Monday, September 30, 2019

Risk Management: New Challenges and Opportunities for Insurance Sectors

Risk management can be described as like the other management procedures of identification, assessment and prioritization of risk. Actually risk management is very much equal to walking on the rope. As defined in ISO 31000 the effect of uncertainty on objectives whether it positive or negative. Risks can come from uncertainty in financial markets, project failures, legal liabilities, credit risk, accidents, natural causes and disasters as well as deliberate attacks from an adversary. Risk Analysis Risk analysis is the process of systematically identifying and assessing the potential threats and uncertainties that occur when trying to achieve a certain goal (such as completing a project), and then finding a reasonable strategy for most efficiently controlling these risks. Risk analysis also helps to define preventive measures to reduce the probability of these factors from occurring and identify countermeasures to successfully deal with these constraints when they develop to avert possible negative effects on the competitiveness. Insurance The most common tool used in risk management is insurance. Besides the standard health, life, and possibly disability insurance, we have to look at the types of liability and property insurance that may we need. Specialized insurance for particular risks in business can also be necessary. For instance, in an industry a chemical component is used in production process, they need special toxic risk insurance. A sense of security may be the next basic goal after food, clothing, and Shelter. An individual with economic security is fairly certain that he can satisfy his needs (food, shelter, medical care, and so on) in the present and in the future. Economic risk (which we will refer to simply as risk) is the possibility of losing economic security. Most economic risk derives from variation from the expected outcome Need for awareness on insurance products Life insurance and general insurance have more products to facilitate the customer needs. According to most of the surveys individual lack the awareness, literacy and skills to adequately assess their needs for financial and social protection and to choose appropriate insurance services. Raising awareness and educating on individuals are challenging priorities for research studies. Because of trends towards increased responsibility of the individuals for the management of risks and coverage, as well as consequences wrong or inappropriate decisions. The education process in the insurance sector involves different types of stake holders’ insurance authorities, insurance entities and intermediaries, other insurance providers, distributors, NGOs and customers themselves. Importance of insurance Importance of insurance is definitely increasing and expanding. Households should be encouraged and provided with the possibilities to enhance their awareness, responsibility to the coverage of their overall risk exposure as well as their understanding the knowledge of insurance products. Yet little research has been undertaken on this subject. With in a frame work of general financial education insurance subject is being handled. Better understanding of financial products can be given to potential consumers. Evaluation of risk in new areas of personnel insurance Increase in perceived and real risk. Emerging catastrophic bond markets shows the rise in risk levels. The range of conventional and new large scale risks seems to have expanded and their frequency has increased. They included risk related to industrial (Bhopal), natural (earthquakes, floods), terrorist attacks, new technologies risks (cyber crimes), Health risk against new diseases. Enhanced needs and demand for risk coverage: Broad increase in savings interest of population started investing in assets like houses, buying materials like gold, investment in financial markets have to be protected. The relative complicity and heterogeneity of insurance products develops confusion among the non expert consumers, as they need insurance. Existing products and new age products have to be updated to the present scenario. Responsibility of the insurance companies to get the feed back from the consumers. Know the difficulties in getting their service. Short term mindset of consumer does not encourage them to get long term coverage. Various studies will help the sectors to study the consumer’s knowledge about the insurance products. Tools like the number of complaints received from the customers, questionnaires to collect the position of the consumer can be used. Innovation of Insurance opportunities in capital markets The capital market risk usually defines the risk involved in the investments. The stark potential of experiencing losses following a fluctuation in security prices is the reason behind the capital market risk. During the global financial turmoil of 2007 and 2008, the stocks were worst affected, even well performing stocks are also beaten up. This is a characteristic feature of capital market. How ever in the time of market fluctuation and turbulence volatile seasons investors losing their hard earned money. Loss occurred to the investors makes the disbelief in capital market and views the market as a gambling spot. Resulting further investment in capital markets by them is stopped. Stock market has to search for another investor. The interest of protecting the investment of the investor is maintained by SEBI and Government of India through its policies, guidelines and certain regulations. Monitoring the markets fraudulent, watc hing the short selling, bulk Purchase, inside trading, etc†¦.and helps logically to protect the investors by legitimately. Apart from SEBI and government interest some professional system has to emerge for protecting investments. Many researches have to be done to provide an insurance system or scheme to capital market securities. Financial innovation has allowed many types of risk to become more tradable including like credit, interest rate, foreign- exchange risk and equity. Risk transfer and a new system for protecting investments of investors in capital market securities have to be analyzed. Emerging capital markets needs investments in a continuous mode. Then only corporate of India can adventure into expansions, mergers and acquisitions to proceed their plan for development. Recent turmoil experienced that no IPO issue got success and others likely to issue IPO is delayed. Financial risk transfer and transparency have been dominant themes since the World War II. Insurance risk comes in many varieties and also segmented into broad categories e.g. life, mortgages, car loan, assets against theft, fire, flood, earth quake, corps. Financial innovation has allowed many type of risk to become tradable including credit, interest rate, foreign exchange risk. The potential market is vast, with total premiums of all the world’s insurers equaling to US$ 4.1 trillion. Most insurance are asset based securities. Treating the investments of securities in capital market as a product and providing insurance as like other risk class is the idea behind the research. Increasing trend in insurance linked securities attracted the research concept. CAT bonds were issued against catastrophic risks such as windstorms, (hurricanes, typhoons) and earth quakes. These serve as collateralized protection for extreme event risk at a multi year fixed price. Industry loss warranties, CAT bonds, cat swaps are triggered by specific indexes. The purpose of the research is to extent insurance linked securities concept and providing an insurance coverage at a premium for expected loss. All progress is born of inquiry. Doubts is often better than overconfidence, for it leads to inquiry leads to invention†-Hudson maxim Any research on this topic will give a better beginning of new innovation to one of the financial market instrument of capital market. Financial institutions, government funds and large retail participants from house hold savings floods the funds to capital market. Further more the inventions to the betterment of the system will bring the trust in the mind of investor. The capital market provides both overnight and long term funds and uses financial instruments with long maturity periods. The following financial instruments are traded in this market are Foreign exchange instruments, Equity instruments, Insurance instruments, Credit market instruments, Derivative instruments. This research deals for the investments in equity stocks. Insurance and Reinsurance Insurance companies are in the business of assuming risks from individuals or companies. They manage those risks by diversifying over a large number of policies, Perils and geographic regions. A particularly difficult problem is the management of risk from high severity, low probability events (catastrophe risk, or â€Å"CAT† risk), such as that posed by major earthquakes or hurricanes. The risk from low severity, high probability events (for example, auto collision or medical insurance) can be diversified by writing a large number of similar policies. Suppose that the insurer charges a premium equal to the expected average annual loss and has a very large number of policies. By the law of large numbers, it can expect to pay out approximately this amount in claims in each year. Under the CAT bond scenario, investors purchase the bond and exchange a principal payment now for future coupon (interest) and principal payments. These payments are contingent on loss experience or the occurrence of a specified catastrophic event. If the bond is not triggered, the investor receives full coupon and principal payments over the life of the bond. If the bond is triggered, the investor may lose the right to future coupon payments, principal payments or both, depending on the type of bond Methodology 1. Formulating the research problem and extension of literature survey. Selecting the securities for investigation from NSE India from Nifty stocks in which investment is going to be insured. Collecting data for period ten years from web sites of NSE and several associated agencies for the frequency of peeks and deeps of price movements. Comparing the data with existing technical analysis theories for trigger price calculating. For the same period of time fundamental analysis has to be done for the same stock. Knowing stability and financial performance of the stock then correlating the both analysis and finding the stocks for making model. . 2. Development of working hypothesis& Building model. After extensive literature survey a model has to be build. Testing for hypotheses for the formula arrived. Development of working by hypotheses is to be state in clear terms. Working hypothesis is intensive assumption made in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences. Conclusion The contribution that the research should make an exposure to the insurance companies to concentrate and find possibilities to take the investment made in capital market as product. By two ways this research will benefit the society one is protecting the investment of the investor by which building the trust and make the continuous investment in capital market through that the market may get regular in flow of funds. Another is new business emerged to the insurance companies. Reference http://finance.mapsofworld.com/primary-market/problems-indian.html

Sunday, September 29, 2019

An Analyses of “When the Saints Go Marching in”

