Rio Tinto Company Recruitment Programs

Introduction A company must ensure it adopts transparent and credible recruitment programs to ensure it employs qualified and experienced employees. This essay examines how Rio Tinto (an Australian based mining company) manages its human resource section.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Rio Tinto Company Recruitment Programs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Background Human resource refers to all efforts (intellectual and manual) employed by people to ensure a production process is successful. People are drivers of change and other development aspects and this means their contributions to the success of a company cannot be ignored (Cleary 21). Human resource management refers to all deliberate steps taken to ensure a company has a robust human resource. These activities include recruiting, training, motivating and retaining workers. Rio Tinto is an Australian multinational company that engages in mining of metals . This company was previously owned by the Spanish government until 1873 when a group of international investors purchased it. It has undergone various transformations including acquisitions and mergers and diversification of its products and services (Altman 11). This was a metal mining company but has now expanded its activities to include refining of ores (iron and bauxite). A survey conducted in 2011 showed that this company has about 70,000 workers in its Australian and other subsidiary companies located in different parts of the world. In addition, its 2012 revenue index showed that it generates about $ 50.967 billion and its operating income was $1.153 billion in addition to generating $ 3.004 billion the same year. However, this company is highly criticized by environmentalists for degrading the environment through its mining processes especially in its Grasberg mine located in Indonesia. Human right groups have also criticized this company regarding its attempts to stop wor kers from joining various unions (Russell 41). In addition, the company is ranked poorly in terms of working conditions and other social corporate responsibilities. Stakeholders Involved This company acknowledges the importance of recognizing and working with local communities to ensure it maximizes their abilities as workers and providers of basic resources like land and labor. The Aboriginal society is one of the marginalized groups in the world that face extinction due to modernization (Mathis 85). They have attracted a lot of global attention in various issues including land ownership. They have a very strong attachment to their ancestral land and this makes it necessary to approach any land related issue with a lot of caution. This company relies on natural resources (mineral ores) as its basic raw material. Unfortunately, this resource is located in Australia in the region occupied by the Aboriginal community (Attorney 55). This means there must be an effective strategy to ens ure the local community is not affected by the process of mining. This necessitated the need to have various stakeholders to ensure there is a smooth process of acquiring the resource from this local community.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Rio Tinto is the first stakeholder in this process since it is the initiator of all other activities. This company requires raw materials to enable it to run its operations. It has developed various plans to ensure its activities run smoothly. First, it has invested in machinery, human resource and finance to ensure it has all the requirements to conduct its operations (Noe 55). Secondly, the government also has a stake in the operations of this company to ensure that it abides by the rules set to regulate mining. These rules include tax generation, environmental conservation, human resource management and compliance to legal business a ctivities. In addition, the Australian government (local and national) ensures this company complies with all regulations meant to promote healthy business activities (Muller 25). The third stakeholder is the local community which comprises of the Aboriginals. This community has a strong attachment with their ancestral lands and this means that the company must consult with all traditional leaders to ensure the local community understands and supports the mining process. Lastly, non governmental groups are also important in monitoring how this company contributes to progress human life and the society (Taylor 13). They ensure the company does not violate human rights or interfere with the environment. Effects of Employment and Education Outcomes This company faced a lot of local and international criticism because it ignored the local community regarding employment. Most employees came from other countries including Canada and this became a very serious challenge that affected this company. This put the managers at crossroads regarding offering jobs to the local population. The company required professionals to handle various processes (Gammage 43). However, there was a high illiteracy level among this population and this offered a serious challenge to this company. International and local companies must ensure that the local population is given the first priority in terms of jobs. This is one of the legal corporate requirements that companies must fulfill before commencing their operations. Therefore, this company was forced to recruit people from the Aboriginal community to ensure the local population participates in various activities of this company. However, there were various structural adjustments that were put in place to ensure this community becomes an important part of the company. The company established various programs to ensure all employees were qualified to handle various tasks. The first approach was to establish links with higher institution s of learning like universities where they sponsored Aboriginal students to pursue different courses. It is necessary to note that this company offered various employment opportunities ranging from clerical to field jobs (Noe 67). In addition, it was forced to offer jobs that did not require experience or academic qualifications to accommodate the local population. This was an urgent measure taken to ensure the company absorbs the large number of unemployed people in the local community.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Rio Tinto Company Recruitment Programs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There was no time to train or educate the local population on various operation procedures since pressure was mounting on this company to offer immediate employment to the local population or close the company. The company had no alternative but to recruit those that were willing and ready to start working in various departmen ts. Moreover, it was forced to develop measures that will ensure these people were equipped with basic operational skills that were necessary in its operations (Stone 50). The formation of training programs was necessitated by the high level of illiteracy among the Aboriginals. The company could not make use of their skills since they were neither educated nor experienced in industrial operations. People without work experience are offered trainee roles to ensure they learn while working at the company (Muller 27). This ensured the company accommodated most of the Aboriginals through its apprenticeship programs. In addition, it was forced to widen its human resource department especially regarding training its employees. Even though, this company was forced to incur unnecessary expenses in recruiting and training the Aboriginals it managed to employ workers who had necessary skills to perform various roles (Perrault 78). There were short term challenges but this had no impacts on th e future of this company. Companies that train their employees have higher chances of improving their performance compared to those that hire workers because of experience. Rio Tinto managed to train its workers and impart them with necessary skills that were essential in managing various activities. Importance of HR Functions on Indigenous Employment Programs The human resource department plays significant roles in developing employment programs. This company has an active human resource department because the local community forms a significant portion of the work force. This department plays important roles in indigenous employment programs in the following ways. First, it identifies positions that must be filled in various departments through conducting needs assessment tests (Hughes 54). These tests are usually done when a company expands its operations or when it experiences operational and managerial challenges. It can also be done to establish ways of enhancing employee perf ormance. They can also be done when a company adopts new technology or when it decides to change its production processes.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Secondly, it develops recruitment procedures that help in selecting qualified candidates to fill the vacant positions announced. This is usually based on job descriptions that define the nature of work to be done and the skills required to perform these roles (Mathis 83). However, this company offers this department limited choices regarding job description as a guide for conducting an effective recruitment program. The community offers this company limited choices regarding recruitment procedures (Armstrong 12). This has forced this company to employ workers without basing any consideration on their levels of education or work experience. Later, it must train them and ensure they gain relevant skills before they start working. In addition, this department ensures that all recruits are taken through an elaborate orientation process to enable them to familiarize with the procedures and staff of this company. This is an important role of the human resource department to ensure the Abo riginals learn various processes involved in mining. In addition, it helps them to identify the roles played by different workers and the relationships between various sections. Lastly, it develops programs that will ensure workers develop their skills while working and also widen their knowledge regarding this company. There are various programs developed to reward employees that are committed, hard working and responsible in their duties (Lane 17). This includes increasing their salaries, promoting them to senior positions and sponsoring them to higher institutions of learning. The roles stated above helps this company to have an effective and value based work force since employees are offered training that is relevant to the operations of this company (Noe 69). The short term losses of these programs are less than the long term benefits accrued by having employees that have been trained to handle specific duties. Human Resource and Strategic Challenges All companies are exposed t o different operational and managerial challenges that affect their operations. Mining is a risky investment and this means this company must have a very active and responsible human resource department. The greatest challenge is associated with providing good working conditions to employees working in sites. The company experiences significant challenges associated with accidents during mining. However, it has various insurance covers to safeguard its workers and investments against losses. In addition, mining results in environmental pollution (noise, water, air and land) due to the methods used in various operations. This explains the presence of criticisms from environmental management groups and the local community regarding the role of this company in pollution (Mascarenhas 40). Even though, it is practically impossible to eliminate pollution during mining this company has developed various corporate social responsibilities to ensure it shares its profits with the society. Thi s includes offering employment, training and participating in community awareness programs. Conclusion The human resource department is the engine of an organization since it integrates all other production activities. An effective work force ensures all policies, objectives, goals, missions and visions are transferred from theory to practice. Human beings can develop very good plans to manage various issues. However, there are various issues that determine the effectiveness of employees. Rio Tinto has managed to integrate its human resource department with the demands of the Australian government, Aboriginal community and other groups. This has enabled it to maintain a good public image and generate revenues from mining. Works Cited Altman, John. Power, Culture, Economy: Indigenous Australians and Mining.  Melbourne: Australian National University Press, 2011. Armstrong, Sharon. The Essential HR Handbook: A Quick and Handy Resource for  Managers or HR Professional. Pretoria: Ca reer Press, 2008. Attorney, Steingold. The Employer’s Legal Handbook: Manage Your Employees and  Workplace Effectively. California: Nolo, 2011. Cleary, Paul. Too Much Luck: The Mining Boom and Australia’s Future. New York: ReadHow you want, 2012. Gammage, Bill. The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made Australia. New South Wales: Allen and Unwin, 2013. Hughes, Robert. The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia’s Founding. New York: Vintage Books, 2009. Lane, Marcus. Contested Country: Local and Regional Natural Resources Management  in Australia. Melbourne: CSIRO, 2010. Mascarenhas, Oswald. Business Transformation Strategies: The Strategic Leader as  Innovation Manager. New York: Sage, 2011. Mathis, Robert. Human Resource Management. Stamford: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2010. Muller, Max. The Manager’s Guide to HR: Hiring, Firing, Performance Evaluations,  Documentation, Benefits, and Everything Else You Need to Know. New York: AMACOM, 200 9. Noe, Raymond. Human Resource Management. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Perrault, William. Basic Marketing: A Marketing Strategy Planning Approach. New York: Wiley, 2010. Russell, Robert. Operations Management: Creating Value along the Supply Chain. New York: Wiley, 2009. Stone, Raymond J. Human Resource Management. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2008 Taylor, John. Indigenous People and the Pilbara Mining Boom: A Baseline for Regional  Participation. Melbourne: Australian National University Press, 2012. 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Mideast essays

