The Human Resource Function Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Human Resource Function - Case Study Example Cadbury Schweppes has as its main objective the delivery of superior shareholder value. To achieve this objective, the company stresses the need for all employees to understand the different goals of the company so that they can tailor their efforts towards achieving these goals which will in turn lead the company toward its overall objective of delivering superior shareholder performance. This paper aims at looking at critically evaluating the nature and presence of the human resource strategy that appears to be in operation at Cadbury Schweppes in the light of the wider business strategy. The paper also presents a discussion of how the Human Resource Function can position itself toward delivering the people strategy based on evidence gathered from the case study as well as the understanding of the development of Human resource functions. Having said this, the paper will begin by critically evaluating the nature and presence of the human resource strategy in section 1.1 below and later a discussion how the Human resource function can position itself will be presented in section 1.2. The human resource strategy that appears to be in operation at Cadbury Schweppes seems to be in conflict with the company's business strategy. ... Its number one goal for 2004-07 is not excellence, innovation or developing its people. It is simply to deliver superior shareholder performance". The latter quotation clearly shows that Cadbury Schweppes does not care about developing its people, all it cares about is delivering superior shareholder value. According to Lengnick-Hall and Lengnick-Hall (1988: p. 451) citing Porter (1985) and Huselid (1995: p. 636) citing Begin (1991); Butler, Feris, & Napier (1991); Cappelli & Singh (1992); Jackson and Schuler (1995); Porter (1985); Schuler (1992); Wright and McMahan (1992), human resource management can help a firm obtain sustained competitive advantage by lowering costs, increasing sources of products and service differentiation, or by both. Lengnick-Hall and Lengnick-Hall (1988: p. 451) define competitive advantage as "those capabilities, resources, relationships, and decisions that permit a firm to capitalise on opportunities and avoid threats within its industry". Lengnick-Hall and Lengnick-Hall (1988: p. 451) further states that in order for a firm to achieve competitive advantage through human resources, the activities must be managed from a strategic perspective. Cadbury Schweppes seems to have missed out in this domain. It has focused most of its attention on delivering sharehol der value but fails to understand that it is only after integrating strategic human resource management into its business strategy that superior shareholder value may be delivered. Another interesting point is that even if Cadbury Schweppes has got some competitive advantage as demonstrated through its current levels of profitability, this competitive advantage may not be sustainable if it does not properly

Mobile Application for City Target Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mobile Application for City Target - Case Study Example E-commerce is an area that has grown tremendously. People can carry out transactions online. Various businesses have gone online for a number of reasons. First and foremost, e-commerce provides one with a platform to reach a larger customer base. A customer can purchase items from a different country from the comfort of their couch. This is made easier by the fact that internet users can access the internet from their mobile phones. For this reason then, it is crucial for businesses to create an online mobile application system that will ensure quality service provision to the customer. City Target is a state street store that deals with a range of products amongst them food, clothes and other household items (ABC, p.1). Through an online business system, the store is set to increase its profit margin. Through the use of a mobile application system, the store stands a better chance of easily reaching more of its customer. Specifically, looking at the professional clothes sale, the st ore can implement several options that can contribute to better service delivery. Online clothes shopping can prove to be challenging since a shopper has to take into considerations many things. Unlike physically shopping for clothes, with online shopping, a customer cannot try out the clothes to see whether they fit well or determine the material’s texture and whether it is to their liking. ... e anytime and anywhere, directly sending advertising and promotional information, better in-store navigation and enhancing customers’ ability to browse order and pay for products using their mobile phones (GS1 MobileCom 9). In shopping for clothes online, web applications have managed to support only basic functions. Some of the problems that a customer experiences include poor fit, mismatch of color and bad drape. This has an adverse effect on the business since the customer will be hesitant to buy a product next time because of dissatisfaction (Beck, p.1). Physically, these problems are catered for through the use of mannequins. Thanks to technological advancement, web applications have been manipulated to counter this problem. These applications cater for garment design, sizing and pattern derivation (Cordier 1). One such application is the 3D graphics technology. This technology offers a range of interactive operations. A shopper is able to adjust a 3D mannequin according to their body’s measurement, select and try different garment items and resize the garment to a mannequin. Furthermore, the application offers real time simulation with respect to garment movement. One store that has successfully used this application is Fits.Me clothes store. Through the store’s virtual room, shoppers are able to create a robotic mannequin with their dimensions and use it to fit clothes (Apparel, p.1). As a result, the company has increased its new customers’ sales by 57% (Fits.Me, p.1). By integrating such an application, City Target is assured of increasing its market base as it offers quality service to its customer. Secondly, City Target could also apply artificial intelligence systems. These systems are created to operate as human intelligence. They are similar to