Kevin Fickel MUSC 105. 003 An Analysis of â€Å"When the Saints Go Marching In† The origins of â€Å"When the Saints† have never been fully explained in modern times. It was originally written as a Negro Spiritual hymn sometime near the beginning of the twentieth century. On written music, composers usually notate it as a traditional piece, but the identity of the original author remains up for debate.Some sources claim that the original lyrics of â€Å"When the Saints† were penned by Katherine Pervis and put to music by James Black in 1896, but many scholars today believe that Pervis and Black’s composition was a completely different piece of music due to it being titled â€Å"When the Saints Are Marching In†. Regardless, the original lyrics contain many spiritual references, particularly to heaven and the coming of God’s kingdom.In one of the verses, the author writes â€Å"Oh when the trumpet sounds its call, oh when the trumpet sounds it s call, I want to be in that number, when the trumpet sounds its call,† which is a reference to a passage in the book of Revelations, located in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The passage describes the sounding of seven trumpets by angels of heaven. Each trumpet brings about a specific catastrophic event upon the world below, which is filled with those who were not taken in to heaven at the onset of the world’s end.Other references to things such as â€Å"†¦the moon turns red with blood†¦ † and â€Å"†¦when the new world is revealed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  are tied in with the end of days described in Revelations, which the author describes a desire to avoid by being in heaven. Though the original lyrics describe dark and unfortunate events, today â€Å"When the Saints† has a positive connotation attached to it. When it is performed in modern times, it is at a much faster tempo and the melody swings at an infectiously catchy pace.This chan ge started probably due to a trend that originated in New Orleans that consisted of inserting a verse that discussed how a former friend or relative had died, moved away, or was estranged from them and how they desired to see them again, often in the next life (i. e. heaven). In one of the earliest know recordings of â€Å"When the Saints†, the blues artist Barbeque Bob sings â€Å"†¦I had a dear old mother, she’s gone on to heaven I know, I promised the Lord I’d meet her, when the Saints go marching in†¦. The belief that a one will be able to reunite with all of their loved ones who have passed away before them, coupled with an image of heaven as eternal paradise for a soul instills hope in an individual. Taking this into account may explain the prevalence of bands performing â€Å"When the Saints† in New Orleans funeral marches. It may be that in the culture of New Orleans a funeral is not only a place for mourning the dead, but also a time t o celebrate the deceased’s passing into eternal paradise.Thus, â€Å"When the Saints† began a transformation from a solemn hymn to an upbeat funeral piece and then to one of the most famous jazz songs of all time. This transformation is quite staggering. When the song was first written, there was no recording technology that enabled its original form to be preserved. Barbeque Bob performed the earliest recording of â€Å"When the Saints† in the early twentieth century. His rendition is performed on acoustic guitar and has a very resigned tempo with the overall tone of the piece being one that fosters reflection.This style was probably representative of the standard way to play the piece at the time and most likely remained so until Louis Armstrong recorded his rendition of â€Å"When the Saints† in the format that most people recognize. Armstrong played â€Å"When the Saints† at a much faster tempo than Barbeque Bob and with a more upbeat and fun t one and with a full band featuring trombones, drums, a string bass, trumpet, clarinet, and several other instruments. Armstrong’s rendition ushered in the more common rendition of â€Å"When the Saints† that emulates his fast tempo and upbeat tone.Armstrong also created a way of playing â€Å"When the Saints† that allowed for passages of improvisation, a mainstay in jazz music. The strophic form of the verses and running bass allows for other instruments to take turns improvising before returning to the original melody. However, this also caused â€Å"When the Saints† to become a more secular piece as it lost its previously sacred themes and lyrics. In a duet between Louis Armstrong and Danny Kaye, the lyrics previously talking about the end of days and joining with others in heaven are replaced with a series of clever puns of the names of famous classical composers.This shows the shift of â€Å"When the Saints† from a sacred hymn intended to inspi re to a song intended to entertain. Instead of being played in church sanctuaries, it mostly is performed at concerts by ensembles not affiliated with any particular church. In listening to different recordings of this timeless piece that I myself have performed a few times in my life, I was most surprised to learn that â€Å"When the Saints† was not always an upbeat jazz piece. Hearing the evolution of this song through the various recordings was very interesting. I can say that I have a newfound interest in this piece that was not there before.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Human Resource Planning

