Strategic HRM

Question: Discuss about theStrategic HRM. Answer: Introduction This report is based on the case study of a music company named Galaxy music. The case study is based on implementation of international human resource management on the operations of organization. The report basically describes about the challenges and problems a company faces during the international business. According to the case study, there is a company named Galaxy music which operates in various countries i.e. USA, UK and Germany with enormous freedom. Tom Black is newly appointed president of the company and he is trying hard to bring some changes within the company. Before doing changes in the company, he conducts a meeting with all senior managers of the company. The reason of changes is that the company is doing a decentralized, federated structured business with geographic territories. According to the president the company should expand its business internationally with the view of think global and act local (Saintilan et al, 2013). To operate in the international market, company has to face some major challenges such as staying responsive to local market, in which the company is working, control the foreign operations, coordination with foreign units, and focus on short term operations with a view of competitiveness in market (Fletcher Crawford, 2013). Galaxy music is trying to move in international market where each had a power to operate its business and make own business decisions in terms of who to record or tour, and which artist to support etc. Strength and Weakness of Centralization vs. Decentralization at Galaxy Centralized structure means one individual to make decision and provide direction to the company. This structure is used by the small businesses because there is one owner who is responsible for the operations of the business (Friedman, 2011). On the other hand, in decentralized business structure, there is more than one person who takes the decision of the company. There are different level in a business and every person take decision on the basis of his level in the organization. Both the structure is important for the organization. Centralized business has a particular mission, vision and objectives for managers and employees created by the business owner. In decentralized business, organization utilizes the manpower according to their expertise and knowledge for running the business. Managers in broad management team ensure to handle the various types of business operations and success of company (Ferrell Fraedrich, 2009). Galaxy Music Company is decentralized company. It has its branches in different countries such as USA, UK and Germany. Because of the decentralizations in company, the company has some strengths and weakness. The strengths and weakness of the company are described below: Strength: Galaxy Music company is decentralized and the plus point is that company allows more people to give use their skills and experience in decision making related to new projects and expansion in international market. Because of decentralization structure, there is no burden of responsibility on one manager for all operating activities (Hales, 2006). For example, there are different manager for the project of different countries. Katie Jamieson is the manager of US marketing and Philippe Collard is the managing director for Galaxy France. Both are looking of different projects for the company. In the company, the power is distributed among many persons. By the case study, it can be seen that newly appointed president is conducting a meeting regarding operational activities of the company to know the viewpoints of all managers. By knowing the viewpoints, President will be able to take those decisions which will be fruitful for the company. By the decentralized structure, company is trying to engage more people in decision making process. It will improve the belief of employees towards the company (Rao, Narayana, 2007). Weakness: In spite of benefits and strengths, there are some weaknesses due to decentralized structure in Galaxy Music Company. By the analysis of case study, it can be seen that there is a lack of uniformity of standards and policies among the managers of the company. The managers are not interested to participate in decision making process (Jackson Morgan, 2004). The example can be seen when the meeting was conducted. The president wanted to know about their views but some of the managers were busy in their phones. They were not listening properly what the president is saying. There is one more drawback because of decentralized structure that it is creating problems in coordination with the managers because the viewpoints of managers are different and all are corrects according to their perception. So, it will create lots of problem for president in taking right decision (Cistulli, 2002). The differentiation in the perception of managers can create conflicts among them. For example, president wanted to expand the business with local market but one of the managers did not agree with his point. He gave his argument that it is not possible to enter in different market with the local market. According to him, Galaxy Music Company is a local company and it will not be able for the company to take own decisions by entering in new world. In such case, all the authority is in the hand of lower level managers and the president will be left no authority. He cannot do changes according to his viewpoints. Things could Galaxy do to Ease the Tension Between International Office and Operating Companies Galaxy Music Company is local company operating its business with local opportunities, taste and local talent. Due to decentralized structure of the business, company is far away to achieve some business purpose. Managers are not ready to move internationally because they thought they are local business players. To reduce the problem between the international office and operating companies, Galaxy Music Company can adopt some strategic human resource plans. The president of the company also suggested thinking global and acting local. The company can adopt the People strategy process to reduce the tension. People strategy process will help the manager to understand the business model and capability of business (Paauwe, 2004). The steps which can be adopted by company are described below: The company should give a clear business model and strategy to win the market. It can be seen by the case that managers are not sure about the project of geographical companies because they dont have clear business strategy. They all are thinking about making money (Guest, Paauwe Wright, 2012) There should be clear and specified organizational