Saturday, January 25, 2020

Organization resource management

Organization resource management ‘The organization resource management may be defined as the composition of people and tools in any organisation for the attainment of the organisational goals. The organisation resource management in star bucks company has achieved greater heights by planning, organising and controlling the resources available within the organisation to achieve its goals. Starbucks is one of the best known and fastest growing companies in the world. Set up in 1971, in Seattle, the company grew slowly initially, but expanded rapidly in the late 1980s and the 1990s. By the early 2000s, the number of outlets reached to about 3000 from 9000 outlets . It was widely believed that the companys success and rapid growth could be attributed largely to its committed and motivated workforce. This ensured that employees remained motivated, and Starbucks had a relatively low employee turnover However, in the early 2000s, the company faced the challenge of finding and retaining the right number and kind of employees to man its future growth. In January 2005, when Starbucks Coffee Company (Starbucks) was placed second among large companies in the Fortune Best Companies to Work For survey Despite the fact that employees, especially those on the frontline, are critical to the success of retail businesses, most companies do not have a strong relationship with their employees, and consequently suffer from a high rate of employee turnover (In the early 2000s, employee turnover in the retail industry was around 200 percent). In this scenario, Starbucks stood out for its employee-friendly policies and supportive work culture. The company was especially noted for the extension of its benefits program to part-time workers something that not many other companies offered. As a result, Starbucks employees were among the most productive in the industry and the company had a relatively low employee turnover. However, by the early 2000s, three possible problems had to be considered would the company be able to support its staff with the same level of benefits in the future, given the large increase in the number of employees; would the company be able to retain employees if it made any move to lower its human resource costs by cutting down on benefits; and would Starbucks be able to maintain its small company culture, an important element in its past growth. Starbucks realized early on that motivated and committed human resources were the key to the success of a retail business. Therefore the company took great care in selecting the right kind of people and made an effort to retain them. Starbucks recruitment motto was To have the right people hiring the right people. Starbucks hired people for qualities like adaptability, dependability and the ability to work in a team. The company often stated the qualities that it looked for in employees upfront in its job postings, which allowed prospective employees to self-select themselves to a certain extent. Having selected the right kind of people, Starbucks invested in training them in the skills they would require to perform their jobs efficiently. Starbucks was one of the few retail companies to invest considerably in employee training and provide comprehensive training to all classes of employees, including part-timers Analysts said that Starbucks biggest challenge in the early 2000s would be to ensure that the companys image as a positive employer survived its rapid expansion program, and to find the right kind of people in the right numbers to support these expansion plans. Considering the rate at which the company was expanding, analysts wondered whether Starbucks would be able to retain its spirit even when it doubled or tripled its size. By the early 2000s, the company began to show signs that its generous policies and high human resource costs were reflecting on its financial strength. Although the company did not reveal the amount it spent on employees, it said that it spent more on them than it did on advertising, which stood at $68.3 million in fiscal 2004. That the company was finding its human resource costs burdensome was reflected in the fact that it effected an increase of 11 cents on its beverage prices in mid-2004. Analysts wondered whether the companys cost problems could be met by a price increase, as customers already paid a premium for Starbucks beverages. On the other hand, it would not be easy for the company to cut down on benefits, as it could result in a major morale problem within the company. A strategic HR plan lays out the steps that an organization will take to ensure that it has the right number of employees with the right skills in the right places at the right times. HR managers begin by analyzing the companys mission, objectives, and strategies. Starbucks objectives, for example, include the desire to â€Å"develop enthusiastically satisfied customers† as well as to foster an environment in which employees treat both customers and each other with respect. Thus, the firms HR managers look for people who are â€Å"adaptable, self-motivated, passionate, creative team members Job Analysis To develop an HR plan, HR managers must obviously be knowledgeable about the jobs that the organization needs performed. They organize information about a given job by performing a job analysis job analysis Identification of the tasks, responsibilities, and skills of a job, as well as the knowledge and abilities needed to perform it. to identify the tasks, responsibilities, and skills that it entails, as well as the knowledge and abilities needed to perform it. Managers also use the information collected for the job analysis to prepare two documents: †¢A job description job description Outline of the duties and responsibilities of a position., which lists the duties and responsibilities of a position †¢A job specificationjob specificationDetailed list of the qualifications needed to perform a job, including required skills, knowledge, and abilities., which lists the qualifications—skills, knowledge, and abilities—needed to perform the job Training Regular training to the stuff was the most important key to the success of the company the employees were on a regular knowledge of the latest equipments used in the company. The company spends loads of sum on training of employees. This Mkes the employees more efficient and effective in their tasks. Advantages of training Staff become more competent at their jobs Staff become moer flexible Staff motivation increases Increased productivity Changes become easier to introduce Fewer accidents The organisations image improves eg when dealing with customers Reduced waste Disadvantages of training Once fully trained, staff may leave for better paid jobs Financial cost of training may be high Work time is lost when staff are being trained Quality of training must be high for it to have a positive effect