HR Planning: * The process for ensuring that the HR requirements of an organization are identified and plans are made for satisfying those requirements. * Planning for the personnel needs of an organization based on internal activities and external environment * How many people? What sort of people? Definitions: * HRP determines the human resources required by the organization to achieve its goals. It is â€Å"the process of ensuring that the human resource requirements of an organization are identified and plans are made for satisfying those requirements† – Bulla & Scott. It is the process, â€Å"including forecasting, developing and controlling, by which a firm ensures that it has the right number of people and the right kind of people at the right places at the right time doing the work for which they are economically most useful† – E. B. Geisler. * It is a strategy for the acquisition, utilization, improvement and preservation of the human resources of an enterprise. It is the activity of the management to coordinate the requirements for and the availability of different types of employees.This involves ensuring that the firm has enough of the right kind of people at the right time and also adjusting the requirements to the available supply. Objectives of HR Planning: * To ensure quality and quantity of HR at the right time and the right place * To ensure optimum utilization of human resources * To avoid understaffing and overstaffing Importance: * Reservoir of Talent * Expansion/ Contraction * Cutting costs * Succession Planning MANPOWER PLANNING MAKES FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES AT DIFFERENT LEVELS: MACRO-LEVEL NATIONAL SECTOR – WISE INDUSTRY – WISE MICRO- LEVEL ORGANISATION LEVELOrganizational Objectives & Policies: * Downsizing / Expansion * Acquisition / Merger / Sell-out * Technology up gradation / Automation * New Markets & New Products * External Vs Internal hiring * Training & Re-training * Union Constraints HRP includes four factors: * Quantity- How many people do we need? * Quality- Which skills, knowledge and abilities do we need? * Space-Where do we need the employees? * Time-When do we need the employees and for how long do we need them? Steps in HRP: * Forecasting future people needs * Forecasting the future availability of people * Drawing up plans to match supply with demandHR Demand Forecast: Process of estimating future quantity and quality of manpower required for an organization. * External factors – competition, laws & regulation, economic climate, changes in technology and social factors. * Internal factors – budget constraints, production levels, new products & services, organizational structure & workforce factors. Forecasting Techniques: * Expert forecasts * Trend Analysis * Workforce Analysis * Workload Analysis * Job Analysis Supply Forecasting: * Internal Supply ( Skill Inventory) * Age, gender, education, experience, training, job assignments, past perfor mance, future potential. External Supply Important barometers of Labor Supply: * Net migration into and out of the area * Education Levels of the workforce * Demographic Changes in the population * Technological developments and shifts * National and regional employment rates * Actions of competing employers * Govt. policies, regulations and measures * Economic forecasts for the next few years * Attractiveness of the area/ industry THE PROCESS OF HUMAN RESOUCE PLANNIG GENERAL OVERVIEW: BUSINESS STRATEGIC PLANS RESOURCING STRATEGY PLANNING DEMAND / SUPPLY FORECASTING MANPOWER TURNOVER ANALYSIS WORK ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS HUMAN RESOURCE PLANSOPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS RESOURCING RETENTION FLEXIBILITY PRODUCTIVITY WORK ENVIRONMENT THE MANPOWER PLANNING PROCESS–FROM THE ORGANISATIONAL VIEW POINT: COMPANY OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIC PLANS MARKET FORECASTS PRODUCTION OBJECTIVES / CAPITAL PROCESS FINANCE PLAN MANPOWER ANALYSIS INVENTORY EMPLOYMENT PRODUCTIVITY ORGANISATION MANPO WER FORECASTS (FUTURE SITUATION) OVERALL UNIT BUDGET MANAGEMENT MANPOWER MANPOWER APPROVAL MANPOWERFORECAST FORECAST ESTIMATES TOP MANAGEMENT APPROVAL MANPOWER OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES MANPOWER PLANS AND PROGRAMMES RECRUITMENT & SELECTION, CARER PLANNING, PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, TRAINING, RETIREMENT ANALYSIS, REDUNDANCIES etc. Formulating HR Plans: * Recruitment Plans * Redeployment Plans * Redundancy Plans * Training Plan * Productivity Plan * Retention Plan Example of the Basic Human Resources Planning Model: Organizational Objectives Human Resource Requirements Human Resource Programs Feasibility Analysis 1 2 3 4 5 Example of the Basic Human Resource Planning Model: Open new product lineOpen new factory and distribution system Develop staffing for new installation Production workers Supervisors Technical staff Other managers Recruiting and training programs feasible Transfers infeasible because of lack of managers with right skills Recruit skilled workers Develop technical trainin g programs Transfer managers from other facilities Develop new objectives and plans Recruit managers from outside Too costly to hire from outside 1 2 3 4 3 5 Forecasting as a Part of Human Resource Planning: DEMAND FORECASTING SUPPLY FORECASTING Determine organizational objectives Demand forecast for each objective Aggregate demand forecastDoes aggregate supply meet aggregate demand? Go to feasibility analysis steps Choose human resource programs External programs Recruiting External selection Executive exchange Internal programs Promotion Transfer Career planning Training Turnover control Internal supply forecast External supply forecast Aggregate supply forecast No Yes Manpower flow in an organization: Inflow Outflow Job Transfers Job recruits Job Relocations Job Hopping Transfers(out) Retirement VRS Scheme Discharge/ Dismissal Termination of service Resignations HR Pool in the Organization Internal Labor Supply: * Analysis of Manning/ Staffing Tables. Replacement Charts- Present incumbents, potential replacements. * Skills Inventory-education, interests, experience, skills, etc. * Succession Planning. * Turnover Analysis. * Wastage Analysis- Retirements, resignation, deaths, dismissals- Labor turnover Index, Stability Index, etc. Trend Analysis: * Projections-Basing it on Organizational Sales * Workforce Analysis- last 5 years * Workload Analysis * Job Analysis Job Analysis: * A systematic process by which information is collected and analyzed with respect to tasks, duties and responsibilities of the jobs within the organization * Job Analysis: What is to be done? How is it to be done? * Under what conditions is the job to be done? * What skills, knowledge and competencies are required to perform the job? * Job Content: Duties, responsibilities, job demands, machines, tools, equipment, performance standard * Job Context: Physical, organizational ad social context, working conditions, work schedule * Human Requirement: Job related knowledge, skills, educatio n, experience, personal attributes Components of Job Analysis: Job Description: written summary of the content and context of the job * Job Specification: Written statement of the knowledge, skills and abilities and other human requirements Questions in Job Analysis Interviews: * What is your job? * What are the major duties of your job? * What are the responsibilities of your job? * What physical locations do you work in? * Under what environmental conditions do you perform your job? * What are the skills, knowledge and experience requirements of your job? * What are the physical and emotional demands that the job makes on you? * What is the performance standards expected on your job? Human Resource Planning Human Resource (HR) Planning is the practice of determining and analysing the requirement for and supply of workforce in order to achieve the organisation’s goals and objectives, fulfil its mission and reach its vision (Mathis & Jackson, 2000). HR planning predicts forces that will affect the availability and requirement of employees in the future. This process will result in top executives having superior analysis of human resource measurement for its decision making; HR expenditure being decreased due to the fact that management can forecast imbalances prior to them becoming costly; additional time will be available to place skills since requirements are predicted and analysed before staffing is done; excellent opportunities are present to comprise female and ethnic groups in upcoming developments; training of new managers can be improved. The outcomes of these can be calculated and can be used for the evaluation of the accomplishments of HR planning (Mathis & Jackson, 2000). Human resource planning is a course of action that will aim to facilitate the organisation’s plan in recruiting, improvement and training, substitution, cross-functional development and management of programs for benefits and rewards. Subsequently to guarantee in building the best valuable human resource plan, the organisation should analyse the necessity of a strategic business plan, work proficiency plan, workforce planning, training and improvement planning, career development planning and planning for right-sizing (Macaleer & Shannon, 2003). Undeniably because of this analysis in HR planning, it is essential to have a sufficient Human Resource Information System (HRIS). The purpose of this is providing accurate, balance and on time information for the process. Now a computer-based system should provide a form of information about human resources necessary for strategic business decision making. This system reflects the relationship between work requirements, employee’s individual skills and levels of performance. In this instance, the information system serves as simple reflections of reality which will help develop better and effective business decisions which are known results in the codification of knowledge (Liff, 1997). In HR planning, external environmental forces should be considered such as present technology, political climate, economic situation, legal issues, social responsibility and cultural differences. Besides these external considerations are extremely important to HR activities especially, if HR planning is globally implemented. The serious pressures that are involve in a business are scarcity of talents, fast shifting technology, government regulations, environment, health, safety and changes in the market. In this situation, the human resource planning innovations of the company are affected. This will make sure that the organisation has the right work force with the right skills in the right jobs at the right moment. There is no argument that human resource planning should be associated with the strategic goals of the company. Hence, human resource planning is an important factor in managing an organisation competently and successfully. Accordingly, HR planning positively improves organisation performance if the HR plan is strategy-based and human resource is a convincing strategic collaborator (Macaleer & Shannon, 2003). Most parts of the world may be in recession and economies are in disorder will result in worldwide effects on organisations and businesses. Any type of HR planning is presented with a surmountable differences of opinion connected with unpredictable and uncertain times. In this case, if the planning is done by HR professionals who have superior knowledge of magnitude and quality of essential resources needed for revitalization, there is optimism of future positive outcomes. According to Robert A. Simpkins (2009), an organisational adviser and educator, there are two types of plans. One is designed to guarantee ‘business continuity’ in the appearance of manmade or natural catastrophe. Second is a plan that is framed for the ‘uncertainty’ of the business environment. HR planning is the most critical part of the organisation’s strategic plans for the reason that observing and adjusting for environmental changes will make the success of the process. All the drivers of the company’s internal and external environment are altering at an accelerating speed including advancements in technology with respect to hardware, software and connectivity, globalization, shifting of sources and consumers, changing competition, changes in markets, the alteration of demographics, change of population lifestyle, the macro and micro changes in economics and the progressively more bewildering government and international regulations (Simpkins 2009). Businesses have the desire to stay significant in the face of consumers and stakeholders. Mostly, the organisations that maintained their importance have built remarkable HR plans that are continually reviewed and modernized. Regrettably, other businesses build better folders that compose overall strategic human resources plans that are short of any back-up planning, and these stay behind on the shelf gathering dust for years, inappropriate to a present shifting business climate. Finally, Simpkins (2009) concludes that an organisation needs to design a communicable HR plan that is not detailed enough to slow down operation. Since HR professionals are with higher-level of understanding, the group will have the elasticity to adjust what will take place in the future. The solution to a positive result is to keep HR plan flexible (Simpkins, 2009). Human resources issues have been the first among all business issues to affect the outcome of a business organisation. Human resources have risks and these risks are the challenges that resulted from managing your employees, processes and procedures. Therefore by dealing with these risks in HR and finance, one can make positive organisational outcomes. On the other hand, if these issues are not addressed appropriately these possibly will cause major harm to the business (Steffee, 2008). Public personnel management research and practices increasingly focus on creative human resource management (HRM) strategies for recruiting individuals with Information Technology (IT) expertise and retaining employees with institutional knowledge, particularly in light of impending retirements. Some agencies face unique workforce demographic challenges, while others face shifts in missions or technologies. For these reasons, the U. S. Office of Personnel Management relaxed some regulations to allow federal agencies to meet their staffing needs (Mastracci, 2009, p. 19). With regards to staffing needs, workforce planning is the course of action that companies utilize to recognize and deal with the staffing implications of their strategic human resources plans or change of business plans. Workforce planning has a sole objective, to develop a long term perspective within which short term workforce decisions can be achieved efficiently. Staffing strategy is a long term plan that makes sure that availability of employees matches its requirement for employees. Staffing plans illustrate short term plans which an organisation will make in the immediate future to deal with staffing gaps and excesses. By implementing this procedure, the