfaction (Allen, Poteet, Lentz, Lima, 2004), which in turn can raise organizational performance (Patterson, Warr, West, 2004; Riketta, 2008). A good deal of research has linked individual learning with job performance (Colquitt et al., 2000; Salas Cannon-Bowers, 2001). There is an evidence to suggest that learning engagement can result in greater work role flexibility and willingness to learn new skills (Birdi, Allan, Warr, 1997). Training can be used to foster higher levels of commitment and satisfaction. Several HRD studies confirmed that training practices could enhance employee commitment (Meyer Smith, 2000; Whitener, 2001). Satisfaction with workplace training in an employees overall job experience is crucial. Ranstads 2001 North America Employment Review survey of twenty-six hundred American and Canadian employees found that 80 percent of respondents said receiving training that increases their skills and abilities was a key component of what they looked for in jobs (What Drives, 2001). In fact it has become an important characteristic of the new employment relationship. Roehling, M. V., Cavanaugh, M. A., Moynihan, L. M. Boswell, W. R. (2000) systematically assessed current thinking regarding the nature of the changing employment relationship through a content analysis of the practitioner and academic literatures and reported that the two most frequently mentioned characteristics of the new employment relationship are employers responsibility to provide training, education, and skill development opportunities, and employees responsibility to take advantage of those opportunities to develop and maintai n their skills. Nevertheless the global economy of today makes ongoing learning important throughout an employees career. Employees must continue to learn and grow on the job simply as a requisite for continued employability (Schmidt, S. W., 2007). Significance of Training at Manegerial Level Training shouldnt be confined to employees only. Recession brings stress and many businesses are under threat from the poor psychological state of their  stressed managers during the  global recession.  As stressed executives are more inclined to make wrong decisions that driven by their short term survival but are  not in the  companys strategic direction thus they end up ultimately damaging their business productivity and progress. Thus Managers and leaders need to be trained in this time of stress to trust their intuition and make meaningful decisions based on what is important for their business in the long term. (Zeus and Skiffington, 2004). Organizations are now realizing that workplace expertise is crucial to maintaining optimal performance and adapting to change in todays dynamic business world (Herling, 2000; Krohn, 2000). Training in the principles of social interest, democracy, and encouragement can assist managers in developing the leadership skills to foster collaborative and participative workplaces. Managers educated in participative management typically create satisfied, committed employees (Soonhee, 2002). Employer-employee relationship largely depends upon how well trained mangers are and their effective leadership qualities. Hogan (2002) noted that 60% to 75% of the employees in any organization report the worst or most stressful aspect of their job is the relationship with their immediate supervisor. According to Goldsmith (2004), employees interpersonal competence becomes more important as they achieve more visible leadership status. Most job candidates are hired based on their technical and functional abilities, but these skills recede into the background as individuals assume more prominent leadership positions. Annette Ryan, director of The Effect believes that although business leaders prior to the recession looked like leaders, but actually they were just managing in the good times. The recession demanded leadership skills, not management skills, and so these people came under a lot of pressure. Ryan says the companies that weathered the storm best are those with leaders who c ould make the hard calls, appropriately (SamGanankkan, S. 2010). Impact of Recession on Training Recession has been defended differently by various economies. Top performing economies, including the US and UK, are reducing focus on knowledge development, coaching and mentoring, and other human capital investments, with more firms reporting a decline than an increase in investment in staff development in 2008 (Clarke, M. 2009). The British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey (2008) also reported that firms that were investing earlier in the year are now cutting back investments in plants, machinery and training due to the pessimistic outlook for sales, orders and exports. However, by comparison, in Asia, according to the Economist Intelligence Units Business Outlook Survey, Asian companies are instead taking measures such as cutting business travel costs, reducing inventories and streamlining other budgets to cope with the recession. A minority of Asian firms (just over 40 percent) said that they would cut their training budgets in response to the recession, which was low in the order of priority compared to other measures. This contrasts with the industrialized countries, where a larger number of firms are cutting investments in employees rather than increasing them. (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2009). These findings suggest that emerging market countries will be well-positioned to overtake industrialized countries when the economy improves (Clarke, M. 2009). Impact of Deferring Training during Recession Deferring training means communicating to the employees that there are no long-standing prospects in the company. Moreover it may lead to assertive competitors picking up cream of the company leaving behind less capable employees. Thus companies that can afford to keep training, as part of their regimen will position themselves well for a rebound (Girard, K., 2008). The studies show that this lack of investment in training is detrimental. According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009, compiled by Klaus Schwab and Michael Porter for the 2009 World Economic Forum in Davos, an inadequately trained workforce was a highly rated