Human Resource Officer Essay

This module is based around the job of a Human Resource Officer for a chain of outlets called Top Gear. To research this job, I will be looking at what sort of things it entails such as the process of recruitment and job interviews. I will also be interviewing an every day personnel manager to research what he does in his job, how he advertises available job positions and how he goes about selecting the right person for the job. I will look at why jobs become available within a company and the adverts a company produces to advertise the job. This project also involves how you are motivated to work and why companies use these methods for their workers. Recruitment Jobs can become available in a company such as ‘Top Gear’, for lot of different reasons. Some of these reasons are: * A member of staff retires. * A member of staff is fired. * If a member of staff becomes pregnant. * A member of staff gets promoted leaving their old position empty. * Someone leaves for a job elsewhere. * The company expands needing extra workers. * It could be a completely new job for a firm which is newly established and has just started to recruit staff. * If a member of staff becomes ill. * If someone’s contract expires. * Demotion Application Form Application forms are sent out so that people interested in the job can fill it in and then the employers will have the applicants information. This is good because they can then read the forms and decide who sounds like they would be good in the job and then give them an interview, rather than interviewing every single person that applies. Why are Job Descriptions and Person Specifications sent out to Prospective Employees? Job Description A job description is sent out so that people can see what the job entails. This is good because then people who are not suited to the job, and who don’t like the sort of work the job involves can decide whether to apply or not. This saves time as it stops people from applying and then deciding the job is not for them after all. Person Specification So that the applicant knows what sort of person the company are looking for and what sort of qualities you need in the job. These are sent out to save the company time, if an applicant looks like they fit the person specification then they will get an interview. Also, it could stop the wrong sort of person applying as the person specification tells them what sort of attitude they need and how much responsibility they must have. Advertising There are many places a position for a job, like one that was available at Top Gear, could be advertised. Some of these places are: * A local newspaper. (e.g. The Ilkeston Advertiser) The advantages of this are, if people are looking for a job then they are likely to look at a local paper in the job column. A disadvantage of this is that it may be expensive. * A free newspaper. ( e.g. The Trader) Advantages of this are that lots of people receive this paper through their doors as it is free. The disadvantages are that people wont necessarily look in a free paper for a job and also that it costs money to place an advert. * The Internet. ( On the company website) The advantages of this is that lots of people will see the advert but many might not unless they visited the company website regularly. It is also free to write an advert for the job on the website. * At the local job centre. Advantages of this is that it is free and also that a lot of people will see the advert because people looking for a job go to the job centre to find one. The disadvantages of this is that you may get too many people applying for the job. * On the Radio. The advantages of having an advert for the job on the radio are that lots of people will hear it. But the disadvantages are that it is expensive to put an advert on the radio. * On the shop premises. Advantages of putting an advert in the outlet window are that it is free and anyone passing will see it. Also, is people see your advert while inside the outlet then they will be the sort of person you want to employ because they will be the type of person right for the job. * Word of Mouth. Advantages are that it is free. Disadvantages are that people may get the wrong information as news being passed on by word of mouth gets changed as it is passed on. * Company magazine.People may look in this to see if there are any jobs available but it is hard to get hold of a company magazine if you do not already work, or know somebody working within the company. Top Gear are most likely to use the shop premises as a form of advertisement for an open position. This way, the people who apply will only be people who are interested in the type of product Top Gear sells. The Human Resource Officer would choose the people with the best application forms. They would also consider choosing people who had had past experience in a job of the same type. They must be the in the right age group and have good qualifications. Another important factor is that they fit the person specification and match the job description. The Human Resource Officer would only write letters to those who managed to get an interview. It would take too much time to write letters to everyone who had applied for the job and would be a waste of money, buying all the stamps and paying for postage. If the applicants didn’t hear from the company then they should assume that they were not successful and that they hadn’t got an interview, this means that there isn’t really any need to contact them. Letter To An Applicant That Has Gained An Interview. Dear Applicant, Thank you for your application form for the job of Shop Assistant within our Top Gear Outlet. We are pleased to inform you that your application has been successful and that you have gained an interview. This interview will take place at Top Gear on Monday 21st February at 10 o’clock. We look forward to seeing you then. Yours Faithfully, Lucy Howard Human Resource Officer Top Gear Interveiwing At the interview I would ask a number of questions to find out whether the applicant is suitable for the job. I would ask questions on a range of different subject like what hobbies the applicant has, what sort of past experience they have gained and what qualities they would bring to the job. I would ask mostly open-questions which would make it easy for the applicant to give long detailed answers and tell me as much about themselves as possible. If I chose all closed-questions to ask in the interview that could all be answered with one word answers, then I would learn hardly anything about the applicant and whether they were suitable for the job or not. I questions I choose to ask will have to be the ones that are going to tell me the most about the applicant and whether they are going to be right for the job or not. Some questions I could ask at an interview for a new sales person at Top Gear are: * Why do you think you should be the one hired for this job? * What experience have you had where you had to work with people? * What sort of things do you enjoy doing outside of work? * What qualities have you got that will make you a better person for the job than anyone else? * What do you understand to be the key responsibilities in this job? * How will your past experience equip you for this role? An Interview With a Real Human Resource Officer We decided to interview for this project, the personnel manager of McDonalds to find out what their job involved and how they went about recruiting new members of staff. 1) When you have a job placement available, how and where do you advertise it? We don’t use the job centre as the people they send tend to be desperate for any sort of job and not all that interested in what the job entails, just in the money they will be earning. We have a sign in the shop which attracts people to apply and is a good idea as if people come to eat in our shop, they are already interested in what happens in McDonalds. Jobs are also heard about through word of mouth as we often employ young people who need a job after just leaving school. 2)When sending out application forms, do you send person specifications and job description with it? No, we don’t send either of those things with an application form. When someone applies for the job, I talk to them myself as the personnel manager to make sure they understand what the job entails and what McDonalds needs in its staff. 3)How do you decide who to interview out of the applicants, and how many people get an interview.? Only about one in every ten people who apply for a job at McDonalds actually get an interview. A good application form will be neat and organised. McDonalds does not require any select qualifications to work there, but you should have at least a D grade at GCSE in Maths and English. People who work in McDonalds need to have good literacy skills. 4)What sort of questions do you ask in an interview? The best question to ask someone in an interview is â€Å"what do you know already about McDonalds?† because you can tell how much the person wants the job by how much research they have bothered to do. Another question asked in an interview is â€Å"what would you change about McDonalds?† because the staff are constantly changing things at McDonalds to suit customers needs. The questions asked are to test and see how well a person gets on with new people, how quickly they learn and their willingness to work hard. 5)How long do the interviews last? The interviews do not last very long, only about 20 minutes. In this time, you can already get a good idea of what a person is like and whether they will fit into the job well or not. 6)How do you finally decide who gets the job, what qualities do you look for in a worker? There is no special scoring system to decide who gets the job in the end. The main reason for choosing a person for the job is gut feeling about whether they will be right or not. Things that McDonalds are looking for in workers are respectable looking, bubbly, cheerful, easy to get along with, punctual and polite. From this interview I have learnt that not every personnel manager handles recruitment in the same way. It depends on the surroundings and where they are working. The personnel manager in McDonalds hired people mainly on gut feeling about whether they were right or not, which would not be an appropriate method of choosing for a big company like a bank. A Score Sheet That Would Help Me Select The Most Suitable Applicant. During the interview, I would use a score sheet to help me decide which applicants are good. The score sheets would have different areas and I would mark the applicants out of ten for how well they perform in all the different areas. If an applicant scores very low on the score sheet then they are obviously not right for the job position and not what the company is looking for. The person who scores highest on the score sheet will not necessarily be the one who gets hired for the job, but a score sheet will still give you a good idea of who is better than the other applicants. Here is a score sheet that could be used in an interview for a sales person at Top Gear: Applicant 1 Applicant 2 Applicant 3 Applicant 4 Appearance Confidence Friendliness Response to Questions asked Did they speak clearly? Good humoured? Are their answers relevant? Ease Choosing Who to Employ From the Score Sheet This score sheet is only to mark the applicants on how well they perform in the interview. It does not mark them on their qualifications or past experience in this sort of job. I would use these areas to see how friendly the applicant is with new people and how confident they are, because if they aren’t friendly or confident around the interviewer then they won’t be the right person to be working in a shop. The kind of person Top Gear would want to be working in their outlet would be someone who is friendly and polite to everyone and someone who does not lose their temper easily. Attitude is very important to an employer but so its past experience and qualifications. To the applicants that did not get the position at Top Gear, I would send a letter letting them know and maybe a voucher for the store as a sort of conciliation and to make them think that Top Gear is a worthwhile company so they would maybe apply for another position and still shop in the shop. For the 5 or 6 people who have been unsuccessful in their interview I would send a letter like this: Dear Miss Bromby, Thank you for applying and attending an interview for the position of Store Assistant at our Top Gear outlet. I am sorry to inform you that you were not successful this time. We have included a voucher for our store with this letter, as a thank you for your time and co-operation in the selection process. Yours sincerely, Lucy Howard Human Resource Officer at Top Gear For the applicant who was successful and gained the job at Top gear I would send a letter like this: Dear Miss Bromby, Thank you for applying for the job of Store Assistant at our Top Gear outlet. I am very pleased to inform you that you have gained the position and we would like you to start work next week starting the 25th of August. Other details and training will be sorted out on your first day. If you have any queries before then, you can phone (0115) 8547651 and we will sort out any worries that you may have. See you next week! Yours Sincerely, Lucy Howard Human Resource Officer at Top Gear Companies train their staff because a well-trained group of employees will be more productive as they are better at there jobs. They might also be more motivated because they enjoy the feeling that they are good at there jobs. There are three different types of training induction, off-the-job and on-the-job. Induction training is for new staff within a company. Both the employer and the employee can benefit from this type of training. The employer would want the training scheme to include: * Training on the tills, so that the new employee would understand how to take payment in the form of cheques/ credit cards/ debit cards/ cash/ gift vouchers. * Customer relations. Teaching the employee to handle difficult customers * Company History/ image. Trying to make the employee feel part of the family as it might make them work better. * The employee would be hoping that from the induction training they would learn: * The terms of their payment, when and how they will be getting paid. * What they must wear for their job. Whether there is a specific dress code or uniform. * What sort of discount their new job entitles them to. * The arrangement of breaks and lunchtimes. Also when they can have holidays and how long they can take off work for them. * Answers to any queries they might have about the job. Such as what they must do when they are ill. * What happens in the dismissal procedure. A Schedule For an Induction Training Day at Top Gear. Time Activity 10:00-11:00am Speech about company history 11:00-12:00pm Practical learning about working the tills 12:00-1:00pm Break 1:00-2:00pm Role plays about coping with difficult customers 2:00-2:30pm Answers to questions and queries In my induction day, I have included practical work as well as theory because listening to someone talking all day is boring and does not give you real practise or confidence in your new job. I have made my day useful for employers and employees. On-The-Job Training On the job training is mainly used for new employees who are unsure of what to do in their job. It usually involves a new employee staying with a more experienced worker within the company and watching them closely to see what they do. After watching for about a week, then the new employees would feel like they are ready to do the jobs themselves. This sort of training is mainly practical. Advantages of this sort of training to an employer is that it does not cost anything as the new staff would be training on the company premises and also the new staff would learn quickly and be able to put what they have learnt into practise straight away. Advantages of this type of training to an employee are that they don’t have to sit around listening and being told what they must do, they are able to learn by watching someone else. Another advantage is that if they have any queries about anything, the more experienced worker helping them would be able to tell them the answer to their problem. Disadvantages of this sort of training are that if the experienced worker has bad habits then the new employee may pick them up as well. Off-The-Job Training This is where any of the employees in a company go away on a course. This type of training is mainly theory work. This type of training can also involve things like day release where an employee goes to work some days during the week and college others, but is still getting paid for the days they aren’t working. Advantages of this sort of training for the employer are that, there staff can become a lot more experienced and know a lot more about their job after just a one-day course. Advantages of this sort of training for an employee are that they can become more confident within their job and understand a lot more about it from a course. They can also meet new people with similar jobs to theirs. A disadvantage of this sort of training is the fact that it costs the company money to send staff out on a course. Sometimes there is the cost of travel as a course may be quite far away. A problem with this sort of training for an employer is that sending staff out could leave them short staffed at the company. An Advert for a job opening at Top Gear! How an Applicant Should Prepare for an Interview: * Make sure that they look smart and presentable. No company is looking to hire someone who does not care about what they look like. * Look up some information about the company where they are having the interview as to impress the interviewer with their knowledge. * Prepare some sample questions so they are ready to answer anything the interviewer asks them. Some of these sample questions could be: * What sort of hobbies do you have and what do you like doing in your spare time? * What sort of past experience do you have and which of your qualities will most help you in this job? * What do you know about the Top Gear company? For these sample questions, the applicant should prepare an answer that will impress the interviewer and make them think that they are the best for the job. This will help the applicant during their interview as knowing what to say will make them come across as confident and friendly. How to Behave in an Interview In an Interview the interviewee should act relaxed and confident they should smile and be polite to the interviewer. The interviewer is also looking for the way you act and your body language as it tells them a lot about the sort of person you are. You shouldn’t be shy or too over the top. Methods of Training If I worked at Top Gear I would use the induction day as a method of training. I would choose this because the employee would only need one day off and would learn everything they need. They wouldn’t pick up any bad habits as they would be learning everything from new and not copying off someone who has already been in the job a while. They would get to practice new skills during practical sessions during the day and still learn about the history of the company and get to know other employee’s as well. Communication Systems in use at Top Gear Top Gear would use different methods of communication internally and externally. If communication in a business is poor then poor decisions are made and customers and suppliers will lose confidence in the company. A company such as Top Gear would be likely to use methods of communication such as these below, but all of them have advantages and disadvantages so they might only use certain ones. Companies would use written methods of communication such as notice boards, memos and reports. These are mainly used internally. Externally they would use letters, e-mails and faxes. Advantages of this are that there is a permanent record of the message if it is needed and copies can be seen by lots of people. Disadvantages of these are that it can be hard to get feedback and sometimes people cant understand what is written. Verbal methods such as telephone calls, conversations or meetings can be used as a form of communication. A disadvantage of this is that there is no record of it so people can forget the information. Visual methods can be used such as films, posters, diagrams and charts. These are good because complicated information can be summarised and visual things communicate feelings better than words. Motivation There are three main motivation theories. They all explain what managers need to do if they want to motivate their workers to perform their best. Two of these theories are: 1) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Maslow believed that all people are motivated by the same things. The three lower needs at the bottom of the pyramid have to be achieved before the two higher things can be met. The things on this pyramid starting with the ones at the bottom are: * Physical Survival People need food, water, shelter, clothing and warmth. These should be met by a basic wage. * Safety People want to feel safe and secure from harm. Managers should give their workers job security. * Love and Belonging People enjoy the company of others. Managers should encourage team work and social contact. * Self-esteem People want to feel valued by others. Managers should praise and encourage and give financial rewards for good performance. * Self-Actualisation People want to feel they are achieving something. Managers should help staff set and reach their own personal targets. 2) Herzberg’s Hygiene Factors Herzberg’s ideas are much more straightforward than Maslow’s. Herzberg believed that all the needs of workers can be put into two groups. 1) Hygiene Factors. Are the things a business has to provide to keep workers contented. These include clean, quiet and safe working conditions as well as adequate rest breaks. 2) Motivating factors Are the things that will encourage workers to do their best, like praise from managers, career advancement for good workers and more responsibility. Motivation at Top Gear I would use mainly Herzberg’s theory if I were manager at Top Gear. I think that giving staff the right conditions to work in will help them get a better job done. Telling employee’s that they are doing well will make them happy and willing to do more of the same. Employee’s who have been consistently good would be promoted. Seeing a fellow member of staff being promoted may cause others to work for a promotion as well. I would try and make staff feel happy and secure in their job as it would make them like coming to work and enjoy what they are doing more.

