Thursday, July 23, 2020

What Facilitation Really Means and Why Its Key to the Future of Work

What “Facilitation” Really Means and Why It’s Key to the Future of Work In recent years, there has been increasing interest in a skill known as facilitation.Employers are increasingly looking for employees with facilitation skills, and facilitation has even been touted as the key to the future of work.As more workplaces abandon the traditional reliance on hierarchical structure and become more reliant on collaboration and problem solving, rather than just tactical execution, demand for facilitation skills will only keep increasing, and therefore, it is important to start developing this key skill early enough.But what exactly does facilitation mean, and why is it so important to the future of work?WHAT IS FACILITATION?When you ask someone to be a facilitator, the first thing they will probably think about is chairing a meeting or making presentations. This is a total misconception.Facilitation is about creating a structure and environment that makes it easy for people to collaborate.Facilitation is about bringing diverse groups of people together and mak ing it easy for them to work together to come up with a solution to a problem.The term facilitate is derived from the Latin word “facilis”, which means “to render less difficult” or “to make easy.”In the modern context, a number of definitions of facilitation have been put across.According to Trevor Bentley, a facilitator, independent consultant and author of the book Facilitation: Providing Opportunities For Learning, facilitation can be defined as:“the provision of opportunities, resources, encouragement and support for the group to succeed in achieving its objectives and to do this through enabling the group to take control and responsibility for the way they proceed.”Facilitation is important in any process that requires people to work together to come up with a desired result without being bound by the constraints of hierarchical structure.This includes processes such as brainstorming sessions, meetings, team building sessions, planning sessions, training and de velopment sessions, conflict resolution, or any other activity that requires a group of people to collaborate to achieve specific predetermined results.WHO IS A FACILITATOR? According to Ingrid Bens, a certified public facilitator and author of several books on facilitation, a facilitator can be defined as:“One who contributes structure and process to interactions so groups are able to function effectively and make high quality decisions. A helper and enabler whose goal is to support others as they achieve exceptional performance.” The role of a facilitator. Source: Steps ForwardAs a facilitator, your role is to guide the different people participating in a process to ensure that they come up with the desired results together.You provide the tools and structure needed to ensure that everyone plays a role in the process and that the process is constantly moving forward.However, as a facilitator, you do not get to make decisions for the group. Instead, your role is to provide a framework to help the group make decisions by itself.Some of your tasks as a facilitator include establishing an objective for the process, creating an environment that provides opportunities for contribution and discussion, making suggestions that will help the process run more smoothly, interrupting speakers who might be drifting from the objectives of the process, and generally steering the group towards constructive solutions.One important thing to note is that anyone can be a facilitator. You don’t need to hold any titles or have ce rtain levels of experience in order to play the role of a facilitator.All you need is the ability to bring people together and create an atmosphere that makes it possible for them to collaborate towards a common objective.This means that facilitation is not only reserved for managers and other business leaders.Actually, there are some managers who are poor at facilitation.On the other hand, having someone who is not in the group’s leadership as a facilitator helps break down the constraints of hierarchical structure, thus making everyone feel more comfortable with sharing their opinions and ideas.THE FACILITATION ZONEFacilitation is a somewhat delicate process that requires the facilitator to maintain a balance between encouraging the members to participate in the process and controlling the process.If the facilitator focuses so much on encouraging participation, there is a high likelihood that the session will turn into an animated but unregulated discussion that will take so muc h time without achieving anything meaningful.On the other hand, if the facilitator focuses so much on controlling the process, the participants might feel like their participation is stifled, thus making it harder to come up with the best solution.Therefore, everything the facilitator does should be aimed at encouraging the participants to share their contributions, while at the same time ensuring that the session does not degenerate into a meaningless discussion.WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FACILITATING AND CHAIRING A MEETINGLike I mentioned earlier, when most people come across the word facilitation, they confuse it with chairing a meeting, probably because both involve taking charge of the meeting or whatever activity is taking place.However, there are some differences between facilitating and chairing.Usually, someone chairing a meeting acts as the seat of wisdom and knowledge within the group.Even though a chair may give the participants opportunities to contribute, his or he r opinions carry more weight, and it is ultimately up to the chair to make the final decision for the group.The role of the facilitator, on the other hand, is not to give opinions or make decisions for the group, but rather to draw out the opinions and ideas of the participants and provide them with a framework for making decisions wholesomely as a group.In addition, a good facilitator does not take sides. He or she guides the process from a neutral point.Being an effective facilitator also involves developing a structure to ensure everyone’s ideas get heard and making sure every participant is comfortable sharing their ideas, and ensuring that the participants do not feel like their ideas and decisions are being influenced by their leader.While there is a difference between facilitating and chairing a meeting, the best chairs also play the role of facilitators.They give everyone equal opportunity to contribute, rather than hogging the mic at all times or acting like they have all the answers.WHY FACILITATION IS KEY TO THE FUTURE OF WORKToday, there is increasing demand for people with facilitation skills at the workplace, and as we march into the future, facilitation will become even more important.There are a number of factors contributing to the increasing demand for facilitation.First, the world is diversifying at a very rapid pace.Technological advancement has turned the world into a global village.Today, several companies have footprints spanning across different countries and continents.Other companies â€" with the help of the internet and other communication technologies â€" depend on employees spread out across multiple geographical locations and time zones.The result is that the modern workplace has become very diverse. In the coming future, the trend of workplace diversity will only increase.The diversity of modern workplaces is a good thing.When you bring together people from different backgrounds, with different experiences and different perspec tives to work on a common problem, there is a high likelihood that creative and innovative solutions will emerge.However, owing to their diversity, you can’t simply bring these people together and hope that they will work together on their own to come up with solutions.This is where facilitation comes in. Facilitation makes it possible for businesses to harness this diversity and channel it productively.Second, the business environment is becoming increasingly competitive.Actually, the world has become hypercompetitive.Business are increasingly finding it harder to sustain competitive advantage, and we can expect this trend to continue into the future.With such high levels of competition, any business that wants to remain in business needs a high dose of creativity and innovation from its employees.One of the best ways of fostering creativity and innovation at the workplace is to encourage employees to work in teams.When employees work in teams, they are quicker and more effective in their work.Having several minds exploring a problem is also more likely to uncover unconventional solutions that would not have come up otherwise.This usually happens in brainstorming sessions where team members come together on a common platform to offer various perspectives that might lead to novel solutions, which in turn helps the business remain competitive.In order for team work to be successful, however, there is need for effective facilitation.This means that facilitation is critical for the success of the organization in the age of hyper competition.Finally, the growing diversity of the modern workplace means