businesses can make certain it has the accurate quantity of people, with the appropriate skill, in position at the right moment. Workforce planning can facilitate the execution of business changes and innovations. The growth in organisations is anticipated overtime during the workforce planning phases. This process is essential in determining the staffing that would be required for growth that will make sure the needed skills will be obtainable to accomplish those development goals. It also allows a business company to construct and implement downsizing plans in the best efficient method. The absence of this strategy makes it hard to identify staffing reductions that have a positive effect on the future of the organisation (Bechet, 2008). Rightsizing or downsizing or organisational decimation is a persistent strategic human resource practice for the last thirty years (Gandolfi, 2008). This refers to the planned removal of big quantity of workforce intended to improve organisational efficiency. In fact, this process is a commonly accepted company solution in times of financial difficulties of the organisation. Although studies show enough indication that rightsizing companies is not generally a successful method of reaching goals of optimum output and maximum profit. However, rightsizing sometimes cannot be avoided; workforce reduction ought to be a management means of last resort rather than first option. For the duration of an economic recession, an organisation should think of all its options and examine the viability and applicability of cost-reduction alternatives before considering rightsizing. In fact predicting a business decline can be very hard, therefore, organisations have the immediate reaction rather than forecasting economic downturns (Gandolfi, 2008). Take the case of IBM, although the company planned to steer clear of downsizing its workforce however, the company declared plans of workforce reduction and by the early 1990’s IBM right sized its organisation by decreasing its employment by 40,000 at that time alone. However, IBM made an effort to become reactive by changing products and attempted to acquire the promptness and responsibility edges of fast reacting manufacturers (Greer, 2001). On the other hand, back in the 1980’s a small number of organisations marked workforce planning and marked as part of their human resource strategy. AT&T and some large oil firms were the models of this. Due to the fact that having a large volume of employees, these organisations called for some forms of workforce planning. AT&T made recognition for its succession planning, evaluation and career advancement programs. Rightsizing and reorganising achieved momentum for this time period. Strategic human resource was beginning to expand and become increasingly strategic because of the fast growing economy and globalisation at the end of the decade (Gubman, 2004). In another case, similar to any big organisations, Eastman Kodak has tried with a variety of human resource planning programs for the past decades. One of the successful programs centred on workforce requirements. HR planning by that time was perceived as a method to make certain that the right number and right kind of employees were at the right position at the right moments. Skills assessments were believed to be the suitable base for HR planning. Similar to any firm, Kodak discovered that there were no general definitions of HR planning. The company realised that they ‘borrowed, adapted, discovered and created’ their way to an approach to HR planning that was aligned to the market situation at that time and be reactive to its changes (Bennet & Brush, 2007). We have developed a framework and process for thinking about and doing HR planning, which I’ve labelled: â€Å"HR planning in â€Å"3D. † The three dimensional environment at Eastman Kodak – diversity, decentralisation, and dynamism – has significantly affected the character and objectives of the HR planning process (Bennet & Brush, 2007, p. 46). In this concept, the human resource function at Eastman Kodak Company was restricted with the goals on magnifying the strategic dimensions of human resource management. In this situation, HR is reshaped as a foundation of market competitive edge and new HR planning procedures were built to strengthen this edge. In the 1990’s, the implementation of this procedures required new HR abilities. The company’s made efforts to utilize HR planning to create a tougher and more aggressive corporation (Bennet & Brush, 2007). We have found several key integrative elements which, from an HR standpoint, seem to make sense in a â€Å"3D† environment. These elements are: corporate management themes; HR planning processes; and HR competencies. Working together, in an ensemble of influence and activity, these elements help to create, sustains, and reinforces strategic business unity (Bennet & Brush, 2007, pp. 48-49). Corporate management themes facilitate in building a focus for a united business environment to achieve its objectives. As of HR planning processes, planning is staged at the corporate and business points. In this process, Eastman Kodak Company is creating efficient HR staff and on this level, this will make the company’s HR planning a ‘competitive weapon in our business arsenal’ (Bennet & Brush, 2007). In the belief that the existing process of uniting and sharpening the corporation’s HR goals will result in considerable outcomes over the decades by concentrating our efforts and finances and giving to the corporation’s evolution. In HR competencies, HR planning is designed to support the Kodak Company by developing its ability to face the future and having the objective for improvement of Corporate Relations. An efficient production HR team, a competent HR planning process and the corporate themes put together will create unity of goals and objectives and create production’s capability to implement strategy. On the whole, the Kodak Company started to distinguish the advancement and positive results as the outcome of knowledge acquired on this process. As Kodak Company has started to achieve its goals, there is an opportunity for transformation of HR functions. The corporation anticipate that successful HR planning, in a ‘3D environment’, will be Kodak’s ‘vehicle for landing safely in the 21’st century’ (Boroski, 1990). The point of view on the Annual HR Strategic Planning Process of Corning Incorporated is that the HR staff employs to make HR investments and services the main concern in support with business needs. Overtime, this procedure has contributions from Human Capital Planning process, HR objectives and other organisation innovations. To efficiently attached HR strategy with business strategy a Human Capital Planning process was created in Corning Incorporated. The outcome gave managers tools and skills for ability development and gave HR a method of determining requirements over the organisation. To allow the determination of the skill that will affect the positive outcome of business strategy, HR planning should find out the quantity of employees needed and determine talent gaps. Incorporating both the workforce planning and operating plan process have facilitated to create a more aligned global HR function for Corning Incorporated. Important components of a good HR planning process are composed of different methods for collecting information; corporate strategy input from top executives; direction from top managers and business participation from each business facilitated by HR function. Furthermore, placement of the HR planning process with the business strategy procedures enhances HR’s capacity to support the functions it presents with the requirements for its market Bennet & Brush, 2007). In the early 1990’s, in order to meet Colgate-Palmolive Company’s objective of ‘becoming the best truly global consumer products company’ (Khanna & Randolph, n. d. ) it human resources made the building of its human resources strategy. The corporation is continually dedicated to developing the human resources for sustainable competitive edge in the global market. The HR strategy team was grouped into Geographic Excellence, Category Excellence and Functional Excellence. The Global Human Resources Business Plans is nothing until it is put into action. Colgate should consider consumer’s needs in order to accomplish the innovations of HR planning. HR plays an important part to assist Colgate employees to continually improve. HR makes an effort with management to build training, career planning, performance development, communications and reward systems. The process will make sure that Colgate employees have the chance for advancement, empowerment and continually improve its abilities (Smith, Boroski & Davis, 1992). On other respects, the organisation that is considering outsourcing, HR planning staff should be active partners of workforce planning processes. In the present economic situation, active human resource planning processes integrating flexible workforce preparations are adapted to a much greater degree. Outsourcing is not only part of workforce planning besides it is also a tool in human resource planning. HR planners should be part of the organisational change: evaluation, contract negotiation, transition and stabilisation as these control decisions of the process. HR planning should have the control of the decisions and as the effect of its absence of this practices may result in failures (Khanna & Randolph, 2005). The social responsibility of business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical and discretionary expectations that society has of organisations at a given point in time. The social responsibilities of a business include to produce goods or services, to make a profit, to obey the laws and regulations, to act ethically, to consider the public good in every decision that is made and to place ethics above personal gains. To be socially responsible a person or business must consider all aspects of society when making a decision. (Clark & Seward, 2000, p. 2) In human resource planning the process should incorporate the highest level of social responsibility. As Milton Friedman maintains that a business organisation has no social responsibilities other than to get the highest possible profits (Ramlall, 2009). In spite of this belief, now there is a general awareness among business organisations that sustainable achievement and stockholders share value cannot be materialised by maximising pr oduction but rather by having social responsible attitude (Ramlall, 2009). In another case, human resource should consider employee participation for good governance and corporate social responsibility. As an evidence of its importance is that, it is the basis as a legal tool in composing international institutions to regulate global corporations. In spite of this, business corporations make a general view in making HR procedures regarding the implementation of corporate social responsibility policies and personal views on employee relations that will affect the overall view of labour relations (Daugareilh, 2008). For multinational corporations like Enron, WorldCom and Citigroup, ethics are the most important aspect as an organisation. Everyday all kinds of organisations have to face some kind of moral issue that has the making of a scandal that sometimes will end up in the multimedia business sections. In today’s era, it is a challenge to confront moral dilemmas such as workforce retention, attracting people, promotion, pay, sexual harassment and other HR practices. How a business corporation will respond to these moral issues will affect organisational environment and will also incite legal actions and will result a negative perception from investors and consumers. Human resource planning practises call for not only reaching organisational objectives besides it will also institute and sustain these processes around ethical grounds (Kubal, Baker & Coleman, 2006). HR staff should have the foresight and the character to incorporate in its practises the various value systems in a business corporation. Although this is not just idealism, global competitions compel HR orientation to focus on profit. HR planning practices must consider decisions that are driven by the business or driven for the business. HR should lead as the guardians of the organisation’s strategic ability. Likewise HR practises must also be the guardians of the whole organisation’s ethical and moral integrity (Wright & Snell, 2005). Unquestionably, in having human resource management program it must recognize laws and regulations in dealing with its people. This will make the legal environment of human resources. Due to the fact that this is a complicated aspect of the organisation, this increasingly involves Human Resource Management. Persistent labour laws must be taken into consideration in overall Human Resource Planning formulation because in practising legal compliance is usually the source of strategic edge in the human resource management point of view (Greer, 2001). Human resource management policies and practices are designed to decide employee’s disagreements and make workplace justice. Similarly, an ethical decision to arrive at a solution to this dilemma is the innate character of human resource management practices and has brought about changes to Australian labour laws. Human Resource management role as a ‘strategic partner’ and also the one who will look after employees’ welfare cannot be seen as a neutral overseer of workplace disputes. That is why a development of a code of ethics should be considered when creating human resources planning processes (Van Gramberg &Teicher, 2006). Take the case in workforce resizing under human resource planning processes, there are legal implications in this situation. With regards to employing and terminating people in an organisation, there is training involved that covers different fair employment and antidiscrimination laws. A typical case in this matter was the case of United Steelworkers of America v. Weber (1979). Brian Weber sued Kaiser Aluminum and his union for racial discrimination (Clardy, 2003). On the whole, Human Resource (HR) planning is the process of combining human resource procedural plans with strategic business plans. HR planning is integrated along the whole of the business planning process. After identifying business goals and objectives, HR planning practices deal with building the workforce, capabilities and management needed to implement the strategic plans. HR planning is created to make sure that the organisation has the important ability to compete in the business world considering the unpredictability of today’s economy. External environment considerations such as economic, social, legal, cultural, political, ethics and technology should be taken into account since this will influence HR planning. The concept of HR planning of Eastman Kodak, Corning and Colgate Palmolive is to develop organisational capability that both will facilitate the innovation of human resource management strategy and integrating this with the companies’ business strategy. Human Resource