Friday, January 17, 2020

Food Production and Poverty Essay

Most people live on just a few dollars a day. Whether you live in the wealthiest nations in the world or the poorest, you will see high levels of inequality. In a world of plenty, a huge number go hungry. Hunger is more than just the result of food production and meeting demands. The causes of hunger are related to the causes of poverty. One of the major causes of hunger is poverty itself. The Food and Agriculture Organization maintains that the world’s agriculture produces enough food to provide every person with at least 2,720 kilocalories every day for the world’s population (Eitzen, Zinn, Smith, 2011 pg.68). Problems of hunger, malnutrition and disease affect the poorest in society. Even though the world’s agriculture produces plenty of food, the food production is unevenly distributed, resulting in about 1 billion being malnourished which is 1 in six people, about one in every three of the world’s inhabitants being food insecure, and around 9 million people dying of malnutrition each year (Eitzen, Zinn, Smith, 2011 pg.68). The poorest are also typically disregarded from society and have little representation or opinion in public and political debates, making it even harder to escape poverty. Food supplies are adequate, but people must have the resources to afford them. Because the poor cannot afford the available food, they go hungry. This is where the relationship between poverty and food production link together. Political and economic conditions that keep prices too high, make jobs difficult to obtain and poorly paid, and force too many people to compete for too few resources. The major problem with food shortages is not food production, although that’s exceedingly important, but the political economy of the world and of the individual nations. There are many inter-related issues causing hunger, which are related to economics and other factors that cause poverty. They include land rights and ownership, diversion of land use to non-productive use, increasing emphasis on export-oriented agriculture, inefficient agricultural practices, war, famine, drought, over-fishing, poor crop yields, etc. (Eitzen, Zinn, Smith, 2011 pg.69). An example of non-productive use in farmland is using it to pasture cattle which is a tremendously wasteful use of land, water and energy but has a high demand for wealthy countries. A high percentage of agricultural land in the world is used to grow commodities such as cotton, sisal, tea, tobacco, sugar cane, and cocoa, items which are non-food products or contain very little nutrition (Shah, 2010). Grain is also another important food product which is used wasteful. For example more than half the grain grown in the United States (requiring half the water used in the U.S.) is fed to livestock, grain that would feed far more people than would the livestock to which it is fed (Shah, 2010). Grain is also is used to biofuels rather than food production. The result in that is that the prices of grain increase, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) estimates that 30% of the increase in the prices of the major grains is due to biofuels (Shah, 2010). The increasing use of biofuels also plays a huge part in food production because it diverts land away from food production and is used to grow crops for fuel such as ethanol. Biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75%, far more than previously estimated according to a World Bank report (Shah, 2010). The relationship between food production and poverty are basically because people don’t have enough money to buy food and also be able to put a roof over their head. The cost of food has increased dramatically over the past years and continues to rise due but not limited to the examples stated to previously in this paper. When we think about earning a living which for most families is already below means compared to the cost of living we tend not to factor in food. More than one billion live off of less than $2.50 a day which usually needs to support your family and yourself. Food production may be threatened, but it is international trade, economic policies and the control of land that have led to enormous poverty/hunger issues therefore leading to less access and high prices for food.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Us Auto Industry Back on Top - 1658 Words