business capabilities to operate the business strategy made by the company. In the case study, the marketing director of the company is handling a project in France. According to him, the project which the company is starting in France will not get success because there is no respect of such type of projects in France. This will be the wastage of money. If there would be clear strategy for the project and clear view of capability in business model, the manager will complete this project with positive view and surety (Jackson, 2004). The company should design a proper and appropriate HR practices for the managers. Proper HR practices will help managers to identify their capabilities to fulfill the projects. In the lack of proper HR practices, manager are not trying to do hard work. This is the reason that the company is far away from its target and there is tension between international office and geographical offices (Andresen Nowak, 2015). The president of the company should find right persons to operate in global market. Although one of the managers is against to hire new people. Company needs to focus on centrally authorized, policies and strategies plans to develop everything and everyone. Company can use 7-S model framework to develop the effective strategy (Michalski, 2011). Figure 1: 7-S framework (Source: Michalski, 2011) The model is called The McKinsey7-S Framework. It is designed to frame the proper and clear strategy for the business. The design policies fall into seven categories. The first is strategy which determines direction. Second category is system which determines process within organization. Third category is staff which refers to people, skill sets and mindset within the organization. Fourth category is style, which determines the leadership adopted by the organization. Fifth category in the model is skills that refer to proper skills of the employees and managers working for the company. Sixth category is structure which determines the way of structure of organization and the position of decision making power i.e. who reports to whom. And the last one is shared value which determines the core values of the company that shows the work culture and business ethics of the organization. This model can be helpful to identify the needs to improve the performance and to maintain the performance during the change. For performing well, company must follow this model. This model is helpful to identify the current situation and the future situation of the company and tries to fill the gap between these situations (Basu, 2004). Conclusion By the analysis of case study, it has been observed that Galaxy music company is a decentralized company and the decision making power is not in hand of higher authority. There are several managers for different projects there are different views on one decision. Along with this, there is a lack of coordination among the managers and result is that no one is serious for the issues raised by the president. By the above discussion, it has been analyzed that managers of the company need proper strategy planning and appropriate business model. By the proper strategy, they will be able to identify their capabilities regarding work. Company needs to make a proper framework for the managers and operations of the business. An effective framework of business strategy will push managers towards their goals and they will start thinking over money. In the McKinsey7-S Framework, seven catagories will help company to increase capability of the employees so that they start to think global and work local. References Saintilan, P., Cecillon, JF., Smellie, M., Cannon, R., (2013). Music Organisation Case studies. Retrieved on 10th Sept. 2016 from file:///C:/Users/Guest/Downloads/950723_1132165658_TheInternationalMeetingCase.pdf Fletcher, R., Crawford, H., (2013). International Marketing: An Asia-Pacific Perspective. AU: Pearson Higher Education Friedman, F., (2011). Friedman's Practical Guide To Environmental Management (11th). West Academic Ferrell, O.C., Fraedrich, J., (2009). Business Ethics. USA: Cengage Learning Hales, C., (2006). Managing Through Organization. Singapore: Routedge Rao, V.S.P., Narayana, P.S., (2007), Organization theory and behavior (2nd). IND:Konark Jackson, J.H., Morgan, C.P., (2004). Organization theory: a macro perspective for management. USA: Prentice-Hall Cistulli, V.,(2002). Environment in Decentralized Development.UNR: Food Agriculture Org Paauwe, J,. (2004). HRM and Performance: Achieving Long-term Viability. NY: Oxford University Press Inc. Guest, D.E., Paauwe, J., Wright, P., (2012). HRM and Performance: Achievements and Challenges. US: John Wiley Sons Jackson, T., (2004). International HRM: A Cross-Cultural Approach. UK: SAGE Publications Andresen, M., Nowak, C., (2012). Human Resource Management Practices: Assessing Added Value. NY: Springer Michalski, A., (2011). The McKinsey 7-S Framework. GRIN Verlag Basu, R., (2004). Implementing Quality: A Practical Guide to Tools and Techniques. USA: Thmson Learning

Throughout history, Taoism has been one of the mos Essay Example For Students

Throughout history, Taoism has been one of the mos Essay t influentialreligions of Eastern culture. This is certainly one of the most uniqueof all religions. Many Taoists, in fact, do not even consider it areligion; and in many ways it is not. Taoists make no claim that theTao exists.1 That is what essentially separates Taoism from the rest ofthe world religions: there is no heated debate or battle over Taoistdoctrine; there have been no crusades to spread the religion. The veryessence of Taoism is quite the opposite. Taoisms uniqueness andopen-endedness have allowed the religion to flourish almost undisturbedand unchanged for over two thousand years. The founder of Taoism was a man named Lao Tzu, who lived around theyear 604 B.C.E. According to Chinese legend, Lao Tzu was an archivistin the imperial library at Lo Yang was known for his knowledge, althoughhe never taught.2 When Lao Tzu left his position at the library, hewent to the Chinese province of Chou. At the border, however, he wasstopped and forced to write down his teachings. During this time, hewrote the Tao Te Ching, the major scripture of Taoism.3After Lao Tzus death, a man named Yang Chu (440-366 B.C.E.) took uphis teachings.4 A naturalist and philosopher, Yang Chu believed highlyin self-regard and survival as the core of human nature and direction. His ideals were personal integrity and self-protection, and said that hewas unwilling to pluck one hair from his head even if all humanity wereto benefit from it.5The next influential Taoist philosopher was Chang Tzu, who lived from350-275 B.C.E. He defined existence using Lao Tzus