Planning HR Planning: * The process for ensuring that the HR requirements of an organization are identified and plans are made for satisfying those requirements. * Planning for the personnel needs of an organization based on internal activities and external environment * How many people? What sort of people? Definitions: * HRP determines the human resources required by the organization to achieve its goals. It is â€Å"the process of ensuring that the human resource requirements of an organization are identified and plans are made for satisfying those requirements† – Bulla & Scott. It is the process, â€Å"including forecasting, developing and controlling, by which a firm ensures that it has the right number of people and the right kind of people at the right places at the right time doing the work for which they are economically most useful† – E. B. Geisler. * It is a strategy for the acquisition, utilization, improvement and preservation of the human resources of an enterprise. It is the activity of the management to coordinate the requirements for and the availability of different types of employees.This involves ensuring that the firm has enough of the right kind of people at the right time and also adjusting the requirements to the available supply. Objectives of HR Planning: * To ensure quality and quantity of HR at the right time and the right place * To ensure optimum utilization of human resources * To avoid understaffing and overstaffing Importance: * Reservoir of Talent * Expansion/ Contraction * Cutting costs * Succession Planning MANPOWER PLANNING MAKES FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES AT DIFFERENT LEVELS: MACRO-LEVEL NATIONAL SECTOR – WISE INDUSTRY – WISE MICRO- LEVEL ORGANISATION LEVELOrganizational Objectives & Policies: * Downsizing / Expansion * Acquisition / Merger / Sell-out * Technology up gradation / Automation * New Markets & New Products * External Vs Internal hiring * Training & Re-training * Union Constraints HRP includes four factors: * Quantity- How many people do we need? * Quality- Which skills, knowledge and abilities do we need? * Space-Where do we need the employees? * Time-When do we need the employees and for how long do we need them? Steps in HRP: * Forecasting future people needs * Forecasting the future availability of people * Drawing up plans to match supply with demandHR Demand Forecast: Process of estimating future quantity and quality of manpower required for an organization. * External factors – competition, laws & regulation, economic climate, changes in technology and social factors. * Internal factors – budget constraints, production levels, new products & services, organizational structure & workforce factors. Forecasting Techniques: * Expert forecasts * Trend Analysis * Workforce Analysis * Workload Analysis * Job Analysis Supply Forecasting: * Internal Supply ( Skill Inventory) * Age, gender, education, experience, training, job assignments, past perfor mance, future potential. External Supply Important barometers of Labor Supply: * Net migration into and out of the area * Education Levels of the workforce * Demographic Changes in the population * Technological developments and shifts * National and regional employment rates * Actions of competing employers * Govt. policies, regulations and measures * Economic forecasts for the next few years * Attractiveness of the area/ industry THE PROCESS OF HUMAN RESOUCE PLANNIG GENERAL OVERVIEW: BUSINESS STRATEGIC PLANS RESOURCING STRATEGY PLANNING DEMAND / SUPPLY FORECASTING MANPOWER TURNOVER ANALYSIS WORK ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS HUMAN RESOURCE PLANSOPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS RESOURCING RETENTION FLEXIBILITY PRODUCTIVITY WORK ENVIRONMENT THE MANPOWER PLANNING PROCESS–FROM THE ORGANISATIONAL VIEW POINT: COMPANY OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIC PLANS MARKET FORECASTS PRODUCTION OBJECTIVES / CAPITAL PROCESS FINANCE PLAN MANPOWER ANALYSIS INVENTORY EMPLOYMENT PRODUCTIVITY ORGANISATION MANPO WER FORECASTS (FUTURE SITUATION) OVERALL UNIT BUDGET MANAGEMENT MANPOWER MANPOWER APPROVAL MANPOWERFORECAST FORECAST ESTIMATES TOP MANAGEMENT APPROVAL MANPOWER OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES MANPOWER PLANS AND PROGRAMMES RECRUITMENT & SELECTION, CARER PLANNING, PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, TRAINING, RETIREMENT ANALYSIS, REDUNDANCIES etc. Formulating HR Plans: * Recruitment Plans * Redeployment Plans * Redundancy Plans * Training Plan * Productivity Plan * Retention Plan Example of the Basic Human Resources Planning Model: Organizational Objectives Human Resource Requirements Human Resource Programs Feasibility Analysis 1 2 3 4 5 Example of the Basic Human Resource Planning Model: Open new product lineOpen new factory and distribution system Develop staffing for new installation Production workers Supervisors Technical staff Other managers Recruiting and training programs feasible Transfers infeasible because of lack of managers with right skills Recruit skilled workers Develop technical trainin g programs Transfer managers from other facilities Develop new objectives and plans Recruit managers from outside Too costly to hire from outside 1 2 3 4 3 5 Forecasting as a Part of Human Resource Planning: DEMAND FORECASTING SUPPLY FORECASTING Determine organizational objectives Demand forecast for each objective Aggregate demand forecastDoes aggregate supply meet aggregate demand? Go to feasibility analysis steps Choose human resource programs External programs Recruiting External selection Executive exchange Internal programs Promotion Transfer Career planning Training Turnover control Internal supply forecast External supply forecast Aggregate supply forecast No Yes Manpower flow in an organization: Inflow Outflow Job Transfers Job recruits Job Relocations Job Hopping Transfers(out) Retirement VRS Scheme Discharge/ Dismissal Termination of service Resignations HR Pool in the Organization Internal Labor Supply: * Analysis of Manning/ Staffing Tables. Replacement Charts- Present incumbents, potential replacements. * Skills Inventory-education, interests, experience, skills, etc. * Succession Planning. * Turnover Analysis. * Wastage Analysis- Retirements, resignation, deaths, dismissals- Labor turnover Index, Stability Index, etc. Trend Analysis: * Projections-Basing it on Organizational Sales * Workforce Analysis- last 5 years * Workload Analysis * Job Analysis Job Analysis: * A systematic process by which information is collected and analyzed with respect to tasks, duties and responsibilities of the jobs within the organization * Job Analysis: What is to be done? How is it to be done? * Under what conditions is the job to be done? * What skills, knowledge and competencies are required to perform the job? * Job Content: Duties, responsibilities, job demands, machines, tools, equipment, performance standard * Job Context: Physical, organizational ad social context, working conditions, work schedule * Human Requirement: Job related knowledge, skills, educatio n, experience, personal attributes Components of Job Analysis: Job Description: written summary of the content and context of the job * Job Specification: Written statement of the knowledge, skills and abilities and other human requirements Questions in Job Analysis Interviews: * What is your job? * What are the major duties of your job? * What are the responsibilities of your job? * What physical locations do you work in? * Under what environmental conditions do you perform your job? * What are the skills, knowledge and experience requirements of your job? * What are the physical and emotional demands that the job makes on you? * What is the performance standards expected on your job? Human Resource Planning Human Resource (HR) Planning is the practice of determining and analysing the requirement for and supply of workforce in order to achieve the organisation’s goals and objectives, fulfil its mission and reach its vision (Mathis & Jackson, 2000). HR planning predicts forces that will affect the availability and requirement of employees in the future. This process will result in top executives having superior analysis of human resource measurement for its decision making; HR expenditure being decreased due to the fact that management can forecast imbalances prior to them becoming costly; additional time will be available to place skills since requirements are predicted and analysed before staffing is done; excellent opportunities are present to comprise female and ethnic groups in upcoming developments; training of new managers can be improved. The outcomes of these can be calculated and can be used for the evaluation of the accomplishments of HR planning (Mathis & Jackson, 2000). Human resource planning is a course of action that will aim to facilitate the organisation’s plan in recruiting, improvement and training, substitution, cross-functional development and management of programs for benefits and rewards. Subsequently to guarantee in building the best valuable human resource plan, the organisation should analyse the necessity of a strategic business plan, work proficiency plan, workforce planning, training and improvement planning, career development planning and planning for right-sizing (Macaleer & Shannon, 2003). Undeniably because of this analysis in HR planning, it is essential to have a sufficient Human Resource Information System (HRIS). The purpose of this is providing accurate, balance and on time information for the process. Now a computer-based system should provide a form of information about human resources necessary for strategic business decision making. This system reflects the relationship between work requirements, employee’s individual skills and levels of performance. In this instance, the information system serves as simple reflections of reality which will help develop better and effective business decisions which are known results in the codification of knowledge (Liff, 1997). In HR planning, external environmental forces should be considered such as present technology, political climate, economic situation, legal issues, social responsibility and cultural differences. Besides these external considerations are extremely important to HR activities especially, if HR planning is globally implemented. The serious pressures that are involve in a business are scarcity of talents, fast shifting technology, government regulations, environment, health, safety and changes in the market. In this situation, the human resource planning innovations of the company are affected. This will make sure that the organisation has the right work force with the right skills in the right jobs at the right moment. There is no argument that human resource planning should be associated with the strategic goals of the company. Hence, human resource planning is an important factor in managing an organisation competently and successfully. Accordingly, HR planning positively improves organisation performance if the HR plan is strategy-based and human resource is a convincing strategic collaborator (Macaleer & Shannon, 2003). Most parts of the world may be in recession and economies are in disorder will result in worldwide effects on organisations and businesses. Any type of HR planning is presented with a surmountable differences of opinion connected with unpredictable and uncertain times. In this case, if the planning is done by HR professionals who have superior knowledge of magnitude and quality of essential resources needed for revitalization, there is optimism of future positive outcomes. According to Robert A. Simpkins (2009), an organisational adviser and educator, there are two types of plans. One is designed to guarantee ‘business continuity’ in the appearance of manmade or natural catastrophe. Second is a plan that is framed for the ‘uncertainty’ of the business environment. HR planning is the most critical part of the organisation’s strategic plans for the reason that observing and adjusting for environmental changes will make the success of the process. All the drivers of the company’s internal and external environment are altering at an accelerating speed including advancements in technology with respect to hardware, software and connectivity, globalization, shifting of sources and consumers, changing competition, changes in markets, the alteration of demographics, change of population lifestyle, the macro and micro changes in economics and the progressively more bewildering government and international regulations (Simpkins 2009). Businesses have the desire to stay significant in the face of consumers and stakeholders. Mostly, the organisations that maintained their importance have built remarkable HR plans that are continually reviewed and modernized. Regrettably, other businesses build better folders that compose overall strategic human resources plans that are short of any back-up planning, and these stay behind on the shelf gathering dust for years, inappropriate to a present shifting business climate. Finally, Simpkins (2009) concludes that an organisation needs to design a communicable HR plan that is not detailed enough to slow down operation. Since HR professionals are with higher-level of understanding, the group will have the elasticity to adjust what will take place in the future. The solution to a positive result is to keep HR plan flexible (Simpkins, 2009). Human resources issues have been the first among all business issues to affect the outcome of a business organisation. Human resources have risks and these risks are the challenges that resulted from managing your employees, processes and procedures. Therefore by dealing with these risks in HR and finance, one can make positive organisational outcomes. On the other hand, if these issues are not addressed appropriately these possibly will cause major harm to the business (Steffee, 2008). Public personnel management research and practices increasingly focus on creative human resource management (HRM) strategies for recruiting individuals with Information Technology (IT) expertise and retaining employees with institutional knowledge, particularly in light of impending retirements. Some agencies face unique workforce demographic challenges, while others face shifts in missions or technologies. For these reasons, the U. S. Office of Personnel Management relaxed some regulations to allow federal agencies to meet their staffing needs (Mastracci, 2009, p. 19). With regards to staffing needs, workforce planning is the course of action that companies utilize to recognize and deal with the staffing implications of their strategic human resources plans or change of business plans. Workforce planning has a sole objective, to develop a long term perspective within which short term workforce decisions can be achieved efficiently. Staffing strategy is a long term plan that makes sure that availability of employees matches its requirement for employees. Staffing plans illustrate short term plans which an organisation will make in the immediate future to deal with staffing gaps and excesses. By implementing this procedure, the