...and Crocker-Heifer (1996), that ‘distinctive human resource practices help to create unique competencies that differentiate products and services and, in turn, drive competitiveness’. Therefore, winning organizations get their competitive edge from a Performance Management System (PMS) that helps them hire talented people, place them in the right position, align their individual performance with the organization’s vision and strategic objectives, appraise them, develop their abilities, and reward performance commensurate with contributions to the organization’s success. However, organizations need to understand some of the human resource practices in order to maximize the benefits, such as Performance PMS. With reference to orthodox and radical criticisms, this essay will argue the extent to which PMS is more superior to performance appraisal in managing performance in a modern organization. Performance management is a systematic process for improving organizational performance by developing the performance of individuals and teams. It is a means of getting better results by understanding and managing performance within an agreed framework of planned goals, standards, and competency requirements. (Armstrong 2009). The essential components or parts of an effective PMS include: Performance planning (includes employee goal setting / objective setting); Ongoing performance communication; Data gathering, observation and documentation; Performance appraisal meetings; Performance diagnosis...
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...Psychoanalytic theory vs behaviourism: motivation Freud's psychoanalytic theory with its model of the mind and its central concepts provides a better interpretation of one's behavior and accounts for behavior on a wider scope of issues than does the radical behaviorist theory of B. F. Skinner. Skinner successfully explains human behavior in terms of operant conditioning and reinforcing agents. He changes the focus from Freud's internalized (mental) processes to the importance of the external environment. Skinner emphasizes the importance of the directly observable behavior. However, he fails to completely account for behavior, excluding the original motivational drive. In contrast, Freud succeeds in construing the origins of behavior and motivation, which makes the psychoanalytic theory of Freud more adequate as a theory of personality. Throughout history humans have been puzzled by human behavior, the reasons behind it, and have been faced with the consequences of their own as well as others' behavior. Many studies have been done and theories developed in an attempt to explain this fascinating area of human existence. Among many theories and theorists, Freud's psychoanalytic and Skinner's radical behaviorist theories have been selected and looked at throughout the following paper. Theory of personality that Freud introduced together with its concepts, many deemed romantic, unprovable and sometimes obscene, has shaped the way humans view themselves in many cases...
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...sci“What we can do, for the moment, is to fix two major superstructural “levels”: the one that can be called “civil society”, that is the ensemble of organisms commonly called “private”, and that of “political society” or “the State”. These two levels correspond on the one hand to the function of “hegemony” which the dominant group exercises throughout society and on the other hand to that of “direct domination” or command exercised through the State and “judicial” government. The functions in question are precisely organisational and connective. The intellectuals are the dominant group’s “deputies” exercising the subaltern functions of social hegemony and political government.” →Antonio Gramsci From Gramsci’s prison note books Introduction Hegemony is a concept that has been used to describe and explain the dominance of one social group over another, such that the ruling group or hegemon acquires some degree of consent from the subordinate, as opposed to dominance purely by force. It is used broadly to mean any kind of dominance, and narrowly to refer to specifically cultural and non-military dominance, as opposed to the related notions of empire and suzerainty Gramsci and Hegemony The idea of a ‘third face of power’, or ‘invisible power’ has its roots partly, in Marxist thinking about the pervasive power of ideology, values and beliefs in reproducing class relations and...
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...metabolites. Cumulatively, these changes give rise to a variety of symptoms associated with aging, such as forgetfulness, decreased ability to maintain focus, and decreased problem solving capability. If left unchecked, symptoms oftentimes progress into more serious conditions, such as dementia and depression, or even Alzheimer’s disease. Cognitive decline does not affect all individuals equally; clear associations exist between the rate and severity of cognitive decline and a variety of factors, including oxidative stress and free radical damage, chronic low-level inflammation, declining hormone levels, endothelial dysfunction, excess body weight, suboptimal nutrition, lifestyle, social network, other medical conditions, and various biomarkers. Fortunately, many of these factors are modifiable to a significant extent, and proactive lifestyle changes, cognitive training, and nutritional interventions have been shown to decrease the rate of intellectual decay and potentially reverse age-related cognitive decline. The Aging Brain The aging process profoundly impacts the brain in ways that can be observed on multiple levels, ranging from sub-cellularly to macro-structurally. On a diminutive scale, aging causes deterioration of neuronal and mitochondrial membranes, which leads to the loss of cellular integrity and impaired neuronal function. The physical...