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Training practices used in the Shell Corporation

Training practices used in the Shell Corporation Populations are growing and economies are developing. The global demand for energy will continue to increase. And finding responsible ways to meet that demand will be the defining challenge of the 21st century. As result, more workers needed in the Shell company which it fulfills demand in the market. So, many ways was taken by Shell to retain more workers in company, also retrain them to be productive worker in the company. In Shell, they providing the training they need to fully optimize their skills and potential. Thats why they offer a huge range of training and development activities. Trainee can choose one or more training which provided by Shell of the following: On-the-job learning you can expect to move both sideways and upwards through the business, building on your skills as you go Training for recognized professional qualifications either through external organizations or Shells own extensive training services and facilities Personal development programmed Direction and support from buddy schemes, mentoring and regular appraisals with line managers. In addition to these initiatives, Shell also has tailored training for all of their new starters, including inductions and Shell Life. Shell Life is a highly experiential and interactive course for graduates designed to develop your leadership potential.   The course helps participants reflect on their personal direction and the leadership, interpersonal effectiveness and business awareness qualities theyll need if theyre going to have a successful career with Shell. Shell Aviation offers a number of different courses addressing subjects of importance to the Aviation Industry. These include: The Aviation Competence Education (ACE major) The Aviation Competence Education (ACE) provides personnel working in the Aviation Fuelling business with a basic knowledge of all facets of Aircraft fuelling. The course incorporates a structured series of modules with clear concise training material, informative video presentations, training needs analysis and documentation, programme development, plus refresher courses and assessments. Practical exercises and assessments ensure that the knowledge is absorbed and operator skills are proven in practice. It is also offered either as a traditional taught course delivered by Shell Aviation consultants, or alternatively in a series of self-learning computer modules. Train the Trainer This three-day course provides the user with the ability to deliver for example, the ACE training in-house. The course syllabus includes communication techniques, the skills training process, recall retention and assessment skills. The Operations Training Course This focuses more deeply on the specifics of fuelling operations, and is delivered as a combination of classroom and on-site teaching at one of Shells worldwide facilities. Courses are conducted mainly in English as standard, but are also available in other languages. The Famous Fuel Tech Course Offers deeper insight in advanced Quality Control, product knowledge and covers more technical issues concerning various aviation products and their use. The Supervising for Safety Course Targets Aviation Operations Supervisors, and helps them understand their role in managing safety in the aviation workplace. Others Shell Aviation also offers competency assessment tools to customers; WINGS, a general competency program, and CAF, an HSE competency program. 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Whether Shell Aviation courses are delivered at the trainees workplace, or at Shell training centers, the benefits are always quickly secured. Training may be delivered by Shell Aviation or self-delivered by Aviation fuelling companies to their own staff. Whether Shell Aviation courses are delivered at the trainees workplace, or at Shell training centre, the benefits are always quickly secured. Furthermore, Shell also continues to complement the governments efforts to develop and enhance Malaysian human capital through its scholarship programmed. As the business community can play an integral role in realizing this manpower requirement, Shell contribute to sustainable development in the country by enhancing our nations intellectual asset pool through scholarship .The students to continue to work hard and be motivated to succeed not only in their studies but in their future careers. Funding from the Shell Scholarship Fund (SSF) set up by Shell Malaysia provides scholarships and incentive awards to deserving Malaysians to pursue studies in approved institutions either locally or abroad. Shell Malaysia invests RM11 million country-wide in various educational assistance or capacity building programmed annually. Out of the amount, RM3.4 million is allocated for Sarawak. Some 235 students from Sarawak were selected to receive scholarships and bursaries from Shell this year. Shell would continue to partner the state government as well as other stakeholders in their long-standing educational, youth development and other community-oriented programmed which are designed with the underlying objective of progressing capacity building, knowledge enhancement, skill development and promoting health and safety and environmental concern. Shell also works closely with universities in Malaysia to regularly share information on the oil and gas industry and employment opportunities within Shell Malaysia as well as collaborate on research programmed. These include a study on dolphins conducted with UNIMAS and Sarawak Forestry Corporation as well as the Campus Ambassador programmed with Curtin University, Miri. The long running Shell Scholarship programmed has benefited many bright young boys and girls from Sarawak and Sabah and a number of them have become leaders in their chosen fields within and outside Shell.   Training was provided in many courses at Shell which provides students with a work-and-learn experience that compliments their classroom curriculum. This opportunity will enable them to learn how to apply theory to practice, explore career options and gain knowledge of the working world. Commercial opportunities: Commercial Upstream and Midstream Contracting and Procurement Finance Human Resources IT/Information Management Sales and Marketing Supply Chain and Distribution Trading Technical opportunities Asset Maintenance Engineering Discipline Engineering Geology/Geophysics Petrophysics Process Engineering Product Process Research Production Engineering Production Technology Reservoir Engineering Well Engineering HSSE There are many examples, in developing and transition countries and industrialized ones, of the private sector directly sponsoring road safety initiatives. Four main areas of sponsorship have been identified: (i) road safety education and knowledge transfer; (ii) publicity and awareness campaigns; (iii) enforcement; and ( iv) driver training. Whilst these four groups are the main areas of business involvement in sponsorship, it should be noted that this is not an exclusive list. There are examples of companies sponsoring road signs, or reflective markings to enhance the visibility of vulnerable road users and heavy goods vehicles in Central and Eastern Europe. The initiatives invested in to date, however, do not generally include hard engineering measures. Corporate sponsorship of the four main areas of involvement is discussed below: For example, Petroleum companies have been identified as being a major contributor to child road safety education through a number of initiatives. These include resource material that teaches children about road safety, yet also ties in with the school curriculum and through direct investment in road safety education. For instance, BP developed a teaching resource pack in the UK, Living with Traffic, which was produced to help with primary school road safety education. Indeed, BPs own road safety team has been touring schools in the UK for some 30 years teaching road safety to primary school children. Indeed, Shell, for their part, have funded road safety education for primary school children in Germany and established the Deutsche Shell Youth Centre in 1950. Initially, participation involved development of fixed site traffic schools. Shell constructed the traffic schools and provided equipment including, eventually, miniature cars. In addition, mobile traffic schools were often provided in the form of equipment that could be taken to, and used in, individual schools. Deutsche Shell Youth Centre provides the equipment, and the State Government or town/rural districts fund the set up and operation costs. It is important that publicity campaigns target according to areas of specific concern. For example, Shell Canada has provided training to their drivers addressing collisions with wildlife. This area of road safety was highlighted through monitoring accidents and identifying that a number of animal strikes were being recorded. To highlight the problem, Shell has worked with other petroleum companies and has helped develop workshops within the petroleum industry to identify ways and means to reduce animal strikes. One third of Canadian traffic accidents are attributed to animal strikes, and it is hoped that a reduction will lead to lower costs, improved profitability and reliability of equipment. As well as car and truck driver training, cycle and motorcycle rider training is currently being sponsored in various locations. Shell Malaysia has been involved with the Emergency Motorcycle Unit (EMU) of the Malaysia Red Crescent Society. Volunteers in the EMU attend crashes and are able to get through traffic jams on a motorcycle where it would be impossible for a car or ambulance. In 1997, Shell assisted in training EMU volunteers in defensive riding, through its Road Safety Academy. The Road Safety Academy itself was built in 1991 to conduct safe and defensive driving courses for the companys own staff and contractors. 3M have been involved in Romania in highlighting the presence of vulnerable road users, such as cyclists, through the provision of retro-reflective safety devices and markings. Shells Introductory Trial of Overdriveà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ System Proves Safety and Efficiency for Running Casing on Floating Rig had objective to; Conduct a safe introductory trial on a floating rig of the OverDrive system with its TorkDriveà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ 750 HD (heavy-duty) casing running and drilling tool, Prove the ability of the OverDrive system to serve as the primary method for running casing on floating rigs in the future, Achieve no-incident health, safety, and environmental performance, Avoid cross-threading of connections, Minimize the time required for the rigs drillers and tool pushers to become proficient in the use of the OverDrive system. As a result, Shells first OverDrive system run (also the first OverDrive system run for any operator on a floating rig/semisubmersible) was successful, with no reportable incidents, No connections were cross-threaded, the operators drillers and tool pushers were running up to 16 joints per hour by the third hour of operation. The value to client are no reportable safety or environmental incidents occurred, use of the OverDrive system reduced operational risks and costs by eliminating manually operated, moving equipment from the rig floor, the need for a stabber was removed, and the number of rig floor personnel was minimized, training of Shells drillers and tool pushers by Weatherford personnel minimized non productive time and expedited operations. The success of this trial provided the operator with a proven means of avoiding the dangers of manual equipment manipulation on a floating rig. 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Training videos, computer assisted training, control system simulator training, in addition to presentations by various Shell personnel and equipment manufacturers will be a portion of the training tools utilized during the workshop. The workshop is recommended for production operators or individuals that are involved in the operation of subsea systems. SKILL PERFORMANCE BASED PAY, upon completion of this course, successful participants will obtain the necessary foundation to self assess and certify at their field location the Level II subsea operations Skill Certification Manual. An introduction of Level III topics concerning site specific operating guidelines and simulator training will also be addressed. 