businesses can make certain it has the accurate quantity of people, with the appropriate skill, in position at the right moment. Workforce planning can facilitate the execution of business changes and innovations. The growth in organisations is anticipated overtime during the workforce planning phases. This process is essential in determining the staffing that would be required for growth that will make sure the needed skills will be obtainable to accomplish those development goals. It also allows a business company to construct and implement downsizing plans in the best efficient method. The absence of this strategy makes it hard to identify staffing reductions that have a positive effect on the future of the organisation (Bechet, 2008). Rightsizing or downsizing or organisational decimation is a persistent strategic human resource practice for the last thirty years (Gandolfi, 2008). This refers to the planned removal of big quantity of workforce intended to improve organisational efficiency. In fact, this process is a commonly accepted company solution in times of financial difficulties of the organisation. Although studies show enough indication that rightsizing companies is not generally a successful method of reaching goals of optimum output and maximum profit. However, rightsizing sometimes cannot be avoided; workforce reduction ought to be a management means of last resort rather than first option. For the duration of an economic recession, an organisation should think of all its options and examine the viability and applicability of cost-reduction alternatives before considering rightsizing. In fact predicting a business decline can be very hard, therefore, organisations have the immediate reaction rather than forecasting economic downturns (Gandolfi, 2008). Take the case of IBM, although the company planned to steer clear of downsizing its workforce however, the company declared plans of workforce reduction and by the early 1990’s IBM right sized its organisation by decreasing its employment by 40,000 at that time alone. However, IBM made an effort to become reactive by changing products and attempted to acquire the promptness and responsibility edges of fast reacting manufacturers (Greer, 2001). On the other hand, back in the 1980’s a small number of organisations marked workforce planning and marked as part of their human resource strategy. AT&T and some large oil firms were the models of this. Due to the fact that having a large volume of employees, these organisations called for some forms of workforce planning. AT&T made recognition for its succession planning, evaluation and career advancement programs. Rightsizing and reorganising achieved momentum for this time period. Strategic human resource was beginning to expand and become increasingly strategic because of the fast growing economy and globalisation at the end of the decade (Gubman, 2004). In another case, similar to any big organisations, Eastman Kodak has tried with a variety of human resource planning programs for the past decades. One of the successful programs centred on workforce requirements. HR planning by that time was perceived as a method to make certain that the right number and right kind of employees were at the right position at the right moments. Skills assessments were believed to be the suitable base for HR planning. Similar to any firm, Kodak discovered that there were no general definitions of HR planning. The company realised that they ‘borrowed, adapted, discovered and created’ their way to an approach to HR planning that was aligned to the market situation at that time and be reactive to its changes (Bennet & Brush, 2007). We have developed a framework and process for thinking about and doing HR planning, which I’ve labelled: â€Å"HR planning in â€Å"3D. † The three dimensional environment at Eastman Kodak – diversity, decentralisation, and dynamism – has significantly affected the character and objectives of the HR planning process (Bennet & Brush, 2007, p. 46). In this concept, the human resource function at Eastman Kodak Company was restricted with the goals on magnifying the strategic dimensions of human resource management. In this situation, HR is reshaped as a foundation of market competitive edge and new HR planning procedures were built to strengthen this edge. In the 1990’s, the implementation of this procedures required new HR abilities. The company’s made efforts to utilize HR planning to create a tougher and more aggressive corporation (Bennet & Brush, 2007). We have found several key integrative elements which, from an HR standpoint, seem to make sense in a â€Å"3D† environment. These elements are: corporate management themes; HR planning processes; and HR competencies. Working together, in an ensemble of influence and activity, these elements help to create, sustains, and reinforces strategic business unity (Bennet & Brush, 2007, pp. 48-49). Corporate management themes facilitate in building a focus for a united business environment to achieve its objectives. As of HR planning processes, planning is staged at the corporate and business points. In this process, Eastman Kodak Company is creating efficient HR staff and on this level, this will make the company’s HR planning a ‘competitive weapon in our business arsenal’ (Bennet & Brush, 2007). In the belief that the existing process of uniting and sharpening the corporation’s HR goals will result in considerable outcomes over the decades by concentrating our efforts and finances and giving to the corporation’s evolution. In HR competencies, HR planning is designed to support the Kodak Company by developing its ability to face the future and having the objective for improvement of Corporate Relations. An efficient production HR team, a competent HR planning process and the corporate themes put together will create unity of goals and objectives and create production’s capability to implement strategy. On the whole, the Kodak Company started to distinguish the advancement and positive results as the outcome of knowledge acquired on this process. As Kodak Company has started to achieve its goals, there is an opportunity for transformation of HR functions. The corporation anticipate that successful HR planning, in a ‘3D environment’, will be Kodak’s ‘vehicle for landing safely in the 21’st century’ (Boroski, 1990). The point of view on the Annual HR Strategic Planning Process of Corning Incorporated is that the HR staff employs to make HR investments and services the main concern in support with business needs. Overtime, this procedure has contributions from Human Capital Planning process, HR objectives and other organisation innovations. To efficiently attached HR strategy with business strategy a Human Capital Planning process was created in Corning Incorporated. The outcome gave managers tools and skills for ability development and gave HR a method of determining requirements over the organisation. To allow the determination of the skill that will affect the positive outcome of business strategy, HR planning should find out the quantity of employees needed and determine talent gaps. Incorporating both the workforce planning and operating plan process have facilitated to create a more aligned global HR function for Corning Incorporated. Important components of a good HR planning process are composed of different methods for collecting information; corporate strategy input from top executives; direction from top managers and business participation from each business facilitated by HR function. Furthermore, placement of the HR planning process with the business strategy procedures enhances HR’s capacity to support the functions it presents with the requirements for its market Bennet & Brush, 2007). In the early 1990’s, in order to meet Colgate-Palmolive Company’s objective of ‘becoming the best truly global consumer products company’ (Khanna & Randolph, n. d. ) it human resources made the building of its human resources strategy. The corporation is continually dedicated to developing the human resources for sustainable competitive edge in the global market. The HR strategy team was grouped into Geographic Excellence, Category Excellence and Functional Excellence. The Global Human Resources Business Plans is nothing until it is put into action. Colgate should consider consumer’s needs in order to accomplish the innovations of HR planning. HR plays an important part to assist Colgate employees to continually improve. HR makes an effort with management to build training, career planning, performance development, communications and reward systems. The process will make sure that Colgate employees have the chance for advancement, empowerment and continually improve its abilities (Smith, Boroski & Davis, 1992). On other respects, the organisation that is considering outsourcing, HR planning staff should be active partners of workforce planning processes. In the present economic situation, active human resource planning processes integrating flexible workforce preparations are adapted to a much greater degree. Outsourcing is not only part of workforce planning besides it is also a tool in human resource planning. HR planners should be part of the organisational change: evaluation, contract negotiation, transition and stabilisation as these control decisions of the process. HR planning should have the control of the decisions and as the effect of its absence of this practices may result in failures (Khanna & Randolph, 2005). The social responsibility of business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical and discretionary expectations that society has of organisations at a given point in time. The social responsibilities of a business include to produce goods or services, to make a profit, to obey the laws and regulations, to act ethically, to consider the public good in every decision that is made and to place ethics above personal gains. To be socially responsible a person or business must consider all aspects of society when making a decision. (Clark & Seward, 2000, p. 2) In human resource planning the process should incorporate the highest level of social responsibility. As Milton Friedman maintains that a business organisation has no social responsibilities other than to get the highest possible profits (Ramlall, 2009). In spite of this belief, now there is a general awareness among business organisations that sustainable achievement and stockholders share value cannot be materialised by maximising pr oduction but rather by having social responsible attitude (Ramlall, 2009). In another case, human resource should consider employee participation for good governance and corporate social responsibility. As an evidence of its importance is that, it is the basis as a legal tool in composing international institutions to regulate global corporations. In spite of this, business corporations make a general view in making HR procedures regarding the implementation of corporate social responsibility policies and personal views on employee relations that will affect the overall view of labour relations (Daugareilh, 2008). For multinational corporations like Enron, WorldCom and Citigroup, ethics are the most important aspect as an organisation. Everyday all kinds of organisations have to face some kind of moral issue that has the making of a scandal that sometimes will end up in the multimedia business sections. In today’s era, it is a challenge to confront moral dilemmas such as workforce retention, attracting people, promotion, pay, sexual harassment and other HR practices. How a business corporation will respond to these moral issues will affect organisational environment and will also incite legal actions and will result a negative perception from investors and consumers. Human resource planning practises call for not only reaching organisational objectives besides it will also institute and sustain these processes around ethical grounds (Kubal, Baker & Coleman, 2006). HR staff should have the foresight and the character to incorporate in its practises the various value systems in a business corporation. Although this is not just idealism, global competitions compel HR orientation to focus on profit. HR planning practices must consider decisions that are driven by the business or driven for the business. HR should lead as the guardians of the organisation’s strategic ability. Likewise HR practises must also be the guardians of the whole organisation’s ethical and moral integrity (Wright & Snell, 2005). Unquestionably, in having human resource management program it must recognize laws and regulations in dealing with its people. This will make the legal environment of human resources. Due to the fact that this is a complicated aspect of the organisation, this increasingly involves Human Resource Management. Persistent labour laws must be taken into consideration in overall Human Resource Planning formulation because in practising legal compliance is usually the source of strategic edge in the human resource management point of view (Greer, 2001). Human resource management policies and practices are designed to decide employee’s disagreements and make workplace justice. Similarly, an ethical decision to arrive at a solution to this dilemma is the innate character of human resource management practices and has brought about changes to Australian labour laws. Human Resource management role as a ‘strategic partner’ and also the one who will look after employees’ welfare cannot be seen as a neutral overseer of workplace disputes. That is why a development of a code of ethics should be considered when creating human resources planning processes (Van Gramberg &Teicher, 2006). Take the case in workforce resizing under human resource planning processes, there are legal implications in this situation. With regards to employing and terminating people in an organisation, there is training involved that covers different fair employment and antidiscrimination laws. A typical case in this matter was the case of United Steelworkers of America v. Weber (1979). Brian Weber sued Kaiser Aluminum and his union for racial discrimination (Clardy, 2003). On the whole, Human Resource (HR) planning is the process of combining human resource procedural plans with strategic business plans. HR planning is integrated along the whole of the business planning process. After identifying business goals and objectives, HR planning practices deal with building the workforce, capabilities and management needed to implement the strategic plans. HR planning is created to make sure that the organisation has the important ability to compete in the business world considering the unpredictability of today’s economy. External environment considerations such as economic, social, legal, cultural, political, ethics and technology should be taken into account since this will influence HR planning. The concept of HR planning of Eastman Kodak, Corning and Colgate Palmolive is to develop organisational capability that both will facilitate the innovation of human resource management strategy and integrating this with the companies’ business strategy.

