Diversity Action Plan for Microsoft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Diversity Action Plan for Microsoft - Essay Example This is, in a way, a stand against racism and prejudice. Now, why might organizations implement this Just like every other action, this has good characteristics as well as bad ones. First of all, the biggest benefit to any organization of hiring employees from different races and ethnicities is that it creates a good impression in the minds of socialists, shareholders, the public and all other stake holders. For Microsoft, this will be especially important because multinational companies such as itself gain additional profits and other non monetary benefits such as good will only by creating a noble image in the minds of their stakeholders. Secondly, diversity leads to a greater pool of ideas. When people come from different backgrounds, they tend to think differently in terms of logic as well as innovation. For a software house such as Microsoft, it is very important to hire people who can come up with more than one way of creating software or going about a project. In other words, it helps to solve problems in more than one way. This could probably even make problem-solving easier. This then saves time and when employees save time in deciding how to solve something, they utilize the rest in producing more. This leads to an increase in productivity. Higher productivity, ultimately, generates profits for firms. A diverse workforce can understand and meet customer requirements better as the client-base is likely to be diverse also in a country like the US. This is especially true for an organization like Microsoft whose customer base is massive. Lastly, diversity helps to reduce lawsuits and increases marketing opportunities and creativity (Esty, et al., 1995). Challenges The biggest problem that diversity presents to organizations is that it causes communication problems. This happens because people come from different backgrounds. They have different accents, different ways of thinking, different ways of perceiving things, and different ways of understanding. Therefore, this causes intra- and inter-team communication barriers. Either 'diverse' employees have problems understanding the communicator, or they have problems making themselves heard. Even feedback problems are likely to occur. Some may think that having a number of ways of solving a problem is good. It leads to saving time and maybe even increased productivity. Alternatively, other might say that having too many ways of solving one problem may lead to confusion. It becomes more difficult to judge what would be a better option. Also, it gives rise to disagreements between different individuals, especially more when they are of different mores. This causes frustration amongst team members and other colleagues which further leads to a hostile and an uncomfortable environment. This could even be the cause of de-motivation of employees. There is likely to be plenty of communication problems within different groups or between individuals as it is. A difficult-to-work-in environment further leads to more communication problems. Also, cultural biases are spawned when trying to change the corporate culture. If such biases and behavior grow in frequency and intensity it can result in legal charges of discrimination, in its most serious form (Thomas, 1997). Finally, when an organization employs a diverse workforce, it becomes important to acknowledge their needs and earlier unrecognized

Kindle Fire Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Kindle Fire - Research Paper Example Indeed, there is no denying the fact that the name of Apple’s tablet computer, which is the iPad has come to replace what every other tablet computer should be called. There are hardly people who know that iPad is only a registered brand of Apple’s tablet computer because they think that is what every other tablet computer is called. Such popularity is a major brand equity that brings about massive profits for companies involved (Prosser and Wittenberg, 2007). If for nothing at all, consumers of tablet computers who have no relevance to the brand of a company’s product may just go to the shop and say they want to buy an iPad and it is apple’s tablet PC that they will be given. Stratified marketing: Another major advantage or strength that Apple Inc and their iPad have over the Kindle Fire is that the company operates a multi-stratified market. What this means is that the computer is not only into the production of table computers. Subsequently, the company is always assured of a means of gaining revenue and raising expenditure to cover up for the key account expenses of its product. To this end, it becomes almost unthinkable that the company would run out of fund to promote its products. Another thing about the stratified market is that the perceived performance and quality of Apple’s other products may be directly related to its tablet computer and this may be a major competitive advantage. Weaknesses Costing : Regard of the major advantages that have been looked at, there remain some key weaknesses that Apple Inc and its iPad suffers. Typical among these is the fact that Apple’s iPad are one of the most expensive on the market (Porter, 2010). Even though the company may have some justification for this by citing issues of the fact that their products are filled with sophisticated software and applications and the fact that the products are of high quality, it remains a fact that there continues to be a large proportio n of the consumer market, whose major selection criteria for any product is the price or cost of the product. This is a weakness to iPad, which may well come as an advantage and strength to the Kindle Fire. Stagnated market syndrome: Analysts have said that until the Apple Company comes to realize the importance and need to take advantage of what they call abandoned market, the company may hardly maximize its full financial potency (Introduction to Evaluation, n.d). Currently, Apple concentrates on North America, Asia and Europe as its major market destinations. To this end, there has been a stagnated market syndrome whereby virtually no new customers are being added. As the Kindle Fire roots for the African and Southern American markets, the stagnated market syndrome would continue to be a major disadvantage to Apple. Support services buyers of product want and need Technical specification support: Most consumers and customers of the Kindle Fire get hooked to the product not becaus e they are people with technical expertise of the functioning and

