Race, Sexuality, Gender, And Ethnicity - 2191 Words

Throughout the second season of ABC’s American Crime, there were an extreme amount of ways in which race, sexuality, gender, and ethnicity were depicted, troubled, and interrogated. While watching the second season of American Crime in class, it almost seemed as if the entire series was made just to explore each and every component of this course, Ethnics 1010. The series successfully explored through numerous situations with all of these important components that we have discussed throughout the semester. However, there happens to be three specific components that I would like to elaborate on throughout this essay. The first component that I would like to elaborate on is race. There are a lot of people throughout the series with a large amount of diversity as far as race goes. Secondly, I would like to discuss a few aspects in which class was a very critical component in the series. Class was extremely important because there are various people who are apart of a different class, or have a different socioeconomic status. My last component that I would like to elaborate on is sexuality. From the very beginning of the series, sexuality was an extremely critical topic. Sexuality seemed to be the base structure of this series simply because everything was based off of a key situation that occurred in the first episode, which revealed itself more and more as the series went on. 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In other words, we utilize these three systems in order to, hopefully, understand eachRead MoreThe Importance Of Privilege In Society846 Words   |  4 Pagesme re think my preconceptions of racism and race. I honestly thought I knew a lot about race, but come to realize I do not know as much as I thought. I learned a lot more about race by completing the privilege diary. We have a lot more privileges in the world then we think. We take so many things for granted. Some people don’t think race is a big deal but it is. Race has a lot to do with different types of cultures, traditions and more. Race and ethnicity are intense and extensive issues in our societyRead MorePersonal Narrative : My American Experience1750 Words   |  7 Pagesin a foreign land. Social, political and economic values and aspects are usually different from one region to another. 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Crisis Management free essay sample

Hayes Argosy University Module 5 The purpose of this assignment is to develop leadership and crisis management skills by using a real-life case study example (Argosy Lecture Notes, 2013). Case Study This paper focuses on United Airlines (UA) Flight 232, a DC10 aircraft that was en route from Denver to Philadelphia via Chicago. It was forced to make an emergency landing in Sioux City, Iowa due to an engine failure. The flight carried 296 passengers and crew members (Argosy Lecture Notes, 2013). Part 1: Personal Profiles of Crew Members who Played a Crucial Role in the Flight There were at least four United Airlines crew members who played a crucial role in the flight: 1) Al Haynes – Captain 2) Bill Records – First Officer / Co-Pilot 3) Denny Fitch – DC-10 Flight Training Instructor 4) Jan Brown-Lohr – Senior Flight Attendant. Two crew members have been profiled for this study, Captain Albert Haynes and Denny Fitch. Their personal profiles are provided in the Appendix section. Mattel has had to assess whether its current policies and procedures were sufficient to ensure safety. In addition to procedures such as factory audits and inspections, technology could be used to mitigate certain risks (Baron, 2013). Clearly Mattel does not have a sufficiently tight quality control procedure to compensate for the risks of outsourcing to Chinese subcontractors. Design flaws are also a major issue. Although the company responded to the crisis quickly Mattel still faces a number of problems, including significant costs associated with the recalls and new monitoring systems, potential lawsuits and a hit to its reputation. Stakeholders have something at risk, and therefore something to gain or lose as a result of your organization’s activity. By using their influence, stakeholders hold the key to the environment in which your organization operates and therefore its subsequent financial and operating performance (Harrison, 2013). Key stakeholders in this Mattel case study included: competitors, consumers, employees, government regulators, news media, regulatory officials, shareholders, and suppliers. During a crisis your organization has to look at itself from your stakeholders’ perspective because stakeholders will be most concerned at how the crisis incident will affect them. They are expecting your organization to communicate with them, so it is vital to be proactive if possible. Developing a stakeholder relation management strategy around crisis simulations will be a great help to guide the corporate actions when a crisis does hit (Harrison, 2013). The Crisis Not every crisis can be averted. After initial investigation Mattel discovered the root of the problem, unacceptable lead paint levels and design flaws. Lee Der a contractor for Mattel had run out of yellow pigment powder, which was necessary to paint the toys. Lee Der had found a non-certified company with the needed supplies to keep production going. This