Friday, September 27, 2019

How Religions Affect Countries Socially and Politically Essay

How Religions Affect Countries Socially and Politically - Essay Example it can very well be figured out that religion indeed has a far greater impact on the manner in which the country’s political and social environment takes shape. John J. Macionis defined religion as "A social institution involving beliefs and practices based on a conception of the sacred." Therefore, it is bound to have an impact on the manner in which the rulers of a country try to shape their political philosophy, because that what they consider to be good for their country and the people. If we take a look around, we can figure out a number of skirmishes taking place amongst groups, societies and countries. Religion seems to be one of the factors shaping the opinions and the behaviors of the people involved in the conflicts. It is a fact that no religion teaches hatred or intolerance towards other people in the society, but the manner in which the religious teachings are portrayed often impacts the social behavior. If we take a look at the Middle East conflict, we find a dee p divide amongst the followers of the two religions. The Middle East conflict between Israel and its neighbors, on the lines of religious beliefs, goes back to almost a century, but conflict has escalated more during the last over 60 years. The political spectrum in both the territories has been coming out with policies commensurate with their stated positions all this while. Despite efforts from different corners, the conflict is nowhere near to any solution even now. Now, terrorism, the dreaded word, also finds some of its threads attached to this conflict. But the net outcome of such conflict has not favored any particular country or territory. People from both the sides have suffered immensely and the developmental issues have been hit adversely but the irony is, even the newer generation on both the sides doesn't seem to have a say in resolving the conflict amicably. If we take a look at a country like Pakistan, we find that this Islamic nation has been in the news in recent days, for all the wrong reasons. The country has been under tremendous pressure from the Islamic clerics for quite some time now. Though the present regime came into power after a democratic process of elections during the recent past, but it also need to be remembered that Pakistan has had brushes with democracy in the past as well. In the past, there have a number of Military coups, taking over the reins of power in the country. Despite best efforts from some of the rulers of Pakistan, the religious bodies have always tried to dictate terms for framing policies, and it goes without saying that on many occasions such religious bodies have been able to have an upper hand. The recent incidents in Swat valley of Pakistan have raised many concerns about the future of democratic set up in the country. In order to restore peace in the region, the Pakistani government decided to ha nd over this valley, better known as 'Switzerland of Pakistan' to some of the religious heads on 15th of February2. From that day onward Islamic laws have come into force in the region, which implies many significant departures from the erstwhile democratic principles. It is quite apparent that the religion, being practiced by majority of the people in Pakistan had the upper hand in deciding about the future of the Swat valley. America is considered an icon of democracy all over the world. People from many faiths from around the world have made this country as their home. The policies and principles of the government provide full respect to all religions. But, if we are to point out the religion enjoying the best patronage, we'll come to the conclusion that it is indeed the Christianity. During the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Short written presentation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Short written presentation - Assignment Example The housing market was not unaffected with foreclosures, evictions and the resultant massive unemployment. The crisis contributed to the failure of many businesses, it reduces the consumer earnings and a reduction of overall economic activity (Anon, 125). The current European debt crisis is attributed greatly to this crisis with countries affected taking austerity measures that have had far more adverse effects on the citizens of these countries. This paper analysis how the crisis led to decreased lending and how this affected the economy. During the summer in 2007, the lending market experienced drastic disruptions with the market for asset-backed commercial disintegrating while the interbank market stagnated. The financial crisis created a fright that led financial institutions to seek to run through other financial institutions as a way of mitigating the escalating financial risks. These institutions suffered greatly when the lenders increased their lending requirements as a way o f reducing lending. The banks hoarded liquid asset as a reaction to a number of factors. One, there was a rising concern solvency of these interbank operations. Moreover, the banks were experiencing an increase in the risk of their asset collection. Moreover, they could predict a risk related to draw-down of a long line of committed credit. Besides reducing lending, the banks used several other measures to management liquidity. These range from one bank to another depending on the pressure they felt for having liquid assets. During the crisis, the banks increased their liquid asset by selling assets such as government securities and treasuries. This enabled them to accumulate huge reserves in the central bank which was lucrative as they would earn huge balances from the large reserves. The banks also invested more in mortgage backed securities from Fredie Mac and similar banks whose security was guaranteed by the government (Anon, 1230. The liquidity hoarding was seen to be common a cross all banks irrespective of their sizes. The reduction in lending was seen to be different on the local and foreign banks. The foreign banks reduced lending compared to the local banks. This is because; the financial shock such as the one that was experienced has been seen to transmit negative effects to the foreign subsidiaries. A research conducted showed that there was no decrease in lending in both local and foreign banks in the fiscal year 2008 to 2009 (Anon, 69). This could be probably because the effects of the crisis had just started to be felt. However, in the following fiscal year, foreign lending was seen to have reduced by 5% more than the local banks. This is a reason why foreign investment across Europe reduces at a greater rate compared to local investments. The effects of the crisis are still being felt by banks around Europe and the globe in general. Banks have been restricted to in order to improve their immunity against the effect of such crisis. This is eithe r through government conditions or the banks initiatives. The banks have also been forced to adapt to the changing economic climates. They now have to deal with a shrinking economy in the advanced economy and increasing economic opportunities in the emerging economies such as China. It is evident that the decrease in lending has a detrimental effect on investment. This is because with reduced lending or greater credit requirements, investors will shy away for making investments. The uncertainty of the market also discourages

What policies, if any, should Europe implement to address Spains Essay

What policies, if any, should Europe implement to address Spains economic problems of declining prices and high unemployment - Essay Example ies include provision of financial assistance to Spain and its banks, substantial economic reforms, improve liquidity in the Euro zone banking system and initiate reforms on economic governance (Lee, 1). As a point of departure, the economic crisis in Spain going down to the rates of inflation and unemployment need immediate response to help the situation. The euro zone should release financial assistance from the it’s lending facility called the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) to Spain and its banks to rescue the nation’s financial base from further sliding prices. This facility provides loans in a direct manner to the euro zone governments (Patrick, Cohn-Bendit, and Griffiths, 38). The money is meant for recapitalization and purchase of government bonds primarily on the secondary markets. With the purchase of government bonds through the commercial banks of Spain, the situation is expected to slowly come to normal due to the ability of the government to pay for its spending, particularly the capital expenditure intended for national development. Equally, the European Union should seek that the Spanish government reaches and adheres to the set fiscal asceticism and structural reforms benchmarks. It is realizable that, the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the IMF help most of the euro zone nations to create and monitor implementation of sound reform programs. This process reassures a stable market for the euro zone goods and services and attracts rescue funds from the EFSF (Patrick, Cohn-Bendit, and Griffiths, 45). In addition, the reformed structures help in faster comeback from an economic downturn. For this case Spain stands a better chance of receiving these funds, because of its early adoption of the reforms assures a stable market free of volatility. The other rescue response involves the unprecedented steps intended to improve the liquidity status of the Euro zone banking structure. For instance from May 2010, the ECB

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Paul Gauguins illusion In The Paint Where Do We Come From What Are We Essay

Paul Gauguins illusion In The Paint Where Do We Come From What Are We Where Are We Going - Essay Example Paul Gauguin had presumably referred to this soul. In his painting â€Å"WE† does not refer to material world that are unreal and that which our mind personifies.This paper is trying to establish intellectual and philosophical aspect of gauguin’s painting on this ground. The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture in it’s publication â€Å"Aspects of Vedanta† has said: Sankara is not alone in drawing our attention to the illusory nature of empirical life. Plato, Kant, and Hegel adopt the same view, and in recent times, Bergson, equipped with all the knowledge of modern science, arrives at the same conclusion. The intellect,he says, disguises reality, misrepresents it, and presents to us a static world, †¦ The painting of our topic very much reflects this illusion suffered by the artist, though, it seems, he very much understood that â€Å"real† is different from this illusion. Also, Paul Gauguin relflects the illusion suffered by this world. Ingo F Walther in his book â€Å"Paul Gauguin 1848-1903 The Primitive Sophisticate† has mentioned: The spectrum of human activity encompassed by the painting spans all of life, from birth to death, in all its wondruous diversity. The new-born child lying in the grass, seeing the light of day for the first time, marks one boundary of Gauguin's stage, and the careworn old woman who looks so downcast as she meditates upon the past marks the other. Between the two lies the copious adult world of fears and joys. The exotic idol in the background, and the two people walking (possibly lovers), are there for atmospheric effect, and bridge gap between Man and the natural setting. Gauguin reveals considerable ambition in the way in which he placed some favourite subjects in his panorama - the relaxed reclining nude, the figures sitting lost in the thought, the cult statute. The figures are there to evoke associative meanings, rather to explain or illustrate. Gauguin was not concerned with being understood: rather, he was interpreting life as a great mystery. The world's lack of understanding, which was pushing him towards suicide, was obliquely expressed in his emphasis of the impenetrable and incomprehensible.# Footnotes: **Page 45 and 46 in "Aspects of Vedanta" #Page 80 in "Paul Gauguin 1848-1903 The Primitive Sophisticate" By Ingo F Walther The painting by depicting the various stages of life, in effect has carried the message that life is full of changes and life is nothing but an illusion. Even the animals and birds found in tha painting undergo the changes of life which is an illusion. The blue sky found in the painting is also an illusion. The painting depicts the convulsions of his mind and his yearning to show the world the difference between the 'real' and 'unreal'. The other side of illusion But, interestingly, illusion is having another side. Swami Lokeswarananda in his translation of Mandukya Upanisad has said: Even to