UNITED STATES AUTO INDUSTRY BACK ON TOP . . . OF CEO PAY Valerie Lieber MGT 2500 Human Resource Management February 11, 2015 INTRODUCTION Executive compensation has been at the forefront of discussion for a long period of time. Analyzed by academics, highlighted by the media, questioned by Congress, and scrutinized by the general public, the topic warrants much debate. In the 1990’s, total executive compensation increased substantially as companies began offering stock option programs; CEO’s of Samp;P 500 saw an average increase of 150%. While many top U.S. executives continued to receive enormous compensation options throughout the economic downturns of 2001 and 2008, none was more apparent than those in the automotive†¦show more content†¦They stated that CEO compensation should not be ranked by how much an executive is paid, but how they are paid. A CEOs whose wealth was tied to a change value of shareholder wealth had a better compensation that a CEO who had a higher monetary compensation. This analysis led to the increase of stock options for CEOs and top corporate executives. However, this type of compensation structure has unintended consequences tied to it. Stock options create incentives for executives to participate in risk seeking activities. It creates a positive gain if the price of stock goes up, but no downside risk. So what value do CEOs offer companies and their shareholders? Just as the NFL places value on a stellar athletic performance and so-called super human ability, so does corporate America. In extremely competitive markets of CEO headhunting, the stakes could never be higher. Companies today are facing lightening fast technological advances, corporate espionage, global competition, extremely tight profit margins, innovative startups and an indiscriminate number of other issues that need to be managed by top executives. Companies not only need leaders, but also visionaries, innovators and calculated risk takers. This combination of person can be extremely difficult to find, employ and retain. When it comes to the question as to whether or not CEOs a nd top executives are overpaid, the question can irrevocably be answeredShow MoreRelatedThe United States Of America s Auto Industry887 Words   |  4 PagesThe United States of America’s Auto Industry The US has one of the largest automotive markets in the world. There are currently three major US automobile companies, Ford, General Motors and Chrysler which have bought up many smaller companies. There are also over twenty minor US automakers such as Tesla, Vector Motors, and Detroit Electric. 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Wednesday, January 1, 2020