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Finance Operations Finance Operations provides finance, accounting and business services to Shell operating companies across the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions.   The finance processes include: Revenue: Master Data Maintenance, Processing Invoice and Billing Adjustments, Cash Application and Allocation, Monitoring of Debts, Account Reconciliation and Reporting, Intra-Group Transaction Processing Expenditure: Processing Invoices and Expense Claims, Payment Run Processing Record to Report   Ã‚  Ã‚   o Financial Reporting: Group and Local Reporting, Business Planning and Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚   o Financial Accounting: Bank Reconciliation, End of Day (Cash Forecasting), Fixed Assets   Ã‚  Ã‚   o Hydrocarbon Management: Stock Recording, Reconciliation Valuation, Accounts Payable, Contracts Pricing, Customs Excise, Chemical Stock Accounting Management Information: Management Internal Reporting, Variance Analysis, Decision Support, Budgeting Planning Governance, Risk Assurance (Controls Framework): Controls Migration, Controls Assurance, Governance Compliance, Design Deploy HR Services HR Services delivers a full range of HR services to Shell employees across Asia Pacific and the Middle East: First point of contact for HR support and advice Enabling effective Self Service Capabilities Managing HR Data and Information Provision of HR Infrastructure Payroll Management   Processing of HR Transactions Downstream Customer Service Centre The Downstream Business to Business (B2B) Customer Service Centre (CSC) is a single touch point contact centre covering customer service order to cash activities for B2B, Retail and Lubricants business across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong. Contracting Procurement Contracts and Procurement (CP) helps ensure standardization in the efficient management of monetary resources. CP supports Shell operations and capital projects by guaranteeing timely delivery of goods and services, to the right specification. Information Technology Kuala Lumpur is the global hub for some of Shells Information Technology (IT) activities. Its service portfolio includes IT infrastructure services such as Desktop, Applications Hosting, Helpdesk and Telecommunications. Collectively, these services involve the support of more than 1,500 servers and 115,000 desktops across the group worldwide. It also provides business applications support and applications development, both predominantly SAP-based. IT operates on a truly global basis, and provides an opportunity to showcase Malaysian IT talents to the world. Shell Malaysia today awarded seven scholarships to the value of RM251, 000 to enable outstanding Sarawak-born students with disability to realize their full potential and pursue pre-university or first-degree studies at approved institutions locally. Datuk Tuan Haji Fadillah Yusuf, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, presented the scholarships to the recipients, in the special award ceremony held at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur this morning.This special category of education assistance was introduced this year to mark Shells 100th year of operations in Miri. Similar scholarships will be offered to students originating from Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia from 2011. In making the announcement, Anuar Taib, Shell Malaysia Chairman, said that the Company was proud to contribute to sustainable development in Malaysia through the enhancement of its intellectual asset pool. Education is often seen as the great leveller. With the introduction of these special scholarships, we wan t to offer a more inclusive education assistance programmed, where the mental capability of our applicants becomes the only criteria for selection.   With the inclusion of this category of scholarships, we hope that no talent with physical disabilities misses out on the opportunity of a good education on account of financial inabilities, Anuar says. Shell recognizes the importance of high quality education in fuelling the countrys growth and prosperity, and applauds the Governments focus on improving educational outcomes to build a competitive workforce and high income, Anuar adds. Shell Malaysia has been awarding scholarships and bursaries for over 40 years as part of a long-standing commitment in support of the governments effort to develop human capital.  In 2010, Shell presented scholarships and awards to the value of RM14.5million to students in Malaysia to pursue further studies at local and foreign universities. The partnership programmed that held on March 2009, was organized by Shell Malaysia Gas Power and the School of Engineering and Information Technology of UMS, in collaboration with Department of Environment (DOE) and Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). Over the last three years, over 250 students from UMS as well as UNIMAS have successfully completed this capacity building programmed, which highlights Shells best practices in HSE and showcases how they are applied in the workplace using real-world examples.  The programmed is designed to benefit student engineers as they enter the workforce, to help them appreciate the importance of good HSE practices, and recognize their roles and responsibilities in ensuring their implementation. In 2008, in order to help develop the undergraduates capabilities in Deepwater, Shell has been and will continue to sponsor a Deepwater Platform Model competition in collaboration with the Faculty of Civil Engineering.   Shell and UTM are also currently looking into the possibility of setting up of a Deepwater laboratory.   Deepwater is a challenging environment and Shell has developed the ability and the necessary technologies to conquer its complexity and provide access to the oil and gas that lies deeper, in dispersed reservoirs. Shell has set up a Deepwater Engineering Office in Kuala Lumpur to manage the Companys deepwater projects in the region and is able to easily draw on its experts to assist in the capacity building of the UTM. Training Development initiatives at Shell can drive your career progression based on: Professional Development Onboarding Early Career Development Learning Programmes Finance in Projects Formal Learning Informal Learning Online Learning The firmly believe Finance can support Shell in building on its position and reputation as a leading global energy company. But realizing their potential as a firm means continuing to attract, develop and retain great people in Finance. At Shell, there are committed to your ongoing professional development. Their in-house team, Shell Finance Learning, provides a comprehensive Onboarding programme, a broad range of formal and informal learning, networking events and workshops globally. They are also offer e-learning and a number of initiatives with a clear Diversity Inclusiveness focus. In addition, Shell runs a Leadership Development Framework. These development courses are designed to help people with high potential to develop the specialist skills and experience theyll need to establish themselves as senior members of the organization. This whole learning programmers is supported by a tailored Finance Competence Framework that helps applicant identify the requirements of his job, match them with his own competences and locate gaps for Training Development. Onboarding means the firm want to ensure that you feel at home with us straight away So whenever you join firm in Finance, youll undertake a comprehensive half day Onboarding programme entitled Welcome to Shell. Early Career Development means if you join firm at the early stages of your finance career, youll be able to take advantage of firm Develop Early Career Development programme. Key features of this programme include assignment rotations, development discussions and mentoring or coaching. In other hand, Shell also developing talented young Malaysians. For Shobana Gnanam, 18, who grew up in a modest home in Selangor, studying abroad always seems like a distant dream. Undeterred, she worked hard and scored straight As in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia public examination. Her efforts have been rewarded she is now pursuing A levels on a Shell scholarship, in preparation for further studies in Britain in 2010. The Shell Malaysia Scholarship Awards are presented annually to students in Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia. We invested over RM11 million (US$3.1 million) in these awards in 2008, benefiting some 530 students. Apart from the scholarship awards, Shell supports such capacity building programmes like the joint development of a Deepwater laboratory in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, an industrial welding course aimed at addressing a national shortage in this area, a personal computer assembly and maintenance course, and Practical Environmental, Safety and Industria l Guidance for Engineers (PRESTIGE) for engineering undergraduates. With the full support of Shell, employees and contractors have been helping in many ways: like build homes for the less fortunate, run blood donation drives, take special needs children to self-development camps, trek to marginalised communities in the interior to offer clothing, medicines or household essentials and join communities in keeping beaches clean. Upstream employees took the spirit of the programme further by establishing the Shell Employees Voluntary Fund (SEVF), to respond to crises and emergencies. Staffs who sign up have deductions made from their monthly salaries and the funds collected are distributed to community projects selected by a committee. In 2008, SEVF provided financial relief of RM59, 000 (US$16,000) to fire victims, cancer patients, and other groups in need, with the company matching many of these donations. In 2008, Shell was named Malaysias most popular graduate employer of the year in the inaugural Malaysias 100 Leading Graduate Employers and doctor jobs Students Choice Awards held by GTI Specialist Publishers.Shell was also the most popular graduate employer in the Engineering sector. The award is the result of surveys conducted by the GTI Group in the UK, Ireland and Australia, involving some 15,000 final year university students. Says Vimi Venugopal, Shell Recruitment Marketing Manager for Asia Pacific: Winning the most popular graduate employer award is affirmation that Shell Malaysia is on the right track towards attracting the cream of the crop when it comes to engaging graduates. Noting that the Shell Campus Ambassador (CA) programme had contributed to this success, she added: By liaising with students, careers advisers and academics, CA volunteers help to bring the Shell experience to life and play a vital role in enhancing Shell reputation among one of our key audiences. In the 2008, with the theme Small changes, big difference. With its emphasis on personal action, staff and contractors were encouraged to take steps and make pledges to change at least one aspect in their work that will help improve health and safety. Shell Malaysia Chairman Dato Saw Choo Boon took the lead when he pledged to intervene on any non-complying behaviours he comes across, while also inviting staff to stop him should they spot him committing a non-compliant act. To help monitor safety performance, a standard safety measure had been used- Total Recordable Case Frequency (TRCF). This reflects the number of injuries of contractors and staff requiring medical treatment or time off work, for every million hours worked. The injury rate has come down over time, improving approximately 23% since 20042. This reflects our efforts to build a safety culture where all employees and contractors must aim for Goal Zero operating with zero fatalities and significant incidents. Lost Time Injury frequency (LTIF) is an indicator of the number of injuries with time off work for every million hours worked by employees and contractors. Employees performance has been improving since 2005, successfully halving the number of cases per million work hours in 2006. Shell Company is a firm believer of enabling employee training that enhances performance. Their managements task is to ensure that their workforce is equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are necessary for optimal performance. Employee training forms an integral part of the corporate and human resources strategy and is available to all employees.

