Employee Relations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Employee Relations - Research Paper Example nd extends maximum opportunities to the employees to participate and furnish inputs in the organizational planning and decision making initiatives (Moynihan, 2008, p. 199). All the activities of an HR administrator need to be focused on the creation of effective performance leaders and extending motivation to employees. In that sense, in the contemporary health care organizations, the role of an HR administrator has graduated from merely being an evaluator to being a precursor and facilitator. Performance management is the key discipline that needs to be taken care of by the organizations striving to be leaders in terms of quality of patient care. Performance management involves a plethora of activities like goal setting, appraising performance, streamlining communication, extending coaching and feedback for enhancing performance, initiation and implementation of employee development programs, and rewarding achievements in a time and appropriate manner (Moynihan, 2008, p. 199). As a VP of HR in a health care institution, I came across multiple lacunas marring the performance management function in the organization I served. In an academic context it will be really interesting to delve on some of the salient performance management related faults I came across in my organization. One major performance management challenge faced by the organization in which I worked was a lack of clear purpose. Their did not exist any systematic mechanism for planning the organizational work and selecting pragmatic expectations, promptly rewarding good performance, placing a system for a continual monitoring of performance, extension of periodical feedback related to employee performance, and encouraging the development of a capacity to perform (Moynihan, 2008, p. 61). The organization simply lacked a clear perception of the factors that were critical to employee performance and a viable performance culture, based on individual accountability and a timely delivery of results

E-commerce Data Privacy & Security Literature review

E-commerce Data Privacy and Security - Literature review Example In 2001 most popular commercial website, collecting data from the customers, have clearly mentioned privacy policy statements on their websites (Schuele 2005). Moreover, some websites out of these most popular commercial sites have not published a complete privacy policy (Schuele 2005). 1.2 Emphasizing on Privacy One more study shows that online companies emphasize and focus more on online privacy policy rather than any other aspect. Even online security is considered as the second option. Moreover, the study also concluded that online customers are more worried about their privacy rather than online threats, as they are considered to be in control. In addition, the study also demonstrated a comparison between the two decades i.e. 1999-2001 and 2005-2007 which highlighted the factors that are mentioned previously (Parayitam, Desai et al. 2008). 1.3 Focusing on Customer Demands However, study concluded one interesting factor i.e. the rankings and ratings of policies created for Intern et continues to focus on demands of the web users. Moreover, consumer privacy continues to be on top in both the decades (Parayitam, Desai et al. 2008). The amplified awareness by the contributors i.e. legislators and advocates shows interest level is comparatively high. 1.4 Sugar Coating Privacy Policy Clauses It is very common for a web user seeking for a privacy policy will only able to read some pages mentioned in terms of points, applauses etc. In order to enhance customer experience with privacy policies, there must be an interactive medium via which customer can get awareness. Literature related to serious implication was also found, For instance, organizations construct the structure of sentences in a way that suits their legal rights. A study conducted by (Pollach 2007) shows that the structure of sentences in a privacy policy related to a typical online shopping website are sugarcoating data handling practices. They are foregrounding optimistic facets and at the same time back-grounding privacy incursions. 1.5 Approach From Corporate Organizations A study conducted by (Markel 2005). He concluded that corporate organizations gather personal information from their users on four core factors stated below: To provide value added services to special customers. For instance, history of customers reflects high profile of purchasing or selling products via the site. Moreover, these websites also provide forms, in order to register a customer so that he or she can access ‘only members’ portion of the website that may include special discounts and offers. Organizations also customize website contents and design according to the type of customer, in order to modify web experience. The customization is carried out as per customer’s interest that is extracted from the past history of buying and selling products. Moreover, in order to buy any product from the website, corporate organizations require shipping and billing information in order to sell the product to the web user. Corporate organization also trade customer information to third parties. This business activity is carried out to strengthen business relationships. The information can only be used for online marketing and advertisement purposes.