Rome’s Decline

Test Essay October 3, 2012 Question: â€Å"What were the main factors in Rome’s decline? Which do you judge as the most important? Why? † When we hear the word â€Å"Rome,† a very definite picture comes to mind. We see a strong military conquering a vast majority of the ancient Mediterranean world, Julius Caesar sitting on his throne, leading Rome to newer heights each day, and the highest, most innovative new technology being put to use as Rome grows stronger and stronger. Rome was a very successful civilization, as it lasted from 100 BC to 476 AD.For a 200 year span, called the Pax Romana, trade, entertainment, the economy, and overall satisfaction increased. This was a time of peace. Unfortunately, because of numerous misfortunes such as power struggles, inflation, military rebellions, and foreign invasions, even the mighty Roman civilization came to an end. Power struggle was a major conflict of Rome. After the Pax Romana, whose last king was Marcus Aurelius, emperors were continuously overthrown and killed.This was such an issue, that during one fifty year period, 26 emperors ruled and either resigned or were murdered. Out of those 26, only one died of a natural death. Because of the constant change of rulers, the kings lost the support of the citizens, since the emperors they were loyal to did not remain in power. The collapse in politics was the first step to the fall of Rome. The economic decline was the second step to the fall of Rome. Large taxes were put in place to support and fund the military due to corruptness.Because of this, a heavy burden was placed upon businessmen and farmers. With the majority of their income going to the large taxes, farmers were financially struggling. They could no longer afford their land, so they were forced to leave and work for large landowners. Money gradually started losing its value, and inflation occurred. The third step in the Roman decline was the military rebellions. Because of the constan t change in emperors, different groups in the military felt loyal to different rulers.This caused the military split and often rebel against each other. The military became so weakened and disorderly that emperors began to hire mercenaries. The final step in Rome’s decline was the foreign invasions from Germanic Tribes. Great Britain, Spain, and France were the first of the Roman territories to be surrendered. Rome itself was shortly after, and it was apparent that the largest and most powerful empire in the world at the time had come to an end. Rome was no more.