teachings.6 Hewrote fifty-two books in response to the Tao Te Ching, thirty-three ofwhich still survive today.7 Using exaggeration and fantasy, heillustrated Lao Tzus teachings and how the Tao acted in nature. Histheories spoke of a cosmic unity which encompasses all reality andguides it naturally, without force, to its proper end.8The Yin and Yang theory became part of Taoist philosophy around 300B.C.E. when they were mentioned in the Hsi tzu, an appendix to the IChing.9 Yin and Yang are defined as the two forces in nature. They areoften called the two breaths or chi.10 Yin is the feminineprinciple, representing darkness, coolness, and dampness; Yang is themasculine principle, representing brightness, war mth, and dryness.11 Neither principle is good or bad; they are not opposites, but each isneeded to maintain stability in the universe.12 This belief holds thateverything is defined through opposition; consequently, the virtues ofbalance and understanding are highly valued.13Taoism became an official religion between 100 and 200 C.E.14 Due tocompetition from Buddhism, Taoists adopted many Buddhist beliefs. During this pivotal point in the religions history, searching forself-knowledge and wisdom were replaced by searching for solutions tosorrows and other physical problems.15 Alchemy and superstition becamehighly popular during this period of time, as Taoists tried to escapereality rather than to control the artificial and unnatural. ManyTaoists used magic and the concept of Tao to try to extend the physicallife rather than to focus on the afterlife.16 Gradually the religionbecomes more complicated, with a wide pantheon of gods and a rulinghierarchy.17The leader Chang Ling took the t itle Heavenly Teacher in 200 C.E. Hecreated a dynasty of high priests who manipulated Taoism to support asuperstitious doctrine of magic and mysticism.18 Seizing higher poweras a religious leader, he pioneered a merging of Taoism andZoroastrianism into a system called Five Bushels of Rice Taoism. Eventually this developed into a society based on Mazdaism, aZoroastrian sect, where every believer was charged five bushels ofrice.19 Although the believers followed the basic Zoroastrian worshipformat, they worshipped different gods: the Tao instead of Ahura-Mazda,and the various Chinese folk gods in place of the Persian Angels.20Three hundred years later, the philosopher Honen moved away fromMazdaism and combined Taoism with Buddhism. This simplified religion hecreated became known as the Pure Land School, or Amidaism. Gradually,however, Taoism again became tied to magic, and it failed as areligion.21 Today, only its original philosophies survive and there arevery few followers of Taoism , mostly found in Taiwan.22 AlthoughTaoisms religious practices deteriorated with advancing Westerninfluence, its philosophical aspects have outlasted those ofConfucianism and Zen Buddhism.23For centuries, Taoism has been known as the Way of Harmony.24 This isbecause Taoists believe that the Tao leads all nature toward a naturalbalance. The Tao, however, is not considered to be a deity or a ruler:it may reign but it does not rule.25 This is reflected in seven basicstatements.26 The first states that the Tao is nature. This means thatthe Tao is the way of everything, the movement of everything in nature,and all existence. The second statement is that the Tao is knowledge,meaning that the Tao is the utmost form of understanding and wisdom andthat to understand it means to understand all. The third statement saysthat the Tao is Goodness. This indicates that the Tao is the pathtoward virtue, and the highest virtue of these is conforming to theTao. The fourth statement is that the Tao is imminent. This means thatthe Tao is the source of all reality and that the Tao is inseparable. The fifth statement tells that the Tao is being, or the process ofbecoming, which characterizes reality. The sixth holds that the Tao isfelt in passiveness, not in activity. The final statement asserts thatthe Tao is individual and unique for every person. Therefore, no personcan truly know the Tao outside themselves. As the Tao Te Ching states:The ways that can be walked are not the eternal way. Nuclear Holocaust EssayTaoism is in itself a very difficult religion to define. Little isknown of its founder or its origins, and it has no clear doctrine ormethod of worship.45 The whole concept of Tao is extremely abstract andtherefore cannot be fully explained, only understood. The religion mayhold a completely different meaning for each personit may be a form ofphilosophy, religion, or magic.46 The religion has guided countlessindividuals through life and toward union with the Tao. As it hasinfluenced the past through its writings, Taoism may influence the worldfor generations more with its wisdom. Bibliography1.Bettencourt, Jerome: Comparative World Religions: Notes. Oxnard: Fall Semester 1994-95. 2.Durrell, Lawrence: A Smile in the Minds Eye. New York: UniverseBooks,1982. 3.Goetz, Philip (Ed.): Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th Edition, Vol. 28. Taoism. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 1991. 4.Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching. New York: Bantam Books, 1990. 5.Pastva, Loretta: Great Religions of the World. Winona, Minnesota:SaintMarys Press, 1986. 6.Smullyan, Raymond: The Tao Is Silent. San Francisco: HarperCollinsPublishers, 1977. 7.Watts, Alan: Tao: The Watercourse Way. New York: Pantheon Books,1975. Endnotes1 Alan Watts, Tao: The Watercourse Way (New York: Pantheon Books,1975), p. 5. 2 Jerome Bettencourt, Comparative World Religions: Notes (Oxnard: FallSemester 1994-95). 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. 5 Ibid. 6 Ibid. 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid. 9 Philip Goetz, Ed., Encyclopaedia Britannica 15th Edition, Vol. 28:Taoism (Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 1991), p. 39910 Ibid., p. 39811 Bettencourt. 12 Goetz, p. 398. 13 Bettencourt. 14 Ibid. 15 Loretta Pastva, Great Religions of the World (Winona, Minnesota:Saint Marys Press, 1986), p. 117. 16 Ibid. 17 Bettencourt. 18 Ibid. 19 Ibid. 20 Ibid. 21 Ibid. 22 Goetz, p. 40723 Bettencourt. 24 Ibid. 25 Alan Watts, Tao: The Watercourse Way (New York: Pantheon Books,1975), p. 51. 26 Bettencourt.727 Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching (San Francisco: HarperCollins Publishers,1977), p. 59. 28 Watts, p. 51. 29 Bettencourt. 30 Ibid. 31 Ibid. 32 Ibid. 33 Lawrence Durrell, A Smile in the Minds Eye (New York: UniverseBooks, 1982), p. 18. 34 Pastva, p. 117. 35 Durrell, p. 19. 36 Pastva, p. 117. 37 Ibid. 38 Goetz, p. 399. 39 Ibid. 40 Ibid. 41 Ibid., p. 404. 42 Ibid. 43 Pastva, p. 11544 Ibid. 45 Ibid. 46 Ibid.