How do Wilfred Owen and John McCrae differ in their attitude to war? :: English Literature

How do Wilfred Owen and John McCrae differ in their attitude to war? Study 'Dulce et Decorum Est' and 'In Flanders Field' These two poems are the most famous and best written poems of World War 1. Wilfred Owen wrote ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ in 1915 and John Mc Crae wrote ‘In Flanders Field’ which was 1st published in 1919, four days before Mc Crae died. These two World War poets have distinctively different views on war. But, there are also some similarities between them for example the poems were both 1st hand accounts and that the poets had 1st hand experience of the war. Another similarity is that the poets died from the effects of the war. These two poets have different attitudes towards the war in general as Owen originated from the 1st wave of World War 1 poets. These types of poets strongly opposed the war; they saw the war as bloody and non-patriotic. On the other hand, John Mc Crae was in the 2nd wave of poets. He viewed war to be beautiful and not so much to be patriotic, but to be known to have died whilst fighting for ones country. To start analyzing these poems, I will look at the basic points. In Owens, we can clearly see that the poem is divided into 3 stanzas. The tone of the stanzas is different and they all deal with different ideas related to World War 1. Stanza one deals with the tiredness and fatigue of the soldiers and also the utter exhaustion of them. Uses of verbs such as trudge, limped and adjectives like knock-kneed, bent double show us the extreme conditions that they had to fight in and the effects. Again, the verb ‘cursed’ to describe there movements shows how physically enfeebled they are and that the only way that they can move is by cursing. The statement ‘men marched asleep’ shows again their exhaustion as they were totally tired and seemed to march whilst sleeping. The phrase ‘blood-shod’, which is assonance, shows the hardship that the soldiers are suffering in. Words like, lame, blind, drunk and deaf show that the senses of the soldiers are stopped up and that they can no longer walk, smell, see and hear (hoots). From the sad tone of stanza 1, we are introduced into stanza 2 which is a frenzied opening in other words in complete contrast to the previous stanza. The first words ‘Gas! Gas!’ show violent movement. The words fumbling and clumsy show the difficulty the soldiers were in trying to get their masks on. Owen goes onto describe very effectively How do Wilfred Owen and John McCrae differ in their attitude to war? :: English Literature How do Wilfred Owen and John McCrae differ in their attitude to war? Study 'Dulce et Decorum Est' and 'In Flanders Field' These two poems are the most famous and best written poems of World War 1. Wilfred Owen wrote ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ in 1915 and John Mc Crae wrote ‘In Flanders Field’ which was 1st published in 1919, four days before Mc Crae died. These two World War poets have distinctively different views on war. But, there are also some similarities between them for example the poems were both 1st hand accounts and that the poets had 1st hand experience of the war. Another similarity is that the poets died from the effects of the war. These two poets have different attitudes towards the war in general as Owen originated from the 1st wave of World War 1 poets. These types of poets strongly opposed the war; they saw the war as bloody and non-patriotic. On the other hand, John Mc Crae was in the 2nd wave of poets. He viewed war to be beautiful and not so much to be patriotic, but to be known to have died whilst fighting for ones country. To start analyzing these poems, I will look at the basic points. In Owens, we can clearly see that the poem is divided into 3 stanzas. The tone of the stanzas is different and they all deal with different ideas related to World War 1. Stanza one deals with the tiredness and fatigue of the soldiers and also the utter exhaustion of them. Uses of verbs such as trudge, limped and adjectives like knock-kneed, bent double show us the extreme conditions that they had to fight in and the effects. Again, the verb ‘cursed’ to describe there movements shows how physically enfeebled they are and that the only way that they can move is by cursing. The statement ‘men marched asleep’ shows again their exhaustion as they were totally tired and seemed to march whilst sleeping. The phrase ‘blood-shod’, which is assonance, shows the hardship that the soldiers are suffering in. Words like, lame, blind, drunk and deaf show that the senses of the soldiers are stopped up and that they can no longer walk, smell, see and hear (hoots). From the sad tone of stanza 1, we are introduced into stanza 2 which is a frenzied opening in other words in complete contrast to the previous stanza. The first words ‘Gas! Gas!’ show violent movement. The words fumbling and clumsy show the difficulty the soldiers were in trying to get their masks on. Owen goes onto describe very effectively