company had knowingly provided false documentation to the company, Lee Der certifying the quality of the powder. A fault could be put on Lee Der for conducting business with a non-certified Mattel approved company. Even with Mattel being ignorant of the transaction of its contractor a more stringent policy should have been in place. Absolutely, no business with non-certified companies. The issue at hand is what should Mattel do? Does Mattel voluntarily recall products or wait for an investigation to be conducted to prove of the wrongdoing and possibly harmful toys? Mattel had no control over this decision and could claim limited fault or responsibility of this issue. The decision that Mattel must make is an ethical or a financial decision. A voluntary decision would satisfy the ethical need. Mattel needs to remain a respectable company in the eyes of parents. The safety and well being of ones children is important. If Mattel decided on a voluntary recall, it would be faster and could be coordinated with the consumer product safety commission (CPSC) (Baron, 2013). This voluntary recall would seem like an admission of fault and that Mattel chooses to do the right thing for the safety and the health of its consumers. If Mattel chooses to wait for the CPSC to decide to recall the toys it would be a longer wait. The CPSC was understaffed and was required to satisfy procedural requirements before it could order a recall. This delay could continue to produce revenue for Mattel, but the new media would surely broadcast the timeline no doughtily portraying Mattel as more concerned over bottom-line than child safety. The right decision that Mattel must make is imperative to the reputation of the company. The Decision and Aftermath Mattel chose an ethical course of action. Mattel decided to voluntarily recall the toys but delayed the recall until it could put up a Web site with information for retailers and consumers about how to return the products. The majority of the toys in the recall had not yet hit the shelves for sale. This was a good thing for Mattel and consumers. The recall covered more toys than needed to err on the side of caution. Mattel also announced that it was reviewing its procedures for ensuring product safety. Robert Eckert, CEO announced, â€Å"We apologize to everyone affected by this recall, especially those who bought the toys in question. We realize that patents trust us with what is most precious to them their children (Baron, 2013). Mattel explained the errors that were made and the names of the companies responsible for the issues. While this admission of error may have satisfied most stakeholders, the impact of this devastation caused grief among the Chinese contractors and the Chinese government. The aftermath of the crisis prompted Mattel to reiterate basic safety standards and require contractors to sign a new safety contract. Mattel states, â€Å"They needed to reaffirm what they had agreed to in previous years†. The message was very clear. If you cannot do these things, please let us know. No problem, but you wont be doing business with us (Baron, 2014). It seems that this proactive approach did not work as well as Mattel desired, not long after, multiple lead paint problems were detected as well as a design flaw involving a magnet. Thousands of toys were voluntarily recalled again and further investigation ensued. Who to blame was a large question? The Chinese contractors failed to abide by the implemented safety guidelines and Mattel admitted to fault with the magnet. The recalls by Mattel and other companies put pressure on the Chinese government and its export-driven industries. The government was sensitive to criticism and thousands of Chinese workers lost their jobs (Baron, 2013). These unfavorable comments hit the Chinese government hard and the issues went deeper than poor toy quality. Mattel issued public apologies to the Chinese government as well as to the Chinese consumers. Mattel pledged to prevent safety problems in the future. It is obvious that Mattel needs much more stringent safety standards in China. Stopping the use of lead in toys may decrease revenue, but the many recalls over the past several years are more costly. In the long run Mattel can right the wrongs caused by all these safety issues. To prevent any future lead paint issue, Mattel adopted a new test procedure where every production batch of every toy had to be tested before it could be released to go on sale. It also called for more regulation and for more resources to be allocated to the Consumer Product Safety Commission in the US. The company consistently communicated with all stakeholders and communications generally began with â€Å"I’m sorry. As the company acknowledged the failure of trust (Hurley, 2012). This is an excellent step in the right direction for Mattel. Moving forward Mattel should have a plan of action to prevent such issues. Mattel needs to remain a constant presence in all of its factories. Unannounced visits, surprise inspections, and daily quality control is imperative. Unethical actions and non-compliance to the safety issues cannot be tolerated. Any such infractions should cause Mattel to immediately take action and dismiss the contractor at fault. The bottom line is that Mattel needs to express the understanding for the safety of its consumers and to make it the highest priority.