Billabong Business Report

Billabong Business Report Billabong was established in Queensland as a private company in 1973. In 2000 it was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX), becoming a public company with shareholders. Over the years it has established operations across 4 continents with distribution to over 60 countries worldwide. Billabong has firmly established its brand at home and abroad with its focus on innovative yet functional products. Acquisitions of other brands such as Von Zipper, Element, Nixon and Honolua have helped the Company diversify their product range. The Company has managed to remain competitive in a receding global economy in the past year aided by strong growth sales in the Europe and Australasian sectors. Billabong employs over 1750 staff world-wide and has a strong commitment to all their stakeholders in terms of integrity and governance. (Cory, 2008, website) Introduction Founded on Australias Gold Coast in 1973 by surfer and surfboard shaper Gordon and Rena Merchant, Billabong has since established itself as a prominent Australian icon. The Company sprang from humble beginnings, with the couple designing boardshorts in their flat overlooking Burleigh Heads, cutting them out on the kitchen table and then carting the finished product around to the local surf shop to sell. Gordons no frills, practical approach to boardshort manufacturing paid dividends, as Billabong grew steadily until his little homespun factory literally burst at the seams. (Pacificshop, 2006, website) From those inauspicious early days the Company has grown rapidly to become a publicly listed international company. Today, Billabongs core business is the design, production, marketing, distribution, wholesaling and retailing (through shops and agencies owned by the Company) of surf, skate and skiing apparel; accessories; and eyewear. This report is an analysis of Billabong Internationa ls business framework. Business Model and Organisational Framework By the 1980s, Billabong had firmly cemented its place in Australian surf culture and was international expansion was in its sights. The Companys first international operation was established in the USA in 1983, followed by New Zealand in 1985 and Europe in 1987. A range of other international operations were established in subsequent years, with Japan opening in 2000 and Brazil in 2001. Through the 1990s the surf industry grew exponentially and professional surfing gained a newfound respectability. The Company also followed its core customers into other boardsports markets, including skate and snow, where it replicated its proven business model. By the close of the decade, Billabong had been restructured to capitalise on the growing global opportunities in all boardsports sectors. The restructure set the foundation for an initial public offering in Australia in mid 2000. The move saw the Companys shares publicly listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in August of that year. Shortly after the public float the Company demonstrated its growth plans with a number of acquisitions including Von Zipper sunglasses brand and the emerging Element Skateboards brand. The successful integration of those businesses saw the Company add to its stable of brands in following years, with Honolua Surf Company acquired in January 2004, Kustom footwear and Palmers Surf in September 2004, a controlling interest in the beach culture airport-retail business in November 2005 and Nixon watches and accessories in January 2006. Other businesses were also established, including the Element footwear range, the California-based Beachworks retail business and various branded concept stores around the world. (Global Village Partnerships, 2009, website) Business Mission/Vision Billabong Internationals values remain consistent with its foundation objectives, which include: a commitment to brand protection and enhancement the manufacture of design-relevant and functional products marketing in the core boardsports channels such as sponsorship of events and athletes, as well as advertising in selected print media to expand into new geographical markets to expand the product range, particularly in the core board sports and youth fashion markets the professional development of staff and ongoing customer service and relationships and to deliver returns to shareholders Leadership Gordon Merchant has consistently had a hands-on role in the designing, marketing and sales of for the Company and brand. He currently sits on the board of directors along with Derek OHYPERLINK javascript:;HYPERLINK javascript:;Neill the CEO, and Paul Naude the Executive Director. The other board members consist of: Ted Kunkel Margaret Jackson AC Allan McDonald Colette Paull Tony Froggatt (Billabongcorporate, 2009, website) Financial Position According to Billabongs full year financial report, the Companys profit for the year ended31st June 2009 was $160.2 million. This was down 9.2% from the same period last year. This is largely in line with the decline in the global economic activity over the past year. The decrease in net profit meant that earnings per share was also down 11.2%. Although net profit decreased, there was a rise in sales revenue. This was largely due to new acquisitions made by the Company and the adverse movement of the Australian dollar against other major currencies such as the US dollar and the Euro. Operations in North America felt the heaviest impact from the economic slowdown. However, this was offset by strong sales growth is the South America sector. Europe was the star performer, with an almost 24% increase in sales revenue. Australasia also managed sales revenue gains of almost 8%, largely helped by the resilience of the Australian retail market and supported by the governments economic stimulus packages. Given the lack of retailer confidence, the steep slowdown in consumer spending in various global economies and the extreme volatility in exchange rates, the Company has performed reasonably well. The forecast for the coming year seems to be conservative in light of the current uncertainty of the global economy. Europe and Australasia are predicted to remain stable, and despite the initial reduction of forward orders in the US, there are promising signs of a recovery. (ONeill D, 2009, website) Human Resources and Stakeholder Management Billabong International has a diverse group of stakeholders that both influence and are impacted by the operations of the Company. These include employees, shareholders, business associates, athletes, suppliers, opinion leaders and customers. Billabong International employs over of 1750 staff worldwide, with the greatest concentration of staff in Californias Orange County, Australias Gold Coast and Hossegor in France. Employees