that it is inevitable that there will be conflicts at the workplace.Whenever people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse perspectives come together, conflict cannot really be avoided.But here is the thing about conflict at the workplace â€" it can either be destructive, or it can be channelled creative to come up with innovative process, products and solutions .The key is to manage conflict effectively so that it results in creativity rather than destruction.In order to do this, there is need for effective facilitation.Considering these factors, it is inevitable that the importance of facilitation at the workplace will only keep growing.HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE FACILITATOR Being a good facilitator is a skill, and like most other skills, it can be learnt. Below, we look at tips on how to improve this key skill. Source: Cleverism.comAlways Start by Setting Some Ground Rules and ObjectivesWhenever you are called upon to facilitate a meeting, brainstorming session, or any other process, the first thing you should always do is to lay the ground rules and objectives of the process.Give the participants an outline structure of how you intend the session to run.Make it clear what you expect of the participants and what will not be tolerated, such as criticising others opinions or disrespect for other participants.Help the participants to clarify what the desired outcome is, and make sure that this outcome can be reasonably achieved within the available time.Ensure that there is consensus about the objectives of the session to avoid someone bringing up something new somewhere down the line.Doing this also helps foster a sense of ownership among the participants.You also need to make sure the participants understand that your role in the process is only to facilitate, not to push your own agenda.The aim here is to foster an atmosphere of trust and openness.While establishing the ground rules, you also need to determine how any potential disagreements will be dealt with.The good thing about establishing boundaries is that you are in a better position to notice when the participants veer of the track and bring them back to ensure that the desired outcome is achieved within the available time.You Have to be Good at Time ManagementWhether you are facilitating a meeting, a team building session, or a conflict resolution, you probably don’t have the whole day.Therefore, as a facilitator, it is up to you to decide how the objectives of the session can be met within the given time frame.When planning the structure outline for the session, think about each activity and how much time it is supposed to take.Considering that each participant needs to get heard, you should plan time allocations more efficiently than in a regular, run of the mill meeting.Make sure it is clear to the group how much time is allocated for each activity.Once you allocate the time for each activity, you also need to ensure that the time allocations are followed, else the time will run out before the objectives for the session have been achieved.Keep track of the time and come up with a way of notifying people that time is running up when it seems like they will exceed their allocated time.For instance, you could hold up your fingers to let them know how much time they have remaining, or you could simply say it loud.If someone goes beyond their allocated time, don’t be afraid to interrupt them and ask them to wind up.Encourage ParticipationAs a facilitator, this is one of your most important jobs.If someone feels like their contributions and ideas are being stifled, they will refrain from making further contributions, which means that the session will not effectively serve its purpose.As a facilitator, it is up to you to find ways to make the environment inclusive, so that the participa nts not only feel comfortable sharing their ideas, but are actually encouraged to contribute.If you notice that some of the participants have not contributed, reach out to them and encourage them to speak out.You should also design structures and activities that encourage contribution.For instance, you could divide the group into smaller discussion groups, since people are more likely to share their ideas and opinions when dealing with a smaller group of people.Remain ImpartialThis is another important thing to keep in mind when playing the role of a facilitator.As a facilitator, your main task is to draw out the contributions of the participants and guide the group to make a decision on their own, without in any way influencing the outcome yourself.This is not as easy as it sounds.Remaining impartial means that you should suppress your opinions and ideas while moderating the ideas and opinions of others.Whatever you do, you should help the group reach consensus without imposing you r opinions on them. At the end of the session, the group should feel that they have achieved the outcome by themselves.Always Be Ready to InterveneWhile you are not actually chairing the meeting or brainstorming session, you are still in charge of the session, and it is up to you to make sure it ends successfully.This means that you should constantly monitor what is going on and determining whether it is taking the group closer to its objectives.If something happens that you feel is taking away from the objectives of the group, you should be ready to intervene and get the group back on track.For instance, if someone is taking more time than they are allocated, you should intervene and let them know that they have to give time to other participants.Similarly, if someone says or does something that is disrespectful to another participant, you should step in and let them know that disrespect will not be tolerated.The point here is that you should always be ready to step in and stop any thing that might make it harder to achieve the objectives of the group.Be Sensitive to Individual and Group FeelingsI already mentioned earlier that facilitation is all about fostering an atmosphere of trust, openness and respect.In order to do this, you need to be able to use your senses, your instincts and your intuition to pick up the atmosphere and gauge how the participants are individually responding to the topic being discussed and the opinions of other participants.When some of the participants feel uncomfortable, angry, or even hurt by something that was said, most of them will not speak up about their discomfort.Instead, they will silently pull out from the discussion.As a facilitator, it is up to you to read the body language and emotional temperature of the participants and gauge whether everyone is feeling comfortable with the discussion.Take note of those who are talking and those who are not and try to get them involved.Aside from being sensitive to the feelings of th e individual participants, you should also be sensitive to the group chemistry.How does the entire group feel?Are they eager, bored, angry, restless, enthusiastic, or suspicious?Once you perceive the group chemistry, you should then try to influence it in a way that promotes participation and engagement.For instance, if the group is bored, try to bring in some engaging activities or humour to bring up group energy.Probe the ParticipantsSometimes, there will be participants who will remain clammed up despite your best efforts of creating an atmosphere of trust and openness.Still, it is important to hear what they have to say. Probing is a great way of getting such participants to express themselves.For instance, if you notice someone has not spoken, you can nudge them with questions such as “What are your thoughts on this, Suzie?”Probing is also a great way of ensuring that everyone’s contribution is clear.When a participant shares ideas or opinions that are not very clear, pro be them with more questions to get them to elaborate their ideas till everyone in the room has understood what they are saying.Synthesize IdeasWhen a diverse group of people is sharing their individual ideas, it sometimes becomes difficult for some of the participants to make sense of what is being said or to understand how it ties to the bigger picture.As a facilitator, it is up to you to take the different ideas from different people and express them in a succinct manner that allows everyone to understand how the ideas are connected to the whole.Once someone has finished making their contribution, give a summary of what they said and confirm if that is what they actually meant.This minimizes the chances of some participants’ contributions getting misinterpreted.WRAPPING UPFacilitation is an important skill, and as the modern workplace continues becoming more diverse and more competitive, the importance of this skill will only keep increasing.Therefore it is important to start de veloping your facilitation skills.Remember, facilitation is all about bringing diverse groups of people together and making it easy for them to work together to come up with a solution to a problem.With the tips shared in this article, you can start slowly improving your facilitation skills.Considering that facilitation requires lots of skill in reading other people’s body language and behaviour, you need to practice a lot.The more you practice, the better you will get.