The Concept and Process of Training and Development

Introduction Employees in an organization learn new skills and knowledge for both personal and organizational benefits. Training and development provides the same outcome using different methods. Managers in the organization use development and training to improve on the employee’s performance through learning.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Concept and Process of Training and Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Differences between the concept of training and development Training is a process used by organizations to improve employee performance and to help them learn new information. Trainings are organized and they usually cover specific topics as planned by the management. Workshops and seminars are some of the events used for group trainings. Training enables people to improve on knowledge and skills and to learn new ideas that improve effectiveness in the workplace (Craig, 1996, p.996). A good training provides useful information that contributes to the development of skills and knowledge used in the workplace. Ideas leant in training are useful in improvement of job performance. Through concept learning and presentation, training improves workplace behaviors and enhances skill development. Development on the other hand is the process used by organizations to create and sustain change in the workplace. It is a systematic process because it seeks to improve on the already working employees. Example of employee development is when an experienced employee helps a new employee to go about a specific job. A manager may decide to coach new employees on the job s/he wants done. Development in the workplace is evident when employees in an organization decide to rotate job responsibilities with the aim of learning more. It involves the process used by employees to gain more experience in the workplace. The main difference between the concept of training and development is t hat development is a broad term, which includes training as a method of encouraging employees. The activities involved in development are different from the activities involved in training.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Both development and training give the same results using different methods. For example, if a manager wants to improve the employee’s ability to work with an accounting package, training is the appropriate thing to do. The manager may want the same employee to understand another job in a different department. To achieve this, the manager will apply development using job rotation. Training and development use different periods because training focuses on current issues where employees learn new skills and abilities that help them to perform their jobs. Development on the other hand prepares employees in an organization for future responsibilities and it may take a longer period. The process of a performance improvement plan A performance improvement plan is a process used by the management and the supervisors to help individuals improve on their behavior in the workplace. Supervisors, through performance improvement plan, identify behavior and performance issues that need to be improved and then writes a plan to guide on the corrective and improvement actions. Documentation of employee’s performance Employee performance documentation opens the process where the supervisor usually does documentation and s/he identifies the areas that need improvement. Documentation provides examples and facts that clarify specific areas that need correction and improvement. Action plan The second step in the process of the process is for the supervisor to develop an action plan. The action plan gives improvement details and it includes specific objectives and goals. Smart goals are the objectives included in the action plan by the supervi sors and such goals should be relevant and accurate. Review on the performance improvement plan Before meeting with employees, supervisors, after preparing the performance improvement plan, should meet with managers to review the document. The supervisor can either review the plan with the human resource professional or the manager. The manager or the human resource professional acts as a third party and s/he is supposed to ensure that the document is clear, reasonable and can be accomplished within the stipulated time. Meeting with employee The supervisor holds a meeting with the affected employees to discuss about the document. The work of a supervisor in this stage is to show employees areas that need improvement and to lay out the action plan. After discussion, the supervisor may modify the action plan based on the feedback given by the employee, before they both sign the form.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Concept and Process of Training and Develop ment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Progress The supervisor and the employee should have follow up meetings, which may be held monthly or weekly depending on their agreement. During the meetings, the employee gets an opportunity to ask questions and they both document and discuss the progress towards the objectives. It is the duty of the supervisor to make sure that the necessary tools needed by the employee are available. Conclusion Conclusion of the performance improvement plan depends with the employee’s action. In case the employee refuses or is unable to improve, the employer closes the performance improvement plan and termites the employment. However, if the results are positive whereby an employee is in a position to achieve the specified goals, the employer concludes the improvement plan and the employee can go on with his/her work. How the results of a performance improvement plan determine training needs for employe es Results of the performance improvement plan can be either positive or negative. Negative results show that the employee does not improve because he or she refuses to commit to the performance improvement plan. In such a scenario, the incrimination rests not on the organization but on the employee. Other results may show that the employee has shown some improvement but has not been able to achieve some objectives in the action plan. The supervisor and the management then seek to know why the employee has not achieved the objectives within the timeline and determine how to help the employee to improve on the same. The supervisor may decide to add more time for the employee to meet the objectives if the employee has tried his/her best but is unable to meet one or several objectives. If the supervisor determines that the employee is trying the hardest but cannot be able to achieve the objectives because of lack of training, the management and the human resource professional concludes that the employee needs more training and that the cause of the poor performance is lack of training. If several employees are unable to achieve specific objectives, then it means that the employees need more training in specific areas. Conclusion Both training and development are important in organizations because they help employees to improve and learn. The use of performance improvement plan helps the management to determine the training needs for the employees. The results of performance improvement plan expose weakness of the employees, which guides an organization on what to do.