The extent to which the principles of Scientific management are still relevant to modern organizations Essay Example

The extent to which the principles of Scientific management are still relevant to modern organizations Paper At the beginning of the Second World War, Taylorism disappeared and was replaced with another form of work organization: Fordism. Fordism appeared when Ford started producing Model T cars but by basing his production upon Taylorist lines. Scientific management was still used; there was an explicit distinction between management and workforce, each employee had a specific task to do and their task was timed. Fordism seems more closely attached to the production system of modern organizations than Taylorism does, since it includes Taylors ideas but by also introducing new ones, and this is why this essay will be centred on the link between Fordism and todays production system: Toyotism. At the end of the 1980s, Fordism, which had been at the base of economic growth in the country for thirty years, fades away. Changes in demand, rise in the workers strikes the organizations must react and readapt themselves, also in order to face the rise in foreign competition. The Japanese model of organization used since the end of the Second World War, Toyotism, was then adapted in Europe and the USA during the 1980s. But what can we say about this post-fordism twenty years later? The worker, who now sees his work as more interesting, where he has more responsibility and importance, is he now liberated from his constraints? Havent things changed, especially in the tertiary, which had been kept out of scientific management for so many years? And finally, wouldnt it be more specific to talk about neo-fordism rather than Toyotism? We will write a custom essay sample on The extent to which the principles of Scientific management are still relevant to modern organizations specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The extent to which the principles of Scientific management are still relevant to modern organizations specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The extent to which the principles of Scientific management are still relevant to modern organizations specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We shall see that scientific management is still relevant to modern organizations in a first part, and then shall see that this isnt completely true anymore. In modern organizations, hierarchy is still present. It will probably always be like this, somebody needs to be in charge or else there would be too many conflicts. Hierarchy is one of the three most important points of scientific management, along with the specialisation of the workers task and the timing of this task so as to impose a cadence. What Taylor wanted to show was that the old way of organizing work in the 19th century was too slow, there were too many gaps in the production process and that this led to a very low productivity. Taylor wanted a separation of planning from execution, and this is still the way that it works in the time of Toyotism. Every organization has a manager who will plan the work, see the objectives of the product or service, and then leave it to the workers to fulfil the concept. Nowadays, the hierarchy doesnt only stand out through the fact that there is a manager and that there are workers, but also with sub-divisions. In organizations we now find a managing director general, a manager, a sub-manager, foremen and so on. These all have different tasks, from planning to execution, so this shows that Taylors idea is still used nowadays. Leadership is therefore still present nowadays but it seems to be going through some changes. Alvin Gouldner, in Studies in Leadership, said that traditional authority does not command the respect and ready obedience that it once did. To achieve this obedience it seems like leadership is the step to take. Fred Fielder made a theory on how to be a successful leader. He based it on three interrelated factors: leader-member relationships, task structure and power of the position. The higher these three factors are the better leader you are (Horn: The development of modern management). It seems as if they are taking Taylors idea about hierarchy and developing it. Taylor had realised that to improve the productivity of an organization he had to time the tasks and make sure that they were done in the fastest time possible. This way every worker would produce more of a product per day and the profitability of the organization would also increase. This led to difficulties in the workers lives; they would feel stress and this wouldnt be good for them neither mentally nor physically. This was one of the reasons for the Fordism crisis in the 1980s, the workers contestations led to strikes and managers saw that it was time to change the production system. What the workers were timed by during Fordism was the work chain, parts and pieces would pass on a rolling carpet in front of them and they would have to assemble them so as to be passed on to the next worker. Today the work chain still exists for it has proven to work well although the workers dont benefit from it. In the fordist system organizations didnt wait for the demand for them to produce, because they knew that the demand existed. Organizations produced in vast quantities and stocked the products before they were sold. They therefore needed stocking space, people to look after them, and all of these made supplementary production costs. Nowadays, organizations wait for the demand before they produce. It is for this reason that, for example, if we are buying a car we have to wait a while before we actually receive it. There are no stocks, no papers, and these organizations also want there to be no delays. There is also a research of quality, and all of these factors impose a rhythm on the workers that they must respect, so it comes back to the same timed conditions that there were in Fordism and Taylorism. In both the taylorist and the fordist systems, the worker wasnt qualified, he had one task to do and was taught how to perform this task. This also led to conflicts; the worker felt that he was dispossessed of his knowledge and skills so with the new production system the workers became qualified. They learnt about different working posts, they could move around so as to feel more responsible. But through mechanization and the upgrading of computer systems the worker once again feels dispossessed of his knowledge and skills. Machines start replacing men, all that the worker has to do is to program the machine and it will do the rest. The workers feel that it isnt even worth having the qualifications anymore since they can be trained within a few hours. It isnt only industrial workers that feel this way, but it is also starting to affect the workers in the tertiary sector. In 1974, Harry Braverman wrote a book entitled Monopoly Capital: The Degradation of Work in the Twentieth Century, which later became known as the Braverman thesis. This is now referred to as the McDonaldization thesis, showing the deskilling of work in fast-foods (Huczynski and Buchanan: Organizational Behaviour: An Introductory Text). The work in fast-foods is standardised, they produce the same hamburgers over and over again, so the work is also very repetitive. The employees are trained within a few hours, and the start at their work post. This reminds us a lot about Taylorism and Fordism; you have one work post and you stay at it. Either you fry the meat, warm the bread or serve the customers. There are other examples in the tertiary, such as the new information technology in banks, which simplifies the work of the workers. In the end they just have to write down some numbers in their computer and it will give them their answer. Cadences also exist in other areas of the tertiary, for example room cleaners in hotels who only have a certain amount of time per room. In Taylorism the motivation used for the workers was a system of economic rewards. These rewards were attributed to a worker when they saw that he was working hard, for example by beating the cadences imposed on him. Today salaries are a lot more individualised, but systems of economic rewards still exist. They are called raises, and they are achieved the same way that they were almost a century ago. It here seems as if we can rather talk about neo-fordism rather than Toyotism or Japanization, but there are other aspects that show that nowadays we use a completely different production system. Under other aspects, we can see that Toyotism is a new production system and that there are differences between it and both Fordism and scientific management. These differences are mainly to do with the workers tasks which expand, the new bottom-up style of working and the new remuneration system. Oliver Sheldon said that there may be a science of costing, of planning, of manufacturing, of dispatching, but there can be no science of cooperation (H. Pollard: Development in management thought), or in other words that in order to make things run smoother on the workers side there were changes to be made. He said this in the 1920s and it wasnt until sixty years later that these changes were made. These changes included task rotation, where the worker would occupy several different posts in order to break the monotony of his work, to make him feel more responsible and to allow him to get a more complete vision of the production process. So as to help the workers cope with their new work tasks the organizations set up education and training for them which once again also allows the workers to feel more important (Noon and Blyton in Organizational Behaviour: An Introductory Text). The work expands to more interesting aspects such as the upgrading of the machinery and the control of the quality. During Taylorism and Fordism the organization was what was called top-down, the orders came from the manager and the worker would have to do with it without having his say. Today this has changed, it is now considered as a bottom-up way of organizing the production. This means that the worker can give his ideas, and he is encouraged to do this through the installation of teams that work together. They have an objective to fulfil but they organise their own work. There is less hierarchical control and the group is responsible for its production. Quality circles are also put into place where groups of volunteers discuss problems and suggestions or solutions. Individual or collective rewards are given out if a suggestion is applied with success. The nature of the organization changed with post-fordism. There were changes in demand, the people now are after different products rather than standardised ones, with a research of quality, and organizations also must look out for foreign competition. During the time of Fordism, the companies tried to compete with each other through the price of their products; nowadays the price isnt the only competition between them, there is also the aspect of quality which is now very important. During Fordism, as soon as there was a fluctuation in the salaries it was generalised, there would be a collective rise in wages. With the passage into post-fordism, the salaries became much more individualised with the return of rewards as in Taylorism, but now not only for good work but also for good suggestions. Toyotism is seen as a new form of work organization, but in relation to Fordism, Taylorism and scientific management, some things havent changed, and this is not always for the best. We can say that post-fordism is fordism which has been humanised in social relations, it allows the worker to participate in the improvement of the production through the quality circles, and gives him more liberty in his work. On the other hand, hierarchy is still present, the working conditions are still poor in some cases, some workers still have very repetitive work and all of this leads to stress and to poorly physical conditions. Toyotism can therefore be described as a sort of neo-fordism as opposed to post-fordism since some of the aspects remain present.