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...Moringa is also an excellent “brain food” because it is a natural source of many of the essential brain nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin E, omega 3, caratenoids and much much more. One of the many benefits of taking a daily regimen of Moringa is increased clarity and mental focus. Moringa contains zinc, which supports brain connectivity between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Additionally, Moringa aids in neurotransmission due to the 18 amino acids it contains. Plus, Moringa capsules, tea or extract makes it easy to incorporate Moringa into your daily routine. In addition to a balanced diet with brain boosting nutrients, daily physical exercise and regular brain workouts, sleep, a positive social environment and controlled levels of stress also contribute to brain health. The leaves are nutritive2,4,5 and spasmolytic18 Herbal Miscellany Perhaps Moringa really is a miracle tree..? Not only has it provided food, shelter, water filtration, and medicine, but it may also be a source for fuel in the future.9 Moringa is being considered as a potential source for biodiesel (plant based fuel that diesel engines can run off of). This plant grows easily in tropical areas and can easily produce high quantities of biomass for fuel. This can be done without compromising leaf harvest, thus the same Moringa plant can be cultivated for both fuel and as a nutritional supplement for the natural marketplace simultaneously. It is therefore considered a superior feedstock to jatropha...
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...FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS Examine the different functions performed by the family for individuals and society? The family is a unit of people living together tied down by biological or legal bonds. Functionalists take the family to be an important part on the way society works and therefore emphasise the importance of the function of the family. Functions are the jobs and roles of a particular object. Functionalists and Marxists are social systems, also known as structural thinkers. Structural theories define individuals as being completely shaped by our society and the way it works and is organised. Functionalism visualises society as socialising individuals into the shared norms and values, which dictate the way they will behave. Marxism and a majority of feminist groups are also classed as structural thinkers. Both functionalists and Marxists take a macro approach and make generalisations towards the role the nuclear family plays in society as a whole. However functionalists take a positive view of the role of the nuclear family whereas traditional Marxists and feminists have criticised the view. George Peter Murdock was a functionalist sociologist. From his study of 250 diverse societies he concluded that the family actually performs 4 basic functions, which are essential for social life. The first were sexual and reproductive which are important, as they are the means of producing members of society. Without these two major functions society itself would seize to exist. Providing...
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...OB 5602 – Organizational Design Team Case Analysis Jones Lang LaSalle: Reorganizing around the Customer (2005) February 26, 2013 Team 5 Ravi Dawar James Sowers Joe Reinberg The Reorganization in Late 2000 From 1995 to 2005, the U.S. commercial real estate sector had undergone one of the most significant transformations of its history. Globalization led many American companies to seek out firms that could serve their real estate needs both internationally and locally in a consistent and comprehensive manner. They called these firms “integrated, global service providers”. Technological innovation also made the world a smaller place for real estate firms as sharing of information was made easier thanks to the advent of the internet and because of this, physical presence was no longer necessary. This led to a fierce competition between the global and local real estate firms. To differentiate their services, real estate firms started offering bundled service offerings, in which the same firm would perform all the key real estate operations such as leases, management, and construction. Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) did not have a stronghold in the regional geographies and was not able to compete with the local boutique firms because of missing synergies between its three core business units: The Tenant Representation Group (TRG), Corporate Property Services (CPS), and Project & Development Services (PDS). These three units worked separately...