problem-factor in doing business in the US, the UK and many other European countries. In comparison, fewer felt this was a major concern in developing markets such as China, India and South East Asia. According to analyst firm International Data Corporation (IDC), businesses are already losing  £19 billion annually because of employees not having sufficient knowledge to do their job correctly. This statistic is staggering and particularly detrimental during hard economic times (Clarke, M. 2009). Employee misunderstanding, resulting from a lack of training and knowledge assessments, can be very costly for businesses; not only in terms of time and money, but also customer relations and business reputation. Additionally, a lack of knowledge and understanding of corporate and industry regulations could potentially result in high costs for the company. Business regulations seem to be constantly changing within every industry, across all sectors, and if employees are not conducting their business in compliance with new laws and policies, they are putting their company at risk of being fined and incurring other such penalties (Clarke, M. 2009). According to the survey of Monster resource center, employers are becoming increasingly tasked with how to handle present workplace changes and managing employees in the short-term. However, the companies that invest in their people now will be a step ahead in retaining their top talent (Monster World wide, inc 2009). Significance of Training During Recession Recession is a perfect time to invest even more in the training and retraining of workers to take on the new challenges of the current financial crisis, and for improved productivity when the economy recovers. The fact that all sectors of the economy are affected by the crisis means that all enterprises will require workers who are skilled, innovative and adaptable to help their company emerge from the crisis strong enough to compete in the global market. Therefore, investing in education and training of human resources should be a priority for every enterprise public and private (Ndahi, H. B. 2009). History shows that in the first few months in an upturn, hiring quickly becomes a front-burner issue, so in fact its a better option to save costs in hiring by investing in nurturing the skills and talent of employees. Investing in employee training during a downturn has the added benefit of improving staff loyalty, commitment and building high-performing teams (Ndahi, H. B. 2009). Chartered Institute of Personnel and Developments (CIPD) Recruitment, Retention and Turnover survey found out that Employers are choosing to focus on retention rather than recruitment in response to current resourcing issues. The report revealed that 73% of organizations find a lack of necessary specialist skills remains the key resourcing challenge, whilst 56% of employers are tackling this by concentrating on retention strategies such as training and career development opportunities with 75% of employers saying that additional training to allow internal staff to fill posts was the most effective recruit ment initiative. (Hesselschwedt, P. 2009). Training and development doesnt only mean to build the capacity of the employees for efficiently performing tasks in the work place. From employees perspective it means respecting and trusting individuals for what they are. According to Kelly International Workforce Survey (Kelly Services, Inc., 2010), during recession the issue of salary and benefits is of secondary importance for all generations. In answer to the question what one factor would be most likely to cause you to leave your organization, most respondents from various regions regarded lack of opportunities for advancement to be the reason for leaving organization. When respondents from various regions were asked as a result of the economic recession are you more loyal to your employer? If yes, why? Most of the respondents regarded positive management (56-70%) to be the reason to stay loyal to the employer, whereas a significant number (37-38%) regarded it to the training and development. It shows that managers training is very significant so that they can impart influential leadership skills. When considering whether to remain in or quit their job, younger workers have a much greater interest in the possibility of career advancement, while more mature workers predominantly focus on the quality of management ( Kelly Services, Inc. 2010). Studies have shown that for small and medium-sized enterprises formal training is not preferred due to high cost for training (Curran et al. 1997; Westhead and Storey 1996), uncertainty and short time horizon (Westhead and Storey 1996), loss of trained employees to other employers due to lack of internal promotion opportunities. Therefore informal training is opted as it is less costly, can be easily integrated into daily operations of the small firm, and is focused on employees specific needs (Hill and Stewart 2000; Curran et al. 1997). Large organizations during recession are facing the similar issues such as uncertainty and difficulty managing finances for training. But as the research for the small firms show that In spite of these seemingly legitimate reasons for preferring informal training, it is argued that failure to provide adequate formal employee training retards development of sustained competitive advantages in small and medium-sized enterprises (Stewart and McGoldrick 1996; Garavan, Costine, and Heraty 1995). And this significance of providing formal training can also be implied to large organizations during recession for high productivity. Need for training has become inevitable since companies today are challenged to expand globally. Because of the increase in global operations, employees often work outside their country of origin to work with employees from other counties. Cross cultural preparation training to educate exaptriates who are to be sent to a foreign country to conduct business successfully in the global market place is vital so that employees must understand the business practises and the cultual norms of different countries (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). Knowledge Based Economies and Need for Training in Post Recession Economy Analysts are of the view that after recession; customers, competitors and suppliers will have different expectations and behaviors, so business strategies must anticipate and adapt to the new challenges and opportunities (Welch and Welch 2009). Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009 sketches new dimension of the world economy which is now experiencing globalization, knowledge based economies are being expanded and more industries that were previously not centered on knowledge based activities are now offering increased support services. Firms that do not obtain or maintain necessary skills through workplace education will find themselves excluded from the global value chain (Gorg, Greenaway and Kneller 2008). There are many dimensions in which firms must develop their capabilities, including in the use of new technology, production methods and engagement with global supply chains and networks. No less important is a commitment to investment in learning and development to ensure empl oyees and management are confident, competent and skilled to carry out their roles (Clarke, M. 2009). With the expansion of knowledge-based economies investment in knowledge will be essential in creating competitive advantage in the future (Fauth and Brinkley 2009). All this put a heavier emphasis on training of employees so that they are able to seek knowledge. Thus a lack of investment in people and their knowledge development will threaten the ability of leading industrialized countries to maintain global competitiveness in the post-recession economy (Mizen, P. 2009). Cost Effective Training Methodology During Global Recession Employees can be trained through e-learning, self study, video based training, instructor led training, simulations, apprenticeship, case study, interactive videos, team building and adventure learning, distance learning and job shadowing etc. Although the research shows that the methodologies which involve an instructor or coach were preferred significantly such as instructor-led training, one-on-one training, and job shadowing (Schmidt, S. W., 2007) more than the more solitary methodologies such as computer-based training, or self-study including video-based training (Nordhaug, 1989) as participants prefer a high degree of interaction between an instructor or coach and a student or students (Schmidt, S. W., 2007). But it is expected that the use of training technologies will increase dramatically in the next decade as technology improves and becomes cheaper; companies recognize the potential cost savings of delivering training via desktop computers (M. Van Buren, and W. Woodwell, J r., 2000), especially during and after recession. New training technologies can lower delivery costs and increase flexibility in delivery. (Gupta, H. U. 1996) for example, training delivered by an instructor at a central location requires employees to spend time away from their regular jobs and incurs employee travel costs. Lower delivery costs can be realized by using satellite-based training or distance leaning in which training programs are transmitted via satellite to several locations. Also use of CD-ROM or web base training gives employees the flexibility to participate in training on 24-hour basis at home or work though use of personal computers. (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). These methodologies can be safely used during recession. An advantage of distance learning is that the company can save on travel expenses. It also allows employees in geographically dispersed sites to receive training from experts who would not be otherwise available to visit each location. E.g. the research and development group at 3M found considerable cost savings by using video conferencing to conduct an eight week class on imaging technology that involved instructors from Europe and USA. (Nadeau, M., 1995 B. Flipczak and B. Leonard, 1996). Without video conferencing the class wouldve cost $100,000 making it too expensive. With video conferencing the course cost only $13,000 (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). Similarly the self-directed learning requires fewer trainers, reduces costs associated with travel and meeting rooms, and makes multiple site training more realistic. In the same way, although employers have to pay highly for developing interactive video programs and purchasing the equipment yet this is offset by the reduction in instructors costs and travel costs related to a central training location. At Federal Express, interactive video has made it possible to train 35,000 customer contact employees in 650 locations nationwide, saving the company millions of dollars (Hannum, W.H. 1990). In the same way, e-learning trainees are more engaged through the use of videos, graphics, sound and text, which appeal to multiple senses of the learner. Besides enhancing the training experience e-learning can reduce training costs and time. It brings geographically dispersed employees at their locations reducing travel costs (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). Recession can be an Opportunity Similarly, Lynda Gratton suggests that recessions provide the space for new ideas to flourish while the economic effects can be dire, in the long term recession can have a positive effect on work and working habits (Gratton 2008). For many companies, times of turmoil offer new business opportunities, but taking advantage of them requires fast response, aggressive attitudes, and serious changes to the corporate status quo (Thornton 2009). Visionary leaders will emerge from the recession strong, with an educated and skilled workforce, because they would have invested in training during tough times. They would have realized that education and training constitute a bridge to entering and competing in new market conditions in the global economy (Ndahi, H. B. 2009). Recession is the right time to focus on innovation and creativity. An emphasis on greater market research (which is often neglected because of complacency when times are more profitable) would definitely pay off. Creating new products or services can open the gates for new consumers of products or services. Training is an investment not an expense. Despite any recession, it should be