Corporate Social Responsibility: Airplanes and Airline Industry

In 1978, The Airline Deregulation Act was purposed and signed by President Jimmy Carter. This federal law came into existence for two main reasons; stated by Carter (1978), â€Å"to help our fight against inflation, and to ensure American citizens of an opportunity for low-priced air transportation. Today’s motives in the airline industry go way beyond economic decisions for themselves as well as their shareholders. Nowadays, businesses are an essential part of society and the airline industry must exceed their compliance of legislation and obligations of what is expected of them and focus on the interests of society.In doing so, they must perform corporate social responsibility that will help improve the community, society’s youth, charity, education, and also our planet. This corporate social responsibility should not be an option but rather an obligation, as that they play an essential role in creating goodwill, a positive image, and a competitive edge for the indus try. Corporate social responsibility also increases sustainability by assisting the industry in achieving its goals and increasing long-term shareholder value.One company that exhibits this corporate social responsibility is JetBlue. They are dedicated to serving the needs of America’s youth as well as their community. Ian Deason, the director of airport operations, stated that â€Å"Flying is our core business†¦ our core values include caring, integrity and passion. † The company will continue to demonstrate their corporate social responsibility in April 2013 by hosting their third annual â€Å"Wings for Autism† event at their Boston Logan International Airport location.The program is designed to introduce the possibility of flight travel to children with autism and give their families an opportunity to practice the boarding process, become familiar with the plane, and interact with the pilots and crewmembers. Crewmembers will team up with autism experts a t The Charles River Center, where they will be trained to exemplify the expected and unexpected needs of families with children who are autistic. Since the program started in 2010, more than 400 families in the Boston area have been able to participate in the program which the company plans on providing to other cities in the near future (McFadden).JetBlue also partners with many nonprofit organizations. One in particular is KaBOOM, an organization that constructs innovative kid inspired playground areas for communities. This past March, following the occurrence of Hurricane Sandy the partnership hosted a design day in the Sandy impacted city of Long Beach, NY in which children were able to sit down with team members and assist in the design of a playground that will be constructed there in May of 2013.JetBlue plans to expand this program to other affected cites and since their partnership with KaBOOM in 2006 they have helped build a total of 13 playgrounds, engaged 2,636 volunteers and provided a safe place for children to play in cities across the airline’s network (BlueTales). Moreover, JetBlue isn’t the only airline that is signifying their corporate social responsibly to the community. Transaero, an airline company in Russia implements many charitable programs. In 2012, the company’s corporate social responsibility program made the top three in Russia and they were also assigned the top AAA(s) corporate social responsibility rating.Transaero supports children with cancer as well as their families. They offer camps where children can receive medical and psychological rehabilitation and also fund a year round facility in Moscow, where children and their parents can receive legal aid. With cancer treatments and airfare being rather expensive, the company offers free flights to Moscow, St. Petersburg or even abroad so that the children can receive their needed treatment. Also many of the airlines employees are regular blood donors and mak e regular visits to hospitals and cancer centers to visit with sick children.Olga Pleshakova, the company’s CEO stated that â€Å"volunteering is not just about the company’s social responsibility program, but is an integral part of its HR policy that allows employees to show their best sides and develop their potential†¦the social initiatives of employees should be met with understanding and support by management† (Tveritina). Oman Air and AirBus are two other foreign airline companies. Both are committed to inspire and educate today’s youth by providing them with an appreciation for science and technology. The two airlines joined forces back in March of 2013 and created â€Å"The Little Engineer† workshop.The workshops were conducted at Sultan Private School and Azzan Bin Qais International  School in Oman and gave young Omani students a first-hand look into the world of engineering and encouraged them to pursue a future career in aviation . (Awal). Furthermore, as mentioned above the airline industry can safeguard our planet by exercising their corporate social responsibility by â€Å"going green†. Air France-KLM is one company in particular that focuses on this issue. For eight consecutive years the Dow Jones Sustainability Index has ranked Air France-KLM transport leader in terms of sustainable development in the airline sector.This merit is awarded to 19 of the most responsible companies in the world, each in their own area of activity. Air France’s environmental efforts reduce 400 tons of waste each year (Amstelveen). Air France reduces environmental wastes by recycling old uniforms as well as 80% of inflight articles. An environmental and social approach was used in designing their new inflight, reusable headphones. After a flight, the recovered headphones are cleaned and repackaged by a company that now employs 50 additional disabled workers thanks to the efforts of Air France.Also, with pollution being a huge issue in the aviation industry Air France is conducting research with experts to create more sustainable biofuels that will cut down on carbon dioxide emissions and provide a more fruitful planet for society (The Financial). Additionally, the airline industry has been global before anyone even considered globalization. According to the article â€Å"The Airlines Global Dilemma†, international travel has been around since the early 1900s. Chalks Ocean Airways had routine trips to the Bahamas and Pam Am had international routes to countries such as China, Japan, and Philippines in the 1930s.International flights are the airlines best chance to make a profit as well because international flights have the most margins. â€Å"The Airlines Global Dilemma† article also highlights one key aspect to the globalization of this particular industry and is unlike any other industry, for the traditional airlines, globalization is not an opportunity, but the gravest thre at. The reason for this is partially laws, environmental uncertainty and complexity. In the United States, there is a restriction on how much equity can be held by a non-American.The government keeps it at 25% and the United States is not the only country that does this. There are many different laws of that the airlines have to deal with. European laws are the only laws that favor cross border mergers. Mergers for airline companies make a lot of sense business wise if they can be done. If a merger is not possible, many companies do route-by-route joint ventures. The main reason to do a joint venture is to gain access to areas that companies are weak. Joint ventures are service agreements where on specific routes the companies share costs and profits. The joint ventures tend to be harder for he bigger companies to produce but it is a very good way for smaller companies to stay competitive. Through multi-lateral communication, groups of smaller international companies can almost act as a virtual airline itself. The airline market also has many threats. There is the threat of new entrants and threats of substitution that American airlines have to deal with. The air space is getting very crowded for the American airlines so the threat of new entrants is very real. There are many companies that are entering the market with many strategies. Poland’s international airline is an example of company with a differentiation strategy.They are the first airline in Europe to have Boeing’s new 787 according to AirGuide Business. The 787 Dreamliner is supposed to be more fuel efficient and more comfortable for passengers compared to older plane designs. There are also companies from the Middle East with strong growth strategies and a distinct competitive advantage. The new airlines from the Middle East are capitalized with government funds, running virtually tax free, equipped with new fleets operating out of new airports, are non-union, and offer top notch serv ice according to Airlines Global Dilemma.The airlines in the United States also have strong completion from within by low cost strategy companies. The threat of substitution is most prevalent by companies like Delta-Northwest and United-Continental. American Airlines is a great example of a company currently in Chapter 11 which needs to restructure, cut labor costs, and merge with US Airways. According to an article in Time Magazine, American Airlines labor cost was 4. 4 cents, Delta 3. 4 cents, and United 3. 