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reference Craig, R. (1996). The ASTD Training and Development Handbook: A Guide to Human Resource Development. USA: McGraw-Hill. This essay on The Concept and Process of Training and Development was written and submitted by user Derr1ck to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Impact Of The Latest Advances In Technology On Recruitment And Selection The WritePass Journal

Impact Of The Latest Advances In Technology On Recruitment And Selection ABSTRACT Impact Of The Latest Advances In Technology On Recruitment And Selection ABSTRACTINTRODUCTIONa. INTERNET BASED RECRUITMENTBENEFITS OF INTERNET BASED RECRUITMENTCHALLENGES TO INTERNET BASED RECRUITMENTb. AUTOMATED TELEPHONE INTERVIEWING/INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE (IVR)DISADVANTAGES OF USING IVRc. TELECONFERENCING AND VIDEO CONFERENCINGBENEFITS OF VIDEO CONFERENCINGCHALLENGES OF VIDEO CONFERENCINGd. COMPUTER BASED TESTINGINCREASED REGULATION AND LEGISLATIONLOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONSCONCLUSIONREFERENCESRelated ABSTRACT In the face of a new era of downsizing, garnering of qualified workforce remains a key organizational goal. A commonly held view among the human resource managers is that the human resources are the most important assets of an organization and that they offer the only non-imitative competitive edge. As the point of entry, the process of recruitment and selection of employees plays a crucial role in enhancing the success and survival of the organization in the extremely competitive and turbulent business environment. This paper explores on how the latest advances in technology have impacted on the process of recruitment and selection of employees. Different aspects of the use of new technology will be examined including internet based recruitment, telephone and video conferencing, computer based testing and IVR or Automated telephone interviewing. This will include an overview of the potential advantages as well as challenges arising with the use of each wave of technology. INTRODUCTION In the face of a new era of downsizing, garnering of qualified workforce remains a key organizational goal (Bauer 2004). As the point of entry, the process of recruitment and selection of employees plays a crucial role in enhancing the success and survival of the organization in the extremely competitive and turbulent business environment. Traditionally, the recruitment and selection process relied on fairly low-tech methods such as employee referrals and newspaper ads, in locating and attracting qualified candidates (Lievens, et.al 2002). Successful job seeking included frequenting the local job center (Lievens, et.al 2002). This has however changed over the past few decades as a result of advances in technology. The recruitment process, just like all other business functions, has become increasingly tied to technology (Lievens, et.al 2002).   The common practice of mailing applications and waiting to be called for an interview via a phone call has been trumped by technological advances which have eased communication. Technological advances such as internet-based recruitment and candidate assessment, computer-based testing, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), telephone and video-based interviews among other information technologies are now increasingly being used in recruiting and selecting qualified candidates (Chapman Webster 2003). In this paper, we examine how the latest advances in technology have impacted on the process of recruitment and selection of employees. The following sections will explore on these technological advances, in particular, how they are impacting on recruitment and selection process. This will include an overview of the potential advantages as well as challenges arising with the use of each wave of technology. We begin by exploring on internet based recruitment, which involves recruitment via the web. a. INTERNET BASED RECRUITMENT The most popular ways through which advances in technology have significantly impacted on recruitment and selection is through the internet. Organizations are increasingly making use of the internet technology, particularly the World Wide Web, as a platform for testing and recruiting potential candidates (Baron Austin, 2000). Social networking websites, software and online job boards has helped in linking applicants to hiring professionals with focus on knowledge, skills and abilities (Baron Austin, 2000). Social networking sites such as LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, monster.com and universe.jobs hold millions of jobs and resumes in their databases (Neil 2003).   These professional networking sites play a significant role in the process of recruitment and selection. LinkedIn, for example, is used as a business-oriented social networking site whereby applicants are linked with the employers. LinkedIn is widely used globally as a professional network service and has currently 90 million users (Neil 2003). It is currently valued at over $2.51 billion USD and operates in more than 200 countries (Neil 2003). Advances in technology have indeed shaped the process of recruitment and selection. Online ads are now the lead recruitment methods employed by employers. Recruitment and selection via the web has enabled the employers to build a talent pool of qualified candidates and lessen their reliance on conventional print media (Thompson et al., 2008). This has led to significant cost savings as employers lessen their reliance on recruitment agencies (Thompson et al., 2008). In this regard, Harris Dewar (2000) noted a significant reduction on the cost per-hire from $ 3,295 (for the conventional