What Do Expect in English 101 Essay Example for Free

What Do Expect in English 101 Essay What are my expectations from this course? â€Å"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.† Benjamin Franklin. Reading is essential for everyday living, regardless of my insufficient skills. At the University of the Virgin Islands, English 101 class I’m determine to enhance my love for reading and build a stronger vocabulary foundation. I’ve never had a passion for reading. I was never surrounded by peers or family that influenced to me read. I always preferred to watch a movie filled with lies than read a book that would greatly impact my life. Now realizing how important reading is I’m stuck in the back playing catch up, which I highly dislike, especially as a freshman student. In English 101 I’m prepared to force myself to read, magazines, newspapers, novel and especially poems. I’ll love to understand when other say â€Å"I love reading because, allows me to go places Ive never been, experience new things, explore possibilities and learn something new.† I’m into fiction books I like knowing I can fly on the back of a dragon, turn my boyfriend into a toad, marry a prince, save a kingdom, cast a spell, swing a sword and talk to the gods. Just crazy things that never actually happens in reality. Loving reading makes everything possible, dreams come true, your imagination takes flight and your problems fade as you take on the problems of those you are reading about. To create a stabilize vocabulary foundation not only would I wait for my professor to assign work, I’ll try my best to take the responsibility of doing my own outside of class work. Gaining knowledge about words I’ll read words from the dictionary just like Malcolm X did. Previous I emphasized on my love for poetry never have I been capable to share my love because of my lack of words, but I’m already to make difference. Even though others may see it as a â€Å"dead and done† language, learning a bit of Latin would never hurt and I intend o n learning a bit of it. Also in this class I plan to familiarize myself with lots of familiarize magazines, books and puzzles to build my vocabulary. In conclusion, enhancing my passion for reading and building my vocabulary are my expectations in this class and my endeavor is to come climb to the top, I know my professor cannot do it alone, I have applied myself and I will succeed.