The Drowling Ski Resort Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Drowling Ski Resort - Case Study Example Its financial trouble started in back in 2000 when it went into receivership and there seemed to be no buyer willing or able to finance the resort, after it remained closed for a year, it was reopened by Ian Mac-Arthur through an arrangement with the Syracuse development cooperation. The city was willing to fund the project since they believed that the resort represented and important economic entity and if it was left to collapse, it would harm the community especially owing unemployment of the hundreds of locals who worked there. After 5 years, MacArthur decided to discontinue his ownership of the resort because the capital investment required to repair and retransform the resort to its former glory was too much. Consequently, it was bought by a Peter Bass who assumed the debt and arranged with MacArthur to pay buy him off the debt in installments. The resort however continued to lose money and the visitors patronizing it went down considerably resulting in reduced revenue and depe ndence on government bailouts to remain in business (Huang & Leong 2). The management of the resort tried channeling back profits and even took on long term debt but the huge losses the firm had incurred in the course of the last two years had eaten too deeply into the cash reserves. Drowling Mountain is dependent primarily on the population of Syracuse since the customer base is predominantly local, for financial and practical reasons the firm did not market beyond the Syracuse area. The pricing is marginally higher than the neighboring resorts and this is justified by the variety of exclusive packages offered in the resort although admittedly clients sometimes found them too complex and therefore ignored them. Carter also says that the operations were far from smooth owing to the fact that they had cut down on the labor cost as much as they could and as result there was a perennial shortage of employees and the few ones were often overworked. After an incisive analysis of the situ ation, one the ground I came up with the following recommendations which if implemented successfully could reasonably be expected to curb the downward trend of the resort and gradually help it recover its prestige and profitability. For one, it is apparent that the resort justifies its higher prices by virtue of its exclusive package offering that are not available in other resorts, however, it has also emerged that these services are often viewed as too complex and the clients often ignore them. This leads to wastage since they require staff and maintenance they clearly do not justify the cost and complexity. Therefore instead of cutting down on costs by laying off staff, the management should carry out a thorough assessment on the redundant services, eliminate them or make drastic changes to simplify or make them more adaptable to customers. A strategic evaluation into the profitability of individual services and a comparison with their uptake in other resorts would give the manag ers a better understanding of what needs to be retained and what needs to be cut off. As a result, the services will be streamlined the staff will be more flexible and the costs or running the resort will marginally reduce, the surplus funds can then be used to service other facilities that can help resume profitability. The manager’s approach is based creating a culture of skiing and therefore he does not view the fact that other resorts are encouraging customers to engage in the sport as a threat since he felt they were promoting the uptake of skiing culture. Notwithstanding, this

Your task is to use a range of such perspectives to analyse the Essay

Your task is to use a range of such perspectives to analyse the management and decision making at cadbury using several these viewpoints - Essay Example PRICE- should the products be priced higher or lower than those ÃŽ ¿f competitors? In local areas, most corner shops sell Cadbury chocolate at the same price as competitor e.g. Cadbury whole nut costs 35 pence, while a Mars bar and Galaxy bar cost 35 pence as well. PLACE- where will customers want to buy the products? Cadbury sells its products to shops (business) that deal with beverages and confectionery e.g. corners shops, super stores (Iceland, Sainsbury, Kwick Save, Tesco, Asda, Safeway), petrol station etc. these business are usually visited by customers on a daily bases. PROMOTION- where should the products be advertised, to suit the needs ÃŽ ¿f the businesss target market? Cadbury advertises its products on television, Internet, billposter, in beverages and confectionery business by hanging posters. This would help Cadbury to achieve ones ÃŽ ¿f its objectives, which is "to be the Number one product in a given market". By achieving this objective it would lead them to achieve the other objective, such as "maximising profit etc. (refer to objective on page 4). The research and development department is the department that researches new products and develops the old products. To remain successful, business must constantly work to create new and better products and processes. Development- this involves turning the findings ÃŽ ¿f the research into useful products or processes. If Cadbury had a mishap with a chocolate, the research and development department would try to correct the mishap. The research and development department must work closely with the marketing and production departments in particular this is because marketing and production are the beginning and end ÃŽ ¿f producing a product. Cadbury has more than one management style. This is so it has the best management. This is in terms ÃŽ ¿f efficiency, training, and knowledge and to focus more on the loyalty ÃŽ ¿f the workers in Cadbury. Cadbury has three management styles, which are: Democratic

In changes brought by contemporary globalization,in cultural terms,who Essay

In changes brought by contemporary globalization,in cultural terms,who wins and who who loses - Essay Example These changes, though, are the subject of increasing debate. Some find the cultural trends disturbing and dangerous while others praise them as humanity’s march toward a more harmonious and efficient world order. This essay will assume neither approach; the sole purpose of this essay is to identify the winners and the losers in this period of cultural upheaval and change. It will be left for others to decide the implications. As a preliminary matter, cultural globalization most generally refers to the expansion of cross-cultural contacts and relationships. Relationships may be passive or they may be active (Tomlinson, 1999; 14). Passive cross-cultural contacts refer to the receipt of new cultural information and behaviours. There is little interactivity in this regard. For purposes of illustration, this may involve reading foreign newspapers on the internet, watching foreign music videos in the home, or using textbooks written by foreign authors in schools. Active cross-cultural contacts are characterised by interactivity, a real relationship which is established, and is more prone to conflict; being more prone to conflict, therefore, an adversarial context is more likely to arise in a cultural sense and it is here where the winners and the losers are most visible. This might involve the implementation of European standards of corporate social responsibility in Asian countries unaccustomed to such notion s of corporate culture. This might involve tensions caused by the proliferation of non-governmental organizations in countries whose political culture tolerates no extra-governmental criticism or dissent. Both forms of cultural globalization, active and passive, are influential. That said, the biggest winners and the biggest losers tend to be most visible in settings of active cross-cultural globalization. Some of the biggest winners are those whom align themselves with those whom have the power and the desire to homogenise their

What Is Quantum Physics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What Is Quantum Physics - Essay Example s paper on blackbody radiation, other scientists who contributed to its development include: Albert Einstein, Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schroedinger, and Niels Bohr. Meanwhile, Albert Einstein tried to disprove and modify it for many years due to its various theoretical issues with quantum mechanics (Jones, 2011). Quantum physics has five general ideas. First, energy is not continuous but comes in small discrete units. Its elementary particles behave both like particles and like waves, thus such particle movement is said to be in random. Fourth, it is physically impossible to determine the particles’ position and movement at the same time, otherwise when one is precisely known the other has less precise measurement. And lastly, the atomic world is nothing like the world we live in, making it incomparable and less comprehensible than ordinary logic (Feynman, et. al., 2011). Quantum physics evolved into various scientific applications. From the physics world, it has also taken some serious relevance in the fields of agriculture, medicine, even in anthroposophy, and religion. Quantum computers have also managed to break into the mainstream over the last decade as scientists managed to stop light in its tracks, thus overcoming one pratical hurdle, while the first quantumlogic gate was created in 2003 (McKee, 2006). Things so small have an effect. Thus, quantum physics play a significant role in the quantum nature of reality. Earlier, Niel Bohr was once quoted as saying: â€Å"Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it.† It only proves to show how deeply complex and complicated quantum physics is, and how one would simply be completely awed at its magic (Higgo,

Properrty Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Properrty Law - Case Study Example Arnold, however, paid the mortgage instalments until he died in 2001, leaving all his property to Wendy. Very shortly thereafter, Bill's marriage broke up and he had to leave his matrimonial home. Wendy invited him in writing to move in with her "as you have a share in it anyway". Bill moved in, together with his son, then aged 8. Thereafter Bill paid some of the mortgage instalments. The mortgage loan was paid off by 2006, Bill having paid instalments equal to 25% of the original purchase value. Wendy has now died, by her will leaving all her property in equal shares between her two daughters and one son, all of whom had by then left home. They are now indicating that they would like the house to be sold so that they can share the money between them. Bill and his son, now aged 15, wish, however to remain You are a trainee in the firm of solicitors consulted by Bill. Your principal has asked you to research the relevant law and report to the principal (in 1,000 words) on the legal principles and relevant case and statute law as to (ii) Your principal has also asked you to do a separate piece of research, unconnected to these facts, as she has heard that there have been a number of recent cases concerning the presumptions of advancement. She wants you to give her a summary, in 500 words, of the cases in the last 6 years that have concerned these presumptions. You are a trainee in the firm of solicitors consulted by Bill. Your principal has asked you to research the relevant law and report to the principal (in 1,000 words) on the legal principles and relevant case and statute law as to (a) what are the current legal and beneficial interests in the house (b) on the basis that Bill is not solely entitled, could Wendy's daughters and son (or any of them) force a sale of the house. The principal will then formulate the advice to give to Bill. (ii) Your principal has also asked you to do a separate piece of research, unconnected to these facts, as she has heard that there have been a number of recent cases concerning the presumptions of advancement. She wants you to give her a summary, in 500 words, of the cases in the last 6 years that have concerned these presumptions. Introduction The Parliament of Commonwealth has the power to legislate and standardise real estate practice that under the assumption that bill pass by the two houses. 2. Australian Constitutional system and power Constitution of Australia authorizes the legislative power to the commonwealth and states concurrently and divides it up by specifying a list of subjects on which the Australian Parliament may enact laws, which is known as Section 51 of the Australia Constitution Act (Ron McCallum 2006) . Any subjects who fall outside this list are exclusively available to the state parliament.This pattern of distribution follows the model of the United States Constitution and differs from the plan adopted by Canada by the British North America Act 1867 . It appears that the Federal Parliament is stronger than the State parliament, but only in the narrowly defined field of activity. So whether the real estate

Social Factors On Consumer Tastes And Preferences Essay

Social Factors On Consumer Tastes And Preferences - Essay Example Those who earn a good amount of money usually consume a majority of economic and cultural capital. The division may be symmetrical with balance between the economic and cultural capital or asymmetrical with the balance tilted in favour of one of the capitals. The characteristics of each of the structure are distinctive and those structures are called habitus. The lifestyles are therefore influenced by the habitus. Taste has assumed great importance in the Habitus as it is often the distinctive factor of the matching principles in the society. In cultural consumption, there has been a distinction between the rarity of the product and the easy availability of the product. The rare products are considered as precious and the more readily available ones are called vulgar. The choice of tastes of the upper class of the society is distinctively different from the lower class of the society. Taste refers to â€Å"amor fati† or the destiny’s choice, which is forced by the condi tions of existence and makes the preference of the necessity. (Bordieu, 1984) Music has been an essential part of social life for thousands of years. Over the years, music has inserted a deep impact on the social life of the human beings. Eminent personalities in the history of music like Mozart, Beethoven etc. have played an important part in the popularity of music. Music was used as a tool in various social happenings, gatherings and even as a form of revolt. Great revolts in the annals of history were in some parts inspired by music.