maintained as a continuous process to ensure organizations remain competitive and productive. (Rao, M. S. 2009). Conclusion Thus through the review of literature significance of employee and managers training has been highlighted. Workplace expertise is vital to sustain optimal performance and adapting to change in todays changing business world. Although companies are cutting down training due to global recession, yet research shows that inadequately trained workforce has affected business detrimentally. It is better to spend on retention rather than recruitment, as right after recession highly skilled staff will be required to compete in the global market. Moreover training employees is an investment that leads to staff loyalty and commitment. During recessions, organizations can find ways and means to cut down on unwarranted expenditure elsewhere other than training. Human resource management can chose relevant cost effective methods of training such as E-Learning, distance learning and self directed learning for training line mangers and employees. The blend of various methods can make training cost e ffective as well as beneficial in terms of increased production and improvements in product quality or customer service, raise in organizational performance in terms of greater revenue generated, maintenance of optimal performance, sustained customer relations and business reputation, saving company from the risk of being fined and incurring other penalties. Thus the hypothesis Training increases productivity of an organization during the current global recession is proved to be correct. Therefore training during recession is not a luxury; rather its a necessity. Hence the organizations management is not justified to cut down on the training budget and defer any training programs. In fact recession can be an opportunity for employees to spend time learning and for employers to gain a competitive edge. Recommendations Following recommendations are made for the organizations training program for management as well as employees during recession. The organization should map out the cost effective training related activities and the processes used to accomplish them methodically. Relevant cost effective methods of training such as E-Learning, distance learning and self directed learning for training line mangers and employees can be used. These methods can be used in a combination to maximize benefit and reduce cost. Need assessment should be done before planning training so that training objectives are in line with the organizations strategic goals. The planning process should be initiated with an audit of existing activities and measurement of new employee performance and of turnover outcomes. Whereas the outcomes should be defined and regularly evaluated (Holtan III, E. E, 1996). It is suggested that the organization should focus on collective learning during the time of recession. The organization should take steps to generate, disseminate and retain knowledge about itself. The managers should be trained extensively and through the acquired knowledge, capacity of the other workers should be build. The trainer employees should be appreciated when they are able to share and transfer their knowledge and skills with other employees. As past studies have shown information sharing as a way of involvement, to be linked to better business performance (Gibson, Porath, Benson, Lawler, 2007; Law Ngai, 2008; Lin, 2008). Organizational training can further be used to enhance team learning. It is suggested that training should be provided at managerial level and later trained managers should disperse this learning in team to other members. This will be not only cost effective but would result in stronger shared mental models that can improve performance as Marks, Zaccaro, and Mathieu (2000) and Marks, Sabella, Shawn Burke, and Zaccaro (2002) demonstrated in an experiment. It is proposed that the employees can be trained through the orientation programs learning in the workplace apart from job-training programs. During recession period, apart from the formal training, orientation sessions can be useful and less expensive. Through orientations employees can be trained for short-term period in which they can be provided basic information and the social cues. (Holtan III, E. E, 1996). A part from the formal job training, employees can be facilitated for workplace learning activities which may include all learning activities that occur in the workplace itself, such as on-the-job training, social learning, and informal learning. HR should evaluate employees after these formal and informal learning and should grant employees certificates provided their skills are developed. Moreover the organization should enhance and develop existing training programs because they will help reveal employees learning and areas that need more consideration. According to Clarke (2009) this kind of information helps to prepare future employees for their roles and saves companies the time and money that would otherwise be lost in misplaced and ineffective training programs. Due to the fast changing business scenario and economy, unpredictable market situation and global competition, during the period of recession or after that it is very important that the organization is transformed into a learning organization. It is not unrealistic to visualize for a learning organization that facilitates the learning of all its members and continuously transforms itself [Pedler, Burgoyne, Boydell, 1991]. This can help to increase competitiveness through generative learning that is forward looking and reduces the major shocks of change, through close relationships with customers and other key constituents that allow for mutual adjustment, and through the ability to quickly reconfigure and reallocate resources based on environmental change (Slater Narver, 1995). It is suggested that the organization should use assessment programs to identify the top employees to determine which employees are the most valuable for the business and should be retained. Such employees should be given extensive training and their capacity should be build to train other employees. As employing trainers within the organization would be more cost effective.