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Boethian Concepts in The Wanderer - Literature Essay Samples

Boethius’s The Consolation of Philosophy and the Old English poem â€Å"The Wanderer† are both testament to the enduring quality of literature. Writing in the sixth century A.D., Boethius discusses such varied topics as happiness, the existence of evil, and the path to God while locked in a cell with the goddess Philosophy. In contrast, â€Å"The Wanderer,† an elegy originally written in Old English, is a poem told from the point of view of an exile mourning his despondent existence away from the community. Though it was written almost five centuries later, it reflects many of the philosophical tenets outlined in Boethius’s account. It expresses life as a merely transient existence, arguing that happiness can only be found in God and that fate is an integral part of the human experience.Both texts agree on the transient nature of human existence. For example, to the narrator in â€Å"The Wanderer,† wealth is but a temporary means of happiness that i s ultimately transitory and will eventually be destroyed along with the rest of the world. This sentiment is evoked when he writes that â€Å"wealth is fleeting† (108), and in another line predicts that â€Å"all the wealth of this world stands waste† (74) until the universe will â€Å"stand empty† (109). This belief mirrors the teachings of Boethius’s Consolation in many ways. First, both works hold that one shouldn’t be attached to wealth because it serves no purpose in the end. Boethius’s Fortune explains that she holds the power to â€Å"withdraw [her] gifts† (21) whenever she wants to and condemns humans for the desire to be â€Å"enhanced by external adornment† (29). Although the narrator of â€Å"The Wanderer† doesn’t explicitly say that God eventually strips us from our material possessions, his belief in our ultimate destruction likens his â€Å"Father in heaven† (117) to the role of Fortune in the sense that what is provided to us can just as easily be taken away. Secondly, both suggest that the only remedy for this desire is a spiritual relationship with God, one that will outlive the material world. The pursuit of happiness also assumes an ephemeral presence in both â€Å"The Wanderer† and Consolation. Both narrators find themselves in exile, only able to seek consolation through poetic expression that finds their surroundings meaningless and temporary. Philosophy outlines three pursuits that ultimately lead nowhere: wealth, respect, and fame. But all of these ventures cause nothing but detriment. Wealth brings worry (46), power brings disdain (48), and fame is nothing but false celebration (49). These vacuous enterprises render men into animals who fail to establish a spiritual connection in this transitory life. Although the narrator in â€Å"The Wanderer† doesn’t seem to lament a moral forfeiture like Philosophy, his displeasure is simply because th ose things aren’t eternal. Those â€Å"eager for fame often bind fast a sorrowing soul† (17). His â€Å"memory of kinsmen† (51) brings temporary solace, but â€Å"they always swim away† (53), and in the end, â€Å"rulers lie deprived of all joys† (99) â€Å"as if it had never been† (96). The world of â€Å"The Wanderer† is only temporary and describes aspects of civilization as a whole being â€Å"wrecked† (85) by â€Å"The Creator† (84). In the last few lines, the only hope for redemption is for those who â€Å"seek mercy† (116) in God. Since the world is empty, the only path to true happiness is through virtue. Philosophy asserts that all earthly attempts toward happiness are simply inadequate since humans by nature exist outside of God. The realm of humans is grounded on possessions and material things, and the pursuits previously discussed. But the realm of God is â€Å"the true and perfect good† (55), and intersects with the worldly realm through the pursuit of intellect, spirituality, and virtue. As mentioned before, Boethius concludes that happiness is not found in material things. But since power and wealth are the only standards we use to measure happiness, then the true measure lies outside of ourselves, in God. That realm is bridged by virtue. The character in â€Å"The Wanderer† outlines the makings of a wise man:A wise man must be patient, / neither too hot-hearted nor too hasty with words, / nor too weak in war nor too unwise in thoughts / neither fretting nor fawning nor greedy for wealth, / never eager for boasting before he truly understands; / a man must wait, when he makes a boast, / until the brave spirit understands truly / whither the thoughts of his heart will turn. (65-72)At the midpoint in the narrator’s journey, his definitions of virtuosity seem more secular and grounded in social mores than spiritual. Just like Boethius, who at first judges ha ppiness by secular standards but later gains spiritual insight, here we don’t see the narrator’s assumption of true virtue just yet. In the final stanza he concludes, â€Å"He is good who keeps his word† (112) or in other words, he who keeps faith and trusts in God. The narrative ends on a spiritual note, praising godly insight when he says, â€Å"It will be well for one who seeks mercy, consolation from the Father in heaven, where for us all stability stands† (115-120). The line â€Å"all stability† contrasts with his descriptions of earth as â€Å"dark† (59), â€Å"empty† (86), and â€Å"toilsome† (106), giving the sense that redemption is possible only through God. Both works seem to promote the sense that hardship gives perspective to achieve virtue as well. In â€Å"The Wanderer,† we find the narrator â€Å"alone† (1) and â€Å"troubled in mind† (2) on the â€Å"path of exile† (33). His reminis cing of a past epoch alongside family and friends brings â€Å"great joy† (52), highlighting his desire for company. He acknowledges that â€Å"a man cannot become wise, before he has weathered his share of winters in this world† (63-65), giving a sense of ambivalence to his exile. He mourns the loss of companionship but praises it as a necessary factor in the path towards wisdom. That thinking mirrors Boethius, whose outside perspective of the world allowed him solace through deep introspection with Philosophy. Perhaps the most similar factor in the two works is the role of fate, or â€Å"wyrd.† In Boethian terms, there are two distinguishing roles: Providence and fate. God’s plan â€Å"when envisaged in the total clarity of the divine intelligence† (87) is called Providence. Fate pans out on a smaller scale, â€Å"to the things which that intelligence moves and orders† (87). Philosophy then goes on to describe Providence as God’s pl an in the long run, which, since it takes place outside of the constraints of time and space, humans will never fully comprehend. Fate, however, is the agent of Providence, acting in tangible ways in the course of man’s actions. The role of wyrd in â€Å"The Wanderer† mirrors the former less than the latter. The concept first appears in the beginning with the narrator exclaiming that â€Å"wyrd is fully fixed!† (5). It appears again in the line, â€Å"a storm of spears took away the warriors, bloodthirsty weapons, wyrd the mighty, and storms batter these stone walls† (99-101). These two examples are instances of fate having a direct, tangible effect on people. In line 5, the narrator seems to admit his wyrd being the cause of his exile, and in line 100, wyrd is attributed as the cause of the soldier’s downfall. Boethius shows that Providence is outside of human understanding. The fact that the narrator in â€Å"The Wanderer† is able to compr ehend wyrd shows that it’s a reflection of Boethian fate. It’s an agent of God’s supreme will being enacted through the minutae, actions that affect humans directly. This idea is sealed when he writes â€Å"the working of wyrd changes the world under heaven† (107). In previous lines he predicts that a storm will kill all of the warriors, destroy the walls, frost will bind the earth, and darkness will take over. The fact that wyrd changes the world tangibly shows how it is fated because humans will directly experience it as an agent of God’s infinite will.In conclusion, although the two works were written almost 500 years apart, they contain many of the same philosophical principles. â€Å"The Wanderer† reflects Boethian themes about material goods, emphasizing that nothing material in this life is worth pursuing because in the end it will be meaningless. Virtue cannot be obtained in the human realm, so man must seek a relationship with God i n order to complete his existence in life. Fate, although sometimes punishing, is merely the agent of Providence, and in the long run, God’s will for man.Works CitedBoethius. The Consolation of Philosophy. 2nd. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Print. Unknown, â€Å"The Wanderer.† The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: The Medieval Period. Comp. Joseph Black. Toronto: Broadview Press, 2009. Print.

Monday, May 18, 2020

`` Araby `` By James Joyce And The Love Song Of J. Alfred...