recruitment methods) to $377 (for internet based recruitment). There are many benefits arising with the use of internet based recruitment method as well challenges that it present to the organizations. It should be noted that internet based recruitment is not without its shortcomings, but the cons must be weighed against the pros in order to determine if this recruitment method is supported. BENEFITS OF INTERNET BASED RECRUITMENT The internet provides efficiency in the administration and scoring of test as the content can be easily modified and answers captured in electronic form (Van Hoye Lievens 2007). It also enables routine checking of errors, automatic scoring of tests and provides instant feedback to the applicants (Van Hoye Lievens 2007). This administrative ease enables recruiters to save on costs and time giving them a competitive hedge in the tight labour market. It also provides for increased flexibility for both the employer and applicants in the administration of tests and performance of work in varied geographical locations (Van Hoye Lievens 2007). Moreover, the widespread of information in a globalized market widens access to a diverse geographical labour pool (Lievens Harris 2003). Additionally, there is a greater transparency in the selection process as candidates are selected based on their skills, experience and competence (Lievens Harris 2003). CHALLENGES TO INTERNET BASED RECRUITMENT While it is apparent that online recruitment help cut on recruitment costs, increase efficiency and transparency in the selection process; there are some potentially major drawbacks. Due to the high number of applicants, screening and checking the authenticity and mapping of skills may be a time consuming exercise (Lievens Harris 2003). The large number of indistinguishable resumes from the various applicants coupled with inadequate software and procedures may lead to poor results in the selection of the ideal candidate (Lievens Harris 2003). This problem can largely be attributed to the existing methods for parsing resumes which is dependent on software that truncates and exclude the totality of content (Lievens Harris 2003). Also, failure by the industry software to produce optimum candidate and position convergence may result in correspondingly low retention rates of the new employees hence costing client companies thousands of dollars (Lievens Harris 2003). Despite having automated assistance, managing the workload remains a daunting task for HR managers. While software has reduced on the number of resumes from the applicants, that would otherwise be manually reviewed, it has not been successful in narrowing candidate resume pools to the ideal qualified applicants (Harris Dewar 2000).It should be noted that most of the software employed in the process of recruitment and selection generally uses rudimentary lexical and semantic algorithms (Harris Dewar 2000). These algorithms tend to generate a large candidate pool with most candidates insufficiently suitable for effective use (Harris Dewar 2000). This is because the industry software lacks the ideal filtering capabilities necessary for the proper parsing of resume. Crucial data that could help in identifying the ideal candidate and position convergence is therefore lost. Without sufficient data, there is not enough variance that could be used in distinguishing among candidate and position suitability (Harris Dewar 2000). This next section will explore on interactive voice response (IVR) which is also known as automated telephone interviewing. The method is also gaining popularity and is increasingly being used by firms in recruiting and selecting new hires. b. AUTOMATED TELEPHONE INTERVIEWING/INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE (IVR) The use of interactive voice response (IVR) which also referred to as automated telephone interviewing is one of the newest ways to recruiting and selecting new hires (Thompson et.al 2008).   IVR technology allows for human interaction with the computer via a telephone keypad or through the use of voice recognition (Thompson et.al 2008). This wave of technology is increasingly gaining popularity in the recruitment and selection of employees due to its many advantages. ADVANTAGES OF THE IVR IVR is an easily accessible technology. Take for example the United States where 95% of the households own phones (Thompson et.al 2008). With IVR, applicants can initiate the interview at any time. The applicants or potential employees can initiate an interview by simply making a phone call to a toll-free phone number and be automatically interviewed without any intervention from the operator (Thompson et.al 2008). IVR or rather automated telephone interviewing can help in eliminating interview biases (Thompson al 2008). It is highly cost effective in screening the candidate pool. DISADVANTAGES OF USING IVR While IVR is increasingly being used by many businesses to cut on the costs and give a better experience, it is not without its shortcomings. One of the greatest challenges to using IVR systems in recruitment and selection of employees is that the users find it hard to follow telephone menus and lengthy instructions (Thompson et.al 2008). Also, IVR screening is considered lower in terms of treatment and openness as well as in reconsideration opportunities than the conventional face to face interviewing (Thompson al 2008).. c. TELECONFERENCING AND VIDEO CONFERENCING There is also the use of telephone and video conferencing. Teleconferencing involves setting up of a conference telephone call between the selection committee and potential candidates (Gilliland 1993). Job interviews by teleconferencing are common where the applicant and the selection committee are located in geographically sparse regions. Video conferencing, on the other hand, involves the combination of both the audio and video transmissions, hence allowing for communication to take place by a way of an audio visual link (AVL) (Gilliland 1993). With video conferencing, both the applicant and selection committee members are able to share their views and at the same time see each other on the screen. BENEFITS OF VIDEO CONFERENCING Despite reducing the in-person meetings, video teleconferencing as well offer the advantages of face to face communication (Gilliland 1993). There is also significant cost reduction for both the applicant and the employer as there is no need of travelling and associated costs of lodging and meals (Gilliland 1993). There is also the added environmental benefit as a reduction in traveling implies