Essay example --

Jahanpanah – literally, ‘Refuge of the World’ –is often known as the fourth city of Delhi. The walls of Jahanpanah were constructed by Muhammad Tughlak in 1328 A.D. It is believed that the sultan (a megalomaniac) desired to unify the scattered urban settlements in the area : the old city of Lal Kot, the military cantonment of Siri, and the citadel of Tughlaqabad into one city by enclosing them within a single walled area. After building a part of it, he gave up the rest due to the huge expenses needed for construction. Jahanpanah was created by linking the older cities of Siri and Lal Kot by a set of two extensive walled sections with a total of thirteen gates. The western wall had six gates while the eastern had seven. But only the name of Maidan Gate on the west, near an old idgah, survives. Sher Shah removed the walls of this city. Historians believe that the fortified city was for the residence of the sultan and his royal household so must have contained the citadel with the sultan’s palace complex and the main mosque for the use of the royal family and others. The majority of city’s population lived within the walls of Lal Kot. It is also possible that large parts of Jahanpanah continued to be rural or forested during and long after Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s reign. Today, the fortifications have survived in small sections, mostly parts of the wall that connected Siri to Lal Kot from the south. Due to the expansion of urban India, Jahanpanah has been engulfed by modern residential neighbourhoods while large parts of the walls were demolished to lay modern infrastructure like roads. Other than the parts of the original wall, very little survives of what can be dated to Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s reign with certainty. Khirki... ...s. Below ground is a three feet wide cell and is almost filled up with soil. It is declared to be Kabir-ud-din Aulia’s abode below by day and above by night. The group of buildings includes ruins of several wall mosques, grave platforms, and gateways. On the roof, a low octagonal drum carries a conical dome. It is said that the dome was originally surmounted with a gold finial which was stolen at some point. The roof level is edged by carved sandstone battlement decorations. a tall pointed entrance arch with lotus bud fringe design contains a carved corbelled gateway surrounded by a band of white marble. Above the gateway is another arch, within which is set a red sandstone jali (screen with ornamental patterns). Similar patterns exist on the north and south except that the gateway is blocked by a jali of red sandstone. The solid western wall contains the mihrab.

Plugged In or Plugged Out?

The technological age has dawned upon us. 80 percent of Americans own a computer; they're constantly sucked into their iPods, iPhones, Blackberries, TVs, computers – you name it – from the time they awaken to the time they fall asleep. American teenagers, born into this world of technology as soon as it began to take off in the 1990s, find themselves completely at ease with computers, a trait that is, so far, unique to their generation. Schools have slowly started to implement new technologies into the classroom – the latest computers, tablets, projectors, smart boards – however schools must be weary of introducing too much new technology, because as instructive as they can be, they can also be disruptive and dangerous. When the right balance is found, the public school system – and the students – will surely prosper. The Internet, bursting into the homes of Americans in the 1990s, revolutionized American life. Entire businesses can be created and destroyed with the click of a mouse; doctors and nurses rely on it to store medical records and ensure the health of their patients. Newspapers, once so imperative to American life, and in shaping the history of our nation, have been completely replaced with online news websites, and businesses have learned to adapt to advertise and sell in the online world, when they had previously been limited only to print, television and radio. Countless numbers of student help websites have opened; the college application process simplified. Yes, the Internet is an incredible place, bursting with knowledge, but it is also a breeding ground for cheating and plagiarism. To accompany the honest educational websites, there are sites with prewritten essays – pay a small fee, copy and paste, and you're done. Students abuse websites such as Sparknotes and Cliffsnotes instead of reading the book that they're assigned, and they rely on search engines such as Google to do their homework for them. The lewd content, displayed so boldly and proudly, splashed across the pages of millions of websites, is also a problem for schools – one wrong click on a search engine and you could be viewing something you never wanted to see. It's a free-for-all in cyberspace, and there is certainly no quality control, as the Supreme Court ruled it a violation of privacy to regulate free speech on the web. Although technology to conquer these problems is in wide use – Turnitin, a plagiarism detector, and various Internet blocking s ystems are just a few – they are never 100 percent successful in their quest to make the Internet a less vile place. However, by taking proper safety precautions, schools can protect their students and still ensure they have access to the educational tools the internet provides. Read also Twitter Case Study Technology has impacted our daily routine so much that rarely do we ever find ourselves using the â€Å"old-fashioned† pen and paper. Why would we need to? We have cell phones to store phone numbers in and word processors to write papers in. Even keeping a journal seems like a thing of the past when our lives are documented so well by Facebook, Twitter, and various blogging sites. Pens and pencils have been exchanged for a keyboard, paper exchanged for a word processor. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing; with less paper consumption comes a healthier Earth. This is what e- books such as the Kindle attempt to accomplish. They read just like a book, store upwards of 10,000 books, are extremely lightweight and portable, and, of course, use no paper. Textbooks are available for purchase through these e-books for half the cost of traditional textbooks, and implementing them in schools could not only save the environment – they could also save money. The world is at the fingertips of students using the Internet – literally. One can take a tour of Paris, London or Rome, and even walk on the surface of the Moon or Mars using Google Maps. Google Art Project gives students the chance to explore art museums around the world, viewing old and new masterpieces with the click of a button. They can easily have a casual conversation via webcam in the foreign language of their choice with someone who lives halfway across the world. The can communicate with their teachers instantaneously outside of school and learn like never before. So what's stopping schools from investing in this new wealth of technology for the betterment of their student body? With sufficient Internet protection in place, students can learn better, and more quickly and effectively, than ever before. If the next generation is properly equipped with the right technology, they sky will no longer be the limit; they can reach for the stars and beyond.