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Globalization - Essay Example s affected by it; in fact, it can be said that it undermines state sovereignty because decisions that are made have to consider their impact on international affairs (Shimko 192). An example of this is oil-exporting countries that heavily depend on the income from this product to fund their national budgets. If these countries were to act in a way which displeases the international community, then they would be forced to abandon such decisions through the placing of sanctions on their exports. Moreover, because of globalization, many countries have interests in other countries; therefore, to protect these interests, it has become necessary for the powerful to meddle in the political affairs of the weaker ones (Yang170). This has not only made the latter countries lose their sovereignty, but it has also encouraged their overdependence on more developed nations for economic aid. Cultural diversity loosely refers to the variety and differences in race, ethnicity, and class that are present in a society, state, or the world. Different races have diverse cultures or customs; for  example, in a  traditional  Mexican  wedding; there is a  distinct  ceremony  where  a rosary  or  white  rope  is wound around  the  bride  and  groom  to form a number eight.  Languages, cuisine and mode of dressing are also part of cultural diversity notwithstanding the conformity to everyday way of living by people of a certain society (Mueller 71). History profoundly determines these aspects, but they are mostly affected by the environment. This implies the people who develop the cultural resources and control access to the culture itself. While trying to achieve globalization, cultural diversity has developed since the core idea behind it is ‘speaking a common language’. This is because globalization includes transformation of a s patial organization, which in turn means wide-ranging institutional reform institutions formed with a large influence from culture. Many argue that

The development of a marketing plan Personal Statement

The development of a marketing plan - Personal Statement Example The business entrepreneur desires to launch a new business of interior decoration. The business segment of interior decoration is highly competitive in nature. The entrepreneur would not be able to successfully run its business without the help of an appropriate marketing plan. Tastes and preferences of the individuals change drastically, when it comes to interior decorations. Thus, the mogul would face high expenses in business innovation and manufacture process. Moreover, the discounts offered by the potential rivals (Wal-Mart, Home-Depot) in the market would create price pressures on the entrepreneur. The cost of inputs (catalogue resources like pottery barn) used in interior decorations are also increasing with time. So, if the entrepreneur aspires to run its new business successfully he must set up an appropriate marketing plan for the business (SBA, 2013). The entrepreneur would never be able to fruitfully market its business services if the goals and objectives of the marketing plan are not set at the beginning. The goals and objectives of the marketing plan for the interior designing business are:- The desired objectives of the business plan should be measurable in terms of target. The target of 15% growth in sales and 10% growth in profit should be achievable in reality. The target should be attained in a span of say 5 years from the date of inception of the business. It is considered that the above mentioned objectives for the marketing plan are not only specific but also achievable for the business (Westwood, 2005). The interior designing business should offer excellent services to the business clients. The designing should not only be a mark of class, but should also be superior in terms of quality. The company should maintain admirably designed retail outlets and should offer other complementary services that would impress the clients. The

Coconut Tree Essay Example for Free

Coconut Tree Essay The coconut tree as a â€Å"tree of life† is characteristically a food supplier as this tree provides fruit and is well-known to be devoid of any anti-nutrient factors and is known as a whole food with 5,000 years of recorded use in food preparation with health benefits.The fruit is edible at any stage of maturity. It provides not only a solid food but a large volume of very safe and healthy drinking water-based juice. The fruit of the coconut palm is the main source of many food products such as coconut milk/cream, desiccated coconut, coconut chip, coconut water, nata de coco, coconut oil, copra, etc. Apart from these, the unopened inflorescence can produce coconut sap or toddy (tuba) which can be processed into high value and nutritious food products. Coconut sap sugar, considered to be one of the best natural sweeteners, is truly a perfect and healthier substitute for artificial sweeteners because it is not a product of chemical laboratories, not an artificial sweetener and not a by-product of sugar cane, not brown sugar nor muscuvado sugar. Coco sugar is good for both diabetic and non-diabetic consumers because it does not induce high blood sugar because it has a Low Glycemic index. Glycemic index (GI) is a numerical system of measuring how much of a rise in circulating blood sugar a carbohydrate triggers-the higher the number, the greater blood sugar response. So a low GI food will cause a small rise, while a high GI food will trigger the opposite. GI is about the quality of the carbohydrates, not the quantity. Coco sugar can be good for weigh maintenance. (Dr. Trinidad P. Trinidad, Scientist II of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute – Department of Science and Technology.) It is also rich in various amino acids, vitamins and minerals that are essential for the human body to benefit.