are the main stakeholders in any company and building and maintaining relationships with employees is vital to maintaining effective relationships with business partners, customers and the community. Staff are encouraged to expand their skills and potential, and have access to and receive support for further training and to experience opportunities. Programs for managers to develop vital skills with an emphasis on innovation, planning, leadership and teamwork are a focus of the business. The Company also has guidelines and policies for remuneration to ensure a fair approach to rewarding employees. The Company also has a consultative committee comprising staff representatives and senior managers to discuss issues and consider improvements to the workplace. Billabong International is also committed to conducting business in an ethical and socially responsible manner. This is defined in employee work agreements that effectively form a code of ethics that governs acceptable workplace practices. The Companys corporate governance policy states that the maintenance of all environmental, social and health and safety issues is to be the responsibility of the Board of Directors. As a public company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange Billabong International is required by law to hold an Annual General Meeting of shareholders to discuss the Companys business. The Company also addresses shareholders at least twice a year to update trading conditions and provide a forward business outlook. The Company also consistently interacts with stakeholders through the staging of events around the world. These range from the elite World Championship Tour professional surfing contests, through to professional skate and snow competitions and a range of junior and amateur surf, skate and snow events. At a supplier level, the Company undertakes regular factory visits to conduct audits. During these audits, workers from the shop floor are randomly selected for interviews to help understand workplace standards. Large posters outlining Billabongs supplier Code of Conduct are fixed to high profile locations within factories to ensure workers are aware of their rights. Multi-stakeholder meetings that bring together staff from the Companys geographically diverse regions are also held twice annually. These provide a forum to discuss the direction of the business and gain a better understanding of the motivation that drives business decisions. International Nature of the Business From its origins in Australia nearly 30 years ago, Billabong has evolved into a global business that operates on four major continents. Its name-Billabong International Limited-now reflects this focus and the promotion and protection of its brands and name are a major component of the business around the world. The original market for boardshorts and wetsuits was limited in its size, so Billabong (along with several other similar companies) looked to expand their product range to include clothing and accessories. Originally, these were manufactured in Australia. The drivers for Billabong included the need to expand to new and larger markets in order to increase sales and profits, improvements in technology that led to better production and communication, and the advent of global consumers because of the increasingly popular surf culture and lifestyle. This is essentially a global strategy using global branding in that the same, standardised product is sold in all markets. Deregulation of markets and government influences had minimal impact on Billabong. Billabong also achieved economies of scale through its increase in production, as well as some cushioning of the economic cycle-having operations in both hemispheres, which have opposite seasons, allows the development of products to suit summer in Australia, which can then be sold in the Northern Hemisphere four months later. The globalisation of Billabong was achieved through: seeking cheaper sources for manufacturing (in Hong Kong and China)-factories were established to produce garments for sale in Australia exporting and distributing in the United States (initially in surf areas, such as California) exporting and distributing in France and then in the rest of Europe establishing operations in the United States, France, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong and Brazil that are responsible for importing, distributing and wholesaling Billabong products. This is a form of foreign direct investment the acquisition of other businesses so that they became wholly owned subsidiaries of Billabong. This occurred with Element and Von Zipper-these companies retain their name (brand) but are wholly owned and controlled by Billabong licensing, which allows distributors and some retail outlets to use the Billabong name as part of their operations. There are several key areas which are important in the management of a business at a global scale: Financial Exposure to foreign exchange is a concern for all global companies as well as methods of payment and credit risks. However, the establishment of operations and distributors in various countries ensures that Billabong is in a position to access borrowed funds from overseas if required. Operations In order to reduce production costs the majority of Billabongs manufacturing occurs in China. This is a form of outsourcing and strict procedures are in place to ensure quality control. Billabong has offices in Australia (Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria), the United States (California), France, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong and Brazil. By adopting a global web approach and using subsidiaries, Billabong can move products more easily, avoid some government regulations, be closer to its markets and customers, and avoid some foreign exchange risks. Employment Relations Billabong needs to be aware of differences in labour laws and cope with pressures relating to minimum labour standards. The Company also must adhere to the global standards covering factory inspections (on general human rights and environmental issues) and laboratory tests. Conclusion The original Billabong business focused on gear for local surfers, before diversifying into clothing and accessories for surfing, snow skiing and skating. Billabong now has over 2200 product lines and is the leading surfwear brand in Australia with its products being distributed in more than 60 countries internationally. Despite the doom and gloom of the current economic environment, Billabong has managed to largely steer clear of any major short-comings, enjoying success in most of its global sectors. From a small backyard operation in 1973 to todays multi-national publicly floated company, Billabong is certainly an entrepreneurs dream come true.