a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (Gilliland 1993). Further, upon placement this technology allows for the continued collaboration with the team members from remote locations (Gilliland 1993). CHALLENGES OF VIDEO CONFERENCING Similar to other technological innovations, video conferencing is not without its shortcomings. There might be a difference in time zones when conferencing in remote geographical locations (Gilliland 1993). Also, some of the human ways to communicating may not translate well with video conferencing (Gilliland 1993). For example, eye contact may not be easily delivered through a webcam, unlike in the conventional face-to-face interviewing where one can easily make eye contact and judge whether the interviewee is paying due attention. Last but not least, we explore on how computer based testing has impacted on recruitment and selection process. d. COMPUTER BASED TESTING The use of computer based interviews has increased in the recent years with a wide range of organizations utilizing computer-based online tests for selection purposes (Aptitude/psychometric tests) (Chapman Webster, 2003). There are several reasons for increased reliance on psychometric tests in the recruitment and selection of employees. Key among these is the increased regulation and legislation, and loss of confidence in academic qualifications (Chapman Webster, 2003). INCREASED REGULATION AND LEGISLATION Reliance on test use in the selection process has been used as a defensive strategy to regulation and legislation (Chapman Webster, 2003). Tests are seen as objective indicators of how the skills of potential candidates align with the job description (Chapman Webster, 2003). These competency tests promote fairness and equal access to opportunities available. LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS There is a growing body of evidence for a loss of confidence with the formal academic qualifications. This is largely attributed to bad governance and corrupt institutions that may award degrees or certificates to incompetent individuals. As such, competency based tests are increasingly being used in screening the candidate pool and in identifying candidates with skills that align with the competency profile for the job in question (Chapman Webster, 2003). Computer based testing facilitates the selection process by quickly pinpointing the candidates ability more accurately (Chapman Webster, 2003). Take for example the BULATS online test, a robust business English language test, which is widely used in helping organizations make timely decisions in the recruitment process (Chapman Webster, 2003). This online test provides a fast and more accurate method of pinpointing the candidates’ ability and suitability to work by using adaptive testing techniques (Chapman Webster, 2003). CONCLUSION Clearly, we have identified a number of benefits to using technology for purposes of recruiting and selecting job applicants. A quick recap of some of the benefits include increased efficiency in the administration and scoring of tests, increased flexibility, greater transparency, reduction in biases, widened access to a diverse geographical pool of potential candidates, and cost reduction among others. There are however challenges arising with the use of technological advances in recruitment and selection process. For example, the exercise may be time consuming as a large number of applicants need to be screened. Other shortcomings include poor results due to inadequate software and procedures, and difficulties in filtering of potential candidates, among others. Nonetheless, the latest advances in technology have significantly impacted on recruitment and selection process. As pointed out by Kay (2000), the power of the Web and e-technology has changed the way recruitment and selections of employees occur. Technological advancements and the ubiquity of the internet (especially with social networking) have become powerful additions to the process of recruitment and selection. However, these should not be considered as the only solutions to finding the ideal candidate. While changes are still underway, it is clear that advances in technology have dramatically impacted on the recruitment and selection process. REFERENCES Bauer, et.al, 2004. â€Å"Applicant reactions to different selection technology: face-to-face, interactive voice response and computer-assisted telephone screening interviews†, International Journal of selection and assessment, Portland State University: Blackwell publishing ltd. Baron, H., J. Austin, 2000. Measuring ability via the Internet: Opportunities and issues. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, New Orleans, LA. Chapman, D.S., J. Webster, 2003. â€Å"The use of technologies in recruiting, screening and selection processes for job candidates†, International journal of selection and assessment, Vol.11 (2), pp. 113-120 Gilliland, S.W, 1993. â€Å"The perceived fairness of selection systems: an organizational justice perspective†, Academy of management review, 18, pp.694-734 Harris, M., and K. Dewar, 2000. Understanding and using web-based recruiting and screening tools: key criteria, current trends and future directions. Workshop presented at annual meeting of the society for industrial and organizational psychology, San Diego, CA. Kay, A. S., 2000. â€Å"Recruiters embrace the Internet.† Informationweek: pp.72-80. Lievens, F., K. Van Dam and N. Anderson, 2002. â€Å"Recent Trends and Challenges in Personnel Selection†. Personnel Review, 31 (5-6), 580-601 Lievens, F., M.M. Harris, 2003. â€Å"Research on Internet Recruiting and Testing: Current Status and Future Directions†. In: C.L. Cooper I.T. Robertson (Eds.) International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Chicester: John Wiley Sons, Ltd. vol. 16., pp. 131-165. Neil, A., 2003. â€Å"Applicant and recruiter reactions to new technology in selection: a critical review and agenda for future research†, International journal of selection and assessment, Vol. 11 (2) Thompson, L. F., P.W. Braddy, and K.L. Wuensch, 2008. E-Recruitment and the Benefits of Organizational Web Appeal. Computers in Human Behavior, 24 (5), 2384-2398. Tourangeau, R., D.M. Steiger D.Wilson, 2002. â€Å"Self-administered questions by telephone: evaluating interactive voice response†, public opinion quarerly, 6, pp.265-278 Van Hoye, G. and F. Lievens, 2007. â€Å"Investigating Web-Based Recruitment Sources: Employee Testimonials versus Word-of-Mouse†. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 15 (4), 372-382.