The Concrete And Fibre Reinforcement Construction Essay

The Concrete And Fibre Reinforcement Construction Essay CHAPTER 1 Within the following dissertation I aim to study the use of Fibre Reinforced Concrete within the construction industry. Over the last decade, fibre reinforced concrete (FRC) has become widely used in different structural and non-structural applications such as pavements, floors, overlays, industrial slabs and shotcrete linings etc where the major concern is toughness and first crack in flexure. It is estimated that more than 150 000 metric tonnes of FRC has been used throughout this duration of time. Particular focus will be made as to FRC within the construction industry whilst trying to identify what the future hold for this composite material. The question will be posed at to what the general consensus is within the construction industry in regard to the use of fibre reinforcement within concrete. 1.2 Concrete and Fibre Reinforcement Concrete is a material that is very strong in compression although is comparatively weak in tension. To compensate for this imbalance in the concretes behavior, an appropriate reinforcement must be cast into the concrete to help carry the tensile loads. Two forms of reinforcement commonly used are Steel Fabric (Rebar) reinforcement and Fibre reinforcement. Steel Fabric Rebar/Mesh has been used for many years in the construction industry to reinforce concrete and is usually made of carbon steel which is incorporated with ridges to help provide a better bond and adhesion to the concrete. As the rate that both steel and concrete expand and contract is the same this assists in eliminating any possible issues relating to any early signs of cracking within the concrete which could occur if the materials expanded and contracted contradictory to each other. This will assist in enhancing the overall strengthening of the structure. Rebar comes in various lengths and thicknesses to accommodate different types and sizes of jobs. These bars can be tied together to form a grid or cage, this is extremely effective for larger projects or alternatively mesh can be delivered in a variety of standard sheet sizes to site. An exciting alternative product to the above which could be used would be that of fibre reinforcement. The idea of using a fibrous material to provide tensile strength to a material strong in compression but brittle loses itself in the mists of time; in ancient Egypt straw was added to clay mixtures in order to provide brick with enhanced flexural resistance, thus providing better handling properties after the brick had dried in the sun. Fibre reinforced concrete is a composite material which entails a cementitious hydrated paste which is mixed with small reinforced filaments for instance glass, steel, polymer or carbon fibres which come in various shapes and sizes. The multiple fibres restructure the energy within the concrete, preventing the procedure of formation and extension of cracks. This helps to increase the ductility within the concrete whilst sustaining the residual capability during the post cracking period The fibres within the concrete literally bond the sides of a forming crack together at the same time as preventing any visual damage from becoming apparent Although FRC is an application that has been used extensively throughout Western Europe and beyond, its use within the UK has been somewhat restricted to the purpose of reinforcement within industrial floors as its main application. The absence of a recognizably accepted design standard may have an influence on the situation although calls are currently being made for clear industrial guidelines to be certified. The Concrete Society Technical Report 63 concentrates on any problematic issues and provides guidance for current and future design. All information and design aspects associated with fibre reinforcement are incorporated within the British Standard Institution. BS EN 14889, Fibres for concrete Part 1: Steel Fibres Definition, specifications and conformity. Part 2: Polymer Fibres Definition, specifications and conformity. 1.3 Aim The main aim of the following theses is to investigate and evaluate the various properties and functions of Fibre Reinforced Concrete (FRC) throughout the construction industry whilst giving consideration as to what lies ahead for the future of FRC. 1.4 Objectives To provide a historic overview of Concrete and Fibre Reinforcement. To identify and analyze the various types of fibre products available for concrete reinforcement. To establish possible concrete mix performance enhancements associated with FRC. To explore the Construction Management criteria within the industry in relation to the use of FRC. To highlight the future possibilities and potential that FRC has within the construction industry whilst seeking the views and opinions of various construction professionals. 1.5 Rationale for Research There are three main reasons why this particular topic has been chosen for this theses along with the required research which has been carried out, these are: A personal interest in the material of concrete along with its various functions and applications due to work experience gained in this field. An interest in new innovations being made available to the construction market which will enhance the overall application of the material. An aspiration to investigate whilst enhancing my current knowledge on the theory of FRC 1.6 Methodology Due to the nature of the topic to meet the aims and objectives previously set out for this thesis and to establish the direction for this piece of work information has been obtained from the following sources. Primary Literature Academic Research Journals (Refereed) Conferences / Seminars (Referred) Government Publications Technical Report Papers Secondary Literature Construction Journals Construction Textbooks Library Search Indexes and Abstracts Internet / World Wide Web Library Catalogue Case Study A case study of fibre reinforcement with regard to Construction Management criteria will also be analyzed via various site visits prior and during any works being carried out. This will provide a valuable insight as to how this product is perceived whilst strengthening the case for use in the future. Questionnaire Questionnaires will also be distributed to various Professional bodies influenced by the use of FRC within the construction industry. The methodology adopted is fully discussed afterwards in Chapter 4 along with the analysis of the research findings in Chapter 5. 1.7 Chapter Overview Chapter 1: Introduction Provide a brief introduction into the areas of study which has been identified by the author whilst outlining the main aims and objectives to be achieved in order to fulfill the research criteria. Chapter 2: Background for Study (Literature Search) A review of the relevant theory and recent / current publications associated with Fibre Reinforced Concrete will be used to obtain the necessary information required to establish the Aim and Objectives which have been prepared by the author. Chapter 3: Case Study On site Case Study (tbc) Chapter 4: Methodology An evaluation of the types of research and methodology methods carried out in order to achieve the aims and objectives previously stated. This will describe how and why the chosen research methods had been adopted. Chapter 5: Data Interpretation and Analysis This will consist of an analysis of the data and information generated from the questionnaire returns using relevant diagrams, tables and text to illustrate all findings. Chapter 6: Conclusions and Recommendations All findings from the research process will be compiled and it will be observed as to whether the main outlined objectives have been realized. Recommendations will also be given on areas of further research to enhance the material within the theses. CHAPTER 2 A REVIEW OF FIBRE REINFORCED CONCRETE 2.1 History of Concrete and Fibre Reinforcement. The history of composite materials started in ancient Egypt over 2000 years ago with mud bricks, reinforced with straw fibres. (Crowther, 2009) Concrete is the second most widely used material on earth after water (The Economist, 2006) Concrete is a building material composed of cement, aggregate sand and water, often with chemical admixtures and other materials (Stanley Bond, 1999). Its modern development spans less than 200 years with 1824 being the patent date associated with the first Portland cement, according to Binns (2002), which is one of the most important milestones in concretes history. Concrete is an ever present material and its versatility, comparative cheapness and energy efficiency have ensured that it is of great and increasing importance for all types of construction throughout the world. Many structures have concrete as their principal material, albeit as a composite with steel to give either reinforced or prestressed concrete, even in those structures where other materials such as steel or timber form the principal structural elements, concrete will normally still have an important role, for example in the foundations. In its simplest form, concrete is a mixture of cement, water and aggregates in which the cement and water have combined to bind the aggregate particles together to form a monolithic whole. (Illston Domone, 2001) (Sutherland, 2009) explains that even though our knowledge and understanding of the material is far from complete, and research continues, concrete has been successfully used in many cultures and in many civilisations. It is not just a modern material; the oldest concrete discovered so far is in southern Israel, and dates from about 7000 BC. It was used for flooring, and consists of quicklime, made by burning limestone, mixed with water and stone which set into a hardened material. Fibres mixed into the concrete can provide an alternative to the provision of conventional rebar or steel fabric mesh in some applications. The concept has been in existence for many years (the first patent was applied for in 1874) and it has been used in a range of applications: amongst the first major uses was the patching of bomb craters in runways during World War 2. However, it was during the 1970s that commercial use of this material began to gather momentum particularly in Europe, Japan and throughout America. (Clark, 2007) Crowther (2009) reiterates that throughout the 1960s research by various scientists which included Romauldi and Mandel who were industrial scientists, In the 1960s, studies by Industrial scientists Romauldi, Mandel and others, created the hypothetical and experimental foundations to help realise the development of a steel fibre product which could be used to as a means of reinforcing and strengthening concrete. In the early 1970s, James Romauldi who was initially involved in establishing the creation of the steel fibre patented the philosophy of steel fibre reinforced concrete, essentially inventing a new material for use within the construction industry. Throughout the 20th century the appliance of asbestos fibre cement was extremely common and extensively utilised whilst more recently it has continued with the use of highly developed carbon fibre substances which have previously been more associated within the specialised aerospace and automotive industries. Glass fibres were introduced and research continued into harnessing the properties of synthetic fibres such as polypropylene along with various other plastic materials. By 2000, the first macro fibre, concrete was ready for production from various suppliers. (Tarmac, 2009) Fibre reinforced concrete is employed around the world on major construction projects which involve infrastructure works, tunnel linings, marine environments, pre cast and insitu walling systems, low shrinkage thin screeds, sprayed concrete applications and significant reinforcement structures. Throughout the UK, its general application is in the use of large industrial concrete floors. Characteristics which are extremely beneficial following the installation of the floors is the improved in impact resistance, this helps minimise any possible unnecessary damage where high volumes of belligerent traffic is expected. The table below Figure 2 clearly shows how concrete is affected by the addition of fibres in various application fields: Table 1 Concrete improvement by fibres Application field Strength Cracking Wear Closure systems  Ã‚  Tunnels  Ã‚   Ã‚  Sole plates / cellar walls  Ã‚   Ã‚  Sewer systems / pipes  Ã‚   Ã‚  Precast elements  Ã‚   Ã‚  Toppings / wear layers  Ã‚   Ã‚  Roads / airfield paving  Ã‚   Ã‚  Industrial floors  Ã‚   Ã‚   Ã‚  Figure 1 2.2 Types of Fibre Products used For Concrete Reinforcement Although there are numerous fibre products on the market the most commonly used fibre types are shown and discussed below giving information on the producer of the fibre, its properties, fibre content in appliance along with the effects of the fibre type within the concrete matrix. 2.2.1 Steel Fibres Concrete containing steel fibres has been shown to have substantially improved resistance to impact and greater ductility of failure in compression, flexure and torsion. (ACI Special publication sp-44) (Bentur Mindess, 1990) claim that it was throughout the early 1900s that steel fibres were first introduced into being mixed with concrete to provide the required reinforcement. The early design of steel fibres was relatively simple and consisted of a rather plain round and smooth design which was cut to the necessary lengths. Only more recently has the introduction of hooked end, indented etched roughened surface, crimped and new polygonal twisted modern fibres have been introduced whilst the original smooth fibres have mainly disappeared. More up to date fibres which are available commercially are contrived from drawn stainless steel wire or by a melting and moulding process which produce fibres which have a crescent profile cross section. (Concrete Society TR 63, (2007)) points out that steel fibres are produced by various processes as discussed above and are supplied in many different shapes and sizes as is shown below in Figure 2. They may either be straight or deformed, however most are round in cross section with diameters between 25 and 60 mm. Steel fibres have a tensile strength typically 2-3 times greater than that of traditional fabric reinforcement and a significantly greater surface area (for a given mass of steel) to develop bond with the concrete matrix. Figure 2 (Neville, 1995) points out that the configurations of fibres can be either straight, continuous-deformed, or end formed as shown previous. Initially, straight fibers were the only configuration of steel fibers available. After further investigation it was quickly learned that there bonding potential was limited which restricted there expected contribution to the engineering properties of concrete. New products were developed to increase the bond between the fibre and concrete, the two best configurations which emerged were: A hooked end, draw wire fibre and a continuously deformed, slit sheet steel fibre. It was determined that the continuous deformed, slit sheet steel fibre provided better micro macro cracking performance as well as flexural strength enhancement, whereas the end deformed, drawn wire steel fibre performed best post first crack. As a feature of steel fibre reinforcement concrete its improved ductility helps to greatly enhance the application where impact resistance is important. The characteristic of fatigue resistance within the concrete is highlighted a being increased by up to 70%. (Clark, 2007) explains that the addition of steel fibres as supplementary reinforcement in concrete minimise the possibility of spalling of the concrete surface due to any inclement temperatures or weather conditions Some of the physical characteristics of fibres directly affect key aspects of concrete performance while others are less important. The factors considered to have the strongest influence on the performance of the steel fibre in concrete are: Bond and Anchorage mechanisms (e.g. straight or deformed shape, end cones or hooked ends) Fibre length and diameter. Dosage used in concrete pours. (kg/m3) Fibre count (number of fibres per kg of fibre), which is a function of fibre size and dosage. Tensile Strength Elastic Modulus (Hannant, D 2002) outlines that fibre reinforcement in concrete act in various ways. Firstly they can remove the formation and development of cracks due to early age plastic settlement and drying shrinkage. Secondly, they may provide a degree of post cracking load carrying capacity. The mechanisms are as follows: Steel fibres, being randomly distributed in the concrete, intercept micro cracks as they form, inhibiting the tendency for them to form into larger cracks. After cracking, the fibres spanning the crack will provide a residual load carrying capacity. The capacity can be considerable, depending on dosage and the type of fibre used. Following a shrinkage case study carried out by Propex concrete systems the photos below evaluate the initial 24 hours of curing time comparing a traditional reinforced slab with wire mesh against a fibre reinforced slab. The traditional (control) slab started to crack within 3 hours whilst the fibre reinforced slab continued to perform whilst maintaining its integrity, this is shown below in Figure 3. Cracks within the concrete which occur at an early stage will only endanger the reliability whilst preventing the concrete from ever attaining its maximum performance capability. Figure 3 The explanation for this early age damage to the slab is relatively simple traditional mesh refrains from functioning until there is movement within the slab and the concrete cracks, for there to be any possibility of the fibre mesh to work the slab would have to be designed ensuring that the mesh had been placed In the top third of the slab. As has been previously mentioned there are various shapes and sizes of steel fibres which are used two examples which are used within the construction of industrial floors are shown below in Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 4 shows four different shapes and sizes of fibre products which include smooth surface, indented etched, roughened surface and round with hooked ends which are the most commonly products used in regards to steel fabric reinforcement. Whereas Figure 5 gives a more in-depth description on the bundled hooked end product. 2.2.2 Synthetic Fibres Straight or deformed pieces of extruded, orientated and cut polymer material, generally polypropylene, that is suitable for mixing in concrete. Macro fibres have a diameter greater than 0.3mm; micro fibres have a smaller diameter (ACIFC, 2007) (Concrete Societys TR66, 2007) considers that polymer fibres can be described and categorised into the following: Macro synthetic fibres which are generally greater than 0.3mm in diameter and are used where an increase in post cracking flexural strength is required. Macro synthetic fibres can be incorporated within the design of structural concrete. Micro Synthetic Fibres are relatively similar to the previously mention Macro synthetic fibres although they are smaller in size along with the inability to fulfil any structural role within any concrete design. Characteristics of this type of fibre include the ability to reduce the instance of plastic shrinkage cracking along with acting as an enhancement for freeze thaw resistance. References: Illston, J.M. and Domone, P.L.J. (2001) Construction Materials There Nature and Behavior 3rd Edition. P91. Spon Press. Sutherland, M. (2009) Concrete Engineering International Volume 13 Number 2. Summer 2009. The Concrete Society Romtech. (2009) Technical Support Products accessed 30th October at http://www.rom.co.uk/products.aspx Crowther, D. (2009) Concrete for the Construction Industry Journal Volume 43 Number 3 April 2009. The Concrete Society. Clark, J. (2007) Technical Report No. 63 Guidance for The Design of Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete. Camberley Hannant, D, Fibres in concrete A Perspective. Concrete, Vol. 36, No 8, September 2002, pp 40 43. Tarmac. (2009) Topforce Fibre Reinforced Concrete accessed 12 November at www.tarmaconline.com//0982%20Tarmac%20Fibre%20Reinforced%20Concrete%20Brochure.pdf. Propex. (2006) Propex Concrete Systems accessed 13 November at www.CS-500_Propex%20Concrete%20Systems%20Brochure_Jul%2006 (1).Pdf. Anon., (2006). Concrete Possibilities. Economist Technology Monthly. The Economist, 380 (23 September), p32. Anon., (1972). American Concrete Institute, an International Symposium: Fibre Reinforced Concrete, Detroit: ACI, 1974. (ACI Special Publication SP-44)