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...ESD Working Paper Series Towards An Integration Of The Lean Enterprise System, Total Quality Management, Six Sigma And Related Enterprise Process Improvement Methods Kirkor Bozdogan Center for Technology, Policy and Industrial Development Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA USA 02139 Tel. 617 253-8540 bozdogan mit.edu ESD-WP-2010-05 August 2010 esd.mit.edu/wps ESD Working Paper Series Towards An Integration Of The Lean Enterprise System, Total Quality Management, Six Sigma And Related Enterprise Process Improvement Methods Kirkor Bozdogan Center for Technology, Policy and Industrial Development Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA USA 02139 Tel. 617 253-8540 bozdogan mit.edu ESD-WP-2010-05 August 2010 esd.mit.edu/wps TOWARDS AN INTEGRATION OF THE LEAN ENTERPRISE SYSTEM, TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT, SIX SIGMA AND RELATED + ENTERPRISE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT METHODS Kirkor Bozdogan # Center for Technology, Policy and Industrial Development, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA 02139 August 5, 2010 Key Words: Lean manufacturing; just-in-time-production (JIT); Toyota Production System (TPS); lean enterprise system; total quality management (TQM); six sigma; lean six sigma; theory of constraints (TOC); agile manufacturing; business process reengineering (BPR); enterprise change and transformation; evidence-based management practices Abstract: The lean enterprise system, total quality management, six sigma...
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...have realized that there is a need to restructure their business practices and become more customer-focused. All recent business approaches and techniques have generally aimed at improving performance, increasing profits, gaining market share, and most importantly satisfying the customer who has become more educated and more demanding than ever. In the last two decades two organizational development models have dominated the business world for a considerable period of time namely Total Quality Management (TQM) and Business Process Reengineering (BPR). Statement of Objective This paper aims to shed a novel light on the two most recent and prominent management approaches, namely TQM and BPR. In an attempt to examine the interaction between radical BPR and incremental TQM with respect to change management, I shall briefly discuss the two constructs and contemplate the roots and basic tenets that underlie each. BPR has been referred to in the literature as “the successor” of TQM and has been treated as an equal. I shall treat the similarities and common grounds among the two, as well as the differences between them. Next, I shall touch upon the weaknesses and highlights that distinguish each, and then move on to construct an integrated model in an attempt to reconciliate the two “opposing camps”. In this model, BPR cannot withstand, but be an integrated part of the more comprehensive TQM effort, which is the broader platform for organizational change. As such, BPR is rendered as a technique...
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...of inter-connected institutions for an example education, family and government which depended on each other to function. Functionalists see society as being similar to the human body. In the same way the body relies on the heart to pump blood round to other vital organs like the lungs and brain. Functionalists see society as being constructed of different inter-dependent components like the family and education system. So in the same way the human body would fail if the heart stopped, functionalists’ argue society would stop working properly if the family stopped functioning properly. Functionalists say this would happen because the family is an institution in which primary socialisation occurs. Primary socialisation is where younger members of a family are taught societies norms, values, roles and beliefs, By having the same values which we all share, a value consensus is establish. Therefore we can see the family has a function in the social system. This perspective of society differed from other sociologists of his era as Durkheim's theories were founded on things external in nature, as opposed to those internal in nature, such as the motivations and desires of individuals. According to Durkheim, collective consciousness, values, and rules are critical to a functional society. The functionalist perspective on the education system Functionalists focus on the...
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...sexes and the establishment of the political, social, and economic rights of the female sex”. The term ‘feminist’ itself has been used in the United Kingdom since the 1880s but it’s philosophy had been dated back centuries before. Since then it’s meaning has evolved into different branches from radical feminism to liberal feminism for example, and is used on a political platform. It is fact that both Mary Wollstonecraft and Hannah More are examples of women who philosophised about women’s rights and their place in society. They both produced published works discussing women in society focused upon educational reform, and many have debated the extent to which they should be considered feminists. However, although their views contradicted each other, based on the modern day definition of feminism, both Wollstonecraft and More should be considered feminists for numerous reasons. Firstly, it is indisputable that Mary Wollstonecraft was a feminist and even as far to be considered as the “founder of western feminism”. In Wollstonecraft’s writings, a new female value is consciously introduced and effectively infused into a movement across the late eighteenth century. There are many books that focus on Wollstonecraft’s thought alone as they all depict the influences and meanings of feminism to Wollstonecraft. They all commonly convey significance, individuality and authenticity, as well as emphasising the need to display itself for the attentions of others in trying to establish a movement...