6 Phone Interview Mistakes That Will Cost You the Job

6 Phone Interview Mistakes That Will Cost You the Job Phone interviews can be downright tricky. Whether you’ve had one before and it didn’t go well, or you’re just a worrywart by nature, here are 6 of the most common mistakes and how you can avoid them. 1. You’re obviously distractedYour interviewer can tell if you’re typing or scrolling through Facebook while you chat. Your interviewer can also hear whatever noise is going on around you. Find a quiet place with a reliable phone connection and then focus on the interview. If you get a phone call out of the blue, it’s okay- preferable even- to tell the interviewer that you’re not in an ideal place to talk and to reschedule.2. You’re not aware of who’s interviewing youYou have to know who you’re talking to and why. If you’re just having a quick chat with HR to verify your resume bullet points and contact information, it’s not the time to launch into your spiel for how you’ll singlehandedly save the company. And if you’re expecting that kind of call, but get your would-be boss or hiring manager instead, you need to be prepared. Make sure you know what to expect, to allow enough time and preparation.3. You’re not preparedThis is no different from a real interview in this respect. You need to do your homework. That means preparing a stock list of responses to possible hard-hitting questions, and be ready to impress. The more you can learn about the who and why of your interview, the better you’ll be able to target your preparations. Do be ready to explain who you are, why you care about the company, and to list a few highlights and accomplishments from your resume that will show them you can make it rain.4. You’re ramblingGood communications skills are crucial in a phone interview. The way you present yourself verbally here is your only tool toward making a good impression. That means keeping your answers clear, concise, and on the topic. That means no ‘um’s or ‘like’s or losing your train of thought in the middle of a run-on sentence. Make notes to yourself, even bulleted lists, and refer to them as often as you need (without reading from them by rote). Your interviewer will never know!5. You’re coming across as lacklusterYou might think it would be hard to communicate your energy and enthusiasm on the phone, rather than in person. And that’s partly true. You’ll want to make an extra effort to be effusive. Make sure to smile- studies show it actually makes a palpable difference in the way your voice sounds over the phone. Same with making gestures. Remember, be upbeat! You want this job!6. You’re not showing how much you want itYou know how much you want this gig. And you’re the only one who can make your interviewer know it. A great way to do this, beyond your upbeat demeanor, is to have intelligent questions prepared that show your genuine interest in the company and how serious you are about getting this position. It’s not a faux pas to say explicitly how much you value the opportunity to interview and how interested you are in moving forward. Just make sure to follow-up with a sincere thank you note.If you make sure to guard against the above mistakes, you’ll already be well placed to get the job, even over the phone.

Relegion - Islamic studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Relegion - Islamic studies - Essay Example al Mundhir's vision of "a commander (amir) from among us and a commander from among you."1 and the combination of Umar b. al-Khatab's oath of allegiance and the beating of the Khazraji leader Said b. Ubaida resolved the dispute.2 Despite the general baya that took place in the main mosque shortly after this event, several sahabi from Bana Hahim and al-Shams refused to give Aba Bakr the baya for six months. A significant reason for this delay may have been Abu Bakr's confiscation of the Prophet's significant revenue producing lands and the subsequent denial of the right of inheritance to his relatives on the basis of a purported prophetic saying that prophets "do not bequeath [to heirs." Ali, Al Abbas, Abu As b. Abi Rabia, Aban b'Said and Khalid b. Said are all reported to have delayed giving Abu Bakr the baya until after the death of Fatima, who was buried secretly without the knowledge of the caliph. Ibn Ubaida, the beaten Ansari, who was one of the prestigious twelve nuqaba who fac ilitated the emigration of the Prophet to Yathrib in his time of need, never gave the bya to Abu Bakr and may have been the only sahabi who withheld his allegiance to Umar.3 The second major conflict among the sahaba was the ridda wars whose execution was justified again on the basis of a prophetic hudith over the objections of Umar. These battles pitted Abu Bakr and his Muslim armies against tribes that ranged from advocates of the self-proclaimed prophet Musaylama to Muslims who did not wish to pay the alms tax to the caliph in Medina. Iba Said identifies six men of the fourth tabaqa of sahaba, namely those who embraced Islam after the conquest of Mecca, who participated in the ridawars against Abu Bakr's fiscal policy. Only one of these men, Malik b. Nuwayra. is reported to have been killed, despite his claim that he was not an apostate. All of the remaining five men were captured and pardoned by Abu Bakr, and two of them later played a role in the victory at Qadisiya against the Sasanids. Abu Bakr even married his sister Umm Farawa bint Abi Quhafa to the powerful Yemeni rebel al-Ash-ath b. Qays. who later served with distinction at the battle of Niha vand. Qays b. Makshub, who killed at least two Muslims in the riddo wars, was forgiven by Abu Bakr over Umar's objections. 'Uyayna b. Hisn. who had lied to the prophet during the campaign against Al Taif was "brought back to Islam" by the words of Abu Bakr despite having joined Tulayha's prophetic challenge. The third episode of intra-Moslem violence involved various members of the "pious opposition" Uthman's policies and the Egyptian delegation, some of whose partisans ultimately murdered him. The most flagrant confrontations include the beating of Abdallah b. Masud and Ammar b. Yasir, as well as the banishment of Abo Dharr al Ghifarri to Ribadha. Uthman's harsh treatment of these early sahaba was publicly condemned by Aisha; other sahaba who stirred up protests against the caliph included Talha b. Ubayd Allah and Amr b. As.4 Abdel al Rahman b. Awf, the sahabi on the shura who essentially appointed Uthman as Umar's successor, stipulated that Uthman was not to lead his funeral prayers, a request that was later honoured in