A Comparative Study of the Similarities Between The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and the Traditional Folk Tales

A Comparative Study of the Similarities Between The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and the Traditional Folk Tales The Nightingale as a mistaken folktale. The Nightingale has many similarities to a traditional folktale story but it also differs in many ways. The similarities and differences are commonly found in the beginning, middle and ending of the story. Some of the similarities are the introduction to the story, the use of three repetitions, helper figures, and the resolution of conflict at the end of the story. It is evident that there are more similarities than differences and The Nightingale could easily be mistaken for a folktale. First of all, the story of The Nightingale starts off by creating a distant setting that happened long ago and makes it known that its an old story. Folktales, that are also known to be old stories, are characterized by the way the author introduces the story such as â€Å"once upon a time, in a far away kingdom†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Another common characteristic of a folktale that The Nightingale has is the plot and the beginning, middle, and end. In The Nightingale the beginning of the story focuses on creating an imaginary landscape, one that is a world of magic and beauty. This story creates an obstacle right from the start where the chamberlain is in search of the nightingale at the emperor’s request. In this part of the story, the conflict fell into the repetition of three’s, which is another characteristic of a folktale. Here, the chamberlain hears the cow mooing and thinks it is the bird, next he hears the frogs croaking and also thinks it is the bird, finally, he hear s the real nightingale bird. Another similarity between the traditional folktale and this story is that the story includes helper figures. The Nightingale has three—the chamberlain who helps find the nightingale bird for the emperor, the kitchen helper who takes the chamberlain to the forest to find the bird, and the nightingale bird itself, as it sings for the emperor to bring him back to good health. In the middle of the story, there wasn’t a main conflict like a traditional folktale would have. The conflict in the story also followed the sequence of three’s—the search for the bird, the bird that has escaped, and the sick emperor. The action in the story comes quickly such as the time when the emperor became ill. After the climax of the story, the end of the story approaches quickly much like the plot that happens in a folktale. A well-known characteristic of a folktale is that they have heroes who usually resolve the conflict/obstacle near the end of the story, which creates the usual happy ending. In The Nightingale the nightingale bird is recognized as the hero since he is the one who saves the emperor’s life. The bird resolves the conflict in the empire entirely because it suggests informing the emperor in the future about all of the things he did not know, such as who is rich and happy, who is hurt and poor etc. and the bird also volunteers itself to forever be there for the emperor, to sing to him, to keep him happy and in good health. Once the agreement is made between the emperor and the bird, the villain is defeated and the hero is rewarded. This creates the happy ending in the story, which is another characteristic in a folktale. It is evident that The Nightingale has many similarities with the traditional folktale. There are more similarities than differences and The Nightingale can easily be mistaken for a folktale. It has many of the characteristics identified in a folktale such as a villain, a hero, the sequence of three’s, a beginning that creates an imaginary landscape, a middle that has three different conflicts, and a happy ending where there is a resolution.