BRIEF RESPONSES TO CLASSMATES POSTS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

BRIEF RESPONSES TO CLASSMATES POSTS - Essay Example Unlike litigation, arbitration allows parties to agree on who would hear the case. In formal litigation, the court assigns the case to the next available adjudicator. In civil courts, the issues become a matter of public interest whereas, in arbitration/mediation, cases remain confidential. Uncertainty of litigation processes increases once the case is appealed in higher courts. In contrast, arbitration leaves fewer chances for appeal. As Dimino specified, this happens as negotiation takes place ‘without having a forced agreement’. As everyone knows, an arbitral tribunal is not bound by the regulations of civil procedures, and hence, the parties can, by their mutual agreement, vary the terms of arbitrators’ authority, fire the arbitrators, and fix the procedure if they want.   In other words, the total mechanism of arbitration is more convenient and less stressful to the parties. At this juncture it is reasonable to point out some of the disadvantages of choosin g arbitration as settlement option. Among them, lack of transiency is often pointed out by critics as the major drawback. In case the arbitration becomes biased due to the so called confidentiality, the situation can become worse as courts are less likely to review the arbitration decisions anymore. Evidently, as many of the posts here indicate, arbitration has several advantages over formal dispute resolution methods. However, an important thing to remember is that the feasibility and popularity of arbitration does not reduce the significance of litigation. Instead, arbitration is only a limb of civil system that can reduce the burden of formal courts and thus facilitate easy access to justice. Like others, Barcena also has emphasized the higher cost that can incur during litigation. Although this claim has been true so far, recent studies indicate a considerable rise in arbitration cost also, sometimes that exceeded the cost of formal litigation processes. For instance, Public Cit izen, a consumer watchdog group conducted a study which identified that â€Å"the cost of initiating an arbitration is significantly higher than the cost of filing a lawsuit: $6,650 to $11,625 to initiate a claim to arbitrate a consumer claim worth $80,000 versus $221 to file that action in a particular county court† (as cited in Nolo). Admittedly, the other view regarding the parties’ perceptions on winning the case in court reflects right observation. As the litigation processes become more extensive and complex, the scope for mediation normally increases. Jimenez’s choices of dispute resolution clause are ‘bargaining and mediation’ as they are found ‘cost-effective’. However, it seems applicable only to certain situations like in a dispute between employer and employee on salary or promotion. As Yolauri Barcena opines, â€Å"mediation could be a good possibility for non-critical disputes within co-workers†. However, there are some essential negotiation skills that managers require for aligning their workforce to achieve the organizational goals in a viable manner. Every sphere of human life is vulnerable to conflict and therefore requires ceaseless haggle and negotiation. When it is in business affairs, the negotiation process goes rather formal, and it demands outstanding skills from an individual to win the bargain. However, the parties involved must be aware of the fact that they bargain not to win but to resolve an issue. This