7 cents per available seat mile.That difference results in billions of dollars and probably contributed to American Airlines’ two billion dollars in loss last year. According to Fortune, the merger should eliminate 1. 25 billion in labor costs. Not only do the airline carriers have to deal with globalization but also have deal with airplane makers. Boeing, for instance, has a very different problem than companies like American Airlines and Delta. Boeing has too many orde rs to fill which could possibly give this supplier stronger bargaining power. Boeing owes it buyers 2845 planes and is only building 35 planes per onth. At that rate, it will take Boeing six years to fill those orders and that is only if they do not get any more orders during that time. Management for Boeing needs to stress efficiency. They have made promises to increase production to 60 planes per month. Even at 60 planes per month that still leaves potential buyers waiting for quite a while and that could cause them to seek other international suppliers. Many buyers may go to Europe’s company Airbus or even try to newer companies such as Canada’s Bombardier according to AirGuide.In 2000 the United States Congress passed the Wendel H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st century. The purpose of this bill was to create a competitive plan for new entrants entering the Airline Industry. It gives guidelines and requirements for existing airlines to allow n ew entrants a chance to get started in the business. Another name for the act is AIR-21, and the results for AIR-21 are significantly positive; by allowing one endpoint airports to decrease their price by 10%, and for both endpoints to decrease their price by 20%.Some problems new entrants have when entering the Airline Industry, is operations and marketing. Marketing for a new airline can be difficult because of the loyal customers existing airlines already have. However, there are plenty of ways that airlines can increase their loyal customer base, with things such as frequent flyer miles, corporate incentive agreements, and travel agent commission overrides. For new entrants these would be considered a threat to entering the airline industry. Another threat to entering the airline industry is starting off with limited operating access.These would include limited boarding gates, ticket counters, baggage handling, storage facilities, and take-off and landing slots. Even though it m ay seem like a great time for a new airline to open, with existing airlines cutting routes, and raising prices by seat, this would be a very hard industry to enter and have a success story. For an airline to see any profit right now while oil prices are higher than ever, they must be able to fly full planes at all times. Lately even existing airlines have failed to see a profit. For example, Virgin Airlines did not see a profit for five years after its first flight.Even Warren E. Buffet was stated in a New York Times article that an investment in US Airways, in the early 1990’s, one of his biggest mistakes â€Å"Here a durable competitive advantage has proven elusive ever since the days of the Wright Brothers. Indeed, if a farsighted capitalist had been present at Kitty Hawk, he would have done his successors a huge favor by shooting Orville down†. There are many risks entering the Airline Industry, but there are also many rewards if a new entrant were to have a succes s story. JetBlue reported profits of $1. 5 billion dollars last year, and its revenue at $192 billion dollars.They opened in 2010, and they are now an international airline. At the end of 2011, JetBlue was reported to have an average of seven hundred flights a day. JetBlue is becoming more of a success story than most other new entrants. For a new airline to start up, they need to understand how their investment breaks down. Landing and associated airport charges makes up 4%, depreciation and amortization 7%, maintenance and overhaul 10%, fuel and oil 12%, flight crew 7%, enroute facility charges 2%, station expense 11%, passenger service 10%, ticketing, sales and promotion 16%, general administrative 12%, and the rest is miscellaneous.The above information was given by The Airline Industry Trends, Challenges, and Strategies authored by Dr. John Wensveen. Dr. Wensveen noted that there have been twenty five airline failures since 2007. This is because of the global economic crisis in 2008; airlines were forced to increase their rates because of the high oil prices and the falling demand of people needing to fly. A SWOT Analysis for an airline would go as followed: Strengths: The AIR-21 act gives new airlines a chance to get started * The reward of having a successful airline is very big * Opening an airline is a Cost-Leadership strategyWeaknesses: * The is a very big risk * Oil prices are high * It cost a lot of money to open a new airline * Loyalty systems other airlines have with their customers Opportunities * Being able to start something new * Opening up in an industry that will always be improving Threats * The US Airways merger with American Airlines * The United States Airlines Industry has the potential to become a monopoly with the merger of airlines * Not being able to move loyal customers to a new airline On February 14, American Airlines and US Airways publically announced their proposal to merge with one another.Higher power executives and preside nts in these 2 substantially large companies ensure that the soon-to-be merger will â€Å"lessen competition in the airline industry,† â€Å"provide the airline’s customers with a broader network, more choices, and better service† (Lawton). However, others do not agree. Many believe that because this newly merging company will be valued at $11 billion and will make-up a whopping 26% of U. S. market share, which would be the world’s largest airline, this will actually lead to an increase in fares (The Wall Street Journal).Although the future of airfares is uncertain, it is safe to say that both companies are doing an excellent job in organizational communication during this transitional phase. US Airways and American Airlines are currently in a bumpy transitional phase in merging to become an airline powerhouse. US Airways and American Airlines must establish strategies to achieve common goals and develop this approach, which will require extensive mutual planning. Doug Parker, the former CEO of US Airways, will be taking the role as head of the new company, which will be taking the name in favor of American Airlines (Jones).In a previous interview, Parker stated that â€Å"they’ve got some advantages in making the marriage go more smoothly. † New management taking the reins of the new American must use a strategic approach to devise a long-term plan. In doing so, this strategic approach will be more beneficial than considering a short-term volatile schedule. There may be a large internal advantage to already having a sufficient amount of employees within the companies, but the public consumer will be more concerned about what disadvantages will affect them through external company decisions.A conflicting potential impact of this merger is combining loyalty programs. Frequent flyers may certainly be an airlines most valued customer. But as their most valued customer, they should not reap harmful effects throughout the p rocess of this combination. According to article American, US Airways Can Take Lessons from Other Airline Mergers the frequent flyer members of the â€Å"Aadvantage† rewards program will receive perks from both the US Airways program and American Airlines program. Although this is rational decision making: trying to smoothly overlay both reward programs to satisfy existing members, this rationality is bounded.Because of this bounded rationality, decision making is limited because it would be impossible to add all reward benefits from both airlines into one blended program. For example, American Airlines members, who carry the Express Platinum Card and Black Card had unlimited access to first class lounges. When this merger is finalized, these card members will lose this privilege. (Jones) There may be some rough patches in aligning these airlines but the potential benefits will greatly outweigh the troubles that may be faced. Darryl Jenkins has said that â€Å"The financial deal is easy; the challenges are always in the integration. The new American must show sustainability for their firm to achieve long-term shareholder value. As of April 9th 2013, American Airlines (AAMRQ) closed with a stock price of $3. 58; US Airways (LLC) closed at a price of $15. 70 but dropped . 14 points throughout the course of the day (YAHOO Finance). Work Cited â€Å"Air France: Committed to Sustainable Development. † FINCHANNEL. com. The FINANCIAL, 4 Mar. 2013. Web. 08 Apr. 2013. . Amstelveen. â€Å"Sustainable Development: Air France-KLM World Air Transport Leader in 2012. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. KLM Corporate, 17 Sept. 2012. Web. 08 Apr. 2013. . Awal, Jamadil. â€Å"Oman Air, Airbus Bring ‘little Engineer' Workshops Muscat. † Arab News. SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, 28 Mar. 2013. Web. 08 Apr. 2013. . Business & Industry News – Aircraft Finance News. (2012). AirGuide Business, 1-16. Hawes, A. (2012, May 25). The Challenge of Starting a n Airline. The New York Times.