Human Resources Management Reform in Chinese Banking

Human Resources Management Reform in Chinese Banking The Human Resources Management Reform in Chinese Banking A case of Bank of China Chapter 1: Introduction Challenge to Chinese Banking December 11, 2001, after 15 years of arduous negotiations, China officially access to the WTO. On the hundreds of pages of Chinas WTO accession Protocol, the financial services trade is the most important part of it and gets the most attractions from all sectors of the community. Since then, Chinas financial opening was provided to an external accelerator and timetable. The all-round opening up of Chinas financial industry era has begun. Until the end of 2005, 16 Chinese banks introduced foreign strategic investors and a total of 71 foreign banks from 20 countries and regions had set up 238 operational entities in China. Foreign banks enter the Chinese banking sector has always been the impact of the banking industry, academia and regulatory agencies pay close attention to the problem. Gains and risks on both sides of a coin, the Chinese foreign capital into the banking sector in the enjoyment of the proceeds must also face the attendant challenges. Compare to foreign banks, Chinas banking sector is still in a very traditional approach to management, backward technology, simple business method, single-species products and obsolete business concepts. In a long term, Chinese government takes bank as a very important part of the National Economic Sectors; therefore, four state-owned banks enjoy the monopoly state in China. Chinese government set a set of policies to protect the development of these banks. Now, Chinas accession to the WTO situation, the traditional banking sector faces a foreign financial industry developed into one of the great challenges. In that case, it is urgent need for them to present the financial industry for rapid reform and the development orientation should conform to the world development trend. In the face of the challenges of the circumstances, Chinas banking sector began one after another round of reforms, changes in business philosophy, business form and management form, and so on. 1.2 Aim of the Dissertation This paper through analysis the recruitment and selection situation and human resource reform in Bank of China is to explore the human resource reform experiences and the development of human resource management in Chinese banking and it also could be a good reference to the whole Chinese banks. The aim of the research is therefore to understand the challenges with foreign banks entry into China and the current development of human resource management situation in Chinese banking. Furthermore, the human resource reform in Bank of China invited an American consultancy company as the councilor. There is no doubt saying it would begin to practice more western human resource management methods to manage this traditional state-owned bank which in a long time is considered as in a conservative industry area in China. On one hand, these advanced western human resources concepts are introduced to China. they have to pursue their rules in line with the Chinese legislations and current situation. Therefore, related to the real situation and pool of candidates on Chinese banking to study the manipulation and transfer of recruitment and selection practices in Bank of China will help us come to further understand the development human resource management situation on Chinese Banking, especially the development of recruitment and selection field. From it we can know in what aspects the western recruitment and selection practices are more rational and scientific than Chinese local enterprises. On the other hand, these methods always implemented by foreign banks in their parent-country and now are transferred and practiced by a representative Chinese character banks. Obviously, it also could be a good reference and experience to foreign banks who want to enter into the Chinese market. In a word, this study seeks to fill the gap by evaluating the western recruitment and selection practices in China and provide a new perspective to Chinese local banks and foreign banks how to introduce these practices and manipulate them. Chapter 2: Literature Review Long Yongtu, Chinas point man on WTO negotiations, said, as the people, enterprises also need external pressure could push them ahead. If there no pressure comes from outside, Chinas enterprises is impossible to form. After Chinas accession to the WTO, the enterprises have to face a considerable external pressure and force them taking the path of internationalization and enhance their competitiveness. Unlike the overall economy, due to relatively weak foundation, the financial services industry will face more pressures, but in the medium and long term it will benefit more. According to Premier Zhu Rongji s words, there are pros and cons for financial opening to the outside world. If we can do a good job, the advantages would outweigh the disadvantages. The so-called do a good job, can not be limited to the impact of the simple response, but conversion mechanism, update the system and improving the competitiveness in a comprehensive way. 2.1 The Status Quo and Opening- Up Process of Chinese Banking From 1949 to the 1970s, Chinas banking sector under the planned economic system running, four state-owned commercial banks play the key role of specialized banks in Chinese banking sector. The late 1980s, the new commercial banks and non-banking financial institutions had set up. Some of the newly established commercial banks, now known as the other nationwide commercial banks, allowed providing nationwide commercial banking services, while some commercial banks only allowed operating in the local market. After Chinas accession to WTO, Chinese banking launched a comprehensive joint-stock reform and the successful listing. They through improve corporate governance, develop strategies, operate performance to reduce the ever-narrowing gap with the advanced international banks. Since 2003, four former state-owned commercial banks (Bank of China, Peoples Construction Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China) pattern no longer exists. The U.S. Gold man Sachs share the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Royal Bank of Scotland share Bank of China, and Bank of America also become the one shareholder of Peoples Construction Bank of China. At present the only state-owned Agricultural Bank of China whose shareholding system reform is now in progress. In future, there will be no state-owned commercial banks in China. Actually, as an important component part of Open-door policy, China has opened the door to foreign banks since 1979. At the end of September 2001, foreign banks operating in China, a total of nearly 190 institutions, of which 158 branches, corporate bodies 19, two branches 13. Foreign banks total assets reach 44 billion U.S. dollars, 18.6 billion U.S. dollars loans, deposits 6.5 billion U.S. dollars, capital (including working capital) 3 billion U.S. dollars. 31 foreign banks have been permitted to conduct RMB business, including 23 in Shanghai, 8 in Shenzhen, with total assets of RMB 41 billion Yuan. In market share, foreign banks were up to 20% and 30% in foreign exchange loans and international settlement business areas. The speed of Chinese banking sector opening up, from a global perspective, still is a faster as well. Although many developed countries has joined the WTO and signed the terms of trade in services, they still not yet open up the domestic currency business to forei gn banks and the implementation of geographical restrictions. According to Chinas WTO accession protocol, in the financial services industry, the banking sector is completely open commitment: (1) Prudent business of issuing permits. It means there are not economic needs tests or quantitative restrictions in the business license. After Chinas accession to WTO 5 years later, they should abolish all the existing ownership, management, foreign financial institutions and enterprises to establish branches of the non-permission of prudent measures. That is, when foreign banks apply for the establishment of branches, the Peoples Bank of China in addition to carefully follow the standards can not set other restrictions. Foreign banks set up business outlets in the city, with the approval conditions of Chinese domestic bank. (2) The timely opening of foreign exchange business. Chinas accession to the WTO, foreign financial institutions will be fully liberalized to foreign exchange business and the abolition geographical and customer restrictions. In other words, once accession to the WTO, China will allow foreign banks to all customers (including Chinese-funded enterprises and Chinese residents) operating all foreign exchange operations (including the companys business and retail business). (3) The phased opening of RMB business. For foreign banks RMB business in China will grant to open 20 cities in four years. Five years later, they will abolish all geographical restrictions for foreign banks. In the service targets, two years after accession, foreign banks would be allow to handle RMB business with enterprises in 12 cities of China. After five years accession, foreign banks would be allowed to provide services for customers in all China. (4) Financial advisory business categories timely open. Since the date of accession to the WTO, foreign institutions can be obtained the right to engage in related business deposits and loans, financial leasing, pay for all the designated services, security and acceptance, the company mergers and acquisitions, securities investment advisory, brokerage and other ancillary services in China. That is to say, joining the WTO 5 years later, there are no differences in service area and service object between Chinese domestic financial institutions and foreign financial institutions. Chinese government made an important commitment to realize trade liberalization, opening up the domestic market and in accordance with international practices which go beyond the general peoples expectations. 2.2 Human Resource Management in Foreign Banks As an increasing number of foreign banks enter the Chinese market, the content and the extent of competition crossing international borders has surged dramatically to Chinese banking. The competitive advantages of foreign banks mainly reflected in: financial advantages, institutional advantages, the network edge, technological advantages, innovative advantages and business strengths. Foreign banks expand their business in China, the biggest obstacle for them it is not familiar with the local situation, and therefore, the only way to take the short cut is to achieve the management of localization, because of their well-known local business, market information, public relations, skills of the management of state-owned commercial banks, and the most pressing needs of local people. Thus, human resource management inevitably becomes one of the most important fields of this competition. Especially, accompanied by the increase of foreign banks, they need to recruit more and more qualified m embers from local labour market. In China, owing to these foreign banks competitive salary, systematic career planning, good work condition, and oversea work opportunity .etc; their recruitment always attracts many most excellent peoples attentions. It is, thus, imperative for Chinese banks to attract, select, develop and retain best employees who can live and work effectively in this international competitive circumstance. However, Chinas historical development, political structure and culture influence its business philosophy and management way. Therefore, some standardized recruitment and selection methods developed in western have to be modified according to Chinese situation. They need more reform experiences and practical opportunity. In that case, the study of recruitment and selection practices of Chinese banking, actually, illustrates how to implemented western advanced practices under conditions of high cultural and institutional distance country. Human resource management is a systematic management relevant to recruitment and selection, training and development, performance, and rewards. All of these areas are mutual influence, interrelation and thus constitute a complete set of human resources management system. Human resources reform is in this interaction, and mutual contact conducted, thereby improving overall organizational performance, enhancing the effective and efficient of all the organization. Therefore, although this paper more concentrates on recruitment and selection area, it still will contain other areas of human resource management reform content in many places. Chapter 3: Methodology and Research Design 3.1 Research Questions Chapter 4: Case Study and Discussion 4.1 Introduction Bank of China, as one of the four state-owned commercial banks, like the other Chinese state-owned enterprises, it also constrained by its obsolete institutions and management in a long time. However, on the list of The Ideal Employer for Chinese Graduates released by Swedish Universum Communications specialized in employer brand management, Bank of China always looms over the whole list in recently years. In 2005, surpassing such transnational banks as CitiBank, HSBC and Deutsche Bank, it tops all financial enterprises. What makes the Bank of China be able to compete successfully with these foreign banks? What is the Bank of China to surpass those of foreign banks preferential treatment salaries and oversea opportunities and finally to choose it? As the major part of the stock holding system reform, the reform of human resource management in Bank of China is a most profound, most complex and most arduous one. Early in 2003, Bank of China had invited famous American consultancy company as the councilor of human resource reform. Combining with the banks actual situation and local experiences, they had worked out human resource reform program and practice scheme after repeated argumentations and revisions. In August 2004, human resource reform at the head office level was carried out. At the end of 2004, pilot reforms were conducted in its two branches in Jiangsu Province and Sichuan Province respectively. In 2005, human resource reform was implemented throughout its system in a full scale. The human resource reform in Bank of China is so spectacular that it is indeed quotable for other domestic banks. This chapter will concentrate on the analysis of interview and documents findings in order to explore the recruitment and selection situation in Chinese banking sector as well as the development of relevant human resource management policy in Chinese banking. The other concern of this research is to compare the gap and the differences of human resource management practices between Chinese banks and foreign banks. Interviewees were selected from all levels of the hierarchy and different banks of various ownerships in order to acquire more reliable primary data and more varied opinions within the Chinese banking. 4.2 Background to Bank of China Bank of China is one of Chinas four state-owned commercial banks. Its businesses cover commercial banking, investment banking and insurance. Members of the group include BOC Hong Kong, BOC International, BOCG Insurance and other financial institutions. The Bank provides a comprehensive range of high-quality financial services to individual and corporate customers as well as financial institutions worldwide. In terms of tier one capital, it ranked 18th among the worlds top 1,000 banks by The Banker magazine in 2005. Over the past century, Bank of China played an important role in Chinas financial history. It was established in February 1912 and is Chinas most long-standing history of the bank. During 1912 to 1949, the functions of the Bank of China have changed three times. From 1912 to 1928, Bank of China was the central bank of that time. In 1928 it was changed to the concessionaire of the international exchange bank. In 1942, Bank of China became the professional development of international trade banks. As the pillar of the countrys financial industry, Bank of China was committed to serving the public and developing the domestic financial sector. During these volatile years, the Bank strived to expand its presence in the market by prudent operation and aggressive reform, leading the market in many areas of its operations for a long period. Having branched out into overseas market, the Bank opened a brilliant chapter in Chinas modern and contemporary banking history. 