Your identity is as simple as who you are. Yet there are a few things that can change this such as new beliefs, or certain life experiences. We see examples of these in two different pieces of literature, â€Å"Araby† by James Joyce and â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† by T.S. Elliot. Things that happen in your life can shape and mold who you become. For example we have Alfred Prufrock who is embarrassed by his own life, unhappy, and afraid of rejection. Something must have happened in his life to the point where he refuses to take chances, yet he is highly dissatisfied with his life. However that’s his identity He wants so bad to be social yet he feels as if everyone is talking about him. â€Å"(They will say: â€Å"How his hair is growing thin!†)† or â€Å"(They will say: ‘But how his arms and legs are thin!†)†. (Lines 41 and 44) He is too worried about other people’s opinions to go for what he wishes to have. He even states â€Å"I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. I do not think that they will sing to me.† (Lines 123-124) He has such little self-confidence that he believes not even mermaids want to lure him in. He is saying he is not even good enough to be a sea monster’s dinner. Even though Prufrock feels as if everyone is gossiping about him, there is no proof in the poem. The only evidence we have is said about the woman. Its states â€Å"And I have known the arms already, known them all:† (Lines 62). It seems as if he has known this woman for a while. He notices the littleShow MoreRelatedModernism - Araby and the Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay1382 Words   |  6 Pagesof the world as fractured and chaotic, especially due to paralysis and alienation in modern society. This newly perceived reality is reflected through techniques of fragmentation in modernist works such as James Joyce’s short story â€Å"Araby† and T.S. Eliot’s poem â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock†. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, fundamental and far-reaching changes in society often made individuals feel wary and estranged from their surrounding world. These changes included urbanization, technologicalRead MoreAnalysis Of Araby And The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock1776 Words   |  8 Pageswonderful experience full of joy or a horrible, hellish chamber full of uncertainty and despair. This paper discusses how different characters in the short stories â€Å"Araby† and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock are prisoners of anticipation. It shows how it stifles the characters’ ability to live life to the fullest. James Joyce published â€Å"Araby† in 1914 in his short-story collection of Dubliners. It is about an introverted young boy who is fumbling towards adulthood with an infatuation towards a girlRead MoreHow to Read Lit Like a Prof Notes3608 Words   |  15 PagesMetamorphoses by Ovid—transformation (Kafka) f. Oedipus: family triangles, being blinded, dysfunctional family g. Cassandra: refusing to hear the truth h. A wronged woman gone violent in her grief and madness—Aeneas and Dido or Jason and Medea i. Mother love—Demeter and Persephone 10. It’s more than just rain or snow a. Rain i. fertility and life ii. Noah and the flood iii. Drowning—one of our deepest fears b. Why? i. plot device ii. atmospherics iii. misery factor—challenge characters iv. democratic element—theRead MoreBusiness and Management2600 Words   |  11 Pages | | | | |Boys and Girls, Alice Munro (pp. 772-781) | | | | |â€Å"Araby,† James Joyce (pp. 879-883) | | | | |Everyday Use, Alice Walker (pp. 1087-1093) | Read MoreFacilitating Learning and Assessment in Practice3273 Words   |  14 Pageshave learned from them! For me, knowledge is an insatiable being and education is knowledge’s food source and, being a glutton for knowledge, education will continue to be, for me, a basic necessity. [pic] Sample Self-Reflective Essay #1 Despite my love for reading literature of all types, my background in English studies is not as varied as I would like it to be. I was a student in a beginning literature class in high school. Although I do not recall all of the works we studied, as that was twelve

Thursday, May 7, 2020

A Treatise Concerning The Principles Of Human Knowledge

â€Å"Esse est percipi†. To be is to perceive, and to exist and to be perceived are one and the same. In the philosophical work of â€Å"A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge†, this one of the most famous principles which made Bishop George Berkeley one of the early modern period’s most acclaimed polymaths. Berkeley was a Bishop closely affiliated to the Anglican Church and a staunch critic of other philosophers of the past such as Rene Descartes and John Locke. Though initially impressed by their rigorous rhetoric, he could not bring himself to accept their views which were against his fundamental beliefs and which he viewed as flawed, leaning towards skepticism and atheism, two forces of the time which he was not fond of. Following his studies and extensive travels thereafter, his philosophy gradually developed. Berkley refuted the answers proposed by his predecessors, instead, advocating for pursuing concepts such as common sense and learning directly from what experience provided through the senses. Famously known to be a stalwart defender of the notion of â€Å"idealism†, or the view that reality consists exclusively of the mind, the spirit and its ideas, he promoted the belief of independent beings which were able to circumvent commonly held rationale to explain the unexplainable. Berkeley emphasized that given the acquaintance with our perceptions, the material world consequently was a mere representation of our spirits. In other words, no substance or permanenceShow MoreRelatedInterpreting A Treatise Concerning The Principles Of Human Knowledge Essay1401 Words   |  6 PagesCoursework 1: Reading a text 1. Interpreting ‘’A TREATISE CONCERNING THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE’’-GEORGE BERKELEY I am referring to the human knowledge as ideas, either gained through our senses (sight, taste, smell, touch and hearing), or by the operations of the mind, or as a combination of these two types with the intervention of memory and imagination. We can say that a collection of our senses creates ideas, and a collection of ideas constitutes an object. For instance, if we are thinkingRead MoreGeorge Berkeley s A Treatise Concerning The Principles Of Human Knowledge Essay1513 Words   |  7 PagesPerhaps yet, it may have been the work of a divine mind, taking helm of the way my thoughts flowed. These were all questions that came up as I read through George Berkeley s, A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge.  For in his manuscript, he addresses skepticism about the physical world, that is the ambiguity humans have in how a physical world outside of our minds is like. Berkeley has a simple solution to this. Through his interpretations of ideas, Berkeley comes to the con clusion thatRead MoreJohn Locke Essay608 Words   |  3 Pagesgovernment appointments. In 1669, in one of his official capacities, Locke wrote a constitution for the proprietors of the Carolina Colony in North America, but it was never put into effect. In 1671 Locke began to write his greatest work, the Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which took nearly twenty years to complete since he was deeply engaged in Shaftesburys political affairs. In 1675, after the liberal Shaftesbury had fallen from favor, Locke went to France. In 1679 he returned to England, butRead MoreHume and Knowledge Creation766 Words   |  3 PagesHume and knowledge creation The dominant work by Hume was his A Treatise of Human Nature, in this work he attempted to construct a science of man that contrasted with the ideas of Descartes and other enlightenment thinkers. The pillar of Humes divergence was anchoring knowledge in empiricism rather than rationality. Hume argued that desire instead of rationality was the foundation of human nature. This essential departure from his peers is important to understanding the work of Hume. In thisRead MoreDifferences Between Hylas And Philonous1191 Words   |  5 Pages and can be expanded upon in another one of Berkeley’s works, A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge. Berkeley’s work, Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous, can be described as a series of dialogues between Hylas and Philonous regarding philosophical issues such as God and materialistic substances as well as ideas. The overall goal of the work was â€Å"to demonstrate the reality and perfection of human knowledge† along with â€Å" the incorporeal nature of the soul, and the immediateRead MoreWhat Does Locke Mean By Returning1013 Words   |  5 Pagesalso explaining about how they both function. Readers will know Locke s thoughts towards innate ideas, Hume s view towards cause and effect, and on how both Locke and Hume are relatable to one and another In Locke’s essay of, â€Å"concerning human understanding,† Locke writes how innate ideas are not real, that they are not,† born into us†(Locke p.202). Locke describes how â€Å"children, idiots, c.