Concert report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Concert report - Essay Example Other artists such as the rising star by the name Ray Ushikubo and just twelve years of age also joined with a Bach performance together with Joanne Pearce Martin for Mozart performance. In concert one, Jeremy Denk dominated where he performed Ligeti selections as well as Beethoven’s piano (Starnley & Chardly 18-19). During the first half of the program, Mozart performance by Joann Pearce Martin did happen. To be in particular the Mozart piece that was played is Mozart concerto number ten in E-flat major for two pianos, K. 365. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed this piece of work; he was a prolific and competent composer during the style period of classical era. This piece was composed between the period of 1775 and 1777, at this time; he was dismissed from his Salzburg position. The Mozart piece belongs to a class of genre called piano concerto. A closer look at the piece reveals that the piece fitted well with the style period. This is because; the piece was composed in such a way that it dictates its deliverance. This is to say, at the initial stage, there is lyrical spell followed by middle movements characterized by slow but refined movements (Speyer & Edward 178). During the second half of the program, performance of Ligeti selections entitle Etudes for piano book I & II took the center stage. Hungarian composed Ligeti selections by the name Ligeti Gyorgy Sandor, he was a legendary composer who specialized in contemporary classical music (Saarinen & Claude 56). Etudes for piano book I & II was composed during the second half of twentieth century; as a result, he was regarded as one of the most important composers by then. Etudes for piano book I & II belongs to the piano concerto genre and this piece in particular fits the style period. This is because; he blended virtuoso technical abilities with contents that were expressive, therefore resulting into a superb piece of work that stood up during that period

Framing And Controlling Media Discourse On Terrorism Criminology Essay

Framing And Controlling Media Discourse On Terrorism Criminology Essay Following the September 11 attacks in 2001 in America, terrorism obtained a global reputation and public reaction throughout the world. Terrorism is not a new phenomenon. It has existed from centuries ago. But that time (September 11, 2001) America was the terrorists target. It was the first time that such massive attack was spread among people around the world by live news. In recent years, the number of stories and news about terrorist and terrorism discourses has been increased, especially after September 11, 2001 in America and July 7, 2005 in London. The Media and the government, as the key institutions in every society, play significant role to create public knowledge toward terrorist and terrorism. It seems that the media, as a tool for presentation of the governments policy, is used and controlled by government in coverage of news about terrorist and terrorism themes. In this essay I am going to address this question: who (which organisation) is managing and controlling media content and discourse about terrorism? According to literatures, (e.g. Hoffman 2006; Paletz 1992) the media is affected directly by governments policy. On the other hand, the media may do the terrorists favours because the media can be also used by terrorists to spread their own news, information and beliefs across society and the world. Altheide (2006), Hoffman (2006) and paletz and Boiney (1992) argue that the media itself plays main role in managing and framing media discourse on terrorist. However, it seems that the media is a device that is used by both government and terrorists to impact on the public mind. Thus, they can utilize the media, negatively or positively, to achieve their goals, meaning that the media does not have complete control over its contents. The reminder of this essay contains of section 2 that discusses about the definition of terrorism,. In section 3 addresses the question of the essay. Finally, section 4 provides the conclusion of the essay. Terrorism and Terrorist In fact, in the last hundred years, terrorism has not much changed. However; a unique and complete definition of this phenomenon does not exist. Despite the expansion of terrorism and its importance for the international security, defining the term terrorism is still faced with uncertainty. One of the main reasons for this ambiguity may be the diversity of terrorists goals and the variety of terrorism forms. Therefore, there is no universally definition of terrorism. On the whole, the word terrorism (terror) means the panic and fear. Common definition of terrorism refers to violent acts and aggressive behaviours which lead to create fear or terror among people. Hoffman (2006) quotes from terrorism group that violent actionsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. are shocking. We want to shock people; everywhereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.It is our way of communicating with the people. The concept of shock suggests creating fear and murder, threats and intimidation among people. Among various definitions of terrorism, some of them are provided below: The United State Department of Defence (DOD) define terrorism as the unlawful use of violence or threat of violence to install fear and coerce governments or societies. Terrorism is often motivated by religious, political, or other ideological beliefs and committed in the pursuit of goals that are usually political. According to United Nation in (1992) terrorism means: An anxiety-inspiring method of repeated violent action, employed by (semi-) clandestine individual, group or state actors, for idiosyncratic, criminal or political reasons, whereby- in contrast to assassination- the direct targets of violence are not the main targets.(http://www.terrorism-research.com) The U.S Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) describes terrorism as: the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. Taylor (1986) cited in Cottle (2006) sees terrorism as the violence which is done by none -sates groups or individuals. Therefore, he believes that terrorism is not a state-oriented action. Cottle (2006) also believes that Taylors view is more appropriate than the view that points to the state terrorism. Taylors view (1986) is discussable since it seems that in countries with dictatorial government, state is upper hand in terror of oppositions. However, nowadays terrorism is an activity which is related to a particular actors or groups with special ideas. For example, some countries may tend to related terrorism to extremist Muslims. According to Gerrits (1992) cited in Paletz and Schmid (1992) [t]he media may provide insurgent terrorists with a good dose of the oxygen of publicity, but censorship can provide a government with the narcotic of secrecy, which is an even bigger danger to democracy. Cottle (2006) argues that the words terrorists and terrorism are used to say that actions of rebels or/ and oppositions are unlawful and illegitimate. Taheri (1987) says for one mans terrorist will always be anothers freedom fighter, but it can be said with certainly that terrorism is what terrorism does. Although there is not a single view and perspective on terrorism description across the world, terrorism and terrorism related actions carry common concepts which are fear and illegitimating. Types of terrorism To identify who has upper hand in media discourse on terrorist it may be useful to study the types of terrorism. State Terrorism: state terrorism usually refers to the state or states which intervene in the internal affairs of other governments in order to create fear or support of military operations, to weaken and overthrow a government. Domestic Terrorism: This kind of terrorism usually does anti-government activities to