American Corporations and Internet Pornography Essay -- Exploratory Es

American Corporations and Internet Porn      Ã‚   In this essay, we shall consider the so-called "reputable" mainstream American companies that are reaping huge profits from Internet porn, as well as related considerations.    Marriott, Westin, and Hilton are known for their pornographic video deliveries to paying rooms, a practice which Omni Hotels discontinued when confronted by the American Family Association. On the other hand, Internet porn companies like Yahoo! In its x-rated Geocities sites, was not intimidated by AFA's threats. Instead, it took US Attorney General Ashcroft's strong action to intimidate Yahoo! into only a partial-withdrawal from Internet porn. However, Yahoo! Still retains marginally pornographic material on websites.    AT&T is the biggest American company that has accommodated itself to the pornography boom. Its cable division, AT&T Broadband, distributes to subscribers the explicit porn channel, The Hot Network; and this has unfortunate repercussions in the world of Internet pornography. In the spring of 2001, an interfaith coalition of relig...

The Welcome Table by Alice Walker

I choose to analyze The Welcome Table by Alice Walker; this story is about an old, rundown black woman who staggers the necessary distance in the freezing cold to attend an all-white people church. The Welcome Table is told in the third person and shifts the point of view from which the story is told. The white people are at a loss when they see her near the entrance of the church and do not know what to do. Some people take her in as she is, an old black woman with a mildewed dress that is missing buttons. She is lean and wrinkled with blue-brown eyes. Her appearance makes some of the white people think of black workers, maids, cooks; others think of black mistresses or jungle orgies. Still others think that she is a foreshadow of what is to come – black people invading the one place that it still considered the white person's sanctuary, their church. They see her and transfer their fear of blacks onto her. The beginning of the story is told from the white people's perspectives as they see an old black woman come to their church and go inside. Inside the church, the point of view switches to the usher who tells the old black lady to leave. The point of view then switches back to the white women inside the church, who take it as a personal insult and feel the most threatened about the old black lady being at their church. They rouse their husbands to throw the old lady out. The perspective then changes to the old black lady. This constant changing of point of view is useful in that it portrays the fears, thoughts, and feelings of almost everyone in the story. Firsthand, the reader is able to know what the people are thinking and why. In the end, the point of view briefly returns to the white people who were at church that day. The story ends with the perspective of some black families who witnessed the old lady walking down the highway. The story starts on a Sunday morning at the steps of the church that white people attend. The focus moves briefly inside the church where it is cold. As the story progresses the setting moves to the highway located outside the church. It is freezing outside. It is interesting to note that the old black woman does not find Jesus inside the â€Å"white† church but outside of it. Also of interest; prior to meeting Jesus, the old black woman is cold and shivering. After meeting Jesus, no mention is made of the woman's being cold or shivering. Walker does not give a specific time period in which the story takes place or a specific location. This might have been done to make the story timeless. The language used in The Welcome Table is very descriptive in her details of the old black woman's appearance and the appearance of Jesus. Walker is also detailed when describing the white people's different emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Walker provides insight into all the characters with her word choices, and by doing so, makes a simple story more profound. Walker writes this story straight through for the most part with only two breaks. The first break comes immediately after the old woman is thrown out of the church. The point of view then shifts to the old black woman whose thoughts and feelings were unknown to the reader up to this point. The second break occurs after the old woman is walking with Jesus. Walker uses the break to shift forward in time in the white people's perspective. Although the old woman dies at the end of the story and an argument could be made that she was walking alone, this story contains hope and leaves the reader with a good feeling. The story gives hope that people who have lived a life of servitude and poor treatment will, in the end, find kindness, acceptance, and joy.

The Greek Achievement

Greece is the most prominent civilization and achievement in the history. Greek created many achievements in architecture, art, philosophy, mathematics and science. It occupied a very important position in the history of world culture. Moreover, there are no doubt that the contributions to the human society had a significant impact on the history. Also, There are some of the Greek achievements which still have impact on the world. Some information of achievements are below architecture and philosophy. Firstly, the style of architecture was mainly by Classical order.It represents the order of a building. Due to the Greeks believed that Zeus is very important in the gods of Greek mythology. And then, the gods of Mount Olympus looks like a human. They need the construction of buildings to protect them. For instance, the Parthenon which was built in Athens and accordance with strict laws of balance and proportion. It is a architecture that full of order. Therefore, this classical style w as continued to influence early Western architecture. The most notably monuments is the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.In addition, the refinement of form and the architectural of the style were established in the Greek temple. It is a architectural what is influence for the last two thousand years of western building tradition. Likewise, philosophy is also a part of the Greek achievement. Philosophy is a Greek word that meaning â€Å"love of wisdom†. Greeks searched the answers about their role in the universe. The Athenians loved ideas as much as they loved the freedom of democracy. The most famous philosopher in Athens was called Socrates. He dared to raise questions about Athenian values.He believed that is important to examine the laws, social customs, and even religious values. His motto was â€Å"know thyself†. After his death, his student Plato carried on his work. Plato opened the first university called the Academy in Greece which taught students. The ideas o f Plato and Socrates are still study around the world now. To sum up, the classical age in Greece was a period of greatness achievement. Also, Greece was a the standard for philosophy, science, history, art and architecture for all different cultures. Therefore, the Greek architecture and the philosophy are still affect in the modern society.