†(Locke p.203) Have no thought of these so called born ideas in them because if so both theRead MoreJohn Locke s Theory Of Perception And Knowledge1436 Words   |  6 PagesIn his work A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge (1710), George Berkeley is presenting a theory of perception and knowledge which is both a counter to and development of John Locke’s own theory as set out in An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1689). Both Locke and Berkeley are empiricists, that is to say that they believe that all important truths and knowledge can be found out through attention to the senses and as such, having a valid theory of perception is crucial toRead MoreIdealism And Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius1584 Words   |  7 Page sLuis Borges’ short work of fiction titled â€Å"Tlà ¶n, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius† grapples with many philosophic issues. In the main, this short story deals with the philosophic notion of subjective idealism as posed by George Berkeley’s Treatise Concerning Principles of Human Knowledge. Within this essay I argue that, while he acknowledges the presumed irrefutability of Berkeley’s argument, Borges’ â€Å"Tlà ¶n, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius† aims to disparage both totalitarianism and Berkeleyan idealism by drawing an analogyRead MoreThe Principles Of Empiricism And The Spirit Behind It2295 Words   |  10 PagesLocke’s theory of ideas – the basic principles of empiricism and the spirit behind it; Locke’s theory of the origin and types of ideas and the problems it gave rise to. Locke, John, An Essay concerning human understanding, Everyman, 1961: Book 1, of Innate ideas, Book 2, chapter 1, of ideas in general and their origina l, Berkeley, George, A treatise concerning the principles of human knowledge. Empiricists endorse the idea that we have no source of knowledge in S or for the concepts we use in S

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Childhood Obesity An Epidemic in the United States

â€Å"Between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents are obese† states (Children and Teens, 1). Yes, one fourth of all children in the United States are obese, and inevitably this number will continue to rise. Obesity is one of the most obvious conditions to recognize, yet one of the most difficult to treat for quite a few reasons (Children and Teens, 1). Childhood obesity has been an epidemic in the United States for many years, but has recently skyrocketed, due to lack of exercise and unhealthy food choices among children in America. In order to fully understand why so many children are obese, you must first understand what it means to be obese. In order to be medically labeled as obese your BMI has to be over the 95 percentile for your height and gender, whereas normal BMI is between the 5th and 85th (Overweight and Obesity, 1). As sad as it is, childhood obesity is one of the most common issues pediatricians see today. Today’s generation of children is th e most inactive and obese in all of U.S. history (Loonin, 54). Poor exercise habits are developed as early as preschool age (All children above the age of 2 should be getting at least an hour of exercise a day in order to stay healthy and maintain a healthy weight (Overweight and Obesity, 2). Many young children have become accustomed to staying inside and using electronics, where they do not have to exert much energy whereas going outside and playing would. The average child in today’s society spends up toShow MoreRelatedChildhood Obesity : An Epidemic With The United States Essay804 Words   |  4 PagesReducing Childhood Obesity †¢ Introduction o Childhood obesity has become an epidemic with the United States o The Healthy People 2020 Topic †¢ Reduce the proportion of children and adolescents who are considered obese (Healthy People 2020, 2016). o Definition of Childhood Obesity: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015), a child with a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 85th percentile and below the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex are consideredRead MoreEssay about The Epidemic of Childhood Obesity in the United States994 Words   |  4 Pagesfor Childhood Obesity in the United States?.Matern Child Health. 15. (2011): 310-323. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. 2. Purpose/Main Idea of Article. The purpose of the article is to explore factors associated with early childhood obesity, particularly focusing on whether having a foreign born mother can protect a child from weight-related problems. 3. Information (three important facts) the author uses to support the purpose: A. The child obesity epidemic remains a major public concern in the United StatesRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Epidemic Within The United States1953 Words   |  8 PagesChildhood and adolescent obesity is a growing epidemic within the United States, creating significant short and long-term impacts on individual health and placing increased economic burdens on the health care system.1 Over the past 30 years, childhood obesity has more than doubled and adolescent obesity has quadrupled, with more than one third of children being overweight or obese in 2012.2 The negative health impacts of childhood obesity include increased risk factors for cardiovascular diseaseRead MoreChildhood Obesity And Its Effects On The United States Today1479 Words   |  6 Pagespediatric obesity now represents one of the most pressing nutritional problems facing children in the United States today. International population studies report comparable rates of increase, so that if current trends rem ain unchecked, childhood obesity is likely to challenge worldwide public health. Substantial consequences to physical and mental health, both short and long term, must be anticipated. Unfortunately, there is no uniform definition of childhood obesity. Childhood obesity has beenRead MoreEssay on Rhetorical Analysis: Too Much of a Good Thing1292 Words   |  6 Pageslogos, in an attempt to persuade his audience, anyone raising children or interested in childrens health issues, of how prevalent this epidemic has become and provide them with some solutions as to how they can help prevent childhood obesity. Overall, Cristers argument succeeds and his audience walks away convinced that childhood obesity is, in fact, an epidemic that plagues children in their own country and that they must act immediately themselves to help fight the fight and insure that it doesRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Relatively New And Disturbing Term Essay1129 Words   |  5 PagesChildhood obesity is a relatively new and disturbing term. It is an extremely serious problem that many children in the United States face. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2014), approxim ately 12.7 million or seventeen percent of children and adolescents aged two to nineteen are considered to be obese (Childhood Obesity). This is an astronomical number and it is only continuing to rise. According to Schroeder et al. (2016), there is approximately an addition fifteen percentRead MoreMedication Can Help Reduce Childhood Obesity Essay841 Words   |  4 Pagesknow that childhood obesity can be very harmful for our nations children. Not only can obesity cause health problems but also psychological problems. In recent years, policymakers and medical experts have expressed alarm about the growing problem of childhood obesity in the United States. While most agree that the issue deserves attention, consensus dissolves around how to respond to the problem. One literature review examines one approach to treating childhood obesity: medicationRead MoreChildhood Obesity800 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ I. Introduction a. Childhood obesity is a rising epidemic in the United States. b. We can teach children healthy eating habits, incorporate physical activity and lead by example. II. Teaching healthy eating habits a. Educate children about healthy foods and their benefits b. Provide healthy alternatives to unhealthy snacks c. Limit fast food for meals III. Incorporating physical activity a. Limit time for electronic use b. Set a specific amount of time for daily outside activity cRead MoreObesity A Social Problem Or A Epidemic1671 Words   |  7 Pages I will be responding to Task 3: OBESITY A SOCIAL PROBLEM OR A EPIDEMIC. In the research that I performed on this topic, I learned many things, including that the problem of obesity is not one or the other it is both. Meaning that it is not just a social problem, or just an epidemic it is both of them depending on the environment or situation that the particular person or people are in at the time. It is also not just a problem in the United States, but it is a problem on a global scale. I plan toRead MoreAnalysis Essay on Childhood Obesity803 Words   |  4 PagesAlthough the issue of what constitutes obesity is not black and white and some experts object to the statement that is what really matters. I agree with the above statement because achieving results benefits young and old. I also feel that childhood obesity is not an epidemic. I do feel that a parent should show their child right from wrong when it comes to eating habits. However, I feel that once the child is seven years o ld he/she should be able to choose what kind of foods are good and bad for