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...Brunel Business School Draft Working Paper: November 2006 Innovation: Basic Concepts and Models By S. N. Nasirpourosgoei and A-M Coles For many firms the development of new products is a major business activity, although Ettlie (2006) points out that many new products are merely copies or imitations of existing ones. The study of innovation is concerned with identifying how firms use their existing knowledge and technical resources to develop goods, processes and services that are significantly novel. Innovation is often seen as a key driver of economic growth for a country and increased firm productivity (Gann, 2003 cited in Abbott and Jeong, 2006). Trott (2005) demonstrates that the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century was fuelled by technological innovations, while Abbott and Jeong (2006) argue that there is now increasing emphasis on the importance of innovation for long-term economic success. At an organisational level, specific benefits include such factors as market growth, reductions in production cost, competitive positioning and opening up of new markets (Slaughter, 1998). For Ettlie the key questions in the study of innovation relate to the way some firms can utilise individual creativity in innovation more successfully than others. Innovation is has become a vital part of business survival and is supported by much academic study into reasons for its success and failure, for example, in 1994 – 1995, 275 books published in the US had the word ‘innovation’...
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...FACTA UNIVERSITATIS Series: Economics and Organization Vol. 5, No 1, 2008, pp. 17 - 29 EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FACTORS АFFЕCTING THE PRODUCT AND BUSINESS PROCESS INNOVATION UDC 001.895:658.62 Nebojša Zakić, Ana Jovanović, Milan Stamatović Faculty of Entrepreneurial Business, Union University, Belgrade Abstract. The competitive advantage of a company strongly depends on its possibility to benefit from innovational activities. Understanding the factors that affect product and process innovation and their effects is necessary for deciding on an innovation strategy that is one of the core factors of an innovation success. We research the influence of nine external and internal factors on product and business processes innovation. For the analysis of important relations and conclusions, beside theoretical literature, we use the results of several studies. Key Words: product innovations, business processes innovation, industry maturity, customer needs, demand, technological opportunity, investment attractiveness, company size, export orientation INTRODUCTION Innovations are one of the main sources of a competitive advantage and they are essential for a company growth. Fast technology development, combined with the globalisation and fast changes in customer demand, implies that a competitive advantage of a company can be only temporary. Companies put great effort in beating the competition and improvement in the market game by introducing innovations. On the macro level, innovations...
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...the shift in financial sector and financial flows between banks, insurers and pension funds. The answer for the banks to these developments lies in the integration of all the financial services provided by the banks by becoming more customer-oriented. The integration of all financial services should be with the customer as the central starting point after understanding the overall financial status of a customer and providing a tailored advice for the customers. To make this possible, products, agreements, conditions and settlements are integrated into a logical and easy fashion for the customer. This can be achieved by the addition of a service layer. This service layer will assemble the separate services like banking, investment, mortgage and insurance into an integrated financial service. Following context diagram indicates the design: Advisor Client Total Agreement Service Desk Monitoring Customer Aggrements Mortgage Insurance Investment Saving/loan Others services Analysis Counseling Quoting Manage Identify inform Credit Important pillars of the integrated services are- Customer overview, a comprehensive agreement, central customer account, the assembly of integrated financial services and monitoring of customer agreements. These pillars form the heart of a unique customer proposition. Customer Over view By building...
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...are two types of definition; • Exclusive definitions – These focus on the specific relationships within the family unit i.e. marriage • Inclusive definitions – These focus on the functions of the unit e.g. support. The Cereal Packet Family A popular image of the family in Britain in the late twentieth century has been described as the cereal packet family. The ‘happy family’ image gives the impression that most people live in a typical family and these images reinforce the dominant ideology of the traditional nuclear family. Functionalists Roles of the Family – Parsons The Functionalist Talcott Parsons sees two main functions that the family performs these are: • The primary socialisation of children Parson argues that every individual must internalise the norms and values of society. He said it is the family that moulds the child’s personality to fit the needs of society, producing children who are committed to shared norms and values and who have a strong sense of belonging to society • The stabilisation of adult personalities Adults need emotional security, which is given by partners in a marriage, and they also need a source of release from the stresses and strains of daily life, which they get from being able to indulge in childish behaviour when playing with their children. This ‘stabilisation’ is often referred to as the ‘warm bath theory’. Other functions of the family; • The family is an important agent of social...
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