1949 founding of the PRC, the new Chinese government took over the Bank of China and in December the same year the headquarters of the Bank of China moved to Beijing from Shanghai. Bank of China in 1950 under the management of the Peoples Bank of China head office leadership. October 27, 1953 the Central Peoples Government Cabinet announced the statute of Bank of China and specifically endowed the Bank of China as the Peoples Republic of China Cabinet Chartered Banks foreign exchange professional. From then on, Bank of China became the state-designated specialized foreign exchange bank and substantially contributed to development of foreign trade and the national economy. In 1994 and following the entrenchment of the reform of the financial sector, Bank of China was converted from a state-owned specialized bank into a wholly state-owned commercial bank. Together with the other three wholly state-owned commercial banks, it constituted pillars of the countrys financial industry. As a Chinese financial institution with a history of almost a hundred years, the Bank is well known for its continuous business innovations, introducing many brand new products and services in the domestic banking industry. It is widely recognized and commended by its peers and customers in international settlement, foreign exchange, trade finance, etc. In 2003, it was named by the State Council as one of the pilot banks for joint-stock reform of wholly state-owned commercial banks. In order to develop itself into an internationally competitive modern joint-stock commercial bank, with the capital adequacy, strict internal control, safe operations, good service and efficiency, building international competitiveness of the modern joint-stock commercial banks objectives, Bank of China further improved the corporate governance mechanism, strengthened risk management and internal control system, integrated management Processes and business processes, promoted human resources management re form, speed up product innovation and service innovation, and steadily push forward joint-stock transformation. In 2004, the Bank of China from state-owned commercial banks overall restructuring for the state-controlled joint-stock commercial banks, known as the Bank of China Limited. In 2005, Bank of China introduces the Royal Bank of Scotland and Temasek, and other strategic investors. In October 2005, the Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC announced a $3.1 billion investment which would give the British bank control of just under 10 percent stake in the Bank of China. Further investments were made by Swiss bank UBS AG, and by Temasek Holdings Pte. Ltd, who also promised to subscribe for an additional $500 million worth of shares during Bank of Chinas initial public offering. In 2006, the Bank of China listed on June 1 in the main board of Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It was the largest IPO in the world since 2000, and the fourth largest IPO in the world ever, raising some US$9.7 billi on in the H-share Global Offering. The Over-Allotment Option was then exercised on June 7, 2006, raising the total value of their IPO to US$11.2 billion. In July 5, it listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. It successfully made the largest IPO in mainland China on July 5, 2006, by offering up to 10 billion A-shares on the Shanghai A Stock Exchange, or up to RMB20 billion. These were priced at RMB3.00 per share. In 2007, the Bank of China and Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) cooperated to the public private banking business of Bank of China. All of these reform and incorporation make it turn a new chapter in its history and signal a huge step forward in becoming a modern joint stock commercial bank with good corporate governance practices. Furthermore, Bank of China is the most internationalized commercial bank in China. BOC London Branch, the first overseas branch of the Chinese banks, was established in 1929. From then on, the Bank successively opened branches in global financial centers, and has built up its network in 27 countries and regions. Currently, it had over 10000 domestic operations and over 600 overseas operations. In 1994 and 1995, Bank of China became the note issuing bank in Hong Kong and Macao respectively. It was the first among Chinese banks to recruit international experts and to introduce modern business management concepts into its operations with a view to become a premiere international bank. It has received wide recognition from its peers, customers and authoritative media for the credit and performance it achieved in past years. It has been awarded Best Bank in China and Best Domestic Bank in China by Euromoney for eight times; it has been included in the Fortune Global 500 for 16 consecutive years; in addition, it was awarded Best Domestic Bank in China by The Asset, awarded Best Trade Finance Bank in China and Best Foreign Exchange Bank in China by Global Finance, and awarded the Top 10 Product Service Enterprises in China by Far Eastern Economic Review; since BOC Hong Kong was restructured and listed in the Hong Kong stock market, it has been the winner of many significant awards, including Best IPO Investor Relation Award issued by the Investor Relations Magazine and Best Transactions and Best Privatization Award issued by Asian Finance. 4.3 The Challenges and Problems There are gains and risks on both sides of a coin. Chinas banking sector in the enjoyment of foreign capital into the revenue, it must also face the attendant challenges from it. The author is known as its challenge rather than risk or defects, because these challenges from the competitions of foreign banks is an integral part of the main power of Chinese banks reform. The only choice is to take the initiative to actively fight. For a long time solely state-owned banks have absolute monopoly position in China, although such a monopoly can get benefits from its scale. However, its survival and development is formed under the planned economy of monopoly and depend on policy and the protection of the state, which resulted in Chinas financial markets both single and thin. Chinas banking industry, especially the four major state-owned commercial banks, has long been regarded as a government-driven development of the countrys economic engine. They had to implement of considerable mandate of government policies, including investment loans, interest-free and low-interest loans, veterans resettlement and local governments intervention. Someone describe the state-owned banks as a dinosaur, because the death of dinosaur is too much energy consumption and too slow response. When the enemy bites the tail of the dinosaur, it will need five minutes to convey this message to the brain, and then five minutes time to make a c ounterattack. If Chinese banks do not get rid burden, in the face of the competition of foreign banks, it is bound in a passive position. According to the statistics, to the end of 2001, the four major banks have over 100 million employees and per capita profit is only 16,700 yuan, while foreign-invested banks in the number though much less, but in the same period the per capita profits 270,300 yuan which is 16 times of state-owned banks. Now, the banks historical burden was getting heavier and heavier. Access to foreign banks, the existence of such a burden, Chinas banks would lose the conditions for equal competition, in a very disadvantaged position. Lack of flexibility of their personnel system and institutional setup is extremely unreasonable. Like other state-owned enterprises, Bank of China also constrained by its rigid personnel system. Because ownership is not clear, the banks policy-makers and operators are the same members. The lack of the necessary internal control mechanisms resulted in lower levels of management, lax management. Their assessment is not operated on actual performance-based, but in line with the government officials ranks, that is, the higher your position are and the better your assessment result can get. Furthermore, they designed banks job description and ranks according to the State Civil Service series. On the other hand, banks at all levels in the institutions set up on the still-led administration and management level was complexity. Compared to western commercial banks focus on customer relationship management, such pyramid-like and multi-level administrative management had proved their effects v ary widely. Specific to the area of human resources management, mainly concentrated in the areas ¼Ã… ¡ First is the traditional orientation of Human resources Management Department. The traditional orientation of Human Resources Management Department of Bank of China is only a personnel department. The majority of works remain in the management people and other affairs and it mainly reflected in attendance, personnel file management, pay and benefits, and some other traditional work. The foreign banks have taken Human Resources departments in a clear strategic position which take on the major functions of personnel training and development and as the important guarantee of banks core competitiveness. The main reasons of this difference lies in the banks human resources is not the end results of competition in the market and personnel training, lack of market concepts, leading to large-scale and very difficult to promote change. Second is the difference in personnel recruitment and deployment of standards and evaluation of the value. In a long term, Bank of China takes the management responsibility of foreign currency exchange. It is a commercial bank and also is a part of government. In that case, it shows strong administration tendency. One of main representations is the recruitment and deployment is under the unified management and distribution of its head office or regional branchs human resources management department. The actual needs are poorly understood and valued more than diploma and the past experiences. However, foreign banks have their own recruitment of competent model for quality standards, according to the requirements of jobs analysis on-demand recruitment. They focus on candidates practical work capability and potential, more concerned whether candidates match with the organisation. There are survey shows that foreign banks in the recruitment process always use talent measurement tools and pay much attention to staffs personalities, especially the values of the match with organizations. Third is the difference in the understanding strategic significance of training. Although Bank of China has its own training base and develop training programme, it was taken as the main function forms sticking to the training books and classroom teaching model and following the what is lacking and what will teach in school practice. It only focused on the surface of the master work skills and ignored the staff own development and value-added value. The quality of the staff can not be matched with market demand. The former president of Chase Manhattan once said, Only by allowing banks to advance the personnel development to the business development, can more quickly adapt to the international financial markets and to develop. Under the guidance of such concept, during the training of the current work, these foreign banks also pay more attention to the quality of staff training and development potential. With each individual staffs situation, training program also need be intent tail ored and help them achieve career goals. In training, teaching experiments, simulations, the network learning, and other new educational methods are widely used. The difference over the foreign banks will be mainly due to the attitude to the people, that is, foreign banks take talents as a strategic and scarcity of resources and the ongoing effective staff training and development of competition in the international banking is an important component of the strategy and also is one of the most important strategic investment. Take Citigroup as an example, it establishes a special institution and equipped with full-time staff with responsibility for training. According to different posts and the personal characteristic of staff, they develop detailed training programme and take the appropriate incentive measures to promote and guarantee staff training. Citibanks Shanghai branch, the per capita cost of training is more than 17,000 yuan and in the Bank of China, the training costs of Sha nghai Branch per capita is less than 500 yuan. The main reason of this situation is they still take training as a cost Spending. On training and curriculum design is very arbitrary and even that on several occasions Dangke can also replace part of the training target. Fourth is the difference in performance management and performance assessment. Performance Evaluation is the core of modern human resources management issue. It not only provides important information basis for the distribution and selection of personnel, but also is considered as a strong incentive for the staff (Michael, 2008). State-owned commercial banks as a financial enterprise, its operating profit maximization is their goal, thus human resources management should be subordinated to and serves this business objective. However, the state-owned commercial banks have not established a systematic, scientific and reasonable performance appraisal system. First, there are not distinguish between the different categories of staff posts in the evaluation, but they adopted the moral character, ability, diligence, achievements, these relatively abstract and difficult to quantify the indicators to evaluate. Even, they had not yet been standard analysis of jobs. It presents in there are no standard title to regulate all types of positions and no uniform standard job descriptions, so that the staff responsibilities of different positions is very fuzzy; Third, the evaluation index system in the absence of key performance indicators (KPI indicators), in particular, guard against and defuse financial risks has not yet fully reflected in the evaluation of specific indicators in the evaluation. In addition, the performance evaluation of the results did not become the direct indicator of employees pay and rewards, job changes and incentives. Performance evaluation is often a mere formality and away from the commercial banks operating objectives. As one of the state-owned Banks, Bank of China also got into this trap in a long time. They thought performance management is the regular staff evaluation that the bonuses were paid to staff and provide the basic references for promotion, that is, simply equate performance management with performance evaluation. Generally, appraisal objective was set by the bank unilaterally and the staffs can only passively accept. Therefore, it often for the evaluation and assessment ignored the real purpose of the examination, that is, raise the level of individual performance of staff. In addition, the unscientific assessment standards and methods and the ineffective implementation of the results of the evaluation made the performance appraisal could not play their due role. The cause of the gap is also the main reason for the management of Chinese banks, the strong bureaucracy and lack of the necessary lines of communication between management and staff. In the course of investigation, the author also learn that in three years ago, in one county branch of Bank of China, subsidiary manager of this branch submitted his resignation after this