create fear among people to obtain attention (Powel, 2011). International terrorism: Emergence of international terrorism has increased in year 1983 (after the explosion of the Marine Battalion Landing Team Headquarters at Beirut International Airport.), and nowadays a considerable rise in international violence, especially in Asian countries, can be seen, especially after 2000 and 2001. The world has witnessed the victim of humans by international terrorism. It seems that international terrorism consists of domestic terrorism and state terrorism which support domestic terrorists. For example, serial explosions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, in which thousands of women and children are sent to the slaughterhouse, can be interpreted as international terrorism activity. Cyber terrorism: Dennings (2000) defines cyber terrorism as a violent attack to computer programmes, networks and secret information that leads to a severe fear and economic and political losses. Cyber terrorism is much more serious than the activity of hacker because cyber terrorism aims critical infrastructures of information technology of a country or government to obtain important information in order to use it against that government and/or special group. As the main classical tool of terrorism is explosion and firearms, the main weapon of cyber terrorist is computer. There are many ways that terrorists can use the computer as a terrorism device. The most important methods of cyber terrorism are hacking and computer viruses, electronic espionage, identity theft and destruction or manipulation of information. Who has upper hand in media discourse on terrorism? This section is going to investigate the source of the media discourse on terrorism. On the whole, if we identify who (government, the media itself or terrorist) benefits from the forming the media content about terrorism we may address better the main question of the essay. The Media or government? The media are at the heart of events because the media would like to break news. Therefore, all the discussions about terrorism come from the media, especially after the September 11 terrorist attacks because it is the media that distribute the news of the terrorism and people are informed formally about the events by the media. Media, in particular, old media such as television, radio and newspaper, has become a platform for covering and publishing the terrorists activities in recent years. As Paletz and Boiney (1992) discusses, Laqueurs (1977) indicates that terrorists tend to attack free societies. The terrorist rational is that the media is free in these societies and, therefore, media can cover violent event and publish the related news immediately. It may mean that in tighten societies the media content and news are controlled by the government and violent events may not be covered completely by the media in such societies. For example, in countries such as Spain and Italy, the press has been prohibited to cover and spread terrorist notice. (Obalance, 1989) .This is what that terrorist does not like it. The media are very well suited for the purposes of terrorists. Terrorists utilize different types of media to informed public people about their targets, values and ideas. Hoffman (2006) argues that terrorism can reach a wider target audience with the media because without media the effect of the act would be glancing. Without massive news coverage the terrorist act would resemble the proverbial tree falling in the forest: if no one learned of an incident, it would be as if it had not occurred. (Nacos 2000) Furthermore, Altheide (2006) discusses that the media is seen as an important part of publics life and known as a kind of communication which conveys news and information beyond the margins. Therefore, the media is seen as a tool which can be used by various institutions and for different targets. The media is important for terrorists because without the media they cannot spread the terror news and also they can use the media as leverage on the governments to gain their political goals (Hoffman, 2006). As the media is known as a linker between government and public it is, therefore, the best tool which government can use to inform people about incidents. Nowadays, the media have an inevitable role in promoting government programs and in creating an atmosphere to shape public opinion and decisions. Therefore, the media always has been regarded by governments. Governments with assistance of the media have achieved the unique power in the domestic and foreign area .Statesmen with using the media implement their policies and programs. Therefore, it is obvious that the government in each country have considerable dominance on the media. It can be seen that the media is a tool in the hands of statesmen and cannot act fully independently. Therefore, it might be true to say that when we discuss about the role of the media on framing and managing terrorism discourses, we investigate, in fact, the role and power of the sate which control the media content. However, one may say that the media itself is the first in managing and forming the contents on terrorism because reaction of the media to a terror and the way that the media coverage the related news are different and this may be criticized for damaging effects. The media may contribute terrorists to distribute fear among people or willingly and unwillingly provide terrorists with important information that worsen the situation in favour of terrorism and against the security and peace. This may cause authorities to meet some demands of terrorists to render the peace and calmness to the society. Cottle(2006) discusses that the media can have a progressive role in relation to violence and terror. In other words, it seems that media can encourage people to think about the causes and effects of terror and violence. This leads to form a pubic judge from people on the events. Cottle (2006) calls this phenomenon as democratize violence. However, in most cases the media may censor the fact of incidents, by media owners such as government, in corporate with public authorities to control and constraint the understanding of people of the event. (Paletz and Boiney, 1992). According to Nosseke (1985) cited in Paletz and Boiney (1992) the best way to avoid the impact of the mass media is to prevent the occurrences of terrorist attacks. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that the media, especially the old media, form and manage all news of terrorism directly and independently without the control of the governmental authorities. Terrorism Since terrorism likes a permanent non-normal situation and fear after its act and media contributes to create such a situation, terrorism is the first to wish control over the media. Miller (1982) argues that there is a relationship between media and terrorism. This relationship is inseparable because the media always covers the terrors news. Terrorism also would like to receive attention of the media. Terrorism, like an ill mannered enfant terrible, is the medias stepchild, a stepchild which the media, unfortunately, can neither completely ignore deny.