Free Human Resources Literature Review Free Essays

1. LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Human Resource Management In a rapid competitive business environment, the procedures of outlining the role, function and process of Human Resource Management (HRM) within a dynamic and uncertain environment are ongoing for many decades. We will write a custom essay sample on Free Human Resources Literature Review or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the early 1980s numerous books and articles were published by American Business Schools professors to support the widely recognition of HRM concept, and the environmental volatility in today’s contemporary business that specifically identify conflict and heterogeneity (Soderlund and Bredin, 2005). Due to its diverse origins and many influences, HRM covers essential aspects of central concern in organisations such as individual, practice, educational theory, social and organisational psychology, sociology, industrial relations, and organisational theory (Soderlund and Bredin, 2005).. To date there is no widely acceptable definition for HRM and what it entirely involves in our daily business world (Brewster and Larsen, 2000). Fewer satisfactory definitions have been propounded by different writer such as (Soderlund and Bredin, 2005), whom perceived HRM as 1) an ‘executive personnel responsibility’, that mainly concern with management activities; 2) classified HRM as management philosophy that concerns with people treatment and, finally 3) discerned HRM as interaction management between the firm and its people. Due the conflicting theoretical conception and hypothetical disagreement about the general acceptance of the definition, Price (2007) definition would be used to in this literature because it better explained and cover huge areas of the study. According to Price (2007): â€Å"A philosophy of people management based on the belief that human resources are uniquely important to sustained business success. An organization gains competitive advantage by using its people effectively, drawing on their expertise and ingenuity to meet clearly defined objectives. Human resource management is aimed at recruiting capable, flexible and committed people, managing and rewarding their performance and developing key competencies†. The dynamic and uncertainty in HR contemporary organisations are tremendously moving towards a radical dimension (Analoui, 2007). Recent debate by many researchers have laid more emphasis about matching and incorporating the HR-department with other strategic functioning departments within organisation (Soderlund and Bredin, (2005); Analoui, (2007); Price, (2007). 1.2 HR IN A CONTEMPORARY ORGANISATION HR is essentially crucial in today’s contemporary organisations because it induce high-performance management through the use of employees; by enhancing their levels of customer’s service, productivity, growth, profits and quality control (Armstrong, 2000). Lado and Wilson (1994, p 701) outlined a separate interconnected activities, roles, processes and other aspects that are aimed to attracting, maintaining, and developing the firm HR activities in contemporary organisations, such as: 1) planning; 2) recruitment and selection 3) training; 4) performance management; 5) benefits and rewards; 6) compensation; 7) and 8) career development (Banhegyi et al., (2008) and (Robbins Coulter, (2002). 1.2.1 Planning Planning in Human Resource has been discussed in different HRM contexts for many years (Wren, 1994). HR planning was initially an important aspect of job analyses and was often used as bases for determining strengths and weaknesses among the employees and to develop the skills and competences they needed (Gallagher, 2000). As individual career plans started to gain more popularity, companies gradually started to pay more attention to the certain skills and competences among individual employees as a way of aligning and dealing with the companies’ succession planning (Kuratko and Morris (2002). As this aspect been scrutinised rigorously by many researchers, HR planning is still a complicating and complex issue of debate within the HR practices (Schuler, 1986). In 1978, McBeath addressed his view of HR planning by highlighting a set of issues that he regarded as being important with respect to the HR planning. These were; An estimation of how many people the organization needed for the future A determination of what ability, skills, and knowledge requires to compete An evaluation of employees ability, skills and existing knowledge A determination of how the company could fill the identified competence gaps Storey (1995) argues that HR planning today is a very important task of every contemporary organization’s HR department. According to him, HR planning mainly involves the identification of skills and competence within the organization, the filling of identified competence gaps, and the facilitation of movements of employees within the organisation. An essential part of the HR planning is the succession planning which aims to ensure the supply of individuals and filling of gaps on senior key positions when they become vacant and replenish competences to areas where they are most valued (Wolfe, 1996). 1.2.2 Recruitment and selection In organization the system that responsible for placing diversifies talents throughout is refers to as recruitment and selection processes. The process of recruitment and selection is an ethical approach by a firm to seek and attract the most competent and suitable applicant for a vacant position (Analoui, 2007). Price (2007) inferred that recruitment strategies can be divided in three significant approaches: suitability – the most qualified applicant for the position, malleability – moulded within the cultural norms, and flexibility – the most reliable and versatility employee. These factors are quite complicating and can be easily mistaken during the process of hiring employees. Suitability is a critical aspect hence it mainly concerned with the process of hiring the most suitable applicant for the position. The process of selecting and retaining potential employees is the greatest organisational competitive battle in modern days (Pfeffer, 1994). Having the greatest talent simply implies that the firm will be able to compete aggressively in the market. This phenomenon are quit prevalent in our daily business life and has also pushes organisations to gain a niche by employing the most renowned managers to lead the thriving future. 1.2.2.1 Channels of Recruitment Russo et al., (1995) cascaded channels of recruitment into external and internal recruitment, and formal and informal channels. Internal recruitment channels mainly involve the use of intercommunication between other strategic areas of the organisation and the entire HR department. This approach enhances the firm to prioritise and target in-house or current employees (Russo et al., 1995; Analoui, 2007). Internal recruitment can be fully considered when it is fair and transparent, since favouritism might occur; while external channel of recruitment base on the contrary. 1.2.3 Training In today’s contemporary organisation, employees ‘skills and knowledge can make a positive impact on the firm‘s productivity (Guzzo, Jette Katzell, 1985). Organisations have to counter some difficulties while training a single or more employees (Ostroff Kozlowski, 1992). Previous literatures argue the affordability of some organisations that deprive themselves for a single individual employee particularly when human resources are limited: this can hinder the productivity on the short term and destabilize the organization (Bishop, 2003). He continues to stress that such perception about training implies that organisation should embark on a cost reduction strategies and focuses on in-house or on-job-training (OJT). Formal training is just one of the possibilities for organisations to enhance the personnel performance level, as important roles are covered also by organizational socialization (Chao, 1997) and multitasking (May, 1997). It was suggested in the early 1990s that organisational socialisation is a fine process for newcomers to source out information’s about the organisation, learn about the necessary tasks and how to perform their responsibility; clarifying their roles and relate with others inside the organisation (Ostroff Kozlowski, 1992). This philosophy was also supported by Rollag Cardon (2003) as they indicated that the process of socialisation within a firm enhance newcomer to incorporate and learn in a well conducive atmosphere. 