John Miltons Struggle With Society Essay -- Biography Biographies Ess

John Milton's Struggle With Society John Milton, unlike so many other authors and public figures during the English Civil War, is remarkably easy to place within a historical context. As a vocal supporter of the Commonwealth, Milton left a great deal of information and writings behind to explain precisely how he fit into 17th century England. As Secretary for Foreign Tongues, or Latin Secretary, he worked closely with many of the foremost members of the anti-monarchial regime, such as Oliver Cromwell. As politically active as he was, Milton was equally vocal on matters of religion; he was prolific in his writings against both the Catholic and Apostolic churches. Milton's beliefs and political views were diverse and unique; thus, as Andrew Milner is quoted in Thomas Corn's work, Milton was, "in fact, an Independent pure and simple" (113). Though Milton's political, social, and religious views are made stunningly clear through an examination of the large body of evidence he left behind, it remains difficult to comprehend the significance of his major epics, including Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, and Samson Agonistes. While they are undoubtedly significant as reflections on biblical stories, there seems to be a deeper significance that relates directly to Milton's political and religious beliefs. Indeed, it seems clear that Milton intended not merely to retell the biblical stories, but to infuse them with significance beyond mere religion. In order to understand most anything about Milton, one must first understand Milton's world; one must understand the English Revolution and its historical roots. The revolution began in 1579 with the reformation parliament that formed under Henry VIII. Though parliament itself w... ...d Corns, Thomas N. "'Some rousing motions': the plurality of Miltonic ideology." Literature and the English Civil War. Ed. Thomas Healy, Jonathan Sawday. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. 110-126. Fallon, Robert Thomas. "A Second Defence: Milton's Critique of Cromwell?" Milton Studies 39 (2000): 167-83. ---. Divided Empire: Milton's Political Imagery. University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1995. Hill, Christopher. Milton and the English Revolution. New York: Viking, 1977. Knoppers, Laura Lunger. Historicizing Milton: Spectacle, Power, and Poetry in Restoration England. Athens: The University of Georgia Press, 1994. McAdams, James R. "The Pattern of Temptation in Paradise Regained." Milton Studies 4 (1972): 177-93. Orgel, Stephen, and Jonathan Goldberg, eds. John Milton. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Â