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Race Relations in the USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Race Relations in the USA - Essay Example These days, most of our nation feels that racism and the connotations thereof are a thing of the past – we have Affirmative Action, which seeks to bring the nation’s ethnic minorities, especially the African Americans, out of the disadvantages a systematic discrimination has led them into, what is more today an African American is our nation’s President. Clearly, this shows that there is no systemic discrimination against the non-whites in our country, as the whites have ceded the power they once wielded. But just how true is that? Just a little inspection reveals that while it is true that there is no institutional racism in the United States, and overt racism is not tolerated at all, there are still racial undertones to almost all aspects of life. Admittedly, these racial undertones are present in relations between non-whites themselves as well, but while we cannot define the race relations completely, it is still a â€Å"white† issue. These days when mo st of the overtly racist tones of our country have been buried and when overt racist actions and speech are not only frowned upon, but also punished, there is a more pervasive form of inherent bias that exists within us. Most members of our society have implicit biases – which is to say that they have biases without consciously being aware of them. A lot of the time, people do react in a certain way when dealing with people of other ethnic communities without even realizing that they are showing a hidden bias. The Social Psychology Network has set up an Implicit Association Test online whereby they have assessed a large number of people regarding their hidden biases with regard to Whites and African Americans. The results of the tests are astounding: 73% of the total test takers show an automatic preference of varying intensity for White people, with only 16% of the test takers showing any kind of preference for the African Americans. The bias is so well hidden that we do not even know it exists, and yet the test results clearly show just how insidious and wide spread it is. Another factor that complicates race relations is the fact that we have a phenomenon called â€Å"White Privilege† that is very pervasive, but which we do not admit to. According to Robert Jensen, the United States is shaped by White Privilege; he talked to a conservative white student of his who also agreed that in a world run by white people both of them had often benefitted by the fact that they were also white (â€Å"White Privilege†). However, there is a trend to ignore the fact that the world is tilted to favor a certain race in our country, and there is still stress on there being equal opportunities for all citizens irrespective of caste or creed. According to Jensen this is the ultimate white privilege: â€Å"the privilege to acknowledge you have unearned privilege but ignore what it means† (â€Å"White Privilege†). This does not mean that white people abuse the rights of others to be where they are right now, but that there are doors that are opened to them more readily because of the color of their skin. Peggy McIntosh, in her essay â€Å"Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack† has not only talked about how there is need for us to address the white privilege, but has also identified and listed 50 things that she, as a white person, gets to experience, which other ethnic minorities do not get to experience most of the time. It is simply eye opening, to say the least, to read about all the everyday things where White people have an invisible advantage or privilege over members of other ethnic communities. For instance, according to the list, McIntosh can readily ignore â€Å"

Monday, September 23, 2019

The Effects of Cyberschools on Public Education Essay

The Effects of Cyberschools on Public Education - Essay Example When the Western Pennsylvania cyberschool opened in the 2000-01 school year, 525 grade 12 students were enrolled in it. In the 2001-2002 school year, 996 students were enrolled (KPMG Consulting, 2001). Indeed, demographic figures are a testament to the success of the Western Pennsylvania cyberschool for, not only are enrolment figures steadily n the increase but, an increasing number of students and parents are opting for cyberschool as a preferred alternative to public schooling, with the result being that that while 48% of the enrolled students are former home schoolers, 52% are former public school students from twelve south west region counties. Added to that, 27 of the enrolled students are classified as gifted' and 117 are special education needs students (KPMG Consulting, 2001). The implication here is that, within Western Pennsylvania at least, cyberschooling is emerging as a viable, valid and vital alternative to public schooling. Within the parameters of the outlined problem, the research shall attempt the determination of the impact of cyberschools on public education, with the focus being on Western Pennsylvania. 3 Definition of Key Terms The focus of this action research is well-defined and limited to the relationship between public schooling and cyberschooling, on the one hand, and the emergence of cyberschools as an alternative to both home and public schooling. The focus, as stated, allows for the identification of three key terms, those being cyberschools, public education and home schooling. Each of these terms shall now be defined in order to contextualize their usage in the... The focus of this action research is well-defined and limited to the relationship between public schooling and cyberschooling, on the one hand, and the emergence of cyberschools as an alternative to both home and public schooling. The research and data analysis carried out allows for the statement of a set of conclusions. The first of these is that the public school system is under tremendous strain, both because of increasing student populations and decreasing qualified teacher populations. The consequence of the aforementioned is the decreasing capacity for effective education and an ever dwindling ability to ensure the safety and security of students on school grounds and property. The stated has led many parents to turn to Homeschooling and, eventually, to cyberschools. As pertains to cyberschools, the research data allows for the conclusion that it is an effective, viable, vital and feasible alternative to both public education and Homeschooling. This paper makes a conclusion that given that no data was found on the actual effect that cyberschools have had on the public school system, it is difficult to present definitive conclusions regarding this relationship. Nevertheless, one may assume that cyberschools will be integrated into the public school system in due course, thereby relieving state and federal governments of a substantial percentage of the cost involved in the maintenance and running of public schools and allowing access to education for those who, for a variety of reasons, had no previous access. In other words, cyberschools will not function as a threat to public schools but as a support system.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Language of Robinson Crusoe Essay Example for Free

Language of Robinson Crusoe Essay Daniel Dafoe’s popular novel, originally titled The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner: Who lived Eight and Twenty Years, all alone in an uninhabited Island on the Coast of America, near the Mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque; Having been cast on Shore by Shipwreck, wherein all the Men perished but himself. With an Account how he was at last as strangely deliver’d by Pyrates (iii), like most classics underwent many editions through the years. However nothing but the first edition, which is the basis of this essay, can give us the look and feel of the time as intended to be shown by the author. Early Modern English According to Volume 14 of The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes, Early Modern English period marked the expansion of the use of the English language outside England. But since English was spread at various times it has been subjected to different influences and additional variations caused by attempts at etymological spelling (Ward et al ch 15 sec 3 par 1). These were evident in the novel in two aspects of language: grammar and vocabulary (Ward et al ch 15 sec 1 par 1-2). Among the inflectional changes during the early modern English was the dropping of the weak vowel in verbs ending in –ed (Ward et al. ch 15 sec 4 par. 7). Examples of these manifested not only in the title (the word deliver’d) but within the text itself such as call’d, fill’d, encreas’d, and fatigu’d. Spelling also appeared to be phonetically defective (Ward et al. ch 15 sec 3 par. 1) with words like perswasions, lyon, lye, and prophetick. Compounding of words were also used in the novel by examples of free-school, hand-maids, ground-tackle and fellow-slave. However, the change in the verbs as well as the defects in spelling was not applied to the entire novel which makes us consider the reasons for such use. Towards a Purity in Style Daniel Defoe, in his book An Essay upon Projects, emphasized that it was the responsibility of the society to polish and refine the English tongue and to purge it from all the irregular additions that ignorance and affectation have introduced as befitted the noblest and most comprehensive of all the vulgar languages in the world (8). The spread of the English language was depicted in the novel when Robinson Crusoe teaches his servant Friday the English language. We may notice from an excerpt of their discourse below that although essentially Crusoe and Friday came to communicate effectively with each other, Friday’s English differs much from Crusoe’s parallel to their difference in status and origin: Friday, My Nation beat much, for all that. Master, How beat; if your Nation beat them, how come you to be taken? Friday, They more many than my Nation in the Place where me was; they take one, two, three, and me; my Nation over beat them in the yonder Place, where me no was; there my Nation take one, two, great Thousand. Master, But why did not your Side recover you from the Hands of your Enemies then? Friday, They run one, two, three, and me, and make go in the Canoe; my Nation have no Canoe that time. (Defoe, â€Å"Robinson Crusoe† 254) Much is the same circumstance that brought about the variations and additions to the English language in which Defoe is clamoring for purity (â€Å"An Essay upon Projects† 8). Shoar and Shore. Aside from the defective spelling mentioned earlier is the variation in the spelling (Ward et al. ch 15 sec 3 par. 1). An example if this is the word shore, spelled shore and shoar, in different context of the novel. It may be noted that shoar was only used in the part of Robinson Crusoe’s mishaps. That is to say, from the part of his captivity at Sallee until before his wreck on the island. These mishaps, Crusoe later reflected on, were results of his ignorance in the Providence of God and malcontent thus the use of the spelling shoar. While his solitary life in the island described the learning process he underwent to survive and finally live harmoniously with his surroundings; hence the renewed use of the spelling shore. In this regard, one may interpret that the use of the word was intentional to show the need and difficulty in creating a standard for the English language. viz. and (viz.). The use of foreign language in novels is quite common throughout the ages. As such, we came to attention on the use of the Latin word viz. Oxford English Dictionary defines viz. as the abbreviation of videlicet which generally means namely or that is to say (1033). Although Defoe used viz. without parenthesis and viz. in parenthesis based on the same definition, its participation in the statement are quite different. The viz. without parenthesis was used in identifying and qualifying statements such as the â€Å"All the rest of that Day I spent in afflicting my self at the dismal Circumstances I was brought to, viz. I had neither Food, House, Clothes, Weapon, or Place to fly to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"Robinson Crusoe† 82). On the other hand, viz. in parenthesis, which appeared in lines like â€Å"This was what I wish’d for; so I took them up, and serv’d them as we serve notorious Thieves in England, (viz.) Hang’d them in Chains for a Terror to others†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"Robinson Crusoe† 138), was used as such in order to explain earlier statement. The use of parenthesis to differentiate the use of the same word in the novel further reflects Defoe’s quest for refinement of the English language as mentioned previously. Conclusion Indeed, regardless of the plot of the story which categorized it to fiction, the culture and language of the time is unmistakable. Robinson Crusoe, in its original version, allows us the indulgence to peek and appreciate not only the early modern English language but the period as well. The flexibility of the language then reflected the society of that time as it has always been for any period or era. At the same time, the novel provided additional venue for the author to disseminate his ideas and further his individual attempt towards the transition to the modern English language and insertions to the importance of learning across the spectrum of the society. Such power language has to influence its readers, whether consciously or unconsciously. And the duality that the novel showed made it a favorite among children and adults alike. Fulfilling its objectives to entertain and propagate (however subtle it may be). Works Cited Defoe, Daniel. An Essay Upon Projects. New York: Adamant Media Corporation, 2005. Print. . The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner: Who lived Eight and Twenty Years, all alone in an uninhabited Island on the Coast of America, near the Mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque; Having been cast on Shore by Shipwreck, wherein all the Men perished but himself. With an Account how he was at last as strangely deliver’d by Pyrates. London: printed for W. Taylor, 1719. Print. Oxford English Dictionary. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print. Ward, Aldolphus William, Sir, et al. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1907-21; New York: Bartleby.com, 2000 (Web) April 1, 2009.