Managing People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Managing People - Essay Example This capital was calculated as the cost of acquiring those skills through education, apprenticeship, and maintenance during this acquisition period. These represented a fixed cost akin to other fixed costs. This too repays itself by way of profits as does a machine. This productive power of labour is again dependant on the division of labour as different skills are involved and each individual possesses a variety of them. The agility and nimbleness employed by the labour results in improved production and is his contribution towards profitability. Thus human capital was seen as skills, dexterity, and judgment combined. This concept has remained intact over two centuries and it has become central to most organizations as the most important ingredient. The Human Resources division has assumed greater significance in comparison with other areas. In the present day service oriented economies where a large part of GDP consists of services instead of manufacturing Managing People is of paramount importance. All companies irrespective of their size have Human Relation Departments (HRD). It is the function of this department to hire appropriately qualified people for working n various departments of the company. Qualifications are defined according to their usefulness for the company and often experienced people are preferred over others. A successful HRD exercise just begins with the hiring as it now extends to laying down policies for the individual and groups of employees and periodically evaluating performances. Of late it has been realized that just orientation of the employee in their jobs ror environment is not enough and some training both at the intial stage as well as later for upgrading is equally important for the organization. Organizations keep evolving. In order to survive the continuous onslaught of competition and innovations, a company has to keep changing its strategies to for keeping itself on track in working

Published Financial Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Published Financial Statements - Essay Example As the study stresses published financial statements are used by millions of people who depend on them for vital information. This information is, in most instances, on the financial health of the business concern in question. Tracy classifies these users as investors and financial analysts, vendors, or creditors, and the management. These users are the ones who make it necessary for financial statements to be published. Financial statements are published for the following reasons; To avail information and data concerning the company’s financial position and performance. This information includes the cash flow and profitability position of the company. This information allows financial analysts to assess the financial position and performance of the company and trends in the performance To avail information to outside investors who comprise people or organizations that may be interested in buying the company’s stocks or lend it money. Lenders need information about the company’s stability and cash flow. Publication of financial statements avails them with this information. To avail information concerning the likelihood of the firm to have enough cash to pay its debts in the immediate future. This information is needed by vendors and creditors in view of the fact that they advance funds to the company in form services and products. To avail information concerning the failures and successes in each of the many facets of running a business to the management. The management makes use of this information to identify relative strengths and weaknesses in operations and to find the areas to put effort to correct problems and enhance performance.

Pain from Free Trade Spurs Second Thoughts by David Wessel and Bob Assignment

Pain from Free Trade Spurs Second Thoughts by David Wessel and Bob Davis - Assignment Example Mr. Alan S. Blinder a former Federal Reserve Board vice chairman along was a protagonist of free trade along with many other economists. Such a turnaround stems from the echoes of resentment among the employed middle class on the threat posed to their secure employment through the estimate â€Å"30 million and 40 million jobs are vulnerable†. Free trade was touted as good for American business and American consumers. American businesses were expected to do better from using the cheap labor in the developed worlds, while the America consumer would benefit from the lowering of costs. Yes, free trade has done that, but the average American consumers are losing employment from outsourcing of jobs that were not expected to leave the shores of the country. Manufacturing was anticipated as the major aspect of outsourcing, while the expectations were that white collar jobs were would not be affected. However, the actual story has been different along with outsourcing of manufacturing there has been a strong flow of white-collar jobs to countries like India and China, where the skill sets for these jobs are present and cost less. So why did this happen? It is not that free trade is bad, but the changes that would result were not truly anticipated, hence the preparations to face the challenge of change was not adequate. Mere retraining of employee skills is insufficient. The instilling of higher knowledge and skills has to go down to the grass root level, which means that appropriate changes to education have to be put in place.

Emergency planning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Emergency planning - Research Paper Example LOGISTICS deals with a broad range of activities including the acquisition and dissemination of all finances and resources required for emergency response, to and from the emergency site and EOC. Moreover, the logistics section also deals with the establishment and maintenance of communication at the EOC. Further, logistics deals with the coordination of all activities necessary for a prompt response to emergencies and recovery from disasters, including MAAs. Plans are developed in collaboration with a number of different stakeholders who partake in the emergency response process. The essence of including such stakeholders is that emergency response is a community-wide process that requires the participation of a broad range of stakeholders. As such, the Tampa county department continually undertakes to train the relevant stakeholder in order to ensure that they are capable of providing meaningful input that will assist in the delivery of a compact and appropriate emergency response plan. Moreover, these individuals play an important part in the continual review and update of the emergency response