Erik Eriksons Developmental Theory Case Study

Erik Eriksons Developmental Theory Case Study Human Development This human development assignment will discuss an overview of Erik Erikson’s background, theory and his eight developmental stages. Then this assignment will briefly discuss Mr Paki’s developmental stage and his experience .e.g. physical, emotional, cultural and social. Later it will discuss the actions and the support to assist Mr Paki with his situation. Part (A) Erik Erikson was a psychologist who developed his psychosocial development theory in 1963. He was born in 1902 in Germany; his biological father abandoned him before he was born. Erik Erikson studied arts and many different languages and after he graduated he worked as a professor. Moreover, in 1930 he married Joan Serson who was an artist and dancer but later on she helped Erik with his psychosocial development theory. Erikson was influenced by Freud’s development theory but Erikson also believed that human develop throughout their life span. However, Freud believed that our personality formed after the age of five (Bradley, 2002). Erik Erickson developed eight stages of human development and he also believed that each person go through every stages throughout life span. In each stage, Erikson believed that, â€Å"people experience a  conflict  that serves as a turning point in development. In Eriksons view, these conflicts are entered on either developing a psychological quality or failing to develop that quality. During these times, the potential for personal growth is high, but so is the potential for failure (Cherry, 2014.† The first stage is Trust versus Mistrust (birth to 1 year) in this stage an infant develops trust when a parent response to his/her needs. However, it can also lead to mistrust when a parent is not responding to them. Second stage is Autonomy versus shame and doubt (1 to 4 years) in this stage, children are learning to gain self-confident. For example, toilet training, children are learning to control their body’s function which can lead to self-independence and control. But if children who are not completing this stage, they are most likely to lose their confident. Third stage is initiative versus guilt (4 to 8 years), in this stage children begin to show their power and control over the world through sports and other social interaction. If a parent started to demand too much discipline they induce extreme guilt (Berk, 2010, p.17). Fourth stage is industry versus inferiority (8 to 12 years) in this stage, children start to gain confident to work with their peers cooperatively but inferiority begins when a child is not receiving encouragement from their parents, teachers or students which can lead to failure in the future (Berk, 2010, p.17). Fifth stage is identity versus role confusion (12 to 20 years) in this stage, children are started to identify their role in the world. For example, children are trying to find a way to fit into the society by creating a strong identity with interacting with others and relationships. Moreover, confusion occurs when a child has conflicts about his/her role in society (Berk, 2010, p.17). Sixth stage is intimacy and solidarity versus isolation (20 to 30 years) in this stage, young people enters into intimacy relationships in which they let other people see their physical characteristics of their nature. But young adult may feel isolated when they unable to become closer to others (Berk, 2010, p.17). Seventh stage is generativity versus self-absorption and stagnation (30 to 60 years) in this stage; middle aged adults provide help to the next generation, take place in community work and help others. According to Erickson the idea of generativity is that middle age adult’s attempts to produce something that makes a difference to society, for instance. Some middle adults may feel stagnation if they are not able to take responsibilities (Berk, 2010, p.17). Eighth stage is integrity versus despair (60 years to death) in this stage, late adults or older adults reflect back at their accomplishments and life satisfaction. For example, People feel proud of their achievements when completing this phase with no or few regrets. But people who do not succeed in this stage, they will have many regrets and might that feel their life has been wasted (Berk, 2010, p.17). Part (B) According to Erik Erickson’s theory of development Mr Paki is experiencing eighth stage which is integrity versus despair (60 years to death) because he is 70 years old. Moreover Mr Paki is more likely to experiencing the physical, emotional, cultural and social changes in his life. Physical When people get to this age group(60 years to death) they are more likely to experiencing respiratory system problems and Mr Paki is 70 years old and he has a history of Emphysema and it could be because of smoking or ageism. He also has fractured his right his and his movements are very limited. Barbeler (2013) mentioned that in this age, â€Å"their joints become less elastic and flexible with the loss and calcification of cartilage. The loss of bone density particularly affects long bones and vertebrae. The curve of the lower back changes resulting in a change to the centre of gravity.† (p. 233) Emotional In this stage older adults becomes more selective about whom they choose to spend their time with. In Mr Paki’s situation, he has lost his confidence and ability to cope with activities because of his fractured hip but his whanau visit him regularly and give him the support he need. Moreover he could be concerned and depressed about his wife who is dealing with early dementia. Cultural Ethnicity and linguistic diversity are can often create problems in one’s culture. A person with a diverse cultural background who is ageing in a different environment can face with many challenges (Barbeler, 2013). According to the scenario Mr Paki is Maori and he is been sent to rehabilitation, lack of cultural interaction and communication problems can lead to isolation and feelings of alienation. Social Mr Paki has limited movements because of his fractured right hip and he has lost his daily activity moments because of this Mr Paki is likely to be experiencing loss of confidence in his ability. He might be feeling lonely because there is no interaction between with his friends or community. He might be experiencing depression because in his age group, this is a serious condition and it can be linked with a loss of independent function, cognitive impairment, poor response to rehabilitation and diminished recovery. Older patients face many challenges as they go through the last stage of Erik Erikson’s theory which could be because of their retirement, changes in health status or relationships with friends and family. A nurse should always listen to their patients instead of making assumptions about what patient’s value or what they aim for in their life (Barbeler, 2013). According to the scenario a nurse will put in place actions and support to under physical, emotional, cultural and social to assist Mr Paki. Physical To assist Mr Paki with his physical condition, as he has fractured his right hip, he has limited movement and Mr Paki had lost his confident to cope with activities of daily living (ADL’s) References Bradley, M.E. (2002). Psyography: Erik Erikson. Retrieved from: http://faculty.frostburg.edu/mbradley/psyography/eriker ikon.html Barbeler, C. (2013). Older adulthood. In Koutoukidis, G., Stainton, K., Hughson, J. (2013). Tabbner’s Nursing Care: Theory and Practice. (pp 230-248). China: Libby Houston. Cherry, K. (2014). Eriksons Theory of Psychosocial Development: Psychosocial Development in Infancy and Early Childhood. Retrieved from: http://psychology.about.com/od/psychosocial theories/a/psychosocial.htm