1.2.4 Performance Management The concept of measuring performance or managing performance within organisations is to strategize how firms can get the utmost benefits from their employees (Dransfield, 2000). The approach to measuring performance can be classified as a three-step approach that composed by objectives, appraisal and feedback. The first step is the setting of performance objectives that are quantifiable, easy to measure and simple to communicate throughout the organisation (Dransfield, 2000). After that, the process of performance appraisal should take place (Bredin, 2008). The management of performance includes design of work systems, facilitation of knowledge utilisation, sharing and creation, and appraisal and reward systems (Cardon Stevens, 2004). However, this phenomenon has been supported by different researchers claiming that performance management/appraisal is an outstanding process to determine and supervise employees output within the firm, so as it would be less complicating to assess and achieve maximum performance (Zhu Dowling, 1997). It is an excruciating process to implement and evaluate a systemic approach that can accurately pinpoint employee who is responsible for results within an organisation (McKenna Beech, 2008). However, outcomes of individual behaviours such as job satisfaction, employee turnover, absenteeism (Dyer and Reeves, 1995); motivation and commitment (Seibert, Silver, Randolph, 2004), are proximal hence human resource processes are interconnected. In as much that the human resource practices are intended to achieve result in this area; there effect can also have a tremendous influence on the aforementioned outcomes (Bloom, 1999). 1.2.5 Benefits and rewards Eliciting high contributions within an organisational environment is highly essential for the firm as well as the employees (Appleby and Mavin, 2000). For instance, expectancy theories have explicated aspects of anticipated rewards in line with employee’s motivations. This indicated that every employee will have to face with a logical decision in accordance to the present economical circumstance (Tannenbaum and Dupuree-Bruno, 1994). As a result to that employee considerable effort will manifests into an intended realisations and fulfillment of a specific desire outcome. Such manifestation enhances the explanation of the crucial aspect of organisational reward system and how it can be sustain and elicit the firm human capital investment Tannenbaum and Dupuree-Bruno (1994). The conceptions of both internal and external rewards are highly valued by organisations and its employees. Not only the obvious fact that employees yearns more about promotional opportunities, higher pay or better benefits, but also their desires and anguish spins from autonomy, personal growth and valued responsibility. Different authors have suggested the positive relationship, size and the implementation of innovative ideas in human resource practice as a result to economic of scale (Baldridge and Brunham, (1975) and Moch and Morse, (1977). This conception has locus the local firms at greater disadvantage in-terms of retaining or recruiting top-notch talent (Tannenbaum and Dupuree-Bruno, 1994). Figure 2: model for reward management Source: Bratton Gold, 2003, p.282 1.2.6 Compensation According to Patel Cardon (2010) compensation is vital for contemporary organisation as it contributes to attract and retain high skilled workers with superior salaries, and it encourages a desired stakeholder behavior regarding recognition and legitimacy. Minbaeva et al. (2003) inferred that compensation would enhance motivation among personnel too. Even though non-financial compensation can really work as a positive stimulus for the workers, providing monetary benefits is necessary to increase the productivity of the employees on the individual or group level (Gomez-Meja, 1992). Balkin and Swift (2006) suggest a more flexible approach toward the payment issue. They proposed to relate it to the life stage of the organisation with a higher rate of non-monetary benefits during the first years of activity, and a re-equilibration whenever the company enters the mature stage. Non-monetary paybacks are represented by stock options, stocks or other form of equity sharing that enhance the participation and the motivation of employees, while spreading the risks over a larger number of people (Graham et al., 2002). The aforementioned ownership sharing represents also a long-term planning for compensation, as Graham et Al. (2002) stated, but also short-term rewards exist. These are represented by profit sharing policies aiming to encourage the employees toward group work, or to control the organizational outcomes (Heneman Tansky, 2002). 1.2.7 Career development (CD) Many practitioners and scholars within human resource development (HRD) field have claimed that the utmost crucial aspect of the practices is career development (McLagan, 1989; Weinberger, 1998; Swanson Holton, 2001). However, this area of studies has been given little attention (Upton, Egan Lynham, 2003). With the intense competition in the 21 century, many organisations have realised that in order for them to stay competition they have to improve their employees and enhance their career development (Boudreaux, 2001); rather than individual career development (Swanson Holton, Upton, Egan Lynham, 2003). Therefore, many organisations are now taking a proactive measures towards equipping their staffs and educationally (Leana, 2002) or create a climate that supports their staffs at all levels of the organisation to be more resultant and productive (Sullivan, 1999); which Boudreaux, (2001); Brown, (1997) referred to as ‘‘shared responsibility’’. However, learning within an organisation is quite critical and expensive; (McDonald, Hite Gilbreath, 2002). The most common learning methods within organisations are informal (i.e. on-the-job coaching, sessions, lesson learned, development assignment) Power, Hubschman, Doran, (2001) and formal learning (i.e. as traini ng/workshop and other forms of professional training conducted by professional bodies internally or externally (McDonald, Hite Gilbreath, 2002). 1.3The importance of HR in organisation The sole aim of HRM is to guarantee that the firm human capitals are being used in the fullest capability to produces the greatest organisation results that meets with the firm needs Nadeem Moiden, (2003) and Gilley and Gilley, (2007). Therefore, the philosophy of empowering employee’s capabilities is coined to the conception that HR is extremely crucial for sustainable competitive advantage and organisational success (Koch McGrath, 2003). HR in organisation is also crucial because its assist managers and employees through a change process (Hendry, Jones, Arthur Pettigrew, 1991). Businesses can gain enormous competitive advantages when their employees are used effectively to drawing on their expertise and ingenuity to meet clearly defined objectives. When organisation recruit the most effective, capable, committed and flexible people; and managed and reward them accordingly their performances, competencies and efficiency would help the firm productivity immensely (Price A., 2007). Managers that tactfully execute organisational goals depend on the HR practices to deliver excellences so that they can achieve the utmost business performance (Becker, B. and Gerhart, B., 1996). However, the HRM field has been isolated and misunderstood by many researchers and practitioner, failing to realise that without employees there would be no functioning organisation Argote, McEvily and Reagans (2003). As employees remain the most expensive and reliable asset of the organisation, the practices of HR will remain a vital area of discussion (Becker, B. and Gerhart, B., 1996). 1.3.1 Advantages and disadvantages of HR As many other departments within an organisation encounter, challenges are inevitable and are present in our daily business lives. There are three main disadvantages, or some may refers to a challenges facing HR, namely: 1.Managers â€Å"need to support corporate productivity and performance improvement efforts† (Dessler, 2008, p 87). 2.â€Å"Employees play an expanded role in employers’ performance improvement efforts† (Dessler, 2008, p 87). All the basics contents associated with high-performance organisation, such as high-technology team-based production, are rather futile without high levels of employee competence and commitment. 3.The challenge, derived from the first two, is that â€Å"employers see that their human resource units must be more involved in designing – not just executing – the company’s strategic plan† (Dessler, 2008, p 87). 