Neptune essays

Neptune essays Neptunes surface is very different than most of the planets surfaces. Neptune has a rocky inner core, which is completely surrounded by water. Its atmosphere is made up of seventy-four percent hydrogen, twenty-five percent helium, and one-percent methane. The Climate Neptune has a very frigid climate. The water surrounding Neptunes core is freezing cold. Neptune also has the highest recorded wind in the whole solar system. The winds were reported at over 2,000 kilometers per hour. The storms that occur on Neptune move very quickly. The atmosphere on Neptune is so cold that some of the clouds are actually frozen water. Contrary to what many people believe, Saturn isnt the only planet with rings. Neptune, along with many other planets, has rings also. Neptunes rings are narrow and contain concentrations of particles called ring arcs. The rings are made of dark matter and scientists do not know exactly what they are made of. One system of rings has an unusual arrangement which is somewhat twisted. Scientists think that these rings are twisted because the original material of the rings was in clumps that formed streaks as the material orbited Neptune. The rings around Neptune are so faint that when the satellite, The Voyager, took pictures of it, the brightness of the planet mad it so the rings were almost impossible to see. Like most planets, Neptune was named after a Roman god. Neptune was the god of water. Neptune, the planet, was named after the god Neptune because of its blue color. Neptunes largest moon was named after Triton, the god of the sea and Neptunes son. Since Neptune is the eighth planet away from the sun it is very hard to see even if you are using a telescope. Because the planet Plutos orbit is quite random, Neptune is sometimes the ninth planet away from the sun making the view e ...

Augustus essays

Augustus essays Augustus was born plain Gaius Octavius at Rome on September 23rd. His father was the first in the family to become senator, but died when Octavian was only four years old. It was his mother who had the more distinguished connection. She was the daughter of Julia, sister to Julius Caesar. He was short in Stature, and well proportioned. His body however was covered in spots and he had many birthmarks scattered over his chest and belly. As for character it is said that he was cruel when he was young, but became better when he good older. He was tolerant of criticism and possessed a good sense of humor. Although unfaithful to his wife Livia Drusilla, he remained deeply devoted to her. His public moral attitudes were strict. Octavian served under Julius Caesar in the Spanish expedition of 46 BC. It was possible that he designated to take a senior military command in Caesar's projected Parthian expedition of 44 BC, although at the time he was only 18 years old. But Octavian was with his friends Marcus Agrippa and Marcus Salvidienus Rufus in Appollonia in Epirus completing his academic and military studies, when news reached him of Caesar's assassination. He at once returned to Rome. He learned on the way that Caesar had adopted him in his will. The news sharpened his resolve to avenge Caesar's murder. When he arrived he found power in the hands of Marc Antony and Aemilius Lepidus, who were urging compromise and amnesty. Octavian refused to accept this, and succeeded in undermining Antony's position by winning over many of Caesar's supporters, including some of the legions. He was failed to persuade Marc Antony to hand over Caesar's assets and documents. Octavian was compelled to distribute Caesar's legacies to the Roman public from whatever funds he was able to raise from other sources. This no doubt raised his standing with the Roman's considerably. ...