The Effects Of Pollution On The Environment - 1636 Words

Our environment nowadays is becoming more polluted by the second. There are several types of pollution in the atmosphere: Air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution and many more. It is corroding away our trees and contaminating our water. People take no interest in looking after the environment because they cannot see the effects it is causing the earth. Pollution is becoming dangerously high and it is beginning to affect wildlife. Due to the water being contaminated, they have no safe drinking water. These high levels of pollution in the animals’ drinking water are causing the extinction of certain species, and it may be of a species that is already rare or have a scarce number of. Humans make land fill sites that pollute the air we breathe; we are damaging the environment without even realising. Humans also litter smoke, start fires and let off very harmful gases into the atmosphere that are affecting us in our daily life. The gases that are given off by fires etc. is t he cause f the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is the harmful gases that are given off each day creating a dome over our atmosphere; the sun reflects off the inside of the dome and then gets trapped, causing global warming. More and more heat energy from the sun enters the ‘dome’ every day. Global warming is the cause of the melting of the polar ice caps, which is home to some of the world’s most well-known species: Penguins, polar bears etc. Acid rain is another cause of theShow MoreRelatedPollution And Its Effects On The Environment973 Words   |  4 Pages Pollution As a society, we have come to understand that pollution is the process of discharging harmful substances into our atmosphere, water or soil. There are campaigns all across the world educating us to the different types of pollution. Humankind has become more aware of the rising problems with pollution and recycling is constant in most households. We know about the effects that pollution has on the environment, but how do the types of pollution affect each otherRead MorePollution And Its Effects On The Environment1655 Words   |  7 Pagesbeginning of the existence of humans on planet Earth, humans have caused the majority of pollution in the environment. It is widely accepted that pollution causes negative effects on the planet and on biological health. Humans have polluted all the the four major parts to Earth; air, water, soil, and wildlife. Many countries have taken steps to limit or remove many harmful chemicals that are released into the environment but many large co untries, such as China, still don t have tight restrictions on manufacturesRead MorePollution And Its Effects On The Environment1802 Words   |  8 Pageswarming except humans are the infectious agents. Many ecosystems are being destroyed from pollution. One of which is marine life. The oceans are heating up because of pollution, and many of these ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef are temperature sensitive. Just a slight change in temperature could have a major effect on the marine organisms. Even though the ocean is vast and full of life, pollution needs to stop because it is harming marine life, affects the food chain by killing organismsRead MorePollution And Its Effects On The Environment1509 Words   |  7 PagesPollution happens when chemicals and other outside substances leech into the ground, air and water. These pollutants contain poisons that adversely affect environments and the living animals inside of them. Although natural well being and security gatherings w ork to build attention to the threat contamination presents, if contamination proceeds at its present rate, the future impacts could crush to human populaces and the earth. .Air pollution is a gas (or a liquid or solid dispersed through ordinaryRead MorePollution And Its Effects On The Environment1361 Words   |  6 Pagesour resources today. Pollution is the main reason resources are becoming inaccessible and unusable. Pollution means, â€Å"The presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects.† Pollution mostly occurs when companies produce products at their plants or factories thus, expelling smoke for the oil burned and toxins into the water. The overall idea is that companies are winning and receiving the fortune to be made while our environment takes the fall. OilRead MorePollution And Its Effects On The Environment1415 Words   |  6 Pagespesticides - the greater part of the waste we deliver ashore inevitably reaches the oceans, either through purposeful dumping or from keeping running off through channels and waterways. This includes oil spills, which cause colossal harm to the mari ne environment - yet actually are in charge of just around 12% of the oil entering the oceans every year. Stated by the US National Research Council, 36% descends channels and waterways as waste and spillover from urban communities and industry. Manure overflowRead MoreThe Effects Of Water Pollution On Environment And The Environment1450 Words   |  6 PagesPollution is defined as the contamination of air, water, or soil by substances that are harmful to living organisms. Excessive levels of pollution are causing a lot of damage to plants, and human and animal health, This is a major problem in the environment today; pollution effects are certainly prominent in todays world. Without realizing it we as humans contribute to the waste and contamination to both our bodies and the environment around us. In addition there are also many other causes toRead MorePollution And Its Effects On The Environment1373 Words   |  6 Pagesto pesticides - the greater part of the waste we deliver ashore inevitably achieves the seas, either through purposeful dumping or from keep running off through channels and waterways. This includes:Oil spills cause colossal harm to the marine environment - yet actually are in charge of just around 1 2% of the oil entering the oceans every year. By study by the US National Research Council, 36% descends channels and waterways as waste and spillover from urban communities and industry. Manure overflowRead MorePollution And Its Effects On The Environment1731 Words   |  7 Pages As the world population continues to grow and society changes so does pollution and the reality of creating harmful, unsustainable conditions to the ecosystem. Due to human activity large amounts of pollutants and contaminants are produced each year which make their way into our environment. For millions of years nature has had its’ own solution to keeping the environment clean using a natural bioremediation. Nature has used microbes, and fungi to breakdown and decompose dead plants and animalsRead MoreThe Pollution And Its Effects On The Environment1436 Words   |  6 Pagesdoes to our environment. Motor vehicles are an important part of our society, but also an ongoing epidemic that can potentially cause long-term hazard. This negative potential arises as we use fossil fuels for vehicles, eventually releasing gases into the air contributing to ozone pollution. Ozone is emitted p rimarily through chemical reactions from industrial machinery and motor vehicles, acting as a harmful air pollutant at ground level. So, what is the number one cause of ozone pollution? Vehicles