(Powell, 2011) There are various factors which encourage terrorist to use different types of the media (e.g. the Internet) such as depressing their enemies such as government, creating fear among public, being famous to the public by spreading their targets and release their massages through the media. New media, in particular the Internet, has been increasingly used by terrorists to reach their goals. The evidence shows that the old media has been replaced by the Internet especially in covering terrorism discourses because of accessing speed to the news and events on the Internet. Nowadays, terrorists are not restricted geographically and are not dependent on a particular state politically or financially. To reach their murderous goals, they rely on their advanced communication capabilities, including the Internet. All terrorists have particular websites where they can communicate with their readers and followers and also can convey their propaganda. According to Hoffman (2006), almost without exception, all major (and many minor) terrorist and insurgent groups have Web sites. He then quotes from an American Internet researcher at the U.S. governments Foreign Broadcast and Information Service (FBIS): These days, if youre not on the web, you dont exist. Thus, in virtual space and t he new media environment terrorism is able to manage the media discourse and contents on the terrorism issues more freely than the traditional media because public authorities of a society can control over the old media much better than the new media though government, for example, can block some websites and filter them. Terrorism and the Internet both are related to each other. First, the Internet is a space for the both group and individual terrorists to spread their messages of hate and violence. Second, both individuals and groups have tried to attack some computer networks. This attack is known as cyber-terrorism. Communication via computer is ideal for terrorists because it cannot be controlled, limited or censored and it is free to access for everyone. Moreover, the audiences of the Internet are massive, larger than old media and it is easy, fast and inexpensive to access. More importantly, new media audiences can access a multimedia environment. For example, they can use texts, videos and songs simultaneously. Many Internet sites are used by terrorist for psychological war against governments and their military. They put terrible images and movie clips of executed hostages and captives on web sites or show militaries vehicles which have been blown up with roadside bombings or suicide. For example, Al-Zarqawi in May 2004 put on the Internet some films of cutting off the head of a US hostage. Sometimes terrorists use famous web sites like YouTube which is the best place to spread terrorists news and notices is. Terrorists use text messages and video to weak the enemy morale and scare him. Thus, it seems that terrorism is not controllable with the existence of the new media. They are able publish easily their own news, values and activities with the new media (and even with some news channel of TV). The audience can access the original publications of terrorist the Internet. This suggests that terrorism has upper hand in managing the media discourses on terrorism. Conclusion According to the literatures, it is still difficult to identify who is behind the media content and discourses on terrorism or who manages the media about the terrorism issues. However, nowadays, it can be seen that terrorism can use not only the old media but also electronic and virtual media. The media is very important for terrorists. For example, they use the media to spread some films and videos of attacks to create fear and force government or politicians to do a certain work for terrorists. With the development of the new media such as the Internet, mobile phone and etc. terrorism has been capable to manage the media contents. In this respect, terrorism has upper hand in framing the new media content for itself, though power is in hands of dominant government. Government and politician authorities use the media to apply their policy and control society. Therefore, they usually delete some terrorism related news, present incomplete information and delayed news to the audience or may be able to filter some web sites that are against of their polices. Therefore, we can conclude that the media is an important tool to frame and create discourses on terrorism and both government and terrorist have been trying to control and use the media, old and new, for their particular objectives in various ways. It seems that even in a society with free expression and complete democracy the media cannot choose a policy completely against governments policy, especially in the terrorism issues because government and state has power and control over the media. However, in the virtual environment of the media (e.g. the Internet) the control power of the government has been violated and terrorists have been able to present themselves more freely and form their ow n news contents. Rference Altheide,D.L. (2006). Terrorism and the politics of fear. Lanham, Md.: AaltaMira press. Chapter (6). Cottle,S.. (Ed.). (2006). From terrorism to the global war on terror: The media politics of outrage In Mediatizd conflict: Developments in media and conflict studies. Maiden Head: OU press. Dennings, D. (2000). Cyber terrorism, Testimony before the special Oversight Panel of Terrorism Committee on Armed Services, US House of Representative, 23 may 2000. Georgetown University.(http://www.cs.georgetown.edu/~denning/infosec/cyberterror.html). FBIS, Near East/ South Asia. Israel: Palestinian Television Broadcasts Clip Encour- again Martyrdom. Maarive (Tel Aviv) (Hebrew), August 11, 2003. Gerrits, R.P.J.M. (1992). Terrorists perspectives: memories In Palatz, D. Schmid A. (eds) (1992) Terrorism and the media (pp. 29-61). London: Sage. Hoffman,B. (2006). Inside Terrorism. Revised And Expanded Edition. Clombia University Press Laquers, W. (1977). Terrorism. Boston: Little, Brown. Miller, A.H. (1982). Terrorism, the media, and the law. New York, NY: Transnational Publishers Inc.,U.S. Nacos, B.L. (2000). Accomplice or Witness? The Medias Role in Terrorism. Current History-The Journal Contemporary World Affairs. Nosseke,H.(1985). The impact of mass media on terrorists, supports, and the public at large. In A.Merari (Ed.), On terrorism and combating terrorism (pp.87-94). Frederick, MD: University Publications of America Obalance, Edgar. (1989). Terrorism in the 1980s. (P.118) New York: Sterling Publishing Co. Inc. Paletz,D. Boiney, J. ( 1992). Researchers perpectives. In Palatz, D. Schmid A. (eds) (1992) Terrorism and the media (pp. 6-28). London: Sage. Powell, A.K (2011). framing Islam: An analysis of U.S. Media coverage of Terrorism since 9/11. Communication research, 62:1 pp: 90-112. Taheri, A. (1987). Holy Terror: Inside the world of Islamic Terrorism, Adler Adler. P.3. Taylor,P.(1986). The semantics of political violence: In P. Golding, G. Murdock and P. Schlesinger (eds) Communication politics. Leicester: Leicester University Press. DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated terms. WWW.dtic.mil/doctrine/dod-dictionary/data/t/7591.html. [14 Nov, 2011] http://www.terrorism-research.com/ http://www.fbi.gov/albuquerque/priorities