Understanding SWOT Analysis

Understanding SWOT Analysis To most business and management students, the SWOT (which stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis probably looks and feels like an uninteresting scholastic exercise; it’s either the sort of thing instructors like to make students do to make sure they’ve actually read the assigned case study, or alternately, a good way to pad out an essay with a challenging word limit. Yet despite its deceptive simplicity and its age – the method has been a staple of strategic planning and management textbooks for about 40 years – the SWOT analysis is still a very current and very useful planning tool for business, and well worth learning. What Is a SWOT Analysis? The SWOT analysis is attributed to Dr. Andrew S. Humphrey, who developed the method while working at the Stanford Research Institute in the early 1970s. SWOT can best be described as an environmental analysis tool; it combines an assessment of the company’s internal environment (Strengths and Weaknesses) with the relevant external environment (Opportunities and Threats). The SWOT typically takes the form of a 22 matrix, which allows planners to look at all the factors at the same time. Here is an example of a brief SWOT analysis, from a strategic assessment of a pharmaceutical company: Strengths Weaknesses Leading position in R D spending and organization Well-developed presence in global markets. Facilities are strategically dispersed to increase research volume. Testing processes are highly automated. Market reach and diversity help moderate effects of downturns in any one segment or market. Strong brand identity. Strong corporate responsibility images with the initiative to increase generic drug availability in underprivileged markets. Good financial position with respect to current assets liabilities: current ratio of 1.64, and acid-test ratio of 1.31. Less-than-ideal debt liability position High tax liability of 9.46%. Short-term debts greatly reduced in 2008, but long-term obligations correspondingly increased. Debt-to-equity ratio (at end of 2008) of 1.95. Opportunities Threats Consumer health issues are opportunities for new products High rates of vascular and heart disease increase demand for drugs to treat these conditions and their symptoms. Lower smoking rates increase demand for smoking-cessation drugs. Increasing obesity rates increase demand for weight-control drugs. Growing emerging markets, for example in Asia and Africa. Government support in the form of scheduled pharmaceutical price increases from 2009 2011. Strong generic drug competition in established markets, primarily the UK and the US. Mandated generic drug availability policies in large markets, for example, the UK and Brazil. Expiry of patents on some key products. Cautious or skeptical assessments from financial analysts can weaken investor confidence. Want to know more? Go here: Five Forces Analysis Critical Success Factors Analysis Critical Analysis Writing The ADL Matrix and Gap Analysis Advantages of the SWOT Analysis: The biggest advantage in using the SWOT analysis as a basic strategic planning tool is that it is an uncomplicated way to gather all the necessary information in one place; the methodology behind the SWOT is largely self-explanatory, and thus almost everyone in the organization can have input to it. This was the overall objective of Dr. Humphrey in developing it, as he was a champion of what he called â€Å"Total Action Management† (or TAM), an early conceptualization of what we know today as â€Å"flat† or â€Å"horizontal† organizational architecture, Total Quality Management (TQM), and the stakeholder approach to strategic planning. The SWOT analysis has an advantage over more complex and detailed environmental analysis methods like the PESTEL analysis because it categorizes the important factors – internal or external, good or bad. This can help the organization more easily determine which factors need attention. Finally, the arrangement of factors can help to identify other points that may have been overlooked; for example, an obvious threat from the external environment might reveal an internal weakness. Disadvantages of the SWOT Analysis: The biggest advantage of the SWOT analysis – its simplicity – is in some ways its biggest weakness; the analysis is only as good as the information put into it, and if key factors are not included, subsequent strategic planning can be adversely affected. One of the biggest flaws of SWOT analysis is not in the tool itself, but in its users, according to Professor Malcolm McDonald of Oxford University, who has called the SWOT, as it is taught in business schools these days, the SWAG (which stands for â€Å"Scientific Wild-Ass Guess†). The common problem, in McDonald’s view, is that many weaknesses and threats are generic and applicable to any organization’s environment – things like the threats of natural disaster, political instability, or poor global economic conditions – and are therefore not very helpful in planning for the specific circumstances of a particular organization and its market. The SWOT analysis is also not a stand-alone tool. It is an effective way to gather and organize information needed for strategic planning, but it gives no priority to the factors. In the example above, for instance, the various points are presented in a completely random order, as they were recalled by the managers helping to build the SWOT; beyond arranging the factors into their correct places in the matrix, the analysis by itself does not suggest which ones are the most important. Alternatives to the SWOT Analysis: In a regularly-cited 1997 article (â€Å"SWOT Analysis: It’s Time for a Product Recall,† Long Range Planning, Vol. 30, February 1997) authors Terry Hill and Roy Westbrook argue that the SWOT analysis produces ineffective results so often – largely due to the SWAG factors described by Professor McDonald – that it ought to be scrapped altogether. To compensate for some of the method’s shortcomings, variations of the SWOT analysis such as the POWER SWOT, the TOWS analysis and the Defensive/Offensive Evaluation (DOE) have been developed in recent years. These variations add depth and detail to the standard SWOT analysis and are valuable tools in the strategic planning toolbox. The traditional SWOT analysis, however, remains important for management studies even if its capital as a real-life assessment tool may be a bit diminished these days because it is the basis for more advanced and complex tools that followed. Understanding the SWOT not only makes i t possible to use this very simple tool to its full advantage but provides a necessary background for learning and applying more sophisticated strategic planning tools. offers professional academic writing services since 2005. In case you are in need of a paper on SWOT analysis, please feel free to visit our order page and our professional writers will be happy to assist.