Research Paper on Criminal Profiling Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

On Criminal Profiling - Research Paper Example This approach is used by professionals in the criminal justice system in identifying and capturing criminals. Often, criminal profiling is conducted by the forensic psychologists who provide criminal profile to the police departments to help in apprehending of the criminals (Kocsis, 2010). Statistical evidence, psychology, and crime scene analysis are combined in developing a personality type that fits well with the committed crime. Criminal profiling is in most cases used in helping investigators to apprehend serial killers and psychopaths who may otherwise go free (Canter, 2004). In addition, it helps in catching other types of offenders such as rapists and arsonists. The approach helps to label the offenders or perpetrators as disorganized, organized, or mixed. Criminal profiling is not only essential in finding potential offenders, but also in narrowing down the offenders’ list already compiled by the police (Devery, 2010). This paper will discuss criminal profiling by cri tiquing the foundations of criminal profiling and by comparing and contrasting inductive versus deductive profiling. 1) Critique the Foundations of Criminal Profiling Criminal profiling has proved to be an important tool in controlling of crime in recent years. Prior to the inception of criminal profiling, criminal investigators mainly relied on the physical evidence to identify and apprehend criminals (Holmes and Holmes, 2009). However, this changed after the inception of criminal profiling that provided advanced techniques in developing theories and compiling evidence based on the of patterns of criminal behavior, crime scene evidence, criminal’s socioeconomic background, motives of crime, and psychological aspects of violent crime (Alison et al, 2010). The foundations of criminal foundations since its inception aimed at detecting and classifying the major behavioral and personality characteristics of a person based on the crime analysis or the crimes that have been committ ed (Holmes and Holmes, 2009). The first foundation of criminal profiling is determining offender characteristics by using the process of assimilation phase where all the available information relating to crime scene, witnesses, and victim is examined. Police reports, autopsy reports, witness statements, victim profiles, and photographs of the crime scene are important aspects of this process (Kocsis, 2010). Criminal profiling is also founded on the principle of classification which involves integration of collected information into a framework that classifies the offender as organized, disorganized, or mixed. Organized offenders are those that plan their crimes, leave little forensic clues or evidence, exhibit advanced social skills, and display some element of control over the victim through the use of social skills (Canter, 2004). On the other hand, disorganized offender is the one that exhibit few social skills, has haphazard behavior, attempts to avoid detection, lack planning, impulsive, and the offenses committed are deemed opportunistic. Additionally, integration of information would classify the offender as mixed offender who exhibits some elements of organized and disorganized offenders (Alison et al, 2010). In addition to classification, criminal profiling is also founded on the notion that there is need for the reconstruction of the crime behavioral sequence. Following classification

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

Business Economics - Essay Example In the mid-1960s, the international economy was prone to step away from protectionism and support more economical liberalisation; meanwhile during the next decade, quite an opposite tendency took place and various countries started to shut off from one another with the help of tariff and especially non-tariff barriers in order to secure their own inner market from foreign competition. Today’s conditions of tough competition stimulate governmental representatives to take the question of the state’s foreign-economic activity and its forms more seriously, making the right choice between two different policies that are able to exert influence on every area of government’s life. Advantages of Free International Trade The liberalisation of international economic relationships necessitates the transition to open economy having an antimonopoly character. As a rule, a lot of states are interested simultaneously in both liberalisation and protectionism. The theoretic justi fication of free trade policy, which is considered to be profitable for all states and nations, was formed by Adam Smith, Davis Ricardo, Francois Quesnay and others (Dunkley 2004). The movement of free trade proponents was founded in the last quarter of the 18th century in England, and it was connected with the industrial revolution. The position of English free traders was directed against agrarian duties, which supported high prices for farm commodities in the interest of large landowners (Schumacher 2012). In this respect, under the influence of customs reform, the free trade policy completely won in Great Britain in the mid-19th century and later on, the tendency and idea of free markets spread in France, Germany and Russia (Irwin 2009). In the 20th century, the principles of liberalisation were put into practice based on the performance of international organisations and regional economic unions. The policy of free trade supposes minimal governmental interference in foreign tra de, which develops on a basis of free market forces of demand and supply. The main methods of free trade are dumping, which means sales of products at artificially decreased prices, and non-tariff ways of regulation, which include reviewing and standardisation. The advantages of free trade are multifaceted and have been proved with theoretical aspects as well as practical results. First of all, free trade allows improving prosperity of trading nations because it opens opportunities for international specialisation of production and exchange based on the principle of comparative advantages. The gains of international trade can be measured with the difference between profits received in the conditions of international exchange and financial results obtained with the lack of foreign trade or, as Marshall suggested, comparative analysis of producers’ and consumers’ profit levels may also evaluate benefits of free trade policy. Secondly, such foreign economic attitude mitig ates the development of competition and stimulates innovations. Finally, all these consequences contribute to the improvement of product quality, which is a positive aspect for potential consumers.