1.4 Strategic HR roles in dynamic and uncertainty environments Strategic HRM (SHRM) roles consist of strategies executions and formulations. The strategies execution has been the predominant aspect of the SHRM’s strategic job. Strategies formulators always set and margin their formulations in line with the corporate and competitive strategies and aligned the firm policies and practices towards their strategic formulations (Dessler, 2008). In recent years, there has been a trend shift and researchers have now identified SHRM to take an active role with the top managers in the firm to formulate the company’s strategic plans. The gliding competitive environment due to a globalized economy has lead to that many employers are pursuing improved performance by improvement of commitment and competence level of their employees. Dessler, (2008) outlined four strategic tools that could be used to enhances employees abilities and proficiencies, such as employees satisfaction, loyalty, motivation and satisfactions. 1.4.1 Employee satisfaction Employee satisfaction is the individual satisfaction as a professional person, that is, the individual has an effect on his attitude. Organization member to its operating characteristic is the cognitive evaluation, employees get through the more realistic values and expectations of the gap between the value obtained after the meeting whether or not all aspects of work attitudes and emotional responses. It involves the work of the degree of organizational commitment and work motivation is closely related (Saari, L. M., Judge, T. A., 2004). Superior-subordinate communication is an important influence on job satisfaction in the workplace, in which the way a subordinate perceives a supervisor‘s behavior can positively or negatively influence job satisfaction. Nonverbal messages play a central role in interpersonal interactions with respect to impression formation, deception, attraction, social influence, and emotional expression (Burgoon, Buller, Woodall, 1996). 1.4.2 Employee loyalty Employee engagement is personified by the passion and energy employees have to give of their best to the organization to serve the customer. Engagement is characterized by employees being committed to the organization, believing in what it stands for and being prepared to go above and beyond what is expected of them to deliver outstanding service to the customer. Engaged employees feel inspired by their work, they are customer focused in their approach; they care about the future of the company and are prepared to invest their own effort to see that the organization succeeds (Cook, 2008). Engagement can be summed up by how positively the employee: Thinks about the organization; feels about the organization; proactive in relation to achieving organizational goals for customers, colleagues and other stakeholders. Employee loyalty can be divided into active and passive loyalty. The former refers to the subjective staff loyal to the company with the desire (Cook, 2008). This desire is often due to a high degree of organization and employee goals and now there are consistent with organizational help for employees‘ self-development and self-realization factors. Passive loyalty is when the employees themselves do not wish to remain in the organization, but due to some constraints, such as high wages and welfare, transportation, etc., have to stay in the organization. Once these conditions disappear, the staff can no longer feel organizational loyalty (Cook, 2008). The basic elements of enterprise employees, their enthusiasm on behalf of corporate morale, awareness of their work reflected in the subtle strength of enterprises (Pepitone and Bruce, 1998). 1.4.2.1 Wages and benefits systems Salaries and benefits in the eyes of employees affect their loyalty is one of the important factors. â€Å"Money is not the most important, but no doubt a very important†, whether corporate or professional loyalty, loyalty is established on the basis of material, good pay system to ensure the basic material needs of the employees, will have good professional loyalty, and corporate loyalty (Cook, 2008). 1.4.2.2 Enterprise human resource management system As indicated above human resource management is compulsory for each company and one of the most important courses; how to send staff to the right on the job, motivate employees, training and study staff, will be affected to some extent, staff loyalty. In the development of the unscientific, resulting in unfair business, become a mere formality, which often occurs. Negative phenomena that affect the performance of their staff, or even result in employees slack, complain more, rumors filled the air, to lose morale. Figure 3 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs Source: Maslow, (1943) 1.4.2.3 Retaining top employees Excellent staff should have: First, high loyalty, company loyalty by recognizing the company’s values, to share weal and woe, and common development; second, right attitude, initiative, and study to make improvements, work hard and willing to do, know that they are doing, those things that do and should not do, great development potential; Third, professional ability, can work independently, with skill, and can continue to improve (McKeown, 2002). The roles of great employees are being productive and increased passion for and commitment to the organization‘s vision, strategy and goals (Cook, 2008, p.31-32). 1.4.3 Employee Motivation Motivating employees was highlighted as an indispensable part of HRM in many studies (e.g. Pinnington and Edwards, 2000; Dessler, 1997; Stone, 2005). Pinnignton and Edwards (2000) divided motivational incentives into two parts: motivating individuals and motivating groups. The former one pays the attention on individual needs and the later one highlight the equity principia. Some incentives played big roles in motivational process, for instance, the good communication between organization and employees (e.g. Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson, 2008; Stone, 2005; Dessler, 1997), High Job satisfaction (e.g. Lambert, Hogan and Barton, 2001; Wright and Bonett, 2007), Good Payment and treatment (Carpenter and Sanders, 2004) and so on. Meanwhile, relating to the interesting issue on employee turnover often happened in the company, job satisfaction is one kind of factor that influences the turnover intent of employees. Lambert, Hogan and Barton (2001) pointed out that job satisfaction is a key mediating variable between the work environment and turnover intent, and suggested that managers take the focus on the work environment to improve employee’s job satisfaction, and ultimately lower turnover intent. Carpenter and Sanders (2004) opined that the investment in TMT (Top Management Team) could be way for attracting and retain talent for organization. Thus , it is required, and should be considered into the HRM process too. 1.4.4 Employee satisfaction Employee satisfaction is mainly concern with the satisfactions that derived from the individual as a professional person. One common research finding is that job satisfaction is correlated with life satisfaction (Rain, et al, 1991). This correlation is reciprocal, meaning people who are satisfied with their lives tend to be satisfied with their jobs vice visa. However, some research have argued this concept that that job satisfaction is not significantly related to life satisfaction because of their variable such as nonworking satisfaction and core self-evaluations are taken into account (Rode, J. C. 2004). Organization member to its operating characteristic is the cognitive evaluation. Employees get through the more realistic values and expectations of the gap between the values obtained after the meeting whether or not all aspects of work attitudes are emotional responses. This consists of the extent of firm involvement and related motivational activities (Saari, L. M., Judge, T. A., 2004). Burgoon, Buller, Woodall, (1996) one of the most suitable means of influencing employees satisfaction is the manners at which superior relate and communicate with subordinators. The meshing and mashing of interpersonal relationships between the two distinctive groups or status plays a significant roles in terms of respect, attractions, formative impression or emotional expression, deceptions and social influences (Burgoon, Buller, Woodall, 1996). Weiss and Cropanzano, (1996) inferred that such immediacy and friendliness will cumulate the essential elements of job satisfaction (Weiss and Cropanzano, 1996). The way employee’s feels and thought that their jobs being appreciated are very much essential in terms of employees job satisfactions (Organ, D. W., Ryan, K., 1995); turnover (Saari Judge, 2004); and absenteeism (Wegge, et al, 2007). Job satisfactions ultimately looks at the general aspects of satisfactions employees gained from their work in entirety (Mount Johnson, 2006). How to cite Free Human Resources Literature Review, Essay examples