Problems with Digital Imaging :: Photogpahy Images Pictures Essays

Problems with Digital Imaging â€Å"A picture is worth a thousand words†, Barnard, 1921. A critical use of images is for communications[1]. Images convey details and illustrate a specific scene in ways words could never do. People navigate the world primarily through sight, we can garner a great deal of information from just a glance. For hundreds of years, man made images, images created for a purpose to either illustrate a scene or capture a moment were done in the forms of paintings. These were basic to start, but improved with each passing year. Not too long after, there were a multitude of art styles, paintings who’s images were distorted, and strange, like those of Monet, and Picasso, but their purpose was not to capture the image as it were, but as they saw it, those painters were trying to show their audience a new way of looking at things. Photography entered the scene around the early 1800s, the first successful picture was produced in 1827 by Niepce[2]. Photographs historically have not been treated with the same attitude as paintings. Photographs are regarded as snapshots in time, faithfully recreating with unbiased attention to every detail in the scene, credible enough to be admissible as evidence in court. Fast forward to modern times, and with the advent of computers and digital imaging, the artistic expression of paintings has been merged with the unbiased realism of photographs to create realistic artistic expressions. No longer are artists limited to having to create images from scratch using their bare hands, and no longer are photographers limited to images only capture-able in the real world. But with great power, comes great responsibility, this is not a technology which should be taken lightly. Unchecked it would lead to mischief. Suffocate the technology, and you could be infringing on people’s right to free speech and artistic expression. Already the use of digital imaging has created great controversy. Ford Motor Company is in hot water over a series of television commercials depicting animals being mistreated by the advertised car, most notably one of a cat being decapitated with the sunroof of a hatchback[3]. The adult entertainment industry is usually always on the fore front of technology, and no doubt, always under fire for their use of technology. In this case, the use of digital imaging to create simulated child pornography.

Reflection on Beauty Practices

Beauty has been defined in many ways. In some cultures beauty is everything, its what makes them who they are and in some cases represents where they come from. For example in America white teeth and pink gums are desired to fulfill a beautiful smile; however the women of Senegal and the Philippines believe this is not true. To beautify their smiles, Senegalese tattoos their gums black, and the women of the B’laan tribe file and blacken their teeth. These women also convinced themselves that they are not only beautifying their smiles, however they are also maintaining dental hygiene.Some cultures are willing to go through pain to fulfill their idea of beauty. For example the women of china bound their feet to be more desirable to men. This process was extremely painful, their toenails were cut very short and their toes were curled under the sole of their feet until they were broken. This procedure limited women in their daily tasks. Tattooing of the gums in Senegal is also an extremely painful procedure. In order to achieve black gums one must go through excruciating pain, needles are repeatedly inserted in a rapid pace with black ink.About seven layers are ideal to achieve this desired look. Viewing these videos has giving me a better understanding of beauty in different cultures, and even though beauty is mostly shown on the outside it can also have a huge mental affect on people. I have also learned that cultural beauty tactics that has been passed down from generation to generation can also come to an end at times. It can be rather upsetting to the older generation, however it cannot be avoided, for generation can also change with time.