Free Essays on El Nino

El Nino El Nino has been a reoccurring phenomenon for centuries. Man has only started to realize how much of the worlds weather is effected by it. The term El Nino refers to an irregular warming of the seas surface. During the last 40 years there have been 10 significant El Nino occurrences. Most affecting the coast of South America. Water temperatures increase along the coast as far as the Galapagos islands. Weak events will raise the water temperature 2 to 4 degrees Celsius and will have minor impact on fishing. However strong events such as the 1982-83 event will disrupt climate conditions around the world as well as local conditions. It has been linked to floods and droughts all over the world. Hurricanes and tropical storms are also altered in their numbers by El Nino. Therefore it would be very helpful for people if El Nino could be predicted and prepared for in some form. During a El Nino cycle there are many biological changes. Due to a depressed thermocline there is less photosynthetic activity resulting in a decrease in the primary life forms that form the beginning of the food chain. The warmer waters that are brought by these changing cycles hold less dissolved oxygen forcing fish to go deeper or venture elsewhere. Due to a lack of data during El Nino occurrences it is not fully known if fish populations are depleted solely due to exposure to El Nino. A decrease in their growth and reproductive success has been observed by many surveys in coastal waters. The link between climatic effects around the world and El Nino is now well established. It has taken many years of studying to understand how the pieces of the puzzle, from ocean currents to winds and heavy rains fit together. During the 1920s a scientist was on assignment in India trying to predict the Asian monsoons. As he sorted through his records he discovered a connection between barometer readings at stations on the eastern and western sides of the ... Free Essays on El Nino Free Essays on El Nino El Nino El Nino has been a reoccurring phenomenon for centuries. Man has only started to realize how much of the worlds weather is effected by it. The term El Nino refers to an irregular warming of the seas surface. During the last 40 years there have been 10 significant El Nino occurrences. Most affecting the coast of South America. Water temperatures increase along the coast as far as the Galapagos islands. Weak events will raise the water temperature 2 to 4 degrees Celsius and will have minor impact on fishing. However strong events such as the 1982-83 event will disrupt climate conditions around the world as well as local conditions. It has been linked to floods and droughts all over the world. Hurricanes and tropical storms are also altered in their numbers by El Nino. Therefore it would be very helpful for people if El Nino could be predicted and prepared for in some form. During a El Nino cycle there are many biological changes. Due to a depressed thermocline there is less photosynthetic activity resulting in a decrease in the primary life forms that form the beginning of the food chain. The warmer waters that are brought by these changing cycles hold less dissolved oxygen forcing fish to go deeper or venture elsewhere. Due to a lack of data during El Nino occurrences it is not fully known if fish populations are depleted solely due to exposure to El Nino. A decrease in their growth and reproductive success has been observed by many surveys in coastal waters. The link between climatic effects around the world and El Nino is now well established. It has taken many years of studying to understand how the pieces of the puzzle, from ocean currents to winds and heavy rains fit together. During the 1920s a scientist was on assignment in India trying to predict the Asian monsoons. As he sorted through his records he discovered a connection between barometer readings at stations on the eastern and western sides of the ...

Aristotle, Eudaimonia, and Egoistic Hedonism Essay

Aristotle, Eudaimonia, and Egoistic Hedonism - Essay Example This cultivation of excellence is what Aristotle defines as happiness. There is a pleasure that derives from the achievement of living well or living ethically. The ultimate goal of the Nicomachean Ethics is then the establishment of what is good and how it is obtained teleologically, or purpose-driven. As Aristotle proposed, "every art and investigationseems to aim at some good," and that this end was happiness. (Bk. I, Ch. 1). In order to answer what role pleasure plays in a happy life it is necessary to differentiate and define what happiness and pleasure respectively mean first. Happiness and pleasure are not synonymous terms, though pleasure can be obtained through living in accordance to the happy life. In the Nicomachean Ethics, the word that was translated to "happiness" is derived from the Greek word "eudaimonia" that carries with it a connotation meaning excellence and high value. Happiness should not be mistaken, as it is defined in contemporary and popular usage as a relative state characterized by the amount of pleasure received from something or liking to something. Instead happiness is instead living a virtuous life, or as Aristotle wrote, happiness is "the activity of the soul in accordance to virtue." (Bk. I, Ch. VII). Requisite in this is the explanation regarding how the soul can be engaged in accordance to virtue and what virtue itself means. Virtue did not pertain to being highly morali stic as it does today, but rather it pertained to its degree of excellence and value. Virtue was translated from the Greek word "arte" that directly relates to the means excellence. Therefore, something was virtuous if it achieved its goal or end well. For example, a computer was virtuous if it processed information well, and performed the myriad of other tasks with proficiency and skill. For a person, this meant that they were virtuous if they lived and achieved happiness. The arte of man is his ability to reason and the more well or excellently he reasoned, the more virtuous he or she was. Living rationally then is living excellently and doing well, and reason is the activity of the soul, or as Aristotle defined as "the exercise of the soul's faculties in conformity with virtue in a complete life." (Bk. I, Ch VII). Pleasure on the other hand holds a different meaning in the Nicomachean Ethics. Pleasure is the positive feelings one obtains through the actions, as opposed to the aim of the actions themselves. For example, if an individual decides to exercise vigorously daily, they may improve their physical appearance to others as a result. Any compliments by others would make the individual feel good, and that good sensation is pleasure. While the aim of exercising might be something else, that is better health and more energy, and the compliments made by others are secondary. The virtuous act of exercise and physical fitness is to get into better health while the pleasurable act would be the compliments towards a more attractive physical appearance. Aristotle would not consider the intended purpose of receiving compliments because of exercise to of excellent virtue, but rather of hedonistic pleasure. Pleasure should not be the end goal, but part of

HIS 101 MOD 3 CA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

HIS 101 MOD 3 CA - Essay Example Change is considered to be a phenomenon which is continuous and is bound to continue so long there is life on earth and time variation. Change is a social setting result in the difference in way of social lives and the social phenomena is exhibited constantly. This is so since the society continually experiences civilization and changes in telecommunication and technology and the ways of living. It is evident that human society is wholly governed with values, ethics and rules in every human activity. Therefore, the pattern of response to the changes is what interests the study of technology and social change. Social change is the social institutions and culture throughout time. Social change is usually brought about by a collection of behaviors (Kendall 2004). Since the mobile phone has been widely adopted as a tool for entertainment and communication, this has led to the revolutionization of the society and the redefinition of patterns of social relationships and contacts among individuals. The mobile phones have succeeded in the transformation of daily life of different and many individuals to a great extent that the technology is considered as an agent of social change. Since it is a personalized device, this has made it possible to provide individuals with greater personal freedom. In addition, the mobile technology has distorted the boundary that existed between public and personal life. Besides being used as communication device, the mobile phone is also considered as a fashion tool which has shaped people’s prestige and identity thus resulting to the creation of a subcultur e especially in adolescents. Mobile phones have been used largely to promote social change. Since early 1990s, Information Communication Technology (ICT) has been considered to be the powerful tools in strengthening the impacts of the development