The Dictator Next Door

Eric Paul Roorda’s The Dictator Next Door is an insightful and incisive work of diplomatic history, studying the United States’ dealings from 1930 to 1945 with Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo, for years a foreign policy problem unto himself. It also demonstrates how the Good Neighbor Policy, which claimed to promote solidarity and peace among western hemisphere nations, came to allow dictators in Latin America â€Å"to run their countries however they pleased, so long as they maintained common enemies with the United States: first the fascists, then the communists† (1).The book is essentially a study of how the democratic United States tolerated and even supported military dictatorships in other nations, despite some diplomats’ desire to shun dictators and promote democracy abroad. Roorda’s main argument centers on how the despotic Trujillo presented the Hoover and Roosevelt administrations with problems, because he was no pliable puppet.Difficul t to control and a frequent embarrassment to the United States, Trujillo had few friends in the State Department, but the United States military and presidents backed him because he was neither fascist nor communist, and because the Good Neighbor policy called for supporting standing rulers, regardless of their methods. Roorda traces the history of Dominican-American relations and demonstrates how American influence on the region built for years before Trujillo’s rise.A former Spanish colony, the Dominican Republic was ruled by Haiti until its independence in 1844, after which the military assumed long-lasting control and foreign powers jockeyed for influence there. The United States’ influence increased steadily between 1860 and 1904, and culminated in the United States Marine Corps’ takeover in 1915. During this period, the American military trained Dominican men to serve in its constabulary and army, thus establishing a sort of school for dictators in which R afael Trujillo was its best student.Trujillo received training from the Marine Corps and earned an Army commission during this time, despite a history of criminal activity, including rape and extortion (for which he escaped punishment), and rose to the rank of general. Not the United States’ first choice as the Dominican Republic’s leader, he rallied the army to stage a coup in 1930, three years before the Good Neighbor policy was introduced, and was helped by the Hoover administration’s nonintervention policy, which preferred commerce over militarism as a means of promoting good will.Roorda explains the process in great detail in chapter two and does not spare the American government from sharp criticism. He maintains that Hoover’s desire to redeem the United States’ image in Latin America, as well as the administration’s unwillingness to back his ambassador (who distrusted Trujillo and refused to recognize him), helped Trujillo maintain hi s control.Wary of Theodore Roosevelt’s and Woodrow Wilson’s use of â€Å"gunboat diplomacy,† the Hoover administration recognized Trujillo because he seemed likely to protect American commercial interests and it was more politically expedient to recognize de facto regimes, dictatorships or otherwise. He even states plainly that the savvy Trujillo was able to play the American legation against the American military, which trained and obviously respected Trujillo. Clearly critical of American behavior in Latin America, Roorda states that â€Å"in the history of U. S.relations with its closest neighbors . . . the rhetoric of solidarity and protection against European aggression ran counter to the brutal logic and increasing momentum of U. S. territorial expansion and imperial ambitions† (23). He deems the policy paradoxical from the outset; while it promoted friendship with Latin America (which filtered into popular culture during the 1930s and ‘40s), Latin American intellectuals were less than enthusiastic because it relied on American authority and kept authoritarian regimes in power, Trujillo’s being the most egregious.During the Depression, Trujillo consolidated his power even further despite the Dominican economy’s near-collapse, receiving additional American economic aid, mainly because of his promises to protect American business interests. However, he soon became â€Å"the greatest source of instability in U. S. -Dominican relations. . . . As U. S. officials found out, the benefits of a ‘stabilizing’ dictatorship could be canceled out by an unreliable dictator† (87).Roorda maintains that the Good Neighbor policy itself was an empty, nebulous policy created by Franklin Roosevelt, whom he characterizes as â€Å"a master of innuendo, ambiguity, paradox, and the manipulation of disparate personalities† (91). In chapter four, Roorda characterizes Trujillo as a shrewd, image-conscious ma nipulator of public opinion on a par with FDR, but with total control of an intimidating military that crushed any opposition.Trujillo flouted his authority, renaming geographical features, parks, and even the capital city for himself, surrounding his rule with public spectacle, and assuming total control of the Dominican press in order to glorify his regime and even deify himself. One telling newspaper quote deemed him â€Å"so necessary that [the people] give him permanent power† and somehow dubbed his regime â€Å"super-democracy† (95).The American government, meanwhile, was aware of Trujillo’s transgressions yet played into his hands, even assisting his censorship campaign and public-relations efforts. While the United States was not fooled, Roorda implies, it played along in an effort to heed the Good Neighbor policy’s claim to support national sovereignty and thus allowed Trujillo a free hand. The entire book centers on a single recurring theme: the folly of a democracy supporting dictators.Roorda maintains that â€Å"the reliance on dictators to attain the traditional U. S. goals of stability and cooperation in Latin America meant having to ignore those instances when the strongmen themselves incited unrest and conflict† (147). The American military is partly to blame, since it trained Trujillo and treated him as a favored protà ©gà ©, while diplomats saw through the dictator’s pageantry and disapproved of his methods (Trujillo returned their disdain).Roorda casts a good deal of the blame at the Roosevelt administration, which, in its efforts to avoid heavy-handed intervention, allowed Trujillo to remain in power because he seemed to represent stability even while disrupting Dominican-American relations (with his conduct at home and his occasional bloody attacks against neighboring Haiti). In describing American logic vis-à  -vis Trujillo, â€Å"Dominican stability made him practical to deal with,† eve n if that meant turning a blind eye to the questionable ethics of backing brutal regimes that did not threaten American dominance or prosperity.At times, he argues, this meant that Trujillo was the proverbial tail wagging the American dog, getting his way because Roosevelt lacked the will or the political clout to intervene against him. The book uses ample detail and careful research in describing the United States’ paradoxical relationship with Trujillo, relying heavily on government documents, personal papers, the contemporary press, and a large number of secondary sources.While its assertions are not groundbreaking (recent diplomatic history is harshly critical of American support for brutal dictators), it is well-written, with concise prose and well-constructed arguments, on the whole an excellent diplomatic history. For scholars seeking an explanation of American relations with Latin America, and who do not mind its sharp criticisms of American foreign policy’s et hical lapses and oversights, The Dictator Next Door is well worth one’s while.